Introduction to the Study of Sex and Sexuality

1. Introduction to the Study of Sex and Sexuality

2. Introduction to the Study of Sex and Sexuality • How has sexual expression changed over the last 100 years? • Conservative to more open • Goals for sexual learning • Develop healthy attitudes about sexuality and sexual expression • Accept oneself and others as sexual beings • Gain knowledge of sexual functions and responses • Develop skills for enhancing sexual relationships

3. Introduction to the Study of Sex and Sexuality • Goals for sexual learning • Assess one’s own sexuality education and prepare to teach one’s children • Increase knowledge and acceptance of sexual values and practices different from one’s own • Foster confidence in one’s own values and capacity for making wise sexual decisions • Increase one’s capacity for intimate relationships and communication

4. The Definitions of Sex • What does “Sex” mean? • “either of the two divisions of organic beings, the males and the females” • a.k.a. Gender, male or female • “activities associated with biological reproduction and any experiences having to do with those activities, such as sexual gratification or the urge for it”

5. The Definitions of Sex • Sex as Classification • Mating of sperm-producing individual with an egg-producing individual • Other anatomical characteristics can signal appropriate partners • Gender roles

6. The Definitions of Sex • Sex as Activity • Social groups define the act of “having sex” differently • Intercourse vs. oral stimulation • Humans have a strong desire for intercourse separate from their desire to reproduce. • Humans are not limited in their frequency of sexual intercourse • Humans place a variety of meanings on sexual experience

7. The Definitions of Sex • Sex as Experience • Sexual gratification –behaviors intended to heighten sexual arousal and produce orgasm • Sexual intimacy – “making love”, mutuality and emotional sharing between two people, involves sexual self-disclosure • Sexual transcendence – shifting of mental awareness to deep psychological involvement in the sexual experience

8. The Definitions of Sex • Sex as Experience • Helps account for differences in opinion and context regarding what is sexually pleasurable • Doesn’t reference any goal or specific outcome other than what is experienced. • Is not defined by genital changes or interaction with any particular person, therefore sexual experience can take place in a variety of social and emotional contexts • Broader spectrum of “doing it right”

9. Definitions of Sexuality • Sexuality • Aspects of one’s personhood that are involved with sexual classification, sexual activity and creating erotic experiences • Physical Dimension – refers to any regions of the body that contribute to sexual classification, activities or experiences

10. Definitions of Sexuality • Sexuality • Psychosocial Dimension – sexually-related values, beliefs, attitudes and emotions • Sexual identity – sense of oneself as a sexual being • Gender identity – sense of oneself as a male or female • Gender role – personal and behavioral expectations of individuals set fourth by their cultural group • Sexual orientation – propensity to be sexually attracted to someone of a particular biological sex

11. Definitions of Sexuality • Sexuality • Reproductive Dimension – physiological and social processes that contribute to conception and birth of children • Developmental Dimension – physical, psychological and social experiences that change as one navigates the life course • Erotic Dimension – feelings, images and behaviors intended to create erotic experience

12. Definitions of Sexuality • Sexuality • Relationship Dimension – various kinds of interpersonal relationships in which sexual activity and experience occur. Can be between strangers, friends or marital partners

13. Scientific Study of Sex and Sexuality • Scientific Method • a way to gain knowledge of the world utilizing observations, measurements and experiments • Incorporates the following • Unbiased Observation • Reproducibility • Falsification of Hypotheses • Cause and Effect Relationships • Sampling

14. Scientific Study of Sex and Sexuality • Unbiased Observation • Descriptions of how the world works based on what is actually observed and not the observer’s preconceived ideas, assumptions, and prejudices. • Observations made with the naked eye, instruments, can be responses to questions • Datum vs. Data – one vs. many observations

15. Scientific Study of Sex and Sexuality • Reproducibility • Once a measurement or experiment have been described, anyone who repeats the experiment the same way should get the same result • Falsification of Hypotheses • A hypotheses gains the most support from efforts to disprove it. • Repeated failed attempts to disprove a hypotheses make it more and more acceptable

16. Scientific Study of Sex and Sexuality • Cause and Effect Relationships • Ultimate goal of the scientific method is to explain an observation by identifying the reasons it occurred • There must be a predictable relationship between causes and their effects.

17. Scientific Study of Sex and Sexuality • Sampling • Sample – an accurate representation of the total number of possible observations • Sampling bias – the possibility that observations made on a sample do not accurately represent the entire group from which it is drawn • Human sex research is highly prone to sampling bias because many do not want to disclose aspects of their sexuality to researchers. Observations are only made on willing participants. • Always find out how observations are made and how the sample was formed

18. Methods of Sex and Sexuality Research • Case Study • One or more individuals are observed and conclusions are drawn about them, conclusions are extended to the group from which the individual is drawn • Clinical Case Study • Health practitioners report observations made of people who seek their help. • Observations may be biased and not pertain to everyone

19. Methods of Sex and Sexuality Research • Epidemiological Study • Naturalistic study where observations of people in different groups are compared using sophisticated statistical methods • Ethnographic Study • Naturalistic study of an entire community in which the observer lives for an extended period of time.

20. Methods of Sex and Sexuality Research • Survey Methods • Scientist asks others to report their observations, thoughts, feelings and experiences • Can be unreliable due to exaggeration or distortion of information • Experimental Study • Results from two or more similar groups are compared • Experimental group vs. control group

21. Interpreting Sexuality Research • Proper assessment of the findings and interpretations in sexuality research is critical to understanding the data • Data and statistical and analytical tools must be examined as well as interpretations and conclusions

22. Interpreting Sexuality Research • Statistically significant • Highly likely not to be the result of mistakes made by researchers or to have occurred by chance • Usually if the chance the result is wrong is less than 1 in 20 (p=0.05) • Can be statistically significant but not meaningful if the difference is negligible

23. Comparing Yourself to Research Findings • It is impossible to determine “normal, good or desirable” behavior through scientific research because these things are defined socially, not scientifically • Scientific research reports what is, not what should be • Average does not equal good or normal • Infrequent does not equal bad

24. What is Sexual Intelligence? • Four components of sexual intelligence • Self-understanding • Interpersonal sexual skills • Scientific knowledge [1.Understanding 2. Predicting and 3. Controlling] No truths!!! • Critical considerations of the cultural, political and legal contexts of sexual issues. [Role models]

25. Controversy and Diversity within the USA - Students represent diversity of ages, ethnic and religious backgrounds, life experiences, liberal and conservative attitudes. - Sexual experiences vary, but, there are no universal sexual attitudes and experiences. - US made of many ethnic and religious groups, thus, a wide range of sexual values and behaviors. - Note these differences are generalities not universal truth!!! Acculturation - replacing traditional beliefs and behavior patterns with those of the dominant subculture.

26. Biopsychosocial orientation • Human sexuality is governed mostly by: • Psychological factors. - emotions, attitudes, motivations • Social conditioning. - the process by which we learn society’s expectations and norms • Biological factors - hormones, experiences (that which we have learnt) What we regard as “natural” is all relative!

27. How Important is Sex in Your Life?Global Perspectives

28. Cross-Cultural Perspectives: Islamic Middle East • Based on beliefs of Muhammad • Sex enjoyed by both sexes • Women inherently more sexual than men; this power contained by veils, segregation, female circumcision • Oppression of women and many sexually related restrictions stem from patriarchal cultural traditions and fundamentalist sects, not from religion and the teaching of the Qur’an.

29. Cross-Cultural Perspectives: China • Ancient history promoted sexual activity (Taoism) but with Confucianism came stricter sexual attitudes. • Sexual conservatism with communist rule (1949) • Lack of basic information about sexuality • Sex outside of marriage and frequent sex within marriage discouraged • Almost no STDS • Current trends: increasing rates of pre-marital sex; increasing STDs; slightly more open to homosexuality; still lack of sexual knowledge and safe-sex skills.

30. Our cultural legacy • Western culture: • Highly influenced by Judeo-Christian tradition • Affects you whether you belong to those religions or not. • Let’s examine 2 these of our cultural legacy more closely: • SEX FOR PROCREATION • RIGID GENDER ROLE LEGACY

31. Discussion question:(1-A) If you heard someone say “I had sex last night,” what specific behaviors would you think happened? In other words, what does it mean to “have sex” specifically?

32. Sex for procreation • Reproduction is the only “legitimate” and “moral” reason for sex. • “Sex” becomes synonymous with penile-vaginal intercourse. • If you heard someone say “I had sex last night,” what specific behaviors would you think happened? • What are the consequences of this thinking?  Penile-vaginal intercourse is primary source of satisfaction Sexual response and organism are supposed to occur during penetration Places tremendous and unrealistic expectations on coitus itself Devalues nonintercourse sexual intimacy (eg. ‘What do they do during sex?’)

33. Rigid Gender Role Legacy • Creates different expectations for males and females. EX: Is a “slut” thought of usually as a male or as a female? • Limits sexual experience for both men and women.--HOW? • Males: • Females: • There are biological differences between the sexes--but socialization is what shapes the idea of “gender” and exaggerates differences between the sexes

34. Sexuality in the Western World:Judeo-Christian Perspective • Ancient Hebrews • Rigid gender roles but sex as a profound physical and emotional experience. • Christianity • Spirituality through celibacy; sex as sinful • Contradictory images of women emerged • Virgin Mary: compassionate, pure, & unattainable • Eve: temptress

35. Cross-cultural Perspectives on Sexuality • Different societies have different rules. • Within societies, there is further variation within groups. • Major influences on attitudes & behaviors: • Socioeconomic status • Education level • Religion • Ethnicity and/or nationality • Gender Two most significant influences are:  

36. Sexuality in the Western World:a historical perspective • Judeo-Christian history: • Many religious sexual prohibitions (not just Judeo-Christian) had more to do with historical political and economic factors than direct interpretations of religious texts. • Paul of Tarsus associated spirituality with celibacy; emphasized overcoming “desires of the flesh.” • Bishop Augustine: lust was original sin of Adam and Eve; intercourse w/in marriage for procreation was only acceptable form of sexuality; female subordination was intrinsic to God’s creation (therefore, only “man-on-top” position was “natural”). • Control of people’s sex lives concentrated power in the hands of the church. • Economic issues: controlling women’s sexuality assured that inheritance went to biological heirs (increased value of virginity, sex for any reason other than procreation within marriage is sinful, etc.)

37. Sex-Positive Shift • Protestant Reformation • Enlightenment; scientific rationalism • Temporary increase in respect for women • Value of sex in marriage, functions beyond procreation

38. Western World historical legacy, cont.: • Sex is sinful • Sex was only for conceiving children--sexual pleasure was sinful, could send you to hell • Eve vs. Mary: 2 contradictory roles for women • Eve: evil temptress • Mary: a virgin mother • increasing emphasis on Eve’s sin fostered antagonism toward women--climaxed in the witch hunts (1450-1700) • The Madonna/whore dichotomy • The idea that women can either be maternal/nurturing or sexual, but not both

39. Western World historical legacy, cont.: • The Victorian era (1800s): • rigid gender roles; women restrained and constrained • Emotional & physical distance btwn. husband and wife • sexual repression in the home while prostitution fluorished • The 20th century: • suffrage movement; women's right to vote; temperance movement; abolition of slavery • unfortunately sexuality myths still persist and play a role in contemporary racial tensions. • right to own property & attend university • World War II: roles were expanded & more flexible • postwar return to stricter roles: repressive sexuality, women that continued to work outside home were considered “neurotic” • 1960s movement for gender equality • 1980s and AIDS

40. Changing attitudes continue • Expanding, less restrictive gender roles • 1960s: “sexual revolution” and movement for gender equality • Increased access to information about sex, birth control, etc. • Women’s sexuality began to be researched and better understood • Increased openness and some increased tolerance of homosexuality

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42. The Media and Sexuality • Television; News, advice and education programs, increased access to sexual material, cable and music videos • Advertising • Magazines • The Internet

43. The Media and Sexuality Fig1.2 The Evolution of Broken Taboos on TV.

44. Discussion question: (1-B) What are some advantages & disadvantages to increased exposure to sexuality through the media?

45. Where the personal is political • We face controversies about social policies, laws and ethics in almost every area related to human sexuality. For example: • Should public schools provide abstinence-only or comprehensive sex education? • Should same sex couples be able to legally marry? • Should health insurance be required to cover costs for contraception? • Should state and federal laws limit access to abortion? • Should teens obtain contraceptive services without parental consent? • Should a person’s HIV status be part of the public record? • Should prostitution be legal?