Transcript Psychology 3533 Understanding Human Sexuality

SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Important
for understanding behaviour.
 Only clearly male and female types
presented but there are variations.
 Within clear male and female types also
great variability.
 Self-examination, self-knowledge
important.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL









Sex
Breasts
Nipples
Penis
Testes
Erection
Sperm
Semen
Vulva









Clitoris
Vagina
Intercourse
Ejaculation
Orgasm
Fellatio
Cunnilingus
Masturbation
Respect and Decency
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 TRUE



OR FALSE?
A name for the external female genitals is
derived from Latin meaning “something to be
ashamed of”.
Women, but not men, have a sex organ
whose only known function is sexual
pleasure.
It can be determined if a woman is a virgin by
examining her hymen.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 TRUE



OR FALSE (CONT’D)
Women with large breasts produce
more milk than women with small
breasts.
Many men who are paralyzed below the
waist can attain erection and ejaculate.
Men can have orgasm without
ejaculating.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 TRUE





OR FALSE (CONT’D)
Men with large penises give women more
sexual pleasure than men with small penises.
Women’s genitals are naturally foul smelling.
Male and female circumcision are almost
identical.
Only middle-aged people need to practice
breast or testicular self-examination.
There is a positive correlation between
number of sexual partners a woman has and
cervical cancer incidence.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
FEMALE EXTERNAL ANATOMY
 Mons veneris or mons pubis
 Perineum: pelvic floor – Kegel muscles
 Vulva:






clitoris, hood
labia majora (large, outer lips)
labia minora (small, inner lips)
urethral meatus (for urine)
vaginal opening: introitus
hymen (not proof of virginity)
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Clitoridectomy:
surgical removal of the
clitoris (affects orgasmic capacity). Last
one performed in U.S. in 1964, to cure
masturbation.
 Infibulation: surgical removal of clitoris and
labia, closing of the introitus.
 Usually no anesthetic, poor hygiene,
sepsis: pain, infections, painful
intercourse, difficult birth, high rate of
stillbirths, life-threatening.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL

Pelvic Floor:


PC or pubococcygeus
muscle: contracts
during orgasm.
Iliococcygeus muscle.
Kegel exercises:
contract PC muscle
voluntarily. A stronger
PC muscle leads to
better orgasms.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
FEMALE INTERNAL ANATOMY
 Vagina, a.k.a. birth canal
 Graefenberg spot (G spot)
 Cervix
 Uterus, lined by endometrium
(endometriosis)
 Fallopian tubes, fimbria
 Ovaries: produce ova (ovum: egg), follicle
produce estrogen, progesterone.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL






FEMALE INTERNAL ANATOMY (CONT’D)
Hysterectomy: surgical removal of uterus.
Oophorectomy: surgical removal of ovaries
Too many done in N. America.
Surgical complications (short and long term) but
also cervix and uterus important for sexual
enjoyment, arousal and orgasm.
Without uterus, abdominal organs prolapse, may
protrude into vagina.
Recurring infections, pain, discomfort.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL




DISEASES OF FEMALE ORGANS
Cervical cancer: STD – 33% in NL – condom
Uterine cancer: rare, mostly benign tumours
Fallopian tubes: mostly blockages due to scar
tissue, due to STDs, infertility
PID: pelvic inflammatory disease: can affect
internal reproductive organs, different
pathogens, most often STDs, infertility
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Breasts






Mammary gland: lobules, ducts and sinuses
Fat tissue
Areola, nipple
Breast cancer: self-examination – lifestyle,
genes
Augmentations: health problems,
compromises breastfeeding.
Reduction: for comfort, can also compromise
breastfeeding.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
MALE EXTERNAL ANATOMY
 Penis or phallus:





glans
prepuce (foreskin) (smegma)
coronal ridge
frenulum
urethral opening
 Scrotum
(contains testicles)
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
MALE EXTERNAL ANATOMY (Cont’d)
 Circumcision: ritual (religious) or medical;
controversial.
 Pros: better genital health (partners too).
 Cons: newborns feel pain (anesthetic),
surgical accidents.
 No evidence of decreased sensitivity.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL

Penis



Externally: varying shapes and lengths.
Effect on sex: psychological.
But since you asked …

Average flaccid (non-erect) size:
• 2.8 to 4.3 inches

Average erect size:
• 4.9 to 6.9 inches

smaller penises increase in size during erection more than larger
ones
• e.g. 3 in.  6 in. (3 in. increase)
4 in.  6.5 in. (2.5 in. increase)

many women prefer average or under average penises and are
somewhat apprehensive about large penises
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Scrotum:


varied colour, size and texture. Usually
asymmetrical.
Can ascend or descend (involuntary muscle
control: dartos and cremaster muscle)
depending on temperature (internal and
external) and state of arousal
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Male








Internal Structures:
Testes (testicles).
Seminiferous tubules (make and store sperm).
Interstitial cells in testes: make testosterone.
Epididymis: store sperm till maturity.
Vas Deferens: carry sperm to urethra.
Seminal Vesicles: make seminal fluid.
Prostate: makes white fluid, alkaline.
Cowper’s glands: more alkaline fluid.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
IMPORTANCE OF TEMPERATURE FOR
SPERM PRODUCTION
 Testes descend prenatally from pelvis to
scrotum. Need to be about 2°C (6°F)
cooler than body temperature for optimal
sperm production
 Undescended testes: cryptorchidia, leads
to infertility – can be corrected surgically.
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
IMPORTANCE OF TEMPERATURE FOR
SPERM PRODUCTION
 Sperm count can decrease (infertility?) if:





long hot baths
prolonged fever
long distance truck drivers, any long sitting
steel workers close to furnaces
jockey shorts, tight jeans
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
IMPORTANCE OF TEMPERATURE FOR
SPERM PRODUCTION (Cont’d)
 Other causes of low sperm count:




severe stress
high altitudes
radiation
some types of chemical pollution
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Semen:





Or ejaculate: spermatozoa plus fluids from
glands
About 3-5 cc average with 40-100 million
sperm
Low sperm count: under 20 million
some say 10 million
Count varies from study to study
Quality of sperm very important
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Issues



associated with male genitals:
circumcision is associated with lower
incidence of HIV and of penile cancer.
prostate cancer: common in older men,
usually slow progress, should have checks
after 45 or earlier if symptoms.
fracture of the penis: rare, but can happen,
usually during sex when fully erect if body
weight suddenly put on penis
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL

Testicular cancer:


Age range: 15-35
Could be unrelated to lifestyle or family history or general
health status, but higher incidence if
a) family history
b) cryptorchidia (undescended testicles)


Self examination during shower
Possible signs:





lumps
pain in scrotum
feeling of heaviness in lower abdomen or scrotum
dull ache in lower abdomen or groin
Very treatable, 98% success rate when discovered early
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Issues
associated with male genitals:
(Cont’d)

cancer of the penis: rare can be fatal if not
treated early. Risk factors are
•
•
•
•
•
over 50
history of multiple sex partners
history of STDs
poor genital hygiene
smoking
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL
 Issues
associated with male genitals:
(Cont’d)

priapism: prolonged erection due to constant
vibration (e.g. snowmobile), some
pathological conditions, use of drugs like
Cialis. Painful.
Priapo (Greek) or Priapus (Latin: God of Fertility
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL




Some men get penile and/or testicular surgical
augmentation. No long term studies yet, but
reports of dissatisfied patients.
Cosmetic surgery is also being used extensively
to alter female genitalia.
In the past, some women needed genital
cosmetic surgery for medical reasons (e.g. a
botched episiotomy, an accident) but rarely done.
More recently, women from certain immigrant
groups requested re-hymenization (reconstruction
of the hymen) due to strict rules about virginity
before marriage. Even some Western women
requested it upon finding out, some as a wedding
anniversary gift for their husbands!
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL


The greatest influence has been the
popularization of pornography on the Internet –
seeing “perfect” vulvas. Tenfold increase in
recent years.
Available modifications (referred to as “designer
vaginas”):
• Labioplasty: reduction of the labia minora
• Plumping up labia with shots of the woman’s own fat
tissue
• Collagen shots to increase the size of the G-spot (for
extra sexual pleasure)
• Reduction of the clitoral hood
• Tightening of the vagina and of the whole perineal area
SEX AT THE ANATOMICAL LEVEL


Dr. Lenore Tiefer calls this “culture disease of
self-consciousness”.
There can be post-surgical complications,
long and short-term and disfigurement from
poor surgical techniques. Laser can be used
instead of a scalpel, but there are risks with
this method as well.