Chapter 10 Physiology

Parenting Styles

• Parenting styles are categorized into two major dimensions: warmth and control.
  • Warmth: Represents love and affection from the parent.
  • Control: Refers to the rules and structure that a parent provides.
  • Combining these dimensions leads to four primary parenting styles:
  1. Authoritative Parenting:
     • High warmth and high control.
     • Parents set rules but treat children as individuals.
     • Engages in discussions and seeks input from children.
     • Children tend to have better long-term outcomes: jobs, relationships, and financial success.
  2. Authoritarian Parenting:
     • Low warmth and high control.
     • Parents enforce strict rules and expect obedience without questions.
     • Children from this style may become anxious, rebellious, and struggle with self-regulation.
  3. Indulgent Parenting:
     • High warmth and low control.
     • Parents avoid setting rules, often wanting to be friends rather than authority figures.
     • Children often lack boundaries and may struggle with authority later on.
  4. Neglectful Parenting:
     • Low warmth and low control.
     • Parents are uninvolved, leading to detrimental outcomes for children.

Developmental Influence on Gender and Sexuality

• Transitioning to the next chapter, examination of sex, gender, and sexuality.
• The discussion focuses on biology, terminology, and the evolving concepts in contemporary society.
• Important distinctions:
  • Sex: Genetic makeup at birth, typically categorized as male or female based on anatomy and chromosomes (XX for females, XY for males).
  • Gender: A social construct describing the characteristics and roles associated with being male or female, often viewed as a spectrum.
  • Sexual orientation: Relates to whom one is attracted (heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, etc.).

Biological Theories of Gender and Sexuality

• Everyone begins with a female template in the womb; sex differentiation occurs through hormonal exposure (e.g., testosterone leading to male characteristics).
• Significant biological determinants include genetic sex from chromosomes and hormonal influences during fetal development.
• Hormonal Influence:
  • Hormonal baths in utero affect sexual development.
  • The timing and nature of these hormonal influences lead to differentiating male and female anatomical and possibly behavioral traits.

Puberty and Sexual Development

• Puberty: The transitional period in which individuals develop secondary sexual characteristics and can reproduce.
  • Average onset for girls: 11 years old (menarche).
  • Average onset for boys: 12-13 years old (sperm production).
• Physical changes include the development of reproductive organs and secondary sex characteristics.

Sexual Response Cycle

• Masters and Johnson's Model of Sexual Response: Identifies four stages in sexual encounters:
  1. Excitement Phase: Prepares the body for sexual activity; mood, physiological arousal occur.
  2. Plateau Phase: Heightened excitement, often characterized by different levels of engagement.
  3. Orgasm Phase: Biological peak of sexual response where sexual release occurs.
  4. Resolution Phase: Body returns to baseline; males experience a refractory period (a recovery time before another arousal).

Attitudes and Cultural Perspectives on Sexuality

• Attitudes towards sex and sexual behaviors have evolved over time, impacting perceptions of premarital sex, homosexuality, and underage sexual activity.
• Education on sexuality and healthy relationships should begin early and be ongoing.
  • Communicating openly with children about sex can positively influence their understanding and choices.
• Emphasis placed on understanding context, respect for individual experiences, and fostering an open dialogue about sexuality, ensuring awareness and informed choices.