Test 2: Sexuality in Childhood Flashcards
Ability to love begins to develop in infancy when…
babies are lovingly touched
Infants and young children communicate by…
smiling, gesturing, crying (learn how to interpret movements, facial expression, and tone of voice)
How do infants learn how they should feel about their bodies?
By how their parents/adults react to them exploring their bodies
Where does body begin its first sexual response?
In the Uterus
How do children interact and explore their bodies?
Playing Mommy and Daddy, hugs and kisses, children’s sexual interest should never be labeled, privacy should be encouraged instead of punishment
Masturbation
Most individuals are raised to to feel guilty about it, children need to understand that pleasure from self stimulation is normal and acceptable but needs to be done in private
Expressing Affection
everyone needs physical affection, children need to be told/explained what kind of touching is good and what kind is bad
What does it mean when children exhibit persistence and intensity with a sexual activity and have other troubling behaviors?
It means that there may be a broader issue that needs to be addressed
Nudity (The Family)
different families are comfortable with nudity in a variety of contexts; accept and respect a child’s body, do not punish or humiliate a child for seeing parents naked (remind the want for privacy), respect the child’s need for privacy
Expressing Affection (The Family)
Freely given physical affection from those they love, children should be told about good touch bad touch, not necessary to go into great detail about what could happen (listen to children and trust them)
Adolescence
Social and physical state that occurs between the beginning of puberty and acceptance into full adulthood, physically mature but still learning their gender and social roles, trying to understand their emotions and feelings
What age does puberty usually begin?
Girls at age 11, Boys at age 13
Precocious Puberty
Appearance of physical and hormonal signs of pubertal development at an earlier age than what is considered typical (for females is before age 7 and males before age 9)
Physical Changes
Occur rapidly, higher levels of hormones and secondary sex characteristics develop (pubic hair, muscle mass, voice deepening, penis grows, nocturnal emission, menstruation begins, breast development)
Influences on Psychosexual Development
Peer pressure, social influence, parents, media/TV, religion