Gender and Sexuality

Motivation What specific needs or desires energize and direct behaviors? What is the difference between gender and sex? How are gender and sexual behaviors motivated psychologically and physiologically?

Some Definitions… Sex—the physiological category of male or female; sexual intercourse Gender—cultural, social, and psychological meanings associated with masculinity or femininity Gender roles—behaviors, attitudes, and personality traits that are designated either masculine or feminine in a given culture Gender identity—A person’s psychological sense of being male or female Sexual orientation—direction of a person's emotional and erotic attractions

Gender Role Stereotypes Benevolent sexism How much do people agree on the characteristics associated with each sex within different cultures?

Gender Related Differences Differences do not mean deficiencies Three main areas of gender differences Personality Cognitive abilities Sexual attitudes and behaviors

Personality Differences No significant differences between men and women on most characteristics Women = more nurturing than men Men = more assertive than women

Cognitive Differences No differences for most cognitive abilities Verbal, reading, and writing - females Spatial skills mentally rotating objects – males remembering locations of objects - females Math Skills—males

Sexual Attitude/Behavior Differences Less pronounced since the 1960s..why? Men: more sexual partners, earlier first intercourse experience, more frequent masturbation

Gender Role Development 2-3 years = children can identify themselves and other children as boys or girls Toddler girls = play more with dolls and ask for help more often Toddler boys = play more with trucks and wagons, and play more actively After 3 years = consistent gender differences in preferred toys and activities

Social Learning Theory acquired through the basic processes of learning, including reinforcement, punishment, and modeling

Gender Schema Theory influenced by the formation of schemas, or mental representations, of masculinity and femininity

Now let’s try an experiment… Must be quiet 24 words Each word will be shown for 3 seconds After the last word is presented, write down what you can remember in any order

Fainting

Alligator

Punching

Alyssa

Candace

Hurling

Bow-tie

Doe

Jane

Suspenders

Gorilla

Skirt

Bull

Trousers

Butterfly

Stilettos

Brushing

Derek

Brian

Bikini

Phil

Blushing

Hen

Stomping

Write!!!

Let’s look at the results… Fainting - F Alligator - M Punching - M Alyssa - F Candace - F Hurling - M Bow-Tie - M Doe - F Jane - F Suspenders - M Gorilla - M Skirt - F Bull - M Trousers - M Butterfly - F Stilettos - F Brushing - F Derek - M Brian - M Bikini - F Phil - M Blushing - F Hen -F Punching - M

Are gender differences innate or culturally defined? Social learning theory: acquired through the basic processes of learning, including reinforcement, punishment, and modeling Gender schema theory: influenced by the formation of schemas, or mental representations, of masculinity and femininity

Human Sexual Response Stage 1: Excitement—beginning of sexual arousal Stage 2: Plateau—increased physical arousal Stage 3: Orgasm—male ejaculates, female vaginal contractions Stage 4: Resolution—arousal subsides

What motivates sexual behavior? Behaviors vary systematically in males and females Early hormone experience plays a prominent role in the development and control of sexually dimorphic behaviors

What motivates sexual behavior? Necessary for the survival of the species but not of the individual Lower animals motivated by hormonal changes in the female Higher species less influenced by hormones and more by learning and environmental influences

What motivates sexual orienation? Genetics Brain structure Very complex issue Only humans are exclusively homosexual

Some General Findings... Sexual orientation: early-emerging, ingrained, unchanging No consistent relationship between orientation and childhood experiences Controversial findings: possible relationship among prenatal stress, androgens, and the development of brain systems that play a role in sexual attraction

Sexual Development Puberty—stage where an individual reaches sexual maturity and is physically capable of sexual reproduction Primary sex characteristics—sex organs directly involved in reproduction Secondary sex characteristics—develop during puberty, not directly involved in reproduction, but distinguish male from female Adolescent growth spurt—period of accelerated growth during puberty Menarche—female’s first menstrual period

Sexuality in Adulthood 80% of adults report having none or one sexual partner in the past year (marriage factor) Majority of men ages 18-59 have sex about seven times per month Majority of women ages 18-59 have sex about six times per month Vaginal intercourse is nearly universal as the most widely practiced sexual activity among heterosexual couples

Sexual Disorders and Problems Sexual dysfunction - consistent disturbance in sexual desire, arousal, or orgasm that causes psychological distress and interpersonal difficulties 41% of women and 31% of men Low desire and arousal problems common among women Premature ejaculation and erectile problems common among men Physiological or psychological problems?

Paraphilia nontraditional sexual behavior depending on an unusual experience, object, or fantasy Exhibitionism—arousal from exposing one’s genitals to strangers Fetishism—arousal in response to inanimate objects (shoes, leather) Frotteurism—arousal from touching or rubbing against a non-consenting person, such as in a bus or subway

Gender Identity Disorder Persistent discomfort about one’s physical gender along with the desire to be a member of the opposite sex Previously termed “transsexualism” May undergo hormone treatment or sex-reassignment surgery GID is NOT the same as homosexuality In male transsexuals – a nucleus in the forebrain is as small as it is in females In male homosexuals - it is as large as in male heterosexuals

Sexually Transmitted Diseases STD—any of several infectious diseases transmitted through sexual intercourse or other sexual contact Of the 12 million cases of STDs diagnosed annually in the US, about 8 million are among people under 25 years of age Many STDs have mild or no symptoms, yet left untreated can cause serious health problems

AIDS Epidemic AIDS – caused by exchange of bodily fluids containing HIV, which attacks and weakens the immune system HIV can stay in the body for many years without apparent symptoms Susceptibility to other diseases Highest risk groups Currently no cure but preventable

So what have we learned? What is the difference between gender and sex? How are gender and sexual behaviors motivated psychologically and physiologically?