Modifying sexual preferences and impulses Options

[Bionetwork]

I am interested in finding a methodology on how one may alter personal sexual and otherwise preferences (likes, dislikes). Has there been any research and experimentation done on this? In other words, can one train oneself to enjoy a particular activity? I am assuming that such conditioning is somehow accomplished by forming associations and via behaviorism with rewards.

Thanks in advance to any suggestions.

[Jakare]

Behaviors are behaviors and those can be avoided, not easely but they can. But that will be a change 'by fact' not 'by soul', which one are you more interested in?

What about thoughts, can thoughts be avoided? Let me tell you they can be avoided (althought not perfectly) but at great cost.
Can subconscious be avoided? No, it can not be.

This is an interesting paper althought does not directly answer your question:
http://allpsych.com/journal/homosexuality.html

Can one train oneself to enjoy a particular activity?
Of course, as long as there is not a physical obstacle or implies pain (well, even pain is desired by some...) but is always easier to add behaviors than to 'delete' behaviors in sexuality. For example it is possible for a homosexual man to have sex with wimen and if he likes it enough to 'tresure' the experience and repeat it he will become 'bysexual' Not Heterosexual and viceversa. Althought if that person avoids homosexual activity for life can become Heterosexual by fact but bysexual by soul. Nontheless if the person does not 'tresure' the experience but force an heterosexual behavior all the same, several severe psychological side effects can be experienced and make everyday live painful sometimes to the point of making life not worth living. Living a lie is not nice.

Why anyone would like to change its sexual preference? If it is for religious reasons, and it usually is, (not saying that´s the motivation of your post though, just following my thought) isn´t it a bit bizarre that an unproven and highly hipothetical dogma has to use the services of an standarized scientific methodology to fix something it is unable to fix by its self-called "highers ways"?

[Bionetwork]

Thanks for the reply, but I don't understand what you mean by soul. My interest in modifying sexual preferences does not involve sexual orientation, nor does it involve religion or faith - I don't believe in higher powers, souls, magic. I am interested in finding scientifically proven methodology on modifying a very specific source of pleasure. For instance, how does one reprogram oneself from finding blondes to be most desirable to finding them undesirable and instead finding brunettes or redheads desirable.

[Jakare]

Sorry 'Soul' was just a exotic way to say 'mind'.

I think what your looking for is Cognitive Psychology and its Cognitive behavioral therapy:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-therapy.html

Cognitive Therapy Assumptions:

• Abnormal behaviour is caused by abnormal thinking processes


• We interact with the world through our mental representation of it


• If our mental representations are inaccurate or our ways of reasoning are inadequate then our emotions and behaviour may become disordered

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavior_modification

It is difficult to find especific papers making reference to sexual preferences (most of them are about eating disorders or obsesive-compulsive behavior) the same therapy could be use changing the object.
Basically, to change the way you feel you should change the way you think.

[code buttons]

Thanks for the reply, but I don't understand what you mean by soul. My interest in modifying sexual preferences does not involve sexual orientation, nor does it involve religion or faith - I don't believe in higher powers, souls, magic. I am interested in finding scientifically proven methodology on modifying a very specific source of pleasure. For instance, how does one reprogram oneself from finding blondes to be most desirable to finding them undesirable and instead finding brunettes or redheads desirable.

Positive and Negative re-enforcement has been a proven behavior altering technique for decades.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforcement...e_reinforcement

[Flex]

Random, but the thought popped into mind today that plants when exposed to stressful events in their life exhibit peculiar sexual behavior--the same often happens to humans. Not saying there is a connection, but the idea is damn interesting!

http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/articles/4157.html

[Wyvrn]

This idea I just thought of, not saying it's proven or anything, or even studied. But I have heard that when your brain waves are at a lower frequency (such as <5hz) you can have a larger influence on your brain. So similar to meditation, but I was thinking of meditating in a lucid dream and attempting to change your affections, likes, and dislikes.

Just throwin' that out there..

[Jessica T]

I think its just natural impulse. Humans can be trained to avoid certain sexual behaviours through cognitive behavioural therapy. Usually psycologists will do this when the sexual behaviour is dangerous. As far as changing your sexual gender preferance? I don't know about this and would love to see some research

[Bionetwork]

Thanks for the replies. I've considered different approaches and came to a conclusion that Positive and Negative re-enforcement is what has the most chances of success, however, it does not appear to produce consistent long term changes in sexual preferences.

And I would like to stress this again, this is NOT about changing sexual GENDER preference, instead it is about changing preferences in heterosexual relationships. For instance, I would like to condition myself to be attracted to females with smaller breasts, as opposed to mid to large size breasts.