YasminHamad

Psychology1010
Mr.Morath
September8th,2014

Lab1:Kinsey

Kinseywasanumberofthings,academic,anthropologist,educator,biologist,scientist,
journalist.Butforthemostpart,azoologyprofessorattheUniversityofIndianainBloomfield.Kinsey
tookparticularinterestinresearchongallwasps.Hecollectingtensofthousandsofgallwasp
specimensandfocusedspecificallyoncategorizingandnumberinghisspecimens.Itwasntuntilsomeof
hisstudentsstartedaskinghimquestionsaboutsex.Tobemorespecific,thetwonewlywedsstudents
whowentintoDr.Kinseysofficeandaskedifhecouldhelpthemfigureoutwhythewifewasnthaving
anysexualarousalwhiletheyhadsex.Sheevenreferredtoherselfasbeingdeaddownthere.Kinsey
thenaskedthehusbandifheeverpleasuredhiswifeorally.Theyreresponse,No,becausetheyheard
itcouldcausecomplicationslaterdowntheroadwhentheywantedtotrytohavekids.Kinsey
reassuredthemthathavingoralsexwouldntinfactcomplicatethemwantingtohavekidsdownthe
road.Heknewthatfirsthandofcourse,becausehimandhiswife,Macdidalmosteverythingtoreach
sexualarousalinoneanother,oralsexbeingoneofthemandtheyhadthreekidstoprovethatoralsex
didnot

complicatethingswhentheyhadkids.Ofcoursethoughhedidnttellhisstudentsanyofthatinformation
becausethatwouldbeinappropriate.Thenewlywedsdidntbelieveitandaskedforscientificproof
aboutwhatDr.Kinseywassaying.Herealizedinthatmomentandwhenlisteningtowhatthestudents
weresayingaboutmasturbation,premaritalsex,etc..Itwasafterthatheagreedtoteachamarriage
course,openhisstudentseyes,answerthequestionstheyhad,andeducatethem.Itseemedlikeduring
thattime,peopleweresousedtocorrelatingbadthings

YasminHamad
Psychology1010
Mr.Morath
September8th,2014

whenitcametosex.Forexample,masturbationwassomethingthatwasfrowneduponandtalked
downon.Whennowpeopletalkaboutmasturbationcommonlyandfreely.IfitwasntforAlfred
Kinseywhoopenedpeopleseyestomasturbationandsomanyotherthingssexual,manypeoplenow
wouldstillhavethesamethoughtsandmentalitytheydidbackduringAlfredKinseystimeregarding
sexandhumansexualbehavior.Therewasverylittlescientificdataorevencommonknowledgeonthe
matteranditwasgoingtobeexceptionallyhardtotalkabouthumansexualityduringatimewhenthe
topicwasprettymuchofflimits.Hisresearchheconductedstirreduplotsofcontroversyduringthe
time.

IthinkstrengthsinAlfredKinseysresearchwouldbeheobtainedsexualhistoryfromhundreds
ofthousandsofpeoplefromalloverthecountryanddidntjustfocusononespecificethnicity,sex,age
group,orsexualpreference,etc..Insteadhegotinformationfromgays,lesbians,straight,bi,black,
white,nativeamerican,old,young.WhichIbelievemadehisresearchstrong.Youneedinformation
fromwiderangesofpeoplewithdifferentbackgroundsforanybodysresearchtobeevenacceptedor
acknowledgedespeciallyonatopicthatwassocontroversial.IthinkaweaknessinAlfredKinseys
researchwouldbehedidnthaveonespecificthinghewasachievingananswerfor.Histopicwasvery
broad,tohelppeoplebetterunderstandhumansexuality.Therewasalottouncover,thingsthatpeople
hadnoknowledgeofwhatsoeverof.Ithinkifhenarroweddownononethingitwouldhavebeen
easier.ButIstillgivehimpropsforbeingabletotacklingsuchabigissuethatneededtobeaddressed
anddoing

YasminHamad
Psychology1010
Mr.Morath
September8th,2014

agoodjobatittoo.Hededicatedtherestofhisdays,andeverydollarhehadearnedintohisresearch
evenafterhisnameandallhiscredibilitywasthrowninthemud.
TheresearchAlfredKinseyconductedIbelievewasethical.Peoplehadthechoicetooptout
ortonotparticipateiftheyfeltitmadethemuncomfortableinanyway,justlikeanyotherstudy.Itwas
ethicalbecauseitdidntdoanyharmtoanybodyordisrespecttheminanyway.Yeah,someofthe
questionsmayhavebeenabitinappropriateandpersonaltoanswer.Buthewasusingtheresultshe
obtainedonlyforhisresearchandthestudytobetterunderstand.IthinktheresearchthatAlfredKinsey
conductedwasaveryhugeeyeopenerandverybraveofhimtodo.Withoutthestudythathe
conductedwewouldnthavebeensoadvancedaswearenowwiththeinformationweknow.