Phases of Sexual Development

Sexology / Phases of Sexual Development

Phases of Sexual Development

This issue has been researched both in the course of observation of a human infant development [29-32,48,53-54,59-60]* and as during animal studies [2-3,6,85-86 and others]. It was discovered that pubescence does not occur at once in the living being ontogenesis (individual development in the current incarnation), but on the contrary, various parts of reproductive system finish developing at different points in time that sometimes are separated by several years.

First primitive signs of reproductive system activity can be observed in human infants and young of mammals in the form of erection of cavernous tissues of genitals even within the first days of birth. This type of erection occurs in response to non-specific influence, for example, as a result of fright, during weeping, eating, experiencing pain, laughing, etc. This phase of development can be called the “pre-emotional sexuality” stage.

The second phase is known as “adolescent intersexuality period”. In human ontogenesis it takes place from the age of 7-9 to 15-17. At this age generation of androgens — male sex hormones that also are present in the woman’s organism — increases. Androgens are universal regulators of sexual attraction (at the endocrine system level) in both sexes (see [4]).

Influence of androgens leads to intensification of sexual manifestations, especially in boys. What is typical of this phase is the absence of a distinct sexual orientation towards representatives of the opposite sex of own biological species, which can be attributed to immaturity of the corresponding brain structures. A sexual arousal at this stage can be easily induced by inadequate stimuli, including inanimate objects, animals and representatives of own sex.

The specified features are typical not only of human being, but also of all animals studied in this respect, and they should not be viewed as some kind of pathology. However, transformation of these reactions into conditioned reflexes — to which the lack of information about normal sexual relationships of adult people is conducive — may lead to inversion of the person’s sexual orientation for the rest of the his life.

It should be noted that it is during the first instances of emotional sexual arousal that exceptionally strong conditioned reflex ties form.

Masturbation is one of the typical sexual manifestations of adolescent age. More than 90% of men and approximately 50% of women had this type of experience in their past [47,90-91]. Masturbation is typical not only for humans, but also for all mammals studied for this purpose (see [6]).

In the past masturbation was considered as a terrible vice, a sin, the cause of all known diseases. But today this view was rejected as completely unfounded. One can say with certainty that masturbation (except cases of its excessive use) is not a cause of any specific disease. It is a natural manifestation of sexuality at a certain stage of its development. On the contrary, adolescents who get intimidated with “terrible consequences” of masturbation still unable to resist an intensive urge to relieve sexual tension may develop mental disorders.

It does not follow from the above said, though, that frequent masturbation at this age does not have negative consequences. Bioenergetic inputs of the orgasms attained in this way are unproductive: the energy spent in such a way could have been sublimated and used for intellectual and physical development. But while dealing with adolescent masturbation “positive” corrective methods must be used: not intimidation and threatening, but switching a young man’s attention to some kind of beneficial activities. Excessive juvenile sexuality can be weakened by balanced diet, namely by substituting milk products and eggs for meat and fish dishes.

Men enter the third phase of their sexual development — the “adult sexuality” stage — when the process of maturing of brain structures responsible for adequate sexual orientation completes. In women this corresponds with the moment they become mentally ready to begin their sex life.

In case of mammals the basis for forming of sexual orientation of males towards female representatives of the same species is the congenital sexual arousal reaction of the brain which occurs as a result of a contact with so called “key stimuli” [7]. (This reaction occurs rater late in the individual’s ontogenesis). In non-primate mammals, as well as in insects and fish, these “key stimuli” are represented by sex pheromones. These substances that are generated by special glands of female genitals and subsequently get into urine help males find the females which are ready for insemination.

In special experiments I was able to discover that sex pheromones of female dogs are produced by vaginal glands and not by urinary tract. Urine only washes them away from the genitals. Males of non-primate mammals (except for cetaceans, apparently) perceive sex pheromones through their olfactory system [70].

Sex pheromones are species-specific. Everyone may see how they influence behavior of healthy adult males by watching reactions of tom-cats that are given to smell a valerian tincture. Valerian acid is the cat’s sex pheromone [56].

In primates, including human beings, “key stimuli” for males are represented by the sight of female genitals (the visual system also plays the leading role in sexual behavior of male birds). In the course of the following relationships between sexes forming of sexual orientation that is typical for a mature male takes place — this time on the basis of activating conditioned reflexes (of course, “suprabiological” factors also have a certain influence).

Primates and apparently all animals lack the “key stimuli” that would be peculiar to males and would cause an unconditioned reflex-type of sexual arousal in females. Female sexual orientation forms through a mechanism of conditioned reflexes basing on intraspecific social orientation which is formed according to laws of “initial socialization” [2,5].

The intensity of an organism’s reaction to “key stimuli” is determined by the level of androgens in the organism. When bioenergetic systems of the organism are exhausted due to tiredness, malnutrition or disease, the level of androgens and correspondingly the intensity of this reflex are decreasing.

But as we discovered in experiments on dogs, this reflex can be restored by means of pharmacological intervention with androgens and stimulators of the androgen generating system. Among these preparations are testosterone propionate, methyltestosterone, and eleutherococc*. The same regularity is observed in male humans.

Variability of the intensity of this reflex depending on the general condition of the male organism is one of the factors that nature uses for selecting for reproduction only healthy individuals who can be expected to produce a viable posterity.