Reproductive behavior

Gender and reproduction Gender –Based on sex Sex –Reproduction Fusion of male and female gametes –Formation of diploid zygote from two haploid cells –Genetics

Reproduction –Courtship Bringing male and female together Ritual and behaviors –Different between male and female (gender role) –All aspects of life Role of male –Deposition of sperm Brief Disposable

Role of female –Extended in mammals –Considered as precious resource Social structure

Reproductive behavior Critical –Passing of genetic materials One of the greatest motivation for courtship –Humans Complex behavior –Complex mental capacity –Cultural view and role of men and women

Reproduction and sex –Linked through biological and genetic inheritance Reproduction and gender –Linked loosely through cultural inheritance Courtship Coitus

Role of pleasure –Sexual intercourse regardless of fertility –Emotional aspects of relationship Cultural significance –Economics –Social –Inheritance –Legality

Sexuality Courtship and intercourse –Pleasure –Sexual excitement Eros Sexuality –Very broad meaning meaning of being man or woman Inner excitement and outward expression

Sexual individual –Erotically functional Physical Mental Asexual individual –Void of erotic functions

Classification of sexuality Based on object of sexual arousal –Extremely wide range Not mutually exclusive Contribute to complexity of human sexuality May change over time –Stimuli Variety –Sexual identity (inner arousal) –Sex stereotype (societal view)

Classification of sexuality Based on object of sexual arousal –Extremely wide range –Stimuli –Social acceptability Legal Moral Religious

Sexual orientation –Person’s erotic and romantic attraction Heterosexual Homosexual Bisexual

Formation of sexual identity Identification of sexual orientation Heterosexuality –Infants Polymorphrously perverse –Erotic attraction to anyone or anything –Resolve of sexual identity Early age –Somewhat unclear

Homosexuality –Six-stage model by Cass (1979) Identity confusion (who am I?) Social and identity comparison (I may be gay) Identity tolerance (I probably am gay) Identity acceptance (I am gay) –Coming out of closet Identity pride (I feel good, you are bad) Identity synthesis (Being gay is a part of me)

Homosexuality –Stage of identity formation Somewhat ambiguous –Individual sexual identity –Group membership identity development

Bisexuality –Four-stages of development by Weinberg et al (1994) Initial confusion Applying a label Settling into an identity Continued uncertainty

Formation of sexual identity Genetics and anatomy –Highly unlikely Too much variations No selective advantages in some behaviors/preferences Social learning –Social adaptation rather than biological adaptation

Hormones –Androgens May affect hypothalamus Not conclusive

Relationship between sexuality and gender Gender and heterosexuality –Females Characteristics/behaviors that are attractive to males –Males Characteristics/behaviors that are attractive to females –Generation of stereotypes –Complicates how social learning affects sexual identity