2. OUTzINE
1. Introduction
2. Desire: Attraction and Arousal
3. The Biology of Desire: Nature’s Explanation
4. The Influence of Hormones
5. The Mechanics of Arousal
6. Sociobiology and Evolutionary Psychology
7. The Social Origins of Desire
8. The Social Construction of Sexuality
9. Social Control of Sexuality
10. An Integrative Perspective on Gender and Sexuality
11. Sexual Identity and Orientation
12. The Continuum of Desire
13. Gender as the Basis for Sexual Identity
14. Conclusion
5. Although sex is experienced as one of the
most basic and biological of activities, in
human beings it is affected by a lot of
things other than just sexual urge.
6. Who we are attracted
with, and what we find
sexually satisfying is not
just a matter of what we
are “equipped” with.
7. SEX has a biological and social
context
Biological
•
How people use
their genital
equipment to
reproduce
Social
•
Our actual bodies
make the experience
of sexual pleasure
available
•
Sex is not confined to
actual reproduction
8. Dimensions of sex
Sexual behavior
•
sexual acts that
people engage in
(courtship,
seduction,
intercourse)
12. Sexual Desire:
Everyone is interested in sex.
Some are obsessed with it.
Some are picky with it.
Some do it out of love.
Some do it because they are
married.
Some do it just because.
People differ in what they find
attractive and arousing.
14. Men and women have
fundamentally different
biological wiring ?
Culture produced
marked differences
between men and
women?
It is ultimately hard to
characterize biological
and social sexual
21. Testosterone
•
Testosterone being linked to
aggression is also false
(Angler, 1995)
•
Low testosterone
levels: Aggression
High testosterone
levels:
Calmness,
Happiness,
Friendliness
24. Estrogen
•
OLD BELIEF: Natural selection favored
women who were sexually aroused before
ovulation.
– Reproductively successful women would pass
on their propensity/tendency for arousal to
their children.
•
Theory has been debunked (Bancroft,
1984).
– Women were actually aroused before
ovulation.
26. Sexual Role of Hormones
HORMONE INFLUENCE WEAKNESS TO
THEORY
Testosterone
(male)
Triggers sexual
arousal
•Also present in
women; also
triggers their
sexual arousal
•Calmness, not
aggression
Estrogen
(female)
Triggers
menstrual cycle
•Also present in
men
•Aggression, not
29. William Masters & Virginia
Johnson
•
Studied the human sexual
arousal system
•
Hooked up participants to
machines to measure
their arousals
30. How they did it:
•
Photographed the
insides of women’s
vaginas during
arousal
•
Showed these
pictures to their
participants
•
Measured the rise
and fall of men’s
penises
31. Limitations of the experiment
•
Focused on the biological factors only, instead of
psychological and contextual factors
•
Participants were sexual extroverts (prostitutes),
therefore, weren’t representative of the general
population
32. William Masters & Virginia
Johnson
•
Sexual differences between men and
women:
9Men get excited sooner, therefore get aroused
sooner
uWomen take longer time to get aroused
33. Arousal Times
Women
– Take a longer time
to get aroused
– Arousal remains
longer after the
orgasm
– Do not require a
refractory period
– Women are “multi-
34. Arousal Times
Men:
– Get erections
sooner
– Lose erections
sooner
– “Refractory period”
before getting
another one
35. Arousal Times
•
Women
considered to be
superior sexual
athletes
compared to
men
•
Men need to
learn to adjust to
women’s slower
arousal times
36. Fake Orgasms?
•
26% women fake
their orgasms (NY
Daily News, 2011)
•
Used as a “male-
retention” tactic
•
Woman’s insecurity in
the relationship
37. 10 Food to Boost
Testosterone(from http://news.menshealth.com/better-sex-
foods/2012/05/20/ and http://www.menshealth.co.uk/food-
nutrition/what-to-eat/eat-up-to-man-up)
1. Nuts: Contain amino acids that
help blood circulation
2. Oysters: Rich in zinc, which is
useful in sperm production and
blood circulation; ideal amount
38. 10 Food to Boost
Testosterone
1. Red Grapes: 5 – 10 grams of grape skins
raised testosterone levels and sperm’s
ability to swim (Chinese study)
2. Tuna: Rich in Vitamin D and can bolster
testosterone levels by up to 90%
(Austrian study)
3. Avocado: Decreases amount of LD
cholesterol, which blocks arteries and
39. •
Onion juice triples testosterone production.
•
Testosterone levels can drop after masturbating, making it
an unhealthy practice for athletes. It is recommended that
the athlete be exposed to sexual stimuli before training, then
using the amped levels of testosterone during their work-out.
•
Kama Sutra Contents: 10 types of kisses, 64 different
caresses, 8 variations on oral sex, and 84 positions for
intercourse.
•
The word “testify” came from the Roman tradition of men
swearing on their testicles before the court.
•
Among sexually active adults, lesbians have the lowest
incidence of STDs.
Trfvie:
40. Trpvza:•
50% women have one breast that is larger than the other.
•
The G in G-string stands for groin.
•
Ejaculation: came from the Latin word for “throwing out”
•
The word “vanilla” comes from the word “vagina,” because
the vanilla pod resembled the female genetalia.
•
75% men come within three minutes of penetration.
•
A man’s beard will grow faster when he is anticipating sex.
•
Sex burns 360 calories an hour.
43. Sociobiology & Evolutionary
Psychology
•
The key
assumption of
these two theories
is that humans
have an innate,
genetically
triggered impulse
to pass on their
genetic material
through
44. •
The human
species achieves
immortality by
having children
who live to the
age of
reproductive
maturity and
produce children
themselves.
Sociobiology & Evolutionary
Psychology
50. Health and reproductive capacity
make youth generally sexier (Buss
1994).– Hourglass figure – Fertile men who
produced children
51. Men's tastes for
recreational sex,
unambivalent lust,
and a variety of
partners are
consistent with
maximizing their
production of
children.
Men's sexual interest is also more
easily aroused because sex
involves fewer costs to them than
women.
60. The Social
Origin of
Desire
•
Biology and genetics alone
do not shape human
sexuality.
•
Environment tells us which
behaviors are "normal" and
which are not.
•
Our behaviors are highly
influenced by our parents'
explicit and implicit rules.
•
Break them or follow them,
but you can't forget them.
61. The Social
Origin of
Desire
•
In Sweden, premarital sex is
accepted. They are expected to be
knowledgeable and experienced. It
might even feel a bit mundane.
•
In Ireland, Catholics are supposed to
heed the Church's strict prohibitions
against sex outside marriage, birth
control and expression of lust.
Nonmarital sex is clandestine and
shameful.
•
Certainly, biology in Sweden is no
different from biology in Ireland. The
differences lie in the rules. Taboo
adds excitement. The rules arise
from different norms, unwritten rules
of society.
62. The Social
Origin of
Desire
•
Social influences play a
bigger role in shaping
sexuality. In history, woman
was portrayed as the stormy
temptress and man as the
reluctant participant, as in
Adam and Eve.
•
At other times, men were
voracious sexual beasts,
and women were pure in
thought and deed.
63. •
Shifting of ideas about gender:
social clothing for sexuality.
•
The concept of gender
typically relies on a dichotomy
of male versus female sexual
categories.
•
HIGH HEELS
•
Distinctions are important
because they provide guidance
to human beings about how to
be a "culturally correct"
The Social
Origin of
Desire
64. The Social Construction of
Sexuality
•
TAHITIAN •
ENGLISH
Our environment shapes us and our sexuality.
65. The Social Construction of
Sexuality
Sexual socialization
is complex.
Social circumstances
shape sexual patterns.
66. The Social Construction of
Sexuality
•
High premarital sex
leads to high
extramarital intercourse
•
Important: Family and
Social background
•
Macro view - societal-
level explanations
•
Micro view - individual-
level explanations
67. The Social Construction of
Sexuality•
Social conflict theory
•
Symbolic interaction
theory-norms are
confirmed or resisted
•
Bound feet of women
in China
•
…allow men to
control mobility of
women
68. Social Control of Sexuality
•
Social norms are
group-held beliefs
about how members
should behave in a
given context
•
“Liberated” –
deviant from the
social norm
69. Social Control of Sexuality
“There is no such thing as truly free
sexuality.”
70. Social Control of Sexuality
•
Homogamy – marrying within one’s
class, religion, and ethnicity
72. Social Control of Sexuality
Disruptions to
the social order:
poor and rich;
people of different
races, ethnicities, or
faiths; and between
members of the
same sex
73. Social Control of Sexuality
“Societies control sexuality through construction of
a dichotomized or gendered sexuality (Foucault,
1978).”
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=culture&start=104&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-a&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&tbm=isch&tbnid=Bsh-
MU17rU2ZzM:&imgrefurl=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Culture-of-Being-Rude.html&docid=XEWq
74. Social Control of Sexuality
•
Is there an appropriate male and female
behavior?
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=culture&start=104&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-a&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-
US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&tbm=isch&tbnid=Bsh-MU17rU2ZzM:&imgrefurl=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Culture-of-
Being-Rude.html&docid=XEWq
75. Social Control of Sexuality
“Sexual desire is fueled
by the experience of
privilege and taboo
regarding sexual
pleasure (Foucault,
1978).”
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=culture&start=104&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-a&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-
US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&tbm=isch&tbnid=Bsh-MU17rU2ZzM:&imgrefurl=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Culture-of-
Being-Rude.html&docid=XEWq
76. Social Control of Sexuality
•
T. R. Malthus highlighted the
relationship between reproductive
practices and economics.
•
curb the birth rate -> intervention on the
sexual behavior of individuals
77. Social Control of Sexuality
•
Society’s interest in
controlling sexuality is
expressed in form of
debates regarding sexual
education
•
“Does formal learning
about sex increase or
deter early sexual
experimentation?”
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=culture&start=104&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-a&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&tbm=isch&tbnid=Bsh-
MU17rU2ZzM:&imgrefurl=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Culture-of-Being-Rude.html&docid=XEWq
78. Social Control of Sexuality
•
Proponents:
Providing young people with
appropriate and accurate
information discourages early
sexual activity and encourages
safe practice
•
Opponents:
Information about sex will
only lead to early and
inappropriate sexual behaviors
•
Conservatives:
– Abstinence > information
•
Sex education programs
actually have little effect on
sexual behavior.
•
There is no evidence that
comprehensive sex education
promotes or precipitates early
teen sexual activity.
•
Final analysis: students’
response varies on the
individual level while in group
level, trends have shown that
sex ed delays sexual activity
and makes teenage sex safer.
79. Social Control of Sexuality
Norms, whether implicit or explicit,
influence sexual behavior.
82. Some social constructionists believe that there is no
inflexible biological reality; everything we regard as
either male or female is culturally imposed.
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=culture&start=104&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-a&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&tbm=isch&tbnid=Bsh-
MU17rU2ZzM:&imgrefurl=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Culture-of-Being-
Rude.html&docid=XEWqIbtPqUTlbM&imgurl=http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/culture-and-diseases-
631.jpg&w=631&h=300&ei=_hQZUa3SO4vorQeivYCoAQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:13,s:100,i:43&iact=rc&dur=1344&sig=106595358150439382492&page=7&tbnh=155&tbnw=310&ndsp
=20&tx=42&ty=67
90. C. Penile erection. How
might an erection be
socially constructed?
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=penile+erection&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-
a&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-
US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&tbm=isch&tbnid=9Ecx0uiELDoAKM:&imgrefurl=http://penileparade.tumblr.com/
post/28109027996/visit-my-archive-penile-
parade&docid=i195Biq_NUjsrM&imgurl=http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7szty2StD1ry9ixfo1_1280.jpg&w=
563&h=750&ei=UCUZUbqsKYPorQeC-oGgBg&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:4,s:0,i:87
91. Shakespeare:
“ Lechery, sir, (alcohol) provokes
and unprovokes: it provokes the
desire, but it takes away the
performance. Therefore much
drink may be said to be an
equivocator with lechery: it makes
him and it mars him, it sets him on
and it sets him off, it persuades
him and it disheartens him, makes
92. Penises are not nearly
so reliable as the
mythology of
masculinity and
attraction would
maintain.
Erections appear to
come and go with odd
timing.
Erections are not
always evidence of
romantic interest.
93. Homosexual men had lower testosterone levels
than a matched group of heterosexual men due
to stress, anxiety, and similar negative emotions.
94. Biology influences desire, but social context
influences biology and gives meaning to bodily
sensation.
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=heterosexual+vs+homosexual&start=138&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-
a&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-
US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&tbm=isch&tbnid=oU8Y_vpHddI3JM:&imgrefurl=http://lgbtsexuality.wikispaces.com/&docid=z3szhEgLQnv3jM
&imgurl=http://lgbtsexuality.wikispaces.com/file/view/Nature_versus_Nurture.jpg/217747774/Nature_versus_Nurture.jpg&w=590&h=456&ei=B
SkZUeauLcaGrAeu4IDYBA&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:53,s:100,i:163&iact=rc&dur=930&sig=106595358150439382492&page=9&tbnh=168&tb
nw=213&ndsp=21&tx=99&ty=61
95. IMPLICATIONS
1. An integrationist will raise questions about
biology when social context is emphasized as
cause, and will raise questions about social
context when biological causes are emphasized.
2. Everything sexual and physical occurs and
achieves meaning in a social context
97. Terms refer to how people tend to classify themselves
sexually – either as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=lesbian+gay+bisexual&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-
a&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&tbm=isch&tbnid=-
CiOkBGp24K9kM:&imgrefurl=http://london.usembassy.gov/lgbt.html&docid=Te0x5Em2TpN6LM&imgurl=http://ph
otos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/homepage/lgbt_rights_300x234.jpg&w=300&h=234&ei=bS8ZUeaR
GcaIrAeUkoGADA&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:6,s:0,i:93&iact=rc&dur=5001&sig=106595358150439382492&page=
1&tbnh=178&tbnw=238&start=0&ndsp=15&tx=382&ty=275
98. Sexual behavior and sexual desire =
sexual identity
Source: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?q=sexual+identity&um=1&hl=fil&client=firefox-a&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-
US:official&biw=1280&bih=609&noj=1&tbm=isch&tbnid=pnHyZyErULUkiM:&imgrefurl=http://identoba.org/&docid=HM4P
_FXsnhvZxM&imgurl=http://identoba.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/discussion3-
26214_432x340.jpg&w=432&h=340&ei=JjEZUYH9HI60rAfG7oDADQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:53,s:0,i:246&iact=rc&dur
=883&sig=106595358150439382492&page=3&tbnh=199&tbnw=253&start=36&ndsp=20&tx=104&ty=119
116. SEXUAL DESIRE AS AN EXPRESSION OF
GENDER
Men and women have distinct patterns of
sexual expression, regardless of orientation.
Wide range of sexualities of men and women
demand further explanation.
117. Sexual phenomena are socially-scripted, but
highly individualized.
Sexual desire is a “chaotic playing field”.
Biology is a prominent context for sexuality, but
not without social, interpersonal or political
contexts; influential factors are present too.
118. What we need to learn:
Sexuality is one of the most dynamic,
pervasive and enigmatic aspect of
human experience.
There are as many sexualities as there
are people.