Sexuality

The term sexuality encompasses the phenomena of biological reproduction of organisms, sexual reproduction allows this, and finally the many phenomena cultural related to these sexual behaviors.

The sexual division of organisms into complementary sexes allows a mixing of genes (through meiosis and fertilization ) that promotes genetic diversity and adaptation of organisms to their environment.

In the human being (and the chimpanzee , the bonobo , the orang utan and the Dauphin , among others), sexual behavior is no longer a breeding behavior , but becomes an erotic behavior and pheromones ^, on sexual behavior has decreased. Instead, the importance of rewards / reinforcements became a major .

Human sexuality depends on the ages and cultures. Differences are observed in the diversity of erotic practices, but especially in the wide variety of manners , of beliefs , of values , and representations sex. These observations ethnological show the importance of culture in development and sexual expression of human sexuality.

Studies of feeling love in neuroscience suggest a relationship with the dependence , a condition which would be caused by endorphins released during relationships. The state of love can cause emotions intense, euphoria or distress. The passions associated with the love can be a source of individual or social problems, but also productions artistic remarkable.

Summary 1 Definition of Sexuality 2 Research on sexuality 3 Sexual reproduction 4 Psychobiology of sexual behavior 4.1 Behaviour sexual 4.2 Reproductive Behavior 4.3 Behavior erotic 5 The emergence of culture 5.1 Characteristics of the cultural animal sexuality 5.2 Characteristics of the Cultural Human Sexuality 5.2.1 The symbolism of sexuality 6 Love 7 Development of sexuality 7.1 The sexuality from childhood to adulthood 7.2 Sex Education 8 Diseases and Sexual Therapy 9 Notes and references 10 Bibliography 11 Annexes 11.1 Related Articles 2.11 External Links

/ / Definition of Sexuality

Sexuality is a broad term that covers several phenomena:

1. The existence of biological organisms sexual characteristics and specialized and complementary to the reproduction. The sexes are usually male and female but there are more complex sexual distinctions.
2. The sexual behavior , which is in most animals a reproductive behavior (the goal is the coupling , which allows fertilization ), and in some mammals evolved an erotic behavior (the goal is to stimulate the body and erogenous zones , this which provides the erotic pleasure ).
3. All the affective and emotional ( romantic attachment , desires and erotic pleasures , passions ...) in relation to sexual behavior.
4. All aspects of cognitive and cultural (customs, representations , beliefs , values , symbols , love ...) which are related to three phenomena.

Etymologically, the word and are derivatives of Latin words and These words are used from the sixteenth ^century. The Latin root sexus means "separation, distinction" . The meaning "separation" of the word sexus corresponds to the biological separation of the sexes, which is the fundamental characteristic of sexual reproduction.

Research on sexuality

The Sexology is the scientific study of sexuality and its disorders in humans.

Sexology studies all aspects of sexuality, including sexual development, sexual behavior and emotional relationships, including the physiological, psychological, medical, social and cultural rights. Sexology, in its modern form, is a new science of medical origin that developed in the late ^twentieth century. Mainly for reasons cultural, non-medical aspects of sexuality, that is to say, the love , erotic pleasure, the sex education , and especially the development, the welfare and happiness sex are little studied subjects .

The detailed article sexology has a current state of sexology in the areas of research, training and medical practice. Historical aspects and future challenges are also presented.

Sexual Reproduction

Sexual reproduction is a mode of reproduction that involves organisms of complementary sex. This mode of reproduction is characterized by a life cycle alternating haploid and diploid. The pairs of chromosomes are separated parents during the formation of gametes ( meiosis ) and then recombined into a single new body when fertilization. This genetic mixing leads to the scale of the species genetic diversity, thus multiplying the possibilities of adaptation to the environment .

In the plant kingdom , is for example the case of angiosperms , most commonly plants flower, the flower is the sexual organ of plants.

In the animal kingdom that genetic mixing is associated with behavioral strategies including selection criteria of various functions.

The article detailed Sexuality (reproduction) shows the different forms of sexual reproduction, describes the mechanisms of genetic exchange, and explains the biological significance of sexual reproduction.

Psychobiology of sexual behavior

Sexual Behavior

The sexual behavior is the set of motor activities that allow the reproduction of animals sexed.

This behavior is mainly controlled by the nervous system but also, especially among the simplest animals, the system endocrine. Schematically, the nervous system is more simple, more sexual behavior is stereotyped. This applies, for example insects. Instead, the nervous system is more complex, more sexual behavior will be developed and linked to phenomena cultural. This is the typical case of human beings .

In mammals , the major biological factors that control sexual behavior are the hormones , and pheromones , the rewards and cognition. Because of the differences between species , the structure of the brain is different and the importance of these factors changes. For example, in mice, where the brain is relatively small, hormones are the main factor, whereas in humans, which has a neocortex highly developed cognition becomes a major factor. In addition, due partly random nature of evolution , organisms and the control of sexual behavior are not "optimized" ^, . It is this characteristic that explains the existence of non-reproductive sexual activities.

The article detailed sexual behavior presents: 1) descriptions of the sexual behavior of different animal species, 2) biological factors that control these behaviors, and 3) changes in these biological factors in evolution, so good understand differences in behavior between species.

Important Note
In mammals , due to changes in the evolution of the organization of the brain , the sexual behavior is a reproductive behavior in mammals the simplest, and becomes an erotic behavior among hominids.

Reproductive behavior

The reproductive behavior is sexual behavior typical of mammalian inferior ( rodents , canines , sheep ...).

The purpose of this behavior is heterosexual copulation, which allows the fertilization and reproduction. Factors innate , mainly hormones , and pheromones and reflexes sexual control this behavior . At puberty, hormones activate reproductive behavior , pheromones trigger sexual arousal ^, and can recognize the opposite sex ^, , and finally sexual reflexes, when the male mounts the female, allow copulation and ejaculation .

The article detailed reproductive behavior presents: 1) the innate and acquired factors causing the behavior, 2) describes the interaction between these factors, and 3) explains the consequences of reproductive behavior modification or a disappearance of these factors during evolution.

Behavior erotic

The erotic behavior is sexual behavior typical of humans and bonobos, dolphins, chimpanzees and orang utan (see top of page cited).

During the evolution , the importance and influence of hormones and pheromones ^, on sexual behavior has decreased. Instead, the importance of reward / reinforcement has become a major . In humans, the purpose of sexual behavior is more vaginal intercourse but the search for pleasure erotic stimulation provided by the body and erogenous zones .

Note that erotic behavior does not develop independently. The affective and cognitive factors, especially the cultural context, have a major influence on its development. Nevertheless, the innate characteristics of this behavior ( erogenous zones , erotic pleasure ...) exist and are expressed regardless of environmental culture.

The article detailed erotic behavior presents: 1) biological factors that control this behavior, 2) the development of this behavior, and 3) the characteristics of the cultural environment that affect the development of erotic behavior.

Based on observations in ethology human, we note that in all cultures always erotic behavior is organized around the stimulation of the body and erogenous zones. But according to a company, body parts, shapes and means of erotic stimulation change: the genital area is still stimulated, oral and anal areas less frequently. The means of stimulating the genitals can be hand or, less commonly the mouth, tongue or something, sometimes, several or all of the terms sensory stimulated, as in orgies . Activity duration is also variable. Finally, the erotic activities can be performed alone or with several partners , and be heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual, even with animals . Specifically, changes in the behavior exerted by erotic actions on the adults (by fear of sanctions often copies: stoning, woodshed , hanging , imprisonment ... or positively, by the social recognition for reward sexual behavior socially valued), but mostly on children and adolescents, using the packaging aversive (physical punishment or psychological) or appetitive (rewards, praise ...) inductions of negative emotions (fear, shame, disgust ...) or positive (pride ...) information reflecting social beliefs ("masturbation causes disease" ...) and also by the practice of erotic activities culturally accepted. Indirectly, observation, imitation and social learning also play a major role in changing the erotic behavior to culturally accepted practices.

The accompanying article human sexual behavior presents the wide variety of erotic activities: 1) history, 2) in contemporary societies, and 3) the characteristics of the cultural environment that affect the development of behavior.

The emergence of culture

Cultural Characteristics animal sexuality

Culture is a set of knowledge and practices (social rules, use of tools, social learning ...) which, within a given group, shared and transmitted socially rather than by genetic inheritance . We observe the emergence of culture in animals from primates. The existence of culture indicates that sexuality becomes more than simply putting into play of reflexes , of rewards and packaging. An example of sexual agenda in the bonobo culture is the use of object for masturbation .

The detailed article Animal Sexuality presents: 1) the criteria for animal culture, 2) problems of assessing the cultural nature of the observed behavior, and 3) the main sexual behavior of animals that would Agenda cultural.

Cultural Characteristics of Human Sexuality

The culture is a major characteristic of the human species. The study of cultural phenomena of sexuality (normative models, values , beliefs ...) is a key to understanding human sexuality.

Depending on the companies , the standards are built from sexual criteria magical , religious , moral , social, emotional, behavioral, or medical. Then, according to these standards, erotic activities are common or rare, some erotic activities are prohibited or regarded as inappropriate (sodomy, sexual activity with the deities, cunnilingus, kiss ...) and others can be recovered (masturbation, coitus vaginal or homosexuality ...). Although sexuality can be very different from one society to another, we see that the sexuality of the quasi-totality of individuals is consistent with the standards of their social group, which shows the major influence and structuring of cultural context on human sexuality ^, .

The detailed article human sexuality presents: 1) different values and normative models of sexuality, 2) analysis of these norms and values, and 3) the structuring influence of norms and values about sexuality.

The symbolism of sexuality

Sexuality is one of the recurring themes of art and mythology.

Love

Animal studies of attachment have shown that different types of attachment (filial, romantic, fraternal, friendly, an animal, a habitat, an environment or an object) have partly common neurobiological bases. In humans, attachment "romantic" involves essentially the same brain regions as well as some structures involved in reward . Attachment "romantic" would depend, at least in part, the sociocultural context. Indeed, we observe that in societies where the erotic activity occurs daily and simply, romantic attachment is less marked and more "calm" in the passions and ecstasies of romantic love West, "who longs as a furnace "for an impossible romantic ideal . Several authors have emphasized the similarity between some aspects of passion (altered mental status, exalted mood, intrusive thoughts of the loved one ...) and some psychiatric disorders (eg observed in bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive) . Schematically, it would seem that the involvement of the reward system , a factor crucial to human sexuality , induces an "addiction" to be "liked" that would lead to states of "missing" when the object is inaccessible . These mental states induced by intense romantic passions are the source not only of remarkable achievements in the arts , the poetry and literature , but also changes individual ( suicide attempts , crimes of passion ...) and social (as legend, the Trojan War was caused due to the abduction of Helen by Prince Paris, who was captivated by her extraordinary beauty).

The article detailed Love this: 1) biological factors at the origin of romantic attachment, 2) individual and social characteristics of passion, and their consequences, and 3) the various cultural manifestations of love especially in the arts, poetry and literature.

Development of sexuality

Sexuality from infancy to adulthood

The development of sexuality, of the embryo to adulthood, is caused by specific biological factors, the following chronological stages and the influence of culture is crucial.

Factors innate of erotic behavior ( reflexes sexual erogenous zones , rewards / reinforcement ...) grow from the fetal period ^{, ,} and the first years of life. Potentially, the body is ready to teach sexuality. Sexual development will be determined later by the cultural context which, from a variable age in societies, or add value to prohibit particular activities erotic, transmit specific sexual beliefs, thus shaping the behavior , the representations and values sexual adults ^, . During its development, the child incorporates the gender norms of her society, and in adulthood these standards will be perceived as "natural" and "obvious."

The detailed article Infantile sexuality , according to data from neuroscience and developmental psychology , has: 1) the chronology of development of innate and acquired factors of sexuality, 2) cultural characteristics that influence the development of sexuality, and 3) the main options for changes in the development of sexuality.

The accompanying article Infantile sexuality presents the development of the sexuality of the child according to the theory psychoanalytic.

Sex education

Sex education in its broadest sense, is inseparable from the development of sexuality. That learning whether institutional or informal, determined and organized, or left to chance circumstances of life, they largely determine the fate of human sexuality.

In modern societies, issues of sex education are many: access to sexual health , prevention of sexual disorders, learning of knowledge about reproduction, sexuality, pleasure and love, developing the socialization / A> sex and the moral sense and ethics. But sexuality is a topic in modern societies, and the sexual transmission of knowledge is complicated by a strong social reluctance to sex education and the state of civil minority students. Now the teenager in the West is a particularly sensitive period of development, and lack of reliable information and lack of communication with trusted adults are handicaps to deal with problems of representation of his body, of sexual identity , beliefs in many stereotypes, sexual performance, sexual relationship to another and the management of emotions and sexual love .

The article detailed sex education this: 1) educational issues, medical but also social, sexual education, 2) an analysis of the practices of sex education in the twentieth ^century, and 3) the main benefits and individual Social sex education, observed in some countries, particularly northern end of the twentieth ^century.

Diseases and Sexual Therapy

At various times, the manners and knowledge available, several models have existed in the normal physiological, behavioral and psychological. These models determine the abnormal and the pathological: for example, in the model Ancient of masculinity, passivity was a crime, while in the ^nineteenth century, the medical model of the sexual instinct, sexual activities nonbreeding ( masturbation , fellatio , sodomy ...) were a perversion . Currently, the main problems identified are sex sexual dysfunction, paraphilias , and disorders of gender identity . The main diseases related to sexuality are sexually transmitted. In sexology clinic, therapeutic methods most used are the cognitive and behavioral therapies, methods of Masters and Johnson (sensate focus), the couples therapy, and the sexocorporelle and psychoanalysis .

The detailed article Paraphilia this: 1) different reference models of normality, cultural or medical, from which to build the moral and medical discourse, 2) major diseases and disorders of sexuality, and 3) the main types therapies and preventive strategies.

References

Bibliography

• (En) AR Allgeier, ER Allgeier: Human Sexuality, Oxford University Press 1992
• (En) John H. Gagnon, Scripts sexuality. Essays on the cultural roots of desire, Preface of ^Dr.. Giami Alain, Payot, 2008.
• (En) C. Thibault, M.-C. Levasseur (Eds). Reproduction in mammals and humans, INRA Ellipse, 2001
• (En) Serge Wunsch PhD on sexual behavior Paris Sorbonne 2007
• (En) Philippe Brenot (Ed), Dictionary of Human Sexuality, The Spirit of Time, 2004
• (En) Michel Reynaud. Love is a soft drug ... in general, Robert Laffont, 2005
• (En) Michel Foucault , The History of Sexuality , Vol. 1: The will to know, Gallimard, Paris, 1976, 224 p. ( ISBN 2070295893 )
  • History of Sexuality, Vol. 2: The Use of Pleasure, Gallimard, Paris, 1984, 296 p. ( ISBN 2070700569 )
  • History of Sexuality, Vol. 3, Gallimard, Paris, 1984, 288 p. ( ISBN 2070273822 )
• (In) Anders AGMO Functional and Dysfunctional Sexual Behavior Elsevier 2007
• (In) Simon Levay, Janice Baldwin. Human Sexuality, Sinauer Associates, 3rd edition, 2009

Notes

Related articles

• - Cicero cons Cupid: the relationship between Love and Friendship in the work of Howard Hawks - film analysis (en)

• Sexology
• Human Sexuality
• Sexual behavior
• Human sexual behavior
• Erotic behavior
• Reproductive behavior
• Sex
• Print
• Group sex

External Links

• - Howard Hawks and Love - Article (en)
• The University of Berlin, the largest database on human sexuality ( French documents / Global Home )
• Sexuality Proceedings of the Social Science Research. Vol. 128, June 1999.
• Site Center for Research and Treatment of Addictions; CERTA Albatros