Psych Chapter 11/ Chapter 14

Sex

the physical or biological classification as male or female

Gender

psychological and social characteristics associated with being male or female

Female Genetic Sex

XX

Male Genetic Sex

XY

Kleinfelter’s syndrome

a boy is born XXY (extra X)

• may look feminine but have undersized sexual organs and are infertile

Turner’s syndrome

girl born with only 1 X chromosome and no Y

• teen appears boyish and infertile

Gonads

secrete sex hormones

Testosterone

a male sex hormone secreted mainly by the testes, and responsible for the development of many male sexual characteristics

Estrogen

a group of sex hormones secreted by the ovaries, and responsible for the development of many female sex

Intersexual Person

a person who has genitals suggestive of both sexes

Androgens

presence of them develops male structures, absence of them develops female

Sexual Orientation

the degree of stable, emotional, and erotic attraction one has to the same sex, opposite sexes, both sexes, neither sexes, or all sexes

Sexually antagonistic selection theory

suggests that genes are the same across both sexes but expressed differently in males and females

Epigenetics

the expression of genes during development

Epigenetics Theory

Variations in prenatal hormone levels may influence development of sexual orientation

Homophobia

prejudice, fear, and dislike directed at homosexuals

Heteresexism

the belief that heterosexuality is better or more natural than homosexuality

Sexual

a person who experiences sexual attraction

Grey-A

someone who identifies somewhere between asexual and sexual

Asexual

does not experience sexual attraction

Demisexual

only experiences sexual attraction after a strong emotional bond is established

Biological Biasing Effect

the hypothesis that sex hormones “sex-type” the brain before birth

Gender Identity

one’s subjective sense of being male or female as expressed in appearance, behavior, and attitudes

Gender role

the favored patter of behavior expected of each sex

Gender role socialization

the process of learning gender behaviors regarded as appropriate for one’s sex in a given culture

Gender role stereotypes

oversimplified and widely held beliefs about the characteristics of men and women; can be a career obstacle

Gender role strain

stress associated with any conflict between your personal identity and the expectations associated with a gender role

Androgyny

having both masculine and feminine traits in a single person

• more adaptive people

• better at coping stress

• higher emotion intelligence

Gender variant (trans)

a condition in which a person’s biological sex doesn’t match his/her preferred gender

Gender dysphoria

a diagnosis used only when a person experiences extreme distress as a consequence of gender variance

Social transitioning

using a different name and changing your external appearance

• type of transitioning

Hormone treatment

changes shape of the body, hair, and muscles

• type of transitioning

Surgery

top and bottom; reconfigured the external appearance of genitals

• type of transitioning

Sex reassignment surgery

• surgery that reconfigures the external appearance of genitals

• In combination with hormone treatments, it allows a person to transform their sexual identity to the other gender

Transgender

a person with a deep conflict between his/her physical, biological sex and proffered psychological and social gender roles

Erogenous zones

areas of the body that produce pleasure and/or provoke erotic desires

Sexual scripts

unspoken mental plans that guide our sexual behavior

Sex drive

strength of one’s motivation to engage in sexual behavior

Hymen

a thin piece of mucosal tissue that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening

• can be damaged through physical activity, masturbation, tampons, etc.

Normal Hymen

the hymen partially covers the vaginal opening with ample room left for the vaginal opening itself

Imperforate Hymen

When the vaginal opening is not visible and completed covered by the hymen

Microperforate Hymen

When the vaginal opening is not visible and mostly covered by the hymen

Septate Hymen

when the vaginal opening is visible behind the hymen tissue with a septum present as a part of the hymen as well

Masturbation

exploring sexuality by touching oneself, with or without a partner

Excitement

• initial signs of sexual arousal

• first phase of human sexual response

Plateau

• physical arousal intensifies

• second phase of human sexual response

Orgasm

• climax and release of sexual excitement

• third phase of human sexual response

Resolution

• return to lower levels of sexual tension and arousal

• fourth phase of human sexual response

Excitement, Plateau, Orgasm, Resolution

Human Sexual Response

Refractory period

short time period after orgasm when males are unable to reach orgasm again

Double standard

applying different standards of appropriateness to male and female sexual behaviors

Supernormal stimulus

any stimulus (often artificial) that is more potent than the natural stimuli that we have evolved to encounter

Sexting

sending/receiving sexually explicit messages (usually but not always images)

Desire disorders

either too little or no sexual motivation or desire, or too much

Arousal disorders

desires sexual activity but doesn’t become sexually aroused

Orgasm disorders

does not have orgasms or experiences orgasms too soon or too late

Sexual pain disorders

experiences pain that makes lovemaking uncomfortable or impossible

Hyperactive sexual desire

diminished desire (both sexes)

• must be persistent and troubling

• sexual aversion

• cause: fatigue, illness, hormonal difficulties, medications

Sexual aversion

feel fear, anxiety, or disgust about engaging in sex

Hypersexual disorder

excess of sexual desires

• intense and recurrent sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors

• sex addicts

Male erectile dysfunction (erectile disorder)

an inability to maintain an erection for lovemaking

Psychogenic

psychological origins (not physical)

Female Orgasmic Disorder

a persistent inability to reach orgasm (but not unresponsive)

• inadequate stimulation or faulty technique

Delayed Ejaculation

persistent delay or absence of orgasm (male)

Premature ejaculation

occurs reflexively or when the man cannot tolerate high levels of excitement at the plateau stage

• treatment: stop-short technique

Genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder

a sexual pain disorder in women involving dyspareunia, usually accompanied by vaginismus

• treatment: progressive muscle relaxation, manual stimulation, hypnosis

Dyspareunia

genital pain before, during, or after sexual intercourse

Vaginismus

muscle spasms of the vagina

Fetishistic

inanimate objects

Transvestic

wearing clothes of opposite sec

Paraphilic Disorders

compulsive or destructive deviations in sexual preferences or behavior

Sexual masochism

receiving pain or humiliation as part of the sex act

Sexual sadism

inflicting pain or humiliation as part of the sex act

Fratteurism

sexually touching or rubbing a non-consenting person in public

Exhibitionistic

flashing or displaying genitals to unwilling viewers

Pedophilic

children, child molesting

Signs of molestation

• unusual avoidance or interest in sexual matters

• secretiveness

• nightmares

• misbehavior (unusual risk taking)

• emotional disturbance

• loss of self-esteem

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)

a disease passed from one person to another by intimate physical contact; a venereal disease

STD Risk Factors

• unprotected sex with infected person

• having multiple sex partners

• sharing needles or syringes

• having sex with someone who injects drugs

HIV infection spread

spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, blood, semens, and vaginal secretions, not through casual contact

Asymptomatic

having a disease while lacking obvious symptoms of illness

Psychopathology

scientific study of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders; also used to refer to maladaptive behavior

Statistical abnormality

abnormality defined on the basis of an extreme source on some dimension, such as IQ or anxiety

Social nonconformity

failure to conform to societal norms or the usual minimum standards for social conduct (heavily pierced, prostitute)

Maladaptive

behavior arising from an underlying psychological or biological dysfunction that makes it difficult to adapt to the environment and meet the demands of day-to-day life

• loss of control of thought, behaviors, or feelings

Insanity

a legal term that refers to a mental instability to manage one’s affairs or to be aware of consequences of one’s actions

Insanity defense

someone who is accused of a crime was unable to realize what he or she did was wrong due to a diagnosable psychological disorder

DSM-5

The diagnostic and statistical manual of disorders

Mental disorder

a significant impairment in psychological functioning

Neurodevelopmental disorders

psychopathologies due to various forms of damage to the system arising before adulthood (autism)

Neurocognitive disorders

psychopathologies due to various forms of change/damage to the nervous system not arising until adulthood (Alzheimer’s)

• caused by damage to the brain

Alzheimer’s disease

an age-related disease characterized by memory loss, mental confusion, and, its later stages, a nearly total loss of mental abilities

Psychotic disorders

schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders

• disorder category

Mood disorders

depressive disorder, bipolar

• disorder category

Anxiety related disorders

anxiety disorder, OCD, trauma- and stressor-relate disorders, dissociative disorder, somatic symptom and related disorders

• disorder category

Personality disorders

paranoid, narcissistic, dependent, borderline, and antisocial personality disorder

• disorder category

Comorbidity

the simultaneous presence in a person of two or more mental disorders

Biological dimension

genetics, epigenetics, brain anatomy, biochemical processes, central nervous system functioning, autonomic nervous system reactivity, etc.

psychological dimension

personality, cognition, emotions, learning, coping skills, self-esteem, self-efficacy, values, early experiences, etc.

Social dimension

family, interpersonal relationships, social support, belonging, love, marital status, community, etc.