Week 1 Chapter 1

Perspectives on Sexuality

Sexual Intelligence

• Four components of sexual intelligence

– Self understanding about sexuality – Having interpersonal sexual skills and integrity –
Obtaining accurate scientific knowledge – Having consideration of the cultural context

• Sexual intelligence abilities help us make responsible decisions in sexual behavior

A Psychosocial Orientation

• Psychosocial approach: combination of psychological and social factors

– Psychological factors: emotions, attitudes, and

motivations

– Social conditioning factors: process with which we learn

our social norms

– Biological factors: hormones, nervous system, genetics,

etc.

• The United States

– Many factors contribute to diverse sexual attitudes and

behaviors in the United States

§ Many ethnic and religious groups § Wide range of values § Varying degrees of
education and socioeconomic status § Intergroup differences

– Often more variability within a group than between any

two groups
Diversity in Human Sexuality (2 of 3)

• Inclusive terminology

– Terms used to explain gender identity and sexual

orientation are changing rapidly

– Scientific understanding of gender and sexual orientation

are also evolving

Our Cultural Legacy: Sex for Procreation and Rigid Gender Roles (1 of 2)

• Theme 1: Sex for procreation

– Historic view of sex only legitimate for procreation – Residual effects

§ Sex = penis-in-vagina intercourse § Penis is primary source of satisfaction

Our Cultural Legacy: Sex for Procreation and Rigid Gender Roles (2 of 2)

• Theme 2: Rigid gender roles

– Extend beyond physiological differences – Expectations of “appropriate behavior” for

men and

women

– Rigid gender-role conditioning can limit each person’s

potential and can harm their sexuality

• Judaic and Christian traditions

– Ancient Hebrews

§ Gender roles were highly specialized § Procreation was essential

– Christianity

§ Spirituality through celibacy § Sex outside of marriage as sinful § Contradictory images

of women emerged
  Virgin Mary: compassionate, pure, and unattainable
 Eve: evil temptress

• A sex-positive shift

– Protestant reformation

§ Valued sex in marriage

– Enlightenment; scientific rationalism

§ Value of sex in marriage goes beyond procreation § Increased respect for women

• Victorian Era

– Women’s role was polarized between the images of

Madonna and Eve

– Distance between husband and wife

§ Intensely passionate friendships sometimes developed

between women

– Prostitution flourished

• The beginning of the 20th century

– 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote – Great Depression led to more
restrained behavior

• After World War II

– Postwar retreat into traditional gender roles

§ Men returned to the workplace § Women devoted themselves to their homes, children,
and

husbands

• The times are changing

– 1960s and 1970s “sexual revolution” confronted the

norms of previous decades

§ Numerous contraceptives introduced

– Attitudes begin to change toward homosexuality

§ Gay and lesbian people began to openly declare their

sexual orientation

§ Supreme court legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015

Media

• Television

– Increased sexual content

• Music videos

– Overt and explicit sexual content

• Advertising

– Subtle and blatant content

• Magazines

– Content may promote stereotypical gender roles, body

image insecurity, superficiality, etc.

The Media and Sexuality: New Media

(1 of 2)

(2 of 2)

• The Internet has potentially epic impact on sexual attitudes

– By 2017, 3.5 billion Internet users worldwide – Americans spend almost half of their
day on a screen – Internet used for dating, finding sex partners, retrieving

sexual health information, viewing pornography, expressing sexual fantasies, and more

Sexuality: Where the Personal Is Political

• The personal and political are truly merged when it comes to sexuality

– Impact of social norms – Increased freedoms and responsibilities today –

Controversies regarding social policies, laws, and ethics

Summary

• Sexual intelligence involves understanding oneself sexually and having interpersonal

sexual skills and integrity

– Abilities help make responsible decisions about sexual

behavior based on values

• The changes in the 20th century led to the contemporary individual’s increased ability
to make personal sexuality decisions

– Scientific, psychological, and social

Discussion

• If you overheard someone say, “I had sex last night”, what specific behaviors would
think had happened? If a straight man said this versus a lesbian woman, would your
assumptions change? If an older woman said this versus a younger man, would your
assumptions change?
Therapy Thoughts

 What is one new thing I learned today?

 How does it apply to therapy?
 What am I still not comfortable/familiar with?
 What am I still curious about?