Imagery, fantasy, and female sexual arousal

Women (N = 119) rated how sexually aroused they felt when employing nominated themes during sexual fantasy. Fantasy‐induced sexual arousal was more strongly associated with the extent the women had formed vivid images and experienced absorption during sexual fantasy than with imagery assessed by the Belts Questionnaire upon Mental Imagery and the Imaginal Processes Inventory or with absorption measured by the Tellegen Absorption Scale. These relationships applied for all three fantasy contents (sensual themes, genital themes, sexual power themes) that were studied. Vividness of imagery and absorption during fantasy incorporating nominated themes were also related to the frequency with which the subjects had used these themes in fantasy within the past year. Directions for further investigation of relationships between imagery, fantasy, and sexual arousal are outlined.