Introduction to Human Sexuality

1. Introduction to Human Sexuality Theoretical Perspectives

2. Evolutionary Perspectives • Sociobiology: Application of evolutionary biology to understanding the social behavior of animals, including humans.

3. Evolutionary Perspectives • Evolution occurs via Natural Selection: • Survive • Reproduce • Pass genes to the next generation

4. Evolutionary Perspectives • Parental Investment: Behavior and resources invested by parents to achieve the survival and reproductive success of their genetic offspring. • Sexual selection: • Competition between members of one gender (usually male). • Preferential choice by members of one gender (usually female).

5. Evolutionary Perspectives • Focuses on the psychological mechanisms that have been shaped by natural selection. • Assumes that every characteristic that we observe must have some adaptive significance. • Dr. David Buss • Known for his evolutionary psychology research on human sex differences in mate selection. • Sex poaching • University sex study (attractive female/male)

6. Psychodynamic Theory • Freud’s Psychoanalytic theory: • He saw libido(Life Drive) as one of the two major forces in human life. • An Erogenous Zone is a part of the skin or mucous membrane that is extremely sensitive to stimulation.

7. Psychodynamic Theory • Id: The basic part of personality which is present at birth - operates on the pleasure principle. • Ego:Operates on the reality principle and tries to keep the id in line. • Superego: The conscience and operates on idealism.

8. Psychodynamic Theory • Freud assumed the female is biologically inferior because she lacks a penis. • Feminists object to the notion that women are anatomically inferior, and argue that psychoanalytic theory may cause harm to women.

9. Learning Theory • Much of human sexual behavior is biologically controlled, but much of it is also learned.

10. Learning Theory • Classical Conditioning:Takes place when a conditioned stimulus is paired with an original unconditioned stimulus. • Operant Conditioning: Means a person is more likely to repeat a behavior if it is rewarded (reinforcement).

11. Learning Theory • Behavior Modification:Involves a set of techniques used to change behavior. • Social learning: Based on operant conditioning, imitation and identification.

12. Cognitive Theory • Cognitive psychologists believe it is very important to study the way people perceive and think.

13. Cognitive Theory • Gender schemas: Set of attributes that we associate with males and females. • Schemas predispose us to process information on the basis of gender. Stereotype Consistent Stereotype Inconsistent

14. Social Theories • Societal influence occurs on several levels including: • Macro Level: Society as a whole. • Religion, Family, Medicine, Law, Economy • When times are good people have sex more, when they are bad they have sex less. • Sub cultural Level:One’s social class or ethnic group may have an impact on one’s sexuality.

15. Social Theories Social Interaction Theory: • Human nature and the social order are products of symbolic communication among people. • Role-taking: When an individual imagines how he or she looks from the other person’s viewpoint. • Other-Directed Individuals: Primarily concerned with meeting other’s standards. Sexual Scripts: • Suggest that sexual behavior is as scripted as a play in a theater. • Tell us an etiquette of sexual behavior. • Tell us the meaning we should attach to a particular sexual event.