Dual control model - meaning and definition
Alsoaccelerators and brakessexual excitation and inhibitiondual control model of sexual responsebrakes and accelerator
Definition
The dual control model describes sexual response as a balance between two systems: one that responds to sexual cues (excitation) and one that responds to reasons not to be aroused (inhibition).
At a glance
- The model describes sexual response as a balance between excitation and inhibition.
- John Bancroft and Erick Janssen developed it at the Kinsey Institute.
- People vary in how sensitive each system is.
- Emily Nagoski popularised the image of an accelerator and a brake.
In detail
John Bancroft and Erick Janssen developed the model at the Kinsey Institute in the late 1990s. People vary in how sensitive each system is. Someone with a sensitive inhibition system might find that stress, body worries or an unfamiliar setting easily dampen arousal.
Sex educator Emily Nagoski described the systems as an accelerator and a brake. The image is practical: when desire feels low, it may help as much to reduce what is pressing the brake, such as tiredness or worry, as to add more stimulation.
In a sentence
- Thinking about the dual control model, I realised stress was pressing my brakes, not a lack of attraction.
- Our therapist used the accelerator and brake idea from the dual control model.
Where the word comes from
John Bancroft and Erick Janssen developed the dual control model at the Kinsey Institute in the late 1990s. Emily Nagoski's 2015 book Come As You Are brought it to a wider audience.
Common questions
What are the accelerator and brake?
The accelerator is the excitation system, which responds to things a person finds sexually relevant. The brake is the inhibition system, which responds to reasons not to be aroused, such as stress, tiredness or worry. Arousal depends on the balance between them.
How can the model help with low desire?
It suggests that reducing what presses the brake, such as tiredness, worry or an uncomfortable setting, can matter as much as adding stimulation. If low desire causes distress, a sex therapist or clinician can help look at possible causes.
Related terms
Sources
- The Journal of Sex ResearchBancroft, Graham, Janssen & Sanders (2009) The dual control model: current status and future directions