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Human Sexuality

Human Sexuality. Chapter 1: Perspectives on Human Sexuality. Essentialism vs. Social Constructionism. Essentialism : belief that phenomena are natural, inevitable, and biologically determined (distinct categories)

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Human Sexuality

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  1. Human Sexuality Chapter 1: Perspectives on Human Sexuality

  2. Essentialism vs. Social Constructionism • Essentialism: belief that phenomena are natural, inevitable, and biologically determined (distinct categories) • Social Constructionism: reality is the product of a culture and its institutions; language is used to interpret experience (continuum)

  3. Lev Vygotsky:Socio-cultural Theory • Humans develop through social interaction • Social context: interactions with adults, neighborhood context, cultural and historical contexts, etc. • Role of cultural learning

  4. Sex and the Media “Not only is sexuality not hidden from view; it often seems to surround us” (p. 2)

  5. Sex and the Media • Discussion Question: • How is sexuality portrayed in the media? • Which perspectives on sexuality are privileged and which are silenced?

  6. Media Influences • Teenagers are exposed to media during half of their waking hours(Roberts, 2005) • Teenagers devote more time to media than any other activity(Roberts, 2005) • By the time they finish high school, teenagers will have spent more time watching television than going to school

  7. Media Influences • Increase in sexual references on television • 70% of shows watched by teenagers have sexual content; 14% discuss risk and responsibility (Kunkel, 2005)

  8. Media and Psychological Health: Research Findings • Reproduction of stereotypical gender roles, which may be internalized (Croteau, 2003) • Discrepancies in depictions of men and women • Female nudity is more common • Differences in power?

  9. Media and Psychological Health: Research Findings • Link between television viewing and body dissatisfaction in girls (Harrison, 1997; Hofschire, 2002) • Limited information on risk behavior and sexual health

  10. Media and the “Sexualization of Society” • Music industry • Television/movies • Video games • Books/magazines • Tabloids

  11. Sexuality in Advertising • Persuasive communication • To provoke sexual interests, emotional reactions, etc. • Ads are often tied to our “ideal” selves • Who we would like to be • Appealing lifestyles

  12. Media Study (Brown, 2002) • Media: • Keeps sexual behavior visible • Reinforces sexual norms • Rarely includes sexually responsible models

  13. Media and Social Context • The media models: • What, when, and with whom sexual behavior is appropriate and desirable

  14. GLBT Individuals in T.V. and Film • Television portrayals of GLBT individuals are often stereotypical • Recent increase in GLBT representations in the media; more complex characters

  15. Cultural Variations in Sexuality • Culture shapes our behavior and attitudes toward sexuality • Cultural diversity- what is normal, acceptable, moral, etc.

  16. The Mangaia • Cook Island: South Pacific • Adolescence is constructed as an acutely sexual period in development • Boys engage in encounters with experienced women

  17. The Mangaia • Girls receive detailed instruction concerning sexual intercourse • Many sexual encounters are expected prior to marriage • Men are expected to stray during marriage, women are not

  18. The Dani • Dani of New Guinea • Little interest in sexuality • Ritualized encounters; for procreation

  19. The Dani • Quick, impersonal sexual interactions • Sex is only permissible in the context of marriage; intercourse- during the second year of the marriage

  20. The Dani • Abstain from sex for 4-6 years after childbirth occurs • Lack of desire- cultural, not biological

  21. Victorian Americans • 19th century: White, middle class Americans • Beliefs: • Women have little sexual desire • Women with sexual desire are “diseased” and abnormal

  22. Victorian Americans • Men: strong sexual desires; driven by lust • Shaped our cultural archetypes: “angelic” women and “demonic” men

  23. Ancient Greece • Homosexuality between men and adolescent boys: “highest form of love” • Marriage was still expected

  24. The Sambians • New Guinea • Ritualized homosexual encounters between young boys

  25. Sex and Gender • Sex: refers to the biological component (chromosomes) • Gender: a socially constructed category; male/female • Gender roles

  26. Transgendered Individuals • Genitals and identity are discordant (i.e. biologically male, identifies as female) • Are often gender non-conforming

  27. Intersex Individuals • Ambiguous genitalia • Chromosomal abnormalities

  28. Cultural Perspectives on Transgendered Persons • Pathologized in many cultures • “two-spirit”: revered; high status, special privileges • Some cultures consider this a third “gender category”

  29. What is “normal”? • Socially/Culturally/Historically constructed • What is normal, and who decides? • Various influences: the importance of context

  30. Different discourses on sexuality • Moral/religious/ideological • Cultural/historical • Linguistic expressions of sexuality change as a function of audiences • Family, peers, same and differently gendered groups, etc.

  31. Sexual Variations • Tremendous diversity in human sexuality: • Desires, orientation, fantasizes, attitudes, beliefs

  32. Determinations ofNormality/Abnormality • Statistical: a deviation from the norm? • Subjective: one’s own beliefs • Idealistic: compared to a revered standard • Cultural: cultural norms and standards • Clinical: based on data regarding health and illness

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