The dual control model of sexual response: a scoping review, 2009-2022
Open accessAbstract
The Dual Control Model proposes that sexual arousal and related processes are dependent on the balance between sexual excitation and sexual inhibition, and that individuals vary in their propensity for these processes. This scoping review provides an overview and discussion of the questionnaires used to measure the propensities for sexual excitation and inhibition, their translation and validation in other languages, and their application in empirical research on topics ranging from sexual desire and arousal, sexual (dys)function, sexual risk taking, asexuality, hypersexuality, and sexual aggression. A total of 152 papers, published between 2009 and 2022 and identified using online databases, were included in this review. The findings, consistent with those reviewed by Bancroft et al. (2009), suggest that sexual excitation is particularly relevant to sexual desire and responsivity and predictive of asexuality and hypersexuality. Sexual inhibition plays a role in sexual dysfunction. sexual risk taking, and sexual aggression, although often in interaction with sexual excitation. Suggestions for the further development of the model and for future studies are discussed.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Integrative models recognize the influence of the dual control and tipping point models to varying degrees, incorporate other theories (family systems and social learning, cognitive and behavioral, attachment and interpersonal), and address sociocultural influences (moral incongruence, erotic conflicts, and minority stress).
“Again, to varying degrees, they recognize the influence of the dual control73,145 and tipping point models74,146 but incorporate other theories (eg, family systems and social learning, cognitive and behavioral, attachment and interpersonal15,102) and address the importance of sociocultural influences (eg, moral incongruence,14,59,60 erotic conflicts, and minority stress143).”
From Assessment and treatment of compulsive sexual behavior disorder: a sexual medicine perspective (2024) · cites this paper as [145]
Cites
PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation
Tricco, A. C., Lillie, E., Zarin, W., O'Brien, K. K., Colquhoun, H., Levac, D., Moher, D., Peters, M. D. J., Horsley, T., Weeks, L., et al. (2018) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/m18-0850 · Cited by 43,565 · see citing works
Munn, Z., Peters, M. D. J., Stern, C., Tufanaru, C., McArthur, A., & Aromataris, E. (2018) · BMC Medical Research Methodology · doi:10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x · Cited by 11,385 · see citing works
Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews
Peters, M. D. J., Marnie, C., Tricco, A. C., Pollock, D., Munn, Z., Alexander, L., McInerney, P., Godfrey, C. M., & Khalil, H. (2020) · JBI Evidence Synthesis · doi:10.11124/jbies-20-00167 · Cited by 7,751 · see citing works
Berntson, G. G., Cacioppo, J. T., & Quigley, K. S. (1991) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.98.4.459 · Cited by 819 · see citing works
Gao, R., & Penzes, P. (2015) · Current Molecular Medicine · doi:10.2174/1566524015666150303003028 · Cited by 516 · cited 1× · see citing works
“…not uncommon in other areas of psychological and psychophysiological inquiry and has been explored in, for example, research on the autonomic nervous system (e.g., Berntson et al., 1991), affective processes (e.g., Cacioppo et al., 1999), and cognition and its disorders (e.g., Gao & Penzes, 2015).”
The dual control model: current status and future directions
Bancroft, J., Graham, C. A., Janssen, E., & Sanders, S. A. (2009) · The Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224490902747222 · Cited by 438 · see citing works
Self-citationBancroft, J., & Janssen, E. (2000) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(00)00024-5 · Cited by 433 · cited 6× · see citing works
“1 The Dual Control Model of sexual response emphasizes the importance of both sexual excitation, which depends on the processing of sexual stimuli, and sexual inhibition, which is proposed to be dependent on the processing of intra-or interpersonal threats (Bancroft & Janssen, 2000).”
InfluentialSelf-citationJanssen, E., Everaerd, W., Spiering, M., & Janssen, J. (2000) · Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224490009552016 · Cited by 404 · see citing works
Self-citationTurning on and turning off: a focus group study of the factors that affect women’s sexual arousal
Graham, C. A., Sanders, S. A., Milhausen, R. R., & McBride, K. R. (2004) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1023/b:aseb.0000044737.62561.fd · Cited by 354 · see citing works
An integrative theoretical framework for understanding sexual motivation, arousal, and behavior
Toates, F. (2009) · Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224490902747768 · Cited by 339 · see citing works
The Sexual Compulsivity Scale: Further Development and Use With HIV-Positive Persons
Kalichman, S. C., & Rompa, D. (2001) · Journal of Personality Assessment · doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa7603_02 · Cited by 261 · see citing works
Central inhibition of sexual response in the male: A theoretical perspective
Bancroft, J. (1999) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(99)00019-6 · Cited by 246 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Although a discussion of the central and peripheral neuro-physiology of sexual excitation and inhibition is beyond the focus of this review – see Bancroft (1999), Georgiadis et al. (2012), and Pfaus (2009) for relevant discussions – a number of studies have started to examine the association…”
Mark, K. P., Janssen, E., & Milhausen, R. R. (2011) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-011-9771-z · Cited by 240 · see citing works
Self-citationSexual Risk-Taking in Gay Men: The Relevance of Sexual Arousability, Mood, and Sensation Seeking
Bancroft, J., Janssen, E., Strong, D., Carnes, L., Vukadinovic, Z., & Long, J. S. (2003) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1023/a:1026041628364 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
Asexuality: classification and characterization
Prause, N., & Graham, C. A. (2007) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-006-9142-3 · Cited by 225 · see citing works
Brain processing of visual sexual stimuli in treated and untreated hypogonadal patients
Redouté, J., Stoléru, S., Pugeat, M., Costes, N., Lavenne, F., Le Bars, D., Dechaud, H., Cinotti, L., & Pujol, J.-F. (2005) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2004.12.003 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
The sexual tipping point: a mind/body model for sexual medicine
Perelman, M. A. (2009) · The Journal of Sexual Medicine · doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.01177.x · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Snagowski, J., & Brand, M. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00653 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Sarin, S., Amsel, R., & Binik, Y. M. (2014) · The Journal of Sexual Medicine · doi:10.1111/jsm.12562 · Cited by 36 · cited 5× · see citing works
“…example for situational erection problems and sexual arousal problems that are associated with low sexual desire (Sarin et al., 2014), but in more recent studies using clinical samples of men (e.g., Quinta-Gomes et al., 2022; Sarin et al., 2014), SES was not associated with erectile dysfunction.”
InfluentialA framework for understanding sexual violence: Incentive-motivation and hierarchical control
Toates, F., Smid, W., & van den Berg, J. W. (2017) · Aggression and Violent Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.avb.2017.01.001 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Psychosexual characteristics of women reporting sexual aggression against men
Carvalho, J., & Nobre, P. J. (2016) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/0886260515579504 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Changes in sexual inhibition and excitation during PDE5I therapy
Louizos, C. C. J., McCann, B., & Knight, P. K. (2014) · International Journal of Impotence Research · doi:10.1038/ijir.2013.54 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Assessment and treatment of compulsive sexual behavior disorder: a sexual medicine perspective
Briken, P., Bőthe, B., Carvalho, J., Coleman, E., Giraldi, A., Kraus, S. W., Lew-Starowicz, M., & Pfaus, J. G. (2024) · Sexual Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1093/sxmrev/qeae014 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
- Authors
- Janssen, E., & Bancroft, J.
- Affiliations
- Indiana University Bloomington (US)
- Corresponding author
- Janssen, Erick
- ORCID
- Janssen, Erick
- Venue
- The Journal of Sex Research
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2023-06-02
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 948-968
- ISSN
- 0022-4499 (ISSN-L)
- 1559-8519
- OpenAlex
- W4379140477
- Cited by
- 49
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 2
- FWCI
- 2.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The Journal of Sex Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (K801522N)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Keywords
- dual control model, sexual excitation, sexual inhibition, sexual desire, sexual arousal, asexuality, hypersexuality, sexual dysfunction, sexual risk behavior, sexual aggression, questionnaire validation, cross-cultural translation
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Libido, Paraphilic Disorders, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sexual Behavior, Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
