culture

Psych 210Human SexualityLOIS J. MCDERMOTT, Ph.D.UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTONDEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY: 

Psych 210 Human Sexuality LOIS J. MCDERMOTT, Ph.D. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY Copyright c 1996 by Lois J. McDermott. All rights reserved.

announcements: 

announcements please, don’t talk while I’m talking! if not registered, only graduating seniors may sign the waiting list - see TA after class entry codes given on Thurs - as space is available an email address is required for this course - get one ASAP

Slide3: 

Sexual Diversity LOIS J. MCDERMOTT, Ph.D. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY Copyright c 1995 by Lois J. McDermott. All rights reserved. c

Slide4: 

North American European descent Middle-class Judeo-Christian Mid, late 20th century Human sexuality Ethnocentric bias

Diversityin Human Culture: 

Diversity in Human Culture

Slide6: 

Cultural Diversity vocational? spiritual?

Celibate/Repressive: 

Celibate/Repressive denial of sexuality - no place knowledge corrupts life-time celibacy procreation only (male-female) variations abhorred, punished gender segregation arranged marriage please taboo, affection irrelevant

Chaste/Restrictive: 

Chaste/Restrictive ambivalence - “proper place” knowledge to correct problems child celibacy, adult chastity procreation, marriage bond variations - embarrassed, feared gender segregation - childhood marriage - some free choice affection, pleasure may develop

Active/Permissive: 

Active/Permissive sexuality - normal, natural knowledge prevents problems life-span sexuality procreation, affiliation, recreation in relation variations - “two consenting....” androgynous relations marriage - free choice, pleasure

Expressive/Supportive: 

Expressive/Supportive sexuality essential knowledge enhances nurture life-span expression recreation - unlimited variations celebrated, nurtured nurture egalitarian gender marriage - no restrictions

Slide11: 

Inis Baeg sex is fundamentally evil arranged marriage at late age, no affection coitus tolerated for procreation; all variety abhorred strict gender segregation sexual ignorance; sex as disease nudity abhorrent, even for hygiene and infants shuns any/all “pleasure” as sinful (e.g., singing, dancing, eating)l

Batak: 

sex-segregated dormitories - youth same-gender sex play - males harsh sanction against premarital other-gender sex play male friend negotiates for marriage nuclear family structure same-gender sex - spouse absent sex-education - peers for males, old women for females Batak

Marind Anim: 

Marind Anim religion of the flutes - hetero sex is a sacred act, semen a sacrament life-span gender segregation in kinship dwellings god-father directs development of young males arranged marriages - kinship bonds marital sex ritual, thereafter secluded infanticide - “devil-possessed” “wife-sharing”

Yolngu Aborigines: 

Yolngu Aborigines marriage arranged by mother betrothed at 8-9, marry at menarche no restrictions on sex before age 8 restrict coitus after betrothal, prior to marriage - betrothed males woo eldest son marries all daughters younger sons do not marry death to male who violates property rights of eldest male levirate - wives pass to brother, upon husband’s death

Pilaga Indians: 

Pilaga Indians matrilocal, multigenerational full range for sex for peers across life-span no concern about privacy, nudity, even during sex females control mate selection, numerous sequential partners serial monogamy, divorce possible but unusual pregnancy and post-partum taboo

Muria: 

Muria overall value of sex? cultural structure? sex education for children? life span sexuality? gender sexual roles? marriage?

Cultural Comparisons: 

Cultural Comparisons 259 cultures similarities norm, sanctions, marriage, legitimacy, incest taboos, gender roles, same-sex behavior differences standards of age-related sexual behavior, attractiveness, nudity, privacy, coercion, same-sex sex sex knowledge, gender roles

Diversityin theAnimal Kingdom: 

Diversity in the Animal Kingdom

Slide19: 

reproductive = coitus when female is ovulating non reproductive = everything else: masturbation; paraphernalia; anal, oral, manual-sex; coitus before puberty, after menopause, when the female is sterile, using B.C., not ovulating, when male is sterile, not ejaculating, same-sex behavior simple mammals complex

The Laws of Nature: 

The Laws of Nature TRUE or FALSE? genes determine sex of individual species have two patterns - M/F females gestate the offspring mating requires a male and a female females feed and rear the offspring males are larger, stronger and dominant over females

Only One Rule: 

Only One Rule Variation is natural. If a variant exists, it isn’t inherently maladaptive - (i.e., doesn’t threaten transmission of genes to next generation)