Psychology 2075 Study Guide - Final Guide: Transvestic Fetishism, Sexual Addiction, Paraphilia
30 Apr 2018
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Psych 2075: Units 10-12, Chapters 15-19
Chapter 15: Variations in Sexual Behaviour
When is Sexual Behaviour Abnormal?
• Defining Abnormal
o One that is rare/deviant from the social norm; inefficient and uncomfortable
o This is difficult to define because cultures have different definitions of rare
o Paraphilia: an intense and persistent sexual interest in unusual objects, situations, or individuals
o Paraphilic Disorder: paraphilia that causes distress or impairment to the individual or that harms or
would harm other people
▪ Difference between a disorder vs. paraphilia; disorder has specific criteria:
• The fantasies, urges, or behaviours are recurrent and intense
• They have occurred for at least six months
• They have negative consequences to the individual (i.e. distress, impairment, harm
to others)
▪ Some paraphilia are illegal (ex. Pedophilia) while others are not (ex. Fetishism, sexual
masochism)
o Othe ehaious that dot iole eploitatio o foe – but violate community standards of taste
▪ Indecent Exposure: shoig oes geitals i a puli plae to passes; ehiitiois
▪ Voyeurism, indecent acts in a public place, and public nudity
• The Normal-Abnormal Continuum
o Ex. Strength of preference for fetish object
Mild preference – Strong Preference – Necessity – Substitute for Human Partner
o Whe it eoes a eessit the aot eoe aoused ithout it, thats osideed aoal ad
is considered a paraphilia
o A behaviour is considered abnormal on the continuum when it interferes with having healthy
relationships or completing daily activities or causes harm to other people
Sexual Addictions and Compulsions
• Patik Caes stated its siila to aloholis ad defied the as
o Alcoholism: pathological relationship with the mood-altering substance
o Sexual addiction: pathological relationship to a sexual event or process, substituting it for a healthy
relationship with others
o Criticisms:
▪ No physiological withdrawal symptoms in sexual addiction vs. alcoholism
▪ The term addiction may affect perceptions of behaviours and thus become an excuse for
illegal, destructive behaviour
• E. I addited to se, I at otol self
o We use the term compulsive sexual behaviour not sexual addiction
• Compulsive Sexual Behaviour: a disorder in which the person experiences intense sexually arousing
fantasies, urges, and associated sexual behaviour
o Sexual compulsion can be paraphilic or nonparaphilic (conventional sexual behaviours)
o More men than women suffer from this – approx. 5% of population has this
o Key distinguishing feature – lack of control over the behaviour
o Studies show:
▪ Some people show increased sexual interest when anxious or depressed + low sexual
inhibition (self-control) = compulsive sexual behaviour in an attempt to improve/escape
from the negative mode
▪ Factors influencing potential for sexual compulsions: low self-esteem, depression, need
for validation and affection, stress release, availability of partners, and/or childhood
sexual abuse
o Care’s Aalsis – each episode of the sexually compulsive behaviour proceeds via a four-step cycle,
hih itesifies eah tie its epeated:
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1. Preoccupation: the peso a thik of othig othe tha the seual at to hih thee
addicted
2. Rituals: the person enacts certain rituals that have become a prelude to the addictive act
3. Compulsive sexual behaviour: the sexual behaviour is enacted and the person feels that he or
she has no control over it
4. Despair: rather than feeling good after the sexual act is completed, the addict falls into a feeling
of hopelessness and despair
Fetishism: characterized by sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviours involving the use of nonliving objects to
produce/enhance sexual arousal with or in the absence of a partner
• In extreme cases, the person is incapable of arousal/orgasm without the object present
• Fetish item is typically something c loosely associated with the body
• Inanimate objects can be divided in two subcategories: media fetishes and form fetishes
• Media Fetishes and Form Fetishes
o Media Fetish: the material out of which an object is made is the source of arousal
▪ Can be divided into either:
• Soft Media Fetish: substance is soft like fur or silk
• Hard Media Fetish: substance is hard like leather or rubber – often associated
with sadomasochism
o Form Fetish: the object and its shape are important
▪ Ex. Shoe fetish where the shoes must be high-heeled
• Why Do People Develop a Fetish?
o Learning Theory: fetishes result from classical conditioning in which a learned association is built
between the fetish object and sexual arousal and orgasm
▪ Sometimes a single trial can develop the association
o Cognitive Psychology: people with fetishes/other paraphilia have a serious cognitive distortion in
that they perceive an unconventional stimulus as erotic
▪ Feelings of guilt and self-loathing lead to arousal, arousal drives them to sexual
behaviour, sexual behaviour leads to orgasm and temporary relief, and then they have a
negative evaluation of the event leading to the cycle beginning again
o Theory of Sexual Addiction (explored later)
Transvestism: the practice of deriving sexual gratification from dressing as a member of the other gender;
transvestic fetishism
• Some gay men dress up as women = drag queens
• Some lesbians dress in masculine clothes = drag kings
• Female Impersonators: men who dress as women, often as part of their jobs as entertainers
o Ex. Robin Williams was one in Mrs. Doubtfire
o Young boys cross dress mainly out of curiosity
• Transvestite: a heterosexual man who dresses in female clothing to produce/enhance sexual arousal
o Ke poit: its fo seual aousal ot epessio of ie gede
o Most common with men, perhaps because society is more accepting of women wearing masculine
clothes
o A lot more men with paraphilia than women, explained by:
▪ Sociobiology – evolution
• Males are to inseminate many partners and be aroused by stimuli without
emotional content
• Males taught to be instrumental and to initiate sexual interactions
• Females meant to be nurturing and empathetic
▪ Psychoanalytic theory – paraphilia results from castration anxiety which is relieved via a
forceful sexual act
• Women do not fear castration and are not subject to paraphilia
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o Studies show that men dress up for a variety of reasons – not always sexual
o Some families are accepting of cross dressing – some wives even help the husbands
o Occurs on a continuum:
▪ Mild form = harmless, victimless sexual variations
▪ Etee = pesos ol soue of eoti gatifiatio o he it eoes a opulsio
they at otol – thus distress occurs in their life
BDSM
• Sexual Sadist: a person who derives sexual excitement/satisfaction from inflicting pain, suffering, or
humiliation on another person – person inflicting pain
• Sexual Masochist: a person who is sexually aroused by fantasies, urges, or behaviours involving being beaten,
humiliated, bound, or tortured to enhance or achieve sexual excitement – person receiving pain
• Two Styles of Interaction Related to Sadism-Masochism (S-M)
o Bondage and Discipline (B-D): use of physically restraining devices or psychologically restraining
commands as a central aspect of sexual interactions
▪ Ex. Obedience, servitude – but no physical pain
o Dominance and Submission (D-S): interaction involving a consensual exchange of power, the
dominant partner uses their own power to control and sexually stimulate the submissive partner
• BDSM
o B and D = bondage and discipline
o D and S = dominance and submission
o S and M = sadism and masochism
• Sexual Sadism and Masochism
o More common than people think – includes spanking and handcuffs
o Majority of people are interested in it/have fantasized about it
o men report being interested in it since childhood, women are more likely to have been introduced to
the subculture by someone else
o Women prefer bondage, spanking, and master-and-slave role-playing
o Fou thees ee idetified i a sue egadig patiipats ehaious i the past ea:
1. Hyper masculinity (ex. Dildo, enema)
2. Administering and receiving pain (ex. Hot wax, clothespins attached to nipples)
3. Physical restriction (ex. Handcuffs)
4. Humiliation (ex. Verbal or face slapping)
o Less intense behaviours are much more common
o Pain is only arousing when part of the scripted ritual
▪ Ex. Slamming finger in door is not arousing
• Causes of Preference for Sexual Sadomasochism
o Learning Theory – girl caught masturbating and is spanked
o Childhood sexual abuse may cause sadistic fantasies
▪ Ex. The fantasies help them cope with the abuse then become an influencer on future
behaviour
o Psychological Theory – sexual masochistic activity allows the person to escape from who they are
▪ Prevalent amongst men who have heavy pressures for autonomy, separateness, and
individual achievement; it helps them escape these expectations
• Bondage and Discipline
o BDSM Munch: informal gathering of people who are interested in DSM, often at a restaurant, so
they can eat, socialize, and meet other people with similar interests
o Common themes (in order) for why B-D: play (sex is fun), exchange of power, and intensified sexual
pleasure
o Majoit of people like eig the passie otto oles
• Dominance and Submission
o Key to S-M is not pain but rather dominance and submission
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Document Summary
Psych 2075: units 10-12, chapters 15-19: one that is rare/deviant from the social norm; inefficient and uncomfortable. This is difficult to define because cultures have different definitions of rare. Paraphilia: an intense and persistent sexual interest in unusual objects, situations, or individuals. Paraphilic disorder: paraphilia that causes distress or impairment to the individual or that harms or would harm other people: difference between a disorder vs. paraphilia; disorder has specific criteria: The fantasies, urges, or behaviours are recurrent and intense. They have occurred for at least six months. They have negative consequences to the individual (i. e. distress, impairment, harm to others) Fetishism, sexual masochism: othe(cid:396) (cid:271)eha(cid:448)iou(cid:396)s that do(cid:374)(cid:859)t i(cid:374)(cid:448)ol(cid:448)e e(cid:454)ploitatio(cid:374) o(cid:396) fo(cid:396)(cid:272)e but violate community standards of taste. Indecent exposure: sho(cid:449)i(cid:374)g o(cid:374)e(cid:859)s ge(cid:374)itals i(cid:374) a pu(cid:271)li(cid:272) pla(cid:272)e to passe(cid:396)s(cid:271)(cid:455); e(cid:454)hi(cid:271)itio(cid:374)is(cid:373: voyeurism, indecent acts in a public place, and public nudity.
