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Psychology 320:
Psychology of Gender and Sex Differences
January 31
Lecture 43
1
Office Hour Invitations
January 31, 11:30-2:30, Kenny 3102
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2
A little R&R ….
(Review and Reflect)
3
Sexuality and Education:
1. Are there sex differences in sexual behaviour?
(continued)
2. Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?
3. Do males and females perform similarly in school?
4
By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:
1. review evidence for female erotic plasticity.
2. discuss explanations for and criticisms of female
erotic plasticity.
3. identify sex similarities and differences in sexual
satisfaction and dysfunction.
5
4. discuss the relationship between gender equality
and sexual satisfaction among females and males.
5. describe contemporary trends in educational
attainment for the sexes.
6
Are there sex differences in sexual behaviour? (continued)
In addition to research related to sociocultural factors,
Baumeister (2000) cites a second line of research to
support his argument that females are higher in erotic
plasticity than males:
7
2. Research has shown that females exhibit greater
intra-individual variation in sexuality across time than
males.
 Females report increases in masturbation across
the lifespan; males report no change in masturbation across the lifespan.
 More females than males describe themselves as
bisexual.
8
 Among couples who choose to “swing,” females
adapt more quickly than males.
 Lesbians (72%) are more likely than gay males (45%)
to have had a “meaningful heterosexual relationship.”
 More lesbians (31%) than gay males (18%) indicate
that their sexual orientation was a choice.
 In prisons, more females (50%) than males (30%)
engage in consensual same-sex sexual activity.
9
• How can we explain the higher levels of erotic plasticity
reported among females than males?
• What are some criticisms of Baumeister’s theory?
10
Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?
• Research suggests small sex differences in sexual
satisfaction: d=.17 (Peterson & Hyde, 2010).
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• Laumann et al. (2006) assessed sexual satisfaction
among 27,000 participants in 29 countries (e.g.,
Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France,
Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, US).
Found that sexual satisfaction is greater in cultures with
gender-equal regimes than “male-centered” regimes:
12
Percentage of Respondents Reporting
Satisfaction in their Sexual Relationships:
Gender-Equal Regimes
(Laumann et al., 2006)
80
Percentage
70
60
Women
Men
50
40
30
20
Physical
Satisfaction
Emotional
Satisfaction
13
Percentage of Respondents Reporting
Satisfaction in their Sexual Relationships:
Male-Centered Regimes
(Laumann et al., 2006)
80
Percentage
70
60
Women
Men
50
40
30
20
Physical
Satisfaction
Emotional
Satisfaction
14
• How can we explain the higher levels of sexual
satisfaction in cultures with gender-equal regimes than
cultures with male-centered regimes?
• More females (43%) than males (31%) report
experiencing sexual dysfunction (Laumann et al., 1999).
15
• Among the most common sexual dysfunctions are
(Etaugh & Bridges, 2010; Laumann et al., 1999):
Females: low sexual desire (22%); sexual arousal
problems (14%); sexual pain (7%); orgasmic disorder
(10-25%).
Males: low sexual desire (5%); premature ejaculation
(21%); erectile dysfunction (5%).
16
Do males and females perform similarly in school?
• Prior to the 1980s, males outperformed females in
school. Today, however, females outperform males in
school:
17
High School Grade Point Average by Sex, 19902005 (US Department of Education, 2007)
GPA
3.2
3.1
3
2.9
2.8
2.7
2.6
2.5
2.4
2.3
Female
Male
1990
1994
1998
2000
2005
18
High School Drop Out Rates by Sex, 1990-2005
(Statistics Canada, 2005)
210
190
Thousands
170
150
Female
Male
130
110
90
70
50
1990
1995
2000
2005
19
University Enrollment by Sex, 2004-2008
(Statistics Canada, 2009)
700
500
Female
Male
400
300
20
06
/2
00
7
20
07
/2
00
8
200
20
04
/2
00
5
20
05
/2
00
6
Thousands
600
20
Number of Undergraduate Degrees Granted by
Sex, 1995-2005 (Statistics Canada, 2008)
100
90
Thousands
80
70
Female
Male
60
50
40
30
20
1995
2000
2005
21
Thousands
Number of Graduate Degrees Granted by Sex,
1995-2005 (Statistics Canada, 2008)*
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
Female
Male
1995
2000
2005
* Master’s and doctorate degrees combined; more females than males
earn master’s degrees; more males than females earn doctorate degrees.
22
Percentage with University Degree
Percentage of 25-29 Year Olds in the Labour Force
with a University Degree by Sex, 1981-2001
(Statistics Canada, 2007)
35
30
25
20
Female
Male
15
10
5
0
1981
1991
2001
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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:
1. review evidence for female erotic plasticity.
2. discuss explanations for and criticisms of female
erotic plasticity.
3. identify sex similarities and differences in sexual
satisfaction and dysfunction.
24
4. discuss the relationship between gender equality
and sexual satisfaction among females and males.
5. describe contemporary trends in educational
attainment for the sexes.
25