A Brief History of Sexual Motivation

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Author: Motivationnews

The evolution of sexual motivation as a concept parallels that of more general concepts in motivational theory, navigating between several dichotomies, such as the push of internal states, or drives, versus the pull of external stimuli, or incentives; the fractionation of behavior into appetitive versus consummatory phases; the determining role of biological versus social factors; the distinction between proximal versus ultimate causes of behavior; and the notion of different underlying sexual strategies, such as polygamy versus monogamy.

Antiquity to the Modern Era

Authors of ancient texts, such as Ovid's Ars Amatoria or Vatsayana's Kama Sutra, took for granted the fractionation of sexual behavior into precopulatory and copulatory components; both Ovid and Vatsayana devoted large portions of their work to explaining the separate but interactive arts of seduction and lovemaking. Each behavior was imbued with a generative internal state or drive that could be activated by distal external cues, such as the sight of a lover or a particular odor, proximal external cues, such as a particular touch or taste, or by completely internal events, such as an erotic dream or effect of a drug. The "art" of each component inferred a kind of linearity in which more sophisticated expressions could be learned and practiced, and each could be expressed for its own sake, suggesting that each resulted in an intrinsic degree of pleasure or reward. The art of seduction to Ovid also included methods of inducing sexual interest, for example, with arousing experiences like sexual teasing, exposure to certain stressors, or ingestion of certain drugs that act to increase blood flow to the genitalia. Likewise, Vatsayana's "Force of Desire" could be induced by erotic visual stimulation, scents, tastes, touch, and even love quarrels. Both texts identified a need to build up sexual tension in order to reduce it: sexual pleasure-and motivation for that pleasure--existed in the build-up and in the reduction.

Likewise, the Taoist "Art of the Bedchamber" books dating from the Han Dynasty in China (206 BC to AD 24) included separate chapters on the spiritual significance of sexual ecstacy; the many ways of foreplay; descriptions of the sexual act, including specific techniques and positions for increasing pleasure; therapeutic aspects of sex; what to look for in a partner; and recipes for foods and herbs that could strengthen or weaken the sexual impulses (Tannahill, 1992). These latter chapters are rich sources of medicinal psychopharmacology, and the use of plants or plant extracts that act as central nervous systems (CNS) stimulants, sedatives, or depressants to treat disorders of sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm are often recommended. Although Taosim emphasized the balance of yin and yang, it also noted that the mind (typically a man's mind) would grow weak if deprived of sex, or if sexual activity occurred with too few partners. The more sex, the better. In fact, bisexuality was fashionable during the Han Dynasty, with men and women allowed to express their "masculine" and "feminine" sexual selves. Although this contrasted with the prudishness that came with the advent of Confucian thought, polygamy continued to be practiced, and the notion of sex for the sake of pleasure and spiritual growth continued to be the norm.