The recording of physiological evidence of genital arousal in human males and females

Abstract

Eight methods for the recording of erections of men and women, chiefly during sleep, are described as an introduction to a series of publications about objective assessment of sexual behavior. Ohlmeyer et al. (1944 and 1947)performed kymographic recordings. Fisher et al. (1965)recorded objectively with an EEG apparatus and developed the phalloplethysmograph (a polyvinyl tube filled with water, twisted around the penis), a thermistor to record changes of penile skin temperature, and a mercury strain gauge (modified from Whitney, 1949). Johnson and Kitching (1968) used an open annealed metal ring, connected by four strain gauges with a Wheatstone bridge circuit. Jovanovic (1967) developed the phallograph for the recording of erections of men, the kolpograph to measure vaginal contractions for the recording of changes of the genital organs of women (Jovanovic, 1970), and the clitorograph (a thermistor similar to that of Fisher et al.,1965).