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Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 9
Sexual Expression
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Sexual Expression
• A complex process through which we reveal our sexual selves
• Involves behaviors and feelings
• Research relies upon self reports which may be problematic
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Sexual Attractiveness
• Characteristics of what is “attractive” vary across cultures, but two universals emerge– Youthfulness– Health
• Theories proposed by evolutionary psychologists can be difficult to test
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
A Cross-cultural Analysis
• Various cultures emphasize:– The eyes– Height and weight– Size and shape of genitals
• American ideals of beauty not universal– Breasts not erotic in several cultures– Plump women preferred over thin women in
majority of cultures– Gender– Ethnicity
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Sexual Strategies Theory: Buss
• Males and females differ in preferred traits in partners
• Males and females have different strategies of commitment
• Differences exist due to differences in reproductive investment and reproductive physiology
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
The Halo Effect
• Attractive people assumed to be more sexual and permissive
• Can create a self-fulfilling prophecy
• Expectation creates the desired outcome
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Sexual Desire
• Can exist separately from physical sexual expression
• Very little scientific research in this area• Desire is influenced by two factors:
– Erotophilia: a more positive emotional response toward sexuality-related situations
– Erotophobia: a more negative emotional response toward sexuality-related situation
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Sexual Scripts
• Organize our sexual expressions
• Scripts have 3 main components:– Cultural– Intrapersonal– Interpersonal
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Cultural Scripting
• Provides the general pattern of expected sexual behaviors
• Tells us which behaviors are acceptable (moral or normal) and which are unacceptable (immoral or abnormal)
• Individual views may not match cultural views of erotic
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Scripting
• Intrapersonal: Focus on the internal and physiological states that are associated with sexual arousal
• Interpersonal: Involves the shared conventions and signals that enable two people to engage in sexual behaviors
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Autoeroticism
• Sexual activities that do not involve a partner
• Sexual fantasies and dreams
• Masturbation
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Functions of Fantasies
• Define and direct erotic goals
• Anticipate and prepare for erotic situations
• Provide pleasurable escape
• Safe way to introduce novelty
• Clues to the unconscious mind
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Gender and Sexual FantasiesLeitenberg and Henning (1995)
• Notable differences in sexual fantasies of men and women consistent across orientation– Men’s: more active, focusing on fantasy
partner’s body, explicit sexual acts, physical gratification
– Women’s: more passive, focusing on partner’s interest in own body, emotional content, romance
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Erotic Dreams
• Dreams can accompany nocturnal orgasm for men and women
• Dream content may not be overtly sexual
• Content of dreams cannot be controlled and often runs the gamut of sexual possibilities
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Masturbation
• Most men and women masturbate for several reasons
• Relaxation• Relief of sexual tension• Partner not available• Physical pleasure• Aid to falling asleep• A way to avoid STIs and HIV
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Masturbation
• Attitudes towards masturbation vary along ethnic, cultural, and religious lines
• Latino and Black cultures are generally less accepting than White culture
• Prevalence of masturbation is correlated with education, ethnicity, and religion
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Masturbation
• An important means of learning about our bodies
• Not necessarily a substitute for interpersonal sexual activity
• A legitimate form of activity in its own right
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Masturbation Across the Lifespan
• Children and adolescents masturbate and non-judgmental parental reaction can be important
• Women and masturbation
• Men and masturbation
• Masturbation and marriage
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Sexual Behavior with Others
• Touching– pleasuring– tribidism– interfemoral
intercourse
• Kissing
• Oral-genital sex– cunnilingus– fellatio
• Vaginal intercourse• Anal eroticism
– analingus– anal intercourse
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Touching
• A sign of caring and signal for arousal
• The entire body is responsive to touch and caresses
• Genital touch is one of many forms of this type of pleasuring– Pleasuring (Masters and Johnson)
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Kissing
• Usually our earliest interpersonal sexual experience– First kiss is often a milestone– The most widely accepted of all premarital
sexual activities
• Lips are highly sensitive to touch and highly erotic
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Oral-Genital Sex
• Became part of more Americans’ sexual scripts in the 20th century
• Cunnilingus: the erotic stimulation of a woman’s vulva and/or clitoris by her partner’s mouth and tongue
• Fellatio: the oral stimulation of a man’s penis by his partner’s sucking and licking
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Oral-Genital Sex
• Incidence: 70-90% report engaging in oral sex over the course of their lifetime
• Attitude towards genitals and sex can affect their comfort with oral sex
• Reduce risk of STI and HIV with latex barriers• Ejaculation and semen
– Preference– Risk
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Sexual Intercourse
• A source of pleasure, communication, and love
• Positions
• STIs
• Tantric
Copyright ©2008 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Anal Eroticism
• Analingus: Oral–anal contact
• Anal manual activities
• Anal intercourse: insertion of a penis into anus
• Individuals of all sexual orientations engage in anal eroticism