Big Think Your brain: the most important sex organ in the body | Emily Nagoski
Oct 8, 2025
In this conversation with Emily Nagoski, an award-winning sex educator and author, the focus shifts to the often-overlooked role of desire in sexual experiences. Emily explains how our environments, emotions, and perceptions can amplify or suppress sexual desire. She introduces the concepts of sexual acceleration and inhibition, emphasizing that sex is primarily managed by the brain. Practical tips for enhancing desire, such as identifying personal 'accelerators' and 'brakes,' are discussed, along with the power of context in shaping sexual pleasure.
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Desire Was Missing From Early Sex Models
- Masters and Johnson's model omitted desire, so early research missed why people want sex.
- Emily Nagoski highlights Kaplan's triphasic model adding desire to target interventions for wanting sex.
Dual Control Model: Gas And Brakes
- Sex involves a sexual excitation system (accelerator) and inhibition system (brakes) in the brain.
- These systems respond to sensory input and thoughts that the brain codes as sexual or threatening.
Reduce Brakes Before Adding Stimulation
- Focus on reducing anything that activates the brakes like stress, body image, trauma, and relationship issues.
- Adding stimulation alone (porn, toys) often fails if inhibition remains high.