Abnormal Psychology

1. Abnormal Psychology Ch. 11: Disorders Involving Gender and Sexuality

2. Gender Identity Disorder(Transsexualism) Gender identity: how one psychologically perceives him/herself as being male or female Usually based on one�s anatomic gender People with gender identity disorder experience a conflict between their perceived gender and anatomical gender

3. Gender Identity Disorder(Transsexualism) The person believes s/he is trapped in the body of a male/female Some have a continuous desire to change her/his body through gender reassignment surgery In regard to who has this disorder, men outnumber women by about 5:1

4. Theoretical Perspectives Biological: May be a result of a prenatal hormonal imbalance that affects the developing brain Too much or too little male sex hormones Learning: Parents who wanted a child of the opposite sex may reinforce cross-gendered behavior Bottom line: we don�t know what causes gender identity disorder

5. Paraphilias Def: any atypical sexual behavioral pattern that is considered harmful by either society or the individual performing or receiving the behavior (must be demonstrated for at least 6 months) Results in sexual dysfunction Lead to legal complications Interferes with social relationships, etc

6. Paraphilias A person is considered to be suffering from a paraphilia if s/he becomes sexually aroused by one or more of the following: Children/adults who don�t/can�t give consent Nonhuman objects (e.g. hat, wearing/touching women�s clothes, wearing/touching leather, etc. Causing/receiving pain or humiliation in some form

7. Paraphilias Many people suffering from a paraphilia report chronic thoughts or urges about the behavior: Some never act upon the urges; have a normal sex life Others act upon the urges in times of stress Others rely on thinking about or performing or receiving the behavior to become aroused For some, no behavior = no sexual gratification

8. Prevalence and Patterns People with these disorders are almost exclusively male Chronic and lifelong Fantasies and behaviors diminish with advancing age

9. Exhibitionism Involves the exposure of one�s genitals to a stranger Sometimes the person masturbates while exposing himself (or while reliving the episode) Usually, there is no attempt at engaging in sexual activity with the stranger Pleasure derived from shocking the stranger Based on arrest records, the behavior occurs most frequently between ages of 18 and 40

10. Fetishism Focus is on nonliving objects Some fetishes include: Women�s underwear Bras Stockings Shoes Boots Other wearing apparel

11. Fetishism The person usually masturbates while: Holding the object Rubbing the object Smelling the object The person may ask his partner to wear the item during sexual activity Often, the item is required for sexual arousal; w/out it he may not get an erection

12. Fetishism Usually acquired during childhood or adolescence Once established, it tends to be chronic

13. Frotteurism Focus is on touching/rubbing against a non-consenting adult Behavior usually occurs in crowded places Male will rub his genitals against his victim Done in such a way that it appears to be �accidental� He usually fantasizes they are in a relationship

14. Pedophilia Involves sexual activity with a prepubescent child (generally age 13 or younger) Some pedophiles report an attraction to: Females, usually aged 8-10 yrs. Males, usually slightly older than the females Both genders Some are only attracted toward children Others are attracted toward children & adults

15. Pedophilia Sexual acts performed on the child varies from one pedophile to another: Some never act on their urges Some will undress the child, masturbate or gently touch/fondle the child Others will perform oral sex or penetrate the child with their fingers, objects or their penis

16. Pedophilia Pedophiles often attempt to rationalize their behavior by saying that: Experience has educational value for child Child derives sexual pleasure from it Child was �sexually provocative� Victims may be limited to members of the family, children outside the family, or both

17. Pedophilia The pedophile attempts to prevent disclosure of the acts by: Threatening the child Gaining the child�s trust, affection and loyalty

18. Pedophilia Condition is chronic, esp. for those attracted to males It is almost impossible to completely eliminate these types of urges Most repeat the behavior even if previously punished

19. Sexual Masochism Involves the real act (not simulated) of being humiliated, beaten, bound or otherwise made to suffer Person will act on urges alone or with a partner: Actions taken alone include binding, sticking oneself with pins, shocking oneself or self-mutilation

20. Sexual Masochism Actions committed with a partner: Physical bondage Sensory bondage (blindfolding) Paddling, spanking, whipping and/or beating Electrical shocks Cutting

21. Sexual Masochism Another tactic used is humiliation, where the person is: Urinated or defecated on Forced to crawl around and bark like a dog Being verbally abused Some have a desire to be treated like a baby and made to wear a diaper, etc. (infantilism)

22. Sexual Masochism Hypoxyphilia (Auto-erotic asphyxiation) A dangerous sexual practice which involves depriving the body of oxygen to increase arousal and heighten climax When mistakes are made, people die E.g., David Carradine

23. Sexual Masochism Sexual masochism is chronic and the person tends to repeat the same actions Others may increase the severity of the acts Over time During periods of stress

24. Sexual Sadism Involves real acts in which another person is made to suffer Some act on their urges with a consenting partner Others act on their sadistic urges with a non-consenting person Suffering of the victim is sexually arousing Condition is chronic

25. Sexual Sadism Sadistic fantasies or acts tend to involve activities that indicate the person�s dominance over the victim Some acts: Keeping victim in cage, restraints, paddling, spanking, whipping, pinching, beating, burning, shocking, raping, cutting, strangulation, torture, mutilation or killing

26. Sexual Sadism Some sadists engage in these acts for many years w/out increasing the level of pain More often, severity of the acts increase over time When sadism is severe, and coupled with antisocial personality disorder, they may seriously injure or kill their victims

27. Transvestic Fetishism Involves cross-dressing; described almost exclusively in heterosexual males Usually, the male keeps a collection of female clothes to wear While cross-dressed he usually masturbates, imagining himself to be the person of his sexual fantasy

28. Transvestic Fetishism This fetishism ranges from occasional wearing of female clothes to extensive involvement in a transvestic subculture Some wear a single item of women�s apparel under their clothes, others dress entirely as a woman and wear makeup

29. Transvestic Fetishism The disorder typically begins with cross-dressing in childhood or early adolescence In many cases, cross-dressing is not done in public until adulthood The initial experience may involve partial or total cross-dressing; partial usually leads to total cross-dressing Rarely ? gender reassignment surgery

30. Voyeurism Involves observing unsuspecting individuals, usually strangers, who are: Naked In the process of undressing Engaging in sexual activity The act of looking (peeping) is for the purpose of achieving sexual excitement Generally, no other sexual activity is sought

31. Voyeurism Person may masturbate during the voyeuristic event, or later Person often fantasizes about having a sexual relationship with the observed person In severe cases, peeping is the person�s only form of sexual activity Chronic

32. Telephone Scatologia Involves making obscene phone calls Sexual arousal derived from shocking victim Victims are chosen in various ways: Chance dialing Randomly chosen from phone book Person is a passing acquaintance Person usually masturbates during the call or afterward, while reliving the event

33. Telephone Scatologia Once the victim answers the phone: Some breath heavily into the receiver Some just swear (possibly venting anger toward women) Some describe what they are doing to themselves Some pretend to be taking a survey, asking personal sexually-oriented questions Some tell what they would like to do/have done

34. Necrophilia Involves sex with corpses Three types of necrophilia: Regular � sex with a dead person Necrophilic homicide � person commits murder and uses victim�s body for sexual activity Necrophilic fantasy � person fantasizes about, but does not, have sex with corpses

35. Necrophilia These people often have jobs which allows them access to dead bodies Work in a cemetery Work in a mortuary Work in a morgue, etc. Person seemingly wants a sex partner that puts up no resistance to any type of act, nor is there the chance of being rejected

36. Other Paraphilias Zoophilia: Involves repetitive urges and fantasies about having sex with animals. It does not involve actual sexual activity with animals Bestiality: committing sexual acts with an animal. There are gender differences: Males typically perform acts with farm animals Females typically perform acts with house pets

37. Other Paraphilias Klismaphilia: sexual arousal is brought on by giving/receiving enemas (usually receiving) Coprophilia: sexual arousal is linked to defecating on someone or being defecated on; sexual arousal is linked to feces Urophilia (golden showers): sexual arousal is associated with urine

38. Other Paraphilias Hypersexuality: nonsexist, generic term used to refer to an insatiable sex drive in men and women Nymphomania: insatiable sex drive in women Satyriasis: insatiable sex drive in men Partialism: exclusive focus on one part of the body

39. Theoretical Perspectives:Psychodynamic Perspective Masochism may be the result of guilt feelings associated with sex. One may be able to enjoy sex, but only if they are punished in some way Psychodynamic Castration anxiety ? �safer� sexual behaviors Biological Higher sex drive and more frequently aroused

40. Theoretical Perspectives:Learning Perspective Learning: Unintentional associations made between sexual arousal and an object or activity E.g.: Shock ? exhibitionism Reality � there are probably many factors involved in the development of paraphilias

41. Sexual Dysfunctions Involve problems with sexual Interest Arousal Response (achieving orgasm) Pain

42. Sexual Desire Disorders Hypoactive sexual desire disorder Essential features: Deficiency or absence of sexual fantasies and desire for sexual activity Causes distress or interpersonal difficulty Usually does not initiate sexual activity Partakes in it reluctantly Associated with sexual arousal/orgasm prob

43. Sexual Desire Disorders Sexual aversion disorder Essential features: Aversion to and active avoidance of genital sexual contact with a sexual partner May focus on one type of act (penetration) or all aspects of sexuality (kissing, touching, etc.) Reactions to sexual activity can range from moderate anxiety ? panic attacks

44. Sexual Arousal Disorders Inability to achieve/maintain physical responses that occur when sexually aroused Female sexual arousal disorder Persistent or recurring inability to attain, or maintain until completion of sexual activity, an adequate lubrication-swelling response of sexual excitement

45. Sexual Arousal Disorders Male erectile disorder Persistent or recurrent inability to attain, or maintain until the completion of sexual activity, an adequate erection Includes: Inability to achieve an erection Adequate erection until penetration is attempted Penetration is achieved but lost before/during thrusting

46. Orgasm Disorders Female orgasmic disorder Essential feature: Persistent or recurrent delay in, or the absence of, orgasm following a normal sexual excitement phase More simply, it is the inability to achieve orgasm no matter how long the female is stimulated

47. Orgasm Disorders Male orgasmic disorder Persistent or recurrent delay in, or the absence of, orgasm following a normal sexual excitement phase The male cannot achieve climax during intercourse But can ejaculate from a partner�s manual or oral stimulation Some can ejaculate only after masturbation

48. Orgasm Disorders Premature ejaculation Persistent or recurrent onset of orgasm and ejaculation with minimal sexual stimulation Occurs before, on or shortly after penetration and before the person wishes it In the U.S., premature ejaculation occurs anytime the male ejaculates prior to the female achieving her first orgasm

49. Sexual Pain Disorders Dyspareunia Genital pain that is associated with sexual intercourse; ranges from mild to severe pain Most commonly experienced during coitus, can occur before or after intercourse Affects females and males Can result from physical and/or psychological causes

50. Sexual Pain Disorders Vaginismus Recurrent or persistent involuntary contraction of the vaginal muscles when vaginal penetration (of any sort) is attempted In some females, even thinking about insertion can bring on contractions of muscles Range from mild to severe (preventing penetration) Usually psychological in nature

51. Theoretical Perspectives Biological perspective: Sexual dysfunctions, such as erectile and orgasmic disorder, can be the result of medical conditions (alcoholism, poor circulation, diabetes, etc.) Cognitive perspective: Dysfunctions such as vaginismus, premature ejaculation and erectile/orgasmic dysfunction may be the results of faulty thinking

52. Theoretical Perspectives Learning perspective: Dysfunctions may be brought about in children who are raised to associate sex with procreation only, or that sex is bad Children/women who are sexually abused or raped may make the association between sex and pain (physical and or psychological) and develop sexual aversion, arousal or orgasmic disorder or vaginismus