title: Genetic and environmental effects on sexual excitation and sexual inhibition in men.
abstract: The Sexual Inhibition and Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES) measure the propensity for sexual inhibition and excitation in men. According to the theoretical model underlying the SIS/SES, sexual response and associated behavior depend on dual control mechanisms in the brain involving the balance of excitatory and inhibitory systems which impinge on sexual response. Previous research with the SIS/SES has indicated one higher-order excitatory factor and two higher-order inhibitory factors affecting sexual response. The present study analyzed the item structure and the psychometric properties of the instrument in a population based sample of Finnish male twins (N = 1,289), and, including 37 out of 45 items of the original scales, estimated the heritability of and the environmental influences on the excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms. The twin correlations and the structural equation modeling suggested modest heritability for both inhibitory mechanisms. Sexual excitation, in contrast, was not influenced by genetic effects and similarities between twins for this mechanism seemed to be caused by the common environment of the twins.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence in Behavior Genetics, Department of Psychology, Abo Akademi University, Turku, Finland. mvarjone@abo.fi
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varjonen
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santtila
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Höglund
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jern
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wager
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Witting
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Algars
authors.forename: N Kenneth
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Sandnabba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007989:Libido; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012931:Social Environment