1. Chapter 6
Erotic Plasticity

2. Nature & Nurture Sexual revolution Nurture: Social constructivists
Dramatic change in sexual climate
Bigger change for females - why?
Nurture: Social constructivists
Nature: Essentialists
Mix may differ for males & females

3. Erotic Plasticity Responsivity of sex drive to social forces
Cultural, political, situational forces change sex
Female sex drive more erotically plastic
Flexibility
Adaptive
Increases vulnerability

4. Erotic Plasticity Predictions 1. Females will change more over time
2. Social Vs have stronger impact on females
3. Less consistency between attitudes-behavior among females

5. Prediction 1: Changes Over Time
Kinsey, Masters & Johnson
‘discontinuities in total outlet’(Kinsey, 1948)
‘mercurial tendency to shift rapidly from peak to valley’ (Masters & Johnson, 1966)
Masturbation & orgasm
Male: Consistent activity
Female: Inconsistent (high v. NO activity)

6. Prediction 1: Changes Over Time
Sexual orientation
4/5 lesbians had heterosexual sex (1/2 gays)
More bisexual females than males
Mate swapping (75% females have sex, 1% males)
More females adopt a lesbian orientation in prison
Overall extant data supports prediction 1

7. Prediction 2: Social & Cultural Influences
Sexual revolution
Female virginity, promiscuity more impacted
20% increase in females w/ > 5 partners (11% for males)
Education increases liberal sexuality
Effects much larger for females
Educated women 2x more likely to have performed oral sex (educated males 1/3x more likely)
College education 9x increased chance of being gay for females, 2x for males

8. Class data (03) (N = 102) Pearson correlation
Linear association between 2 Vs
Positive = higher/lower scores on 1 V associated w/ higher/lower scores on other V
EX: Studying hours & GPA
Correlated age year w/ views of sex
Expect older, more education less wrong

9. Class data (03) (N = 102) Sex < 16 .00 .21* Homosexual .04 .23**
Higher sores < wrong Age Year
Sex < *
Homosexual **
Prostitution .26** .24**
* p < .05. **p < .01.
More educated less wrong one viewed sex!
Stronger among females?

10. Class data (03) (Females = 73)
Year
Higher sores < wrong Males Females
Sex < ** .01
Homosexual **
Prostitution **
Pornography †
†p < .08. **p < .01.

11. Prediction 2: Social & Cultural Influences
Peers, parents more strongly impact female
Genes should more strongly predict male
Heritability for age of first intercourse
72% for males, 40% for females
Homosexuality: Genetic evidence stronger for males
Overall extant data supports prediction 2

12. Prediction 3: Attitudes & Behavior
Consistency an issue in Social Psychology
A-B problem, situational features intervene
Erotic plasticity suggests less consistency
Infidelity
Correlation attitudes &behavior weaker for females
Homosexual behavior
Males who desire: 85% did, only 1/2 females
Overall extant data supports prediction 3

13. Summary Males less erotically plastic as adults
Exception: More impacted by social factors as children
Females more erotically plastic in adolescence & throughout adulthood
Why?

14. Erotic Plasticity: Male Power
Women have to adapt to male sexuality
Supportive evidence WOULD be greater flexibility in other aspects of functioning also
No clear evidence yet

15. Erotic Plasticity: Female Changes
Female sexual role involves more changes
Females more cautious & initial attitude is NO
Human reproduction depends on female changing her mind
Psychological capacity for sexual change evolved
Submission fantasies common & arousing among females
NO! -> pleasurable YES!

16. Implications Easier to change female sexuality
AIDS, sex therapy
Sexual self-understanding hard for females
Sexual decision making harder for females
Relationships challenging & flexible
Homosexuality
Males (self-acceptance)
Females (continual revision)

17. Conclusion Females are more erotically plastic than men Unclear why
Their sexuality more responsive to social influences, changes more over time & yields weaker A-B connections
Unclear why
May be due to male power or evolved change-ability in female sexuality
Implications