Human Sexual Response [Hardcover]

William H. Masters (Author), Virginia E. Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1966 | ISBN-10: 0316549878 | ISBN-13: 978-0316549875 | Edition: First Edition

Sexual Response

Product Details

• Hardcover: 366 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; First Edition edition (January 1966)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316549878
• ISBN-13: 978-0316549875
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #299,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Orgasmic! June 7, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Masters and Johnson's great contribution to the study of sex. This masterpiece shamelessly delves into the details of the human sexual response. It is an honest and straightforward approach to the physiology of sex. If you ever really, really wanted to know exactly what was going on during sexual excitement, this is the book for you.

Aside from the book's large contribution to the the study of sex, the book is a priceless artifact for those who are intrigued with the history of sexuality. The book, though trying to be objective, showcases some beliefs about sex during the sixties.

All in all a treasure.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE PIONEERING SEX RESEARCHERS' FIRST BOOK February 19, 2013

By Steven H. Propp TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The Masters and Johnson research team head by William H. Masters (1915-2001) and Virginia E. Johnson (born 1925) pioneered research into human sexuality from 1957 until the 1990s. The follow-up to this volume is Human Sexual Inadequacy.

They wrote in the Preface to this 1966 book, "If problems in the complex field of human sexual behavior are to be attacked successfully, psychologic theory and sociologic concept must at times find support in physiologic fact. Without adequate support from basic sexual physiology, much of psychological theory will remain theory and much of sociological concept will remain concept... This text represents the first step, a faltering step at best, but at least a first step toward and open-door policy. The door of investigative objectivity must not be closed again." They acknowledge that "The concentration of study subjects from upper socioeconomic and intellectual strata provided by this major source of supply has not been offset by a statistically significant number of lower-range family units obtained from out-patient clinic sources." (Pg. 11)

They summarize: "A more concise picture of physiologic reaction to sexual stimuli may be presented by dividing the human male's and female's cycles of sexual response into four separate phases. Progressively, the four phases are: (1) the excitement phase; (2) the plateau phase; (3) the orgasmic phase; and (4) the resolution phase. This arbitrary four-part division of the sexual response cycle provides an effective framework for detailed description of physiologic variants in sexual reaction." (Pg.... 4)

They observe, "The importance of development by marital units of specific coital techniques to facilitate clitoral stimulation has been emphasized repeatedly in the literature." (Pg. 59). They significantly note, "The human female frequently is not content with one orgasmic experience..." (Pg. 64) Later, they add, "the female is capable of maintaining an orgasmic experience for a relatively long period of time." (Pg. 131)

They note, "alteration in male responsive ability usually falls within one or more of six general categories: (1) monotony of a repetitious sexual relationship... (2) preoccupation with career or economic pursuits; (3) mental or physical fatigue; (4) overindulgence in food or drink; (5) physical or mental infirmities of either individual or his spouse; (6) fear of performance ..." (Pg. 260)

Masters and Johnson (who later married, but still later divorced) were the first truly "scientific" sex researchers, and their pathfinding work remains of interest. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect! February 5, 2013

By shelly

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Super cheap, arrived just on time and in great condition! I looked up this book when reading my human sexuality book and it is absolutely fascinating!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars extremely misinforming December 2, 2012

By Alex

Format:Hardcover

I have read this book cover to cover though not in a long time. I'm writing this review, because this is the book that justified male genital cutting with the false information that there is no difference between the sensitivity of the circumcised and intact penis. The falsehood was implicit, they never considered the foreskin itself, despite the fact that the inside of the foreskin contains the three most sensitive parts of the penis! Circumcision actually reduces sexual sensitivity by 75%, and it took 40 years for the medical literature to substantiate that fact (Sorrells, 2007). The false information from this book is repeated on the Wikipedia article on circumcision. Even today most doctors do not have the updated information yet! It appears that circumcised (and circumcising) doctors do not want the real information because it makes male circumcision obviously appear to be the massively desensitizing and harmful procedure that it is, and they could not afford to be held liable for all the damage they caused or facilitated.

In America, we see the damage from male circumcision manifested as higher incidence of female arousal disorder. It's not that American women are less aroused, it's that the circumcised penis extracts lubrication from the vagina much more than the intact penis does. Circumcised men also exhibit orgasm difficulties much more often (premature ejaculation is less common but possible, but the most common side effect is difficult or delayed orgasm). Circumcision is cutting decades off American men's sex lives by reducing the sensitivity of the penis. Sensitivity decreases naturally with age. Once penile sensitivity is very low, men experience erectile dysfunction (Rowland, 1998). Infant circumcision without a dire medical reason is incredibly harmful.