Running head: ASSIGNMENT: SEXUAL RESPONSE CYCLE

Assignment: Sexual Response Cycle Justa M.White Psy 210 11/11/2012 University of Phoenix Axia College

ASSIGNMENT: SEXUAL RESPONSE CYCLE

Assignment: Sexual Response Cycle There are four levels to the sexual cycle which include excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. During the excitement phase, a young man can get an erection in as little as 3 to 8 seconds! This is the phase where the vasocongestion (the swelling of genital tissues with blood) happens. Vasocongestion in women swells the clitoris and flattens and spreads the vaginal lips. This can happen to a woman in 10 to 30 seconds and is followed with vaginal lubrication. Both men and women share the commonality of their nipples becoming hard or erect. Also, their heart rate and blood pressure increase. It seems to me that women can have an erection lasting three times the amount longer than a man. And unlike a man, a woman can have multiple orgasms, when a man has to become re-aroused to orgasm once the refractory period is past and their levels of sexual arousal have returned to pre-plateau levels. The plateau phase is when the level of sexual arousal levels remains somewhat stable. This is when the testes may reach up to one and half times their un-aroused sized, and are elevated into position for ejaculation. The inner two-thirds of the vagina expand and In women, vasocongestion swells the outer part of the vagina, contracting the vaginal opening in preparation for grasping the penis. The inner part of the vagina expands further. The clitoris withdraws beneath the clitoral hood and shortens. In both man and woman, their breathing becomes heavy, and rapid, like panting, and their heart rate may increase 100 to 160 beats per minute. In both the blood pressure will continue to rise.

In the orgasmic stage for the man, sensations of impending ejaculation lasting 2 to 3 seconds precede the ejaculatory reflex. Orgasmic contractions propel semen through the penis and out of the body. Contractions of the pelvic muscles surrounding the vagina occur. In both, muscle

ASSIGNMENT: SEXUAL RESPONSE CYCLE

spasms occur throughout the body; blood pressure, and heart rate, and breathing rate all reach a peak.