Human Sexuality Gender

1. Human Sexuality & Gender Chapter 11 Introductory Psychology Dr. Greg Cook

2. Opening comments . . . Sex, gender, and sexuality are deeply personal issues, and most people have strong feelings about them. Sex and gender are the most central aspects of identity for most people. When babies are born, the first thing we say is �it�s a boy!� or �it�s a girl!� We gather ideas about sex, gender, and sexuality as we grow up, and we tend to think of them as �natural� and almost �absolute.� Are they? Consider the Mosuo culture in SW China (chapter opening story). Do their practices seem �natural?�

3. �Sex� versus �Gender� Sex = biological male/female Gender = psychological, sociological �masculine� �feminine�

4. Biological Sex At conception: XX = female XY = male

5. Bipotential gonads differentiate: Prenatal weeks 1-6: primitive gonads are �bipotential.� Week 7, the Sry gene on only the Y chromosome causes gonads to form into male testes. The �default� is that the gonads form ovaries by 12 weeks. We are all female by default.

6. Hormone effects begin: As the male testes form, they secrete ANDROGENS (male sex hormones). Androgens cause the male penis, testes, scrotum to form. In the absence of androgens, the ovaries, uterus, vagina will form. Androgens also �masculinize� brain development.

7. Atypical sexual development: Causes Chromosome defects: XXY (Klinefelter syndrome in males), XO (Turner syndrome in females), others . . . Gene defects: Sry gene not active in XY individuals; or attached to X chromosome in XX individuals. Hormonal problems: androgen not produced (XY), androgen produced or introduced (XX). Varying degrees . . . Teratogens: environmental toxins disrupt sexual differentiation.

8. Atypical sexual development: Conditions Intersex: have some structures of both sexes Hermaphodite: have both ovarian and testicular tissue, genitalia may be ambiguous (or not) Sex Assignment: psychological, sometimes surgical Visit the Intersex Society of North America at http://www.isna.org/ Visit �Sexinfo� at UC-Santa Barbara at http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/?article=NWSm

9. Psychological Gender Gender roles: cultural expectations (stereotypes) about male and female behaviors �masculine� gender roles �feminine� gender roles Gender identity: a personal sense of being �male� or �female�; a core part of our self-identity gender identity is a �matter of degree� (varies by individual) Transgendered: gender identity is opposite of biological sex Transsexual: person living the gender opposite of their biological sex (in dress, behavior, etc.) Sex reassignment: involves surgery, hormone treatments, counseling

10. One dimension, or two? Terman & Miles: one dimension Feminine Masculine Sandra Bem: two dimensions Femininity Low High Masculinity Low High Androgyny = high in both femininity & masculinity

11. Theories of Gender Development Freud�s Psychoanalytic Theory Identification with same-sex parent Learning Theory Imitation & operant conditioning Gender Schema Theory We categorize information into M/F schemas, and schemas guide our behaviors and expectations Evolutionary Theory Differing M/F roles serve adaptive functions in mating and survival of the species (male assertiveness; female attractiveness?)

12. The Sexual Revolution Alfred Kinsey, Indiana University, surveys about sex Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953) Improved Methods of Contraception Sexual Revolution of the 1960s Women entering the workforce, more equality in gender roles (not equality yet!)

13. Gender Differences in Sex & Attitudes Men: think about sex more (every day: M = 70%, W = 33%) emphasize physical aspects of sex more permissive of casual sex visual cues more important arousal is more immediate Women: emphasize romance and relationship less permissive of casual sex touch and emotional cues more important arousal is more gradual Gender differences seem to be decreasing

14. Sexual Response Cycle:Research of William Masters & Virgina Johnson Four phases of the sexual response: Excitement Plateau Orgasm Resolution (with refractory period) Sexual response also varies by: Hormones Psychological factors (love, caring, emotion) Fantasy, external stimuli

15. Sexual Orientations Heterosexual: attracted to opposite sex Homosexual: attracted to same sex Bisexual: attracted to both sexes Survey results vary, but generally find that about 3-5% of men and 2-3% of women report being homosexual.

16. Determinants of Sexual Orientation Hormones Prenatal exposure to synthetic estrogen linked to lesbianism Prenatal androgen exposure linked to sexual orientation (high: masculinity; low: femininity) Brain structure Differences in brain structure (e.g., hypothalamus) have been reported, but we don�t know if they are the �cause� or the �effect� of sexual orientation (purely correlational) Genetics Concordance rates for homosexuality are higher for identical than for fraternal twins. Heritability estimated at .50. Childhood or early experiences Most homosexuals report �feeling different� at a very young age �Heterosexual Assumption� is not valid: most homosexuals were attracted first to same sex, and they did not �convert� to homosexuality only after having failed or unsatisfying heterosexual relationships. Choice?

17. Normality vs. Disorder Until 1973, the American Psychiatric Association listed �homosexuality� as a mental disorder. Since 1973, homosexuality is not considered as disorder. Gender Identity Disorder (dissatisfaction with your sex or sexual orientation) is listed and treated. Read more at www.mhsanctuary.com/gender/dsm.htm

18. Keeping it real . . . Healthy relationships Date rape and sexual violence Information session Tonight 7 pm � Extra credit (5 pts)