Agreement of Self-Reported and Genital Measures of Sexual Arousal in Men and Women: A Meta-Analysis
Body signs and felt arousal matched only a little for women (r = .26) and more strongly for men (r = .66) on average. An r value runs from 0, or no link, to 1, or a perfect link; neither result means every person follows the average.
Orgasmaphoria editorial perspective
About this source
A body response is not the same thing as wanting, enjoying, or agreeing to sex. The gap between genital response and reported arousal is a strong reason never to treat physical signs as proof of consent.
Why it matters: This source demonstrates that sexual response varies across people and situations. That can reduce performance pressure and help readers treat averages as descriptions, not requirements for a body.
Purpose and scope
Phase 3 gap-filling candidate; complete full-text verification during editorial migration.
132 laboratory studies; 2,505 women and 1,918 men.
Findings or central themes
Meta-analytic average genital–subjective concordance was lower for women (r=.26) than for men (r=.66).
Strengths
Open or publicly indexed source with direct relevance to an identified library gap.
Limitations
Laboratory studies and average group effects do not determine an individual’s desire, consent, or pleasure.
Do not use this source to claim: Do not use this source for diagnosis, individual prediction, universal claims, or advice beyond its stated scope.
Citation and access
Meredith L. Chivers, Michael C. Seto, Martin L. Lalumière, Ellen Laan, Teresa Grimbos (2010). Agreement of Self-Reported and Genital Measures of Sexual Arousal in Men and Women: A Meta-Analysis. Archives of Sexual Behavior DOI: 10.1007/s10508-009-9556-9
Open access
External sources may change, move, require payment, or have different privacy practices. This library record is educational context, not medical, legal, or emergency advice.
