Gender and Sexual Orientation

1. 11 Gender and Sexual Orientation

2. Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender and Sexual Orientation • Definitions • Sex – biological category based on genitals • Gender – psychological experience based on one’s sex • Gender identity – subjective view of being male or female • Gender role – masculine or feminine behaviors defined by one’s culture • Sexuality – behaviors to obtain sexual pleasure • Sexual orientation – sexual partner preference

3. Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender Identity and Gender Roles • Gender identity • Develops in infancy; learned from expectations • Gender roles • Expectations of culture; feminine and masculine behaviors and characteristics • Androgynous – a person possessing both traditional feminine and masculine traits • Those with positive traits – well adapted

4. Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender: Similarities and Differences • Different does not mean inferior • Average differences: • Only women give birth • Women perform better: • Language skills • Verbal memory • Perceptual speed • Fine motor skills • Reading skills • Spatial memory • Men are stronger • Men perform better: • Mathematics • Science • Social studies • Computer science • Electronics • Automotive

5. Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender: Similarities and Differences • Differences between male and female much smaller than differences within each gender group • Women receive higher school grades in math courses at all grade levels – suggesting women are better prepared for careers in scientific and technological fields

6. Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender Differences • Emotional and social behavior • Differences tend to be larger than differences in cognitive performance • Women are more likely than men to be • Nurturing • Friendly, helpful • Open, trusting • Cooperative • Able to hide emotions • Anxious and depressed • Have low self-esteem

7. Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender Differences • Emotional and social behavior • Men are more likely than women to • Be competitive • Be dominant • Be assertive • Engage in risky behaviors • Use physical aggression • Commit more types of crimes

8. Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender differences in Mating and Sexual Behavior • Men • Think about, want sex more often than women • Prefer a younger mate, physically attractive, with good housekeeping skills • On average, sexually jealous and controlling; threatened more by sexual infidelity • Comfortable with oneself having casual sex

9. Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender differences in Mating and Sexual Behavior • Women • Prefer an older mate • Prefer mate with high earning potential • Prefer partner of good character • Be threatened by emotional infidelity • Restrict sex to potential long-term partners • How do women find men of good character?

10. Gender and Sexual Orientation Origins of Gender Differences • Differences in brain • Related to reproduction • Male cerebral cortex 10% larger • Right hemisphere larger than left in adult men • Larger corpus callosum in women; greater integration of hemispheres • Subcortical area of brain grows more rapidly and larger in adult men • Biological differences exist but behavior differences also learned

11. Gender and Sexual Orientation Evolutionary Psychology and Gender Differences • Based on Darwin’s ideas – evolutionary pressure to reproduce • Evolutionary pressures associated with • Hunting • Selection of dominance, aggression • Created by child care • Gender differences in parental investment • Mate selection • Critiques of theory

12. Gender and Sexual Orientation Social Role Theory: Gender Differences • Gender differences created by • Society’s division of labor • Social roles created for men and women • Opportunities • Challenges • Learning experiences • Restrictions • Critique of social role theory

13. Gender and Sexual Orientation Development of Gender Identity and Roles • By age 2 to 3, child knows self as boy/girl • Differences noticed in their play, toy selection • At age 7, concrete operational stage reached • Children have stable concept of what it means to be boys and girls • Recognition of differences based on superficial physical features

14. Gender and Sexual Orientation Theories of Gender Identity • Psychoanalytic theory • Same sex identification occurred to win approval of both parents, avoid rejection • Cannot explain single-parent family occurrence • Social learning theory • Learned through observation, imitation, reinforcement and punishment • Parent reinforce identity consistent with biological sex classification

15. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexual Orientation • Heterosexual preferences • Homosexual orientation or preferences • Men: gay and Women: lesbian • Women – more likely to identify as homosexual and return to heterosexual identity • Bisexuality – likes same-sex and opposite sex partners • Many myths/stereotypes on homosexuality, bisexuality used to justify discrimination

16. 10 Males Females 8 6 Percent 4 2 0 Since puberty Since 18 Last year Percentage of U.S. persons having a sexual experience with a person of the same sex

17. Gender and Sexual Orientation Stigmatization, Stress, and Sexual Orientation • Strong stigmatization still exists • Gays/lesbians still not comfortable being open • Gays at greater risk of HIV/AIDS • Gay/lesbian teens at greater risk for depression, suicide, and substance abuse

18. Gender and Sexual Orientation Origins of Sexual Orientation • Do some learn homosexuality? • Sambian people of New Guinea • Social learning plays role in combination with biological predisposition to homosexuality • Verified by identical twin studies • Prenatal –atypical levels of sex hormones • Gay males more likely to be later-born males • Homosexual brain – real structure difference

19. Gender and Sexual Orientation Human Diversity • Gay and lesbians in the military • Controversy over lifting of ban on service • Government policy denied security clearance • Herek research – gays/lesbians are security risks and unfit for military service • History of discrimination in military • African Americans • Females in combat

20. Gender and Sexual Orientation Biological and Psychological Aspects of Sexuality • Sexuality • depicted in art in earliest civilizations • Ellis studied social, cultural influences shaping sexual behavior; first to study homosexuality • Both sexes have similar sexual desires • Anxiety, depression can affect physical sexual functioning • Kinsey did large surveys on types of sexuality • Masters and Johnson observed sexual responses

21. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexual Anatomy and Functioning • Males • Testes • Epididymis • Vas deferens • Semen • Prostate gland • Seminal vesicle • Penis • Scrotum • Testes affected by, respond to temperature • Females • Uterus • Fallopian tubes • Cervix • Vulva • Mons • Labia majora • Labia minora • Clitorus • Last 3 play critical role in sexual response

22. Gender and Sexual Orientation The Sexual Response Cycle • Predictable biological response; many similarities and differences between cycles of men and women • Masters and Johnson – four stages • Excitement phase • Plateau stage • Orgasmic phase • Resolution phase • Refractory period – male is unresponsive

23. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexual Motivation • Primary motive – survival of the species • Similarities to other primary motives • Hypothalamic control • Role of external stimuli (incentives) • Coolidge effect – urge to repeat intercourse • Role of learning (pleasure giving learned) • Role of emotions (sexual passion, anxieties, and romantic love)

24. Gender and Sexual Orientation Differences • Between sex and other primary motives • Survival value (for species, not individual) • Increases and decreases in arousal • Role of deprivation (arousal almost anytime, do not need it until one has it) • Decreases in energy

25. Gender and Sexual Orientation Hormones and Sexual Behavior • Animals – females in heat, males have rutting seasons for mating • Humans - females • Greater sexual interest when ovulating • During ovualtion: find healthy male’s scent, masculine face, and social dominance more sexually attractive • Body chemicals detected in nursing moms increased sexual desire of other women

26. Gender and Sexual Orientation Patterns of Sexual Behavior • University of Chicago large-scale survey • Majority over 18 not promiscuous in a year (few of both sexes had multiple partners) • Marrieds: majority had sex with only spouse • Average American over lifetime – faithful in relationship called serial monogamy • Most adults have sex less than once a week • Vaginal intercourse preferred but not only one (oral sex ranks high in preference)

27. Males Females 80 80 60 60 Percent Percent 40 40 20 20 0 0 0 1 2-4 0 1 2-4 5-9 10-20 21+ 5+ Number of sex partners (last 12 months) Number of sex partners (since age 18) Number of sex partners for men and women

28. Males Females 40 30 Percent 20 10 0 Not at all Few times a year Few times a month 2-3 times a week 4+ times a week Frequency of sex with a partner Frequency of sex with a partner over the last year

29. Gender and Sexual Orientation Patterns of Sexual Behavior • University of Chicago large-scale survey • Very few prefer anal sex • Hispanic men and women reported somewhat higher frequencies of sex • African American males first sex at age 15½ (other groups: first intercourse at 17 years) • Happy sex life is in committed relationships; sex more frequent than for unhappy persons • Avoid trap of normal or average rating

30. Gender and Sexual Orientation Atypical and Abnormal Sexual Behavior • Atypical, abnormal pattern – if seen as such by those engaging in the behaviors • Transvestism: dress in clothes of opposite sex • Transexualism: feeling trapped in wrong body • Sex-change operations like Reneé Richards • Fetishism: aroused by inanimate objects

31. Gender and Sexual Orientation Atypical and Abnormal Sexual Behavior • Sexual sadism: sexual pleasure when giving pain to others • Masochism: receiving pain gives sexual pleasure • Voyeurism: sexual pleasure from undecteted watching others undressing, in sexual activities • Exhibitionism: sexual pleasure from exposing genitals to others – most are heterosexual males

32. Gender and Sexual Orientation Forced Sexual Behavior • Deviant sexual behavior • Rape – forced sexual act, majority raped are women (1 raped every 6 minutes in U.S.) • Most by someone they knew well • Similar patterns across age, ethnic groups, places of residence, levels of education, and marital groups • Rape trauma syndrome: serious psychological effects; society blames victims, promotes myths

33. Gender and Sexual Orientation • Myths • Going to man’s place on first date implies wanting sex • Women report false rapes for attention • Healthy woman can resist rapist • Women going braless or wearing short skirts are asking for trouble Facts • Nothing implied; rapists distort perceptions to fit their beliefs • Women rarely report false rape; it’s traumatic • Rapes are brutal and violent; resistance may worsen event • No victim asks for it; rapists responsible for own action

34. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexual Abuse of Children • Many sexually assaulted and exploited • Incest: sexual contact between family members • Child rape: use or threat of force • Child molestation: no use or threat of force, typically most are heterosexual males with young girl victims • Pedophilia: sexual pleasure from primarily from contact with children • Most rapists, molesters known to child and have violated hundreds before being caught

35. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexual Harassment • Men are victims, too (but less common) • Occurs anywhere, based on power differences • Psychological effects can cause harm • Hill-Thomas case • Laws and policies exist to protect Definition • Unwanted sexual advances • Requests for sexual favors • Unwanted touching • Sexually suggestive words • Any form of coercive sexual behavior by others • Leering looks causing discomfort

36. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexual Dysfunction • Problems that interfere • Sexual dysfunctions – disturbances in any phase of sexual response cycle • Classified according to phase disrupted • Dysfunctions of sexual desire • Inhibited: infrequent/no desire • Sexual aversion disorder: fearful, avoids

37. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexual Dysfunction • Dysfunction of sexual arousal • Female sexual arousal disorder: dry vagina, lack of excitement • Vaginismus: too narrow for sex comfort • Dyspaeunia: pain during intercourse • Male sexual arousal disorder • Erectile dysfunction: impotence

38. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexual Dysfunction • Orgasm dysfunctions • Inhibited female orgasm: sexual stimulation and arousal fail • Premature ejaculation • Retarded ejaculation: orgasm is rare

39. Gender and Sexual Orientation Health Problems • Cancers • Breast • Cervix • Uterus • Ovaries • Prostate • Testes • Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) • Syphilis:caused bybacterium • 3 stages of infection • Gonorrhea: bacterial infection • Chlamydia: organisms invade several types of body cells • Pubic lice or crabs

40. Gender and Sexual Orientation Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) • Genital herpes: type 1 and type 2 • Genital warts: human papilloma virus • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) • HIV transmitted through blood, semen and vaginal fluids, breast milk • Current stats show worldwide pandemic – highest rates in Africa, Asia, S. America

41. Homosexual sex Blood recipient Inject drugs Heterosexual sex Other Homosexual sex and inject drugs 3.4% 3.8% 1.8% 6.6% 13.4% 7.6% 59.4% 21.2% 44.8% 37.9% Men Women Cases of AIDS and acquisition

42. Gender and Sexual Orientation AIDS Facts and Prevention • Overall, men more likely to get infected • Women infected most by heterosexual sex • Other risks with infected person • Sharing drug needles • Homosexual, oral, anal sex • There are ways to lower risks of infection

43. Red lightactivities with very high risk • Vaginal and anal intercourse without condom • Oral sex to orgasm • Sharing sex toys and devices • Yellow lightactivities with some risk • Vaginal and anal intercourse with condom • Oral sex with condom • Oral sex without condom, stopping before orgasm • Green light: little or no risk • Hugging, holding hands • Body rubbing, massage, touching • Mutual masturbation, no contact of fluids on cuts HIV/AIDS virus is found in blood, semen, and vaginal fluids

44. Gender and Sexual Orientation Application of Psychology • Date rape • Most victims are female with males offenders • Common on college campuses: about 1/3 of all women estimated to have experienced it • Many begin with miscommunication: female friendliness mistaken for sexual advances due to differing beliefs and attitudes about sex

45. Gender and Sexual Orientation Application of Psychology • Date rape • Perpetrator: usually well-liked, did not stop sexual advances or became angry at rejection • Alcohol plays a part: • Lowers inhibitions • Often increases sexual interest • Affects choices made; allows avoiding of personal responsibility

46. Gender and Sexual Orientation Guidelines • For men • It is rape when she says no • If it is not clear that she consented, she has not consented • If she is drunk or high, she cannot consent • For women • Communicate your wished clearly and early • Alcohol mixed with sex is dangerous • Even nice guys can commit rape • If at risk of being raped, get help

47. Gender and Sexual Orientation 11 The End