Download Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America

Chapter
2
Understanding Human Sexuality:
Theory and Research
Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory
• The Unconscious: Libido, Thanatos
• Id, Ego, Superego
• Psychosexual Stages of Development
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Behaviorism
• Classical Conditioning
• Operant Conditioning
– Behavior Modification
• Social Learning Theory
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Cognitive
• Thoughts
• Perceptions
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Humanistic Theory
• Maslow
– Hierarchy of Needs
• Rogers
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Biological Theories
• Biology
• Evolution
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Other Theories
• Sociological Theory
• Feminist Theory
• Queer Theory
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Sex Researchers
• In 19th century, Western sexuality began to
be studied from a scientific framework
– Fascinated with “pathologies” of sex: fetishism,
sadism, masturbation, homosexuality
• Since that time, a liberalizing trend in our
thinking about sexuality
– 20th century researchers viewed sexuality more
positively
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Sex Researchers
• Three themes evident in later 20th century
sex researchers’ work:
– Belief that sexual expression is essential to an
individual’s well being
– Desire to broaden the range of legitimate sexual
activity, including homosexuality
– Belief that female sexuality is equal of male
sexuality
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Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902)
• Psychopathia Sexualis (1886)
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Havelock Ellis (1859-1939)
• Studies in the Psychology of Sex (1897-1910)
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Alfred Kinsey (1894-1956)
• Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948)
• Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953)
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Kinsey’s Scale from 0 to 6
Masters & Johnson
• Human Sexual Response (1966)
• Human Sexual Inadequacy (1970)
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Large Scale Sexuality Studies
• The National Health and Social Life Survey
(1994)
• The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2001)
• National College Health Assessment (2006)
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Scientific Methods
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Cases Studies
Surveys
Direct Observation
Participant Observation
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Experimental Research
• Correlational studies
• Experimental studies
– Independent variables
– Dependent variables
• Internet-Based Research
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Problems and Issues in Sex Research
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Ethical Issues
Volunteer Bias
Sampling Problems
Reliability
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