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Explore the fascinating studies of Alfred Kinsey and Simon LeVay that shed light on sexual motivation and orientation. Discover the physiological and psychological factors that drive our sexual behaviors and preferences.
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Sex Is Natural • We are all motivated to have sex. • Without that motivation, none of us would be here. How do we (as scientists) find out about sex? We ask!!!!
Alfred Kinsey’s Studies • Held confidential interviews with 18,000 people (in early 1950’s) about their sexual behavior and attitudes. • He found most men and half of all women of that time had premarital sex and did other various sex acts. • His study and results shocked many and angered others Why??
Why was Kinsey important? #1 • first to use scientific method to study sex • showed us that our perceptions about what others are doing are a whole lot different than the reality • i.e. – sex and certain sexual behaviors where only done by a few deviants – but actually they are done by most normal people – even your parents!! • he denounced, in his opinion, the “repressive social attitudes” of his time • This opened the flood-gates to research in this field #2
Good Start- but major problems with his study- sampling, questions etc…. • Sample was not random • mostly well-educated, white city dwellers • Asked many leading questions to gather data • Misinformation effect • May have let his own beliefs influence his results • Experimenter bias
Set out to explore the physiology (biology) of sex. Started a study with 382 females and 312 males. Filmed more than 10,000 sex cycles over a 20 year period Only people who were willing to have sex in a lab environment were asked to participate. This was a big problem for the test as far as reliability and validity Masters and JohnsonThe Physiology of Sex
The highlight of their research was the biological breakdown of sex called… The Sexual Response Cycle Excitement Phase Plateau Phase: excitement phase peaks, breathing, pulse increases Orgasm Resolution Phase: body returns to normal resting states – men MUST experience a refractory period – time must elapse before the cycle can repeat – women do not have a similar refractory period and can repeat the cycle immediately Results of M & J Study How is a high dive similar to the Sexual Response Cycle?
The Psychology of Sex Many studies point to psychological rather than biological factors for sexual motivation Unlike many animals, our sexual desire is not motivated strictly by hormones Only some people are externals when it comes to hunger - but we are all externals when it comes to sex. People can find sexually explicit images either pleasing or disturbing- but they are none the less biologically arousing.
Movies of women being coerced or forced into sex tend to increase the viewer’s acceptance of the false idea that women can enjoy it. Viewing X-Rated films can diminish people’s satisfaction with their own partners. Expectations change. After viewing attractive women or men on TV- people judge their own partners as less attractive. Can External Sexual Stimuli have negative effects?
Adolescent Sexuality Culture • About ½ of all high school kids in US report having sex- rates are higher in Western Europe but lower in Arab or Asian countries. Also change over time in the same culture: in 1900 3% of women reported having sex by 18. Now that number is around half.
A sexual attraction toward members of either one's own gender or the other gender. We have discussed the energizing of sexual motivation but have yet to discuss its direction: Sexual Orientation
Simon LeVay discovered a cluster of cells in the hypothalamus that is larger in heterosexual men than in heterosexual women or homosexual men. The Brain • However, this cluster could be socially developed or by some other biological factor.
