You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
In Homosexuality in Perspective, William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson present their extensive research on male and female homosexuality, frequently referring to their findings in their previous publications, especially Human Sexual Response(1966) and Human Sexual Inadequacy(1970). Reading these two volumes becomes necessary in order to understand the book being reviewed.
Homosexuality in Perspective consists of two parts: the first, "preclinical," describes the research on sexual arousal, response patterns, and the physiology of the sexual act in homosexuals. The second, "clinical," deals with the treatment of homosexual "dysfunctions" and "dissatisfactions." The preclinical part corresponds to Human Sexual Response(1966) and the clinical, to Human Sexual Inadequacy(1970). The dysfunctional and dissatisfied patients were not included in the research population whose investigation is presented in the preclinical part of the book. Masters and Johnson stress that there was no overlap between the research population and the treatment group. Direct observation of sexual activity and audiovisual recordings were used only for research. The patients in treatment were instructed and encouraged, but their actual activities were never observed.
Masters and Johnson applied to homosexuals essentially the same investigative "laboratory" methods and treatment approaches they originally evolved in research and treatment of heterosexuals. The screening and selection of the research population were rigorous. Only volunteers were used. If the prospective research subject expressed willingness to participate in the program and had "a sense of comfort with his or her sexual orientation" (p. 16), psychosocial histories were taken successively by both members of the research team. This was followed by a detailed medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests. If the candidate for the research program did not show any "major psychopathology or severe neurosis,