Factors in Human Sexual Behavior

The Three Factors 1

Sexual capacity (i.e., the ability to become sexually aroused and reach orgasm) depends on a person's general physical condition and especially on the functioning of the nervous and muscular systems. This capacity varies from one individual to another and even from time to time in the same individual. For example, the same person usually has quite different sexual capacities in infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.

Sexual motivation (i.e., the desire to engage in sexual activity) may be influenced by the level of certain hormones in the body, but seems mostly dependent on psychological factors. Very important are social conditioning and the special circumstances in any particular situation. Thus, sexual motivation also varies greatly from one individual to the next and from one time to another in the same individual.

Sexual performance (i.e., the objective amount of sexual activity) depends not only on physiological and psychological factors, but also on opportunity. Needless to say, at its upper extreme performance is limited by capacity.