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Lecture 1 Youth, sexuality and genderSex is short for sexuality and the act of having sexual arousal. Sex also means
the biological characteristics that define humans as male or female. Gender is
the social-cultural definition/dimension of the last named form of sex. Gender is
therefore a social construct and social process. Sexuality is even more complex,
see PowerPoint for definition. Sexuality entails all of the above.
The social regulation of sexuality (legal restrictions of sexuality)
The degree of moral restriction varies but mainly affects women and non-
heterosexuals. This is done for a couple of reasons, like the protection of
patriarchal power. See the PowerPoint for more explanations.
In the first half of the 20st century there was a shift from religious moral ideas to
medical psychiatric ideas of sexuality. Sexual freedom is important for general
freedom (Reich). With the second world war this sexual liberty was abruptly
ended. After WW2 the Americans took a leading role when it came to sexuality.
Gender in the modern perspective was a individual attribute and a social norm.
later in the postmodern perspectives gender was seen as a process: the
continuous daily enactment of gender roles and the sexual double standard.
The sex differences are seen in (artikel Vanwesenbeeck en PowerPoint):
- Cognitions and cognitive processes
- Sexual behaviour and activity
- (Negative) experiences and evaluations
- Plasticity versus rigidity
Q&A
For the exam skip the method and focus on the important concepts, the theories
and the influence that the theories have. Try to find the key message of each
paragraph, especially for the literature from week 1.
Lecture 2 Evolutionary and social perspectives
Evolutionary perspective
Focuses on the nature side in for example The parental investment theory and
Sexual strategies theory.
This started with Darwin’s Evolution theory, in which three evolutionary principles
are important:
1. Genetic variation
2. Natural selection → survival of the fittest!
a. Adaptation to the environment gives you a higher chance of survival
3. Successful reproduction
The ultimate goal of sex is reproduction. This also explains the gender
differences in sexual outlook (see PPT).
- Parental Investment Theory
, - Sexual Strategies Theory
Sexual Strategies Theory
Hypothesis:
- ‘Women find those traits attractive in a potential sexual partner that increase
the chance of long term investments’
o Long term investments/resources: making sure that the offspring
survives
▪ Economic and social status
▪ Physical strength
▪ Reliability and stability
▪ Love and commitment
- ‘Men find those traits attractive in a potential sexual partner that increase the
chance of “reproductive succes”’
o Reproductive success: The likelihood that a women gets pregnant after
sex and gives birth to a healthy baby
▪ Youthfulness
▪ Beauty → good reproductive health
• Cultural differences, but the ‘waist to hip ratio’ is the same
- The ‘paternity uncertainty hypothesis’
o Men prefer women who offer sexual exclusivity, because this limits the
risk of making large and long-term investments in the children of
another man.
▪ Loyalty and virginity to reduce the risk of paternity uncertainty
• Men therefore aim for short-term and long-term strategies
depending on their goal (a lot of children or healthy children)
- Short-term strategy can also be beneficial for women. Mainly if the women
can provide the sufficient recourses herself. The advantages can be to obtain:
o “Good” genes
o Immediate protection
o Immediate resources
Critical review of evolutionary perspective: psychological mechanisms and
gender differences proposed by evolutionary psychologists are highly responsive
to social, contextual, and cultural influences.
Social perspectives on sexuality and gender
Human sexuality deals with the context and the social world.
- Essentialism
- Social constructionism
See PPT for different theories and perspectives.
Lecture 3 A biopsychosocial perspective on youth and sexuality: the clinical setting
Pleasure needs to play a central role in sexual health. A healthy sexuality is a
development of sexuality which leads to sexual behavior that is experienced as
ego syntoon, rewarding and doesn’t harm anybody.
- Ego syntoon means that it is in line with who you are and how you would like
to experience sex.
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