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?