5 2 2014 PSYC 2101 Notes Microsoft OneNote Web App Ch 12 Development and Expression of Human Sexuality Monday April 21 2014 5 47 PM Key Aspects of Sexual Identity Sexual Identity complex set of personal qualities self perceptions attitudes values and preferences that guide one s sexual behavior Sense of yourself as a sexual being Sexual Orientation Body Image Positive image associated with greater sexual activity higher sexual satisfaction and fewer sexual problems Sexual values and ethics Erotic preferences Attitudes about self stimulation oral sex intercourse etc Genderbread person More variation in identification Identity how you think of yourself as a gendered person Expression demonstrate gender dress behave activities Biological sex organs hormone concentration Attract sexual orientations People can fall anywhere on any continuum 2 continuums are improtant being masculine doesn t make you less feminine Can be on more than one point Complicated LGBTransgender Individuals whose appearance and or behaviors do not conforma to traditional gender roles Sense of themselves as gendered people is incongruent Does not imply any particular sexual orientation Transsexual individuals see themselves as members https onedrive live com edit aspx resid 7AF35F2B369F2BE4 1552 cid 7af35f2b369f2be4 app OneNote wdo 2 1 7 5 2 2014 PSYC 2101 Notes Microsoft OneNote Web App of the opposite sex and some desire a sex change via hormonal therapies or surgical means Sexual Development Hormones Gonads sex glands which produce hormones Androgens cause differentiation of the genitals in the fetus Principal androgen testosterone At puberty high levels of hormones trigger maturation of primary and secondary sex characteristics Estrogens in females Androgens in males Intersex individuals ambiguous sexual characteristics Females have low levels of testosterone Psychosocial Influences Families May socialize children into associating guilt and shame with sex Children benefit from having positive and open conversations about sex with their parents Tend to sex at a later age and with fewer partners If they tell children sex is dirty the association is negative Peers Primary source of info for teens Adolescents sexual attitudes and behavior are positively associated with their perceptions of their friends sexual attitudes and behavior Can be misleading May promote unhealthy sexual values Perceive what others are doing 90 of schools offer some form of sex education BUT abstinence only education does not seem to deter teens from having sex Schools https onedrive live com edit aspx resid 7AF35F2B369F2BE4 1552 cid 7af35f2b369f2be4 app OneNote wdo 2 2 7 5 2 2014 The Media PSYC 2101 Notes Microsoft OneNote Web App Comprehensive programs are associated with increased use of contraception reduced pregnancies and reduced high risk behaviors Religion Predominant message teens report receiving from religious institutions is Don t have sex until marriage Data also shows virginity pledges are largely ineffective Affect religious attitudes but may not influence behavior Media sources contain a large volume of sexual material Some extremely explicit 16 of characters involved in sexual intercourse on TV programs are teens or young adults Risks responsibilities are not depicted Teems are vulnerable form ideas of what is normative Magazines tend to perpetuate gender stereotypes and sexual myths BUT some sources do provide valuable information on sexual topics Music Exposure to music videos linked to greater rape acceptance in middle school boys Explicit sex references references to aggressive men and women as sex objects related to earlier sexual experiences All correlation data that does not show causation Can provide easy access to useful information BUT about 25 of 10 17 year olds have encountered unwanted pornography and 20 have been exposed to unwanted sexual solicitations Cybersex Addiction High users 11 80 hrs per week at a higher risk for psychological distress The Internet https onedrive live com edit aspx resid 7AF35F2B369F2BE4 1552 cid 7af35f2b369f2be4 app OneNote wdo 2 3 7 5 2 2014 PSYC 2101 Notes Microsoft OneNote Web App Score higher on measures of compulsivity and sensation seeking Addiction interferes with daily life Sexual Differences in Sexual Socialization Sex differences in sexuality Men more interest in sex sex more likely to be linked with aggression men more likely to initiate Women connection between sex and intimacy is more important sexual attitudes more easily changed and more likely to change sexual orientation Societal values and gender roles obviously involved in many of these differences Women may manage more emotional associations with sex Fear of pregnancy negative messages about men negative associations about genitals sexual guild Differences may lead to incompatible expectations Pain in menstruation Takes longer to develop a sexual identity Can cause tension in a relationship Sexual Orientation Origins Theories of homosexuality NO EVIDENCE Influenced by paren t sexual orientation Results from poor heterosexual encounters Unresolved Oedipus complex Being labeled as a homosexual Biological Factors some evidence to support Prenatal exposure to sex hormones Genetic factors partially supported by twin studies In reality origins of sexual orientation is largely unknown https onedrive live com edit aspx resid 7AF35F2B369F2BE4 1552 cid 7af35f2b369f2be4 app OneNote wdo 2 4 7 5 2 2014 PSYC 2101 Notes Microsoft OneNote Web App Don t have to be exclusively one or the other Alfred Kinsey Disclosure Sexual identity development may involve Acknowledging recognizing and potentially labeling sexual orientation Conceptualizing it in positive terms Disclosing it to others Recent trend towards disclosure of sexual orientation earlier in life Media portrayal and higher acceptance However being a member of the LGBT community in a hostile environment can lead to loss of support discrimination and even violence Sexual prejudice associated with being older male less educated from rural areas and endorsement of traditional gender role attitudes and conservative beliefs Smaller communities Individuals who identify as LGBT do NOT differ on overall measures of psychological maladjustment Homosexuality is NOT a mental disorder Sexual prejudice discrimination is associated with greater risk for anxiety depression substance abuse and suicide attempts Children of same sex couples are no different in terms of adjustment sexual