237 research outputs found
Disgust Toward Sex-Relevant and Sex-Irrelevant Stimuli in Pre-, Early, and Middle Adolescence
No full textFor prepubertal youth, sexual stimuli elicit disgust and avoidance, yet in adolescence this avoidance shifts to sexual approach. One explanation could be that disgust declines in adolescence. This project examined whether disgust is indeed lower in adolescence compared to preadolescence, and whether this difference across age groups would be restricted to sex-relevant disgust elicitors. We also examined whether the strength of disgust would depend on familiarity between participant and source. To examine disgust responses in youths, two cross-sectional studies (N = 248, ages six to 17 years) were conducted using scenario-based measurements. Disgust was overall higher in early adolescence than in preadolescence and relatively weak when the source of disgust was a familiar person. Specifically, when parents were the source, sex-relevant disgust was higher in the groups of early and middle adolescents than in the group of preadolescents. Sex-relevant disgust elicited by a stranger or best friend, however, was lower in middle than in early adolescence. The latter is consistent with the view that repeated confrontation with disgusting stimuli might attenuate disgust, which could contribute to healthy sexual functioning. The heightened sex-relevant disgust in middle adolescents when parents were the source might reflect a functional avoidance mechanism of inappropriate sex mates
Disgust Toward Sex-Relevant and Sex-Irrelevant Stimuli in Pre-, Early, and Middle Adolescence
No full textFor prepubertal youth, sexual stimuli elicit disgust and avoidance, yet in adolescence this avoidance shifts to sexual approach. One explanation could be that disgust declines in adolescence. This project examined whether disgust is indeed lower in adolescence compared to preadolescence, and whether this difference across age groups would be restricted to sex-relevant disgust elicitors. We also examined whether the strength of disgust would depend on familiarity between participant and source. To examine disgust responses in youths, two cross-sectional studies (N = 248, ages six to 17 years) were conducted using scenario-based measurements. Disgust was overall higher in early adolescence than in preadolescence and relatively weak when the source of disgust was a familiar person. Specifically, when parents were the source, sex-relevant disgust was higher in the groups of early and middle adolescents than in the group of preadolescents. Sex-relevant disgust elicited by a stranger or best friend, however, was lower in middle than in early adolescence. The latter is consistent with the view that repeated confrontation with disgusting stimuli might attenuate disgust, which could contribute to healthy sexual functioning. The heightened sex-relevant disgust in middle adolescents when parents were the source might reflect a functional avoidance mechanism of inappropriate sex mates
The Influence of Sexual Arousal on Self-Reported Sexual Willingness and Automatic Approach to Models of Low, Medium, and High Prior Attractiveness
No full textAnecdotal evidence suggests that sexual attraction is flexible, and that high levels of sexual arousal can promote sexual willingness and approach tendencies toward a priori low attractive mates. This experimental study tested whether heightened sexual arousal can lower the threshold for sexual willingness and automatic approach tendencies toward potential sex partners of low and medium attractiveness. Heterosexual male (n = 54) and female (n = 61) participants were randomly assigned to a sexual arousal or control condition. Approach tendencies were indexed using a reaction time task. Sexual willingness was indexed using participant ratings of willingness to kiss and to consider having sex with same- and other-sex models of low, medium, and high attractiveness. Overall, participants showed stronger approach to models of high and medium than of low attractiveness. Sexual arousal weakened this differential responding but did not result in a robust increase of approach toward less attractive other-sex or same-sex models. Sexual willingness toward less attractive models was not affected by sexual arousal. Independent of condition, women reported greater sexual willingness toward same-sex models. The current pattern of findings does not support the notion that sexual arousal promotes automatic approach and sexual willingness to a broader array of sex partners
The Influence of Sexual Arousal on Self-Reported Sexual Willingness and Automatic Approach to Models of Low, Medium, and High Prior Attractiveness
No full textAnecdotal evidence suggests that sexual attraction is flexible, and that high levels of sexual arousal can promote sexual willingness and approach tendencies toward a priori low attractive mates. This experimental study tested whether heightened sexual arousal can lower the threshold for sexual willingness and automatic approach tendencies toward potential sex partners of low and medium attractiveness. Heterosexual male (n = 54) and female (n = 61) participants were randomly assigned to a sexual arousal or control condition. Approach tendencies were indexed using a reaction time task. Sexual willingness was indexed using participant ratings of willingness to kiss and to consider having sex with same- and other-sex models of low, medium, and high attractiveness. Overall, participants showed stronger approach to models of high and medium than of low attractiveness. Sexual arousal weakened this differential responding but did not result in a robust increase of approach toward less attractive other-sex or same-sex models. Sexual willingness toward less attractive models was not affected by sexual arousal. Independent of condition, women reported greater sexual willingness toward same-sex models. The current pattern of findings does not support the notion that sexual arousal promotes automatic approach and sexual willingness to a broader array of sex partners
Up-regulating sexual arousal and down-regulating disgust while watching porn – Effects on sexual arousal and disgust
No full textSexual response occurs when sexual excitatory factors outweigh inhibitory factors. Problems with sexual arousal may come at play when sexual excitation is too low and/or inhibitory influences such as feelings of disgust are too strong. To explore interventions that may help overcome decreased sexual responding, this study examined if sexual responding can be amplified by instructions to up-regulate sexual arousal and/or down-regulate disgust. Women with no sexual difficulties (N = 255; µage = 20.55; SD = 2.23) were randomly assigned to a sexual arousal up-regulation, disgust down-regulation, or passive control condition. Participants were instructed to use the assigned regulation strategy while viewing pornography. To prevent floor effects due to low disgust responsivity in a non-clinical sample, half of the participants were presented with a prime that was designed to make the contaminating properties of sex more salient. Instruction to up-regulate sexual arousal successfully enhanced feelings of sexual arousal in the unprimed group, yet the increase in sexual arousal was not paralleled by reductions in feelings of disgust. Instruction to down-regulate disgust successfully decreased disgust. However, this decrease was not paralleled by increases in sexual arousal. Overall, findings indicate that emotion regulation techniques could facilitate affective control in sexual contexts
Up-regulating sexual arousal and down-regulating disgust while watching porn – Effects on sexual arousal and disgust
No full textSexual response occurs when sexual excitatory factors outweigh inhibitory factors. Problems with sexual arousal may come at play when sexual excitation is too low and/or inhibitory influences such as feelings of disgust are too strong. To explore interventions that may help overcome decreased sexual responding, this study examined if sexual responding can be amplified by instructions to up-regulate sexual arousal and/or down-regulate disgust. Women with no sexual difficulties (N = 255; µage = 20.55; SD = 2.23) were randomly assigned to a sexual arousal up-regulation, disgust down-regulation, or passive control condition. Participants were instructed to use the assigned regulation strategy while viewing pornography. To prevent floor effects due to low disgust responsivity in a non-clinical sample, half of the participants were presented with a prime that was designed to make the contaminating properties of sex more salient. Instruction to up-regulate sexual arousal successfully enhanced feelings of sexual arousal in the unprimed group, yet the increase in sexual arousal was not paralleled by reductions in feelings of disgust. Instruction to down-regulate disgust successfully decreased disgust. However, this decrease was not paralleled by increases in sexual arousal. Overall, findings indicate that emotion regulation techniques could facilitate affective control in sexual contexts
Rewriting the French Tradition. Boccaccio and the Making of the Novella
No full textIt would not be wrong to say that for the most part literature confronts critically and reuses what has gone before. This is particularly true of the Middle Ages when to be original was to rework and give new meaning to the auctoritates of the past: “gloser la letre et de lur sen le surplus metre”, as Marie de France puts it in the Prologue to her Lais. Boccaccio, who in many ways is a profoundly medieval author, is no exception, and his codification of the novella is essentially the result of a rewriting of previous works, many of which were French, a culture he had learned to appreciate during his stay in Angevin Naples in 1327-1340/41. By comparing a few of the tales in the Decameron to possible Old French analogues, this chapter will set out to show that Boccaccio’s rewriting of the French tradition frequently relies heavily on comic strategies involving language and parody. The result is both a new genre, the novella, and a new style, that of a comedìa, in the sense that Dante, perhaps Boccaccio’s main source of inspiration, had understood it
Richard the Lionheart. The Background to "Ja nus homs pris"
No full textIn December 1192, on his way back from the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart was captured by Duke Leopold of Austria, who bore him several grudges on account of a number of events that had taken place during the Crusade, and who later sold him on to his enemy the Emperor Henry VI. Richard was finally released in February 1194 after nearly a year and a half in captivity, following the payment of a sizeable ransom. During this time he wrote many letters to encourage his subjects to collect the funds needed to pay the ransom, one of which took the form of a song, Ja nus homs pris ne dira sa raison.
This song has been called a rotrouenge, referring to the French musical genre on which it is based, but it might be better termed a sirventes-canso or even a post Crusade song, since, unlike Crusade songs, it does not seek to encourage men to leave to fight a Crusade, but rather describes the aftermath of the Crusade for its author. However, as occurs in many Crusade songs, Richard uses the language of the love song to make a political statement, here describing or alluding to events taking place in his kingdom during his absence, while appealing to his loyal barons to provide for the ransom. Though an apparently simple poem, Ja nus homs pris has a far from simple manuscript tradition, surviving as it does in 10 manuscripts, seven of which are French and three Occitan.
In this paper I will provide a reading of the song against the background of events before and after Richard's captivity and consider whether some of the many textual problems posed by the poem and its manuscript tradition may be solved by taking into account the historical references within the text. In this way I will attempt to lay the basis for a new critical edition of the song based on all ten manuscripts and not just on the French group, or alternatively the Occitan group, which has been the tendency so far
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