Transcript Sex Research Methods and Concerns sexology  The study of sexuality  Goal – to understand, predict, and control sexual behavior.

Sex Research
Methods and Concerns
sexology
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The study of sexuality
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Goal – to understand, predict, and
control sexual behavior
Control?
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Is it a good thing to control sexual
behavior?
Yes – we need to decrease unwanted
pregnancies and STD’s
Uncertain – Should we choose our
children’s sex?
Should we change
orientations?
Non-experimental
methods
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Often used
Convenient
Frequently cost-effective
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But tell us nothing about causation
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The case study
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An intensive study of an individual or a
small group
Advantages – flexible
comprehensive
Case study limits
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Difficulty generalizing results from such
a small sample
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Subject to the failings of memory
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Sometimes, completely unsuitable
surveys
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A sample of people are questioned
about their behavior and attitudes
Many advantages:
relatively inexpensive
quick
lots of people & data
both anonymity and rapport
The all-important
sample
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Sample – interviewing a relatively small
group to draw conclusions about a much
larger one
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Representative – all subgroups within
the population of interest in their proper
proportions
Random – everyone in population has
equal chance
Sampling gone
awry
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Is it truly representative?
Not if only 15% reply
Miss out on key sub-groups
The self-selection dilemma – some
participants are too eager, these tend
to be more experienced and
comfortable with sex
Other Survey Hazards
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Are the responses accurate?
vulnerable to exaggeration,
memory lapses, and
socially desirable
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responses
Demographics – most who respond are:
too educated
mostly white-collar
Missing minorities are often the most
Also, …
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Ambiguous, misleading questions will
ruin any survey, no matter how wellconceived.
Should the survey be conducted
through a written questionnaire or an
interview?
Or should both be utilized?
Surveys that
mattered
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Kinsey
Males (1948) 5,300 – participated
Females (1953) 5,940 “ “
Obvious flaws
All white
too many highly educated urban
WASPs
Kinsey’s
contribution
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Despite shortcomings, still relevant
Demonstrated that sexual behavior is
influenced by education and the
undeniable presence of bisexuality
Also provided a baseline against which
all subsequent investigations could be
prepared
The National Health and
Social Life Survey
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A response to two compelling
challenges:
1) The Aid’s crisis of the late 80’s, and
2) A complete lack of information
regarding current sexual practices
Initial plans called for a huge, truly
representative sample of 20,000
But in ’91 federal funding was yanked
A Methodological Triumph
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Undaunted, its proponents lined up private
funding, to survey a truly representative
sample of 4,369
An amazing response rate of 79%
Adequately covered whites, AfricanAmericans and Hispanics
Administered by 220 carefully trained
interviewers
Well designed, internally consistent
Survey Says!
Americans are:
1) content with their love lives,
2) less sexually active than
anticipated, and
3) quite conservative
Sexual Violence Survey
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Is there a connection between watching
violent porn and sexual coercion?
222 male nonoffenders were surveyed about
porn viewing preferences
Within the last year, 81% had viewed
nonviolent porn
35% had watched sexually violent porn
The latter were more likely to use force/rape
Meta-Surveys
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Several surveys reveal that exposure to
violent (sexual) media tends to:
1) increase tolerance for violence,
2) cause some to think that
women want to be raped,
3) decrease sensitivity to
victims, &
4) for some, to increase the
probability of rape
Alcohol & sexual
response
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Do a few drinks increase or impair
sexual responsivity?
20,000 survey participants
60% said, YES!
Women were even more convinced
But did they really remember?
Direct observation
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A research design in which trained
reporters watch and record responses
Used most effectively by Masters &
Johnson (1966)
Human Sexual
Response
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Influential and respected
Watched sexual behavior in the
laboratory and recorded the relevant
physiological responses
Good numbers - 382 women and 312
men
A non-representative sample, but with
physiological measures, it might not
matter
Human sexual response
ii
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Innovative techniques
Thorough follow-up interviews
Non-subjective, quantifiable
No worries about memory deficits
But the participants knew they were
being watched?!
Experimental
methods
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Present participants with certain
events/stimuli under controlled
conditions that allow for reliable
measurement of their reactions
This control allows us to make
inferences regarding causation
With this ingredient, we can control
behavior
basics
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The Independent Variable – the factor
controlled by the researcher
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For example, 6 hours of watching sexually
violent videos
The Dependent Variable – resulting
behavior after the use of the independent
variable as measured by the researcher
For example, responses to questionnaire
An actual experiment
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Hypothesis – viewing sexually
violent media causes tolerance of
and an increase in aggressive and
assaultive behavior
Study 1
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Method
271 men
Half watch films in which women
are victimized, but later “fall” for
the abuser
Others watch nonviolent movies
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Results
When questioned days later, men who had
watched the violent film were much more
tolerant of sexual violence against women
Other studies
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Rapists exposed to sexually violent and
abusive films became sexually aroused
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Nonrapists did not
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Both groups aroused by consensual sex
Experiments on Alcohol and
Sex
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Reveal that arousal is decreased by
drinking
Also, the more consumed the greater
the decrease
Holds for both men and women
Varies greatly from survey self reports
Lab setting influence results?
Sexology Technology
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Electronic measures of arousal – much
more accurate than self reports
Penile strain gauge – a device which
measures changes in the circumference
of the penis
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Very sensitive
Used with sex offenders
And for women …
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The vaginal photoplethysmograph
– a device which measures increases in
vaginal blood flow
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photosensitive
Also
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Brain imagining studies
reveal that hand holding reduces
neural activity in brain areas linked to
the anticipation of threats
Show that bisexuals may not be what
we thought
Computer Assisted SelfInterview
A “CASI”
Overcomes literacy and social problems
Simply listen, point and click
All in privacy
Has worked well with teenagers
Cyber Sexology
Using the internet to collect sex-related
data
Many advantages
Significant concerns
Advantages
Cheap – by usually 20-80%
less staff, paper, postage
Participants feel safer
Flexible, easy to modify
Access to vast numbers of participants
Some virtually impossible otherwise
Greater accuracy – “help” menus
standardization
Drawbacks
Sampling bias – “the digital divide”
participants tend to be younger, more
educated and affluent, male
but every year this factor recedes
Ethical concerns – participants often
recruited through unsolicited emails
true anonymity is illusory