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Upsuck Hypothesis

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior

  • 18 Accesses

Synonyms

Insuck; Orgasm; Sexual climax; Sperm competition; Sperm retention

Definition

The transfer of content, specifically semen, from the upper vagina to the cervix by way of rapid muscular movements in an orgasm.

Introduction

Evidence for orgasm in nonhuman animals has been the subject of research for many years. Many studies have shown that mammals do indeed have orgasms, though the physical and psychological mechanisms are less well understood. Orgasms in males are necessary for the ejaculation of semen into the vagina or cervix of females. However, underlying causes of orgasm in females have long been a mystery. The upsuck hypothesis suggests that the contractions of the cervix during female orgasm may aid in the transport of semen to the ovary in many species. Although still controversial, evidence is compounding that supports upsuck as a potential causal mechanism behind female orgasm.

Internal Female Reproductive Organs

Though their structure and function vary by species, in...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA

    Brittney Palode & Kristine O. Evans

Authors
  1. Brittney Palode
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  2. Kristine O. Evans
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristine O. Evans .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA

    Jennifer Vonk

  2. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, MS, USA

    Mystera M. Samuelson

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Palode, B., Evans, K.O. (2022). Upsuck Hypothesis. In: Vonk, J., Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_1976

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