UNDERSTANDING HUMAN SEXUALITY:

LESSON TWO/CHAPTER TWO

Theoretical Perspectives on Sexuality

Chapter 2 describes three major theoretical perspectives on sexuality. In this chapter the authors:

Learning Outcomes 4 (the first three are in Chapter 1/Lesson 1)

Define and discuss evolutionary perspectives, including sociobiology, a controversial theory defined as the application of evolutionary biology to understanding the social behavior of animals and humans, and evolutionary psychology, which focuses on psychological mechanisms that have been shaped by natural selection.

In this chapter (2) sociobiologists use the concept of natural selection to describe how living things who best adapt to their environment are more likely to survive, reproduce and pass on their genes (Text, P. 26). Further, sociobiologists claim that human sexual behaviors are primarily the result of evolution (Text, p. 26). For example, if you were a sociobiologist and were studying the sexual behavior of for example a heterosexual couple, you might be interested in how the behavior of this couple evolved and how it is similar to the behavior of monkeys. (text, p. 26). Donald Symons is quoted as having applied sociobiological thinking to human sexuality in his book “The Evolution of Human Sexuality.” The evolutionary perspective has been criticized for its ignoring the importance of culture and learning in human behavior; however, in terms of evolution and natural selection, the thing that counts the most is the production of healthy offspring to carry on one’s genes.

Learning Outcome Five:

Define and discuss 3. psychological theories. These include Freud's psychoanalytic theory, various learning theories which are based in the belief that much of human sexual behavior is learned, and the theories of cognitive psychologists, who believe it is important to study the way people perceive and think.

I. Psychodynamic theories:

Freud’s term for the sex drive or for sex energy is the libido (Text, p. 29).Freud described components of the personality as the ego, the id, and the superego (fueled by the libido).

The superego tries to keep us out of trouble, for example, a married person who does not have an extra marital affair because he believes it would be morally wrong to do so might be said to have a strong superego (text, p.l 29).

Freud also described human development stages: oral, anal, phallic and latency (Text p. 30). Sometimes, a stage in human development might not happen in which case we would be fixated at a particular point. Dr. Freud might say that anyone who constantly smokes cigarettes would be said to be fixated at the oral stage (text, p. 30). Surprise, it was Dr. Freud who described erogenous zones such as the lips and mouth as well as the genitals, the rectum and anus (Text, page 30). Overall, we can say that Dr. Freud’s contribution to the study of sexuality was that 1. the libido is an important part of sexuality, 2. sex is an appropriate topic for scientific research (what?) and that humans pass through stages of psychological development. (A child would not be accountable as an adult, they have development and learning stages! Thank you, Dr. Freud!).

II. Learning theories

Learning theories can be classified into classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning.

Classical conditioning’s cue word is specific association or pairing. For example, if your first serious girl/boy friend would wear lycra workout shorts when “serious” sexual intimacies were on your agenda, whenever you would see a person attired in the same way, you might feel sexual stirrings arousing; or, it may be a cologne: same effect.

The person’s lycra workout shorts or the cologne would have helped us learn or become conditioned to have sexual stirrings occur whenever they are present: learning theorists would call them conditioned stimulus. If in fact you do become aroused by these items due to your past history with them, we would say you are reacting to a conditioned response.

In terms of operant learning or conditioning, we would say that sexual arousal could occur in a new circumstance that is similar to one’s past sexual experiences. In operant conditioning we speak of reinforcers, for example both food and sex are primary reinforcers or rewards (Text, p.33). Operant conditioning studies suggest that the most effective shapers of our sexual behaviors are immediate rewards (feel good?).

Please note that Freud (psychodynamic/psychoanalysts) believed that adult sexuality is determined largely during childhood while learning theorists believe our learning experiences count (whenever they occur).

A version of the learning theory holds that if we believe that most of our adult sexual behavior is determined by imitating certain sexual behavior and then being reinforced for responding to that behavior we are using the social learning theory. Social learning theory determines our degree of self-efficacy, the sense of self-competency or self-effectiveness which will encourage us to use the information in health intervention programs. Imitation is influential in that for example if we ask how a prostitute was recruited and learned to be a prostitute by following behavior of other prostitutes, we would say he/she was following social learning theory (Text, pps. 34-36).

III. Cognitive learning theories

Cognitive theorists study the way a person’s thought patterns, schemas and beliefs influence the way they perceive, think and behave. For example, modifying a person’s sexual thoughts or fantasies to improve his or her sexual functioning would most likely be done by a cognitive theorist. Schemas are those deeply held belief systems that make it very hard to alter stereotypes (such as gender behavior, gender roles, etc.) (Text pp. 36-37). Schema theory is a type of cognitive theory. One of the first questions we ask when we see or hear of a new baby is, “What kind, boy or girl?” due to the persistence/importance of our gender schemas.

LEARNING OUTCOME SIX

Define and discuss the theories and perspectives of sociologists, who study the ways in which society or culture shapes human sexuality. This includes looking at the basic institutions of society, such as religion and the family.

From the sociological perspective, if you were to state that a particular institution was an important source for norms where various types of sexual behavior are viewed as being wrong, such as extramarital sex, the institution you would be referring to would be the influence of religion from a sociological perspective (not from a religious theory perspective).

(Text, p. 39). All societies believe that sexuality is important even when sex is separated from reproduction and because sexuality is associated with physical pleasure and self-disclosure (Text, p. 42). Sexuality is integrated into all societies because it is linked to kinship, the power structure of a society and the ideologies of a society, (Text, pp. 42-43).

DISCUSSION QUESTION

LESSON TWO/CHAPTER TWO

Note: plan on using quotations (few) and paraphrasing from the text as well as your own observations. Respond to two other students (explain your responses). Be sure that you post three times separately to receive full credit for your responses.

Why is the concept of self-efficacy so important in learning? And in learning about our own and that of others' sexuality?

QUIZ

There will be a graded quizzes this week. This lesson does contain a graded quiz.  Please complete it.