Chapter 8.2 Sexual Attraction Flashcards
What is sexual attraction?
The first stage in bringing individuals together; may be synchronized with physiological readiness
What is proceptive?
Behavior that establishes, maintains, or promote sexual interaction
What is sexual receptive?
A state typically in females when she is willing to copulate
Exhibited by pheromones, behavior, bodily changes
What is Copulation aka coitus?
One or more intromissions: male penis inserted into female vagina and male ejaculation of sperm-bearing semen into female
What is the refractory period?
A period where one individual discontinues copulation; may vary from minutes to months
What is the Coolidge effect?
It’s resuming sexual activity with a new partner
What is Postcopulatory behavior?
It’s a vaginal plug; copulatory lock occurs in dogs and some mice’s
May include parental behavior to nurture offspring
What is a zygote?
It’s the fusion of sperm and ovum
What happens when a female rat ovulate
They see out a male and display proceptive behavior; then adopt a posture called lordosis
What is lordosis?
Found in 4 legged animal, tail pushed to side to facilitate intermission by males
How can castrated males regain their interest in mating?
Through testosterone treatment
What is the activational effect?
A temporary change in behavior due to the effects of a hormone
What about activational effects on female rats without ovaries?
They will show proceptive and receptive behavior for a few hours in response to estrogen and progesterone treatments
How is estrogen affected in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus?
It increases dendritic trees of neurons and stimulates the progesterone receptors to become more responsive to that hormone; which helps mediate the lordosis reflex
Where does the Ventromedial hypothalamus send axons to?
It sends it to the periaqueductal gray (PAG)- involved in pain receptors; which projects to other brain regions and to the spinal cord
If a female rat estrogen and progesterone levels are right, how will lordosis be evoked?
Through the sensory information provided by the mounting male from the spinal cord
What is the role of VHM
To monitor steroid hormone connectors and at the right time in the ovulatory cycle, enable a circuit that allows lordosis response to a mounting male
What brain regions are responsible for copulation related behaviors?
In the Medial Preoptic area in males and Ventromedial hypothalamus in females
What does the Medial Preoptic area do?
It provides high order control of male copulatory behavior
How can mating be reinstated in castrated males?
By small implants of testosterone in the mPOA but not in any other brain regions
What does the Serotonergic fibers usually inhibit?
The erection response
Why do certain antidepressant have side effects of sexual difficulty?
Due to the it’s enhancement of serotonergic fibers
What does the Vomeronasal organ do?
It detects chemicals called pheromones, which activate male arousal
How is the Vomeronasal organ (VNO) processed?
It sends axons to the brains accessory olfactory then to the medial amygdala (MEA) and lastly to then to the mPOA
What is orgasm?
The climax of sexual behavior that is noted by sensations of extreme pleasure
What is the four phases of an orgasm?
- Excitement
* The phallus (penis in men/ clitoris in women) becomes engorged with blood, making it erect
* Both men & women reach orgasm accompanied by waves of contractions of genital muscles- Plateau
- Orgasm
- Resolution
Human Sexual Behavior in Women
- Greater variety of response cycles, with 3 typical patterns
- Emotional intimacy and desire over physical arousal in imitation of sexual response
- Emotional and physical satisfaction important for subsequent sexual activity
Human sexual behavior in men
1.Men tend to have an absolute refractory phase after orgasm
2. Basic sex drive seem to be greater in men
