•Theoretical
Perspectives

Sociobiology: Application of evolutionary biology to
understanding the social behavior of animals,
including humans.
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Evolution occurs via Natural Selection:
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Survive
Reproduce
Pass genes to the next generation
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Parental Investment: Behavior and resources invested by parents
to achieve the survival and reproductive success of their genetic
offspring.
Sexual selection:
 Competition between members of one gender (usually male).
 Preferential choice by members of one gender (usually female).
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Focuses on the psychological mechanisms that have been shaped by
natural selection.
Assumes that every characteristic that we observe must have some
adaptive significance.
Dr. David Buss

Known for his evolutionary psychology research on human sex
differences in mate selection.
 Sex poaching
 University sex study (attractive female/male)

Freud’s Psychoanalytic theory:
 He saw libido (Life Drive) as one of the two major forces in
human life.
 An Erogenous Zone is a part of the skin or mucous membrane
that is extremely sensitive to stimulation.
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Id: The basic part of personality which is present at
birth - operates on the pleasure principle.
Ego: Operates on the reality principle and tries to keep
the id in line.
Superego: The conscience and operates on idealism.

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Freud assumed the female is biologically inferior because she
lacks a penis.
Feminists object to the notion that women are anatomically
inferior, and argue that psychoanalytic theory may cause harm to
women.

Much of human sexual
behavior is biologically
controlled, but much of
it is also learned.

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Classical Conditioning: Takes place when a conditioned stimulus
is paired with an original unconditioned stimulus.
Operant Conditioning: Means a person is more likely to repeat a
behavior if it is rewarded (reinforcement).

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Behavior Modification: Involves a set of techniques used to
change behavior.
Social learning: Based on operant conditioning, imitation and
identification.

Cognitive psychologists believe it is very important to
study the way people perceive and think.

Gender schemas: Set of attributes that we associate with males
and females.
 Schemas predispose us to process information on the basis of
gender.
Stereotype Consistent
Stereotype Inconsistent

Societal influence occurs on several levels including:
 Macro Level: Society as a whole.
 Religion, Family, Medicine, Law, Economy
 When times are good people have sex more, when they are
bad they have sex less.
 Sub cultural Level: One’s social class or ethnic group may have
an impact on one’s sexuality.
Social Interaction Theory:

Human nature and the social order are products of symbolic
communication among people.

Role-taking: When an individual imagines how he or she looks from the
other person’s viewpoint.

Other-Directed Individuals: Primarily concerned with meeting other’s
standards.
Sexual Scripts:

Suggest that sexual behavior is as scripted as a play in a theater.

Tell us an etiquette of sexual behavior.

Tell us the meaning we should attach to a particular sexual event.