Mood and sexual arousal in women

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a positive ‘mood for sex’ on genital and subjective sexual arousal in functional women, using a musical mood induction procedure. Fifty-one female Ss were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: erotic film preceded by mood induction; erotic fantasy preceded by mood induction; erotic film without mood induction; and erotic fantasy without mood induction. Photoplethysmographic pulse amplitude was continuously recorded and self-report ratings of sexual arousal and affective reactions were collected before and after erotic conditions. Results showed that a positive sexual mood did not facilitate subsequent genital and subjective sexual arousal. Positive sexual mood did inhibit negative emotional experiences to erotic film.