Soc.320 Discussion Exercise #11: Regulation of Sexuality and Its Influences, Exams of Introduction to Sociology

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Soc.320 / Hicks M arlowe Note Taker: Discussion Exercise #11 Group Mem bers: (5 pts.each) Nonmarital Sexuality (Chap.09)

1. Regulation of sexual activity:

(a) Virtually every society attempts to control the sexual expression of its members. Why do you think

this is the case, and do you think it is necessary? Elaborate.

(b) The text suggests that basic social institutions are important agents of control in this area. In what

ways do the following institutions try to control sexual activity, how influential do you think each are

generally (and were for you personally)?

(1) fam ily (3) education (2) religion (4) workplace

2. In most societies males are expected to have different attitudes about sex and be more sexually active

than females are. Some would argue that this is merely the product of socialization in a male-dominated

society while others would argue that real biological factors contribute to these differences in sexuality.

(a) W hich argum ent do you feel has m ore support? Elaborate. (b) W hat conclusions in this regard would you draw from Udry's research?

(c) Even though the rate of change is not as great as m any would like, there is evidence that m ales and females

are becoming more nearly equal in a number of important areas (the workplace, home).

(1) Do you think that the sexual attitudes and behavior of m ales are also approaching equality? Elaborate. Provide exam ples to support your position. (2) Do you think m ales and fem ales will ever becom e com pletely equal in this respect? Elaborate.

3. According to research, what effect do the following have on sexual attitudes and behavior?

(a) parental attitudes and discipline

(b) reference and peer groups

(c) formal sex education

4. Briefly discuss the major social forces in the U.S. that have contributed to changes in premarital sexual

activity and summarize the patterns and trends of:

(a) premarital sexual activity (general / teenagers)

(b) high-risk sexual behavior (general / teenagers / ethnic groups)

5. Sexualization and sexual scripts:

(a) sexual information:

(1) W hat was your earliest source of sexual inform ation (e.g., how it works)? (2) How accurate was the inform ation? Did you have any ideas about the process that were incorrect? Give exam ples. (3) W hat was your m ain source for realistic inform ation about sex (e.g., parents, sam e-sex friends, first intim ate partner, etc.)?

(b) sexual scripts:

(1) One of the elem ents of a person's sexual script is "who" it is appropriate to have sexual relations with. W hat general categories would you consider to be inappropriate as sex partners (e.g., sam e sex, different races, older-younger, co-workers, any others you would select)? Provide reasons for your choices. (2) Another elem ent of sexual scripts is "under what conditions" is a sexual relation okay. Assum ing that the potential partners m eet your "who" criterion, which of the following would you consider acceptable or unacceptable, and why: prem arital sex for any reason, prem arital sex between unm arried but com m itted partners, sex purely for enjoym ent, extram arital affair if the "other" never found out, intim ate relations with a co-worker com pletely separate from the workplace.

6. The authors suggest the following: deciding whether the U.S. has become more conservative sexually in

recent years depends on what kind(s) of premarital sex you are considering. Elaborate, clarify, and

provide examples.