1. Chapter 1 Perspectives on Sexuality

2. Sexual Intelligence Four components of sexual intelligence
Understanding self
Having interpersonal sexual skills and integrity
Obtaining accurate scientific sexual knowledge
Having consideration of the cultural context of sexuality
Increasing sexual intelligence will allow for responsible decisions in sexual behavior
Help students see how taking this course can help them make important life decisions.
Make sure to point out that being sexually active is not part of sexual intelligence.

3. Studying Sexuality: From a Psychosocial Orientation
A psychosocial orientation takes into account
Psychological factors
- Emotions, attitudes, motivations
Social conditioning factors
- Process with which we learn our social norms
Biological factors
- Hormones, nervous system, genetics, etc.

4. Diversity in the United States
What factors contribute to diversity and similarity of sexual attitudes and behaviors within the United States?
Discussion on how we generalize to groups and that there is a degree of acculturation within social groups.
Emphasize that educational level and socioeconomic status are crucial in influencing sexual behaviors and attitudes.

5. Sexuality Across Cultures and Times
One of the most powerful forces shaping human sexuality is culture.
Culture molds and shapes our sexual interests.

6. Sexuality, Popular Culture and the Media
Mass media is one of the most powerful socializing forces about sexuality.
Its purpose is not to inform but to entertain and exploit.
The internet has made it easy for individuals to obtain info, strengthen social ties, and provide sexual gratification.
TV is most common yet abdicates responsibilities to inform.

7. The Internet and Sexuality
3.2 billion Internet users worldwide
80% of people obtain health information from Internet
Source of sexual expression
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Availability on handheld devices
Tablets, ipads, cell phones
In 2015, the International Telecommunication Union estimated about 3.2 billion people, or almost half of the world's population, would be online by the end of the year. Of them, about 2 billion would be from developing countries, including 89 million from least developed countries. Source:

8. Studying Human Sexuality
Tough to do because of norms, beliefs etc. about the subject
Variety of reasons to study sexuality.
No single behavior, attitude, value or sexual norm that encompasses sexuality in contemporary America.
Your sexuality evolves as you yourself change, you may become more accepting of yourself and others.
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9. Societal Norms and Sexuality
Sexuality tends to be evaluated according to categories of natural/unnatural, normal/abnormal, and moral/immoral.
These terms are value judgments, not inherent qualities of the act itself.
There is no commonly accepted definition of natural sexuality behavior. Instead, normal sexuality behavior is what culture defines as normal.
5 criteria (types) of ‘normal’: subjectively normal, statistically normal, idealistically normal, culturally normal, and clinically normal.

10. Sexual Variation Human sexuality is characterized by sexual variation.
Researchers believe the best way to examine sexuality is on a continuum.
Many activities that are considered deviant sexual behavior exist in most of us to some degree: exhibitionism, voyeurism, and fetishism.

11. Abnormal? Unnatural?
Behaviors are not abnormal or unnatural; rather hey are more or less typical or atypical of the group average.
Many of those whose behaviors are atypical may be regarded as sexual nonconformists rather than as abnormal or perverse.

12. The ‘Unnatural Act’ Kissing is not ‘natural’.
”The ‘naturalness’ of kissing, as with so many other aspects of social life, turns our to be a biological potential shaped and cultivated by the real human nature- culture.”
- “Unnatural acts” Leonore Tiefer 2004