Does fantasy-induced sexual arousal habituate?

Does fantasy-induced sexual arousal habituate?

Habituation in fantasy-induced sexual arousal was assessed by measuring penile circumference and subjective arousal while men engaged in structured sexual fantasy over eight trials, each lasting 2 nun. Arousal levels were higher for men with vivid imagery than for men with non-vivid imagery, but within each group there was no reduction in the level of either physiological or subjective sexual arousal over trials. This result was found not only when Ss engaged in exactly the same fantasy on every trial, but when the erotic strength of fantasy was constant (as established by independent ratings) and the theme of the fantasy varied from trial to trial. In a second experiment 36 trials, each involving 2 min of structured fantasy on a fixed theme, were given. There was again no evidence of habituation in either physiological or subjective arousal. The relationship between these findings and studies concerned with habituation of sexual arousal induced by film, slides, voice, and text is discussed.