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Psychology 320: Psychology of Gender and Sex Differences

Lecture 42

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Office Hour InvitationsFebruary 1st, 1:30-2:30, Kenny 2517

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Sexuality and Education:

3. Do males and females perform similarly in school?

2. Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?

1. Are there sex differences in sexual behaviour? (continued)

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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:

2. identify sex similarities and differences in sexual satisfaction and dysfunction.

4. describe contemporary trends in educational attainment for the sexes.

1. review explanations for and criticisms of “female erotic plasticity.”

3. discuss the relationship between gender equality and sexual satisfaction among females and males.

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• How can we explain the higher levels of erotic plasticity reported among females than males?

Are there sex differences in sexual behaviour? (continued)

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Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?

• Research suggests small sex differences in sexual satisfaction: d=.17 (Peterson & Hyde, 2010).

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• Laumann et al. (2006) assessed sexual satisfaction among 27,000 participants in 29 countries (e.g.,

Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, US).

Found that sexual satisfaction is greater in cultures with gender-equal regimes than “male-centered” regimes:

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Percentage of Respondents Reporting Satisfaction in their Sexual Relationships:

Gender-Equal Regimes (Laumann et al., 2006)

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

PhysicalSatisfaction

EmotionalSatisfaction

Women

Men

Per

cent

age

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Percentage of Respondents Reporting Satisfaction in their Sexual Relationships:

Male-Centered Regimes (Laumann et al., 2006)

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

PhysicalSatisfaction

EmotionalSatisfaction

Women

Men

Per

cent

age

10

• More females (43%) than males (31%) report experiencing sexual dysfunction (Laumann et al., 1999).

• How can we explain the higher levels of sexual satisfaction in cultures with gender-equal regimes than

cultures with male-centered regimes?

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Males: low sexual desire (5%); premature ejaculation (21%); erectile dysfunction (5%).

Females: low sexual desire (22%); sexual arousal problems (14%); sexual pain (7%); orgasmic disorder (10-25%).

• Among the most common sexual dysfunctions are (Etaugh & Bridges, 2010; Laumann et al., 1999):

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Do males and females perform similarly in school?

• Prior to the 1980s, males outperformed females in school. Today, however, females outperform males in school:

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High School Grade Point Average by Sex, 1990-2005 (US Department of Education, 2007)

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

2.9

3

3.1

3.2

1990 1994 1998 2000 2005

Female

MaleGP

A

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High School Drop Out Rates by Sex, 1990-2005 (Statistics Canada, 2005)

50

70

90

110

130

150

170

190

210

1990 1995 2000 2005

Female

Male

Tho

usan

ds

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University Enrollment by Sex, 2004-2008 (Statistics Canada, 2009)

200

300

400

500

600

700

Female

Male

Tho

usan

ds

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Number of Undergraduate Degrees Granted by Sex, 1995-2005 (Statistics Canada, 2008)

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1995 2000 2005

Female

Male

Tho

usan

ds

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Number of Graduate Degrees Granted by Sex, 1995-2005 (Statistics Canada, 2008)*

1011121314151617181920

1995 2000 2005

Female

Male

Tho

usan

ds

* Master’s and doctorate degrees combined; more females than males earn master’s degrees; more males than females earn doctorate

degrees.

18

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1981 1991 2001

Female

Male

Percentage of 25-29 Year Olds in the Labour Force with a University Degree by Sex, 1981-2001

(Statistics Canada, 2007)P

erce

ntag

e w

ith U

nive

rsity

Deg

ree

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Percentage of 25-29 Year Olds with a University Degree by Sex and Ethnicity, 1971-2006

(US Department of Education, 2007)

10

Per

cent

age

with

Uni

vers

ity D

egre

e

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Major Field of Study Number of Females (Thousands)

Number of Males(Thousands)

Education, recreational and counselling services 528 233

Fine and applied arts 77 41

Humanities 285 201

Social sciences 394 336

Agricultural, biological, nutritional and food sciences

107 97

Health professions 281 135

Commerce, management and business administration

321 427

Applied science technologies and trades 3 9

Engineering and applied sciences 71 394

Mathematics, computer and physical sciences 109 229

Major Field of Study, Age 15 and Older, by Sex (Statistics Canada, 2011)

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Sexuality and Education:

3. Do males and females perform similarly in school?

2. Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?

1. Are there sex differences in sexual behaviour? (continued)