Ace the AP Psychology Test 2025 – Unlock Your Mind’s Potential!

The plateau phase of the sexual response cycle is characterized by a peak of sexual excitement just before orgasm. During this phase, there is a notable increase in physiological responses, including elevated breathing rates, heightened pulse, and increased blood pressure. The body experiences a buildup of sexual tension and arousal, which is what ultimately leads to orgasm.

In this context, as stimulation continues, the body becomes increasingly prepared for the subsequent orgasm, marking this phase as the peak of excitement and physiological arousal. This intensification distinguishes it from the other phases, as the plateau is about maintaining and even escalating sexual arousal before reaching the climax.

The other choices describe different aspects of the sexual response cycle but do not accurately represent the plateau phase: returning to an unaroused state is characteristic of the resolution phase, muscle contractions and heightened physiological responses occur during orgasm, and a resting period is related to the refractory period following orgasm.