psych exam 2

What do we know about the origins of sexual orientation?

- If there are environmental factors that influence sexual orientation, we do not yet know what they are. The lack of evidence for environmental causes of homosexuality has motivated researchers to explore possible biological influences. They have considered these possibilities: -Same-sex behaviors in other species -Gay-straight brain differences -Genetic influences -Prenatal influences

sexual orientation

our enduring sexual attraction toward members of our own sex (homosexual orientation), the other sex (heterosexual orientation), or both sexes (bisexual orientation).

Gay-straight brain differences

- blind study -in hypothalamus, one cell cluster was reliably larger in heterosexual men than in women and homosexual men (however, sexual behavior patterns could influence the brain's anatomy.) -One is an area of the hypothalamus that governs sexual arousal. When straight women were given a whiff of a scent derived from men's sweat (which contains traces of male hormones), this area became active. Gay men's brains responded similarly to the men's scent. Straight men's brains did not. They showed the arousal response only to a female hormone sample. In a similar study, lesbians' responses differed from those of straight women

Religious engagement

-Actively religious teens have more often reserved sexual activity for adulthood

Prenatal influences

-Exposure to the hormone levels typically experienced by female fetuses during 2nd trimester may predispose a person (female or male) to be attracted to males in later life. - fraternal birth-order effect: males who have older brothers are somewhat more likely to be gay—about one-third more likely for each additional older brother. -Researchers suspect the mother's immune system may have a defensive response to substances produced by male fetuses. After each pregnancy with a male fetus, the maternal antibodies may become stronger and may prevent the fetal brain from developing in a typical male pattern.

What factors have been shown to predict sexual restraint?

-High intelligence -Religious engagement -Father presence -Participation in service learning programs

Father presence

-In studies that followed hundreds of New Zealand and U.S. girls from age 5 to 18, a father's absence was linked to sexual activity before age 16 and to teen pregnancy. -These associations held even after adjusting for other adverse influences, such as poverty. -Close family attachments—families that eat together and where parents know their teens' activities and friends—also predicted later sexual initiation

Describe some of the differences between how aggression is expressed in men and woman.

-Men generally admit to more aggression. -Men commit more extreme physical violence -In romantic relationships between men and women, minor acts of physical aggression are roughly equal -women are slightly more likely than men to commit relational aggression

Genetic influences

-Researchers have speculated about possible reasons why "gay genes" might exist in the human gene pool, given that same-sex couples cannot naturally reproduce. One possible answer is kin selection. (gay men make fun uncles) -fertile females theory suggests that maternal genetics may also be at work (Bocklandt et al., 2006). Homosexual men tend to have more homosexual relatives on their mother's side than on their father's. Perhaps the genes that dispose some women to conceive more children with men also dispose some men to be attracted to men. Thus, the decreased reproduction by gay men appears offset by the increased reproduction by their maternal extended family. - Identical twins are somewhat more likely than fraternal twins to both be homosexual -it's likely that multiple genes, possibly in interaction with other influences, shape sexual orientation.

biological reasons for sexual orientation

-Same-sex sexual behaviors have been observed in several hundred other species, including swans, grizzlies, gorillas, monkeys, flamingos, and owls - Homosexual behavior seems a natural part of the animal world.

Participation in service learning programs

-Several experiments have found that teens volunteering as tutors or teachers' aides, or participating in community projects, had lower pregnancy rates than were found among comparable teens randomly assigned to control conditions

High intelligence

-Teens with high rather than average intelligence test scores more often delayed sex, partly because they considered possible negative consequences and were more focused on future achievement than on here-and-now pleasures

What does research suggest is one of the consequences to viewing sexually explicit material?

-With repeated exposure, the emotional response to any erotic stimulus often lessens, or habituates -Rape acceptance -Devaluing partner -Diminished satisfaction

relational aggression

-an act of aggression (physical or verbal) intended to harm a person's relationship or social standing. -more likely to be committed by women

What is gender identity?

-our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two. -a person's perception of having a particular gender, which may or may not correspond with their birth sex.

What is paraphilia?

-sexual arousal from fantasies, behaviors, or urges involving nonhuman objects, the suffering of self or others, and/or nonconsenting persons. -The American Psychiatric Association only classifies such behavior as disordered if: -a person experiences distress from an unusual sexual interest or -it entails harm or risk of harm to others.

What is gender typing?

-the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role. -varies from child to child

Which of the following is TRUE in regards to aggression? A. Men display more aggression. B. Men display more relational aggression. C. Women display less relational aggression. D. Women and men exhibit similar levels of aggression.

Answer: A Men display more aggression.

The acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role is called: A. gender typing. B. menarche. C. gender identity. D. spermarche.

Answer: A. gender typing

Jeanette was once John. Although she has not had gender-reassignment surgery, she identifies as a female and dresses as a woman. We might describe Jeanette as: A. transgender. B. asexual. C. androgynous. D. gender typing.

Answer: A. transgender.

According to evolutionary psychologists, which of the following is TRUE? A. Men pair wisely; women pair widely. B. Women pair wisely; men pair widely. C. Both men and women pair wisely. D. Both men and women pair widely.

Answer: B. Women pair wisely; men pair widely.

In regards to social connectedness, which of the following is FALSE? A. Men tend to be independent. B. Women tend to be interdependent. C. Men tend to be interdependent. D. Women tend and befriend.

Answer: C Men tend to be interdependent.

Which of the following statements about exposure to sexually explicit material is TRUE? A. This material often increases satisfaction with one's own sexual partner. B. Increased exposure to explicit material is likely to increase emotional response. C. This material may increase rape acceptance. D. This material often makes one's own partner seem more attractive.

Answer: C. This material may increase rape acceptance.

Which of the following is NOT found in both men and women? A. Testosterone B. X chromosome C. Estrogen D. Y chromosome

Answer: D Y chromosome

Grant is experiencing a significant decrease in his sex drive lately. Which of the following scenarios could explain this? A. He has just finished going through puberty. B. He has decreased testosterone due to age. C. He is experiencing a shift in sexual orientation. D. He has undergone two months of testosterone-replacement therapy.

Answer: D. He has undergone two months of testosterone-replacement therapy.

Rape acceptance

Depictions of women being sexually coerced—and liking it—have increased viewers' belief in the false idea that women enjoy rape, and have increased male viewers' willingness to hurt women consequences to viewing sexually explicit material

Diminished satisfaction

Viewing X-rated sex films has similarly tended to reduce people's satisfaction with their own sexual partner. Perhaps reading or watching erotica's unlikely scenarios may create expectations that few men and women can fulfill. consequences to viewing sexually explicit material

Devaluing partner

Viewing images of sexually attractive women and men may also lead people to devalue their own partners and relationships. After male college students viewed TV or magazine depictions of sexually attractive women, they often found an average woman, or their own girlfriend or wife, less attractive consequences to viewing sexually explicit material

androgyny

a blend of male and female roles feels right to them.

Clifford has several older brothers. According to the fraternal birth-order effect: A. The odds of homosexuality increase with each older brother. B. The odds of homosexuality decrease with each older brother. C. The odds of homosexuality do not differ among brothers. D. The odds of homosexuality only increase in left-handed males.

answer: A. The odds of homosexuality increase with each older brother.

Which factor does NOT predict sexual restraint? A. Father presence B. Mother presence C. Religious engagement D. High intelligence

answer: B. Mother presence

Which of the following is an example of a primary sex characteristic? A. male voice quality B. female hips C. ovaries D. body hair

answer: C ovaries

Which of the following is TRUE in regards to the origins of sexual orientation? A. Sexual orientation is linked to current hormone levels in the blood. B. Homosexuality involves fear of the opposite sex. C. Sexual orientation can be linked to prenatal hormone levels. D. Homosexuality is linked to familial relationship problems.

answer: C. Sexual orientation can be linked to prenatal hormone levels.

Leo exhibits sexual arousal to women's shoes. He has fantasies of wearing them and collects them from women he knows. What might Leo be suffering from? A. erectile disorder B. female orgasmic disorder C. paraphilia D. acquired immune deficiency syndrome

answer: C. paraphilia

Elise is enjoying the dating scene; however, she is ready to settle down. Based on what you know about mating preferences, which of the following men is she likely to find most attractive? A. Gary, a really nice friend who is slightly overweight. B. Colin, the barista at Starbucks with the handsome face and thin waist. C. Tony from work, who is funny, but homely. D. Mitch, her neighbor with broad shoulders who drives a BMW.

answer: D. Mitch, her neighbor with broad shoulders who drives a BMW.

Which phase of the sexual response cycle involves the body gradually returning to an unaroused state? A. plateau B. excitement C. orgasm D. resolution

answer: D. resolution