Past decades of sex research have focused mainly on mechanics, overlooking the concept of desire. Now, we’re understanding how vital environment, emotion, and perception are in the science of sex.

Sex educator Emily Nagoski emphasizes how critical context can be in amplifying or killing sexual desire.

0:38 The role of desire in orgasm

2:15 The gas pedal vs. The brakes

4:15 Why people struggle with sex

5:15 How to apply neuroscience in the bedroom

7:02 The power of context

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About Emily Nagoski:

Emily Nagoski is the award-winning author of the New York Times bestselling Come As You Are and The Come As You Are Workbook, and coauthor, with her sister, Amelia, of New York Times bestseller Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. She earned an M.S. In counseling and a Ph.D. In health behavior, both from Indiana University, with clinical and research training at the Kinsey Institute. Now she combines sex education and stress education to teach women to live with confidence and joy inside their bodies. She lives in Massachusetts with two dogs, a cat, and a cartoonist.