Chapter 3 - Sex Research Methods

Question 1

examples of challenges when studying human sexuality

Answer 1

finding honest and willing participants; finding a representative sample; avoiding bias; finding an appropriate research method

Question 2

early texts (historical overview of SRM)

Answer 2

sex manuals are detailed descriptions of how sexuality was viewed in the past ex. Kama Sutra (2nd century) & The Perfumed Garden for the Soul’s Recreation (16th century; some texts promoted sex for recreation purposes only

Question 3

modern texts (historical overview of SRM)

Answer 3

First modern scientific text: Psychopathia Sexualis by Richard von Krafft‐Ebing (1886)

Iwan Bloch’s The Sexual Life of our Time in Its Relations to Modern Civilization

Early 20th century saw the publication of sex manuals written by women.
– E.g. Margaret Sanger’s What Every Woman Should Know

Question 4

Alfred Kinsey

Answer 4

first sex researcher to conduct large scale analytic studies of sexual behaviour in NA

Question 5

Criticisms of Kinsey’s work

Answer 5

oversampling of white men and women; use of non-random samples; possible inaccuracies in the reported prevalence of various behaviours/disorders; emphasized sexual behaviour rather than how one experiences their own sexuality

Question 6

Masters and Johnson

Answer 6

conducted the first systemic, large scale study of human sexual response starting in the late 1950s

Question 7

Qualitative research approaches

Answer 7

research methods that use flexible, open‐ended questions to explore sexual issues

Question 8

Quantitative research approaches

Answer 8

research methods that explore sexual issues using methods that measure and organize phenomena

Question 9

descriptive designs

Answer 9

slide 12

Question 10

direct observation (descriptive designs)

Answer 10

observing and recording patterns in behaviour either in a natural setting or in a lab
strengths: possibility for increased ecological validity, possibility for lessened observer memory bias
weaknesses: researcher cannot manipulate or influence behaviours of interest; interpretation

Question 11

interviews (descriptive designs)

Answer 11

to collect detailed self-report data about an individual’s experience and/or perceptions of sexuality; detailed account; weaknesses: memory bias, responder bias

Question 12

case studies (descriptive designs)

Answer 12

examines a single individual, event, or group, over a period of time; can provide a detailed longitudinal account
weaknesses: interpretation bias, poor generalizability; lack of control group

Question 13

content analysis (descriptive designs)

Answer 13

allows researchers to identify themes or meanings in a text or set of observations; can often relate these patterns or themes to predetermined theories; weakness: findings are hard to quantify

Question 14

Correlational Designs

Answer 14

examines the strength of the relationship between two or more variables; relationships can be pos neg or non-existent; weaknesses: findings may be hard to interpret due to confounding variables; causation cannot be inferred

Question 15

surveys (correlational designs)

Answer 15

collecting info through standardized or unstandardized questionnaires
strengths: anonymity, can be large and inexpensive
weaknesses: memory bias; responder bias; influences from demand characteristics

Question 16

archival data-mining (correlational studies)

Answer 16

involves sorting through records or pre‐existing data; convenient way to find out about past conditions or a specific personal history
strengths: cost effective; data already collected
weaknesses: records may be incomplete; info may be out of date

Question 17

experimental designs

Answer 17

investigate the causal relationship between two variables using standardized procedures and randomization; can examine cause and effect
weakness: ethical issues with human subjects; demand characteristics may interfere with behaviour

Question 18

quasi-experimental designs

Answer 18

use standardized experiment‐like procedures to evaluate the relationship between two variables, but do not use random assignment.
Weaknesses:
– cannot make strong statements about cause and effect due to confounding variables
– Demand characteristics may interfere with
behaviour

Question 19

physiological approaches to research

Answer 19

Contemporary sexual psychophysiology
researchers often use
– measures of genital sexual arousal
– quantitative sensory testing
– brain imaging methods

Question 20

genital arousal measures (Psychophysiological
Approaches to Research)

Answer 20

Genital measures of sexual arousal measure an
individual’s physiological response to sexual
arousal; closely linked to the sexual response cycle developed by Masters and Johnson; part of the response cycle, vasocongestion, can be
measured using various direct or indirect methods; considered to be a valid indicator of sexual arousal

Question 21

quantitative sensory testing (Psychophysiological
Approaches to Research)

Answer 21

Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) is a
psychophysical method used to assess how an
individual reacts to various sensations such as
pressure, heat, or cold on the skin’s surface
– Genital quantitative sensory testing
– Clinically, quantitative sensory testing is very useful in studying Genito‐Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder

Question 22

brain imagine methods (Psychophysiological
Approaches to Research)

Answer 22

Brain imaging technologies have begun to unravel the brain activity related to sexual function and dysfunction; The most common method is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
– indirectly detects changes in blood flow associated with brain regional neural activity
– used to assess cognitive, emotional, and sensory processes associated with sexual arousal, orgasm, genitopelvic pain, and even romantic love