CMN 368(UIUC) Exam 1

What are some of the findings from the movie about teen pregnancy, STDs, and teen sexual activity in the United States?

- 10,000 teen contract an STD everyday -70% of teen are having sex -24,000 teens get pregnant ever year

What are some negative outcomes of flirting?

- Can result in ' loss of face' - Misunderstanding - Result in jealous behavior

What are some motivates for flirting?

- Communicate sexual interest - Exploring - Change intensity of relationship - Fun - Build self-esteem -Instrumental

Why do we communicate about sex

- Helps define our relationship status - Helps communicate an identity - It is becoming more difficult to report sexual feelings and experiences

Social attraction is also related to:

- Increase in communication - Increase in influence (persuasion) - Alleviates loneliness - Alleviates social anxiety

How do we communicate about sex in our generation/culture?

- Sexual communication repertoire is broadening - Our ability to understand this part of the human experience is growing - We are putting things in the public sector that used to be private (i.e. relationships of social media) - New Tone in pop culture discuss sex

What is Pornographication of Society

- Society has re-packaged erotic material - Sophisticated form of presentation (i.e. "Dream angels heavenly by Victoria Secret)

Filter Theory

At the beginning of a relationship "looks" are important but, over time physical attributions become less important

What is the relationship between mate guarding, attractiveness and fertility?

Attractiveness and fertility plays a role in mate guarding.

What are some non-binary terms for sexual orientation

1. Androphilia- Sexual attraction to masculine individuals 2. Gynephilia- Sexual attraction to feminine individuals

Pheromones

A chemical signal, that when released in to the air, triggered specific behaviors in other members of the same species. - Detected with the Jacobson organ in the nose - Part of the immune system's notocompatibility complex

Uncertainty Avoidance

A culture lives with ambiguity and do not like uncertainty.

Co-Cultural

From same nationality but, come from different co-cultures. (i.e. an engineering student interacting with a communication student)

Gestalt Impression Formation

General and global impressions of a person that is either positive or negative. - Formed rapidly - Require little mental or communication effort

The Three common classification of sexual orientation

Heterosexual Homosexual Bisexual

How does this vary by culture?

In the United States children do not learn about sex until about the 8th grade. However, in other countries children are learning about it much early.

What is the difference in family about sex in the United States similar and different to family communication in other culture?

Families in the United States are not as open with their children about sex. However in countries like Holland the families talk about sex openly over dinner.

Family Communication

Family communication doesn't equal open communication; it's face-to-face, sit down talk

Intersexual Selection

Female selective and discriminating in mate choices. - Select mates perceived to provided strong offspring - Prefer mates with high parental investment

Sexual Attraction

Desire to have sex with a particular person

What is oxytocin

Know as the "hug drug"

What is the "language of sexuality"

Language used when talking about sexuality; puts sex on the same fields as drugs, bad things, addictions

High Power Distance

Maintain Power differences

Intrasexual Selection

Males struggle to win over female - Social hierarchies and intelligence

Why does these differences between males and females when discussing sex drive and sexual attraction?

Males: Polarized attraction( their sex drives aim towards one or the other sex) Female: Can be attracted to both sexes

What are the perceptions of flirting

Males: interpret flirting as more sexual than females Females: interpret flirting as harmless

Low Context Culture

Meaning is explicit in the words spoken - straight talk value

High Context Culture

Meaning is implicit in relationship and situation - indirectness value

What is the relationship between attraction and a woman's ovulatory cycle

Men can sense when women are ovulating and identify them as smelling better. - Women give off cues of their fertility status

What are women looking for in a potential mate?

Men who can provide for their offspring

Low Power Distance

Minimize power differences

Are scents universally known as natural aphrodisiac?

No, there is no research that shows if this is true.

What are some non-physical characteristics that are related to attraction?

Personality

Libido

Physiological and emotional energy associated with sex drive

Socialization

Process of inheriting social norms, customs, and ideologies.

Social Norms

Rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors

Sex Drive

Sexual desire and/or urge to engage in sexual activity

What effect does medical birth control has on scents?

It eliminates cycle scents

Intercultural

When different people from different nationalities have a conversation. (i.e. a friend, co-worker, lover interaction)

Mate guarding

When women are ovulating, their mate might be more protective; used to deter cross breeding

Long-Term Orientation

Someone who thinks about the future

Sexual Selection

Struggle for sexual possession of a mate

Social Attraction

Tendency to evaluate another person in a consistency positive way.

Sexual Communication Competence

The ability to choose a communication that is both appropriate and effective for a sex-related situation.

Masculinity vs Femininity

The man is in control vs the roles are shared

Sexual Communication

The process through which people use messages to generate meaning about sex-related topics within and across contexts, cultures, channels and media. Can be: -Verbal and Non-Verbal - Mediated and face to face (interpersonal, small group, CMC) - Dynamic

Individualism and collectivism

You may value your own goals vs valuing the good of the community. (may care what the community thinks)

Flirting

common form of social interaction, and includes verbal communication and non-verbal communication behavior

Open Communication

having sex talked about in schools, communities, and homes (nature of communication: not abstinence only talk, not leaving any information out)

What are the reason/rationale for friends with benefits relationships?

they welcome a lack of commitment, they have needs to satisfy, people lead a turbulent lifestyle; most common outcome is that they remain friends even though the sexual part of relationship is over

How do libido, sex drive and sexual attraction relate?

Libido -> Sex Drive -> Sexual Attraction

What is asexuality?

Little or no interest in sexual attraction

What are the outcomes of FWB relationships?

Most people continue to be friends and stop sleeping with one other.

What kinds of rules of are important for FWB relationships?

1. Emotional attachment 2. Communication 3. Sex

What are some examples of libido raisers for men?

1. Pumpkin Pie 2. Popcorn 3. Licorice

What are the differences in sex drive and sexual attraction between males and females?

1. Sexual Stimuli 2. Organization of Attraction

What occurs when occurs when a female shares more MHC with a partner?

1. The less sexually attracted she is too him. 2. The more she rejects his sexual advances 3. The more she thinks about other guys

Why do man prefer beauty over age?

Breeding - Fertility tied to age - Age is tied to physical appearance Fertility-Age-Physical Appearance

Social Exchange Theory

Rewards > Costs - Reciprocity ( "our checklist"-> DEAL BREAKERS)

Generation of Sexual Restraint

Years: 1930-1950s - Talk of sex NOT ALLOWED - Lack of tenderness - No information exchange - Partners didn't talk about sex at all

Generation of Sexual Revolution

Years: 1950-1970s - Limited information in sciences magazines/ books -Men exchanged sex stories - More contraception widely available

Generation of Gender Equalization

Years: 1970-1990s - Ideas of generation sexual revolution become realized and utilized -Free information exchange - Males and females exchange sex stories - Pursue sexual relationships

Generation Now: Modern Society

Years: 1990- Now - Sex can be an 'out of body experience' - Shift in who the experts are - Sex for reproduction v.s. sex for fun - Leveling of gender playing field

Power Distance

The degree to which members of a society accept an unequal distribution of power.

Behaviors associated with mate guarding

- Attentiveness - Affection - Keeping your partner close

Liquid Love

- Much easier to enter and leave a relationship -Easy to form a relationship but, also to leave them

Biophysical Communication

1. Form of non-verbal communication 2. Subconscious cues to potential mates

What are Gestalt Impression Formation Shortcomings?

1. Halo Effect: More likely to form a positive impression 2. Horn Effect: Emphasized on negative information received 3. Primary Effect: Emphasizes on the first information we received about a person

What are 6 ways of determining sexual social norms?

1. Legal Sex Acts 2. Relatedness 3. Social Role 4. Age 5. Race/Ethnicity 6. Status

What do Pheromones do?

1. May help you choose a partner 2. Women are MORE sensitive to scent of pheromones 3. Debates exists over the existence/ use of pheromones in humans

Culture

A system of knowledge, beliefs, values, customs, behaviors and artifacts that are acquired, shared, and used members of a social group

Uncertainty Management Theory

Appropriate levels of self disclosure are positively associated with social attraction. - Increase in uncertainty often reduce liking but, too much predictability can also reduce liking always.

Sexual Norms

Cultures social norms for sexuality

How do we form impression of others?

Impressions creates a formation of who people are and how we make judgement about them. These may also vary in: 1. Speed of formation 2. Form they take

How does social attraction relate to sexual attraction

Relationship formation, maintenance and satisfaction - Many also fulfill human needs for: affiliation, intimacy, trust, self disclosure and being accepted.

Micro-Cultural

Same culture interaction. (i.e. family communication)

Males change a female body chemistry through?

Sweat. In which causes increase in: 1. Sexual Arousal 2. Positive Emotion 3. Memory 4. Attention

Ethnocentic

The belief that our culture is superior to others- what we do is normal

Sexual Orientation

The unique pattern of sexual and romantic desire, behavior, and identity that each person expresses.

What is the relationship between between cheating and scents?

There is NO true relationship between cheating and a woman's scent.