1985/06/01 by Kathryn Kelley · 4 citations
Psychology · Health Professions · Social Sciences · #Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology #Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health #Gender, Feminism, and Media #Fantasy #Sexual arousal #Psychology #Arousal #Developmental psychology #Subject (documents) #Affect (linguistics) #Sexual desire #Social psychology #Human sexuality #Art #Literature #Communication #Gender studies #Sociology
paper · doi:10.2190/j66d-n10e-lth5-8aw5
openalex publication_date 1985/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
The effects of erotic content and subject sex on sexual fantasy were mediated by general sexual attitudes. When erotic content consisted of mild erotica showing males rather than females, male subjects ( N=123) expressed significantly more negative themes in briefer fantasy productions than females ( N=123). Analyses of affective and arousal responses to single-sex and heterosexual erotica indicated patterns generally consistent with the fantasy outcomes. Negative sexual attitudes were associated with negatively-toned fantasies, more negative affect, and less sexual arousal. Variations in affective and arousal responses to erotic stimuli, as discussed by the theory of the Sexual Behavior Sequence, were demonstrated to extend to the production of sexual fantasy.