HUMAN SEXUALITY

Refers to all aspects of being & feeling

sexual.

Means a dimension of personality instead of

referring to a persons capacity for erotic response
alone.

Encompasses our thoughts and feelings

about our body

Includes all the feelings, thoughts, and

behaviors associated with being female or male

Being attractive and being in love.

Being in relationships

Includes enjoyment of the world as we know

it through the five senses
FIVE CIRCLES OF SEXUALITY
Circle # 1: Sensuality
Personal Assessment
Circle # 2: Sexual Intimacy
Circle # 3: Sexual Identity

Recreational: sexual activity primarily for

pleasure. Emotional involvement and intimacy are
purposefully limited
Relational: sexual activity in the context of
emotional involvement and intimacy in a
relationship.
DIMENSIONS OF SEXUALITY

Biological factors largely control sexual

development from conception until birth and our
ability to reproduce after puberty.
Psychosocial Dimension
Psychological factors like emotions,
thoughts and personalities in combination with
social elements (how people interact).

How we develop as sexual beings. Early

sexual attitudes are based largely on what parents,
teachers, peers tell us or show us about the
meanings and purposes of sex.

Social: regulated by society through laws,

taboos and family and peer group pressures that
seek to persuade us to follow certain paths of sexual
behavior.
Behavioral Dimension

Circle #4: Reproduction & Sexual Health

Reproductive System
Sexual Intercourse
Sexual Response
Protection

forces.

Circle #5: Sexualisation

THE SCIENCE OF SEXUALITY

Describe different types of sex as:

Procreational: sexual intercourse solely for

reproduction

Biological Dimension

Product of both biological and psychosocial

Allows us to learn not only what people do

but to understand more about how and why they do
it.
We should avoid judging other peoples
sexual behavior by our own values and experiences.
Clinical Dimension

Examines the solutions to problems that

prevent people from reaching a state of sexual
health and happiness.

Physical problems such as illness, injury or

drugs

Feelings of anxiety, guilt, embarrassment or

depression and conflicts in our personal
relationships
TWO KEY CHANGES:
1.Better understanding of the
multidimensional nature of sexuality
2. Development of a new discipline,
called sexology, devoted to the study
of sex. Helps individual through
counseling or sex therapy.
Cultural Dimension

Peoples lives reflect the culture in which

they live.

Not universal. Many cultures behave

differently.

Help us to understand that our viewpoint is

not shared by all people in all places.
CHILDHOOD SEXUALITY
INFANCY

Freud: The Oral Stage

Erik Erikson: Trust vs. Mistrust

Mouth is the primary erogenous zone

Oral pleasures and stimulation are highly
sensual for the baby. Infants explore their world by
trying to put many things into their mouths.

An infant whose comforts are anticipated,

who is cuddled and played with and who is cared
for well begins to learn that the world is a safe place
and others can be trusted.
Sexual Feeling and Experience in Infancy

Ultrasound studies erections occur in

developing baby boys for several months before
birth.

Erections in the first few minutes after birth

Newborn baby girls have vaginal lubrication

and clitoral erections in their first 24 hours

Sexuality as a natural physiologic function

and not just entirely associated with erotic or
titillating stimuli and contexts.

Diapers are removed: babies often reach for

genitalia and touch, rub or caress. This selfstimulation has a casual, unfocused quality.

Infants also engage in pelvic thrusting

movements simultaneously and observed to have
spasms that look like adult orgasms.

Baby boys have firm erections while

nursing. Baby girls have clitoral erection and
vaginal lubrication.

Infant is too young to be consciously aware

of the encounter, and therefore no sociosexual erotic
awakening can be said to occur (Martinson, 1981)

How parents respond may be part of the

childs earliest sexual learning.

Shocked: convey discomfort

Calm: message of acceptance regarding sex

Parents will be alarmed. Care should be

taken to avoid creating an association between
pleasurable genital sensations and discomfort.

This might affect a childs or adolescents

interpretations of sensual or sexual pleasure many
years later.

An important phase of infantile sexuality

comes from the sensuous closeness of parent and
child through holding, clinging and cuddling
(Higham, 1980).

A child deprived of this close bonding may

experience later difficulties forming intimate
relationships and in being comfortable with his or
her sexuality.
TODDLER/EARLY CHILDHOOD

Freud: The Anal Stage

Anus is the primary

erogenous zone.

Retaining or expelling
feces is highly pleasurable, even sensual.

Erik Erikson: Autonomy vs. Shame and

Doubt

Children develop a sense of independence.

Children are shown that they can be

competent, self-sufficient in their play activities,
toilet training, etc, they get the message: You can
handle this on your own.

Parents are to encourage independence

while still maintaining consistently sound rules for
safety.

Erikson: Initiative vs. Guilt

Children play in ways that show they are

learning about the roles and occupations of their
society.

Learning new things is fun. Exposure to a

wide variety of experiences and play materials.
Sex in Early Childhood (2-5)

Established a sense of being a boy or a girl.

Unquestionable curiosity about body parts

Discovery that genital stimulation is a

source of pleasurable sensations.

Rubbing of genitals manually is done and

by rubbing any object against their genitals.

Conversations with 3-year olds indicate that

they are aware of the sensual feelings, although
these feeling are not labeled by them as erotic or
sexual (concepts not yet understood by children).

At the same time, confusion arise by the

parents reactions and attitudes of disapproval of
genital play.

Although it is important for parents to

educate their children about socially appropriate
behavior, first thing parents should do is to simply
relax (Feitel, 1990).

Psychologist Selma Fraiberg: How a child

feels about himself, how he values himself, will also
be tied up with feelings about his own body. The
child who discovers that his sex play arouses
disgust in his parent may come to feel that his body
is bad and that he, as a person, is bad.

If children fondle themselves at times that

are uncomfortable for parents, it is helpful for
parents to be prepared in advance for such
situations.

Distracting a child has the advantage of

changing the behavior without making a big deal
out of it.
4 yrs. old
vague and somewhat
magical notions about sex. Explanations are taken
literally.

In daycare centers, children are confronted

with situations that have sexual overtones.

Kissing, pulling up of skirts, considerable

interest in bathroom functions

5 year olds are in a structured environment

when they enter preschool

Modesty and sex games decrease.

Become fascinated with learning words

about sexual parts they have not heard before.

Begins to form ideas about sex based on

their observations of physical interactions between
parents.
SCHOOL AGE CHILD

Freud: The Latency Stage

Little sexual development

A time of active sexual curiosity
Girls and boys generally create and maintain samesex friends and typically decline the chance to play
with kids of the opposite sex.
Erikson: Industry vs. Inferiority
Develops skills and competencies
To take pride in their efforts
To finish what they start. Learning how to do things
well.

Have a clearer understanding of the basic

anatomic differences

Shows a strong modesty about body

exposure

Parental attitudes and practices regarding

nudity in the home undoubtedly influence the
childs self-consciousness

Sexual experimentation involves activities

with the same or opposite sex

Purpose of behavior is seeking knowledge.

How different am I from others who are like me?
or How different am I from the girls? (or boys?)
Another purpose: testing the forbidden to see what
happens: who finds out, how they react, what can I
get away with?

Childhood sex play is not psychologically

harmful under ordinary circumstances and is
probably a valuable psychosocial experience in
developmental terms (Jensen, 1979;Money, 1980;
Renshaw, 1988)

Psychological harm can come from harsh

parental reaction.

Parental reaction to discovery of sex play

operate in double standards. Tend to be more strict
in girls than with boys.

There is an unspoken permission for boys to

follow their sexual curiosity.

Freuds concept of sexual latency during late

childhood is no longer accepted by many
sexologists.

Money (1980): time of sexual prudery where

sex play simply goes underground.

Kinsey: does not stop or even slow down

Pubertal changes and responsible sexual

practices are being discussed at this age.

Health care personnel become the adults

preteens can turn to for questions if parents are not
comfortable discussing these topics with their
children.

Should be part of health education classes

Topics for discussion:
Reproductive organ function
Secondary sexual characteristics
Physiology of reproduction (menstruation)
Male sexual functioning (production of increased
amounts of seminal fluid leads to nocturnal
emissions)
Physiology of pregnancy
Birth control measures
Social and moral implications of sexual maturity
ADOLESCENT

Freud: Genital Stage

Erotic dimension takes on a more adult dimension.
Erogenous zone: genitalia

Erikson: Identity vs. Role Confusion

Answers the question: Who am I? Why am I here?
What is my purpose in life? What is the meaning of
life?
A person may have to change something in his life
so that they will be loved, liked or cared for.
Issues: sexual orientation, sexual self-confidence
and early feelings of love/intimacy

They have learned to play according to adult

law, proceeding secretly in their own ways.

By age 8 or 9, children have awareness of

the erotic element . Sexual arousal is willfully
sought, not just an accidental happening.

These encounters can help children learn

how to relate to others, with important
consequences for their adult psychosexual
adjustment. (Broderick, 1968; Gadpaille, 1976;
Money, 1980)
SEX Education

Time of rapid change

and difficult challenge
Cope with their sexuality by learning how to
deal with changing sexual feelings, deciding
whether to participate in various types of sexual
activity, discovering how to recognize love, and
learning how to prevent pregnancy
Distinct Themes in Adolescent Sexuality

Links between pubertal development, body

image and self-image

Teenagers are especially concerned with

personal attractiveness.

Positive relationship between physical

attractiveness and social acceptance during
adolescence.

A time when being different is to be avoided

at almost any cost.

Reasons for this central focus:

Has not yet identified a clear sense of their

identity as a person, so that, what I look like and
how others see me is equal to who I am
w
Have not yet developed a broad enough
sense of self-esteem, based on accomplishments,
personal characteristics and relationships with
others.

Concern with body image

is made even more
complex because the body
is going through with changes
on its own.

Concerns lessen over time by psychological

maturation and physical development progress.
2. The Task of learning about ones body and its
sensual and sexual responses and needs.
Teenagers must also learn about their bodies.
e.g. vaginal discharges, wet dreams, sudden
erections.
Ways of learning: physical inspection and
exploration

Physical inspection leads to physical

exploration, experimenting with how various types
of touch feel and what sorts of responses they
produce.

This type of learning eventually leads to

more deliberate attempts at producing sexual
arousal.

These discoveries allows a person to be

comfortable with ones own body and its responses.

Discoveries are also done with other people,

like kissing, hugging, snuggling.

3. Forging an Identity
Considered a central developmental issue in
teenagers.
Roadblock: rigid gender role expectations

Sexual behavior is motivated by

expectations about gender-appropriate behavior and
the related desire for peer acceptance rather than by
actual sexual desire (Miller and Simon, 1980)
e.g. Boy with no girlfriend, doesnt talk about
playboy, or who dont date is suspect.
4. Learning about sexual and romantic
relationships
Through group dates, then pairing off, then having a
more serious one-on-one relationship.
Sex is typically seen as scoring in teenage males,
while girls see sex as a means of obtaining
affection, caring and intimacy.

Important aspect: learning the ground rules

and the art of sexual negotiation.

This includes learning how to set limits, how

to communicate about sex with and without words,
how to avoid misunderstandings, how to show a
partner what you like and what you dont like.

5. Developing a personal sexual value system

Linked to the task of finding a comfortable identity.
In answering the question, Who am I?, adolescent is
also looking for answers to questions like: What do
I stand for? What do I believe in? Who should I
choose as role models?

Teens must choose between sex as a means

of expressing intimacy and affection, a more casual
gratification with no strings attached, or as
something reserved for a love relationship.

Family values, religious values, values of

close friends are important factors.
PATTERNS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

Studies have shown that teenagers, both

male and female, have increasingly participated in
sexual activity over the past few years.

The age of first experiences have begun at

ever younger ages.

Motivations for doing sex

Males: badge of manhood

Females: way of obtaining or solidifying

love and commitment

Statistics have shown that everybody is

doing it.

Masturbation: more commonly done by

males than females. But the gap is closing.

Reflects a change in attitude towards

masturbation: seen as a healthy form of sexual
expression than as a sinful, dirty practice.

Oral-genital sex is also more accepted.

More sexual partners than before.

Serves as a good compromise for some teens

who are seeking sexual gratification but want to
avoid the risk of pregnancy

One of several alternative for sexual

experimentation.

Practicing serial monogamy.

Discarded the standard of being in love as a

prerequisite for sex.

Increasing use of contraception.

Concerns regarding sexuality and sexual activity

As part of routine health assessment of

adolescents, ask if they are sexually active. Ask if
they have problems they wish to discuss with you.
Ask if they are interested in learning more about
contraception.

Counseling is important: help teens improve

their perspective in sex and learn to say no OR
explore myths and falsehoods to make them
comfortable in having sexual relationships.

Be certain to provide information on date

rape and rape prevention.

Caution about flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), a

date rape drug: colorless, odorless, flavorless

benzodiazepine drug. Causes drowsiness, impaired

motor skills and amnesia.

Urine specimen analysis will detect the

metabolites of the drug.