Effects of Individual Differences on the Efficacy of Different Distracters During Visual Sexual Stimulation in Women

Distractions from sexual cues have been shown to decrease the sexual response, but it is unclear how distracters decrease
sexual response. Individual differences may modulate the efficacy of distracters. Forty women viewed three sexual films while
their labial temperature and continuous self-reported sexual arousal were monitored. One sexual film had simultaneous verbal
distracters concerning dissatisfaction with one’s physical appearance (higher salience distracter), a second had distracters
concerning daily chores (lower salience distracter), and the third sexual film had no distracters. Participant’s reporting
greater relationship satisfaction and more communication with their partner about their own physical appearance were expected
to decrease the efficacy (increased sexual arousal) of the distracters concerning physical appearance. Contrary to expectations,
women who received less feedback about their body from their partners reported less sexual arousal during a sexual film with
body distracters than a sexual film with general distracters or a sexual film with no distracters. All women exhibited lower
labial temperature in Minutes 2 and 3 of the sexual film with body image distracters as compared to the other two sexual films.
Possible explanations explored include self-verification theory and individual differences in the indicators that women consider
when rating their sexual arousal.