Love and Sex in Society Exam 1
According to Logan's research on male sex workers, what are characteristics of "hegemonic masculinity" that result in a higher price premium? What is the relationship between overall population size, the size of the gay community, and the prevalence of male escorts in American cities?
"hegemonic masculinity": athletic, muscular build. 165 pounds and 5 foot 10. Drug and disease free, if you use condoms. "tops" -high population cities have more male escorts, but these are not cities with larger gay communities (men may be married or have partners, but just exploring)
what role does the cultural matrix play in a love story?
-Broader culture, norms, rituals. Reinforced through media, family, peers and romantic partners. Some are culturally acceptable and others aren't -Stories we tell vary with time and place -Under continual, subtle pressure to create only those stories that are socioculturally acceptable
what does Judith Butler's perspective on the role that male/female dualism plays in society? what does it mean that individuals "do" gender?
-Challenges the idea of opposing dualism of male and female believes that gender is a performance we acquire thourgh gender socialization -we act how we are taught behaviors are modeled after what it means to be a man or a woman -masculinity and femininity will change over time -people "do" gender: compulsory heterosexuality exerts enormous social pressure on each of us to "perform' the appropriate gender and sexual identity. Deviance carries serious risks and dangers. (unsure about this last part)
how do coercive pressure, normative pressure, and mimetic processes contribute to this continuing importance of marriage in society, according to later and yodanis?
-Coercive pressure: sense of getting married for certain rights and privileges: health insurance, tax return people have a greater sense of respect in some social circles. -Normative pressure: in many areas of society is considered the standard and considered normal. The ultimate, the ideal, the fantasy. More mature, more grounded, more in line with the rest of culture. -Mimetic pressure or processes: people get married because they are doing what people have done for centuries. Just keep repeating historical patterns. Marriage helps to mitigate risk. Keep replicating the tradition
how do the deinstitutionalization model and the confluent love model explain the decline of marriage in Western society?
-Confluent love model: in our society today, because of economic development and life expectancy, people's main goal is that they get to figure out who they are and become their best version of themselves. This takes precedence over connection to other people. Also says that people craft their own story through their own personal choices. Freedom allows us to have the pure relationship. LOOK UP
Identify when one might use each type of sociological method discussed in class to collect data on relationships and sexuality (i.e., content analysis, surveys, case studies, historical records, lab observation)—in other words, when might each be useful in relationship research?
-Content analysis: look at things that are textual or visual. •Reoccurring themes are identified in texts or graphics. Ex. TV, music, social media •Read through text numerous times until specific categories are identified and coded •Coding is achieved when saturation is reached •Find themes -Surveys Efficient, flexible, uniform •cannot ground responses in social context, can't know everything about someone's life. •If random, can generalize findings. -Lab observation •Measure what behaviors occur and how often •Criticism, contempt, defensiveness, stone walling •Love lab: stay with partner for a few days. Camera in common areas. Can video record interactions. Where he gets information about divorce. -Case studies: •Used most often by family therapists and social workers •Subjective accounts of persons seek in practice •Look at sexual dysfunction, particular couple issues -Historical records •Diaries, marriage/birth certificates •Colonial US, had European American colonists, thought they were upstanding citizens. 1/3 of brides were pregnant at time of marriage. look up more info
what are sexual scripts, according to Gagnon and Simon? Differentiate cultural, interpersonal, and intrapsychic scripts from one another.
-Cultural scripts: broader norms regarding sexuality. Specifically gender roles. What are the roles that men and women play in society in having sex. Ex. men should be initiators and women should decline sex. -Interpersonal scripts: between individuals and a social interaction. What types of behavior do people engage in and what order? Ex. used to have intercourse and then oral sex, now it is oral sex and then intercourse. -Intrapsychic: what people actually think about in their head. What you daydream and fantasize about. What is appropriate? Who are you allowed to fantasize about?
what are John Lee's styles of love?
-Eros: we are focused on intense passion, sexual and physical chemistry and ultimately focus on partner's looks •Not a deep kind of love, but rather focused on physical attraction. -Ludus: non-committal. associated with playing games. Enjoy the thrill of the chase. Juggling multiple sexual or romantic partners. Trying to get someone's interest but not trying to sustain it. -Storge: slow, burning kind of love. Where two people might over time develop a solid friendship and then the solid friendship leads to something deeper. Leads to romantic relationship and then possibly a commitment. Share intimacy. Even though wasn't initial intention. -Mania: a lot of highs and lows. Very dramatic types of relationships. Constantly having really passionate sex, start fighting and then break up, then get back together. Experiencing emotional highs and lows. Leads to massive depression. Obsessive, possessive kind of love. -Agape: judeo-christian beliefs. A strong sense of altruism and selflessness. Would put all their needs ahead of your own. Do things that are kind and generous. Do it out of the welfare for other people. Have a sense of welfare of other people. Willing to donate an organ for someone they love -Pragma: dominated by cool-headed pragmatism. Someone who has a clear sense of what they want in a partner. They carefully seek out a partner with these characteristics. Make sure they will be compatible for a long-term relationship.
how does the expression and experience of love vary across age group and gender?
-Gender differences • Feeling passion: men feel the spark of passion first • Saying "I love you" initially: 7/10 times, men say that they say I love you first. • Women feel a lot more cautious that they are in love with someone, more careful to say that they love someone. • Why are men more willing to admit that they are falling in love? Women don't want to be misinterpreted as being too emotional or too invested in a relationship. -Differences across age and relationships duration • 10-15 years or more: feel love and passion with less intensity. • Other positive attributes become more pronounced long-term. Tend to talk more favorably about their partner. Feel more satisfied. Change might come from knowing partner well. • Relationship between habituation and sexual frequency o Habituation: become accustomed to something. o More accustomed you are to having sex with the same person, your sexual frequency goes down. Regardless of age, sexual orientation. Nothing wrong with you, part of human experience.
what are the chief concerns that research ethics committees/institutional review boards have in relation to research on prostitution?
-Hard to get this type of work approved. -Dangers of getting research. -Outreach and key informants are essential for access. -Blurring of boundaries/boundary ambiguity as a researcher -Emotion management is essential for the researcher look up
what is the structure and function of a love story?
-Implicit theories people have about love. What love is and what it should be. Has a plot, beginning, middle and end. -Stories have maladaptive and adaptive elements -Plots, themes, characters
identify the components that compromise love, according to STernberg's triangular theory and Rubin's love scale
-Intimacy: closeness, warmth, sharing, trust, open up and be yourself around partner. -Passion: the "heat", the excitement, the arousal, deep need for someone. -Commitment: cool-headed element, desire to want to stay together and work things out. The devotion to maintain a relationship over the long term.
what are the difficulties faced by transgender sex workers?
-Lack of resources to assist transgender peers -Lack of awareness and sensitivity within criminal justice system.
how do the roles and treatment of male sex workers generally differ from those of female sex workers?
-Less likely to experience violence and coercion -work independently -not as stigmatized in the LGBTQ group. Less likely to judge -male escorts market themselves look up
what is the "taxonomy of love stories" developed by Sternberg?
-List is an endless and captures every possible story that people can tell. -wide range of conceptions -characteristic mode of thought and behavior -overlap between the view of love as a story and other views of love -have complementary roles - have certain depictions of what a loving relationship is -Some have more success than others -Stories are both causes and effects -Potential for success of any kind of story depends on how one defines success
according to evolutionary anthropologist Helen Fisher, what underlying drives motivate people to pair up?
-Lust: broader desire to get together with someone. May just be reproductive drive. General human need to want to sexually get together with someone else. -Attraction (dopamine): attracted to specific kinds of people, when focus sexual energy on one person, this is what we call attraction. Fueled by dopamine. Brain in love is like your brain on cocaine. -Attachment(oxytocin): attachment chemical. High levels are produced in long-term couples who commit to each other. Oxytocin is produced by men and women. Produced by women who are giving birth, but same chemical people produce after having an orgasm. Gives a sense of comfort and security.
compare and contrast the martial decline perspective with the martial resilience perspective
-Marital decline perspective: articulate that marriage is the bedrock of society (foundation). Comes from a more conservative viewpoint. Single parents are problematic for society. -Martial resilience perspective: more liberal perspective, articulates how shouldn't look at marriage as one monolithic thing. Throughout human history, marriage has changed and evolved. We idealize the past. Always changing and evolving.
what are the limitations of each of the surveys?
-NHSLS: excluded those that did not live in a household, small sample size since small funding, some minority groups, age limited to 18-59, some of the wording was criticized. -NSSHB: household data, not representative of older adults who may be more likely than adults of younger ages to be in an institutional setting, did not oversample minority groups, hard to compare results over time, unclear if it held true for all ages, no rapport was built. NSFG:LOOK UP
what sampling strategy is used by each of the three sexuality surveys to select respondents? how do they attempt to create a representative sample of American adults for sexuality research
-NHSLS: multistage sampling, FTF -NSSHB: phone numbers and address random sampling, internet -NSFG: multistage sampling , FTF look up second question
what broad types of info was gathered by each of the three sexuality surveys?
-NHSLS: wantedness of sex (20% of women said they were forced, <3% of males said they forced them to do stuff), sexual desire (sexual desire, behavior and identity-do not correspond), number of sexual partners (women: 3, men 5. In past year, most people had 1 or 0) -NSSHB: sexual repertoire, most recent sexual experiences (behavior, with whom, details about having sex) 50 different common sexual behaiors, oral sex has become common and casual for younger population. -NSFG: sexual behavior vs. identity, vaginal/oral/anal sex, adoption, contraceptive use (life history, can put different years on it, sexual history)
what types of emotional labor may be experienced and managed by researchers who conduct their work in prostitution
-Secondary trauma: people working victimized populations, you yourself can be traumatized -Overstimulating arousing situation. (sex toys, porn, different types of dress)
what are the motivations and characteristics of men who seek the services of sex workers?
-Vast majority are non-violent -sexual dissatisfaction with partner, or seeking different style of sex -do not want responsibilities or conventional relationship (benefits without obligation) -transgressive behavior is enticing or exciting (against the law, violates social norms) -very little information about female clients (sexual tourism or exploring)
define the self-expansion model
-When we are deeply in love, especially romantically. We have an increase in self-esteem and we also have much more complex and a greater sense of our own self-concept. •Why? Someone chose you, spending a lot of time with them.
what are the elements of the WICS model?
-Wisdom, intelligence and creativity. -Creativity is needed because relationships and circumstances in which they unfold and change over time. -Intelligence is needed because relationships have challenges that you have to overcome -Wisdom: understand one's parter's viewpoint.
what constitutes a "pure relationship"?
-You get involved in a relationship and you stay in it as long as you derive a personal benefit from it. When you no longer feel happy or fulfilled, free to exit at own will. Relationships are very fluid -Only obligation to self -Men who are wealthy or powerful that move from partner to partner
institutional marriage (pre-20th century)
-extended family plays a big role in choice of spouse -marry to get good in-laws, have children and perpetuate wealth -status is derived from family -women derive personhood from being married -marriage can determine your economic survival
what are indicators of deinstitutionalization of marriage?
-increase in cohabitation -same-sex unions LOOK UP
based on the social constructionist perspective, how has the idea of homosexuality changed over time in terms of its meaning?
-up until 19th century, in western societies, if homosexuality was a way someone identified, if it didn't interfere, it wasn't problematic -behavior-just something people did. Was seen as people being deviant. Rejected having getting married (1920) -in 1950s and 60s started to medicalize things outside of the norm, abnormal personality -today: affirmative social identity. How peple identify and part of who they are. Thought about in a much more positive light.
what are Seidman's main concerns with prostitution in determining whether it is exploitative?
-women do the work and men control them -wages are low and working conditions are dangerous
what are the possible alternative futures of marriage, as posited by Cherlin?
Continuing Deinstitutionalization -People will see marriage as potentially important, some people will get married, or pick other partnerships. See more single people, more consensual relationships. Living separate from partners cohabitation Reinstitutionalization -See a return to more traditional situations -More people acting in accordance with traditional gender roles -Decrease of divorce rates -Marriage becomes more of a fabric of society Fading away of marriage -Might lose interest all together -Pure relationship becomes common.
what are the core ideas of social constructionism, as applied to sexuality? How does this theory differ from the perspective of essentialism?
Essentialism: sexuality is a basic part of being human. -Constancy of essences found across societies over time (people drawn to one sex, both sexes) in some cultures it is okay to be attracted to one sex, other cultures it is not. Constructionism: reality is socially constructed. Sexuality is socially constructed -Sexuality is created by culture. It does come from biology, but at the same time, the way we think about and what we deem sexuality comes from the culture we live in. -ex. perceptions about homosexuality have greatly changed over time and vary across cultures.
define oppression, empowerment and polymorphous models of sex work
Oppression Paradigm -One viewpoint presented in "A Right to Sex work?" -inheritively exploitative -Some level of force or need or coersion -Never truly a choice -Feminist perspective: • Characterized by exploitation and subjugation (of women). Women is a subject of the man. • Poverty and limited opportunities spur participation. Can be runaways from home, abuse, mistreatment. Past criminal justice system involvement. Experienced marginalization since they were young. • Sexual trafficking- "recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act" (US Congress TVPA 2000) (don't memorize, just know that it is sex work done against persons own will) o Someone else is forcing them. • Women are the ones that are selling themselves and predominantly men are their clientele. • Women don't have a choice in selling their bodies. • Sex work is more dehumanizing than other types of work. Taking this act that is supposed to be private, sacred, and a deep level of meaning and making it profane. • Something sacred becomes profane There are sex workers who are transgender and male, but the bulk are female Empowerment paradigm: "A Right to Sex Work?" -Something that can be beneficial or productive -Organize it in ways that make it a meaningful way to make a living. Source of human agency, a game, a real skill. Release you from the constraints from which you have been raised. -COYOTE-should be decriminalized (Call off your old tired ethics) -Decriminalizing sex work. No criminal penalties. -Difference between decriminalization and legalization: legalization: putting it into the law. Decriminalization: would strip away the criminal aspects of it. No jail. -Source of human agency, liberation, securing a standard of living. -Prostitution is another way in which bodies are used for economic gain. (athlete, body builder, model) o Polymorphous model -Integration of oppression and empowerment model -Sex work is complex and varied. -The models apply to different people. -Sex work is simultaneously exploitative and empowering -What determines this is the structural conditions in which a sex worker is employed.
what are the opposing viewpoints on sex work in current times?
Oppression Paradigm: -Inhereitvely exploitative -Some level of force or need -Feminist perspective • Exploitation and subjugation of women. Women is a subject of the man • Poverty and limited opportunities spur participation. Can be runaways from home, abuse, mistreatment. • Sex trafficking: recruitment, harboring, transportation provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of commercial sex act. -Men are their clientele -Women do not have a choice in selling their bodies -Sex work is dehumanizing because taking a private act and making it profane. Empowerment paradigm -Something that can be beneficial or productive -Organize it in ways that make it a meaningful way to make aliving. Source of human agency, a game, a real skill. -COYOTE: should be decriminalized. -Difference between decriminalization and legalization. -Source of human agency, liberation and securing a standard of living. -Prostitution is another way in which bodies are used for economic gain. (athlete, body builder, model) Polymorphous model -Integration of oppression and empowerment model -sex work is complex and varied -the models apply to different people -exploitative and empowering
what strategies are useful for gaining entrance into prostitution settings to conduct research?
Social workers are a good place to start. Have to connect to people in the community. Local churches are a good place to start. look up
How have expectations of young people regarding intimate relationships changed over time?
both males and females rank attraction and mutual love as more important today than in previous decades. love, lifelong commitment and faithfulness are very important
Is it possible to free society from the idea of sexuality altogether, as Seidman discusses? Based on ideas from course readings and class notes, why or why not? (ESSAY QUESTION)
church first made the idea of sexuality learning about sex created sexuality viewing sexuality as things that give us pleasure and that we like it would be really hard to do this since it has been controlled by society for so long
how does compassionate love differ from companionate love?
compassionate: good for other person. companionate love: no passion
Identify the key ideas behind Sternberg's Triangular Theory of love and Love Stories. Using specific examples from these concepts, how do they help us to understand why some couples stay together and others do not? Practically speaking, how can people use this information to improve their understanding of relationships? (ESSAY QUESTION)
does their partner fulfill slots in the story people with different love patterns create different stories, which will not make them compatible.
If "a new model of intimacy is weakening the norm of lifelong heterosexual marriage," (p. 37), what do the authors suggest can be done to promote social order for people living a various types of partnerships?
granting the right to marry to same-sex couples would make them more long-lasting and stable. need to reinforce marriage as the ideal family form
how has the symbolic importance of marriage increased over time?
has become a marker of prestige and personal achievement
how would theorist Michael Foucault respond to the idea that sexuality is innate/inborn
he would disagree completely. we learn to be sexual beings, not born with it. sexuality is a modern way of controlling how citizens act
How is Sternberg's research on love, including WICS, love stories, and the triangular model, useful for understanding why some couples stay together, and others do not?
need compatible triangles, stories, compatible styles of thinking and wisdom, intelligence and creativity. maybe add more?
what are the major differences in the autonomy and power of men and women at the top and bottom of the hierarchy of sex workers?
oCall girls (more freedom and independence) working out of their house or apartment. Selling sex online. Keep all profits. No one is telling them what to do. Set own hours, what types of sexual activities. oEscort: (keep all profits) make a good living, have a system of managers though. oBrothel worker: sexual establishment, typically run by a madam and/or pimp. Someone responsible for doing marketing. The madam or pimp chooses and they will keep a lot of the money. They treat their workers pretty well though. clients use condoms. Ex. resort and spa. -Massage parlor workers: look to be run with a legal intent, however, they are selling sex illegally, not a lot of protections for sex workers. Showing up in Columbus. oBar/casino worker: selling sex illegally, not a lot of protections for sex workers oStreetwalker: least common form of sex work. Make 10-15% of sex work. Most visible, this is why everyone talks about them. Going up to cars and selling herself. Doesn't have shelter or a place to live. Subjected to violent crime because they don't have anyone to protect them.
identify the ways in which brothels have evolved in an era of mass consumption?
oLocated close to tourist cities. Appeal to broader audiences using more mainstream business forms and selling individualized experinces oMore touristy oMore personalized oSelling services, since more consumption
why have brothels changed over time, and how do changing client expectations play a role in these changes?
oMoved away from western themes and now more stylish and elegant ofantasy rooms are more common (hot tubs, dungeon rooms) ono longer can tell that they are brothels otrying to appeal to more people oanyone is allowed in, used to just be men
increase in cohabitation, different stages
people are living together before marriage, implies that they are in a sexual or romantic relationship -can walk away easier than a marriage avant garde: outside of the box, not a lot of people do it, just marginalized testing grounds for marriage: okay to live together to see if compatible, sex drive and habits marriage is predominant, but cohabitation is an accepted alternative: okay for people to live together, not a sin or a sexual crime indistinguishable from marriage: only difference is names. all the same rights and benefits as married couples.
define enforceable trust and identify how this plays a role in why couples marry
public commitment which involves agreements that must be honored. Vows during a wedding. With this comes a sense of security.
individualized marriage (1960s-present)
•Important that you have the ability to express yourself •have to express your viewpoints and feelings to partner •huge focus on obligation to self rather than to others •people are more inclined to get into a relationship if it benefits them •happy, high quality relationship that benefits you is key. •The pure relationship becomes common
what types of love emanate from this model?
•Non-love: low or non-existent in all 3 elements. Ex. acquaintances or people you are indifferent to. •Liking: higher level of intimacy, but passion and commitment are low. Ex. people who are friends, have no romantic attraction to each other. No commitment, but like hanging out with them. •Infatuation: high level of passion, low intimacy and commitment. Ex. hook up partner, someone you have no prior connection to, just feel attracted to them. •Empty love: high level of commitment, but low on intimacy and passion. Ex. married couples (married for a long period of time), long term relationships that has lost its appeal, arranged marriages •Romantic love: high levels of intimacy and passion, but lower on commitment. Why is there so much focus on romantic love? Want the excitement. •Companionate love: high levels of intimacy and commitment, but low level of passion. Couples that really spark, make commitment, yet they are not intimate, not that close. Ex. long distance and don't communicate, someone who has issues with intimacy, people who get together, meet quickly and get married. •Consummate love: high on all three. Everyone wants to shoot for this. High level of passion, commitment and intimacy. Hard pressed to find this. Requires a lot of psychological energy. Hard to sustain.
companionate marriages (1900s-1950s)
•Predicated more on emotional satisfaction •Want to get married because have a spouse who is your lover and your best friend •Emphasis on sexual fulfillment and gender roles (homemaker and breadwinner)
differentiate how the rights, roles and treatment of sex workers is different when comparing street (outdoor) sex workers to indoor sex workers •
•Street sex workers oDrug dependence (opioids, marijuana, alcohol), economic need, and health issues. oNot surprising because may not have access to preventative healthcare. oHigh vulnerability to violent crime. (wrong place at the wrong time as well) victims of assault, aggravated assault, robbery, rape oHigher rate of psychological disorders than indoor sex workers and non-prostitutes. Ex. PTSD, depression and anxiety. Go untreated until people go into jail or prison for another crime. oSocially isolated: public stigma, may be looked down upon, family and friends may turn away from them oWork for pimps. Some are abusive, some may take a protective role. May become involved through intimate relationships if their bf works in it. oYounger at time of entrance into prostitution. Usually under the age of 18. vulnerable. •Indoor sex workers oBenefit from shift in marketing and business practices. Some brothels, especially outside of Vegas have become more mainstream to attract people. Ex. stripping has become public domain. Moonlight bunny ranch. Focused on marketing women who make a very good living, gorgeous, stunning, interesting. There is a bar on site. An attraction, a place you can come and tour. Fantasy lands. -Resort-style facilities and spas (Brents and Hausbeck) -Fantasy suites are becoming more popular. Cater to clients particular tastes. Becomes normalized. -System of oversight by managers and co-workers. Always check in and make sure that they are okay. Have websites where escorts can post and say that they had a negative experience with a client. -Licensed facilities-safest conditions. Legal brothels are the safest conditions because they are licensed by the state-are inspected. Use condoms and regular STI testing. -Ongoing relationships with clients. Frequently will have clients that come to them repeatedly. ongoing professional relationship. The danger is when a client thinks it is a relationship, but for her he is just a transaction. -More likely to enter sex work during adulthood and willingly for economic gain ($200-$6000 per session or hour) -Invisible to the general public, doesn't involve violent crime, it is unspoken about on certain websites. Clients know where to go. -Sexual interaction is more mutual, extensive and some sex workers offer the "GFE" (Girlfriend experience) taking on the GF role. Might go out in public on a date, go back to his place and have sex. A lot more slow, not rushed, unfolds in a more naturalistic way like people who are having sex without being paid. Definitely taxing. -Cannot get feelings for the person -Have to separate yourself from your job. -Emotion management: in many professions, you manage your emotions. Act in a way to generate response in someone else and yourself. Put on a happy face and act like you are super excited to have sex with them. -Call girls report increases in self-esteem associated with job satisfaction.
same-sex unions
•Visibility and acceptance of same-sex unions •gay and lesbian couples had limited rights at the time of Cherlin's paper