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from the am-I-going-to-regret-releasing-this? dept.
EurekAlert have just published an article: Yale researchers shed light on evolutionary mystery: Origins of the female orgasm
The role of female orgasm, which plays no obvious role in human reproduction, has intrigued scholars as far back as Aristotle. Numerous theories have tried to explain the origins of the trait, but most have concentrated on its role in human and primate biology.
[...] Since there is no apparent association between orgasm and number of offspring or successful reproduction in humans, the scientists focused on a specific physiological trait that accompanies human female orgasm -- the neuro-endocrine discharge of prolactin and oxytocin -- and looked for this activity in other placental mammals. They found that in many mammals this reflex plays a role in ovulation.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 02 2016, @12:51AM
The interesting bit is how the data has been interpreted through the various decades.
During the 50s it was that female orgasm was a myth, or at least wasn't a physiological response.
During the 60s it was lack of stimulation of the clitoris with female ejaculation being questioned.
During the 70s it was multi-orgasmic females and whether an inability to orgasm through penetrative intercourse was a dysfunction.
During the 80s it was the rise of the G-spot, more questions about female ejaculation, and psychological interpretations.
During the 90s it was sexual response is a learned behavior and multiple types of orgasm.
During the 00s it was female ejaculation being distinct from orgasm (and identifying the glands involved).
And now here we are with orgasm attempting to be tied to evolutionary arguments.
In that same time-frame, there have been four new observations about male orgasm: 1. Some men fake it when they rather not perform. 2. Erection/ejaculation is not tied to orgasm. 3. The existence of prostate orgasms. 4. The existence of multi-orgasmic males.