Psyc 312 Study Guide Exam 1

A special function of natural selection in species that reproducer sexually

sexual selection

What is role of culture on sexual arousal?

A culture that defines sexual nature to exclude sexual pleasure may have a negative impact on an individual's development of sexual wellbeing§ Sex-positive cultures tend to accept a broader range of the expression of sexual well-being and pleasure than sex-negative cultures§ Variations in expression and experience of sexual pleasure seen throughout the globe due to the strong influence of culture

Know differences between the following perspectives of sexuality and sexual jealousy: Evolution

The evolutionary perspective draws on the principles of natural selection and sexual selection to understand how the selection places different adaptive challenges for females and males in many species and emphasizes the continuity of life on Earth and the similarities across species that come from common ancestry.

Phases of the model of sexual arousal

The four stages are excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. Excitement involves the initial stages of heightened physiological arousal, including increases in breathing, blood flow to the surface of the skin, and heart rate. In females, it is accompanied by increases in blood flow to the labia, clitoris, and vaginal walls as well as the release of vaginal secretions that serve the purposes of lubrication and preparation of the vaginal environment for sperm transport. Plateau is a state of maximum physiological arousal, which may be sustained for a period of time prior to orgasm. It may also be accompanied by a sex flush, a reddening of the skin on the abdomen and breasts, as increased blood flow occurs throughout the body and heart rate and blood pressure increase. Orgasm is accompanied in both sexes by muscular contractions of the pelvic floor muscles. In females, orgasm is accompanied by contractions of the vaginal wall and, in those females who ejaculate, an ejaculation. In both sexes, the decrease in arousal when sexual activity has finished is referred to as the resolution phase

What is the g-spot? Where is it located?

small bean-shaped area of slightly raised or spongy tissue that is particularly sensitive, located on the front wall of the vagina.• Not all women report having a G-spot• Its location varies in women but tends to be halfway between the urethral opening and the entrance to the cervix, running along the line of the urethra

What is female ejaculation?

cloudy alkaline gel- like substance, expelled from the urethra and produced by skene glands

the evolutionary perspective

focuses on similarities and differences across species

kegels are used to exercise which muscle?

pelvic floor

Effects of urinary tract infections?

UTIs can cause significant damage to the kidneys without treatment but are usually easily treated by a health care provider with prescription antibiotic medications.

Why should we understand biological universals?

When we find universals, they are often rooted in biology and can best be appreciated through understanding evolution and mechanisms that are found across species. Biology also produces a wide range of individual differences within a species, so we observe that it is normal for there to be individual variations in the frequency and duration of falling in love. Importantly, culture interacts with biology: while love is found in all cultures, in many cultures romantic love is not the basis for marriage.

Types of sexologists

are primarily academic researchers and writers who produce scholarly research and writing on sexuality. Some of those who study sexuality identify as sexologists, but most identify professionally as psychologists, biologists, anthropologists, sociologists, historians, and so on with an interest in some aspect of sexuality.

Most common type of cancer in women?

breast cancer Most treatable forms of cancer, with very high survival rates for early detection of most types of breast cancer. • While some forms of cancer return, properly treated breast cancer is one of the forms of cancer with the best average rate of survival—93% at 5 years across all types—suggesting that, effectively, a complete cure is possible for most women with early treatment.

Why is Richard von Krafft-Ebing's book—Psychopathia Sexualis—important in studying sexuality?

he documented a wide range of sexual practices and described them as both perversions and medical problems, thus pathologizing as medical and mental illness things that today are known to be a normative part of sexual behavior. He included masturbation, same-sex attraction, and numerous examples of focused sexual interest in objects, clothing, or activities, which today we call kinks and fetishes He was describing as pathological those behaviors that were already disapproved of and/or were illegal, so he could be said to simply be reflecting the biases of his time

What are mammary glands?

modified sweat glands that produce milk structures within the breasts capable of lactation:• Lobes: about twenty irregularly shaped structures in the mammary glands.

Gonads

ovaries and testes

which autonomic division is responsible for being active during erection and arousal?

parasympathetic division

symptoms of ovarian cancer

Bloating, early satiety, urinary symptoms (pressure on the bladder), and pelvic pressure.

Chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

Types of sexual identities

. The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide encourages people to use the terms heterosexual(s), bisexual(s), pansexual(s), gay male (gay man or gay men), and lesbian(s) for common sexual orientation categories based on self-identification, and transgender,

What are the factors that lead to the sexual revolution in the 1960s?

1920s and 1930s saw movements to liberalize sexuality with a rise in early gay rights organizations in Germany.• 1940s and 1950s saw the development of sexology as a scientific discipline based on observational data and experiments. Masters and Johnson remained a research team during the years of their marriage, forming a clinic and developing behavioral techniques to help people with sexual difficulties, such as trouble achieving orgasm or achieving orgasm more quickly than desired . Sexual revolution of the 1960s was the emergence of a popular youth culture that encouraged a rejection of traditional values, participated in an antiwar protest movement challenging the Vietnam War, and rejected traditional authority

Allelles

2 or more different forms of a certain gene

what is a measurement scale?

Collections of questions designed to assess an underlying construct

What is the best was to describe gender differences?

Consistent male/female differences in average cultural, social, behavioral, or attitudinal characteristics, the source of which may be both biological and social. Some gender differences are constant, while some vary cross-culturally or historically

sexual dimorphism

Differences in physical characteristics between males and females of the same species.

Yin/Yang philosophy?

Each pair's components are not seen as opposites but rather as complements of one another or as existing simultaneously in some proportion to a greater or lesser extent but never entirely one and not the other. Likewise, female and male are another pairing of yin and yang. Sexual pleasure itself was positive provided that it promoted harmony, and the ancient traditions of Taoism (part religion and part philosophy) suggested sexuality was part of the natural order, a balance between yin and yang.

How have agriculture and industrialization in the past century impacted gender and sexuality?

Global industrialization and technology influence sexuality and gender roles. Industrialization, urban living, and a shared cultural experience have had an impact on gender and sexuality:• Reliable oral contraceptives.• Women choosing to have smaller families.• Shift in societal gender roles.

Activation of the sympathetic/parasympathetic division in sexual arousal

However, with sexual arousal, both systems are active at different stages, with the parasympathetic division being more active in erection and arousal, and the sympathetic division being more active in orgasm (Boron & Boulpaep, 2009). These branches are usually opposed to one another; for example, when heart rate increases, the sympathetic nerves controlling the heart are active, and when heart rate decreases, the parasympathetic nerves controlling the heart are active

What is the pathway related to sexual arousal in the body?

Hypothalamus brain that is part of the limbic system which includes processes related to fear and arousal. (dopamine and oxytocin are involved in sexual response neurotransmitters)

What were the sexual norms for men in ancient Greece?

In Greece at the time, it was considered appropriate for males to have two outlets for sexual desire and behavior: with women (wives and prostitutes) and with adolescent males (Laqueur, 2003).

Interdependent vs. independent view of self

In a cultural (or family) tradition with an independent view of self, clear boundaries exist between self-identity and others, there is a diffuse boundary between in-group and out-group with easier inclusion of others into one's in-group, and one views the self as an unchanging entity over time, with an emphasis on individualism. An interdependent view of self is more common in non Western cultures and traditional, nonindustrialized societies. It is not unusual in these cultures for decisions like marriage and occupation to traditionally be made by family members rather than self.

What is called when sperm first starts to be produced in the testes?

In males, spermatogenesis, the production of sperm in the testes, commences after puberty and continues until death.

What are kegels for?

Kegel exercises may be done by men and women, and are useful for improving the intensity of orgasm and also for developing greater control over orgasm, as these same muscles undergo contraction during orgasm. In addition, they help with bladder control in people who feel a frequent need to urinate even though the bladder is not full or who may leak urine when sneezing or coughing. In women, after childbirth, pelvic floor muscles may be weakened and may benefit from exercises to restore them

Common problems with non-certified sex therapists

Special expertise does not always guarantee wisdom or accuracy, but media figures may be more likely to make statements not informed by data. This is especially true of general news reports.

what is it called when sperm first starts to be produced in testes

Spermatogenesis

Attractiveness of females to heterosexual males throughout menstrual cycle

More controlled lab studies also have showed that the perceived attractiveness of a female to heterosexual males varies according to the female's menstrual cycle, with peak attractiveness at peak fertility. Females also vary in how strongly they find certain traits attractive depending on where they are in their menstrual cycle and whether they are at maximum chance of becoming pregnant. Some females may be attracted to different traits when they are on oral contraceptives.

How did agriculture impact both the post agricultural societies and indigenous societies?

Most agricultural societies developed patriarchal structures and gender roles, and these are a common historical influence for most people in the world today. Indigenous peoples with nonagricultural traditions represent a very small proportion of today's population. These cultures show multiple variations in family structure, gender roles, sexual behavior, and other aspects of sexuality. Cultures concerned about controlling reproduction usually place more restrictions on sexual behavior.

What are some of the challenges to survey research?

Obtaining IRB permission to survey children and adolescents on sexual behavior is particularly difficult, Difficult and expensive to obtain a truly random sample that is representative of a large population.• People are uncomfortable about sexual questions, or may not respond honestly to questions about sex.• Lack of clearly agreed-upon measures for some constructs.

To whom and when should HPV vaccines be given?

One, Cervarix, is only approved for females, and it may provide slightly greater immunity to the two strains that cause most cervical cancers. The other, Gardasil, has been approved for both sexes, and it provides adequate immunity in most people to these two strains, while additionally providing immunity to two other strains that produce up to 90% of cases of genital warts.

which of the following are stages in kaplan's model of sexual arousal

Orgasm, excitement, desire

How do we screen for cervical cancer?

Pap smear: tests for the presence of abnormal cells, indicating a precancerous condition or cancer.

What are the advantages of sexual reproduction?

Sexual reproduction greatly increases the chances that your children will have different variations from you, your mate, or from your other offspring, increasing the chances that some of your offspring will survive. Appear include greater resistance to disease in offspring (from more variation in offspring) and a decreased likelihood of deleterious mutations having harmful consequences or being accumulated across generations.

Sex differentiation in DSD's How to identify different expressions?

Some people with DSDs prefer to be referred to by the older term intersex, although person with DSD is more widely used today. Adult gender identity correlates with the type of DSD to some degree, but there are considerable individual variations, and the most common gender identities of people with DSDs are gender binary (female or male), with other variations such as nonbinary (which may also be used by people without DSDs)

Know differences between the following perspectives of sexuality and sexual jealousy: Biological

The biological perspective focuses on descriptive functioning as well as the molecular and anatomical aspects of sexuality. It is also the basis of psychiatric and psychotherapeutic diagnosis in contemporary society (A biological and evolutionary perspective on the origins of cock blocking would suggest that sperm competition in hominid ancestors resulted in more offspring from males who mated with multiple females; since human females typically can carry only one child at a time, blocking a rival male's ability to mate would increase the chances that the female might remain fertile and potentially mate with the blocking male at a later time.)

Know differences between the following perspectives of sexuality and sexual jealousy: Cultural

The cultural perspective on cock blocking might explore different human cultures. For instance, among the Aché hunter-gatherers (of what is today Paraguay in South America), females bond non-monogamously, and the males in an Aché tribe are collectively perceived as being fathers of all the children, with relatively few rivalries. Thus cock blocking could instead be seen as largely a cultural artifact, manifesting in the depths of a college bar but not in the depths of the Amazonian rainforest The cultural perspective draws on examples of multiple cultures and historical eras, attending to the multiple dimensions of cultural uniqueness, which includes ethnicity and religious traditions as well as historical variations

what is considered a true female ejaculate according to the textbook

a cloudy, gel like substance that is expelled from the urethra

What is the effect of smell on sexual stimulation?

a particular person's smell may become highly arousing if one is attracted to that person, and consciously detectable scents such as those from perfumes and colognes may become positively associated with someone to whom one is attracted (and so the smell can be arousing). People can become aroused by certain types of bodily odors and smells in general, including those of the armpits and genitalia as well as bodily fluids and genital secretions.

Know differences between the following perspectives of sexuality and sexual jealousy: Social Learning

common in gender studies programs, emphasizes interactions between nature and nurture but often places greater emphasis on the social environment as well as personal history The social learning perspective on sexual jealousy could integrate both perspectives, suggesting that there is an evolved mechanism for sexual jealousy and paternity certainty, but some cultures and environmental contexts draw this out more than others

the biopsychosocial model, proposed by George, encourages

considering multiple levels of causation(biological, psychological, S/C)

What is habituation?

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation

inidividuals with variations in human sexual development due to genetic anomalies are said to have

disorders of sex development/ differences of sex development (DSDs)

Androgyny

displaying both traditional masculine and feminine psychological characteristics

Krafft-Ebing is important because

first time psychiatry claims sexuality as medical matter, sexuality debates in 21st century were as contentious as in in the 1800s, it shows how attitudes have changed in many topics

the somatic nervous system is the involuntary nervous system, which control sexual responses, like arousal

false

What is habituation?

familiartity with stimuli generally produces as reduced response

Know differences between the following perspectives of sexuality and sexual jealousy: Social Constructionism

perspective takes the view that even the most essential aspects of sexuality are a product of language, the meanings we give to ideas, and power relationships in society. The constructionism perspective might focus on the nature of power relationships in postagrarian societies, where males come to dominate others and amass property and wealth, and might see the phenomenon as an offshoot of values that support such social systems. In the often polysyllabic language of social constructionism, cock blocking becomes a manifestation of hegemonic patriarchal economic structures

Sexual dimorphisms

phenotypic differences between the sexes

Sex hormones

progestrone, estrogen, and testosterone

which of following describes gender differenes accurately?

statistically measurable average difference between males and females

the social constructionism perspective

suggests all observable aspects of aspects of sexuality result from social environment

Gender dysphoria

the condition of feeling one's emotional and psychological identity as male or female to be opposite to one's biological sex.

Embryonic layers

three primary layers formed early in the embryo phase include ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm layers

prognosis of testicular cancer

treatable with early detection; obviously chemotherapy and radiation may be done if severe enough; in best case scenario may be able to remove the single affected teste and still save the other

potential variations in a particular gene at a particular location on a chromosome are referred to as alleles

true