exam #2 Flashcards
(159 cards)
difficulties of definitions of sexuality/ labels
-makes people feel like they have to choose a label
-prevalence of non-heterosexual people depends on what your definition of orientation is
-each aspect of definition may not match with others
Kinsey’s idea of SO
-SO as a continuum
-acknowledges individual variability and that behavior, attraction, identity can change over
Kinsey scale and process
-gave people questions, put them on scale from completely heterosexual <-> completely homosexual
-X (outside of scale) represents asexual people (to get ppl who didn’t fit continue based on a lack of sexual behavior)
what is asexuality NOT
-celibacy
-sexual dysfunction or fear of sex
-a complete lack of erotic arousal
-an indication of inexperience sexually
-an indication that someone doesn’t masturbate or have sexual fantasies
what is asexuality?
-distinct sexual orientation
-lack of positive feelings after erotic arousal
-shares some bio features correlated with homosexuality (parallels of physiological changes)
difficulties of theories of SO
-no data to support choice, social transmission, or just not having a good heterosexual experience yet
psychoanalytic theory of SO
-Freud believed all humans polymorphously perverse (can derive sexual pleasure from anything, we all want pleasure)
-everyone is inherently bisexual, depending on process through psychosexual stages of development
-male homosexuality: fixation in phallic stage, or unresolved Oedipal complex due to overbearing mother and absentee father
biology and hormonal theories of SO: LeVay and problems (brain structure)
-Dif in brain structure between orientations
-homosexual men ~ heterosexual women
-problem: only used brains of dead people and inferred SO through records
-nearly all men died of AIDS
biology and hormone theory of SO: Savic and Lindstrom (brain symmetry)
-dif in brain symmetry and greater nerve connections in the amygdala
-gay men: more symmetry and activation on left side of amygdala like hetero women
-lesbian women have less symmetry and activation on right side of amygdala like hetero men
biology and hormone theories of SO: Hughes and Bremme (facial symmetry)
-facial symmetry less in homosexual people
biology and hormone theories of SO: Lalumiere, Blanchard, Zucker (handedness)
left handedness-homosexual orientation
biology and hormone theories of SO: Williams et al (finger lengths)
atypical finger-length ratios and homosexuality
birth order theory of SO (LeVay)
-fraternal birth order effect: for each older brother a man has, his odds of being gay increase by a third
Hershberger and twin studies theory
the more genetic material shared, the more likely to share SO
-higher rates of homosexuality for identical twins that fraternal twins
common theme of development of different SOs
exposure to higher than usual levels of androgens in utero manifests in SO
problems with heterosexual vs homosexual comparisons and research
treats them as two discrete classes, research only compares these two, not different types of sexualities on the spectrum
evolutionary theories of SO question and examples
homosexuality does not enhance reproductive success
-kin selection hypothesis
-alloparenting hypothesis
Kin selection hypothesis
some people don’t have offspring bc we need more caregivers
-“gay uncle hypothesis”
-only applies to heterosexual relations, not all heterosexual people have kids
alloparenting hypothesis
-women are more flexible in sexual attraction to men and women to compensate in case something happens to her kids’ father and/or reduce conflict among co-wives, and have sexual relations with them instead
-want to enhance reproductive success
examples of biopsychosocial theories of SO
-exotic becomes erotic
-sexual fluidity theory
exotic becomes erotic theory of SO
-people are born with a temperament that drives interests
-heterosexual: temperaments lead to sex-typical preferences and gender non-conformity, causes seeking out playmates with similar interests, and see themselves as different as the same sex
-non-heterosexual: gender non-conformity; sees themselves as different from children of opposite sex
-difference: exotic, transforming into sexual arousal during puberty
sexual fluidity theory
-SO has more biological component in males
-males hardwired for attraction, women more varied
-results may actually show that women are more likely to report fluid attraction than males
Baumeister and sex differences in expression
(women’s sexual Bx and effect of religion and culture)
-women’s sexual behaviors fluctuates more across time
-culture, education, and religion have a stronger effect on women’s sexuality
-greater discrepancy between attitudes and behaviors for women
-may be because religion, culture is more harsh on women
women and same-sex activity in same-sex settings
more likely to engage in same sex activity (ex: prison, schools)