Exam 1 Flashcards
When did scientific study of sex begin?
- 19th century (1800s)
Henry Havelock Ellis
- published “Studies in psychology of Sex”
- forerunner of modern sex research
- very tolerant of deviating from norms in sexual behavior
Richard Von Krafft-Ebin
- pathological sexuality
- coined terms: sadism, masochism, pedophilia, and heterosexuality and homosexuality
Magnus Hirschfeld
- founded first sex research institute
- established marriage counceling
- special interest in homosexuality
- coined term transvestite
Scientific study of sex is ______
interdisiplinary.. combines bio, sociology, anthropology, and medicine
Problem of ethnocentrism
- tendency to regard one’s own ethnic group and culture as superior to others and to believe that its customs and ways of life are the norm
Exceptions to enormous variations in sexual behavior cross-culturally (6)
- kissing
- incest taboo (nearly universal)
- all societies regulate sex
- most societies condemn rape
- post partum taboo
- many cultures show men and women inflicting pain on each other during sexual activity
Inis Beag
- near ireland
- fallatio/cunnilingus unkonwn
- menopause = insanity
- no sex ed, ignorance, little sex
- no nudity
- female orgasm does not exist
Mangala
- near Hawaii
- sex positive culture
- age 13- boy ritual of superficial incision on penis
- taught sexual rituals
- paired with older woman to practice
- adolescent boys and girls have sex with each other until settling down
- women always have orgasm
China
- radical change over time in norms
- up until 1000 years ago, very sex positive
- 1000 years ago, changed to repressive
- norms loosening up now b/c of urbanization, progressive cities, and internet
% women aged 15-44 using pill
-
Oral sex before intercourse
Whites
AA
Latinos
Whites: 49%
AA: 27%
Latinos: 37%
Gender ratio M:F White AA Latino Asian
- White: 100
- AA: 84
- Latinos: 104
- Asian: 101
Abortion Rate
White
AA
Latino
- White: 7.6%
AA: 25.3%
Latino: 16.1%
Implications of cultural variations on sexuality
- biologically same, so differences in sexuality shaped by culture
- social norms about sex are often arbitrary
ex. nude beach vs lecture hall
Media Influence today analogous to ______ in past
- religious influence
Media Influences (3 types)
- Cultivation
- Agenda Setting
- Social Learning
Cultivation
- Media Influence
- exposure to mass media makes people think that what they see there represents mainstream of what real people are doing
Agenda Setting
- Media Influence
- media define what is important and what is not by what they cover in stories
Social Learning
- Media Influence
- Media provide role models whom we imitate
Culture
- traditional ideas and values transmitted to members of the group by symbols (i.e. Language)
- serve for patterns of behavior observed in the group
Lesu of South Pacific
- female masturbation acceptable
- heel against genital
Premarital Sex
- 90% of pacific islander societies permit premarital sex
- 73% of mediterranean societies prohibit premarital sex
What is second most prohibited type of sexual contact (behind incest) cross culturally
- extramarital sex
- if allowed, usually for males but not females
Sex w/ same gender partners facts
- attitudes vary significantly through diff cultures
- regardless of attitude, 2 general rules:
- universal in all societies
- homosexuality never predominant form
Attractiveness facts
- what is considered attractive varies greatly
- most cultures, plump is more attractive than thin
- poor complexion unattractive in most societies
2 points about ethnic group variations
- variations but also similarities
- cultural context needs to be understood
( cultural heritage and socioeconomic condition)
AA sexuality facts
- influenced by many of same as euro-americans but also:
- african heritage
- slavery
- social and economic conditions
Latinos sexuality facts
- more strict gender roles
- machismo –> maleness, virility
- marianismo –> motherhood highly valued and virginity before marriage
- familismo: importance of family
Asian American sexuality facts
- traditional asian cultures repressive about sexuality
- core values
- collectivism
- conformity to norms
- internalize emotions (emotional control)
collectivism
- asian core value
- others needs, esp family, before own
American indians
- great pressure in youth culture to have sex
- 9% had first intercourse before age 13 (national stat 5%)
Racial Microaggressions
- subtle insults directed at people of color, often nonconsciously
- hard to address
Cross species perspectives : masturbation
- non-human primates also do this
- apes can perform oral sex on themselves
- other species masturbate too (porcupine)
Cross species perspectives : same gender sexual behavior
- anal in male primates
- domestic sheep 9% males prefer male partner
- bonobos and jap macaques –> females mount other females
Cross species perspectives : sexual signalling
- flirting
- parading, sticking out chest, eyecontact
general trend for sexuality in species
- more controlled by hormones in lower species, by brain in higher species
- lower species, only sexual activity during “heat”, humans all the time
Cross species perspectives :Non-sexual uses of behavior
- dominant vs subordinant
- dominant mounts subordinant
- phallic agression: male squirrel monkeys display erect penis to other males
human examples of non-sexual uses of behavior
- prostitution (economic)
- rape (power)
Sexual Health Definition
- state of physical, mental, and social wellbeing in relation to sexuality, not just absence of disease
Negative and positive rights
Negative Sexual Rights
- freedoms FROM (ex. sexual violence)
Positive Sexual Rights
- freedoms TO (ex experience sexual pleasure)
Sexual Rights
- everyone has the right to certain basic inalienable rights regarding sexuality
Evolutionary Perspectives of Sexuality (2)
- Sociobiology
- Evolutionary Psychology
Sociobiology
- application of evolutionary biology to understand the social behavior of animals including humans
- outdated, implies our behavior is under biological control
- pair bonding between mother and father important
- also attachment between parent and infant important
- help with survival of infant
Evolutionary Biology
- theory that all living things evolved from prior species
Sexual Selection
- selection that creates male-female differences
- males compete amongst self, females choose
Evolutionary Psychology
- theory that psychological mechanisms have been shaped by evolution
- sexual strategy theory
- sex ratio important.. if males are abundant, females place more importance on a man’s resources when selecting a husband
Sexual Strategy Theory
- Buss
- long term mating strategies are different than short term
- diff preferences for partners
Psychological Theories (3)
- Psychoanalytic Theory
- Learning Theory
- Social Learning Theory
Psychoanalytic Theory
- Freud
- stresses repression
- libido & erogenous zones
- unconscious (also hard to test)
- 3 parts of personality
- 5 stages of psychosexual development
Libido
- sexual drive in humans
Erogenous Zones
- sexually sensitive areas of the body
3 parts of personality
- ID: pleasure principle
- Ego: reality principle
- Super Ego: idealism, conscious (mortality, right and wrong)
Stages of psychosexual development
- Oral (0-1 yr)
- Anal (1-2 yrs)
- Phallic (3-6 yrs)
- Latency (6-puberty)
- Genital (puberty onward)
Phallic Stage
- 3-6 yrs of age
- penis envy
- oedipal complex and electra complex (girls don’t resolve as fully, less developed conscious)
Learning Theory
- Classical and Operant Conditioning
- delay principle
- believe sexual behavior can be learned and changed at any time
Delay Principle
- if punishment is too delayed to override immediate positive reinforcement, behavior continues
Behavior Modification
- set of operant conditioning techniques used to modify human behavior
Social Learning Theory
- Operant + Imitation
- source of gender stereotyped behavior, we watch who we’re like
ex. chris hemsworth neck kissing - positive reinforcement leads to self-efficacy
Self-Efficacy
- sense of competence at performing an activity
Cognitive Theories (def and 1 example)
- about perception of an event and evaluation of actions
- Gender Schema Theory
Gender Schema Theory
- we all have a schema for each gender, tend to filter out info that doesn’t match the schema
Critical Theories
- take a social constructionist approach–> focus on culture and ways sexual phenomena is constructed by culture
- femist theory
- queer theory