Behm. Res. Z-her. Vol. 31, No. 1, PP. 25-35, 1993 0005-7967/93 $5.00 + 0.00 Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved Copyright 0 1992 Pergamon Press Ltd zyxwvutsrqp PERFORMANCE DEMAND AND SEXUAL AROUSAL IN WOMEN ELLEN LAAN,* WALTER EVERAERD, MARIE-THBRBSE VAN AANHOLD and MARLENE REBEL Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPON (Received 20 February 1992) Sunnnnry-Up to now, no experimental studies have inquired into the possible role of performance demand in female sexuality. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of performance demand on sexual arousal in functional women, using explicit instructions. Forty-eight female subjects were asked to respond with maximum sexual arousal within 2min, both during sexual fantasy and while watching an erotic film excerpt. Photoplethysmographic pulse amplitude was continuously recorded and self-report ratings of sexual arousal and affective reactions were collected after each erotic condition. Subjects were also instructed to continuously indicate their subjective sexual excitement during the conditions by means of a lever. Performance demand resulted in higher genital responses and was most effective in the fantasy condition. These results corroborate the findings for functional men. Although for both measures of subjective experience of sexual arousal performance demand yielded significantly higher ratings, this was conditioned by the order in which subjects were exposed to conditions. Women who masturbate with a mean frequency of 4 times a month reported higher subjective sexual arousal during performance demand conditions as compared with women who masturbate substantially more or who do not masturbate. Genital vasocogestion did not differ between masturbation-groups. Continuous subjective monitoring yielded lower correlations with vasocongestion than discrete ratings of sexual arousal and appears to be more sensitive to order effects. INTRODUCTION Lange, Wincze, Zwick, Feldman and Hughes (1981) define performance demand as the implicit or explicit desire for increased sexual performance. In men the effect of this demand for performance on sexual arousal has been studied extensively. Results indicate that in functional subjects (Ss) performance demand either facilitated penile tumescence (Heiman & Rowland, 1983; Beck, Barlow & Sakheim, 1983; Barlow, Sakheim & Beck, 1983; Abrahamson, Barlow, Beck, Sakheim & Kelly, 1985; Abrahamson, Barlow & Abrahamson, 1989), or did not inhibit penile tumescence (Farkas, Sine & Evans, 1979; Lange er al., 1981; Beck, 1984; Bozman & Beck, 1991). To induce implicit or explicit performance demand several strategies have been pursued. Farkas et al. (1979) used an expectancy set to induce performance demand. Male subjects were informed that, given the normative responses of previous Ss, they should expect to become either “quite aroused” or “not very aroused”. In the study of Abrahamson et aE. (1989) Ss received video feedback of their genital responses and were asked to indicate whether or not the erection was sufficient for sexual intercourse. Barlow zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCB et al. (1983) and Beck (1984) used shock threat contingent on penile tumescence to induce performance demand. Beck et al. (1983) and Abrahamson et al. (1985) had Ss, among other things, focus on a partner who was highly aroused to increase pressure to perform. Bozman and Beck (1991) used performance demand inducing statements by both the female and male partner in an erotic audiotape. Heiman and Rowland (1983) and Lange et al. (1981) induced performance demand by means of explicit instructions. Hoon, Wincze and Hoon (1977), Beggs, Calhoun and Wolchik (1987) and more recently Palace and Gorzalka (1990) have studied the effect of anxiety on sexual arousal in women. Hoon et al. (1977) and Palace and Gorzalka (1990) reported that anxiety preexposure enhanced the rate and magnitude of genital arousal in functional women in relation to neutral preexposure. Beggs et al. (1987) did not find a facilitating effect of anxiety on sexual arousal. Given the effects of anxiety on sexual arousal in women, which parallel the findings for functional men, it is not unreasonable to assume that fear of failure is an etiological or a maintaining factor *Author for correspondence. 25