Intimacy and Sexuality Flashcards
What did Roisman et al discover about adolescent sexuality?
Romantic relationships are a salient mental task that represents an age normative benchmark of adaptation. Romantic relationships are emerging at first but then becomes salient.
What happens if an individual is off-time in their engagement of romantic relationships?
May interfere with successful achievement in other domains.
What is the idea behind attachment?
Emphasis on personal beliefs and expectations about close relationships and how this goes into future engagement.
What is the idea behind developmental contextual?
Emphasis is on teens experiences in relationships (especially with friends and family).
What are the 4 main components of behaviour systems theory?
1) Affiliative system
2) Attachment system
3) Sexual Behaviour system
4) Caregiving system
What is the affiliative system?
Goal is to meet friendship and companionship needs
What is the attachment system?
Seek out attachment from others- moves from parents to friends.
What is the sexual behaviour system?
Goal is to meet sexual and reproductive needs
What is the caregiving system?
Reciprocal to attachment. Look to keep others safe (later adolescence).
What are some of the common features of adolescent sexuality?
By age 15, 50% of adolescents will have had a romantic relationship. Length is short, more enduring with age, frequent breakups.
What is the tripartite model of intimacy?
1) Passion
2) Intimacy
3) commitment
What is passion?
Biological and social. Core of romantic attraction, sexual desire, love, longing, pleasurable, arousal, preoccupation. May connect to sexuality.
What is intimacy?
Cognitive transition. Mutually acknowledged close connection between 2 people. Intimacy becomes romantic when accompanied by passion and commitment.
What is commitment?
Mutual and deliberate decision to stay together and be mutual exclusive. Committed relationships happen at the end of adolescence.
What is companionship?
Something that younger adolescents seek more of. Highly prioritized. Spending time together, the motivator to be in a relationship
How is intimacy defined in early adolescence?
Entry into romantic attractions and affiliations. May stay in the realm of fantasy, interested in socializing and romantic partners.
How is intimacy defined in middle adolescence?
Exploring romantic relationships, more serious and dyadic. Often occurs in a larger group context. Focus is on passion. Longer relationships (around 6 months)
How is intimacy defined in late adolescence?
Consolidating dyadic romantic bonds. Commitment MAY be a feature. Companionship moreso. Focus on affiliation and intimacy. Caregiving is more important. Longer. `
What is the idea of fluidity?
Idea that we have a sexual orientation and a capacity for fluidity (in women).
What are some of the positive impacts of romantic relationships?
1) Enhanced self-esteem
2) Personal identity formation
3) Social acceptance
4) Feelings of social competence
What are some of the negative impacts of romantic relationships?
1) Depression
2) Delinquency
Why does depression and delinquency arise?
Timing, socialization, homophily
How does timing relate to delinquency?
If you are an early dater, you might have an older partner who already participates in delinquent activity
How does socialization relate to deliquency?
Partner may be older, involved in delinquency, are socialized into doing it too
