Chapter 2: theoretical perspectives on sexuality

Question 1

Importance of attractiveness.

Answer 1

Attractiveness → probable health → high predicted reproductive success → high probability that our genes will be passed on → preference for attractive mates through natural selection.

Question 2

Evolutionary psychology

Answer 2

Men and women differ in goals for short-term and long-term mating. Females engage in instra-sexual competition for a mate and react negatively to other females when they are oriented on long-term mating.

Question 3

Gender neutral evolutionary psychology (Gowaty)

Answer 3

It’s not adaptive for people to display gender-fixed sexual behaviour. Humans evolved to be flexible and can display different gender sexual behaviour in different situations. People who adapt their mating strategy on the situation have the best reproductive succes.

Question 4

Differences between psychoanalytic and learning theories.

Answer 4

In psychoanalytic theories human sexual behaviour is shaped by early experiences and in learning theories sexual behaviour can be changed over time.

Question 5

Olfactory aversion therapy

Answer 5

Conditioning technique: first identifying the behaviour, then an unpleasant stimulus is presented at the same time, which ‘punishes’ the behaviour.

Question 6

Feminist theory

Answer 6

Gender signals status in a society, with men having greater status and power. Woman’s sexuality has been depressed and repressed, but rarely expressed, because men control women’s sexuality

Question 7

Queer theory

Answer 7

Questions the social categorisation of gender and and sexuality. Sexual identities may vary depending on the situation and the time in one’s life.

Question 8

5 influences on sexuality

Answer 8

1. Religion
2. Economy
3. Family
4. Medicine
5. Law

Question 9

Symbolic interaction theory

Answer 9

Sexual behaviour is not just a biological or instinctual drive but is also shaped by social norms, cultural values and interpersonal interactions.