Ch 3: Sex Research

Question 1

what are some assumptions about being a sex researcher?

Answer 1

people assume your in the line of work because you have a stake in the topic

Question 2

** Behaviours / Attitudes

Answer 2

accepting attitudes towards casual sex BUT P’s were not having greater levels of casual sex BUT P’s were using safer sex practices more consistently they did have casual sex (kids fuck, sex isn’t great so they have more sex but they wear condoms)

Question 3

sampling terms?

Answer 3

population
sample
random sample

Question 4

problems with sex research?

Answer 4

• volunteer bias
• controversy and ethics
• reliability and self-reports on sexual behaviour

Question 5

what are the problems with Reliability on self reports on sexual behaviour? (there’s 5 of them)

Answer 5

1. social desirability (lying about your body count to fit in)
2. understanding terminology (ppl might not know the terms in sex research)
3. bad memories (can’t ask an adult how many times they masturbated as a kid)
4. distorting info (again lying about body count to fit in - social desirability)
5. not knowing how to even talk about sex (how do you describe your sex life in a self report?)

Question 6

why is volunteer bias a problem with sex research?

Answer 6

because people who volunteer probs have only positive attitude and good experience with sex compared to the people who do not volunteer

Question 7

research method: SURVEYS

Answer 7

P’s complete questionnaires

Question 8

research methods: DIRECT OBSERVATION

Answer 8

2 types:

-field research
-laboratory observation

Question 9

what is field research

Answer 9

studying people in their natural environment

Question 10

what is laboratory observation

Answer 10

observing peoples behaviour in a lab setting (masters and johnson)

Question 11

research method: EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

Answer 11

researcher manipulates ind variable to assess the effect on the outcome dep variable.

sometimes the experimental group is compared to a control group

Question 12

research method: CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH

Answer 12

as one increase the other increases…

correlation does not imply causation (3rd variable)

Question 13

research method: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 13

looks for common themes across individuals (example: interviews)

Question 14

what was Bartell’s Swinging study about?

Answer 14

• Gathered hundreds of people who were interested in swinging
• swinging: a couple who is interested in having sex with one or more people

Question 15

what was Humphreys Tearoom Trade study about?

Answer 15

• he stood as a lookup for gay men to hook up in public places

-he would get their license plates after and find their address and changed his appearance later on to go interview them in their homes

-results were that most men were married to women and had children

Question 16

What was Masters and Johnsons study about in the lab observation?

Answer 16

directly observed, monitored and filmed responses to orgasms and arousals

Question 17

how many orgasms did Masters and Johnsons measure?

Answer 17

over 10,000

Question 18

what were some assessment methods that Masters & Johnsons used in the lab?

Answer 18

1. Vaginal photoplethysmography
   - measured concentration of blood in the clit = level of arousal
2. Penile Strain Gauge
   - measured concentration of blood that makes a guy hard = level of arousal
3. Ulysses
   - a clear Dildo with a camera in it to see what happens inside the vagina during arousal

Question 19

the kinsey report (1950s ish)

Answer 19

they interviewed over 10,000 ppl about their sexual activities

also had a book that contributed to the sexual revolution

Question 20

what was controversial about the kinsey report and his book?

Answer 20

he used part of his data in his book about childhood sexuality

the guy he got the data from suffered a rough childhood with sexual abuse (incest etc..)

he ended up not reporting this guy who clearly needed help and he ended up