1. Variations in Sexual Behavior
Chapter 16
Variations in Sexual Behavior
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2. When Is Sexual Behavior Abnormal?
Statistical definition - abnormal sexual behavior is one that is rare, or not practiced by many people
Sociological approach - sexual behavior that violates the norms of society
Psychological approach - criteria of abnormality include discomfort, inefficiency, and bizarreness
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3. When Is Sexual Behavior Abnormal?
Medical approach - recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Paraphilia - recurring, unconventional sexual behavior that is obsessive and compulsive
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4. Fetishism
A person’s sexual fixation on some object other than another human being and attachment of great erotic significance to that object
Media fetishes and form fetishes
Media fetish - a fetish whose object is anything made of a particular substance, such as leather
Form fetish - a fetish whose object is a particular shape, such as high-heeled shoes
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5. The Normal-Abnormal Continuum
Normal and abnormal sexual behavior are not two separate categories but rather gradations on a continuum
Normal range of sexual behavior - mild preference to strong preference
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7. Why Do People Become Fetishists?
Learning theory
Classical conditioning to an object as sexual
Cognitive theory
Perception of arousal is distorted
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8. Transvestism Refers to dressing as a member of the other gender
Drag queens - male homosexuals that dress up as women
Female impersonators - men who dress as women, often as part of an entertainment job
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9. Sadism and Masochism
Sadist - a person who derives sexual satisfaction from inflicting pain on another person
Masochist - a person who derives sexual satisfaction from experiencing pain
Bondage and discipline - use of physical or psychological restraints to enforce servitude
Dominance and submission - the use of power consensually given to control the sexual stimulation and behavior of the other person
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10. Sadomasochistic Behavior
Accompanied by elaborate rituals and gadgetry
Sadomasochism (S-M) is a rare form of sexual behavior
Causes of S-M - unknown
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11. Bondage and Discipline
Sexual bondage - the use in sexual behavior of restraining devices which have sexual significance
Dominance and submission (D-S) - the use of power consensually given to control the sexual stimulation and behavior of the other person.
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12. Voyeurism
Voyeurism - a person who becomes sexually aroused from secretly viewing nudes
Scoptophilia - sexual pleasure is derived from observing sexual acts and the genitals
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13. Exhibitionism Exposing genitals to others in inappropriate situations
Causes of exhibitionism are not known
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14. Hypersexuality Nymphomania - high level of sex drive in women
Satyriasis - Don Juanism; an excessive, insatiable sex drive in a man
Hypersexuality - refers to an excessive, insatiable sex drive in either a man or a woman; leads to compulsive sexual behavior
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15. Asphyxiophilia
The desire to induce in oneself a state of oxygen deficiency in order to create sexual arousal or to enhance excitement and orgasm
People engage in asphyxiophilia in the belief that arousal and orgasm are intensified by reduced oxygen
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16. Other Sexual Variations
Troilism - or triolism, refers to three people having sex together
Saliromania - disorder found mainly in men; desire to damage or soil a woman or her clothes
Coprophilia - deriving sexual satisfaction from contact with feces
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17. Other Sexual Variations
Urophilia - sexual satisfaction from contact with urine
Necrophilia- sexual contact with a dead person
Zoophilia - bestiality; sexual contact with an animal
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18. Prevention of Sexual Variations
Difficult to intervene
Diagnosis difficult to do
Analyze the components of sexual development:
Gender identity
Sexual responsiveness
Formation of relationships with others
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19. Treatment of Sexual Variations
Medical treatments
Surgical castration
Hormonal treatment - use of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)
Psychopharmacological treatment - use of psychotropic medications, ex.: anti-depressants such as Prozac
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20. Treatment of Sexual Variations
Cognitive-behavioral therapies
Behavior therapy
Social skills training
Modification of distorted thinking
Relapse prevention
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21. Treatment of Sexual Variations
Skills Training
Programs may include how to carry on a conversation, how to develop intimacy, and basic sex education
Sex surrogates
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22. Treatment of Sexual Variations
AA-Type 12-Step programs - modeled on the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous
What works? - carefully controlled research is needed
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