If only priests and policymakers understood arousal more
Did you know that arguments for the distribution of condoms can be based on results of a scientific experiment that sought to show the influence of arousal on behavior?
In the heated debates over the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, proponents have used the poverty card often enough, if not resorted to criticizing advocates who rely solely on religious beliefs and Vatican pronouncements. Others have also used women’s rights and women’s health, even freedom of choice as counter-arguments to the weighty appeal to religious authority.
Opponents of safe sex advocates assert that distributing condoms for free would promote promiscuity, irresponsible sexual behavior on the part of the youth, and even unwanted pregnancies. To counter this, proponents of the RH bill cite recent survey results from Pulse Asia indicating that 69 percent of Filipinos favor the passage of the bill.
Surely, there has got to be a fresh perspective in all these exchanges. Looking at the debate over the distribution of condoms, for example, one could search for something empirically convincing. I found it in one of the amusing chapters of Dan Ariely’s “Predictably Irrational” published in 2008.
Ariely and his collaborator carried out an experiment, tapping bright Berkeley students in 2001 to “understand the degree to which rational, intelligent people can predict how their attitudes will change when they are in an impassioned state.” They chose sexual arousal, so common and predictable among college students, because “understanding the impact of arousal on behavior might help society grapple with some of its most difficult problems, such as teen pregnancy and the spread of HIV-AIDS.”
Berkeley students, according to Ariely, are neither wild, rebellious nor risk-taking teenagers. 25 males were chosen for the experiment and were given a 12-key multicolored keypad to respond to questions answerable by yes or no. In their rational cold state, they were asked to imagine being sexually aroused and to reply to the questions as they would if they were aroused. Among the questions asked were, “Would you encourage your date to drink to increase the chance that she would have sex with you? and “Would you always use a condom if you didn’t know the sexual history of a new sexual partner?”
The conditions in a second session were slightly altered as the same subjects were instructed to get themselves aroused by viewing erotic pictures on a computer and masturbating. “What we want you to do is to arouse yourself to a high level, but not to ejaculate. In case you do, though, the computer will be protected.” An Apple iBook whose keyboard and screen were covered with Saran wrap were given to the subjects who were asked the same set of questions.
What did Ariely discover? Among others, he found that despite repeated warnings about the importance of condoms, subjects were 25 percent more likely to forego their use when in an aroused state. The propensity to engage in immoral activities when aroused also increased by more than double. “Prevention, protection, conservatism, and morality disappeared completely from the radar screen.”
“Sexual arousal is familiar, personal, very human, and utterly commonplace. Even so, we all systematically underpredict the degree to which arousal completely negates our superego, and the way emotions can take control of our behavior,” Ariely asserts.
Those who believe that abstinence is adequate protection against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies may be wrong. According to Ariely, “in the heat of passion, we are all in danger of switching from ‘Just say no’ to ‘Yes!’ in a heartbeat; and if no condom is available, we are likely to say yes, regardless of the dangers.” Just think of priests who themselves have sired children, or of religious who have engaged in consensual though prohibited sex.
What do the findings of his experiment suggest? For teenagers, it is important to teach them how to say no “before a situation becomes impossible to resist.” Likewise, precisely because this may not be easy since passion cannot be switched off at will, widespread availability of condoms is essential—just in case.
“One thing is sure: if we don’t teach our young people how to deal with sex when they are half out of their minds, we are not only fooling them; we’re fooling ourselves as well.” If only there were less hypocrisy around, we would perhaps be closer to formulating more sound policies and strategies relating to reproductive health and safe sex.
