Chapter 4 Self-Esteem & Sex
Self-Esteem One’s feeling of high or low self worth High SE associated (r) with more sex Why? SE -> sex? Sex -> SE? 3rd V?
Sociometer We all need to belong Social support: Perception that others are available to offer help (church attendance) SS reduces morbidity & mortality rates Risk level same as smoking, exercising
Sociometer SE is a meter that tracks social success (SS) Social success (popularity) causal (3rd) V SE Social success (popularity) Dating (SEX)
Anxiety, Inhibition Women - high SE associated w/ fellatio & masturbation High SE associated w/ less inhibitions, anxiety SE Anxiety Sex
Conquest Mentality Sex may increase SE (~social desirability) Gender difference & social exchange Women give sex to men Ego loss for women gain for men Men compete for # of ‘Conquests’(Spur Posse) Paul Reiser on SNL Reservoir Dogs
Conquest Mentality SE +r w/ # partners for men, -r for women The more partners they have: Men feel better & women feel worse Stud v. Slut Class Data (N = 103 , females = 74 ) r between self-esteem, # partners Males r = .16, ns Females r = .07, ns
Conquest Mentality Some studies show no r for females Quality of partner more closely linked to SE Females SE increases by having sex w/ high quality (and not just many) partners
What causes this mentality? Conquest Mentality What causes this mentality? Evolution Genetic success ~# partners for males Genetic success ~partner quality for females Social Exchange Female maximize sex value by giving it rarely to high quality partners Males obtain as much resource as possible
Sex Appeal SE associated with self-perceived sex appeal (but not actual attractiveness) Class Data r between self-esteem, perceived attractiveness Males r = .53, p < .01 Females r = .40, p < .001
Sex Appeal Men ~> women on SE Body image (women less positive) Women highly critical of bodies
American Thinness Craze Changing standards Models Playboy Miss America Pornography w/ plump models popular elsewhere
American Thinness Craze: Causes Men Not totally Women want to be thinner than men want them
Fallon & Rozin (1985) Thinnest Women’s ideal Women’s current body image Heaviest What women believed men preferred What men actually preferred
American Thinness Craze: Causes Media Feeds public interest Less Power to change us
American Thinness Craze: Causes Females competing for mates Males - status Females - physical attraction Plastic surgery (expensive, dangerous) Weight (easy to control)
Conclusion How we see ourselves has impact on and is impacted by our sexuality Nature of impact depends on gender, social and other factors