1. Chapter 1 Perspectives on Sexuality

2. Studying Sexuality Psychosocial orientation psychological factors
social conditioning factors
biological factors - sociobiology

3. Our Cultural Legacy Sex for Procreation
Penile-vaginal intercourse primarym
SIGMUND FREUD – “real orgasm”
Male and Female Gender Roles

4. Social Norms & Sexual Diversity
Islamic Middle East
based on beliefs of Muhammad
sex enjoyed by both sexes
women inherently more sexual than men; this power contained by veils, segregation, female circumcision
marriages are arranged; male heir is primary goal
female adulterers & male homosexuals severely punished

5. Social Norms & Sexual Diversity (cont.)
China
highly restrictive prior to the 1990s
lack of basic information
few report premarital intercourse; of these only 50% used contraception
current trends: more sexual content in media; increasing divorce rates; increasing STDs & non-marital sex

6. Our Cultural Legacy (cont.)
Fig1.1b Pfizer Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors: How important is sex in your overall life? The study surveyed more than 26,000 people in 28 countries. The percentage of people in each country who said that sex was very/extremely/moderately important to them.

7. Our Cultural Legacy (cont.)
Fig1.1a Pfizer Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors: How important is sex in your overall life? The study surveyed more than 26,000 people in 28 countries. The percentage of men compared to women who said that sex was very/extremely/moderately important in their lives.

8. Our Cultural Legacy (cont.)
Ancient Hebrews:
highly specialized gender roles but sex seen as profound experience
Christianity
spirituality equated with celibacy
Sex as sinful
Middle Ages: contradictory images of women
Virgin Mary (the Madonna): compassionate, pure and unattainable vs. Eve: temptress

9. Our Cultural Legacy (cont.)
Sex Positive Shift
Protestant Reformation
Enlightenment; scientific rationalism
temporary increase in respect for women

10. Our Cultural Legacy (cont.)
Victorian era
women restrained & constrained
women "… not troubled with sexual feelings of any kind"
emotional & physical distance between husband & wife
prostitution flourished

11. Our Cultural Legacy (cont.)
20th century
suffrage movement; women's right to vote; temperance movement; abolition of slavery
right to own property & attend university
World War II: roles were expanded & more flexible
postwar return to stricter roles
1960s movement for gender equality
1980s and AIDS

12. Our Cultural Legacy (cont.)
Hery Havelck Ellis Psychology of sex sexual inclinations determined by social and cultural influences gender orientation by degrees women & man similar sexual desires masturbation common sexual difficulties psychologically based
Theodoor van deValde – book Ideal Marriage 1926
Robert Latou Dickinson –A thousand Marriages 1932
Helena Wright – The sex factor in marriage 1930

13. Our Cultural Legacy (cont.)
Diversity within the USA
Cultural –
bicultural – influences of original culture
acculturation – assimilation
Socioeconomic
educational

14. The Media and Sexuality
Television; News, advice and education programs, increased access to sexual material, cable and music videos
Advertising
Magazines
The Internet

15. The Media and Sexuality
Fig1.2 The Evolution of Broken Taboos on TV.