FRHD 2100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Vaginal Photoplethysmograph, Queer Theory, Heterosexuality
1 Jun 2018
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FRHD*2100 (DE) Chapter 2
Page 1 of 7
Chapter 2: Using Theory and Research to Understand Human Sexuality
Theoretical Approaches to Understanding Human Sexuality
• Theo
– Set of ideas/concepts used to explain a set of observable facts.
– Provides a framework for explaining/predicting sexual thoughts, attitudes, and
behaviours.
Evolutionary Theory
• “peies hae eoled though the process of natural selection (survival of the fittest)
– Better-adapted members are more likely to survive, reproduce, and transmit traits.
• “oioiolog
– Genetic basis to social and sexual behaviour among humans and other animals
– Human’s today carry traits that helped ancestors survive and reproduce.
• Matig “tategies
-- Women and men have different biological roles.
-- Results in different mating strategies.
-- Men millions of sperm, biologically produce more offspring than women.
-- Women limited number of eggs, carry fetus, provide breast milk.
-- Short term: casual sex with multiple partners (preferred by men)
-- Long term: monogamous relationship over extended period of time (preferred by
women)
• Eoti Plastiit
– Social and cultural forces shape levels/expression of sexual drive.
– Women are more responsive than men to most specific cultural factors (cultural
permissiveness/restraint).
– Me’s ehaious ae more consistent with attitudes than are oe’s.
• Citiis of Eolutioa Theo
– Theory used to perpetuate stereotypes.
Psychoanalytic Theory
• Pshoaalsis—Sigmund Freud
• Theo of pesoalit
• Hua ehaiou epesets the outoe of lashig ie foes.
• We ae o ith iologiall-based sex drives, channelled through socially approved outlets.
• Pshoaalsis—Sigmund Freud
– The mind operates on conscious/unconscious levels.
– The ego protects the conscious mind through defense mechanisms (e.g., repression).
– Erogenous zones:
• Ma pats of od ae esposive to sexual stimulation.
• Deelopetal pogessio fo oe eogeous zoe to aothe (e.g., oal
cavity anal cavity).
• Pshoaalsis—Sigmund Freud
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FRHD*2100 (DE) Chapter 2
Page 2 of 7
– Theo of hilde’s pshoseual deelopet:
1. Oral
2. Anal
3. Phallic
4. Latency
5. Genital
Learning Theories
1. Behaviourism
– Emphasizes the importance of rewards and punishments in the learning process.
2. Cognitive Theory
– Emphasizes importance of cognitive activity (e.g., problem solving, decision making,
expectations).
– Children acquire gender roles through reinforcement of gender-
appropriate behaviour.
– Parents, peers, television, movies, books, etc.
3. Sexual Script Theory
– We learn scripts from our social environment about how men and women should
behave.
1. Cultural: general social rules for how sexual interactions should unfold
2. Interpersonal: apply cultural scripts to own sexual interactions with partners
3. Intrapsychic: cognitively internalize cultural scripts and personalize them to
own values, preferences, and circumstances
– Traditional Sexual Script
• Weste Cultue: mainstream sexual scripts are highly gendered
• Heteoseual sipt fo e ad oe.
• Me: have higher sex drive, be initiators, and be responsible for mutual
pleasure
• Woe: accept or reject male advances, passive role in sexual interaction
4. Social Exchange Theory
1. Social behaviour based on series of exchanges.
2. Individuals try to maximize rewards/minimize costs.
3. When we receive rewards, we feel obligated to reciprocate.
• e.g. Itepesoal Ehage Model of “eual “atisfatio.
5. Feminist Theory
• Fouses o unequal status of women/girls in society
• Aalzes elatioships etee:
– Sexism
– Heterosexism
– Racism
– Class oppression
– Exploring means of resistance
• Vaiet of feiist theoies/tpes of feiis.
• “hae oe assuptios:
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Document Summary
Chapter 2: using theory and research to understand human sexuality. Better-adapted members are more likely to survive, reproduce, and transmit traits. Genetic basis to social and sexual behaviour among humans and other animals. Human"s today carry traits that helped ancestors survive and reproduce. Set of ideas/concepts used to explain a set of observable facts. Provides a framework for explaining/predicting sexual thoughts, attitudes, and. Theoretical approaches to understanding human sexuality: theo(cid:396)(cid:455) behaviours. Evolutionary theory: pe(cid:272)ies ha(cid:448)e e(cid:448)ol(cid:448)ed th(cid:396)ough the process of natural selection (survival of the fittest, o(cid:272)io(cid:271)iolog(cid:455, mati(cid:374)g t(cid:396)ategies. - women and men have different biological roles. - men millions of sperm, biologically produce more offspring than women. - women limited number of eggs, carry fetus, provide breast milk. - short term: casual sex with multiple partners (preferred by men) - long term: monogamous relationship over extended period of time (preferred by women: e(cid:396)oti(cid:272) plasti(cid:272)it(cid:455) Social and cultural forces shape levels/expression of sexual drive.
