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CH. 10
Physical Human Sexuality Sex: physical differences between males and females o Primary sex characteristics Present at birth Directly involved in human reproduction o Secondary sex characteristics Developed during puberty Indirectly involved in human reproduction Spermarche- being able to produce sperm; generally around age 14 Primary Sex Characteristic Development o Wolffian Duct- becomes the male reproductive system If there is no Y chromosome, this does not develop. o Mullerian duct- female reproductive system Disintegrates in male Psychological Human Sexuality o Gender: psychological aspects of being male or female Expectations of one’s culture (gender roles) Development of one’s personality (gender typing) Sense of identity (gender identity) Your own sense of being male or female Not always straight forward Trans-gender, not trans-sexual o John/Joan case Gender Role Development Theories
o Social learning theory: learning through observation and imitation When “appropriate” gender behavior imitated reinforced When “inappropriate” - ignored/discouraged o What does this sound like? Operant conditioning o Gender schema theory: combination of social learning theory and Paget’s cognitive development theory
Schemas or concepts organize behaviors appropriate
for “boy” and “girl” and act accordingly. By age 2, we have a strong schema for boy and girl. Gender Stereotyping o Gender stereotypes: concepts about males/females that assigns various characteristics to them on the basis of only being male or female Can lead to benevolent sexism: flattering for one sex, but damaging for opposite sex. Two Dimensions or One? o Masculine- High or low o Feminine- high or low Gender Differences in Behavior
Cognitive differences
o Verbal abilities: females > males o Math/spatial abilities: males > females o Listening: Males use L hemisphere; females use both. Emotional expression
“Causes” of Homosexuality o Nature areas of study Genetics If you have a homosexual twin, you are more likely to be homosexual. Brain differences Homosexual men’s corpus callosum is larger and is more like a heterosexual woman’s. Hypothalamus is smaller in homosexual men. Pre-natal hormones Birth order hypothesis (males) o Only works in right-handed males The more older brothers a male has, the more likely he is to become homosexual. A women’s immune system is trying to fight the “Y” chromosome and the more sons she has, the more her body attacks the chromosome, which can affect sexual orientation. If you are exposed to testosterone, it will make the brain more “masculine.” o Nurture areas of study Freud: unresolved sexual conflicts
Psychosexual theory: caused when you have
unresolved conflict and you do not identify with your opposite sex parent. Stress Pre-natal and during development Not a lot of support
Social learning
We learn through rewards and punishment
If someone has an early sexual encounter or abuse, they will associate the opposite sex as being “bad.” Not a lot of support. Parenting If you had an overbearing mother or overprotective parent, it leads to being gay. If your index finger is shorter than the fourth finger, you are a lesbian. Missed Exam Questions 1- D 9-A 19-B 21-B 22-C 23-C 27-A 36-C 45-B 51-D 62-C
Major Life Changes Personal stressors that require change or adjustment o Losing a job, divorce, etc. Everyday Hassles Small irritants that produce minor stress They tend to add up/pile up. Minor health risks tend to occur. o Social Readjustment Rating Scale Over 300 life change units put you at risk for diabetes, heart disease, broken bones, weak immune system. 150-299- Moderate Risk <150—Slight risk Psychological Stressors o Pressure- You must intensify your work by speeding up or changing.
Time = deadlines and having to preform within them.
o Uncontrollability- The more uncontrollable, the more stressful it is.
If you know when it will end, in the end you can predict
when the stress will end. o Frustration
When you are prevented from reaching a goal.
External delay: blocking by someone else.
o Being at red light when you are running late. o Persistence: keep trying.
o Aggression: frustration comes before aggression. o Escape or withdraw: walk away and do not deal with it. o Conflict
Simultaneous demands but they conflict with each
other.
Approach-approach- two goals and you want
both but you cannot have both. o Applying to five colleges and getting into two. Avoidance-avoidance: neither choice is good but you have to make one; lose-lose situation. Approach-avoidance: both repelled and attracted to something. o You want to stay in a relationship but you do not want to marry them. Double approach-avoidance- two options with pros and cons. Multiple approach-avoidance- You got into all 5 colleges. Psychological Stress Response Walter Cannon (1871-1945) o Homeostasis o “Fight-or-flight” response Body’s adaptive response to acute stressors Results in activation of the sympathetic ANS.
o Not just the absence of disease o Physical, mental and social well-being Biopsychosocial Model o Heart disease is not just a physical disease The Immune System and Stress Immune System Dysfunction o Psychoneuroimmunology: how it affects the immune system o Initially, stress activates immune system If you do get injured, the immune system is ready to attack if any invaders get in. However, chronic stress suppresses immune system. o Increases susceptibility for flu, common cold, HIV/AIDS/ & other infections. o Also increases chances of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Cognitive Factors Richard Lazarus o Cognitive-Mediational Theory Primary Appraisal o See/experience the stressor and ask, “Am I in trouble?” Threat vs. challenge Secondary Appraisal o Resources assessed: “What can I do about it?” o If we see it as a threat and do not have the resources to deal with it, we see it as a threat and it turns into stress. Personality Factors and Stress
Type A o Competitive, impatient, easily annoyed/upset, hostile o Associated with heart disease Type B o Not competitive, laid back, difficult to anger/annoy Type C o Outwardly pleasant, but keeps negative emotions internalized o Associated with cancer Type D o Depression, negative emotions, socially inhibited o Associated w/ heart disease Type H (Hardy Personality): ability to thrive on stress o Like Type A, but lack hostility/anger component o 3 C’s: Commitment, control, and challenge Explanatory style o Optimism (glass half full) o Pessimism (glass half empty) Social Factors and Stress Socioeconomic Status o Poverty associated with more status and less effective coping o Things like education level, occupation, wealth (social or physical, where you live) Job Stress o Burnout Complete dissatisfaction
