Human Sexuality Assignment (Menstrual Cycle/Masters & Johnson's Sexual Response Cycle) - Essay Example

Human Sexuality Assignment (Menstrual Cycle/Masters & Johnsons Sexual Response Cycle) Human Sexuality Assignment (Menstrual Cycle/Masters & Johnsons Sexual Response Cycle)Question one According to Silverthon (2014), fertile female beings experience physical changes within their reproductive system once a month specifically in the ovary and uterus. The inherent experience entails a period of menstruation that occurs on an average of 28 day cycle. Silverthon (2014) further explains that the menstrual cycle consists of three phases based on events that take places either in the ovary (ovarian cycle) or the uterus (uterine cycle).

The former involves follicular phase, ovulation and luteal phase (McNamara, 2014). The latter involves menstruation, proliferative and secretory phase. These two cycles are controlled by the endocrine system and hormonal changes that occur during menstruation. However, hormonal contraception directly affects these hormonal changes that curbs reproduction (Shoupe, 2011). A multifactorial interplay of hormones that affects follicles in the ovary paves way to make one or two follicles dominant especially follicles that are non-dominant dies.

The luteinizing hormones surges 24-36 during the mid-cycle. After this, an ovum (egg) is released from the dominant follicle called ovulation. After ovulation phase, the ovum dies after 24 hours if not fertilized. Remains of the dominant follicle found in the ovary develop into corpus luteum which is responsible for producing huge quantities of progesterone (Allen and Cwiak, 2014). Progesterone triggers the endometrial or uterine lining to change. This is to prepare the uterus for possibility of embedding an embryo to induce pregnancy (Abduljalil, 2012).

If an embryo was not embedded in the uterus for an estimated duration of two weeks, the corpus luteum would start to coil. This will eventually cause the levels of progesterone and estrogen to decline sharply. The hormonal drop will trigger the uterus to shed its lining and consequently cause the start of menstrual cycle. The start of menstrual bleeding signals the first day of menstrual cycle. Mostly, fertile women have a likelihood of conceiving during sexual intercourse five to seven days after ovulation.

The fertility period of women refers to the second and third week on the 28-day cycle in between the menstrual period (“Medical Eligibility”) (WHO, 2010). The menstrual cycle is composed of three different phases. These three different phases are found to have a direct correlation with women’s mood and behavior varying mild to severe (Durante, Griskevicius, Cantú, and Simpson, 2014). Studies suggest that during the follicular phase when progesterone levels are low, women tend to elicit negative emotions and empathy.

On the contrary, women have more preference of eliciting fear during the pre-ovulating stage when estrogen is at its lowest level. However, when compared to physical and emotional stressors, these hormones cannot contrast the mood swings and behavior that they bring to women (Schimdt et al, 1998). Question TwoAccording to Masters and Johnson, The sexual response cycle in humans are composed of four phases including the following: Excitement Phase The excitement phase is the first stage in the cycle of human sexual response.

The physical or mental provocation such as kissing and touching leads to sexual arousal. It prepares the body for the intercourse. Increased heart and breathing rate is the result of the excitement phase in both sexes. The blood pressure rises as well. During the excitement phase, both sexes experience vasocongestion of the skin commonly known as “sex flush” characterized for the reddish blotches color over some parts of the skin (Sewell, 2005). Female experiences sex flush through the pinkish marks under the breasts, torso, hands and the darkening of the clitoris.

It is also during sexual excitement when their clitoris, labia minora and vagina swell. On the other hand, sex flush on men spread over their abdomen, across the chess and their neck, face and forehead. Their scrotum thickens and become tensed during the erection process which is induced during the excitement phase. Plateau phase The plateau phase is what both sexes feel before achieving orgasm. Their heart rate increases as well as heart rate and respiration. Sexual pleasure also intensifies.

In males, their penis starts to establish its rhythmic contraction as they start to secrete seminal fluids. Their testicles tend to enlarge and stiffen towards the body. In a female, the plateau phase is similar to the changes they experience during the excitement stage but with more lubrication involved as the vagina continues to swell. Orgasmic phase After plateau, orgasm quickly follows. It is the height of the sexual response cycle characterized by fast contractions of the lower pelvic muscles.

Orgasms are linked to many involuntary actions such as spasms in different parts of the body paired with highly ecstatic sensation. For men, ejaculation happens during orgasm. They experience a surge of sexual pleasure in their groin area. Each contraction releases an amount of semen that lessens their intense pleasure. Although orgasm in women is experienced differently, they feel the same intense pleasure during contraction just like with men. Resolution phase Soon after orgasm, the resolution phase takes place.

Both male and female feel their muscles relax, their blood pressure drops and their bodies begin to slow down as they feel less excitement. There are two stages involved in the male resolution phase. First, their penis decrease in size as it begins to limp. Second, men find it difficult to achieve another set of orgasm during this period. The resolution phase in women may still experience orgasm while they are stimulated effectively. Soon after Masters and Johnsons model has been made available to the public, it has received many criticisms from their fellow scholars.

Levine (2008) argued that their model is insufficient. He cited that the labia have its lubricant to produce and that the first sign of sexual arousal in women is showed by the increasing blood flow to the vagina.Masters and Johnson explained as if the sexual response cycle is merely an anatomical experience. Their model seemingly claims that the sexual intercourse simply involves the penis and the vagina. Masters and Johnson failed to explain how the brain works during the sexual response cycle and its psychological effects to both sexes involved in the intercourse.

Following this, they were not able to delve on the issue of behavioral changes of both sexes before, during and after the sexual intercourse. Aside from that, it did not attempt to explain whether or not the social relationship among both sexes is affected. For example, were they able to foster stronger relationship? Does sex have bearing on the social relationship between two? Although these may be on the psychological side, it would be of great help if at least an initial explanation has been established.

References Abduljalil, K., Furness, P., Johnson, T. N., Rostami-Hodjegan, A., & Soltani, H. (2012). Anatomical, Physiological and Metabolic Changes with Gestational Age during Normal Pregnancy. Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 51(6), 365-396.Allen, R. H., & Cwiak, C. A. (2014). Contraception for the medically challenging patient. New York : SpringerButtner, M., Mott, S., Pearlstein, T., Stuart, S., Zlotnick, C., & Ohara, M. (2013). Examination of premenstrual symptoms as a risk factor for depression in postpartum women.

Archives of Womens Mental Health, 16(3), 219-225. doi:10.1007/s00737-012-0323-xDurante, K. M., Griskevicius, V., Cantú, S. M., & Simpson, J. A. (2014). Money, Status, and the Ovulatory Cycle. Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), 51(1), 27-39. doi:10.1509/jmr.11.0327Levin, R. J. (2008). Critically revisiting aspects of the human sexual response cycle of Masters and Johnson: correcting errors and suggesting modifications. Sexual & Relationship Therapy, 23(4), 393-399. doi:10.1080/14681990802488816McNamara, A.

, Moakes, K., Aston, P., Gavin, C., & Sterr, A. (2014). The Importance of the Derivative in Sex-Hormone Cycles: A Reason Why Behavioral Measures in Sex-Hormone Studies Are So Mercurial. Plos ONE, 9(11), 1-23. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111891Schmidt, P. J., Nieman, L. K., Danaceau, M. A., Adams, L. F., & Rubinow, D. R. (1998). Differential behavioral effects of gonadal steroids in women with and in those without premenstrual syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine, 338(4), 209-216. Sewell, K. W. (2005).

The Experience Cycle And The Sexual Response Cycle: Conceptualization And Application To Sexual Dysfunctions. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 18(1), 3-13. doi:10.1080/10720530590522973Shoupe, D. (2011). Contraception. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.World Health Organization (WHO). 2009. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use: Fertility awareness-based methods. Fourth edition. Web. April 18, 2015. Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241563888_eng.pdfWorld Health Organization (WHO). 2010. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use: Fertility awareness-based methods.

National Center for Bioinformation Technology. Web. April 18, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK138643/