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William Howell Masters was a gynecologist, and Virginia Eshelman Johnson was a psychology researcher. They teamed up in 1957 to study human sexuality. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Alfred C. Kinsey had published two surveys of modern sexual behavior, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. These books laid the groundwork for Masters and Johnson's life work. Instead of asking people about their sexual activities, as Kinsey did, Masters and Johnson observed sexual activity in a laboratory setting. They developed tools and techniques for accurately measuring the physical responses of 700 men and women during masturbation and intercourse. They
published their findings in the book Human Sexual Response in 1966. Their book was very popular and well received by the general public (although it was originally targeted at the medical community). Before Human Sexual Response, much of the mechanics of sex were a mystery. Masters and Johnson were the first to identify and describe the human sexual response cycle, and they opened the door for more effective treatment of sexual dysfunction and dissatisfaction. They also presented sexual activity as a natural and healthy human trait. Their initial book and later works emphasized that sexual partners needed a cooperative
attitude where each person takes responsibility for his or her own pleasure. Their viewpoints were not without controversy but have had considerable influence over the years. Masters and Johnson then published Human Sexual Inadequacy in 1970. This book discussed common problems, such as impotency and premature ejaculation, and how to treat them. This work was key in the development of the sex therapy field. Around the same time, Masters and Johnson started a clinic in St. Louis for the treatment of sexual problems. The pair published several other books over the years, including
many co-authored by fellow sex researcher, Dr. Robert C. Kolodny. Masters and Johnson were married from 1971 to 1993. Virginia Johnson retired from their clinic around 1993, and William Masters died in February 2001.
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