chapter 9 textbook

Question 1

Attitudes about Casual Sex.

Answer 1

People’s attitudes about sex have become more permissive over time, but many of us are ambivalent about hookups. Most people tolerate unmarried sex if the partners care for each other, but a sexual double standard may still lead us to judge women’s sexuality more harshly than men’s.

Question 2

Attitudes about Same-Sex Sexuality.

Answer 2

Americans dislike gays or lesbians if they think sexual orientation is a choice. Nevertheless, times have changed, and most Americans now approve of gays’ and lesbians’ marriages

Question 3

Cultural Differences in Sexual Attitudes.

Answer 3

Sexual attitudes in the United States are relatively conservative compared to those in many other countries.

Question 4

Sex for the First Time.

Answer 4

Almost all of us have sex before we marry, and the first time usually involves a steady close relationship. If the partners aren’t close, some regret typically follows.

Question 5

Sex in Committed Relationships.

Answer 5

people have sex for diverse reasons, and their relationship status, age, and sexual orientation all influence the frequency with which sex occurs. Couples who have sex once a week are just as happy, on average, as those who have sex more often.

Question 6

Infidelity

Answer 6

Men cheat more than women do, and they are more likely than women to have an unrestricted sociosexual orientation. The good genes hypothesis suggests that women cheat in order to have healthy offspring, and sperm competition may have evolved to counteract such behavior.

Question 7

Consensual Non-Monogamy.

Answer 7

Some partners agree to have more than one sexual or romantic relationship at the same time in open relationships, as swingers, or in polyamory. It’s not for everyone, but those who practice CNM enjoy higher sexual satisfaction than monogamous folks do.

Question 8

Sexual Desire.

Answer 8

Men have higher sex drives than women do. This may lead to annoyance as heterosexual couples negotiate their sexual interactions.

Question 9

Safe, Sensible Sex.

Answer 9

Most college students have had hookups, sometimes having intercourse without condoms. Condom use is influenced by underestimates of risk, faulty decision making, pluralistic ignorance, inequalities of power, abstinence education, low self-control, and concerns about intimacy and pleasure. Men who engage in stealthing are twice as likely as other men to have an STI.

Question 10

Sexual Satisfaction

Answer 10

The best sex is motivated by approach goals and fulfills basic needs, but traditional gender roles tend to undermine women’s choice and control in bed. Endorsement of sexual growth beliefs supports the creative collaboration that can sustain sexual satisfaction over time.

Question 11

Sexual Communication.

Answer 11

Direct and honest sexual communication is associated with greater sexual satisfaction. Because gays and lesbians discuss their preferences more openly than heterosexuals do, they enjoy better sex. Good communication may also avoid misperceptions of sexual intent and minimize partner’s hurt when one doesn’t want to have sex.

Question 12

Sexual Satisfaction and Relationship Satisfaction.

Answer 12

Partners who are satisfied with their sex lives tend to be more satisfied with their relationships, with each appearing to make the other more likely.

Question 13

extradyadic sex

Answer 13

that is, having sex outside the dyad, or couple, with someone other than one’s partner

Question 14

sociosexual orientations,

Answer 14

the traitlike collections of beliefs and behaviors that describe our feelings about sex

Question 15

A good genes hypothesis

Answer 15

suggests that some women—in particular, those with less desirable mates—can profit from a dual mating strategy in which they (a) pursue long-term partners who will contribute resources to protect and feed their offspring while ( b) surreptitiously seeking good genes for their children from other men

Question 16

illusion of unique invulnerability

Answer 16

Many of us believe that bad things are generally more likely to happen to others than to us, so we fail to take sensible precautions that would prevent foreseeable dangers

Question 17

pluralistic ignorance,

Answer 17

which occurs when people wrongly believe that their feelings and beliefs are different from those of others. By misper- ceiving each other’s true preferences, a group of people can end up following norms that everyone thinks are prevalent but that almost no one privately supports

Question 18

stealthing

Answer 18

which occurs when one surreptitiously removes a con- dom just before or during intercourse without his partner’s knowledge or consent.

Question 19

the best sex seems to depend on:

Answer 19

each person having his or her needs met by a partner who understands and respects one’s specific sexual desires,

valuing one’s partner and being devoted to the relationship,

enjoying being with each other, in bed and out of it.

Question 20

Attitudes about Casual Sex.

Answer 20

People’s attitudes about sex have become more permissive over time, but many of us are ambivalent about hookups. Most people tolerate unmarried sex if the partners care for each other, but a sexual double standard may still lead us to judge women’s sexuality more harshly than men’s.

Question 21

Attitudes about Same-Sex Sexuality.

Answer 21

Americans dislike gays or lesbians if they think sexual orientation is a choice. Nevertheless, times have changed, and most Americans now approve of gays’ and lesbians’ marriages.

Question 22

Cultural Differences in Sexual Attitudes.

Answer 22

Sexual attitudes in the United States are relatively conservative compared to those in many other countries.

Question 23

Sex for the First Time

Answer 23

Almost all of us have sex before we marry, and the first time usually involves a steady close relationship. If the partners aren’t close, some regret typically follows.

Question 24

Sex in Committed Relationships

Answer 24

People have sex for diverse reasons, and their relationship status, age, and sexual orientation all influence the frequency with which sex occurs. Couples who have sex once a week are just as happy, on average, as those who have sex more often.

Question 25

Infidelity

Answer 25

Men cheat more than women do, and they are more likely than women to have an unrestricted sociosexual orientation. The good genes hypothesis suggests that women cheat in order to have healthy offspring, and sperm competition may have evolved to counteract such behavior.

Question 26

Consensual Non-Monogamy.

Answer 26

Some partners agree to have more than one sexual or romantic relationship at the same time in open relationships, as swingers, or in polyamory. It’s not for everyone, but those who practice CNM enjoy higher sexual satisfaction than monogamous folks do

Question 27

Sexual Desire

Answer 27

Men have higher sex drives than women do. This may lead to annoyance as heterosexual couples negotiate their sexual interactions.

Question 28

Safe, Sensible Sex.

Answer 28

Most college students have had hookups, sometimes having intercourse without condoms. Condom use is influenced by underestimates of risk, faulty decision making, pluralistic ignorance, inequalities of power, abstinence education, low self-control, and concerns about intimacy and pleasure. Men who engage in stealthing are twice as likely as other men to have an STI.

Question 29

Sexual Satisfaction

Answer 29

The best sex is motivated by approach goals and fulfills basic needs, but traditional gender roles tend to undermine women’s choice and control in bed. Endorsement of sexual growth beliefs supports the creative collaboration that can sustain sexual satisfac- tion over time.

Question 30

Sexual Communication.

Answer 30

Direct and honest sexual communication is associated with greater sexual satisfaction. Because gays and lesbians discuss their preferences more openly than heterosexuals do, they enjoy better sex. Good communication may also avoid misperceptions of sexual intent and minimize partner’s hurt when one doesn’t want to have sex.

Question 31

Sexual Satisfaction and Relationship Satisfaction.

Answer 31

Partners who are satisfied with their sex lives tend to be more satisfied with their relationships, with each appearing to make the other more likely.

Question 32

Sexual Coercion

Answer 32

Various forms of pressure and behavioral outcomes describe four broad types of sexual violations. These are distressingly prevalent, but several strategies may make them less common.