Physiological Measurement: Genital Blood Volume

The measurement of sexual arousal, particularly in response to sexual communication, can employ measures of changes in genital blood volume to determine levels of sexual arousal. The argument is that rather than relying on self-reports of arousal (which may or may not be honest), the issue is to find a more objective method of measuring level of physiological arousal. The challenge was to determine what is meant by sexual arousal and the nature of physiological indicators of sexual arousal. There are many physiological changes that a person experiences during sexual arousal, including increased respiration, skin and muscle tension, heightened blood pressure, and increased palmar sweat. This entry introduces the concept of genital blood volume and explores approaches to its measurement, specifically in the context of ...