Task 1: Introduction
Casual sex = sex without commitment
Linear model states you know orientation from the start. But it is not how it happens.
Sexual orientation (100% hetero? About sexual attraction and behaviour. Men are more like I am
heterosexual or not. In women it can change), gender differences, monogamy, role of hormones,
attitude regarding sex, sexual development, culture differences. Social monogamy rather than sexual
monogamy.
Focus on essentials. That you can just talk about the article. That you write it in a way that you can
explain it to each other. I didn’t know that, I don’t want tutorial with reading your summary.
Questions in exam is statement and you have to give argumentation. Sexual fluidity in women.
Discuss literature in an interesting way; what is it?
Learning goals:
1. Biology, hormones
2. Culture differences
3. Gender differences
4. Theories
5. Sexual orientation
6. Sexuality across the life span (sexual career is part of that)
Book is more background information. Indicate most important information (not all the
details). Articles, certain theme in article and explain that.
LeVay, S. (2015). Discovering human sexuality (only key point, focus on summary)
- Chapter 2, box 2.3 Biology of Sex
The Feedback Loop that Controls Female Hormone Production
Ovulation and hormone secretion are regulated by a three-segment control loop that involves the
passage of hormones between the brain, the pituitary gland, and the ovaries (see figure).
- First, a small region at the base of the brain named hypothalamus secretes gonadotropin-
releasing hormone (GnRH) into local vessels that carry it to the nearby pituitary gland. There
it activates cells that manufacture and secrete two more hormones: follicle-stimulating
hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Because of these two hormones act on the
gonads (in woman, the ovaries), they are named gonadotropins (hormoon dat de werking
van de geschachtsorganen beïnvloed), meaning gonad-influencing substances.
- Second, these two hormones enter the general blood circulation and reach their targets, the
ovaries. FSH, as its name suggests, stimulates the development of ovarian follicles to the
point that they are capable of ovulation. LH triggers the ovulation itself, and it also causes
the release of sex steroids by the ovaries.
- In the third segment of the loop, ovarian hormones pass via the general circulation system to
the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, where they influence the release of GnRH, FSH and
LH. This feedback influence is inhibitory at low estrogen levels but switches to stimulation at
high levels. The switch occurs late in preovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle and is a key
trigger for ovulation.
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,It starts with the hypothalamus, release GnRH, stimulates production of FSH and LH (sort of
prehormones) these stimulate development estrogens, progestins, androgens. When there are
enough hormones, the hypothalamus said there is enough. Therefore the feedback loop. Pill you take
estrogens, you stop the mechanisms. The hypothalamus states that there is enough estrogens. So
the cycle stop. You don’t have FSH and LH in the blood. Hormones are produced by prehormones
dominated by the hypothalamus who will check if there is enough.
- Chapter 5 (133-152)
Over aantrekkelijkheid. En rondom menstruatie. Tijdens menstruatie gaat dit anders. Als je
anticonceptie neemt heb je deze hormonele wisselingen niet meer. Als je OC neemt, heb je een
andere partner keuze dan wanneer je geen anticonceptie gebruikt.
Hormones system;
- Chapter 10 Sexuality across the Life Span: From Birth to Adolescence
How would sexuality develop over the course of life? You need to be able to explain something
about these different life phases !!! Young children display sexual acts, without sexual meaning.
Puberty occurs earlier in girls than in boys. It is the phase of sexual explorations. Teen sexuality is
part of your development. Exploring your sexuality is an important part of getting older.
Summary
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, - Basic physiological responses of sexual arousal are seen in infants and young children. They
are often triggered by a wide range of stimuli, such as strong emotions of any kind.
Masturbation is common in young children, and other sexual behaviours, such as the display
of genitals or the inspection of other children’s genitals, are also quite prevalent. These
behaviours may be incorporated into sexual games such as ‘doctor’. Young children rarely
engage in adultlike sexual behaviour, however. Jonge kinderen houden zich echter zelfden
bezig met seksueel gedrag van volwassenen.
- Some non-Western societies tolerate or encourage childhood sexual behavior, while others
attempt to restrain it. In the contemporary United States, children are often prevented from
engaging in or learning about sexuality.
- Some children, usually older ones, have sexual contacts with adults. These contacts are
usually one-time events, rather than ongoing relationships. Most adults who have sexual
contacts with children are relatives or acquaintances kennissen of the child, rather than
strangers. Coercive or repeated adult-child sexual contacts can cause long-lasting
psychological trauma. Noncoercive, single-event contacts may cause little or no harm.
- In preadolescence, children tend to socialize in same sex groups and to impose strict gender
codes, expecting gender conformity. This practice can be traumatic for gender-
nonconformist children. Although segregation by sex limits opportunities for heterosexual
encounters, a few children do engage in coitus geslachtsgemeenschap before the age of 13.
- Puberty is the transition to reproductive maturity. It is marked by development of the
genitalia, the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics, a growth spurt, the onset of
menstruation in girls and ejaculation in boys, and changes in the brain that lead to sexual
behavior and psychological sex differences.
- The onset of puberty is triggered by a complex chain of events: the attainment of a criterion
body size or body fat ratio; the communication of this information to the hypothalamus by
the hormone leptin; the activity of kisspeptin neurons, the secretion of GnRH, the secretion
of LH and FSH by the pituitary, the secretion of sex steroids by the gonads; and the effect of
sex steroids on the body and brain.
- Puberty begins at a median age of about 10 (9 years in black children). Children are entering
puberty at younger ages that was the case in the past; a likely cause is the faster growth and
increasing obesity of contemporary children. Puberty is generally considered precocious
(early) if it begins before age 8 in girls or 9 in boys, but some experts believe that the
criterion age for girls should be lowered to 7. Puberty is considered delayed if it does not
begin by age 13 or 14 in girls or by age 14 in boys.
- Many cultures mark puberty by special celebrations or rites. Examples practiced in the US are
the Jewish bar / bar mitzvah and the Hispanic quinceanera.
- Adolescence is usually defined as the teen years. In early adolescence, rising sex hormone
levels triggers an increasing interest in sex. Most adolescents males masturbate frequently,
but females do so less often.
- Adolescent heterosexual behavior gradually progresses from kissing and fondling to coitus,
oral sex, and sometimes, anal sex. Some characteristics of teen sexual behavior reflect
personal and demographic factors such as education and ethnicity. The availability of reliable
contraception and modern views of women’s roles in society have modified teen sexual
behavior over the last several decades. Social media have also affected teens’ sexuality, in
both negative and positive ways.
- Virginity-pledge programs and abstinence-only sex education maagdelijkheid-belofte
programma’s en onthouding-alleen seksuele voorlichting have little or no effect on teens’
sexual behavior. Comprehensive sex-ed which includes practical information for those teens
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