How to: Quantify Arousal?

[BeEfToFu]

Hello Literoticans,

A long time lurker but recent registrant and poster, I come to you seeking wisdom and counsel on a question which has lingered in my mind for a while.

If you were to quantify arousal what system and scale of measurement would you use?

Obviously this is quite widely open to interpretation based on whether you consider psychological or physiological symptoms of arousal. While my queries are predominantly based upon a slight joke about measuring wetness (i.e. vaginal secretions) it will be interesting to see what comes up for both genders.

And... Discuss!

-ToFu​

 

[fgarvb1]

eye widening,1/8,1/4, 3/8,1/2,5/8,3/4 ,7/8 or full hard-on.

 

[RAddams]

To have a scale would require a measurement or set of measurements to determine where one's arousal is placed on that scale. Since everyone reacts to arousal differently, no such scale would be accurate.

Personally I would use the Richter scale.

 

[BeEfToFu]

To have a scale would require a measurement or set of measurements to determine where one's arousal is placed on that scale. Since everyone reacts to arousal differently, no such scale would be accurate.

Hmm. Well I'm uncertain on that... While the reaction may be different causing difficulties during cross-individual comparisons it should still be relatively applicable when comparing two points in time for the same individual.

Or perhaps I'm just crazy.

 

[sunandshadow]

"What would you do for a Klondike bar?" In other words, arousal is measured by the extremes the person would go to to satisfy that arousal. Would they beg? Risk humiliation? Offer to trade something valuable to them?

 

[BeEfToFu]

"What would you do for a Klondike bar?" In other words, arousal is measured by the extremes the person would go to to satisfy that arousal. Would they beg? Risk humiliation? Offer to trade something valuable to them?

Mm.. See that's what I've considered thus far.. A variant basically, "How much would you pay right now to have the arousal satisfied?" which is then quantified in a dollar value.

While it's definitely not going to be the most scientific or realistic it's the best I've got thus far.

 

[roomfor1more]

For me, I would take a baseline of physiological measurements such as skin temperature, respiration, heart rate, pupil dilation, and psychological questioning about level of arousal. Then I would introduce an object that might be considered arousing and then remeasure using the same measures I used for the baseline. After that I would measure the changes and ascertain the level of arousal each object produced. This means a series of measurements would be taken instead of using a scale.

 

[RAddams]

Hmm. Well I'm uncertain on that... While the reaction may be different causing difficulties during cross-individual comparisons it should still be relatively applicable when comparing two points in time for the same individual.

Or perhaps I'm just crazy.

I fully agree that a scale applying to only one subject is plausible. However even that one subject may react differently from one point to another when subjected to the exact same stimulation.

 

[GracefullyYours]

Thank you guys for reducing a primal, raw, transcendental reaction to its lowest common denominator.

Now I'm reliving my college calculus nightmares instead of getting off.

Et tu, math?

 

[BeEfToFu]

Thank you guys for reducing a primal, raw, transcendental reaction to its lowest common denominator.

Now I'm reliving my college calculus nightmares instead of getting off.

It's really your fault that you don't find maths sexy. Although I don't either.. I might be able to get off to MS Excel though. Cos that stuff IS sexy.

Anyway, the temperature baselines and such are a wonderful idea but impractical if attempting a relatively quick response.

 

[silverwhisper]

i was under the impression that arousal is commonly quantified via galvanic skin response. perhaps i was mistaken.

however, as i'm not into electrodes and other metric-deriving equipment intruding into my playtime, i'm eminently OK with using entirely non-scientific, subjective means of quantification for my own purposes.

ed

 

[OzoneRed]

The Mohs scale, which measures how hard something is, might be appropriate for men.
The International Scale of River Difficulty, which measures how easy something is, would be appropriate for women.

 

[shiny5437]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penile_plethysmograph

 

[GracefullyYours]

It's really your fault that you don't find maths sexy. Although I don't either.. I might be able to get off to MS Excel though. Cos that stuff IS sexy.

Anyway, the temperature baselines and such are a wonderful idea but impractical if attempting a relatively quick response.

You could graph orgasms as a periodic function if that turns your crank....and while I'm fairly sure I could measure the velocity of a projectile....that's still not doing it for me.

Excel is hot, btw.

 

[RAddams]

You could graph orgasms as a periodic function if that turns your crank....and while I'm fairly sure I could measure the velocity of a projectile....that's still not doing it for me.

Excel is hot, btw.

Are you willing to be my test subject for that experiment?

 

[GracefullyYours]

Are you willing to be my test subject for that experiment?

You get the graph paper, I'll get the measuring tape. I'd also recommend saffety glasses.

 

[RAddams]

You get the graph paper, I'll get the measuring tape. I'd also recommend saffety glasses.

I may also need some rubber gloves like this:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MQVU_hIZHCg/TOpK_Lcmr1I/AAAAAAAAEF4/qgOWGfthZRg/s1600/tumblr_l9s1t2yoCs1qbau40o1_500_large.jpg

 

[GracefullyYours]

I may also need some rubber gloves like this:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MQVU_hIZHCg/TOpK_Lcmr1I/AAAAAAAAEF4/qgOWGfthZRg/s1600/tumblr_l9s1t2yoCs1qbau40o1_500_large.jpg

You'll need a rubber somethin'

 

[hunnyblonde]

It's really your fault that you don't find maths sexy.

I find math sexy, but I'm a little unusual for a girl. I dig data.

Didn't Pavlov just measure a different kind of liquid? If female wetness is the aspect of sexual arousal that interests you the most, why not just measure the volume of liquid produced? Of course this isn't possible without test subjects and some hands-on experimentation, but hey... I volunteer! *smile*

Interesting question. Lit could use some more minds like yours around here.

 

[sunandshadow]

I'd scale it from "That's interesting to look at but don't actually want sex." or "man this hot water/sun beam/breeze other non-sexual object feels nice" to "Sex ASAP or else!"

 

[Que]

I'd measure mine by the hand-span.

If I'm wielding it two handed, she DEFINATELY has my full attention.

 

[BeEfToFu]

I find math sexy, but I'm a little unusual for a girl. I dig data.

Didn't Pavlov just measure a different kind of liquid? If female wetness is the aspect of sexual arousal that interests you the most, why not just measure the volume of liquid produced? Of course this isn't possible without test subjects and some hands-on experimentation, but hey... I volunteer! *smile*

Interesting question. Lit could use some more minds like yours around here.

And who said it's the aspect of sexual arousal that interests me the most?

However, if you'd like to sign this medical waiver and follow me into the lab...

On a more serious note, using household items how would you most easily and accurately measure the amount of liquid produced?

As a willing test subject you should be able to run some basic tests to work this out

 

[thirty]

The hardness of a man's penis and the humidity of a woman's pussy?

 

[MadWriter]

If female wetness is the aspect of sexual arousal that interests you the most, why not just measure the volume of liquid produced? Of course this isn't possible without test subjects and some hands-on experimentation, but hey... I volunteer! *smile*

So ... hunny ... do you have a Vaginal Wetometer? If not, I think they have them at Walgreens ...

 

[BongoGal]

What would be the baseline for complete non-arousal? Is it the total lack of any conscious sexual thoughts or feelings? I suppose it must be. More difficult is defining the other end of the arousal spectrum. Is it merely a guy being as hard as he can get or a woman being as wet and as capaciously ready for penetration as possible? That is one way of looking at it, but couldn't it also be whatever you want to call the state of being right on the edge of having an orgasm? I mean, even without any physical stimulation, I can find myself at what feels like complete arousal from watching or reading erotic material and can stay at that peak for some length of time, just as I've seen guys as hard as rocks for lengthy periods. Nevertheless, there's always at least a little rubbing or sucking or fucking to go before actually having an orgasm. Is one considered to be more aroused just before coming compared to the state one might be in before physically forcing the issue? Hmmmm.

For the record, I am presently at the point of being moderately aroused from pondering this question and writing about it. I can feel the moistness spreading, and I can feel myself opening inside slightly as if getting prepared for penetration. There is a general sense of warming from increased blood flow to my pubic area. While not quite engorged yet, I am aware of my clitoris in a way that I wasn't when, say, I was making my coffee this morning. It's not throbbing, but it is making its way increasingly to the forefront of my consciousness in a way that makes me start to think about touching it. It is similar to how an itch makes itself want to be scratched. My nipples are stiffer than they were before I started writing this, and even without touching them, I can tell that they are becoming more sensitive. If someone had squeezed one before I started getting aroused, it wouldn't have felt anywhere close to as pleasurable as it would if it were to happen right now. I also feel myself drawn to things that might increase my arousal from this point. By that I mean, instead of wanting to see or read something non-sexual like a job-related video or a political op-ed piece, I now feel drawn to seeing some sort of erotic video or reading an erotic story. If I were to find myself in this state while in public (that happens on occasion), I would find myself regarding the others around me in a more sexualized way than I would under non-aroused circumstances. By that I mean that I might be more inclined to, say, check out a guy's crotch for a hint of penis beneath the cloth or try to imagine what he might look like naked or be like as a sex partner. It would be different (and rare) for me to find myself aroused in a female-only crowd, but I'd still look at them in a more sexually curious way.

Okay, I am even more aroused right now... I wonder if I can find some erotic reading material on Literotica.