PSY2003 SEMESTER 1 - WEEK 10 Flashcards
what type of nuclei is there strong evidence for being involved in sexual, reproductive behaviour
hypothalamic nuclei, suggest hormone act perinatally to drive differentiation of several hypothalamic nuclei
why is sexual behaviour difficult to study
private, hard to define, vary across individual/culture,
intra-individual variation (age, dev, cirucmstance, life event, wellbeing)
in male rats, what area of hypothalamus is important for motor sexual behaviours
medial preoptic area (MPAO)
what does lesioning MPAO hypothalamus in male rats do
stops behaviour, stimulation elicit behaviours
does MPAO hypothalamus in male rats command motor plan or produce motivational state
motivational states, in line with general hypothalamic function
what part of hypothalamus in female rats is responsible for lordosis
ventromedial nucleus
what does electrical stimulation of VMN in male rats do
elicits lordosis
what are the kinsey reports
taxonomy of human sexual behaviour based on interview
studied type, frequency
widely cited in academic literature
name weaknesses of kinsey reports
statistical/sampling issues
what was Masters & Johnson research into sexual behaviours and disorders in 1950/60
measure aspects of intercourse or masturbation in lab
what resulted from Masters & Johnson research into human sexual behaviour
highly influential 4-stage model for human sexual behaviour - sexual responses cycle
name 4 stages in Sexual response cycle
desire
plateau
orgasm
resolutino
what is more recent work in sex including
redefining term, adding variability into cycle, determining neuroanatomical correlates of components of cycle
what 3 major components linked to distinct brain systems, in regard to sex
wanting, liking, learning
what factors impacts on sexual desire
attitude, opportunity, partner availability, health, mood
what does sexual desire require
implicit sensory stimulus evaluated as being sexual salient by past experience
what is role of cerebral and sensorimotor cortex for sex
cerebral= trigger autonomic response
sensorimotor= voluntary movements, higher order associative areas for mental imageries
define sexual identity
capture aspect of both gender identity and sexual orientation
in animal models, what can lead to opposite sex/same-sex preferences
perinatal sex hormone exposure
castration
lesions
what is fraternal birth order effect
more brothers, mean more likely to identify as gay
effect still there if raised in different household, but not step-brother/adopted brother, implying due to maternal immunisation hypotheses
give support for FBOE
robust across culture
older sister, younger sibling have no effects
how many gay men may sexual orientation to FBOE?
15-29%
summarise maternal immunisation hypothesis
interaction between foetus and mother leaves behind ‘legacy’, baby affected by presence of past male child in development of brain
give weaknesses of biological theories of sexual preferences
little evidence (perinatal hormone exposure modulates same-sex/opposite sex preference)
evidence suggest specific hypothalamic nuclei play role in preference, difference in size of nuclei depending on if gay/straight
give evidence for biological theories of sexual preference
family, twin studies moderate genetic influence on sexual orientation (40% variance in males, 20% variance in females)
what did Genome Wide Association find regarding specific markers associated for sexual orientation
some found
none were predictive of sexual orientations
explain gender bias of sexual research
more male ppt, evidence into male sex dysfunction (viagra), despite being similar prevalence rate
when defining sexual dysfunction, name the 4 approaches
- deviation from statistical normality
- deviation from social norms
- self-distress
- deficits in normal function