Section 1: Introduction to Sexuality and Research Flashcards
List #1 of the an assumption of sexuality
sexual feelings are natural; sexual expression is a learned behavior
List #2 of an assumption
sex is part of sexuality
List #3 of an assumption
sexuality is a health issu
List #4 of an assumption
Sexual health involves both competence and relationships
List #5 of an assumption
A person may need more than his/her personal experiences or private opinions to find the best answers to sexual concerns
List #6 of an assumption
An individual’s ability to solve sexual concerns is frequently handicapped by personal experiences, biases, prejudices, and over reactions to sexual information
List #7 of an assumption
we are not responsible for having feelings, but we are responsible for what we do with them
List #8 of an assumption
each person has a right to her/his own beliefs
List #9 of an assumption
sexuality is an integral part of one’s total personality and is expressed in all that he/she does
Define sex
genetic and physical characteristics that differentiate male and female
Define gender
psychosocial characteristics that differentiate masculinity and femininity
Define Sexuality
The physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual aspects of an individual that make up his or her unique sexual being. Dailey said there are five aspects to sexuality: sensuality, intimacy, sexual identity, reproduction and sexualization
Sensuality
Definition: the need and ability to be aware of and accepting of our own body
Intimacy
Definition: the need and ability to experience emotional closeness to another human being, when it comes to sexual intimacy: ability to give feedback and be heard in sexual relationships
Sexual identity
the continual process of discovering who we are in terms of sexuality, and it is only one part of our identity
Reproduction
our values, attitudes and behaviors related to reproduction
Sexualization
use of our sexuality to influence, control or manipulate others
Define values
the qualities in life that are deemed important or unimportant, right or wrong, desirable or undesirable
Define Moral values
related to our conduct with and treatment of other people, looks at the whole picture of things
Define Sexual moral values
relate to the rightness and wrongness of sexual conduct and when and how sexuality should be expressed
Historical Perspective - PREHISTORIC
showed that the female body was revered for reproductive ability and the males role in reproduction, as the penis is a symbol of fertility and power, incest was a taboo
Historical Perspective - ANCIENT HEBREWS
saw marital reproductive sex as being something good, homosexuality was frowned upon, and like the prehistoric era, women were property of men
Historical Perspective - ANCIENT GREEKS
saw family life as being important, admired males body to be slim and athletic, prostitution became very popular, and women and men were viewed as being bisexual, also women were under male dominance
Historical Perspective - ANCIENT ROMANS
sexual excesses existed in upper classes, this is where many of our terms come from today, women are more involved socially but they are still property of husbands
Historical Perspective - EARLY CHRISTIANS (we begin to see a shift here)
saw sex as a distraction from god, marital sex was accepted however, sex was seen as only something to procreate, sex was not seen to be passionate
Historical Perspective - EASTERN RELIGIONS
Islam - family and pleasure in marital sex, however punished pre marital sex, and there are double standards for men and women
China - connecting sexuality to spirituality, saw sex as being important in life, women kept to a domestic role
India - they had the kama sutra = believing that individuals can move to a higher place of existence during sex
Historical Perspective - MIDDLE AGES
Strong influence from the Roman Catholic church, because of the crusades, women were changed from being sinful to revered (virgin mary)
Historical Perspective - PROTESTANT REFORMATION
non marital sex was disapproved, and women were mainly restricted to home
Historical Perspective - VICTORIAN PERIOD
on the surface - sexually repressed, however prostitution flourished, mens “vital fluids” limited in amount
Historical Perspective - EARLY 20TH CENTURY
just before 1950s, believed that women did not desire sex, a double standard, and media limited sex scenes
Historical Perspective - SEXUAL REVOLUTION
(mid 60s, and 70s) the topic of sex becomes opened up, and science, politics, social and economics all play a role in this change
Historical Perspective - LATE 20TH CENTURY
changed back to a more conservative attitude, due to republican era in USA which led to less research on sex, and sex education
Biological Perspective
Anatomical structures and physiological function of the sexual and reproductive organs
Cross species Perspective
some similarities between human and non human sex behaviors, typically higher order animals are less instinct drive, for example sex is more for pleasure rather than to pro create
Cross cultural perspective
particular cultures have specific behaviors that are unique to them,
Sociocultural perspective
Study of sexual behaviours within a given society.. and there are differences in the sub groups by age, gender, religion, ethnicity, education etc.
Havelock Ellis
He was an english physcian, that studied psychology of sex. He saw problems as being psychological, and female sexual desires as being normal, and accepted homosexuality, and saw it as being inborn. (+ influence)
Richard Ebbing
studied sexual differences or deviancies, and saw them as being mental illnesses that needed to be treated (- influence)
Sigmund Freud
Had the theory of personality which based sex drive on principle motivating force (+ influence)
Alfred Kinsey
- had done a survey of 12 000 people, interviewing sexual behaviours in both men and women
(well done research, people who thought their behavior was shameful finally felt like they were normal)
Masters & Johnson
scientifically studied about 700 subjects, and as well did a similar study on gay people, as well they developed the 4 stage sexual response cycle
Edward Laumann
A survey done in the USA during 1990s (most reliable one done since the kinsey report) 3 432 subjects were interviewed, and that included a variety of ethnic groups, however there were still limitations that did exist.
Shere Hite’s Report
1976
mailed out questionnaires on both females and males, they were mailed out to specific groups, and had a low return rate as well
Kinsey reports on gays
1978 and 1981 survey done on 900 openly gay subjects from san francisco
Samuel and Cynthia Janus report
1993
written questionnaires, and there were 2500 voluntary subjects
What was the purpose of the sex study that was done by the UOFA (1995-1997)
wanted to replicate the study that was done in the USA (Laumann study), essentially they wanted to learn more about students sex behaviors and knowledge about STD’s and AIDS in order to prevent it from happening
Who was asked to participate in the UOFA study?
2,300 students selected from U of A were asked to particpate and 48% of them completed the survey
What was the gender representation like in the UofA study?
A lot more girls responded then guys
What are some comparisons between UofA study and US study
- both found a relationship between sexual activity, and alcohol use
- increasing the levels of alcohol use, meant more partners
- more likely to use non medicinal substances
- not use a condom
- for males, if you increase the level of alcohol usage, it corresponds with a decrease use in condoms
- males with more liberal attitudes, had more partners
