Sexual Behaviour Flashcards
(18 cards)
What are the main psychological factors that influence romantic attraction?
• Physical attractiveness
• Propinquity (physical proximity)
• Familiarity and similarity
• Complementarity (filling in each other’s traits)
• Reciprocal liking
• Reinforcement of positive behaviours
What are the six styles of love described in psychology?
- Eros – Romantic, passionate love
- Storge – Stable, committed companionship
- Ludus – Playful, game-like love
- Pragma – Practical, benefit-based love
- Mania – Obsessive, dependent love
- Agape – Selfless, altruistic love
What are the three core components of love in psychological models?
- Sexual desire – Driven by androgens and estrogens
- Romantic love – Linked to dopaminergic reward systems
- Attachment – Mediated by oxytocin and vasopressin
How does romantic love differ from sexual desire and attachment?
Romantic love is associated with dopamine-driven reward and motivation.
• It fuels the pursuit of a partner and the pleasure of connection.
• Unlike sexual desire (biological drive) or attachment (long-term bonding), romantic love is emotionally intense and reward-focused.
What is the role of the Sex Determining Region Y (SRY) gene in sexual differentiation?
The SRY gene on the Y chromosome produces testis-determining factor.
• This triggers development of testes from bipotential gonads.
• Testes then release testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone, initiating male-typical development.
What is the sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN) and how does it develop?
The SDN is a cluster of neurons in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus, larger in males, regulates sexual behaviour.
• Testosterone enters the brain during development and is aromatised to oestradiol.
• Oestradiol masculinises the SDN; without testosterone, it remains small (female-typical).
What are the organisational effects of testosterone?
• Occur during prenatal and perinatal development.
• Masculinise brain structures and circuits.
• Establish male-typical sexual behaviour patterns.
What are the activational effects of testosterone?
• Occur during puberty and adulthood.
• Stimulate libido (male and female), mating behaviour, and aggression.
• Activate sexual behaviour circuits (e.g., SDN, amygdala, nucleus accumbens).
What are other behavioural effects of testosterone?
• Increases risk-taking, novelty-seeking, and dominance.
• May reduce empathy and affective theory of mind.
• Inversely correlated with paternal nurturing behaviour.
What are the organisational effects of oestrogens?
• Low oestrogen during development supports default female brain patterning.
• Absence of testosterone leads to feminisation of the brain.
What are the activational effects of oestrogens?
• Enhance sexual receptivity and motivation.
• Increase sensitivity to sexual cues (e.g., lordosis in rodents).
• In humans, linked to increased sexual desire during ovulation.
What are the behavioural effects of menopause?
• Decline in oestrogen and progesterone; rise in FSH and LH.
• Symptoms include hot flashes, sleep disturbances, reduced libido.
• Cognitive and emotional changes: memory complaints, mood swings, anxiety.
What role does dopamine play in attraction and romantic love?
• Drives sexual desire and romantic attraction via reward circuits.
• Released during sexual activity and in response to partner cues.
• Activates VTA and nucleus accumbens; promotes pair bonding and “wanting.”
How does dopamine activity relate to long-term relationships?
• Greater VTA and caudate activation in response to partner images correlates with relationship closeness and duration.
• Early-stage dopamine activity predicts long-term relationship outcomes.
What are the psychological effects of oxytocin?
• Enhances pair bonding, trust, empathy, and social recognition.
• Released during sex and breastfeeding; promotes closeness and caregiving.
• Increases social salience and reduces fear in social contexts.
What are the psychological effects of vasopressin?
• Promotes pair bonding and territorial behaviour, especially in males.
• Supports paternal behaviour and mate guarding.
• Enhances social memory and recognition of familiar individuals.
What animal evidence supports oxytocin and vasopressin in pair bonding?
• In prairie voles, oxytocin (females) and vasopressin (males) are necessary for partner preference formation.
• Blocking these receptors prevents bonding even after mating; administering them induces bonding without mating.
What drug evidence supports the role of oxytocin in social behaviour?
• Oxytocin enhances social bonding and prosocial behaviour in animals and humans.
• In rats, MDMA (ecstasy) and alcohol increase oxytocin release, promoting social behaviours like huddling.
• Blocking oxytocin receptors eliminates these drug-induced social effects, showing oxytocin’s causal role.
