Sex and Sexuality Flashcards
(19 cards)
Define sexuality and sexology
Sexuality: how we experience/express ourselves sexually (dependent on sexual orientation)
Sexology: study of human sexuality (STIs, social identity, birth control)
True or false: sexuality is mostly (if not completely) influenced by physical behaviours/sexual intercourse
- False
- It’s influenced by social, cultural, political, religious, and psychological factors (multifactorial)
John Locke vs Sigmund Freud’s theories on the development of sexuality
- Freud: sexuality is instinctive, central source of personality
- Locke: mind is a blank slate, sexuality develops in accordance with environmental factors
What is the evolutionary theory behind the purpose of sexuality? What are some unique aspects of humans in this regard?
- Evolution predicts that sexuality serves purely as a means for reproduction; better at passing genes = better sexuality
- Unique elements include private sex, increased prevalence of visual cues/face-to-face, hidden ovulation, involvement of father in raising the child
What are the four phases of the sexual response?
- Excitement (somatic/psychological)
- Plateau
- Orgasm (involuntary; more biological in men, more psychological in women)
- Resolution (then refractory period)
Features of each stage of the sexual response in women
- Excitement: increased HR/RR/BP, breast swelling, sexual flush, swelling of external genitalia, vaginal lubrication
- Plateau: more of above
- Orgasm: contractions of pelvic muscles/uterus, HR/BP/RR at maximum
- Resolution: reversal of all previous changes
Features of each stage of sexual response in men (including the two processes that comprise orgasm)
- Excitement: erection, engorgement of testicles, ↑ RR
- Plateau: increased penile diameter, release of pre-seminal fluid from bulbo-urethral glands
- Orgasm: emission (semen enters urethra), and ejaculation (expulsion of semen)
- Resolution: refractory period, return to unaroused state
Masters and Johnson were the sexologists who formalised the science of…
Sexual response physiology (understanding the four phases; which are these?)
How did Alfred Kinsey contribute to sexology?
Studied sexual behaviour in people of all ages. Scumbag and paedophile.
What are the non-contested stages of psychosexual development
- Oral stage (desire for pleasure manifested as sucking)
- Anal stage
- Phallic stage (discovery of genitalia)
- Latency (motivations less pronounced)
- Genital stage (puberty; development, refocusing of pleasure drive around genital area)
Describe development of sexuality in children, once they’re old enough to talk with one another (Alfred Kinsey was a scumbag)
- Curiosity around own body
- May play “doctors and nurses”; inspecting others’ genitals (mostly just to fulfill curiosity) - may be inappropriate
- This play does not create sexual orientation, and decreases into later childhood
Describe development of sexuality in adolescence, including the external/societal factors that influence this
- Main surge in sexual interest
- Learn that sex is secretive and bad
- Peers/media can be strong influences (?learning incorrect information from other adolescents)
- Masturbation/escalating sequence of behaviours with opposite sex begin to be understood
Describe development of sexuality in early adulthood
- Establishing sexual identity; non-marital sex is norm
- Tasks include integrating love and sex, forging commitments/intimacy, childbearing
Describe development of sexuality in middle adulthood. What three factors are important during this time?
- Sex is redefined in long term relationships
- Sex becomes less frequent
- Three factors are important (values underlying sex, opportunities for sex, quality of relationship)
Describe development of sexuality in late adulthood.
- Decreased sexual activity (correlates with decreased mobility, performance, and other comorbidities)
- Sexual behaviour becomes more intimacy/companionship based
- Older adults having sex show greater life satisfaction
Sexual function changes in women in late adulthood
- Decreased oestrogen decreased lubrucation from vestibular glands (↑ probability of dyspareunia)
- Fewer vaginal contractions/?painful uterine contractions
- Muscle contractions may be spastic
Sexual function changes in men in late adulthood
- Takes longer time to achieve erection/more stimulation
- Shorter/weaker erections
- Decreased ejaculatory force/volume (less freq orgasms)
- Longer refractory period
What are some pathologies that can interfere with sexuality/sexual function in late adulthood?
- Stress incontinence
- Worse mobility (e.g. arthritis)
- Erectile dysfunction (cardiovascular disease, diabetes)
- Uterine prolapse
What are three drug classes, often used in late adulthood, that are associated with sexual dysfunction
- Antidepressants
- Prostate cancer drugs
- Parkinson’s disease medications
