Human Sexual Health and Biology

Understanding the Sexual Self

• Fertilization and pregnancy can occur when a healthy, sexually mature male and female engage in intercourse.
• The 23rd pair of chromosomes determines the sex of an individual, with XX being female and XY being male.

Sociobiological Perspective

• This perspective studies how evolutionary forces impact sexual behavior.
• Natural selection is the process by which organisms that are best suited to their environment are most likely to survive.

Psychological Perspective

• Sexuality involves emotions, thoughts, and beliefs, not just physical responses.
• According to Sigmund Freud, human beings are driven by two forces: sex instinct (libido) and death instinct (aggressive instinct).
• Erogenous zones are areas of the body where sexual energy is located at different psychosexual stages.

Psychosexual Stages of Development

• Oral Stage: the child's erogenous zone is the mouth, with gratification through eating and sucking.
• Anal Stage: the erogenous zone is the anus, with sexual gratification derived from defecation.
• Phallic Stage: the erogenous zone is the genitals, with the Oedipus complex or Electra complex emerging.
• Latency Stage: sexual impulses lie dormant as the child is occupied by social activities.
• Genital Stage: the erogenous zone is again in the genitals, with sexual attraction directed towards others.

Structures of Personality

• ID: the pleasure principle, seeking pleasure and aggression.
• Superego: the moral principle, guiding morality.
• Ego: the analytical principle, finding ways to satisfy needs in an acceptable manner.

Religious Perspectives

• Judaism: marital sex is seen as blessed by God and pleasurable for both men and women.
• Islam: family is considered of utmost importance, and celibacy within marriage is prohibited.
• Taoism: sex is seen as a natural, healthy, and sacred union necessary for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
• Hinduism: sexuality is seen as a spiritual force, with ritual lovemaking celebrating and transcending the physical.
• Roman Catholic: marriage is purely for intercourse and procreation.

Key Terms

• Sexual Arousal: the arousal of sexual desire, often in anticipation of sexual activity.
• Sexual Identity: how one sees and expresses themselves sexually, including crushes, relationships, and sexual experiences.
• Gender Assignment: the determination of an infant's sex at birth.
• Masculine/Feminine: qualities and things associated with men and women, respectively.