Sexuality and the life cycle Flashcards
Data sources
- interviews of children (Kinsey) or adolescents
- surveys among adults (retrospective data)
- observations
- taking computer interviews
Attachment
A psychological bond that forms between an infant and the parent/other caregiver
- quality of the relationship can be very important for a child’s capacity for later sexual and emotional relationships
Self stimulation
- Infants have been observed fondling their genitals
- between 6-12 months, infants discover their genitals by unintentionally touching them
- Orgasm from self-stimulation is possible, but before pruberty cannot ejaculate
Child-chilld sexual encounters
- Initially infants are self-centered by age 4/5 children become more social
- boys and girls may hug or hold hands
Infancy and the preschool years
- birth - 4 years
- physical contact
- to examine own body parts
- being curious about bodies
- to use ‘dirty’ words
Cross-gender gedrag
Sommige kinderen die zich niet identificeren met het gender wat ze toegeschreven is bij de geboorte beginnen met het vertonen van cross-gendergedrag
Preschool years
In the preschool years, children begin to develop a simple understanding of sexuality
- interested in viewing people nude, postures for urinating
- learn to identify different genders based on the genitals
By age 2 they know what gender they are and what parent they match.
Genital differences are undertod by age 5 or 6
Infancy and childhood
- 4-6 years old
Learn and play
- Learning how to behave in public
- being curious; to play doctor
- where do babies come from
- gender roles: clear ideas how boys and girls should behave
Childhood
- 6-9 years old
- liking someone –> being in love
- being curious; genitals have a sexual function, but not in public
- friendships: gendersegregated social organization
- social comparisons; opinions of others matter
Pre-adolescence
- 9-12 years old
- andrenarche
- being ashamed
- first courtship
- being curious; want to know more about sex
- a changing body
Andrenarche
The maturation of the adrenal glands (between 8 and 10 years old). It leads to increased levels of andorgens (= a group of sex hormones, including testosterone)
Heteronormativiteitspatroon
Het idee dat heteroseksualiteit het enige seksuele patroon is wat normaal en natuurlijk is
Puberty
- 12-15 years old
- longing to be independent
- friends become more and more important
- being curious; social media
- sexual attraction and interesse
Almost an adult
- 15-18 years old
Generally, there is a progression beginning with kissing, petting, moving to oral sex and then to penis-in-vagina intercourse
- try out relationships
- wishes anf boundaries
- sexual experiences
- covert –> overt (sexuality)
Masturbation
- adolescence 12-18
A sharp increase in the incidence of masturbation for boys between ages 13 and 15
- by age 15, 82% of the boys had masturbated
- girls also begin masturbating in adolescence, however, the increase in behavior is much more gradual
Student (19-22)
- hooking up
- friends with benefits
- fuck buddy
- booty call
Sexting
The sending of sexually charged messages or images, has gained national attention
- common, but the majority do not engage
- consequences can be serious
Seksuele socialisatie
Beelden in de media geven inzicht in seksuele relaties en hoe dat werkt
- scripts
Risky sex and the adolescent brain
Brain researchers believe engaging in risky sexual behaviors has a lot to do with the uneven pace of brain maturation across adolescence
- areas of the brain that have to do with emotion and seeking feel-good rewards develop earlier than those that have to do with impulse control
- probably leads teens to be more open to new experiences; but can lead them to engage in risky behaviors
Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development
A model of psychosocial development according to which we experience crises at each of the eight life stages
- each one of these crises may be resolved in one of two directions
- social influences are particularly important in determining the outcomes
According to Erikson
- in early childhood, there is a crisis between autonomy and shame, and later, between initiative and guilt
- the child who masturbates at age 5 is showing autonomy and initiative
- if parents react by punishing the child, their actions may produce shame and guilt
Crisis at each stage
Infancy: basic trust versus mistrust
Age 1.5 to 3: autonomy versus shame and doubt
Age 3 to 5.5: initiative versus guilt
Age 5.5 to 12: industry versus inferiority
Adolescence: identity versus role confusion
Young adulthood: intimacy versus isolation
Adulthood: Generativity versus stagnation
Maturity: ego integrety versus despair
Teen pregnancies in the EU and UK
- In the NL: the number of teenage mothers has been declining for some time
- at the beginning of this century, there were still around 3500, representing 7-8 mothers per 1000 girls under 20
- in 2010, ther e were 5.2 per 1000 and in 2020 there were 2.4 per 1000
Varieties of loving and committed relationships
- heterosexual vs same-sex
- married vs. cohabiting
- monogamous vs. nonmonogamous
LAT relatie
Living apart together relaties
- samenwonen is een belangrijke stap omdat het toewijding toont en ook een publieke verklaring is van een seksuele relatie
Frequency of marital intercourse
- Average American married couple has coitus 2-3 a week in their 20’s
- Dutch couples have coitus 3 times a month
Seksuele tevredenheid
Kan opgesplitst worden in activiteitstevredenheid en emotionele bevrediging. Gehuwde stellen zijn significant meer tevreden dan singles of samenwonende
Seksueel verlangen
Afhankelijk van het affect, status en lust, maar de seksuele patronen kunnen veranderen over de tijd van het huwelijk. Dit betekent niet direct dat mensen in een sleur terecht komen
Negotiating sex
- marital sexuality
Sexual scripts are played out in establishment as well as new relationships
- some involve direct verbal statements
- for others, preliminary negotiations are phrased in indirect or euphemistic language
- some couples ritualize sex so they both understand when it will and when it will not occur
Consensual nonmonogamy
An explicit agreement to have sexual or romantic relationships with others
- open relationship
- swinging
- polygamy
- polyamory
Open relationship
Relationship is the home base, but the ability to ursue outside partners
Swinging
Couples exchange partners with other couples, or engage in sexual activity with a third person, with the knowledge and consent of all involved
Polygamy
Marriage with multiple spouses
- polygyny: man with wives
- polyandry: woman with husbands
Polyamory
Multiple sexual and or roamntic partners simultaneously, with or without marriage
Equity theory
A social-psychological theory used to predict and explain human relationships
- in particular, patterns of extra-relationship sex
- calculate the benifits and rewards
Equity calculation
RewardsA - InputsA = RewardsB - InputsB
- input: beauty, income, cooking
- reward: feeling proud when accompanied by a partner
Their behavior is then affected by whether they feel there is equity and they will act to restore equity if there is inequity
- Engaging in extra-relationship sex is one technique for restoring equity
Sex and the elderly
Our society holds a negative attitude toward sexual expression among the elderly
- youth-oriented culture
- substantial numbers of elderly have active sex lives
Study limitation in elderly sex
- elderly with a disease
- men > women
- the eldest and minorities are not included
- cross-sectional studies
- pharmaceutic companies
- sexual dysfuntion, especially erectile disorders
Biological changes in elderly women
- gradual decline in functioning of the ovaries –> decline in output of eggs
- decline in production of estrogen
Menopause
Menopause
Starts between 40-60, duration on average 2 years
- vagina more vulnerable to infection due less acidity, shrink in both width and length, vaginal lubrication decreases, and vaginal walls become less elastic
Physical changes in elderly men
- testosterone production seclines
- erections occur more slowly
- refractory period lengthens with age
- volume of the ejaculate gradually decreases
