Chapter 9

Question 1

Sexual orientation

Answer 1

• A complex, enduring pattern of cognitive, motivational, and behavioral tendencies that shapes how people experience and express their sexuality
• Often framed as the gender toward whom an individual feels attracted
• Includes self-labels

Question 2

Sexuality

Answer 2

Capacity for sexual responses and experiences

Question 3

Sexual identity

Answer 3

Label used to describe a person’s sexual orientation and the emotional reactions that the person has to this label
- Do I tell people I am gay? Am I proud of this or embarassed?

Question 4

Lesbian

Answer 4

Women who are sexually or romantically attracted exclusively to other women

Question 5

Gay

Answer 5

Sexually or romantically attracted to people of one’s own sex (used especially of a man)

Question 6

Bisexual

Answer 6

Anyone attracted to people of more than one gender, people of similar and different genders, and who identify as bisexual

Question 7

Pansexual

Answer 7

Experience romantic or sexual attraction to people of all sexes and gender identities

Question 8

Polysexual

Answer 8

Attracted to others of multiple sexes and genders

Question 9

Asexual

Answer 9

Lack sexual interest in other people, prevalence 1-4% of people identify this way

Question 10

Aromantic

Answer 10

Lack romantic interest in other people

Question 11

The Kinsey Scale

Answer 11

• 7-point scale of sexual orientation
• 0 = exclusively attracted to opposite sex
• 6 = exclusively attracted to same sex
• Typically, not used in research

Question 12

What percent of people are heterosexual?

Answer 12

Most people heterosexual (85-90%)

Question 13

What percent of men and women categorize themselves as mostly or exclusively attracted to the same sex?

Answer 13

~2% of women and 3% of men
- The exact numbers depend a bit on the survey

Question 14

Is sexual orientation heritable?

Answer 14

• Heritability studies indicate that at least half of the variance in sexual orientation is due to genes
• Nature and nurture account for about equal components in sexual orientation

Question 15

Sexual fluidity

Answer 15

A person’s capacity for changes in their sexual orientation or sexual identity over time

Question 16

Does women’s sexual orientation stay the same across the lifespan?

Answer 16

It is assumed that same-sex attraction is stable over the lifespan, but recent evidence suggests that especially for women that is not the case
- Non-exclusive same-sex attraction outnumber exclusive same-sex and other-sex attraction in women

Question 17

Evidence for women’s sexuality across lifespan

Answer 17

• Both heterosexual and lesbian women show genital arousal to same-sex and other-sex visual stimuli
• Sexual orientation in women is fluid
• Women are more likely to be attracted to women and men at some point in their lifetime

Question 18

Is men’s sexuality very fluid?

Answer 18

Not as fluid as women

Question 19

Diamond Study (2006)

Answer 19

Assessed women with same-sex attraction over 8 years

Question 20

Subtypes of lesbians

Answer 20

• Stable lesbian
• Fluid lesbian
• Stable non-lesbian

Question 21

Findings of Diamond study

Answer 21

• Fluid lesbians report more same-sex sexual attractions, contact, and romantic relationships than non-lesbians, but less than stable lesbians
• Stable lesbians reported 93% physical attractions and 92% of sexual behavior with women, less changing attractions over time
• Fluid lesbians reported 80% of physical attractions and 70% of sexual behavior with women, greater change in physical and emotional attractions over time
• Stable non-lesbians reported 45% of physical attractions and 32% of sexual behavior with women, greater change in physical and emotional attractions over time

Question 22

How are gay men and lesbians different from straight individuals?

Answer 22

Adult gay men and women tend to be gender-atypical in cognitive and behavioral traits
- Gay men describe themselves as less masculine and lesbians as less feminine
- Gay men have better verbal fluency, lesbians do better on mental rotation tasks than same sex peers

Question 23

How are gays and lesbians different in childhood?

Answer 23

Boys and girls who later become gay men and lesbians tend to engage more in gender atypical behavior and activities
- One study assessed childhood videos of gay and straight adults and “pregay” kids were more gender non-conforming
- Pregay boys = less interested in “boy” toys and activities, judged as less masculine or girlish, less stereotyped career goals
- Prelesbian girls = prefer boys’ toys and activities, judged as less feminine or boyish, male typical career goals

Question 24

Homophobia

Answer 24

A strong irrational fear or negative attitude toward sexual minority individuals

Question 25

Heterosexism

Answer 25

Discrimination or bias against people based on their non-heterosexual orientation

Question 26

Minority stress

Answer 26

- Stigma, prejudice, and discrimination create a hostile and stressful social environment - This may be the reason sexual minorities are more likely to be diagnosed with psychological disorders than heterosexual individuals

Question 27

Experience of LGBTQ+ high school students

Answer 27

US high school sexual minorities face high levels of rejection, discrimination, and violence

Question 28

Intersectionality and bias against LGBTQ+ individuals

Answer 28

33% of White and 50% of Black sexual minority individuals have experienced antigay prejudice

Question 29

Laws in place in different States to protect LGBTQ+ individuals

Answer 29

- 28 states have no protective laws - 2 states prohibit schools from adding protections for LGBT students - 21 states have no prohibition on discriminating against LGBT individuals in housing - 20 states do not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation - 7 states require LGBTQ+ inclusion in curriculum

Question 30

APA guidelines for therapists working with LGB individuals

Answer 30

- Therapists need to understand that being a sexual minority does not automatically mean the person is psychologically disturbed - Psychologists need to probe their own attitudes about sexual orientation issues as well as their knowledge about these issues - If they discover limitations in their expertise or attitudes that may negatively impact clients, they should refer the client to another therapist - Sexual minorities are stigmatized in dozens of ways, ranging from subtle prejudice to outright violence and psychologists must gain a deep understanding of the impact this may have on the mental health of their client

Question 31

Orgasm gap

Answer 31

- During heterosexual activity, women orgasm less frequently than men - 65% of heterosexual women, 86% of lesbians, 95% of heterosexual men, and 89% of gay men "usually or always" orgasm during sexual activity

Question 32

What affects the size of the orgasm gap?

Answer 32

- The gap narrows for women who are in a relationship compared to a hook-up - Women who know where their clitoris is have more frequent orgasm during masturbation

Question 33

Is orgasm related to relationship satisfaction?

Answer 33

- Orgasm frequency predicts sexual and relationship satisfaction for both men and women - Women less likely to masturbate