1. Understanding Sexual Life Through Research and Theory
Chapter 2
Knowing What We Know:
Understanding Sexual Life Through Research and Theory 1

2. Early Sexuality Researchers: Paving the Way to Understanding Sexuality and Sex
An Historical View of Sex Through the Ages
The Greeks BCE to 200 BCE
The Roman Empire 27 BCE to 365 CE
Early Christianity 50 CE to 1000 CE
The Middle Ages 476 CE to 1400 CE
Coming to America 1500 CE to 1600 CE
Modern Day CE to 1900 CE 2

3. Early Sexuality Researchers: Paving the Way to Understanding Sexuality and Sex
19th Century Sexuality Research
Iwan Bloch: The Father of Sexology
Karl Heinrich Ulrichs: A Political Activist
Richard von Krafft-Ebing: A Promoter that Sex is Deviant
Clelia Duel Mosher: Advocate for Women’s Sexual Health
Havelock Ellis: An Agitator for Sexual Reform
Albert Moll: A Social Conservative
Magnus Hirschfield: A Gay Rights Champion 3

4. Early Sexuality Researchers: Paving the Way to Understanding Sexuality and Sex
20th Century Sexuality Research
Sigmund Freud ( ): An influential Thinker
Case Studies; Developed 5-stage theory of sexuality
Alfred Kinsey ( ): A Sexual Liberalizer
Interviews; Developed sexual orientation scale
William Masters ( ) and Virginia Johnson (1925- ): Promoters of Change
In Lab; Developed 4-phase sexual response cycle 4

5. Sexuality Studies in the United States
The Janus Report
The National Health and Social Life Survey
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Pfizer Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors 5

6. Research Ethics
Institutional Review Boards for the Protection of Human Subjects (IRB):
Safety
Informed Consent
Privacy and confidentiality
Injury 6

7. 7

8. Understanding the Multiple Influences of Our Sexuality: The Ecological Model
The Individual
Microsystem
Mesosystem
Exosystem
Macrosystem
Chronosystem 8

9. Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Model9

10. An Introduction to Sexuality Theories
Ecological Theory
Family Development Theory
Family Systems Theory
Symbolic Interaction Theory
Structural-Functionalism Theory
Conflict Theory
Women’s Studies/Feminist Theory
Men’s Studies 10

11. Sexual Life Education
Concluding Points 11