Chapter 10 & 19 Flashcards
What are the characteristics of infancy stage?
0-2years
● Tumescence
● Self-stimulation
● Infant - infant encounters -sexual encounters – gazing, patting, kissing
● Non-sexual, sensual experiences – bathing, cuddles
● Attachment - psychological bond that forms between an
infant and the mother, father, or other caregiver
● Knowing about gender differences
What are the characteristics of early childhood?
3-7years ● Masturbation ● Same-sex behaviour ● Sex knowledge and interests ● Some other sex play – boys and girls may hold hands or “play doctor”
What is masturbation?
● pleasurable and normal behaviour
● children learn that masturbation is private behaviour during this
period
What is same sex behaviour?
● sexual play with one’s own gender during late childhood and preadolescence may be common
Why is childhood sexuality research done?
Early theories still influence psycho-social discussion about childhood sexuality
Stages of development
Research wasnt sound or ethically procured back in the day for sexuality research
What is the issue with sexual research in children?
Need to understand childhood sexuality because we always looking at it from adult point of view
Absence of data in sufficient quantities to make strong conclusions, Leads to theories, and unsubstantiated
hypotheses
How is sexual data collected?
Surveys in which people recall their childhood sexual behaviour.
Interviews of children – raises ethical issues
Talking computer interviews – computer presents questions
through headphones, child types in answers
What did Kinseys work show?
(-) biases due to memory and estimates
✤ Non-purposeful distortions
-Might just remember wronge, not purposefully hiding anything
✤ Purposeful distortions
-Give worng answer as a participant because they feel shae because of the answer theyy mightgi give
Influences on memories
✤ Family stories, pictures
✤ Effects of trauma
Over and under-estimates
What are the benefits of child surveys?
There are benefits to collecting accurate data on childhood sexuality
Informed by social, political and religious ideas
Parents and guardians must provide consent on behalf of the child
What has to be done every time there is a child sexuality study?
harms benefit analysis
-cant harm one group for data
Why is it important to study childhood sexual behaviour?
In part, due to its relationship to sexual abuse
Teachers and parents comfortable teaching sexual educaiton?
Some parents don’t want it taught in school
What are the data sources used in childhood sexual behaviour studies?
Direct observation
(-) ethical issues
- Location, representative conditions
- Practicality
(-) infrequency of sexual behaviour
(-) observer effects
-Looking for certain behaviours
What was the AAP study about?
1998
1000 children (2-12yrs)
Used Child Sexual Behaviour Inventory (3rd)
Also a checklist to assess other familial factors (hours in daycare, family stress etc)
Assessed by primary female caregivers (who were trained)
What are some of the childhood sexual behaviours most frequently seen in children 2-5?
✤ Touches genitals at home & public ✤ Touches breasts ✤ Tries to look at others when they are nude ✤ Gets upset when adults kiss ✤ Hugs adults they do not know well ✤ Stands too close to others ✤ Shows genitals to adults
What are some of the childhood sexual behaviours most infrequently seen in children 2-5?
Talks flirtatiously
Makes sexual sounds
Touches animal sex parts
Pretends toys are having sex
Shows sex parts to children
Undresses adults against their will
What is the conclusion of the child sexual behaviour studies?
Children display various types of sexual behaviors with varying frequency
Even when there was no indication of sexual abuse
Self-stimulating behaviors and exhibitionism are most frequent
What is the observer effect?
Primary female care-givers (mothers) who felt childhood sexual behaviour was normal reported more sexual behaviours within the study
Self stimulatin behaviour normal in 205 yrs, and is normal but should tell them to do it in proivate
How do children construct their own initiated activities and social relationship?
rule breaking
labels and categories
differing tolerances for boys and girls
gender normative rules of behavior
Different in ways male and female play and tolerance of behaviour, rules, hierarchies
Do boys and girls see things differently?
✤ Social separations of boys and girls ✤ In-group emotional excitement ✤ Power hierarchies ✤ Negotiating friendships and dyads (constructing intimacy) ✤ Bonding through mutual self disclosure
What do boys do more of?
Boys used more “dirty” words compared to girls
✤ linked to bonding
Boys more active atheltically
Little discussion of intimacy and less perosnal disclosures