PSY5240 EXAM 3

human sexuality

2 physiological responses that happen during sexual response cycle

1. Vasocongestion: blood flow
2. Myotonia: muscle contractions

* Occurs in genitals and throughout the body

how do erections occur in men?

* excitement phase: the erection occurs from arteries carrying blood to penis.
* erections can happen from touch, cowpers gland secretes fluid, testes expand

what is comparable for women to an erection?

* The excitement phase lubricates the vagina.
* this is similar to erection bc they both produce vasocongestion
* clitoris glands swell, muscles in wall of vag tighten.

Why cant M&J’s research be generalized?

* excitement, plateau, orgasm, resolution
* their model ignores subjective aspects of sexual response
* it only focuses on the physiological effects and ignores the persons emotions or feelings.
* does not include desire or passion.
* it also only included participants w high levels of sexual arousal

orgasmic platform

tightening of entrance to vagina by contractions in bulb muscle that occur during excitement phase of sexual response.

* occurs as they become more aroused and closer to orgasm
* entrance becomes smaller and grips penis

ballooning response

upper 2/3 of vagina balloons/expands to help penis enter.

orgasmic inevitability (ejaculatory)

sensation that ejaculation is about to happen and cannot be stopped

cunnilingus

oral sex on a women

* mouth genital stimulation
* can be heterosexual or lesbian

analingus

tongue and mouth stimulate the anus

sex flush

redness or blush that appears after an orgasm

fellatio

a mans penis is stimulated by partners mouth

* blow job

tribadism

* dry hump
* one women lays onto of another and moves rhythmically to stimulate clitoris

heteronormativity

belief that hetero sex is the norm

hooking up

Sexual encounter involving strangers or brief acquaintances, without expectation of forming a committed relationship

sexualization

when a person is valued only for their sex appeal and behavior.

dry orgasm

when no ejaculation is omitted

serial monogomy

when they are only involved in two or more sexual relationships before marriage

singleism

The stigmatization and stereotyping of people who are not in a socially recognized couple relationship

family of creation vs family of procreation

when the family you grew up in shifts into the family you create, (you become a parent)

polyamory

The non-possessive, honest, responsible practice of loving multiple people simultaneously—the emphasis is on the long-term relationship (this is not swinging behavior)

* higher w SES whites
* women in these move away from tradit. gender roles

climateric

a period lasting between 15 or 20 years (age 45-60) whre body makes transition from being able to reproduce to not being able to.

* decline in functioning of the ovaries

menopause

* the change of life
* the cessation of menstruation
* occurs in a 2 year period around age 50

pheromones

biochemicals secreted outside the body that are important in communication between animals that may serve as a sex attractant.

* present in urine, females can influence male sexual behavior.
* human pheromones exist
* human sweat, vaginal secretions
* aphrodisiacs are a myth

female sexual response cycle excitement phase

* Transudation – vaginal wall begins to lubricate
*   Glans of clitoris swells – becomes larger and harder
*   Orgasmic platform forms
* Crura and vestibular bulbs also swell due to vasocongestion
* ballooning
* breasts, lips swell, erect nips, sex flush, pulse rate

female sexual response cycle orgasm phase

* Orgasmic platform has series of muscular contractions
*   Mild orgasms
* 3-4 contractions; intense – 12 or more
*   Uterus has series of contractions (oxytocin)
*    Anus muscles may also contract
*    Sensation begins around clitoris and spreads outward; is very intense
*   Takes longer in women

women sexual response cycle resolution

*   Swelling in breasts reduces
*   Clitoris returns to normal position 5-10 seconds after orgasm; takes longer to return to its normal size
*    Orgasmic platform relaxes and begins to shrink
*    Ballooning of vagina diminishes
* uterus shrinks
* this can take 15-30 or an hour if no orgasm occurred

male sexual response cycle excitement phase

* erection begins
* Cowper’s gland fluid is secreted
*   Skin of scrotum thickens, scrotal sac tenses, and scrotum is pulled closer to the body
* Spermatic cords shorten, pulling testes closer to the body
*   Testes expand

male sexual response cycle orgasm phase

*    Series of rhythmic contractions of pelvic region
*   Orgasm and ejaculation are two separate processes
*    Ejaculation occurs in two stages
* Preliminary (emission) stage – contractions force ejaculate into urethral bulb
* Ejaculatory inevitability
* Expulsion stage – semen is forced out—urethral bulb and penis have a series of contractions

male sexual response cycle resolution phase

*   Detumescence – loss of erection occurs in two stages:
*   Corpora cavernosa empty – leaves penis enlarged but less firm
* Corpus spongiosum and glans empty – penis returns to unaroused state
*    Vasoconstriction – epinephrine and norepinephrine
*   Scrotum/testes return to unstimulated size/position
*   Refractory period – unresponsive to further arousal (few minutes to 24 hours – gets longer with age)

multiple orgasms in women

* women do not have refractory period
* after resolution phase, they can have another with proper stimulation
* usually happens with hand or mouth
* 5-20 with masturbation (M/J)
* 50 with vibrator

multiple orgasms in men

* Some men are capable
*   Detumescence does not follow orgasm – (continued stimulation is possible)
*   Some of the later orgasms contained ejaculate—others did not
*   Thought to be a learned behavior

Masters and Johnsons model

  1. Excitement – the beginning of sexual arousal – vasocongestion occurs

* (Plateau) deleted phase

2. Orgasm – intense sensation, release of sexual tension

3. Resolution – a return to physiologically unaroused state

Kaplan’s model

* Triphasic model:
* sexual desire (psycho)
* can come before or after vasocongestion
* vasocongestion of genitals (physio)
* reflex muscular contractions of orgasm phase (physio)
* Differs from MJ bc adds psychological feelings into the model

justifications for kaplan’s model

* vasocongestion is controlled by parasympathetic ANS
* ejaculation/orgasm controlled by sympathetic ANS
* ejaculation can be controlled, erection cannot
* impairment of components can produce disorders

dual control model

model that believes the sexual response is controlled both by sexual excitation(responding with arousal to sexual stimuli) and sexual inhibition ( produce arousal)

what structures are responsible for female orgasm

* contractions of orgasmic platform and muscles of vagina
* skenes gland stimulation

how do sex hormones affect development and behavior

* organizing effects:
* happens in early development, results in permanent change in brain and reproductive system
* activating effects:
* early adulthood, results in activation behaviors like sexual and aggressive

androgen in men vs women

women:

* sexual desire, help with low sexual desire, decline with age

Men:

* testosterone maintains sexual desire

best way to stimulate women during two person sex

light, gentle touching

* rubbing thighs, lips and clitoris

when is sexual response present in children

* it is present at birth. The first intimate relationship is with mothers, not sexual
* begin to self stimulate in infancy

mastabatory behavior in children

* 5-11 years old


* 40% of boys & 20% of girls report orgasms from masturbation \n by age 12

attachment in infancy

* Early experience with intimate encounters “attachment” may influence ones reaction to intimacy in adulthood
*   Quality of an infant’s relationship and attachment with parents can influence later capacity for sexual and emotional relationships

what factor is linked to early intercourse in girls?

* having a poor relationships with parents

Udry’s findings

* a girls sexual activity is related to their testosterone, not estrogen
* the effects of testosterone were accentuated in girls with absent fathers.
* testosterone can affect permissive attitudes

what is normal behavior online for teens

* sexting is not a normative behavior
* keeping in touch with others

never married

* median age is 27 for women, 29 for men
* 46% of men & 65% of women spent entire never-married time in one relationship


* 40% of men & 28% of women were involved in 2 or more sexually intimate relationships prior to marriage (serial monogamy)

cohabitating couples

* have sex more often than married couples
* marriages that preceed cohabitation are more likely to end in divorce

frequency of marital behavior

* Average American married couple has coitus 2-3 times a week in their 20’s

–         Frequency declines with age

–         Learning about desires, preferences, and habits may result in increased sexual quality

* Sexual inactivity associated with unhappiness with the marriage, lack of shared activity, presence of children, increased age, and poor health (1993

masturbatory behavior in marriage

–         Many adults continue to masturbate while married

–         Masturbation can serve legitimate sexual needs in marriage

•       Provide sexual gratification while allowing the partner to remain faithful during separation or illness

•       Pleasant adjunct to marital sex

fidelity today vs past

–         25% of married men and 15% of married women reported having engaged in extramarital sex at least once (1994)

* there is a decline in fidelity, internet infidelity

initiating sex in marriage

–         For 33% of married couples, husband and wife are equally likely to initiate sex

–         For 51% of married couples, husband is most likely to initiate sex

–         For 16% of married couples, wife is most likely to initiate sex (1983)

job satisfaction and sexual satisfaction

•   Women and men with satisfying jobs reported that sex was better, compared with those who expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs

attitudes towards extra marital sex and behaviors

* most people in US disapprove
* but attitudes are not good predictors of extra relationship behavior

divorcees vs widows

–         Most divorced women, but fewer widowed women, return to having an active sex life

–         Widowed and divorced women who have postmarital sex often begin a relationship within one year of the end of the marriage

–         Divorced men are more sexually active than divorced women

what occurs in men following prostate surgery?

* retrograde ejaculation
* ejaculate decreases, erectile problems