What comes to mind when male and female sex drives are mentioned? The stereotype as stated by Roy F. Baumeister (2000) would be females have a lower sex drive then males. This statement tends to be accepted by most people in society as the standard, so why would looking into this question be important? Having a “standard” can be dangerous, because not everyone fits that standard. Thus, understanding the differences can show society what is normal, and how to change the standard that is accepted. Roy F. Baumeister at Case Western University, Alicia Barr at South Plains College, and many others sought to understand why do females have a lower sex drive.
Understanding the importance of a sex drive is the first step in the process of exploring the differences. The sex drive refers to the strength of sexual motivation (Baumeister, Catanese, & Vohs, 2001). Humans want to fill their needs and when a sexual motivation is high enough that motivation will outcompete the importance of other motivations. Basically, when the two sex drives are equal the relationship can focus on other issues. Thus, allowing the relationship to move on and be more successful.
What must be looked at next is the difference of sex drives between males and females. There is a lot of evidence that Baumeister and his colleges have looked at to validate this trend. They found that across all ages females are significantly less sexual than men, and females are will to wait longer in terms of time before engaging in sexual activity (Baumeister, et al,. 2001, 246). Evidence of masturbation frequency, and homosexual relationships both correlate with the idea of men being more sexual. In homosexual relationships it was found that lesbians had less sex than...
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... and what society dictates. To begin understanding this complex problem is the key to individualism and breaking free from societies constraints.
Works Cited
Baumeister, R. F., Catanese, K. R., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Is there a gender difference in strength of sex drive? Theoretical views, conceptual distinctions, and a review of relevent evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Review, 5(3), 242-273. doi:10.1207/S15327957PSPR0503_5
Baumeister, R. F. (2000). Gender differences in erotic plasticity: The female sex drive as socially flexible and responsive. Psychological Bulletin, 126(3), 347-374. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.126.3.347
Barr, A., Bryan, A., & Kenrick, D. T. (2002). Sexual peak: Socially shared cognitions about desire, frequency, and satisfaction in men and women. Personal Relationships, 9(3), 287-299. doi:10.1111/1475-6811.09305
It makes complete sense that we would be biologically driven to prove our sexiness. At the most basic level, this could explain the plenitude and popularity of fashion magazines for young women and the emphasis on being good at sports in school for both genders. Beyond this, it could also explain why men and women are driven to succeed at their various careers, or to be perceived to be successful, smart, witty, fun-loving, good-looking, responsible, or any of a number of things that human aspire to be which are also s...
Klein, Marty. "You're addicted to what? Challenging the myth of sex addiction." The Humanist July-Aug. 2012: 31+. Gale Power Search. Web. 8 Apr. 2014
Introduction The topic of gender differences must understandably be approached with caution in our modern world. Emotionally charged and fraught with ideas about political correctness, gender can be a difficult subject to address, particularly when discussed in correlation to behavior and social behavior. Throughout history, many people have strove to understand what makes men and women different. Until the modern era, this topic was generally left up to religious leaders and philosophers to discuss. However, with the acquisition of more specialized medical knowledge of human physiology and the advent of anthropology, we now know a great deal more about gender differences than at any other point in history.
An alternative position in this realm is the neurophysiological hypothesis proposed by Flor-Henry (1987).. As such, he proposed that the observed EEG differences in sex-offenders were reflective of a pathological neural organisation in the dominant hemisphere thus giving rise to abnormal sexual representations, which in turn lead to, disrupted connections with the non-dominant hemisphere. Consequently, only these abnormal ideas are capable of eliciting an orgasmic response. Contrary to these theories is the hypothesis that brain dysfunction may not produce the sexual urges; rather it may function to weaken an individu...
Hall, Gordon C. "Sexual Arousal as a Function of Physiological and Cognitive Variables in a Sexual Offender Population." Archives of Sexual Behavior 1991st ser. 20.4 (1991): 359-69. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.
While alleged sex addictions have existed for many years, they have only recently been accepted as valid excuses for sexual deviancy. Attitudes toward sex addiction in the past offer a stark contrast to how it is viewed today, as the constantly medicalizing society insists on putting everything under the technical microscope. Sex addiction is commonly associated with a person’s inability to control his sexual behavior, implying an abnormally high sex drive and obsession with sex which have negative effects on his personal life (MedicineNet 2007, 1). Rather than breaking down the science behind the disorder, a customary practice in today’s medicalized society, older attitudes towards sex addiction placed it under the same light as alcoholism, where a lack of control and unwillin...
Milstein, Susan A. Taking Sides Clashing Views in Human Sexuality. Ed. William J. Taverner and Ryan W. McKee. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.
In today’s heterosexual and patriarchal society sex and sexual desires revolve around men, and Hoagland sets out seven patterns showing how this is the case. Sex is thought of as a “powerful and uncontrollable urge” and male sexuality therefore is a basic component to male health, sexual acts show male conquest and domination, sexual freedom gives men total access to and over women, rape is, by this logic, natural and women who resist a man’s advances are “‘frigid’”, sex involves losing control and sexual desire, when described as erotic, “involves a death wish (eros)”. The bottom line is that in today’s heterosexual and patriarchal society sex is all about men having a natural power over women; sex involves a total loss of control which creates a split between reason and emotion since being in control is a matter of reason controlling emotions, “we tend to believe that to be safe we must be rational and in control but to...
The human sex drive is biologically written into the basic fundamentals of humanity. As noted by Jefferey Weeks in Sexuality and History Revisited, sex is at the “heart of our being,”
Existing research on sexual activity of older adults suffers from inadequate descriptions of the population, particularly across different cultures and ethnic groups and in regard to education and financial status. In a 1999 American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) survey of 1384 older adults, respondents reported that sexual activity was pleasurable. The AARP survey found that older adults with partners felt that a satisfying sexual relationship was important, whereas those without partners did not feel such urgency. Women over age 75 were less likely to have a partner than older men, and as such, seemed to have a less positive attitude toward or interest in sexual activity than men of the same age. Men with or without a partner had more frequent thoughts, fantasies, and feelings of sexual desire (and self-stimulation) than ...
This essay will discuss the ways sexuality is gendered and their impacts towards both men and women by exploring the contemporary heterosexual scripts from a sociological perspective on three main aspects; i.e. sex drive, desire and power. It studies how men are deemed to have a higher sexual edge than women, who acts as the relationship gatekeepers. This essay analyses the theory that women predictably pursuits love and relationships while men are more sexually controlled by lusts and cravings. Sexual dominance and passiveness is another traditional script inspected in this essay, focusing on how men are always expected to be the prevailing initiator thus devouring more power in relationships while women stays being the weaker, submissive receivers.
From birth, one's sexuality is shaped by society. Cultures institute behaviors that are to be seen as the societal norms, which work to constantly reinforce societal expectations of how genders should act in relation to one another. Although some may argue that one's sexuality is an innate characteristic resulting from genetic makeup, there is a large amount of evidence pointing to its social construction instead. Through the power differences between males and females, established gender roles, and drastic economic shifts, society establishes sexuality and reinforces the behaviors that are expected of its citizens.
Biologically there are differing physical features s as well as brain characteristics, however men and women start out from the same tissue and can perform equally in many of the same tasks. Traditionally males have fulfilled a more dominant role in society than females, but roles are becoming more equal as females engage in careers and activity outside of the home. It was also previously thought men should initiate sex and be in a committed relationship to one woman, however woman have become sexual initiators and discovered they also can enjoy sexual activity and experiences. As a whole society is recognizing the differences between males and females, but also allowing equal opportunity for either gender to peruse their sexuality
While there is some biological basis for these representations of sex drive according to gender, it is not always as clear-cut as it seems. When someone is hungry, there is an internal force telling them to eat, and things such as the smell or sight of food may influence that hunger as well. Sex drive and hunger are basic instincts that humans are biologically programmed to have, and they can both be affected by outside forces that stimulate the senses. In addition, psychological triggers such as ghosts from our past, interruptions, or a tiring day at work can spark up unconscious feelings and have an effect on a person’s sex drive (Small 44).
A fundamental step for understanding the links between human nature and intimate relationships is by understanding human sexuality. Alfred Kinsey, in his pioneering study on human sexual behaviour, illustrated the degree to which individuals differ in their sexual attitudes, beliefs and preferences (Kinsey, Pomeroy & Martin, 1948). In particular, a marked difference was highlighted in individuals’ sociosexual attitudes and behaviours. Following this, many of the sociosexual features individuals differ in, including preferred frequency of sexual intercourse, the number of different sexual partners they predict to have in the future, and their willingness to engage in uncommitted relationships, have shown to covary (Eysenk, 1976, as cited in Barnes, Malamuth & Check, 1984). Considered together, these features compose an individual difference dimension named sociosexuality (Snyder, Simpson & Gangestad, 1986). Sociosexuality reflects the tendency to engage in uncommitted, casual sexual encounters (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). Those with a restricted sociosexual orientation typically prefer closeness and commitment from their romantic partner before engaging in sex (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). Such individuals claim they rarely have one-night stands, and require emotional intimacy within a romantic relationship before feeling comfortable with sex (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). Conversely, unrestricted individuals require little or no emotional bond with a partner in order to have sex. These individuals are more likely to be involved in extra-marital relationships (Seal, Agostinelli & Hannett, 1994), and exhibit more frequent displays of sexual assertiveness such as flirting (Simpson, Gangestad & Nations, 1996).