Chapter 09 - Sexual Orientation and Sexuality

Sexual orientation

enduring cognitive, motivational, and behavioral tendencies reflecting one’s attraction to different genders

Sexuality

capacity for sexual responses and experiences

identity, cultural

• Same-sex behavior does not always imply a stable same-sex __________

• __________ meaning depends on roles, norms, and social organization

psychiatric

Historical _____________ classification treated same-sex orientation as disorder

Sexual identity

self-label used to describe sexuality

• gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, queer

• labels can change as language, experience, or self-understanding changes

Pansexuality

attraction not limited by partner sex or gender

Asexuality

little or no sexual attraction; not necessarily no romance

Three components of sexual orientation

Identity (label someone adopts), Motivation (sexual desire, romantic attraction, and attachment), Behavior (enacted sexual or romantic activities)

Lust

(sexual desire) desire for sexual activity; linked with sex hormones

Attraction

(passionate love) focused romantic motivation; linked with reward systems

• dopamine pathways in nucleus accumbens

• honeymoon phase in early relationships evolves into companionship

Attachment

(companionate love) enduring bond; associated w/ oxytocin and vasopressin

• as ________ increases, hormonal bonds also increase

romantic, attraction

• A person can experience __________ attachment without sexual desire

• Sexual ____________ does not require a corresponding behavior

• The motivational systems overlap but are not interchangeable