Abrea, Lorie Mae L.

(HEALTH- 8) Page 1

GENDER AND HUMAN SEXUALITY

SEX -biological maleness or femaleness including
chromosomal sex
-sexual behaviors of intercourse/masturbation

GENDER- psychological and sociocultural meanings
added to biological sex

GENDER IDENTITY- psychological and sociocultural
meanings added to biological sex

GENDER ROLE-societal expectations for normal and
appropriate male and female behavior
-socially-defined and there is significant variance

SOCIAL ORIENTATION-
primary erotic attraction toward members of same sex
(homosexual, gay, or lesbian), both sexes (bisexual), or
other sex (heterosexual)


TRANSSEXUAL- gender identity does not match gonads,
genitals, or internal accessory organs


TRANSVESTITE-individuals who cross-dress for
emotional and/or sexual gratification
-from Latin trans, meaning "to change," and vestire,
meaning "clothing"

ANDROGYNY -combining characteristics typically male
(assertive, athletic) with those considered typically
female (yielding, nurturing)
-from Greek andro, meaning "male," and gyn, meaning
"female"

DIMENSIONS OF SEX AND GENDER (MALE)
-chromosomes (XY)
-gonads (testes)
-hormones (androgens)
-external genitals (penis, scrotum)
-internal accessory organs (prostate, seminal vesicles,
vas deferens)
-secondary sex characteristics (beard, low voice, sperm
emission)
-sexual orientation (heterosexual, gay, bisexual)
-gender identity (perceives self as male)
-gender role (masculine)


DIMENSIONS OF SEX AND GENDER (FEMALE)
-chromosomes (XX)
-gonads (ovaries)
-hormones (estrogens)
-external genitals (labia, clitoris, vaginal opening)
-internal accessory organs (vagina, uterus, fallopian
tubes, cervix)
-secondary sex characteristics (breasts, menstruation)
-sexual orientation (heterosexual, lesbian, bisexual)
-gender identity (perceives self as female)
-gender role (feminine)

INTERNAL SEX ORGANS-early in development, humans
have an undifferentiated gonad and both the
undeveloped male internal system (Wolfian) and the
undeveloped female internal system (Mullerian)
-testes secrete both testosterone (causes development
of the Wolfian system) and MIS (causes the Mullerian
system to wither)
-first the genetics, then the gonad, then the organs
-female by default


EXTERNAL SEX ORGANS-early in development, humans
have undifferentiated external sex organs
-testes secrete testosterone, which can be metabolized
into dihydrotestosterone, which causes masculization
and development of male structures
-without testosterone, development is female

MALE AND FEMALE DEVELOPMENT-in hyenas,
circulating androgens are elevated during development
and are believed to masculize the female
-in humans, testosterone is aromatized to estrogen and
it is actually estrogen that masculizes the brain
-females have high levels of Alpha-fetoprotein which
binds circulating estrogen in the female

MALE AND FEMALE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR-early exposure
to testosterone can cause adult female rats to act like
male rats/show mounting behavior
-early castration of males results in adult males
behaving like female rats/lordosis behavior
-results dependent upon critical period/being exposed
or castrated shortly after birth
-Phoenix, Goy, Gerall, Young (organizing action of
prenatally administered testosterone propionate on the
tissues mediating mating behavior in the female guinea
pig)

GENDER ROLE DEVELOPMENT-social learning theory
(suggests gender roles develop as children by 1
receiving rewards/punishments for gender role
behaviors and attitudes or 2 watching and imitating the
behaviors and attitudes of others)
-cognitive developmental theory (suggests children
form gender schemas/mental images of correct
behaviors for boys versus girls)


Abrea, Lorie Mae L. (HEALTH- 8) Page 2

SEX DIFFERENCES-physical anatomy (height, weight,
body build, reproductive organs)
-functional and structural brain differences:
hypothalamus (hormone regulation), corpus callosum
(larger in women/promotes cross talk), cerebral
hemispheres (women/verbal/left brain; men/spatial/
right brain)
-Simon Levey (Interstitial Nucleus of the Anterior
Hypothalamus/INAH3 study of AIDS victims)
-SDN-POA of androgenized female is larger/more similar
to male

GENDER DIFFERENCES-males (constant level of sex
hormones, use right brain, more muscles mass, greater
upper body strength, produce testosterone throughout
their life span, score higher on some math and
visuospatial skills, exhibit greater physical
aggressiveness, better on object manipulation tasks,
better target-directed motor skills, better on
disembedding tests, better on mathematical reasoning
tests)
-females (cyclic sex hormone production/menstrual
cycles, larger corpus callosum promotes cross talk, use
more left brain, estrogen production virtually stops
after menopause and lead to brittle bones, more prone
to knee damage due to wider hips, score higher on
verbal skills, supposedly higher on relational aggression
but no clear differences, better perceptual speed,
better object memory, better ideational fluency, better
on precision manual tasks, better on mathematical
calculation tests)

EARLY MISCONCEPTION OF HUMAN SEXUALITY-
masturbation and nocturnal emissions were unhealthy
(proven wrong by Havelock Ellis, who was among the
first physicians to scientifically study human sexuality,
found that nocturnal emissions were not dangerous,
and emphasized reliable and accurate sex information)
-spermatic truss/chastity belt (prevention methods)


STUDY OF HUMAN SEXUALITY-Alfred Kinsey (among the
first to use surveys and interviews to study sexual
practices and beliefs in 1940/50s)
-Masters and Johnson (among the first to use laboratory
experimentation and observation to study the sexual
response cycle in 1950/60s)

SEXUAL BEHAVIOR: AROUSAL AND RESPONSE-Masters
and Johnson's Sexual Response Cycle (excitement: for
male/female increasing levels of arousal and
engorgement, plateau: leveling off of high arousal,
orgasm: pleasurable release of tension, resolution:
return to non-aroused state)
-response cycle has considerable variance for females
and much less variability for typical males

WHY ARE MEN COMMONLY BELIEVED GRAETER SEXUAL
DRIVE, INTEREST AND ACTIVITY THAN WOMEN?-
Evolutionary Perspective (provides adaptive value; men
with multiple partners maximize their genes' chances
for survival, and a woman's genes' chances for survival
increase with a good protector and provider)
-Social Role Approach (sex differences reflect cultural
roles and division of labor; men are protectors and
providers, women are child bearers and homemakers)
-social role perspective fits better in cultures where
women have less reproductive freedom and
educational equality

MYTHS OF HOMOSEXUALITY-seduction theory (gays and
lesbians seduced in childhood by adults of same sex)
-"by default" theory (gays and lesbians unable to attract
partners of opposite sex)
-poor parenting (gay men=domineering mothers/weak
fathers; lesbian women=weak/absent mothers)
-modeling theory (children imitate gay or lesbian
parents)

CURRENT RESEARCH OF HOMOSEXUALITY-genetics
(twin studies suggest genetic influence on sexual
orientation)
-prenatal hormones (affect fetal brain development and
sexual orientation)
-ultimate causes of sexual orientation unknown, but
genetics and biology are believed to play dominant
roles

SEXUAL PROBLEMS: BIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SEXUAL
DYSFUNCTION-sexual behavior (arousal of peripheral
sex organs and nervous system, spinal cord, and brain;
activity within any of these areas may impair sexual
function)
-sexual arousal (activation within parasympathetic
nervous system, which allows blood flow to sex organs)
-sexual orgasm (activation of the sympathetic nervous
system)

SEXUAL PROBLEMS: PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN
SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION-negative gender role training
(men aggressive and independent, women passive and
dependent)
-double standard (male sexuality encouraged and
female's discouraged)
-unrealistic sexual scripts (socially dictated
"appropriate" behaviors limit sexual relations)
-performance anxiety (fear of not meeting partner's sex
expectations)

SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION-Male Sexual Problems (erectile
dysfunction: impotence-inability to maintain an
erection firm enough for intercourse; premature
ejaculation: rapid ejaculation beyond the man's control)
-Female Sexual Problems (orgasmic dysfunction:
inability or difficulty in reaching orgasm; vaginismus:
painful contraction of the vaginal muscles)
-Male/Female Sexual Problems (dyspareunia: painful
intercourse; inhibited sexual desire: apathetic or
disinterested in sex; sexual aversion: avoids sex due to
overwhelming fear or anxiety)