Studies in the psychology of sex. Vol. III, Analysis of the sexual impulse : Love and pain / by Havelock Ellis.

  • Ellis, Havelock, 1859-1939.
Date:
[1901], ©1901
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Studies in the psychology of sex. Vol. III, Analysis of the sexual impulse : Love and pain / by Havelock Ellis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ANALYSIS OF THE SEXUAL IMPULSE. Definition of Instinct—The Sexual Impulse a Factor of the Sexual Instinct—Theory of the Sexual Impulse as an Impulse of Evacuation— The Evidence in Support of this Theory Inadequate—The Sexual Impulse to Some Extent Independent of the Sexual Glands—The Sexual Impulse in Castrated Animals and Men—The Sexual Impulse in Castrated Women, after the Menopause, and in the Congenital Absence of the Sexual Glands—Analogy between the Sexual Relationship and that of the Suckling Mother and her Child—The Theory of the Sexual Impulse as a Reproductive Impulse—This Theory Untenable—Moll's Definition —The Impulse of Detumescence—The Impulse of Contrectation—Modi- fication of this Theory Proposed—Its Relation to Darwin's Sexual Selec- tion—The Essential Element in Darwin's Conception—Summary of the History of the Doctrine of Sexual Selection—Its Psychological Aspect —Sexual Selection a Part of Natural Selection—The Fundamental Im- portance of Tumescence—Illustrated by the Phenomena of Courtship in Animals and in Man—The Object of Courtship is to Produce Sexual Tumescence—The Primitive Significance of Dancing in Animals and Man —Dancing is a Potent Agent for Producing Tumescence—The Ele- ment of Truth in the Comparison of the Sexual Impulse with an Evac- uation, Especially of the Bladder—Both Essentially Involve Nervous Explosions—Their Intimate and Sometimes Vicarious Relationships— Analogy between Coitus and Epilepsy—Analogy of the Sexual Impulse to Hunger—Final Object of the Impulses of Tumescence and Detumes- cence. The term sexual instinct may be said to cover the whole of the neuro-psychic phenomena of reproduction which man shares with the lower animals. It is true that much discussion has taken place concerning the proper use of the term instinct, and some definitions of instinctive action would appear to exclude the essential mechanism of the process whereby sexual reproduction is assured. Such definitions scarcely seem legiti- mate, and are certainly unfortunate. Herbert Spencer's defi- nition of instinct as compound reflex action is sufficiently clear and definite for ordinary use. Tt has been argued that true instincts possess only a fallacious resemblance with reflex actions, singleness being ''of the very essence of