The Importance of Identity in Sexual Health
Naomi M. Hall in Sexual Health and Black College Students, 2022
Dr. Amos Wilson, a noted Black psychologist, has a famous saying “if we don’t know who we are then we are whomever somebody tells us we are” (Wilson,1993, p. 38) The college environment provides a ripe setting for continued identity development through interactions with people, courses, programs, and contexts. One of the most fulfilling aspects of teaching students is when they discover something about themselves that can be integrated into their self- and sexual schemas and scripts. Sexual exploration is a normal part of the development for emerging adults, and the college environment provides the backdrop for experimentation. It should be the role of those who are guiding these young people to help them understand that much of what they are feeling, thinking, and experiencing is natural for their stage of development. There are often noticeable changes in cognition, social norms, and expectations from freshman year to graduation among individuals. Erikson (1968) believed that identity development took place in stages throughout the lifespan and has described the impact of social experience (psychosocial) and how social interaction and relationships (sociocultural) played a role in development and growth. As with most stage theories, one needs to successfully transition through one stage to go to the next. Erikson believed that at each stage there are conflicts that serve as benchmarks for development. For traditional-aged college students (18–24 years), two stages are relevant: adolescence (12 to 18) – identity vs. role confusion, and young adulthood (19–40) – intimacy vs. isolation.
Physiology of normal sexual function
Jacques Corcos, David Ginsberg, Gilles Karsenty in Textbook of the Neurogenic Bladder, 2015
The lifting of the Victorian veil, which covered the Western world with prudishness and sexual taboos until the first half of the twentieth century, was followed by profound changes in social attitudes producing a so-called sexual revolution in the 1960s. As a result, rational approach of sexual physiology and sexual dysfunctions, developed by researchers from multiple scientific fields, progressively emerged and led to a better knowledge of human sexuality even if there is still significant progress to be made especially for female sexual physiology. In both genders, sexual behavior is divided into appetitive and consummatory components.1 Appetitive behaviors are associated with sexual desire, excitement, and arousal, whereas consummatory behaviors consist of genital stimulation leading to orgasm. Initially, the human sexual response was described by Masters and Johnson2 as including four interactive phases: excitation, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. This definition has been subsequently revised by Kaplan3 and Levin4 to lead to a model commonly accepted, consisting of desire, excitation, orgasm, and resolution. Each of these phases is controlled by a complex and coordinated interplay of multiple components of the brain, spinal cord, and relevant peripheral organs. Much of the mechanisms of control of the different aspects of sexual function are not fully delineated although homologies and, most often analogies, with mammalian animal models have allowed the improvement of our understanding of the physiology of human sexual function.
Sexual Aspects of Adaptation to HIV/AIDS
Michael W. Ross in HIV/AIDS and Sexuality, 2012
Beyond the general demographic data, other important information emerged. Half the men in the sample described their sexual histories as including a rather typical pattern of coming-out as described by Coleman (1981/82). A period of sexual exploration was often followed by serial primary relationships. These men reported a coming-out and exploration period during which time they had frequent sexual contact with numerous persons whom they knew minimally (casual sex) or with whom they were strangers (anonymous sex). Sexual contact with strangers typically occurred at bath houses, bookstores, and parks. This period lasted from months to years and included numerous sexual encounters.
Adolescent Women’s Sexual Self-Efficacy: Associations with Personal and Perceived Partner Beliefs That Condoms Interfere with Pleasure
Published in American Journal of Sexuality Education, 2020
Pooja Brar, Jodi Dworkin, Sonya S. Brady
Although self-efficacy is primarily strengthened by practice of a behavior, adolescents’ self-efficacy can be greatly influenced by the feedback of significant individuals in their lives (e.g., romantic partners; Zimmerman & Cleary, 2006). Most sexual exploration takes place in dyadic relationships, making sexual partners a significant influence on individual sexual development (for a systematic review, see Marston & King, 2006). In one study of African American adolescent females, those who reported low levels of perceived partner-related barriers (e.g., if I asked my partner to use a condom, he would think I was accusing him of cheating) were twice as likely to refuse unwanted sex compared to those who reported high levels of perceived partner-related barriers (Sionéan et al., 2002).
”It’s My Responsibility, But…” A Qualitative Study of Perpetrators’ Understanding of Child Sexual Abuse
Published in Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 2019
Anita Stokka Kåven, Jana Kristin Maack, Anna Margrete Flåm, Mary Nivison
Experiences of social clumsiness also left many of the participants with a feeling of being sexually inexperienced, giving them low self-esteem when it came to sex with adults. Children were viewed as less sexually experienced and judgmental than adults, hence less intimidating. As such, sexual exploration and the satisfaction of their sexual curiosity and needs were described as highly motivating for these participants: “I was curious about anything sexual, … that was the driving force behind everything, that I was exploring.” Further, several of the participants felt they gained a great sense of mastery from being the more experienced part, and many expressed that they perceived themselves as sexually “educating” the victim: P: …to see their reactions when I taught them about sex and that stuff, there was something in that, too. I: To see how they reacted? P: To see how they reacted, yes. I: What were you looking for, then? P: …how they reacted in the different situations, like that. And if they were interested. Not everyone has the same interest, or as much interest.
Integrating Sexual Pleasure for Quality & Inclusive Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Published in International Journal of Sexual Health, 2021
Kristen Mark, Esther Corona-Vargas, Mariana Cruz
Building these sexual and relationship skills early and throughout life provides a foundation from which to foster intimacy through the pursuit of sexual pleasure and shared sexual experience. If risk reduction is the only focus of sexuality education and young people are withheld information about why individuals choose to engage in sexual behavior (including but not limited to masturbation, sexual touching, oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex) for the sake of their well-being, they will fail to benefit from crucial information about intimacy building, sexual exploration beyond penile-vaginal intercourse, and opportunities for diverse sexual experiences, all of which contribute to sexual satisfaction (Giuliano & Allard, 2001; O’Leary et al., 2012; Štulhofer et al., 2014; Yoo et al., 2014). The WAS Declaration on Sexual Pleasure affirms that access to sources of sexual pleasure are part of human experience and subjective well-being (WAS, 2019) and including sexual pleasure in sexuality education can expand learners’ ability to communicate and cultivate intimacy in relationships, thereby improving their overall well-being.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Oral Sex
- Oxytocin
- Pituitary Gland
- Physical Intimacy
- Homosexuality
- Twin Study
- Development of The Reproductive System
- Hypothalamus
- Prolactin
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone