Chapter 13: Study Guide: Sexuality

Masters and Johnson developed this concept to describe four phases of physiological responses as individuals masturbated or had sexual intercourse: excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution.

regulatory drive – eg hunger, thirst – preserves homeostasis

a non-regulatory drive – eg reproductive drive – serves a more complex purpose

The class of hormones that predominate in females and are produced by the ovaries.

the class of hormones that predominate males and are produced by the testes in males and by the adrenal glands in both males and females.

scented substances that are powerful sexual attracts in some animals

Sex is synonymous with love.

sex is accepted only within marriage

Masters and Johnson developed this concept to describe four phases of physiological responses as individuals masturbated or had sexual intercourse: excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution.

A belief that many sexual actives are acceptable for males but not females.

regulatory drive – eg hunger, thirst – preserves homeostasis

an enduring attraction toward members of owns sex (homosexual) or opposite sex) heterosexual)

a non-regulatory drive – eg reproductive drive – serves a more complex purpose

The class of hormones that predominate in females and are produced by the ovaries.

the class of hormones that predominate males and are produced by the testes in males and by the adrenal glands in both males and females.

scented substances that are powerful sexual attracts in some animals

Sex is synonymous with love.

sex is accepted only within marriage

A belief that many sexual actives are acceptable for males but not females.

an enduring attraction toward members of owns sex (homosexual) or opposite sex) heterosexual)

Disorders that involve impairments in the sexual response pattern, either in the desire for gratification or the inability to achieve it.

the sexual response cycle is described as having four phases - excitement (desire); plateau (excitement), orgasm and resolution - sexual difficulties are often defined within one of the first three of these phases

the desire phase of the sexual response cycle involves “…an urge to have sex, sexual fantasies, and sexual attraction to others.” p 308
the two dysfunctions of this phase are hypoactive sexual desire disorder and sexual aversion disorder

the ‘excitement’ or plateau phase involves more intense physiological arousal, increases in blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and breathing

the two dysfunctions of this phase are female sexual arousal disorder and male erectile dysfunction disorder

male and female orgasmic disorder – a repeated inability to reach orgasm or long delays in reaching orgasm after normal sexual excitement

psychological causes - relationship or other emotional issues; performance anxiety and the spectator role (Masters and Johnson 1970); poor/unhelpful learning experiences and dysfunctional associations; issues related to attitudes or values; fear or anxiety related to a physical condition; previous trauma or assault

“…characterized by recurrent and intense sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors involving nonhuman objects, children, nonconsenting adults, or experiences of suffering or humiliation.” Comer: 324

fetishism – “…recurrent and intense sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors that involve the use of a nonliving object”

– “…involve dressing in clothes of the opposite sex.” Comer: 326

voyeurism – “…desire to observe unsuspecting people in secret as they undress or to spy on couples having intercourse...” Comer: 328

exhibitionism – “…sexually arousing urges or fantasies about exposing their genitals to another person...”

– “…sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors that involve touching and rubbing against a nonconsenting person.”

“…being humiliated, beaten, bound, or otherwise made to suffer.”

“…inflicting suffering on others.” Comer: p 330

pedophilia – “A paraphilia in which a person has repeated and intense sexual urges or fantasies about watching, touching, or engaging in sexual acts with prepubescent children, and may carry out these urges or fantasies.” Comer: 328

a rare condition in which “…a person’s physical gender is not consistent with the person’s sense of identity” Barlow and Durand (2007 p 342)
distinct from transvestism and from intersexed individuals (hermaphrodites)
gender identity is independent of sexual arousal patterns

sex reassignment surgery – permitted under very precise criteria…the individual must live in the opposite sex-role for 1- 2 years; must be stable psychologically, financially and socially