| Event | Effect |
|---|
| The view that sex is dirty and sinful | Early learning of such negative attitudes toward sex and misinformation leads to fears and inhibitions, which can lead to problems of desire, arousal, orgasm, and pain. |
| Early negative conditioning experiences | In men, premature ejaculation can develop after hurrying to have an orgasm quickly for fear of being “caught.” In women, a fear of pregnancy or being “caught” can lead to anxiety that contributes to sexual dysfunction. |
| Sexual trauma | Sexual trauma can produce negative conditioning and can lead to a fear of sex, as well as arousal and desire problems. |
| Sources: Bartoi & Kinder, 1998; Becker & Kaplan, 1991; Kaplan, 1981; Laumann et al., 1999; LoPiccolo & Friedman, 1988; Masters & Johnson, 1970; Silverstein, 1989. |