The Sexual Response Cycle After reviewing the sexual response cycle in Psychology and the Challenges of Life I learned that the sexual response cycle is what the body naturally goes through during sexual intercourse. I also learned that there are four phases to the sexual response cycle. These four phases are the excitement phase, the plateau phase, the orgasmic phase, and the resolution phase. Men and women, since we have different sexual organs, have different reactions to each phase. We also have some reactions that are the same, that will be explained later. The excitement phase is the first of the four phases, and it is where all the foreplay happens. Kissing and fondling your partner gets them aroused and “excited” for the sex that follows. The commonalities for both men and women in the excitement phase are swelling of the genital tissues caused by the blood vessels swelling near the genital areas. Heart rate, muscle tension and blood pressure increases, and the nipples may become hard and erect. Men’s reactions to the excitement phase are the blood vessels in the penis swell enlarging the penis and results in an erection. The testes elevate and the skin on the scrotum tenses up and thickens. The testes also swell to nearly twice there normal size during the sexual response cycle. Women’s reactions to the excitement phase are swelling of the vaginal tissue, clitoris, and the area surrounding the opening of the vagina, including the vaginal lips. Vaginal lubrication or secretions will appear. The inner two-thirds of the vagina expand and the vaginal walls thicken and turn a deeper color. The plateau phase is the second phase of the sexual response cycle, and is where the couple becomes comfortable with the sexual interaction, both for their own pleasure as well as pleasuring each other. The commonalities of both men and women in the plateau phase are swelling increases due to more blood in the genital area, and heart rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure continue to increase. Men’s reaction to the plateau phase are the tip of the penis turns a deep reddish-purple, the testes become completely elevated, and droplets of semen may be releases from the opening at the end of the penis just before ejaculation. Women’s reactions to the plateau phase are the inner two-thirds of the vagina fully expand, the outer third of the vagina thickens, the clitoris retracts behind its hood, and the uterus elevates and increases in size. The orgasmic phase is the third phase of the sexual response cycle, and the name mostly gives this away. This is the phase where men and women actually have orgasms. I think that this is most people’s favorite phase of the sexual response cycle. During the orgasmic phase both men and women release sexual tension and produce intense feelings of pleasure, muscle spasms occur throughout the body, and heart rate and breathing rate reach a peak. Men’s reactions to the orgasmic phase are sensations of oncoming ejaculation lasting two to three seconds preceding the ejaculatory reflex, and orgasmic contractions propel semen through the penis and out of the body, often times into the vagina of the female partner. A woman’s reaction to the orgasmic phase is the muscles surrounding the vagina have contractions. The resolution phase is fourth phase of the sexual response cycle, and is more or less a resting break. For both men and women, if neither partner engages in anymore sexual stimulation muscle tension relaxes and blood vessel swelling decreases and the body will slowly return to the pre-aroused state. For men they have a refractory period in which they become physiologically incapable of achieving another orgasm or ejaculation for a period of time. For adolescent men this period of time can be a few minutes, but for men fifty years old and older this period of time may last hours or even an entire day, it all depends on the man himself. Unlike men, women do not have this