. 1999 Winter;8(1):30–40. doi: 10.1624/105812499X86962

TABLE 2 .

Pearsall's Altered Assumptions Regarding Sexuality^*

Assumption #1	Intercourse is the ultimate sexual act, and intercourse means insertion of the penis into the vagina.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	This is one option among many intimate choices. Intimacy should involve equally intense pleasure and sharing.
Assumption #2	Men are the inserters and women are the receivers in sexual intercourse.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	All sexual interaction is one of merging or doing with and together rather than doing to or for.
Assumption #3	Genital contractions are orgasms.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	Genital contractions following sexual stimulation are pleasurable reflexes. The total experience of physical, emotional, and cognitive merging with someone we love is called psychasm and may or may not be accompanied by genital or pelvic contractions.
Assumption #4	Orgasm is the measure of sexual fulfillment.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	The number of orgasms is related to the number of neuromuscular responses to genital stimulation. Sexual fulfillment is a more complex interpersonal process involving all levels of human responsiveness.
Assumption #5	Women have more trouble having orgasm than men.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	There is no evidence that pelvic reflex is gender related, but expectations can influence physiological responsiveness.
Assumption #6	Women respond sexually more slowly than men.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	Speed and time are not the key variables in sexual response, and mental, emotional, and cognitive factors are person related.
Assumption #7	Men have a refractory period and a period during which they must rest before continuing. Women can go on forever.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	All neurological responses are followed by some period of rest and are not gender related.
Assumption #8	Men are turned on erotically by a wider range of stimuli than women.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	The response to erotic stimuli is not gender related.
Assumption #9	Men cannot control their ejaculation for long periods of time. They must ejaculate to be complete.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	Ejaculation is a reflex, but it can be influenced through practice, awareness of body response, communication, and separation of ejaculation from the idea of release, completeness, or outlet.
Assumption #10	Intimate body contact is necessary for sex.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	Sexual communication can take place on many different levels.
Assumption #11	Variety in sex partners is one of the strongest of sexual aphrodisiacs.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	Sameness, familiarity, predictability, knowing, and comfort are more important to sexual intensity and fulfillment.
Assumption #12	Erection of the clitoris and penis is necessary for sex.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	There is no need of these for sexual fulfillment. Such erections are reflexive and not necessarily indicators of arousal.
Assumption #13	Sexual response is a cycle, one phase following and building upon the other, followed by a complete reversal of this cycle.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	Sexual response is a system. Changing back and forth to various phases of response and experience is possible.
Assumption #14	Sexual energy builds up and then must be released, followed by rest.
Altered Pearsall Assumption	The energy of sexual intimacy is as much mental and spiritual as it is physical. It can be maintained at a chosen level after sexual intimacy. In fact, sexual interaction may be invigorating.