The Psychology of Sex

PSYCHOLOGY 405 (B2)

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SEX

WINTER 2007

Douglas Wardell, Ph.D., CPQ T.A.Stephanie Arnason

Biological Sciences P361P217-A Biological Sciences

492-3360Office Hours: TBA

Office hours: Monday 3:00–5:00 pmE-mail:

E-mail:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will explore the complex nature of human sexuality, emphasizing modern evolutionary and biological perspectives, integrated with ecological and contemporary cultural considerations. In this context, specific topics in male and female sexuality are reviewed, including gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual dysfunctions, and paraphilias. Prerequisites: Psychology 275 (Brain and Behavior) and Psychology 339 (Abnormal Psychology).

COURSE PACKAGE:

The Psychology of Sex, Part I: Evolution and Biological Considerations.

The Psychology of Sex, Part II: Culture and Ecological Considerations.

The Psychology of Sex, Part III: Personal, Developmental & Clinical Considerations.

GRADES:FIRST MIDTERM EXAMINATION on February 14(25%)

SECOND MIDTERM EXAMINATION on March 28(25%)

FINAL EXAMINATION onApril 19(25%)

ESSAY(25%)

NOTE: According to University regulations, a student who wishes to apply for a deferred final exam or exemption from a term test must have a Medical Statement completed and signed by a physician at University Health Services. This form must be filled out within 48 hours of the episode and must be submitted to the instructor (for term tests) or the Registrar’s Office (for final exams) within 72 hours of the missed test or exam. Deferment from a term test is at the discretion of the instructor: I require that an alternative date be scheduled for term tests within three working days of the exam date. The date for deferred final exams is May 4, 2007 in P361 Biological Sciences Bldg. at 2:00 pm.

EXAMS: Exams consist of multiple choice questions and a short answer component (with choice). The first midterm exam is 50 multiple-choice and 10 marks for short-answer (choose 2 of 5). It covers the first course package and related lectures. The second midterm exam is 40 multiple-choice and 20 marks for short-answer (choose 4 of 8). It covers the second course package and related lectures. The final exam is 30 multiple-choice and 30 marks for short-answer (choose 3 of 10). It covers the third course package and related discussion in class. Sample multiple choice questions and all of the short answer questions for each of the three exams are available from the instructor with this syllabus.

GRADES: As explained in class, grades on individual exams and final grades in the course are determined by comparing results to an appropriate criterion, such as a class average (x) and standard deviation (S.D.). Then, letter grades are assigned from the table provided with this syllabus (based on approximately one-third S.D. increments).

GRADING TABLE

Letter Grade / Point Value / Exam Mark / 60 / Final Mark / 100 / Z-Score
A + / 4.0 / above 51 / above 84 / Above +1.6
A / 4.0 / 50-51 / 82-84 / + 1.4 to +1.6
A - / 3.7 / 48-49 / 78-81 / +1.1 to +1.4
B + / 3.3 / 45-47 / 73-77 / +0.7 to +1.1
B / 3.0 / 43-44 / 70-72 / +0.4 to +0.7
B - / 2.7 / 41-42 / 66-69 / +0.1 to +0.4
C + / 2.3 / 38-40 / 61-65 / -0.3 to +0.1
C / 2.0 / 36-37 / 58-60 / -0.6 to -0.3
C - / 1.7 / 34-35 / 54-57 / -0.9 to -0.6
D + / 1.3 / 31-33 / 49-53 / -1.3 to -0.9
D / 1.0 / 29-30 / 46-48 / -1.6 to -1.3
F / 0 / below 29 / below 46 / below -1.6

Criteria for exam marks are x = 40/60, S.D. = 7; and for total marks, x = 65/100, S.D. =12.

“The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.”

For grading purposes, please be advised that cheating and plagiarism are very serious offences. See the Code of Student Behavior in the Calendar (pp. 728-746) and, in particular, note 30.3(2)c and d: “No Student shall represent another’s substantial editorial or compositional assistance on an assignment as the Student’s own work. No Student shall submit in any course or program of study, without the written approval of the course instructor, all or a substantial portion of any academic writing, essay, thesis, research report, project assignment, presentation or poster for which credit has previously been obtained by the Student or which has been or is being submitted by the Student in another course or program of study in the University or elsewhere.” For penalties, see Section 30.4.2 of the Code.

Note: With exception of term work for which students did not receive feedback before the posting of final grades, students must initiate a request for re-evaluation of term work with the instructor prior to the day of the final exam.

Also note, as stated in '23.5.6(2) of the Calendar, “A deferred examination will not be approved if a student (a) has not been in regular attendance where attendance and/or participation are required, and/or, (b) excluding the final exam, has completed less than half of the assigned work.”

Policy about course outlines can be found in '23.4(2) of the University Calendar.

ESSAY: The essay should be a critical examination of an important issue in the psychology of sex, based on reading of selected references. You are very strongly advised to discuss your topic with your instructor. The essay is due on the last day of classes (April 13, by 4:00 p.m.) and will lose one letter grade (e.g., from B+ to C+) for every day that it is late. A list of suggested reference sources on many topics is included. This essay should be in APA format and at least the equivalent of 10 pages (typed and double spaced) in length. Library research workshops in the John Scott Health Sciences Library may be available. Suggested sources: Ralph L. Rosnow and Mimi Rosnow, Writing Papers in Psychology. Wadsworth, 1998 (4th ed.) and J.M. Scott et. al. The Psychology Student Writer’s Manual, Prentice Hall, 1999. (Copies on reserve in Cameron Library [BF76.8P76 and BF76.7R822]). Sample essay topics are available from the instructor with this syllabus.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

DAY / Topic
January 10 / Introduction
January 17 / Part 1, Selections 1-3
January 24 / Selections 4-7
January 31 / Selections 8-11
February 7 / Part II, Selections 1-3
February 14 / FIRST MIDTERM EXAM and selections 4-6
February 21 / Reading Week
February 28 / Selections 7-9
March 7 / Selections 10-12
March 14 / Part III, Selections 1-5
March 21 / Selections 6-10
March 28 / SECOND MIDTERM EXAMand Selections 11-14
April 4 / Selections 15-20
April 11 / Selections 21-23

SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The Psychology of Sex

General:

The following are available in the Reference Library, Rutherford North, along with more specific and more dated sources.

Suzanne G. Frayser and Thomas J. Whitby (Eds.), Studies in Human Sexuality: A Selected Guide,

1995 (2nd edition).

V. L. Bullough and B. Bullough (Eds.), Human Sexuality: An Encyclopedia, 1994.

R.T. Francoeur (Ed.), The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, 2004. (St.

Josephs College Reserve Room). (See also Sandra L. Caron, Cross-cultural perspectives on

human sexuality. Allyn and Bacon, 1998.)

R.T. Francoeur, T. Perper and N.A. Scherzer, A Descriptive Dictionary and Atlas of Sexology, 1991.

Kara Ellynn Lichtenberg, A Research Guide to Human Sexuality, 1994.

Journals (almost all available at the University of Alberta)

Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality

Archives of Sexual Behavior

Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality

Sexuality and Disability

Journal of Sex Education and Therapy

Journal of Sex Research

Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy

Journal of Homosexuality

Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality

Human Nature

Ethology and Sociobiology

Evolution and Human Behavior

Annual Review of Sex Research

Recommended books of readings:

P.R. Abramson and S.D. Pinkerton (Eds.) Sexual nature/sexual culture. University of Chicago

Press, 1995.

P.B. Anderson and C. Struckman-Johnson (Eds.) Sexually aggressive women. Guilford, 1998.

A.R. Augelli and C.J. Patterson (Eds.) Lesbian, gay and bisexual identities across the life span.

Oxford, 3 volumes: 1995, 1998, 2001.

Annual Editions: Human sexuality, 2000/2001 (and other yearly editions).

Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 1999.

John Bancroft (Ed.) Researching sexual behavior. IndianaU. Press, 1997.

John Bancroft (Ed.) The role of theory in sex research. IndianaU. Press, 2000.

A. Bolin and P. Whelehan (Eds.). Perspectives on Human Sexuality. StateU. of New York, 1999.

Gary G. Brannigan, Elyzabeth R. Allgeier and Albert R. Allgeier (Eds.) The sex scientists.

Addison-Wesley, 1998.

D.M. Buss and N.M. Malamuth (Eds.) Sex, Power and Conflict: Evolutionary and Feminist

Perspectives. OxfordUniversity Press, 1996.

R.S. Charlton (Ed.) Treating sexual disorders. Jossey-Bass, 1997.

Louis Diamont and Richard D. McAnulty (Eds.) The Psychology of Sexual Orientation, Behavior and

Identity. Greenwood, 1995.

J.E. Elias, et al. (Eds.), Prostitution: On Whores, Hustlers and Johns. Prometheus, 1998.

J. Elias, V. Bullough, et al. (Eds.) Pornography 101: Eroticism, sexuality and the first amendment.

Prometheus Press, 1999.

R.T. Francoeur and William J. Taverner (Eds.) Taking Sides: Clashing views on controversial issues

in human sexuality. Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 2000 and 2002 (7th and 8th editions).

Linda D. Garnets and Douglas C. Kimmel (Eds.). Psychological Perspectives on Lesbian, Gay and

Bisexual Experiences. ColumbiaU. Press, 2003 (2nd ed.).

G. Herdt (Ed.) Third sex, third gender. Zone Books, 1994.

C.R. Hollin and K. Howells (Eds.) Clinical approaches to sex offenders and their victims.

Wiley, 1991.

W. Jankowiak (Ed.) Romantic Passion: A Universal Experience? ColumbiaU. Press, 1995.

Ellen Kaschak and Leonore Tiefer (Eds.). A new view of women’s sexual problems. Haworth Press,

2001.

Gary F. Kelly (Ed.) Sources: Notable Selections in Human Sexuality. Dushkin/McGraw-Hill,1998.

D. Richard Laws and William O’Donohue (Eds.) Sexual deviance: Theory, assessment and

treatment. Guilford, 1997.

Karen Lebacqz (Ed.) Sexuality: A Reader. Pilgrim Press, 1999.

Sandra R. Leiblum and Raymond C. Rosen, (Eds.), Principles and practice of sex therapy.

Guilford, 2000 (3rd ed.) (see also Sexual desire disorders. Guilford, 1992).

D. LeCroy and P. Moller (Eds.) Evolutionary perspectives on human reproductive behavior. Annals

of the New YorkAcademy of Sciences, 2000, 907.

Ronald F. Levant and Gary R. Brooks (Eds.) Men and sex: New psychological perspectives.

Wiley, 1997.

W.T. Marshall et. al. (Eds.) Sourcebook of treatment programs for sexual offenders.

Plenum, 1998.

D. McWhirter et. al. (Eds.) Homosexuality/heterosexuality: Concepts of sexual orientation.

Oxford, 1990.

M. Mikulincer and G.S. Goodman (Eds.), Dynamics of Romantic Love. Guilford, 2006.

J. Reid Meloy (Ed.) The psychology of stalking. Academic Press, 1998.

M.E. Morbeck, A. Galloway and A.L. Zihlman (Eds.) The Evolving Female: A Life-History Perspective.

PrincetonUniversity Press, 1997.

Robert A. Nye (Ed.) Sexuality. Oxford, 1999.

R.G. Parker and J.H. Gagnon (Eds.) Conceiving Sexuality: Approaches to Sex Research in a

Postmodern World. Routledge, 1995.

Roy Porter and Mikulas Teich (Eds.) Sexual knowledge, sexual science: The history of attitudes

to sexuality. Cambridge, 1994.

J.M. Reinisch et. al. (Eds.) Masculinity/femininity. Oxford, 1987.

Vernon A. Rosario (Ed.) Science and Homosexualities. Routledge, 1997.

Alice S. Rossi (Ed.) Sexuality across the life course. U. Chicago Press, 1994.

B.H. Spitzberg and W.R. Cupach (Eds.).The Dark Side of Close Relationships. Erlbaum, 1998.

Brenda Stalcup (Ed.) Human sexuality: Opposing viewpoints. Greenhaven Press, 1995.

Mindy Stombler, D.M. Baunack, et al. (Eds.) Sex matters: The sexuality and society reader. Pearson

Education, 2004.

David N. Suggs and Andrew W. Miracle (Eds.) Culture and human sexuality: A reader.

Brooks/Cole, 1993.

L.T. Szuchman and F. Muscarella (Eds.) Psychological perspectives on human sexuality. Wiley,

2000.

C.B. Travis and J.W. White (Eds.) Sexuality, Society, and Feminism. American Psychological

Association, 2000.

C.B. Tavris (Ed.) Evolution, gender and rape. MIT Press, 2003.

Robert Trevas, Arthur Zucker and Donald Borchert (Eds.) Philosophy of sex and love: A reader.

Prentice-Hall, 1997.

Other general sources:

P.R. Abramson and Steven D. Pinkerton With Pleasure: Thoughts on the nature of human

sexuality. Oxford, 2002 (Revised edition).

Elizabeth Rice Allgeier and A.R. Allgeier. Sexual interactions. Health, 1991 (4th edition).

Natalie Angier. Woman: An intimate geography. Houghton-Mifflin, 1999.

P. Aries and A. Béjin. Western sexuality: Practice and precept in past and present times.

Blackwell, 1985.

Bruce Bagemihl. Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity. St. Martin’s Press, 1999.

Michael J. Bader. Arousal: The secret logic of sexual fantasies. Thomas Dunne, 2002.

Robin Baker. Sperm wars: The science of sex. Harper Collins, 1996.

Robin Baker. Sex in the future: Ancient urges meet future technology. MacMillan, 2000.

J. Michael Bailey. The man who would be queen: The psychology of gender-bending and

transsexualism, 2003.

David P. Barash and Judith Eve Lipton. Making sense of sex: How genes and gender influence our

relationships. Island Press, 1997.

David P. Barash and Judith Eve Lipton. The Myth of Monogamy. Freeman, 2001.

Nigel Barber. The Science of Romance. Prometheus Books, 2002.

Louise Barrett, Robin Dunbar and John Lycett. Human Evolutionary Psychology. Princeton

University Press, 2002.

Mary Batten. Sexual strategies: How females choose their mates. Tarcher/Putnam, 1992.

Roy F. Baumeister and Sara R. Wotman. Breaking hearts: The two sides of unrequited love.

Guilford, 1992.

Roy F. Baumeister and Dianne M. Tice. The social dimension of sex. Allyn and Bacon, 2001.

Tim Birkhead. Promiscuity: An evolutionary history of sperm competition and sexual conflict.

Faber and Faber, 2000.

Sarah Blaffer Hrdy. Mother Nature: A History of Mothers, Infants, and Natural Selection. Pantheon, 1999.

Deborah Blum. Sex on the brain: The biological differences between men and women.

Penguin, 1997.

L. Brigendine. The Female Brain. Morgan Road Books, 2006.

M.L. Brown and C.A. Rounsley. True selves: Understanding transexualism. Jossey-Bass,1996.

Vern L. Bullough. Science in the bedroom: A history of sex research. Basic, 1994.

David M. Buss. The evolution of desire: Strategies of human mating. Basic, 1994.

David M. Buss. The Dangerous Passion: Why Jealousy is as Necessary as Love and Sex. Free Press, 1998.

Paula J. Caplan and Jeremy B. Caplan. Thinking critically about research on sex and

gender. Longman, 1999.

Andrew Christensen and Neil S. Jacobson. Reconcilable differences. Guilford, 2000.

Helena Cronin. The ant and the peacock. Cambridge, 1991.

Sheree Conrad and Michael Milburn. Sexual intelligence. Crown, 2001.

Theresa L. Crenshaw. The alchemy of love and lust: Discovering our sex hormones and how they

determine who we love, when we love and how often we love. Putnam, 1996 (see also Sexual pharmacology, 1996).

Louis Crompton. Homosexuality and Civilization. Harvard, 2003.

James McBride Dabbs. Heroes, Rogues and Lovers: Testosterone and Behavior. McGraw-Hill,

2000.

Martin Daly and Margo Wilson. Sex, evolution and behavior. Wadsworth, 1985 (2nd

edition). (See also, The Truth about Cinderella: A Darwinian view of parental love.

Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 1998).

Walter S. DeKeseredy and Martin D. Schwartz. Woman Abuse on Campus: Results from the Canadian National Survey. Sage, 1998.

Frans deWaal. The ape and the sushi master (Chapter 3). Basic, 2001 (see also The Inner Ape, 2006).

John D’Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman. Intimate Matters: A history of sexuality in America. U.

Chicago Press, 1997 (2nd ed.).

Jared Diamond. Why is sex fun? The evolution of human sexuality. Basic, 1997.

Milton Diamond. Sex watching: Looking into the world of sexual behavior. Prior, 1992.

W.O. Donohue and James H. Geer. Handbook of sexual dysfunctions: Assessment and

treatment. Allyn and Bacon, 1993.

Alice Domurat Dreger. Hermaphrodites and the Medical Invention of Sex. HarvardUniversity

Press, 1998.

Niles Eldredge. Why we do it: Rethinking sex and the selfish gene. Norton, 2004.

Nancy Etcoff. Survival of the prettiest: The science of beauty. Doubleday, 1999.

Anne Fausto-Sterling. Myths of gender: Biological theories about women and men. Basic,1992

(2nd edition). (See also, Sexing the body: Gender politics and the construction of sexuality. Basic, 2000).

Helen Fisher. Why we love: The nature and chemistry of romantic love. Holt, 2004.

Richard C. Francis. Why men won’t ask for directions: The seductions of socio-biology.

PrincetonU. Press, 2003.

Suzanne Frayser. Varieties of sexual experience: An anthropological perspective on human

sexuality. H.R.A.F. Press, 1985.

David M. Friedman. A mind of its own: A cultural history of the penis. Free Press, 2001 (see also

Y. Tagushi, Private parts, 2001).

David C. Geary. Male, Female. American Psychological Association, 1998.

Aviel Goodman. Sexual addiction: An integrated approach. Int. Univ. Press, 1998 (see also P. Carnes et al., In the shadow of the net: Breaking free of compulsive on-line sexual behavior.

Hazelden, 2001).

John M. Gottman. The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Three Rivers Press, 1999 (see also Why marriages succeed or fail, 1994).

Richard Green. Sexual science and the law. Harvard, 1997. (See also Richard Posner, Sex

and reason, 1992 and A guide to America’s sex laws, 1996).

John Gribbin and Jeremy Cherfas. The mating game: In search of the meaning of sex. Penguin,

2001 (2nd ed.)

Dean Hamer and Peter Copeland. The science of desire: The search for the gay gene and the

biology of behavior. Simon and Schuster, 1994.

Elaine Hatfield. Love, sex and intimacy: Their psychology, biology and history.

Harper Collins, 1993.

Elaine Hatfield and Richard L. Rapson. Love and Sex: Cross-cultural Perspectives. Allyn and

Bacon, 1996.

Susan Hendrich and Clyde Hendrick. Liking, loving and relating. Brooks/Cole, 1992. (2nd edition). (See also, Romantic love, Sage, 1992).

Gilbert Herdt. Same Sex, Different Cultures: Exploring Gay and Lesbian Lives. Westview Press, 1997.

George L. Hersey. The Evolution of Allure: Sexual Selection from the Medici Venus to the Incredible Hulk. MIT Press, 1996.

John Ince. The politics of lust. Pivotal Press, 2003.

Alison Jolly. Lucy’s Legacy: Sex and Intelligence in Human Evolution. Harvard, 1999.

Steve Jones. Y: The descent of men. Abacus, 2002.

Olivia Judson. Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to all Creation: The Definition Guide to the Evolutionary

Biology of Sex. Henry Holt, 2002.

Suzanne J. Kessler. Lessons from the intersexed. Rutgers, 1999.

Michelle Kodis et al. Love scents. Dutton, 1998.

John Q. LaFond. Preventing Sexual Violence: How Society Should Cope With Sex Offenders.

APA, 2004.

Ada Lambert. The evolution of love. Praeger, 1997.

Thomas Laqueur. Making sex: Body and gender from the Greeks to Freud. Harvard, 1990.

Thomas W. Laqueur. Solitary sex. Zone Books, 2003.

Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael and Stuart Michaels. Sexual

practices in the United States. University of Chicago Press, 1994 (see also Sex, Love and Health in America, U. Chicago Press, 2001).

Simon LeVay. The sexual brain. M.I.T. Press, 1993. (See also, Queer Science, 1996).

Judith Levine. Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex. University of

Minnesota Press, 2002.

Stephen B. Levine. Sexual life: A clinician’s guide. Plenum, 1992.