Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

There are a number of variables that motivate sexual risk taking and can result in HIV transmission. Sexual arousal may be the most common and problematic factor, because it is also a desirable and sought-after element in consensual sexual encounters. Despite its desirable qualities, sexual arousal has been linked with increased sexual risk-taking intentions, decreased self-control, and impaired sexual self-restraint (Skakoon-Sparling, Cramer, & Shuper, 2016; Skakoon-Sparling &Cramer, 2016). The current study looked at how sexual arousal may affect the ability inhibit our natural behaviours and increase risk of HIV transmission. Undergraduate students (n=298) were tested on their ability to inhibit automatic responses on a cognitive task at baseline. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental (sexually explicit video clips) and control (non-sexual video clips) conditions. Sexually explicit material was intended to induce a state of sexual arousal. After viewing the video clips, participants completed another assessment of their inhibitory ability. Individuals who were sexually aroused demonstrated more cognitive impulsivity. The current study demonstrates that sexual arousal can have a negative effect on the ability to inhibit behaviours - a skill that is critically needed during sexual encounters, where individuals must ignore invalid safety cues and instead persist in engaging in risk reduction strategies to protect themselves from HIV transmission. The current results suggest that being unprepared for the effects of sexual arousal on cognitive capacity can increase an individual's risk for engaging in risky sexual behaviour and contracting/transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.