Psychosexual Characterization of Volunteers for a Laboratory Study of Sexual Arousal: Gender Differences

In sexuality research, laboratory studies utilising psychophysiological measures with measurement devices placed in the genitals have been shown to elicit a greater degree of volunteer participation. Little attention has been given to characterising people who are interested in participating in sexuality research. The purpose of this study is to compare the psychosexual characteristics of erotophilia, sexual inhibition/excitation, and subjective orgasm experience of men and women interested in participating in a laboratory study with those from the general population. The sample comprised 525 young adults (205 men and 320 women) interested in participating in a laboratory study task. The results indicated gender differences between the volunteers in some of the observed psychosexual variables. Compared to the general population, men volunteers in the laboratory studies reported lower scores on all aspects of the orgasm experience, while women volunteers exhibited higher levels of erotophilia and sexual excitation, as well as lower levels of sexual inhibition due to performance failure, sexual inhibition due to consequences, and the affective, sensory, and intimacy aspects of orgasm. In conclusion, men and women volunteers in laboratory studies on sexuality present certain characteristics that should be considered in order to mitigate and control research bias.