Motivation part 2 Flashcards
Sexual Motivations: Evolutionary perspective:
sexual behaviour is shaped by natural selection
Motivated to engage in behaviours that increased reproductive success for our ancestors (fooled us to enjoy sex to make us reproduce)
Reproductive success
passing genes to next generation to continue passing genes on
Large number of offspring, low investment (fish, amphibians)
Small number of offspring, high investment (birds, mammals)
- Sex can cause Bonding:
Can cause intense emotional bond
Neurotransmitters: endorphins and oxytocin are released during sex (related to pleasure)
May facilitate co-parenting
Humans motivated to engage in sex without reproduction
Genes ‘want’ us to reproduce
We have developed workarounds
§ Birth control
§ Condoms etc.
Human cultures restrict sexual behaviour
Social groups have rules regarding sex
The rules can vary between societies
- Some tend to restrict sexual behaviour of women and low-status men
- Some are more permissive toward sexuality
Humans have intense moral (or disgust) reactions to sexual behaviour that violates their values
Sexual Behaviour
Sexual behaviour has complex effects
- Related to our values and morals
- Affects emotions and relationships
- Physical health effects
Older people who have more sex tend to me healthier
Improves cardiovascular functioning
BUT: can have STIs and pregnancy
Gender differences
Male sexuality (based on self reports)
- Stronger and more specific sex drive
- More arousal, sexual fantasies, masturbation, porn
- More infidelity, difficulty staying faithful
- More permissive attitudes toward sex
Female sexuality (based on self reports)
- Sex behaviour more changeable and concealed
- Open to bisexual behaviour
- Physical arousal to wider variety of stimuli
- Reported arousal does not correspond to physical arousal
- Under-report sexual experiences
Explanations for gender differences
Biological
- Testosterone levels
- Concealed (female) vs obvious (male) physical responses may explain arousal report diffs
Evolutionary: sexual selection
- Women need to be more careful about sex while men can have as much as they want with no consequences
Social role
- Cultures are more concerned with controlling female sexuality like slut shaming etc.
Sexual orientation
- Heterosexual
- Homosexual
- Bisexual
Orientation is not influenced by:
- Being reared by gay parents
- Parenting style
- Childhood sexual experimentation
Origins of sexual orientation
Homosexual behaviour is common in non-human animals e.g. dolphins
In some cultures/subcultures, homosexual behaviour is not associated with a person’s identity
Estimates of non-heterosexual orientation range from 2-10% in humans
Sexual orientation appears to be multiply caused
Orientation is related to
Genetics - considered heritable
- About 50% of both MZ twins to be gay (very heritable!)
Corpus callosum (in the brain)- it is larger in gay men
Prenatal hormones (high-T women): women exposed to a lot of testosterone while they’re in the womb tend to turn out gay
Social factors (gender non-conforming behaviour in childhood) can lead to gay behaviour later in life
These are mostly just correlations and does not mean causation.
What is sexual behaviour
- Action that makes fertilization possible
- Behaviour involving sexual response of the body
- Behaviour that is especially intimate and personal
Kinsey’s (1948) research
Non-presentative samples: but its very difficult to get people to do these experiments
Suggested that many people were engaging in a variety of sexual behaviours that had been considered ‘perversions’ (sex which is abnormal/unacceptable)
Made study of sexual behaviour more acceptable
Human sexual response pattern
Masters and Johnson
- Observed and measured masturbation and intercourse
- They debunked earlier notions that vaginal lubrication originated from the cervix and found that some women were multi-orgasmic
LOOK AT PIC IN NOTES
Arousal: rising muscle tension and blow flow to genitals
Plateau: muscle tension, erection, vaginal lubrication, increased BP,HR, breathing, penile/clitoral erection
Orgasm: pleasure response, involuntary muscle contractions
Resolution: decreased arousal. Men have refractory period following orgasm (can’t ejaculate for a while) and women don’t
Human Sexual Response
- Not always linear and can stop at any point
- Roughly similar for men and women
- Women’s response takes longer (on average)
Sex and psychological well-being
Motivation for sex in young people ○ To connect ○ Improve self-esteem ○ Gain partner's approval ○ Avoid feeling distressed or lonely
People who had sex to promote intimacy had fewer partners, less unsafe sex, more stable relationships
Benefits for adults having sex
○ Greater life satisfaction
○ More satisfied with their relationship
Sex and depression
- Breakups of relationships which can lead to depression
- Teen relationships may not be taken seriously by adults
- Can end suddenly
Sexuality intensifies bonds between people which can make it more difficult to go through a breakup
self regulation
Process where an organism controls behaviour to pursue other objectives