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15.11: Introduction to Sexual Behavior

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    60027

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    What you’ll learn to do

    Describe sexual behavior and research about sexuality

    photograph of a couple standing face to face looking at each other from 2 feet apart. Photograph is just from the shoulders down.

    “Human sexuality” refers to people’s sexual interest in and attraction to others; it is the capacity to have erotic or sexual feelings and experiences. Sexuality differs from biological sex, in that “sexuality” refers to the capacity for sexual feelings and attraction, while “biological sex” refers to how one’s anatomy, physiology, hormones, and genetics are classified (typically as male, female, or intersex). Sexuality is also separate from gender identity, which is a person’s sense of their own gender, or sociocultural classification (i.e., man, woman, or another gender) based on biological sex (i.e., male or female). It is also distinct from—although it shapes—sexual orientation, or one’s emotional and sexual attraction to a particular sex or gender.

    Sexuality may be experienced and expressed in a variety of ways, including thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles, and relationships. These manifest themselves not only in biological, physical, and emotional ways, but also in sociocultural ways, which have to do with the effects of human society and culture on one’s sexuality. Some researchers believe that sexual behavior is determined by genetics; however, others assert that it is largely molded by the environment. Human sexuality impacts, and is impacted by, cultural, political, legal, and philosophical aspects of life, and can interact with issues of morality, ethics, theology, spirituality, or religion.

    Learning Objectives
    • Understand basic biological mechanisms regulating sexual behavior and motivation
    • Explain the contributions of Alfred Kinsey’s and William Masters and Virginia Johnson’s research made to our understanding of sexual behavior
    • Describe variations sexual orientation and gender identity

    Contributors and Attributions

    CC licensed content, Original

    • Modification, adaptation, and original content. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution
    CC licensed content, Shared previously

    15.11: Introduction to Sexual Behavior is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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