Chapter 3 & 4 Flashcards
What are the 3 main challenges when studying human sexuality?
- Research subject honesty
- Finding a representative sample (usually it’s bold liberal ppl who volunteer)
- Finding an appropriate research method (balancing invasiveness with accuracy)
What are 2 scenarios that disqualify a study from being random?
Non-random sampling can include a scenario where the participants are chosen based on their availability or willingness to participate, the participants might not accurately represent the target population
Explain the difference between median and mode.
Median: central tendency aka the middle number
Mode: the most frequent number/answer
When did the first modern textbook about sex come out?
1886!
The first modern text on sex, psychopathia sexualis, had a key flaw, what was it?
It pathologized alot, especially same sex relationships
What was revolutionary about Kinsley? What was a problem with his approach?
He was the first to do large scale interviews on sex. There was sampling bias in that it was quite white washed and the people willing were usually very liberal
What was revolutionary about Masters and Johnsons? What was a common fault?
MJ were the first to do a wide scale study of human responses to sex/sensual things. Very white washed, thus not representative of the population especially today
Explain the difference between the qualitative method and quantitative method. What is the benefit to each type of research method?
Qualitative: Open ended, discussion questions
Quantitive: Organizable or measurable method questions
qualitative is great when trying to understand what the right questions to as are. quantitative is great for understanding or analyzing something critically and accurately
What are the 3 types of research done for sexual behaviour?
- Descriptive design (direct observation, interview, case study, content analysis)
- Correlational design (survey, archival data mining)
- Experimental
What are descriptive designs useful for?
- generating research ideas
- summarizing patterns of behaviour
What is direct observation and what are it’s flaws?
Simply a monitoring of sexual or relational behaviour. Recall bias and responder bias
What are interviews used for, and what are some of their weaknesses as a research method?
Detailed account of an individuals history and beliefs. Recall bias and responder bias
What is the purpose of a case study? What are some of it’s weaknesses as a research method?
Examines an event or a group of individuals over a long period of time. Interpretation bias, lack of control or experimental design and poor generalizability
Explain content analysis as a research method. What are some of its cons?
- Analyzing the meaning in a body of text or a set of observations
- Con: Non-quantifiable results
What is a correlational design? What is a con of this research method?
- Analyzing the strength of a correlation between two variables
- Con: there could be confounding variables that confuse interpretation, and correlation does not always equal causation
What is the con of using a survey as a research method?
- memory bias/ recall bias
- responder bias
What is archival data mining and what are some of the cons?
- When one sorts through records or pre-existing data
- Con: incomplete records can lead to wrong conclusion, and information may be out of date
What is quantitative sensory testing? Why is it important?
It analysis the bodies physiological response to stimulus. Important to us because alot of genital sensory testing is done to help understand conditions like vaginismus
What does fMRI stand for? What is it used for?
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
fMRI is used to measure brain activity relating to sexual function or dysfunction
What are 2 major problems with fMRI?
- fMRI studies often don’t have a control group
- Depends heavily on a researchers ability to interpret data
What are the 3 benefits to studying animal sexuality?
- Help us to understand normal vs abnormal
- Helps us clarify cause and effect relationships
- Helps us to test treatment models
What is the main problem with using animal models?
Anthromorphizing: giving animals human reasons for their actions
Order the following in terms of their location on a person laying on their back: mons pubis, urethral opening, clitoral hood, clitoris, anus, vaginal opening
Mons pubis, clitoral hood, clitoris, urethral opening, vaginal opening, anus
What does the perineum include?
Everything from mons pubis to anus
What does the vestibule include?
Urethral opening and vaginal opening
What is the purpose of the mons pubis?
- Acts as a cushion during sexual intercourse
2. Many nerve endings for arousal
What is the function of pubic hair on the mons pubis?
- Pheromonal signalling
2. Protection against friction during sexual intercourse
Why is it more common for women to reach orgasm during sex from clitoral stimulation rather than vaginal?
Women’s clitoris has many many more nerve endings than a woman’s vagina
Is the clitoris homologous or analogous to the penis?
Homologous since they’re similar in structure and come from the same embryonic tissue
NOT analogous because they have different functions (used for urination as well)
What was a controversial opinion Freud had on women’s sexual pleasure?
That women had “immature” and “mature” orgasms: the immature orgasms being from clitoral stimulation and the mature being from vaginal stimulus
What unwanted substance can the clitoral hood accumulate and how is it dealt with?
Smegma
Can be washed away
What is the function of the labia majora?
- sexual stimulation
- protection for clitoris and labia minora
What are the labia minora important in?
Important to sexual arousal
What is vulvar vestibule?
Especially sensitive entranceway to the vagina and urethral opening
What are secondary sex traits and what are some examples?
Traits that distinguish cis women from cis men.
- mammary glands
- areola
What are some risk factors for breast cancer?
Age
Genetics
Heavy drinking
High amounts of fatty tissue in the body
What are the ways in which breast cancer can be detected?
- mammography
What are treatments done to prevent or cure breast cancer?
- mastectomy: surgical removal of some or all breast tissue
- lumpectomy: surgical removal of a lump from the breast tissue
What are the 3 layers to the vagina? Describe each one.
- vaginal mucosa: inner lining, can be seen by opening up the labia minora
- middle layer: very muscular
- outter layer: connecting vagina to other pelvic structures
What is 2 of the functions of vaginal wall mucosa?
- Release secretions to create a slightly acidic chemical balance
- Release lubricant during arousal to create a more alkaline environment for sperm as well as reduce friction within the vagina
What is the purpose of bartholin’s glands?
Unsure: may aid lubrication
What are the risk factors for cervix cancer?
- HPV
- Smoking
- Early sexual activity
- Many sexual partners
- Weakened immune system
- History of STI
What are the layers of the uterus?
- Endometrium: shed during mensutration
- Myometrium: muscular layer
- Perimetrium: deepest layer,smooth
What is the most common uterine cancer?
Endometrial cancer
What is a key symptom of endometrial cancer?
Strange bleeding after menopause
The ovaries are a endocrine gland, therefore what hormones do they produce?
Estrogen and progestin
Where does fertilization occur in the fallopian tubes? Where is it located?
Infundibulum
Located closest to the ovary
What is a ectopic pregnancy?
When pregnancy develops in the fallopian tubes
What are the risk factors of ovarian cancer?
- endometriosis
- smoking
- nulparity
What are the 3 functions of the penis?
- Sexual pleasure
- Urination
- Reproduction
What are the 3 internal structures of the penis?
- Corpora cavernosa: 2 cylinders of spongy tissue that fill with blood and harden during arousal
- Corpus spongiosum: contains the urethra
What is Phimosis?
Phimosis is a condition where the foreskin has tightened over the penis and can’t be withdrawn from the glans
What is Priapism?
Priapism is a condition where there is a prolonged and painful erection
What are some of the pros of circumcision?
Pros of circumcision:
- decrease in infant uti
- decrease in some sti
- decrease in adult penile cancer
- decrease in or correct phimosis
What are the cons of circumcision?
- procedure has the risk of infection/shock/mutilation
- heightened pain response to vaccinations
- ethics dilemma
What are the 2 layers of the scrotum?
Outer layer: has a little hair
Inner layer: involuntary muscle called dartos
What is the purpose of the spermatic cord?
- suspends the testes in the scrotum
- contains vas deferens, blood vessels and nerves
what is the purpose of the vas deferens?
Tube that carries sperm from testicles to the ejaculatory duct
What is the function of the testes?
- secrete male sex hormone
- produce sperm
Where do sperm mature?
The epididymus
What contributes the most ejaculatory fluid?
Seminal vesicle
What is the purpose of the cowper’s gland?
Pre-ejaculate that readies the urethra for the ejaculate
What are the 2 ways the prostate cancer is detected?
- PSA exam
- Digital rectal exam
What is testicular torsion?
- twisting of spermatic chord
- cuts off blood flow to testicles
Is testicular cancer common?
No it’s pretty rare
What is the concern with an enlarged prostate?
Prostate surrounds the upper part of the urethra, so it can constrict the urethra which causes many problems
What is prostatis? What are the symptoms?
Is an inflammation of the prostate
Pain upon ejaculation, and may lead to erectile dysfunction
What are the 2 ways erections can occur?
- psychogenic: thoughts/visual
- reflexogenic: tactile stimulation
What are the 2 stages of the ejaculation stage?
Emission and Expulsion
Explain the points of the emission stage?
Contractions of the prostate gland, seminal vesicle, upper part of vas deferens
What are the main points of the expulsion stage?
Propulsion of the ejaculation fluid
Muscles contract rhythmically
Release of pleasure hormones
Explain the stages of the sexual response cycle
- Desire phase
- Arousal stage
- Plateau phase
- Orgasm phase
- Resolution phase
What are the 2 fundamental processes of sexual response?
Myotonia: muscle tension
Vascocongestion: swelling
