Your sexual accelerator and brake
Updated November 8, 2026
The dual control model describes sexual response as two systems: an accelerator that reacts to things that turn you on and a brake that reacts to reasons not to be aroused. Desire depends on both – often, easing the brakes helps more than pressing harder on the accelerator.
Where the model comes from
The model was developed by researchers Erik Janssen and John Bancroft at the Kinsey Institute around the turn of the millennium. It became widely known through the sex educator Emily Nagoski and her book “Come as You Are”.
Accelerator and brake in everyday life
Both systems differ from person to person. Someone with a sensitive accelerator and a relaxed brake may feel desire quickly; someone with a sensitive brake may need the right conditions first. Neither is better – they are different starting points.
- Accelerator: a partner’s smell or voice, feeling desired, novelty, a fantasy, a relaxed body.
- Brake: stress, worries about performance or appearance, fear of being interrupted, an untidy room, an unresolved argument, worry about consequences.
Why it helps couples
When partners differ, the one with less spontaneous desire is often seen as “the problem”. The model replaces blame with a practical question: what presses your brake, and what can we change together?
Often small things make a big difference – a locked door, time without the phone, an evening planned in advance so nobody worries about being caught off guard.
Your own accelerator and brake profile
The free Tacitavia questionnaire includes questions inspired by this model. Your profile shows how easily desire comes for you and what tends to hold it back, and places you in one of four types. It is a guide for conversation, not a diagnosis.
Find out what you both want – privately
Each partner answers the questionnaire alone. You get a free profile, and your “no” is never shown to your partner.
Start the free questionnaireCommon questions
- What is the dual control model of sexuality?
- A model by Janssen and Bancroft describing arousal as the balance of two systems: sexual excitation (accelerator) and sexual inhibition (brake).
- Is a sensitive brake a problem?
- No. It is a normal variation. It simply means that the context – stress, safety, privacy – matters a lot for you. Changing the context usually helps more than trying harder.
- Is there a test for my accelerator and brake?
- Researchers use validated questionnaires. The free Tacitavia questionnaire gives an informal profile inspired by the model, designed to help couples talk – not a clinical assessment.
This guide is general information about relationships, not medical or psychological advice. If sex causes pain or distress, talk to a doctor or a qualified therapist.