Theoretical Perspectives

 Sociobiology : Application of evolutionary biology to understanding the social behavior of animals, including humans.

 Evolution occurs via Natural Selection:  Survive  Reproduce  Pass genes to the next generation

 Parental Investment: Behavior and resources invested by parents to achieve the survival and reproductive success of their genetic offspring.  Sexual selection:  Competition between members of one gender (usually male).  Preferential choice by members of one gender (usually female).

 Focuses on the psychological mechanisms that have been shaped by natural selection.  Assumes that every characteristic that we observe must have some adaptive significance.  Dr. David Buss  Known for his evolutionary psychology research on human sex differences in mate selection.  Sex poaching  University sex study (attractive female/male)

 Freud’s Psychoanalytic theory:  He saw libido (Life Drive) as one of the two major forces in human life.  An Erogenous Zone is a part of the skin or mucous membrane that is extremely sensitive to stimulation.

 Id: The basic part of personality which is present at birth - operates on the pleasure principle.  Ego: Operates on the reality principle and tries to keep the id in line.  Superego : The conscience and operates on idealism.

 Freud assumed the female is biologically inferior because she lacks a penis.  Feminists object to the notion that women are anatomically inferior, and argue that psychoanalytic theory may cause harm to women.

 Much of human sexual behavior is biologically controlled, but much of it is also learned.

 Classical Conditioning: Takes place when a conditioned stimulus is paired with an original unconditioned stimulus.  Operant Conditioning : Means a person is more likely to repeat a behavior if it is rewarded (reinforcement).

 Behavior Modification: Involves a set of techniques used to change behavior.  Social learning : Based on operant conditioning, imitation and identification.

 Cognitive psychologists believe it is very important to study the way people perceive and think.

 Gender schemas: Set of attributes that we associate with males and females.  Schemas predispose us to process information on the basis of gender. Stereotype ConsistentStereotype Inconsistent

 Societal influence occurs on several levels including:  Macro Level : Society as a whole.  Religion, Family, Medicine, Law, Economy  When times are good people have sex more, when they are bad they have sex less.  Sub cultural Level: One’s social class or ethnic group may have an impact on one’s sexuality.

Social Interaction Theory:  Human nature and the social order are products of symbolic communication among people.  Role-taking: When an individual imagines how he or she looks from the other person’s viewpoint.  Other-Directed Individuals: Primarily concerned with meeting other’s standards. Sexual Scripts:  Suggest that sexual behavior is as scripted as a play in a theater.  Tell us an etiquette of sexual behavior.  Tell us the meaning we should attach to a particular sexual event.