WEEK 1: Lecture 1a+b - Bullough - Laan et al. - Cacciatore et al. - Graaf et al. Flashcards
Bullough: Q: What approach did Kinsey bring to the study of sexual expression, and what did this approach challenge?
A: Kinsey brought a taxonomic approach, focusing on classification and description, which challenged widely held beliefs about sexuality, including the belief that women were not sexual.
Bullough: Q: What significant impacts did Kinsey have on the study of sexuality and public attitudes toward sex?
A: Kinsey changed the nature of sexual studies, forced a re-examination of public attitudes toward sex, challenged the medical and psychiatric establishments, influenced the feminist and gay and lesbian movements, and established a library and institution for sex research.
Bullough: Q: How did the role of physicians (artsen) in the early study of sexuality differ from past views on the topic?
In the nineteenth century, doctors became the main experts on sexuality, moving away from seeing it mainly as a moral issue, but they were influenced more by the attitudes and ideas of the time than by any special knowledge they had.
Bullough: Q: What was the main flaw in the sex studies conducted by early psychiatrists, such as George Henry?
A: These studies were flawed by the investigators’ assumptions, such as the belief that homosexuals were ill.
Bullough: Q: What challenges did the Committee for Research in the Problems of Sex (CRPS) face in conducting general studies on sexual behaviors?
A: The CRPS members were uncomfortable with actual sexual behavior studies and preferred to fund laboratory-based scientists, lacking a qualified individual to dispassionately study sex without preconceived notions.
Bullough: Q: How did Kinsey’s sex-positive approach differ from the hygiene approach to sex?
A: The sex-positive approach focused on a scientific analysis of sex, while the hygiene approach emphasized the dangers of STDs and masturbation and believed sexual behavior couldn’t be analyzed scientifically due to moral implications.
Bullough: Q: Why did Kinsey prefer personal interviews over self-administered questionnaires in his research?
A: Kinsey believed personal interviews allowed exploration of contradictions and provided checks to detect dishonesty, whereas self-administered questionnaires encouraged dishonest answers.
Bullough: Q: What was revolutionary about Kinsey’s classification of sexual activity, and what controversy did it generate?
A: Kinsey’s classification implied homosexuality was just another form of sexual activity, which was revolutionary for his time and led to serious attacks on him and his data.
Bullough: Q: What were some criticisms of Kinsey’s research methods and conclusions?
A: Criticisms included his handling of data from pedophiles, not reporting them to authorities, his unrepresentative sample overrepresenting certain populations, and his findings on the asexuality of women.
Bullough: Q: Summarize the overall significance of Kinsey’s work and its impact on the study of sexuality.
A: Kinsey was a pivotal figure in changing attitudes about sex in the twentieth century, overcoming personal and methodological limitations to revolutionize sexual studies, influence public attitudes, and establish key institutions for sex research.
Laan: Q: What is the primary objective of the paper “In pursuit of pleasure: A biopsychosocial perspective on sexual pleasure and gender”?
A: The primary objective is to provide biopsychosocial evidence for gender similarities in the capacity to experience sexual pleasure and for substantial gender differences in opportunities for sexual pleasure.
Laan: Q: According to the paper, what cultural belief contributes to greater costs associated with sexual activity for heterosexual women compared to heterosexual men?
A: The belief that sexual pleasure is dangerous, particularly for women, and that it should be restricted to procreation within monogamous heterosexual marriages contributes to greater costs for women.
Laan: Q: How does comprehensive sex education affect sexual health outcomes in adolescents, according to the paper?
A: Comprehensive sex education is associated with later initiation of intercourse, more consistent use of condoms and contraception, and lower rates of unwanted pregnancies compared to abstinence-only or no sex education.
Laan: Q: What are some of the health benefits of sexual pleasure mentioned in the paper?
A: Health benefits of sexual pleasure include improved sexual health, mental health, physical health outcomes, overall well-being, relationship quality, and general life satisfaction.
Laan: Q: What is the “pleasure gap” discussed in the paper, and which group experiences the largest gap?
A: The “pleasure gap” refers to the disparity in sexual pleasure between men and women, with heterosexual women experiencing the largest gap, particularly in orgasm frequency compared to heterosexual men.
Laan: Q: What evidence is provided in the paper to suggest that gender differences in sexual desire may be context-dependent rather than innate (aangeboren)?
Studies show that men and women report different levels of sexual desire in surveys, but their immediate reactions to sexual stimuli are similar, suggesting that these differences are more about social expectations than natural differences.
Laan: Q: According to the paper, how do cultural practices such as genital mutilation and slut-shaming affect women’s sexual pleasure?
A: Cultural practices like genital mutilation reduce psychological and sexual well-being, and slut-shaming culturally suppresses women’s sexuality, both contributing to decreased opportunities for sexual pleasure.
Laan: Q: What is the “coital imperative,” and how does it limit heterosexual women’s opportunities for sexual pleasure?
A: The “coital imperative” is the belief that penile-vaginal intercourse is the most important sexual activity. It limits women’s opportunities for sexual pleasure by prioritizing penetration over other forms of stimulation that may be more pleasurable for women.
Laan: Q: How does the paper suggest that societal constructs around gender roles impact sexual pleasure?
A: Societal constructs around gender roles, which dictate that men should be sexually active and women passive, contribute to disparities in sexual pleasure by limiting women’s sexual agency and prioritizing male pleasure.
Laan: Q: What is the paper’s conclusion regarding gender equality and sexual pleasure?
A: The paper concludes that promoting gender equality and challenging cultural beliefs about gender differences in sexuality can reduce disparities in sexual pleasure and support more equitable and satisfying sexual experiences for all genders.
Cacciatore: Q: What is the objective of the study by Cacciatore, Korteniemi-Poikela, and Kaltiala-Heino (2019)?
A: To review research on emotional, cognitive, and behavioral levels of sexual development in children and adolescents and propose a model of sexual development from infancy to early adulthood, the Steps of Sexuality.
Cacciatore: Q: What is Erikson’s developmental stages, and which crisis must be resolved in adolescence (ages 12-18)?
Trust, autonomy and initative developed in childhood influence later emotional relationships. Adolescence: Identity vs. role confusion.
Cacciatore: Q: What is the significance of attachment theories in sexual development?
A: Attachment theories suggest that primary attachment relationships serve as prototypes for all future social relationships, influencing emotional reactions related to social relationships in young adulthood.
Cacciatore: Q: How does classical psychoanalytical theory divide childhood sexuality?
A: Into oral, anal, phallic, and early genital phases, each associated with different sources of pleasure.
Cacciatore: Q: What are the key elements of the “I am wonderful” step in the Steps of Sexuality model?
A: Discovering own body parts, taking interest in the differences between sexes, forming a positive body image, understanding privacy rules, and learning hygiene and potty training (0-4 years).
Cacciatore: Q: What are the key elements of the “Affection for a friend” step in the Steps of Sexuality model?
Affection for a friend (3-8 years): Children express affection, learn social norms and boundaries, and understand different types of relationships.
Cacciatore: Q: What are the key elements of the “Adoring a parent” step in the Steps of Sexuality model?
Adoring a parent (3-9 years): Children develop emotional skills, learn about puberty and gender identities, and respect emotions and disappointment.
