Name: _________________________________
230 Activities folder
Hello and welcome to the Human Sexuality class. You may choose to do these
activities or the comprehensive exam (but not both) for the same 100 points. You
cannot do part of one and part of the other. Please choose one or the other. Also,
doing all of one and some of the other does not give you any extra credit points.
I feel you will learn more, and gain more new information along with giving
more thought to the material with the activities than doing the comprehensive
exam. However, I want to give students choices in their education.
This Activities Folder is one long Word document. The activities for each
chapter are presented in the same order as the chapters in the textbook. These
activities, with the exception of chapters one and two, have links to websites with
questions to think about and answer. In addition, the activities have videos to watch
and respond to. These videos are located in the folders below and are in the same
order as they appear in the activity. Please answer the questions in this document.
When you finish one chapter, simply scroll down to the next chapter.
The questions are often critical thinking or opinion questions. Therefore,
they are not graded like an essay exam. I am looking for evidence that you looked at
the website or video, and gave thought to your answer. This means at least a
sentence or two, not a one-word answer. You may do these at your own pace.
However, I suggest doing the activities in conjunction with the same text chapter.
Finally, this activities folder must be turned in (by putting it into the class drop box)
on or before 11:00pm Pacific time on the date indicated in the course calendar at the
back of the syllabus. Any folder handed in after that time will receive a zero –
believe me. Please hand it in at least a day or two ahead of the deadline in case you
have any computer problems. Computer problems will not extend the deadline.
Name:________________________________
Perspectives on Sexuality
Discussion questions:
How did you develop your attitudes, values and beliefs about sex?
1. Which country did you grow up in? How has that culture influenced your
attitudes and sexual behavior? How do these attitudes differ from someone raised
in America?
2. Are you religious? If so, which religion? How has your religion influenced your
sexual behavior and attitudes? Has your sexual behavior gone against your religion?
If so, how?
3. How did you learn what is considered appropriate sexual behavior for your
gender? What do you personally feel is appropriate sexual behavior? How did you
decide?
How did you develop your feelings about sex?
4. Where is the line for you between sex and not sex? Have you encountered the
feeling that oral contact is not real sex? What are your feelings about it?
5. Have you heard women say they are orgasmic with oral sex but not intercourse?
How did they feel about that? How would you feel in that situation?
6. What type sexual behavior would make you feel guilty? Why? What behaviors
would make you feel good about yourself? Why?
7. Why did you take this class? What would you like to get out of it?
Name: _____________________________
Research Activity - Individual articles
I would like you to have experience reading an article in the Journal of Sex Research.
Journal articles sound different than textbooks or websites.
To read the full text of the Journal of Sex Research articles on line, go to:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/
(You may need to copy and paste this into your Internet browser, then follow the
directions below)
You can also get there by going to: Northseattle.edu > Library > Reference
Databases > Periodical Databases > PubMed Central > Limits > Add Journal > Type
in “Journal of Sex Research” > Article type (“X” Research & Review Articles) > Search
Next, find an article that you are interested in. Read one of the major articles (at
least six pages), not a book review, and write a two page report on it (double spaced,
with one inch margins). On the entire first page, please summarize the article. On
the second page you may either continue the summary, or you may critique the
article and/or relate it to yourself.
At the top of the first page, please list the bibliographic information:
(1) Title of the article
(2) The author(s)
(3) Title of the journal “Journal of Sex Research”
(4) Volume, year, and page numbers
This information can be copied from the database and pasted directly into
your paper, for example:
The Relationship Between Condom-Related Protective Behavioral Strategies and Condom Use Among
College Students: Global- and Event-Level Evaluations
Melissa A. Lewis, Debra L. Kaysen, Michiko Rees, Briana A. Woods
J Sex Res. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2010 September 17.
Published in final edited form as: J Sex Res. 2010 September; 47(5): 471–478.
Please list this exactly as indicated above, so I can find the article if I need to.
You will not receive credit if all these items are not included.
Finally:
1. Check “Full Text” under the article you want and print out the entire
article.
2. Please use the form below as a template for your report.
Objective: The objective of this activity is to familiarize you with the wide
variety of current research in the field and do some critical thinking regarding the
research.
Research Activity - Individual articles
Bibliographic information for the article (as discussed in the activity directions):
Summarize as indicated in the directions:
Name: _________________________________
Female Anatomy
1. Go to The clitoris website, review the many topics on female sexuality
listed on the left, and discuss one or more pieces of information you learned
that was new, or surprised you.
2. Go to Go Ask Alice, and put a question on female sexuality onto the
search bar in the upper right corner. What was your question? What did
you find out?
**********************************************************************************
View the videos on the genital self-exam , and “Female self exam”.
3. Why should this be included in everywoman’s personal health plan?
View the photos on female genital piercing.
4. Have you, or would you ever want do to this? Would you want your
partner to do this? Why or why not?
5. What do you see as some problems with genital piercing?
6. Are piercings any different than tattoos? How?
View the two videos on labiaplasty, and visit the web link on enlarged labia.
8. Why do you feel women want to do this?
9. Is it the same or different than any other cosmetic surgery?
View the photos, animation and video on breast reduction.
10. Who would be a good candidate for this? Why? How would it benefit
them?
View the photos, animation, and video on breast enlargement.
11. Who would be a good candidate for this? Why? How would it benefit
them?
12. Why do you feel women want to do this? Do you see any problems with
it?
Name:__________________________________
Male Anatomy
1. Go to the Centers for Disease Control, and put find out more about a topic of
interest to you by typing it into the search bar in the upper right corner. What was
your topic? What did you find out?
2. Go to the Testicular Cancer Resource Center, and find:
A. What you are looking for during a testicular self exam?
B. What is the treatment for this cancer?
3. Which of the research methods described in an earlier chapter might effectively
demonstrate whether being circumcised affects a man’s sexual response and
pleasure? Why would you use this design? What concerns would you have with this
design?
4. Research the treatments for BPH on the Internet.
A. What is it?
D. What drugs and other treatments can be used?
************************************************************************************
5. Go to the video “How to Enlarge Your Penis”. Here is a new strategy – just watch.
6. View the video, “Penis Size”. What do you think the consequences are of including
information about average penis size in a human sexuality textbook? What would
be the advantages or disadvantages of doing so?
7. Look at photos of penis enlargement products, and compare the comments to the
reading in the text on penile augmentation. What questions should come to mind
when viewing these ads?
8. View the “Prostate Cancer Animation” video.
A. What causes prostate cancer to grow?
B. Why can it continue to grow?
9. Watch the animation on the foreskin, then go to the website on circumcision and
look for the medical advantages and disadvantages.
A. If you had a newborn son, would you want him circumcised or not? Why?
Name:__________________________________
Gender Issues
1. Go to Gender Ads, look at some of the ads.
A. Choose three categories of ads (e.g. Together > Sex) and answer one of the
discussion questions attached to each of the three categories.
B. Do you feel the webmaster of this site is biased herself or himself?
C. Could there be ads in which this person sees sexual imagery that was
never there?
2. Look closely at the intersex photo. Then go to the Intersex Society of North
America, and classify this person based on information in the text and on this
website.
A. What classification did you use? Why?
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3. Watch the three videos about gender roles in Disney movies.
A. Are these movies simply a reflection of the culture, or do they create our
culture?
B. Disney creates these movies because that is what people apparently want
their children to see. Obviously Disney movies are big sellers, and are classics that
have continuing appeal through the ages. Does this continuing appeal point to a
basic biological difference in sex roles?
4. Look at the video on the Joan / John case, and view the intersex photo. Although
these are two very different situations, they are both variations from normal.
A. Discuss the controversy surrounding “corrective surgery” for intersexed
people. Is it ethically appropriate to perform a surgery on an infant or child without
his or her consent (remember, we do have circumcision)? What may be the
ramifications of such a decision?
Name:_________________________________________
Sexual Arousal and Response
1. Go to The American Association of Retired Persons .
A. Look through the many pages of articles about sex for the over 50 crowd.
What are five topics were covered in these articles that you either never thought
about, or that you think would be good for college students to know about. Finally,
discuss why you never thought about that idea, or why the idea would be good for
college students to know about it.
2. Go to the Kinsey Institute – Research projects. Look at the various research
studies currently being done.
A. Which ones were most interesting to you? Why?
3. Your text discusses the female ”G-spot”, however, the three short academic
journal abstracts below call this area into question. How might you consider these
conflicting pieces off information?
The "G spot" and "female ejaculation": a current appraisal.
A review of female ejaculation and the Grafenberg spot.
G-spot and female ejaculation: fiction or reality?
************************************************************
4. Watch the video on the sex patch for women.
A. How is this different from Viagra for men?
B. The patch is limited to which women? Why?
5. Watch the video on this website of a woman’s orgasm mapped with an fMRI
machine, and read the accompanying written material.
A. What appeared particularly interesting to you in the material and video?
6. Your text discusses multiple orgasms. What if a woman was constantly having
unwanted orgasms? Listen to the video “Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome”, and
go to the Center for Female Sexuality website. What difficulties could you see
resulting from this condition?
7. Listen to the video, “The Male G-Spot”, then go to “The Healthy Prostate”, listen to
the video, and scan the steps to prepare for a prostate massage. What comments do
you have on being the giver or receiver of this massage?
Name:____________________________________
Love
1. Have you ever been, “in love”?
A. Have you ever been hurt by being in love? Why?
B. What things do you believe are essential to a successful, lasting love
relationship?
2. Look at the “Nine psychological tasks of a good marriage” from the American
Psychological Association.
A. Which four of the nine items do you feel contribute the most to keeping
love alive on long term relationships? Why?
3. Go to Barriers to Good Sexual Communication.
A. Which three do you feel are the most destructive to sexual
communication? Why?
4. Go to Rubin’s Love Scale and Rubin’s Liking Scale.
Choose a person to consider for this love scale, and answer each of the 13
items on the “Love” scale, and the 13 items on the ”Like” scale. Answer each
statement on a scale from one (Not true) to nine (Definitely true).
Add up the scores on each scale to see if you love or like this person more.
A. Did your results match whether you liked or loved that person?
B. Which questions were particularly helpful?
5. Read “4 Horsemen” by John Gottman.
What are the four horsemen?
What are some remedies for dealing with them?
***********************************************************************************
6. Look at the videos: “I Love You”, and “Disney – Love”. Just cute – nothing to do.
7. Listen to the video “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” by John Gottman.
Which one of the four does Dr. Gottman say is the most predictive of divorce?
Which do you feel is the most common in relationships?
Name:______________________________
Sexual Behavior
1. Go to Eden Fantasys, Adult toys, and Adam & Eve. Look at the various listings in
the categories listed on the left, right, and top of these sites.
A. How would you feel about using these toys?
B. Are there some you might try? Why?
C. Which ones would you never want to use? Why?
2. Go to Net Doctor and WebMD to read about anal sex.
A. What do you feel was the most useful information on these sites?
B. What was surprising to you?
C. What might you do differently after reading these sites?
3. Go to “4 Things You Didn’t Know About Oral Sex”.
A. What do you feel was the most useful information on these sites?
B. What was surprising to you?
C. What might you do differently after reading these sites?
4. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of celibacy?
A. Advantages?
B. Disadvantages?
************************************************************************************
5. Watch the video “Love Dolls”, and go to Real doll website to find the ultimate
masturbation partner.
A. Do you feel these men have a psychological problem, or is it simply a
useful substitute for shy men?
Name:____________________________________
Sexual Orientations
1. Watch the video “Case studies of sexual orientation in twins” on this website.
A. Does this video support the idea that nature (biology) or nurture
(childrearing) is the major factor in creating sexual orientation?
B. Do you feel your sexual orientation is because you were born that way,
because you were raised a certain way, or simply a decision you made at some time?
Why do you feel that way?
************************************************************************************
2. Listen to the video, “National Geographic explains the biology of homosexuality”.
A. What is the biological development of sexual orientation according to this
video?
3. Watch the animated video entitled, “Born Gay? Is it a choice?”
A. What organizations came to the conclusion that it is not a choice?
4. Watch the video of Sarah Palin – at one time she was a U.S. Vice-Presidential
running mate.
A. Why do you think she feels this way?
B. How would you respond to this person?
5. Watch the video about asexuality.
A. Why do you feel someone would have no sexual interest?
6. Many states are currently debating the legality of gay marriage.
Watch the video “10 Reasons Gay Marriage Is Wrong”.
Which arguments against gay marriage do you feel have merit (or not), and
why?
Which of the counter arguments do you feel have merit (or not), and why?
Name:__________________________________
Contraception
1. How would you compare the emergency contraception Plan “B” to Ella? (see Ella
fact sheet)
Considering all methods of birth control discussed in the text, which method would
you recommend for the following people?
A. What would you recommend for Elizabeth, who is 41 years old, has had
estrogen dependent breast cancer?
Why did you recommend that method?
B. What would you recommend for Mughea, who is a 25 years old
uneducated woman in an impoverished, undeveloped country with birth control
being paid for by the United Nations?
Why did you recommend that method?
C. What would you recommend for Jim’s girl friend, who is an intelligent
student but does not like to touch herself “down there”. She wants to be prepared
for sex if it happens, but does not want to be thinking about it every day?
Why did you recommend that method?
************************************************************************************
2. Watch the Essure animation and the Essure Dr’s video.
A. Do you think you would ever want this type of sterilization? Why or why
not?
B. What person would be a good candidate for this?
3. Watch the Vasectomy procedure, vasectomy reversal, and Pro-Vas videos.
A. Would you, or your partner, ever be interested in having a vasectomy?
Under what conditions would you do so?
B. What do the think of the Pro-Vas occlusion device compared to a standard
vasectomy?
Name: _________________________________
Conception and Childbirth
1. Take a look at a sperm bank (Cryobank). Try out, “Find a donor”.
A. If you were selecting a sperm donor for your child, what characteristics
would you look for?
B. Men – Would you be interested in selling your sperm? Why or why not?
B. Women – What would be your reaction if your partner wanted to sell his s
perm?
************************************************************************************
2. Watch the video “Underwater Birth”, and scan the American Academy of
Pediatrics website on the topic.
Why do people use this method?
When should you not use a water birth?
Is this accepted by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists?
Why does the baby not drown?
Would you use this underwater birth method? Why or why not?
3. Go to the NBC News site about women selling their eggs, and listen to the video on
the same topic.
A. Women - Would you be interested in selling your eggs? Why?
A. Men - What would be your reaction if your partner wanted to sell her
eggs? Why?
4. Look at the videos for IUI, IVF, and ICSI.
A. What are the differences between these different procedures?
B. Which one would you prefer? Why?
Name:_____________________________________
Childhood and adolescence
1. Assume you are a parent of a teenager who asks, “How do I know when I am
ready for sex?
A. What would you answer, and why?
2. Go to Proquest and PubMed in the NSCC database. Search for "abstinence only"
(put it in quotes) in the article title, and scan some of the articles.
A. Based on these articles, what is the effect of "abstinence only" education as
opposed to comprehensive sex education?
3. Many people believe that sex education can itself cause problems, because they
think that the more children learn about sex, the more likely they are to experiment
sexually.
A. Do you think this assumption is valid?
B. If so, do you believe that it is a good reason not to teach children about
sex?
4. Currently, minors in all states can be diagnosed and treated for STD’s without a
parent’s involvement. Also, in several states 12-year-olds can get STD prevention
services for STD’s – including HPV vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine and HIV post
exposure medications – without parental consent.
A. Since parents are legally responsible for their children, do parents have a
right to be involved in these decisions, and be able to provide parental counseling,
or does parental involvement mean the children will simply not ask for needed
treatment or prevention services due to their fear of parental anger?
***********************************************************************************
5. View the “Social networking for sex” video. There are many other similar
networking sites attached to pornography websites.
A. Would you use a website such as this? Why or Why not?
B. What advantages and disadvantages do you see for sites such as this?
Name:___________________________________
Adult Years
1. Scan the article, “Sexual Infidelity Among Married and Cohabitating Americans”,
particularly the first two paragraphs and the “Discussion” at the end of the article.
A. What factors encourage or discourage infidelity?
2. Have you ever been living with someone else in a loving relationship without
being married (cohabitating)?
A. Did you have a cohabitation agreement? Why or why not?
B. Scan the cohabitation agreement and “Why you should have a cohabitation
agreement”. How could this agreement be an advantage or disadvantage?
3. Look at the websites “Tips for successful marriage”, and “Marriage tips”.
A. Which tips do you agree with?
B. Which tips do you disagree with?
C. These appear to be common sense tips. Why do you feel they are
apparently so hard to implement?
4. Look at the AARP (American Association Of Retired Persons) website for people
over 50 years old. Scan through the articles related to sex for this age group.
A. What are they interested in?
B. What are their sexual concerns?
C. What possibly surprised you?
5. Scan John Gottman’s article on “Predicting Divorce”.
A. What are the six signs predicting divorce?
B. Have you seen any of these in your own relationship?
***********************************************************************************
Name:______________________________________
Sexual Difficulties
1. Go to the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.
Next, go to “For The Public” and then the “FAQs on Human Sexuality”.
Choose two questions you are interested in and read the answers to those
questions. Finally, state the question and what you learned.
A. Question:
What I learned:
B. Question:
What I learned:
2. Go to the Sexual Advice Association. Choose (A) one fact sheet related specifically
to your gender, and (B) one that could be of interest to either gender. Download
and read those factsheets. Finally, summarize the material that was specifically of
interest to you.
A. Title:
Summary:
B. Title:
Summary:
3. Choose one of the following male sexual difficulties, and search on the Mayo Clinic
website for the symptoms, causes and possible treatments of this condition.
Premature ejaculation
Delayed ejaculation
Erectile dysfunction
Peyronie’s disease
I chose______________________________________________
Symptoms:
Causes:
Treatment:
4. Choose one of the following female sexual difficulties, and search on the Mayo
Clinic website for the symptoms, causes and possible treatments of this condition.
Painful intercourse
Low sex drive
Anorgasmia (inability to climax)
Female sexual dysfunction
I chose______________________________________________
Symptoms:
Causes:
Treatment:
5. Look at the Medline and WebMD websites. What would cause low sexual desire?
************************************************************************************
6. Can climaxing too often be a problem? Watch the video “100 Orgasms a Day”.
What is this difficulty called?
Name:______________________________
Sexually Transmitted Infections
1. If a person has genital herpes without having symptoms, can he or she ethically
have sex without telling the partner? Why or why not?
What would be the probable result if you do tell your partner?
What would be the probable result if you do not tell your partner?
2. Go to the Gardasil website, read about this vaccine and what it does in “Learn
About Gardasil”.
A. Why are they recommending this vaccine for girls and boys as young as
nine years old?
B. Why are many parents opposing giving it to their children?
C. Should the state mandate that your child cannot come to public school
unless they have this vaccine as they do with other vaccines?
Why or why not?
***********************************************************************************
3. View the Gardasil commercial video and the “Gardasil the Damage is Done” video.
Finally, go to the official FDA information and read the section partway down (after
the charts and diagrams) entitled “Deaths in the Entire Study Population “.
A. Would you give this to your children?
B. What is your reasoning?
4. Watch the video, “HPV”. What is it?
How many sexually active people have it?
5. Watch the video on “STI’s and oral sex”.
A. What sexually transmitted infections can you get from oral sex?
B. What strategies can be used to reduce the chances of getting infected?
6. Watch the video “Top 10 Herpes Facts”.
What two facts would you want to remember?
A.
B.
Name:_____________________________________
Atypical Sexual Behavior
1. You can go to Bing or Google and put in the name of any paraphilia with “porn”
and get websites dedicated to just that. (Turn off “Safe search” or other filtering
system). You can search websites, images, or videos. You do not need to look at
anything you do not wish to.
Do you feel these websites encourage this behavior, or do they enable people
to satisfy their interests vicariously rather than acting out these behaviors?
Should it be illegal to make these websites? Why or why not?
What about freedom of speech?
Who decides what is acceptable and not acceptable?
2. Causes and Treatment
Please provide a short discussion of the causes and treatment of paraphilias.
These websites may help: Medscape -- Paraphilias Treatment -- Paraphilias causes.
Causes:
Treatments:
Psychological:
Drug related:
3. Which, if any, of the paraphilias would you go long with if your partner enjoyed it?
Why?
4. Which, if any, of the paraphilias would you definitely not go long with even if your
partner enjoyed it? Why?
5. Video on “30 paraphilias” and discussion
What comments do you have?
6. Video on “The risky business of BDSM”
Discussion?
7. Video on Zoophilia
Discussion?
Name:__________________________________
Sexual Coercion
1. Go to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network information page.
Click on each headline to get further into the information.
How many victims of sexual assault are there each year? _____________
What percentage are under age 30?________________
What do you think would be the most important for you to remember to
reduce your risk of sexual assault?
What do you think would be the most important for you to remember to help
someone recover from sexual violence?
2. Click on date rape drugs, and answer the following questions.
What are they?
What do they look like?
What effect do they have?
How can you protect yourself?
3. Go to the Rape Response Services.
Look at “Tips for Talking to Children about Sexual Abuse”
Which ideas do you think would be the best for you to remember?
Look at, “What to do if you are experiencing sexual harassment”.
Which ideas do you think would be the best for you to remember?
Before answering the following cases, watch the Sexual Harassment video.
4. What do you think would be a good response to each of the following scenarios?
Why? Please write your answer before looking at the response that was actually
given on the next page.
Scenario #1:
A female undergrad comes to you (a female professor) to say that she’s
uncomfortable with the advances and glances of her male professor. “He doesn’t
ever look me in the eye,” she says. “He’s always looking at my breasts. I’m really
uncomfortable, and I don’t know what to do.” [The woman is dressed as any other
traditional college student might be dressed and is not displaying herself
provocatively.]
Your answer:
Scenario #2:
A female staff member goes to her supervisor and to then human resources about
another male staff member who continues to make lewd jokes and suggestive
comments about her appearance. “I would sure like to see you wearing a bikini
behind that desk, then I would…” type comments. Human resources tells her, “Oh,
that’s just [ethnic name], you have to just realize that in his culture, he is flirting
with you.”
Your answer
Scenario #3:
A male undergrad comes to you (a male professor) to say that he’s uncomfortable
with the advances and glances of his female professor. “Each time I go to her office
hours, she has porn on her computer screen. I’m really freaked out that she’s
‘hitting’ on me or something. I’m not interested in her at all. I just want to do my
work, but all I can think about are those images.”
Your answer:
In all three scenarios above, the accuser was “encouraged” to rethink the claim.
Scenario #1: the young woman was told to wear a loose sweater and sit in the back
of the room.
Scenario #2: the woman was told there was nothing anyone could do because the
issue was “cultural.” She could change jobs if she wanted to.
Scenario #3: the student was told someone would look into the problem, but no
one ever did.
(The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Feb. 29, 2012)
What could be wrong with these responses?
Name:________________________________
Sex For Sale
1.Do a Google or Bing search for “Porn”. How many sites came up? ____________________
There are over 300,000,000 people (men, women and children) in the United States.
Divide the population of the U.S. by the number of porn sites. There is one
pornography site for how many people in the U.S.? ______
Was this surprising? Why or why not?
2.What does the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution say?
(you can cut and paste)
What exceptions are there to the first amendment?
How would you relate these to pornography?
3 What is the difference between erotic art, erotic photos, and pornography?
Can a nude photo be artistic? Why or why not?
4. Look at the Catholic Spiritual Direction website on pornography, and The Positive
Effects of Pornography website.
Which site provided the better argument to support their position? Why?
What critical thinking questions might you ask about each website?
4. Should instructors show pornographic videos in a Human Sexuality course?
If not, why should they not be used. If so, how would this be constructive and
educational?
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5. Listen to, “Is America ready to legalize prostitution?” and
look at the website “Should prostitution be legal?”
Would you suggest prostitution should be (1) criminalized, as it is now, (2)
decriminalized, meaning it is not the government’s business, or (3) legalized in
which it is licensed, controlled, and taxed? Why?
What could be the negative side effects of your choice?