Study – “An orgasm is … Who defines what an orgasm is?”

Perhaps one of the most difficult phenomena to define is orgasm. Today’s study explores many problems associated with defining orgasm. Almost two decades later, defining orgasm is still equally elusive. This study considered the pros and cons of deciding who should decide an orgasm has occurred.

Who ought to determine an orgasm is happening?

The subject? The physiologist? The endocrinologist? The brain imager? The psychologist? It appears each, by itself, is problematic in its own way. The input of all examiners of orgasm is required to develop a more holistic, well-formed explanation.

Considering reports of many different types of orgasms felt by diverse peoples (e.g., non-genital orgasms, non-ejaculatory orgasms, prostate orgasms (discussed on page 105 in the article), and orgasms in phantom limbs), definitions of orgasm for each type might be needed. One definition may describe one person’s experience more closely than another.

Perhaps the act of defining orgasm itself is a problem.

Reducing orgasmic experience to a sentence is a reductionist, linear way to convey the complex experience of orgasm. A complexity model can be more representative of orgasm itself and more inclusive for diverse populations with individual variation.

DISCUSSION TOPICS

How would you describe your own orgasmic experience?

Which field of study does your description most closely draw from?

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ARTICLE

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14681990410001641663?journalCode=csmt20

• “There have been many attempts at defining orgasm, Levin (1981) tabled some thirteen while 20 years later Mah & Binik (2001) repeated the exercise and now listed twenty-six. Despite this increase however, they were unhappy enough about the definitions not to have devised one of their own. This should be relatively easy as the activity has been discussed if not studied now for many years by a variety of specialities but in fact this is part of the difficulty. The problem will become clear when we examine each specialty’s voice on the matter. Who should define the criteria for accepting that the activity has definitely occurred?” (p. 101)

• “Problems arise because depending on the definition of orgasm, briefly a peak subjective phenomenon with attendant physical manifestations, one has to ask when the orgasm actually starts, is it when the subject first mentally perceives it or when the first physical manifestation appears. Kinsey et al. (1953) argued to limit the definition of orgasm to the sudden and abrupt reduction of sexual tension, a not very helpful definition for practical purposes especially if a subject experiences a stimulus that is not appreciated! They regarded the ‘vaginal spasms’ as the after-effects of the orgasm” (p. 103)

• “Many have taken the presence of pelvic contractions as the sine qua non proof of orgasm but in fact a number of women claim to have orgasms without experiencing any such contractions (Bohlen et al., 1982b; Kratochvil, 1994). Unfortunately, whether this is because the contractions happen at a low level and they are not perceived or whether they are really not present cannot be elucidated from the answers to questionnaires or face-to-face interviews but only by laboratory measurement” (p. 103)

• “To characterize the phenomenon of orgasm in both men and women obviously needs the combined skills of the physiologist, psychologist, endocrinologist, brain imager and the subject but even then we have some obvious difficulties. While it is clear that we still have very much to learn about orgasm and its typologies at least we have now started on the journey of scientific investigation” (p. 106).