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I Purpose and Rationale:
1. Purpose: The purpose
of this research session, held at The Rutgers Alcohol Behavior Research Laboratory (ABRL) is to cast light on the effects
of alcohol intoxication on sexual arousal in male alcoholics, as well as to study the general effect of different alcohol
dosages on erectile performance in relation to explicit visual sexual stimuli.
2. Rationale: The Relation between
alcohol use and human sexual behavior has received relatively little research attention despite its potential theoretical
and clinical significance. (Wilson T.G.,Lawson M.D., Abrams B.D. Effects of Alcohol on Sexual Arousal in Male Alcoholics from
Journal of Abnormal Psychology 1978, Vol. 87, No. 6, pg.609)
A: Previous research has suggested that although unable
to perform, almost all patients... "retained a strong desire for sex, causing Lamere and Smith (1973), to attribute this impotence
to alcohol-induced damage to the neurogenic basis of penile erection." This is based on the findings that 8% of a sample of
over 17,000 alcoholic patients were impotent and of these 50% failed to regain erectile capacity even after years of sobriety(Wilson
T.G.,Lawson M.D., Abrams B.D. Effects of Alcohol on Sexual Arousal in Male Alcoholics from Journal of Abnormal Psychology
1978, Vol. 87, No. 6, pg. 609).
B: The foregoing findings are in contrast with an
interview-based exploration
of the sexual attitudes and adjustment of male alcoholics and their wives (Burton and Kaplan 1968). There was no evidence
of any sexual dysfunction among the husbands, six of whom expressed dissatisfaction with what they perceived to be insufficiently
frequent sexual intercourse.
C: Apart from the research results inconsistencies
methodological problems had made
it even more difficult to interpret the above studies unambiguously. Initial research with humans was restricted to indirect
measures of sexual responsiveness. (McClelland, Davis, Kalin, and Wanner, 1972; as cited in Wilson T.G.,Lawson M.D.,Abrams
B.D. Effects of Alcohol on Sexual Arousal in Male Alcoholics from Journal of Abnormal Psychology 1978, Vol. 87, No. 6, pg.609)
II Definition of Terms:
1. penile tumescence- the size of the penis
2. penile plethysmograph- a device
that measures penile tumescence
3. sexual arousal- for the purposes of this study, sexual arousal is important relative
to the change of penile tumescence in response to explicit stimuli
4. a chronic alcoholic- a person that has a history
of practicing alcoholism over a considerable period of time
5. BAL- Blood Alcohol Level, measured by the percentage relation
to the bodys liquid content 6. Induced intoxication- for the purposes of the study, purposeful administration of certain doses
of alcohol
III Subjects and their Selection:
Eight male subjects were chosen from men responding to newspaper
advertisements. Selection criteria and a thorough medical examination by the staff physician ensured that they were chronic
alcoholics in otherwise good physical and psychological condition. They had no history of any neurological or psychiatric
disorder and no history of nonalcoholic drug addiction, and they were not receiving any current medical treatment. They were
aged between 29 and 44 years old (M=39) and had an average of 11-12 years of education. Five were separated, two- divorced,
one married and all had been active alcoholics for at least 5 years and had experienced physical withdrawal symptoms. None
of them reported any history of sexual dysfunction and five had been hospitalized for alcoholism on at least one occasion.
Seven rated themselves as exclusively heterosexual and one, as exclusively homosexual. On a 7-point scale ranging from none
at all to a great deal, subjects mean estimate of their experience viewing pornographic/erotic material was 4.1. (Wilson T.G.,
Lawson M.D., Abrams B.D. Effects of Alcohol on Sexual Arousal in Male Alcoholics from Journal of Abnormal Psychology 1978,
Vol. 87, No. 6, pg.609)
IV Data Collection Procedure:
1. Erotic stimuli: Two 10 minute films of explicit sexual
character had been played, one heterosexual, the other one, homosexual. Segments of a filmed introduction to the computer
laboratories at Rutgers university served as control non-erotic stimuli, that were displayed before the heterosexual film
and during the pause before the homosexual film.
2. Physiological recording: Penile tumescence was measured by means
of a mercury strain gauge ( Biofeedback Systems Inc.) That reflected changes in penile diameter as linear function of resistance
changes in the mercury column within the elastic rubber tubing. Changes in electrical resistance were monitored by a penile
plethysmograph bridge (Penile Erection Feedback System, Model e-1, Biofeedback Systems Inc.), which permitted continuous recording
of changes in penile diameter on a Beckman Type Dynograph. In addition , the bridge output was processed by an analog-to-digital
channel of a PDP 8/L computer that, programmed with data from a 2-point calibration procedure and an interpolation formula,
printed absolute penile diameter values at 15- sec intervals throughout the film sequence....Relative changes in skin temperature
were measured by means of a precision thermometer....attached to the subjects forehead....Prior to the administration of alcohol,
each subject had his vital signs measured by the nurse and completed a brief questionnaire indicating what effect he believed
alcohol had on sexual arousal in the natural setting.(Wilson T.G., Lawson M.D., Abrams B. D. Effects of Alcohol on Sexual
Arousal in Male Alcoholics from Journal of Abnormal Psychology 1978, Vol. 87, No. 6, pg., pg.611-612).
V Data Analysis
Technique:
The measurement of penile tumescence in accordance with the BALs, triggered by the particular erotic stimuli
had been the basis for the analysis. The subjects had not been told about the amount of alcohol they had been
administered.
In terms of the absolute ethanol administered, the four doses were the following: 1=.08 g/kg; A2=.4 g/kg; A3=.8 g/kg; and
A4=1.2 g/kg. A1 group had been considered a placebo. Canadian whiskey (80 proof) was mixed with two parts chilled 7-Up to
form a 13.3%ethanol solution for all groups (except A1)....The subject was given 20 minutes to consume the drink and subsequent
40-minute rest periodfor the alcohol absorption to take place....Computer-sampled values of penile diameter were scored in
terms of mean percentage increase, maximum percentage increase, and rate of increase. Mean percentage increase was calculated
by dividing average increase in tumescence during each erotic film by the average tumescence during the first nonerotic film.
Maximum percentage increase was obtained by dividing the maximum increase during each erotic film by the maximum tumescence
during the first nonerotic film. The rate of tumescence was derived by dividing the maximum increase during each erotic film
by its latency.(Wilson T.G., Lawson M.D., Abrams B.D. Effects of Alcohol on Sexual Arousal in Male Alcoholics from Journal
of Abnormal Psychology 1978, Vol. 87, No. 6, pg., pg.611-612).
VI Results:
There has been a considerable inconsistency
of participants pre-film prediction with the actual results. All eight subjects answered that moderate amounts of alcohol
increase, but large amounts decrease, sexual arousal. The graphs of the relation of the level of sexual arousal in relation
to the BAL reveal a stable tendency of a decrease during the heterosexual film. Curiously enough the graph for the homosexual
film shows first an increase, then a decrease, and finally a stable increase of sexual arousal. The four groups differed significantly
in reporting feelings of anxiety during the film.... the group that had hte highest BAL reported significantly less anxiety
than the other groups. Contrary to popular belief, moderate amounts of alcohol do not produce a significant increase in sexual
arousal. (Wilson T.G., Lawson M.D., Abrams B.D. Effects of Alcohol on Sexual Arousal in Male Alcoholics from Journal of Abnormal
Psychology 1978, Vol. 87, No. 6, pg., pg.612).
VII Critique:
I would tend to view the procedure and findings
of the experiement as consistent with common sense. As BALs increase, it is normal to expect that all physiological functions
of the body would become more and more dormant and less responsive. Even though the study seems to be performed in a strictly
scientific manner, there are a few concerns about the absolute statistic validity of the research. For one thing, sexual arousal
of the intoxicated subjects is only triggered by visual stimuli that do not encompass the full scope of erotic excitation
that could cause an erection in a man. Secondly the fact that the research is carried out in artificial laboratory conditions
could also add to a prediction that could deviate from results in the natural setting. The study itself considers the possibility
of the latter and the subjects have been informed of that prior to the experiment. A mute point in the discussion of the experimental
results is the lack of elaboration on the reasons for the increased sexual response to the homosexual film in a group of otherwise
heterosexual males. Since sexual arousal is dependant on many variables, it is possible to assume that different acts in the
films trigger erectile response in a different way. If that is so, it could cause a discrepancy in the statistical value of
the experimental research but this is an inevitable downside to any experiment, carried out in an artificial setting.
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