HE 423523 Human Sexuality

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• HE 423/523 Human Sexuality
• Instructor Dr. Petri
• Time/Day1000-1050am
• Monday, Wednesday Friday
• No prerequisites

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HE 423 Human SexualityWednesday, Aug. 23

• Overview of course/syllabus
• Blackboard system
• 1st assignment discussion

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• Historical, Research, and Cross-Cultural
  Perspectives on Sexuality

Cynthia J. Petri, PhD., CHES University of
Alabama at Birmingham
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Shaping Our Attitudes

• Culture
• Society
• Politics
• Family
• History
• Biology
• Ethnocentric?

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The Influences of Culture On Sexuality

• Eurocentric view influenced North America
• Sexuality in other cultures reveals diversity

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The Sexual Revolution in Western Cultures

• Puritan Ideal
• Victorian Era (1837-1901)
• Early 20th Century
• After 1940-1950
• 1960s-1970s
• Present

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The Sexual Revolution in Western Cultures

• What contributes to change?
• The counterculture movement and new approaches
• Scientific research leading to greater acceptance
• Technological Developments
• Media and Internet attention to sexuality
• HIV and AIDS safer sex

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Three Categories Assumptions About the Purpose
of Sex

• North American sexual attitudes
• Traditional or procreational
• reproduction
• Relational
• natural part of intimate relationships
• Recreational
• pleasure
• Sexual attitudes are strongly influenced by
  social groups to which people belong

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Areas of Shifting Attitudes
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Attitudes Of Acceptance

• Sexual Health
• Sexual Rights
• Sexual Pleasure

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Milestones in Sex Research
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Milestones in Research History
Richard von Krafft-Ebing ? Masturbation is
deviant Sigmund Freud ? Neuroses have sexual
basis Henry Havelock Ellis ? Cross cultural
studies Alfred Kinsey ? Legitimized sex
research Masters Johnson ? Sexual
functioning Current Surveys ? Hunt Report ?
Redbook Survey ? Hite Reports National Health
and Social Life Survey ? Best available data
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Methods Ethics of Sexological Research

• Methods
• Surveys
• Case Studies
• Clinical Data
• Observation
• Ethnosexual Field Studies
• Experiments

• Ethics
• Unbiased examination of the data
• Protect subjects from physical psychological
  harm
• Protect confidentiality
• Informed consent