AbstractThe precautions that sexual physiology researchers report taking to protect human subjects' rights, safety, and welfare are reviewed. Twenty‐eight articles were selected as representative of research that was highly sensitive and potentially invasive of subjects' rights. Aspects of subject orientation procedures were categorized into 20 objectives or topics. The topics specifically reported to subjects in each article were tabulated. Those most commonly mentioned were privacy during data recording, instructions for instrument placement, and remuneration. Several important objectives were infrequently cited in the orientation protocols: subject anonymity, potential hazards and safeguards, potential benefits, and informed consent. The lack of consistency and of completeness in reporting details of subject orientation in these sex research papers is discussed. A protocol is presented incorporating the most important elements of human subject orientation.