Human Adjustment

John W. Santrock
Chapter 13:

Sexuality

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13-2

Chapter Outline
Sexual Motivation and Behavior
Sexuality and Adjustment
Sexuality and Harm

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13-3

Learning Goals
1. Describe factors that influence sexual motivation
and behavior
2. Discuss the relation between sexuality and
adjustment
3. Explain aspects of sexuality that can be harmful

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13-4

SEXUAL MOTIVATION AND BEHAVIOR

The Biology of Sex
Sensations, Perceptions, and Cognitions
Culture and Sexual Motivation
Gender and Sexual Motivation
Sexual Orientation
Sexual Patterns in the United States
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13-5

The Biology of Sex

Human sexual response pattern consists of:

excitement phase
plateau phase
orgasm
resolution

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13-6

Hormones

Estrogens - class of hormones that predominate in

females and are produced by the ovaries

Androgens - class of hormones that predominate in

males and are produced by testes in males and the
adrenal glands in both males and females

Testosterone is an androgen
For human males, higher androgen levels are associated
with sexual motivation and orgasm frequency
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13-7

Sensations, Perceptions, and Cognitions

Women are more aroused by touch

Men are more aroused by vision
Pheromones - scented substances that are powerful
sexual attractants in some animals

Role of pheromones in humans is being debated

Cognition plays an important role in sexuality

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13-8

Culture and Sexual Motivation

Sexual scripts = stereotyped patterns of expectancies
for how people should behave sexually

Two sexual scripts in the U.S. culture are:

traditional religious script - sex is accepted only within
marriage

romantic script - sex is synonymous with love (if a person

is in love, acceptable to have sex)
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13-9

Gender and Sexual Motivation

Females learn to link sexual intercourse with love more

than males do

Male sexual script emphasizes sexual conquest, and

does not intertwine sex and love

Double Standard - belief that many sexual activities

are acceptable for males but not females

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13-10

Gender and Sexual Motivation

Men report more frequent feelings of sexual arousal

and rate the strength of their sex drive higher than
women

For women, sexuality is strongly linked to a close

relationship

Many of these gender differences are seen in

homosexual as well as heterosexual relationships
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13-11

Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation = an enduring attraction toward
members of ones own sex (homosexual orientation) or
members of the other sex (heterosexual orientation)

Sexual orientation is a continuum from exclusive

heterosexuality to exclusive homosexuality

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What Causes Sexual Orientation?

Homosexuals and heterosexuals have similar

physiological responses during sexual arousal

Research has found no differences between

homosexuals and heterosexuals in a wide range of
attitudes, behaviors, and adjustments

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What Causes Sexual Orientation?

No conclusive biological cause of homosexuality has

been found

An individuals sexual orientation is most likely

determined by a combination of genetic, hormonal,
cognitive, and environmental factors

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Adjustment Strategies
Involving Gays and Lesbians

13-14

1. Develop a bicultural identity

2. Join an organization for gay, lesbian, and/or bisexual
individuals
3. Be tolerant of the sexual orientation of others

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13-15

Sexual Patterns in the United States

In 1948, Alfred Kinsey reported that half of American

men had engaged in extramarital sex

Kinsey did not use a representative sample

In 1994, Robert Michael reported results from a large

and representative sample

Michael found Americans sexual lives are more

conservative than previously believed

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13-16

Review - Learning Goal 1

What are some important biological factors in sexual
behavior and motivation?

What non-biological factors influence sexual arousal and

activity?

How does culture affect sexual behaviors?

How does the sexual motivation of men and women differ?
What causes sexual orientation?
What are the characteristics of the sexual activity of typical
Americans?
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13-17

SEXUALITY AND ADJUSTMENT

Sexual Communication
Sexual Myths and Sex Education
Contraception
Psychosexual Dysfunctions and Disorders

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13-18

Sexual Communication

Sex can be conceptualized as a form of

communication in a relationship

Sexual communication is both verbal and nonverbal

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Adjustment Strategies for Effective

Communication in Sexual Relationships

13-19

1. It is normal to feel uncomfortable talking about sex

with a partner
2. Take responsibility for your sexual needs
3. Learn about your partners sexual needs
4. Criticize constructively
5. Handle criticism effectively
6. If you mean no, say no
7. Pay attention to nonverbal cues
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13-20

Sexual Myths

Some sexual myths:

men need a large penis to satisfy a woman
male and female orgasm are necessary for satisfaction
intercourse is the only real sexual act
good sex has to be spontaneous
for men to have questions or problems in sex is a crime

Women and men have similar desires for sexual

pleasure
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13-21

Sex Education

A large majority of U.S. adolescents say they cannot

talk freely about sex with their parents

Most U.S. parents prefer to let schools do the job of

educating their children about sex

U.S. sex education typically has focused on hazards of

sex and the need to protect adolescent females from
male predators
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13-22

Contraception

The most popular contraceptives among older

adolescents and adults are the pill and the diaphragm

Younger adolescents are more likely to use a condom

or withdrawal

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13-23

Contraception

Main contraceptive choices:

oral contraceptives
condoms
diaphragm
spermicides
IUD
Norplant
Depo-Provera
Tubal ligation
vasectomy
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13-24

Psychosexual Dysfunctions
Psychosexual dysfunctions = disorders that
involve impairments in the sexual response
pattern, either in the desire for gratification
or the ability to achieve it

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Figure 13.7 Prevalence of Sexual Problems

in U.S. Men and Women

13-25

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13-26

Treatment for Psychosexual Dysfunctions

Recent treatments that focus directly on each sexual

dysfunction have reached success rates of 90% or
more

Viagra success rate in treating impotence is up to 80%

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13-27

Paraphilias
Paraphilias = psychosexual disorders in which the
source of an individuals satisfaction is an unusual
object, ritual, or situation

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13-28

Paraphilias

Paraphilias include:
Fetishism - reliance on a specific object for gratification
Transvestism - dressing as a member of the opposite sex
Exhibitionism - exposing sexual anatomy for gratification
Voyeurism - observing sex organs or sex acts of others
Sadism - inflicting pain on partner for gratification
Masochism - deriving gratification from receiving pain
Pedophilia - gratification from child
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13-29

Gender Identity Disorder

Transsexualism = gender identity disorder in which
an individual has an overwhelming desire to become
a member of the opposite sex

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13-30

Review - Learning Goal 2

What are some key aspects of effective sexual
communication?

What are some widespread myths about sexuality?

What is the range of contraceptives that are available?
What are psychosexual dysfunctions, paraphilias, and
gender identity disorder?

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13-31

SEXUALITY AND HARM

Sexually Transmitted Infections
Rape
Sexual Harassment
Incest
Pornography and Violence Against Women

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13-32

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) = diseases that
are contracted primarily through sexual contact

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13-33

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually transmitted infections include:

Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Chlamydia
Genital herpes
HPV (human papilloma virus)
AIDS (caused by human immunodeficiency virus - HIV)

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Adjustment Strategies
for Protecting Against STIs

13-34

1. Know your and your partners risk status

2. Obtain medical examinations
3. Have protected sex
4. Dont have sex with multiple partners

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13-35

Rape
Rape = forcible sexual intercourse with a person who
does not give consent

Rape is traumatic for the victims and those close to

them

Sexual dysfunctions occur in 50% of female rape

victims
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13-36

Rape

Male rapists share these characteristics:

aggression enhances their sense of power or masculinity
they are angry at women in general
they want to hurt and humiliate the victim

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13-37

Acquaintance Rape
Date or acquaintance rape = coercive sexual activity
directed at someone with whom the victim is at least
casually acquainted

Ten percent of college women reported being raped in

their lifetime

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Adjustment Strategies Involving

Acquaintance Rape for MEN and WOMEN

13-38

1. Clearly state your expectations

2. Know that women and men have the right to set
limits that need to be respected
3. Consider the consequences
4. If you use alcohol, use it in moderation
5. Report the rape

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Adjustment Strategies Involving

Acquaintance Rape for WOMEN

13-39

1. Set and reset sexual limits

2. Think about where you go with a man
3. Get to know the person well, first
4. Be careful about sending conflicting messages
5. Educate yourself about men and sex

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Adjustment Strategies Involving

Acquaintance Rape for MEN

13-40

1. Trust that no always means no

2. Your partner can change her mind at any time
3. Be aware of cultural expectations
4. Know that a woman who wears provocative clothing
is not asking to have sex with you
5. Spending money on a date does not give you the
right to have sex
6. Be aware of the consequences of your sexual
conduct
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13-41

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment takes many forms, from sexist

remarks and physical contact to blatant propositions
and sexual assaults

Sexual harassment is a manifestation of the power of

one person over another

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13-42

Incest
Incest = sex between people who are close relatives

Taboos against incest have developed in virtually all

human societies

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13-43

Pornography and Violence Against Women

Pornography showing sexual violence toward women

is more likely to slightly increase violence toward
women by male viewers than pornography that
displays consensual sex with no violence

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13-44

Review - Learning Goal 3

What are the main sexually transmitted infections?
What are some key things to know about rape?
What is incest?
What link exists between pornography and violence against
women?

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