Arousal vs emotion

[AG31]

This caught my attention today. Is arousal different from emotion? And, if so, can one write a snippet of erotica just about arousal?

"That's a fair point. And for erotica, romance and other emotion-heavy writing,"

From post by @SyleusSnow

EDIT: My apologies for using my own stories in this thread, but this just occurred to me. What emotion is present in these two stories: Stairway to Heaven and Undressing.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Arousal (or horniness) is an emotion. Not all emotions are arousal.

 

[jaF0]

Can you arouse your emotions?

 

[ElectricBlue]

This caught my attention today. Is arousal different from emotion? And, if so, can one write a snippet of erotica just about arousal?

"That's a fair point. And for erotica, romance and other emotion-heavy writing,"

From post by @SyleusSnow

Generally speaking, heightened arousal is accompanied by emotion.

Sure, you might get aroused by a purely mechanical action, but it's going to pretty forgettable. Tab A into slot B. Meh.

 

[AG31]

Arousal (or horniness) is an emotion. Not all emotions are arousal.

I think arousal is a physical event in your body.

 

[AG31]

Can you arouse your emotions?

Different use of the word arouse.

 

[AG31]

EDIT to OP: My apologies for using my own stories in this thread, but this just occurred to me. What emotion is present in these two stories: Stairway to Heaven and Undressing both less than 1000 words.

 

[AG31]

On reflection, I think arousal is a marvelous aspect of the human condition that deserves careful literary attention all on its own.

This is not at all to say we shouldn't attend to arousal in the context of emotion and relationships. Of course we should. But simple arousal deserves respect.

 

[NotWise]

I'm not sure the distinction is very clear. For some people, arousal is a reaction to physical stimuli and little more. Other people require a relationship (often implying emotion) to become aroused. For others, arousal can lead to attachment, affection, and other emotions. The second two cases blur the lines.

 

[XerXesXu]

Notoriously, sexual arousal can lead to emotion and attachment. That would be positive emotion. For e.g. a rapist who sees a vulnerable person, perhaps a drunk woman, or an ex with another guy, rapes her and leaves her in the street, they would manifest a different emotion, but the manifestation of their physiological arousal would be the same. Arousal and emotion are a process, and either may lead to the other resulting in different consequences.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think of arousal as more of a physical sensation, but I think it can be used to mean an emotion as well.

Arousal, absolutely, is a perfect subject for a story. If you can skillfully describe someone experiencing arousal just be describing how they look and what they then I think you are doing well.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Different use of the word arouse.

Glitchy link. @jaF0 asked that question, not me.

 

[AG31]

And then there's @pink_silk_glove's remarkable post about female orgasm. Is this about arousal? What's the emotion?

 

[AG31]

Tab A into slot B. Meh.

You do realize it should be Tab A into slot A, right?

 

[ElectricBlue]

You do realize it should be Tab A into slot A, right?

Only if you're banging yourself...

 

[VallesMarineris]

I think arousal is a physical event in your body.

I think sexual arousal is another sense. There are sensory cells devoted to it in certain well-known body parts. They trigger all sorts of hormones. Most emotions can and have been associated with it. There are, of course, certain emotions that are more closely associated with arousal than other emotions. But you could say the same for the other senses.

 

[StillStunned]

This caught my attention today. Is arousal different from emotion? And, if so, can one write a snippet of erotica just about arousal?

I'm pretty sure several of my stories are about arousal without emotion. Or at least without emotional feelings for another person.

Exhibitionist & Voyeur lends itself very well to those kinds of stories (Flesh for Fantasy for the voyeur's perspective, for instance, and By Voice and By Candle for the exhibitionist's). Not necessarily all E&V, though - it's equally easy to write a voyeur story that's brimming with emotion.

But it works with other types of stories, particularly ones that involve situations between strangers or near-strangers. In Fun with Fingers, the narrator doesn't even know who the fingers belong to. The Code is about nothing but physical attraction and giving in to desire. Bound to the Blade has two sex scenes without any emotion, and one where the principal emotions are fear and urgency.

In fact, I could go on and list a dozen more scenes from my stories. Whether or not there's an emotional connection between the participants depends on the kind of story I'm telling. Sometimes it makes it hotter if there isn't any connection at all.

 

[Cagivagurl]

Emotion... The change of state for a being. Senses engaged.
Pain, sorrow, grief, elation, joy, excitement, euphoria, and of course arousal.

Feelings... Emotions. When the body is affected by surrounding circumstance.

Sentiments... They are in my opinion all emotions.

Positive or negative. Emotion affects us.

Cagivagurl

 

[PhoenixRyzing]

This caught my attention today. Is arousal different from emotion? And, if so, can one write a snippet of erotica just about arousal?

"That's a fair point. And for erotica, romance and other emotion-heavy writing,"

From post by @SyleusSnow

EDIT: My apologies for using my own stories in this thread, but this just occurred to me. What emotion is present in these two stories: Stairway to Heaven and Undressing.

I think arousal is quite distinct from emotion. I don't see much emotion in either of these stories, other than in the background, in that it is implied the couple are in an ongoing relationship of some kind, that probably involves living together. I personally quite enjoy erotica like this; rather than emotion, I'd say it contains sensuality and aesthetic delight. You could write about a delicious meal in the same way, so I don't think emotion is really much a part of it.

 

[PhoenixRyzing]

And then there's @pink_silk_glove's remarkable post about female orgasm. Is this about arousal? What's the emotion?

Again, I wouldn't characterize that as emotion, but neither is it cold and robotic. Sensual joy and aesthetic delight. The warm messy pleasure of being a living creature.

 

[AlinaX]

Sexual arousal is a physiological reaction to some sort of hormonal stimulus. This latter is most often linked to the desire for and anticipation of sex on a core level. Sometimes the trigger is other, e.g., hormonal medication, and the sexual arousal will excite an emotional response - perhaps desire, perhaps revulsion, perhaps just confusion.

A lot of stories on here rely on the idea that sexual arousal is possible without emotional desire.

 

[Cagivagurl]

Sexual arousal is a physiological reaction to some sort of hormonal stimulus. This latter is most often linked to the desire for and anticipation of sex on a core level. Sometimes the trigger is other, e.g., hormonal medication, and the sexual arousal will excite an emotional response - perhaps desire, perhaps revulsion, perhaps just confusion.

A lot of stories on here rely on the idea that sexual arousal is possible without emotional desire.

Is it possible to have a sexual connection without emotion????
I can only speak for myself, but....
I don't believe you can have a sexual connection without an emotional one. It has to be something that triggers an attraction. Physical desire driving the rest of the body to make it happen.
The body cannot do anything without the brain. That's where the emotional response comes from...
Lust, desire, hatred... They are emotions... Feelings... Sensations.

It doesn't have to be love, or even romantic, but surely it cannot happen without an emotional trigger... Guilt, anger, a physical chemical attraction...

The body doesn't function without the brains involvement...
Arousal is an emotion.... It is surely a culmination of excitement, which activates the brain to release the concoction of chemicals which produce the feelings of elation. dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, Endorphins...

Physical sensations equates to emotions... Positive or negative.
As I say, just my thoughts...

Cagivagurl

 

[pink_silk_glove]

What is arousal? Feeling turned on. Being 'in the mood'. So it's an emotion.

Certainly there is a physical aspect, but it is tied to the emotional side. With some people the physical may drive the emotional more and with others the emotional will drive the physical more etc, but unless we are talking about robot sex, arousal is an emotional state.

Let''s say there is a woman, she becomes aroused when her nipples are played with. So every so often she is in the kitchen and her fella walks in, reaches around and gropes her chest and she very quickly becomes aroused. But sometimes, she's just not in the emotional state to be aroused, received some bad news that day or upset with her fella over something or just really too tired, and the exact same stimulus does not get her aroused. So it's obviously not 100% physical. In fact, hardly.

It's also a big myth that emotional arousal always stems from relationships and physical is driven by pure sex desire. A one-night stand is often incredibly emotional. Simply desiring and being desired can be incredibly emotionally charged.

 

[Cagivagurl]

What is arousal....
A trigger that engages the brain to release the desired chemicals...
To be aroused, is to be awakened... It could be visual, physical, Aural, Senses driven such as smell... The brain is activated... maybe it's fear.... Maybe its grief... Maybe its elation, and of course, perhaps it's sexual...
Whichever way it goes. It's activated by the brain...

There can be no physical response without signals and chemicals sent out from the brain...
Vaginas will not moisten without a trigger... No Dopamine.... No lubrication.....

The reaction might be driven by any of the senses, but without the brains consent. Nothings going on...

I'm no expert, it's just how I see it...

Cagivagurl

 

[AG31]

You could write about a delicious meal in the same way,

Thanks for this example. Every now and then I find occasion to try to explain what I call "simple erotica," and I've suggested that stories/articles/vignettes describing the experience of surfing, or.... This is great. I'm beginning to think of the different parts of the main course as I type.