Deck 9: Sexual Variations and Disorders

Question 1

The four major groups of problems related to human sexuality are: sexual dysfunction, gender identity problems, paraphilias, and

A) bisexuality.
B) sexual victimization.
C) cross-gender disorders.
D) culturally-specific disorders.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

How did the ancient Greeks view homosexuality?

A) Homosexuality was viewed as an accepted, pleasurable part of nature.
B) Homosexuality was thought to result from conflict between emotion and reason.
C) The general view was homosexuality was a sin caused by encounters with the devil.
D) In general, homosexuality was thought to occur only in uncivilized societies, so it was actively discouraged.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

In the Middle Ages, why did many women deny they had any sexual thoughts?

A) to remain unmarried
B) to practice birth control
C) to avoid being killed by religious zealots
D) to be accepted as members of the military

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What was Sigmund Freud's view on bisexuality?

A) He believed that people are innately bisexual.
B) He believed that bisexuality is caused by repression.
C) Based on his clinical cases, he determined that bisexuality was normal for women, but not for men.
D) Based on his clinical cases, he decided that people who think they are bisexual are actually delusional.

Question 5

What contribution did Havelock Ellis make to the study of sexuality?

A) He conducted extensive, objective surveys.
B) He described a range of normal sexual behavior.
C) He developed the treatment called sensate focus.
D) He introduced the idea of repression of sexual urges.

Question 6

What type of sample did Alfred Kinsey use in his surveys of sexual behavior?

A) randomly selected
B) self-selected volunteers
C) men enlisted in the military
D) patients in clinics for sexual problems

Question 7

Which of these individuals fits the most common pattern of sexual behavior in the last year as described in the National Opinion Research Center's survey?

A) Bret who had one sex partner
B) Cara who had five sex partners
C) William who is heterosexual, with multiple partners
D) Silvia who had a mixed pattern of homosexual and heterosexual activity

Question 8

In what way did the National Opinion Research Center's study of sexual behavior differ from earlier research on the topic?

A) They surveyed women as well as men.
B) They used a randomly selected sample.
C) Children and adolescents were interviewed.
D) Cross cultural attitudes in the media were examined.

Question 9

How often does the average American between the ages of 18 and 59 engage in sex?

A) once a day
B) once a month
C) six times a year
D) a few times a month

Question 10

What is the median number of sexual partners over a lifetime for American men?

A) 2
B) 6
C) 10
D) 15

Question 11

Imagine that you are asked to help the researchers who conducted the National Opinion Research Center sex survey. Which of the following might make for a good and accurate title for the version of the findings intended for the general public?

A) "Sexual Behavior: More Deviant by the Day"
B) "Want to be Happy and Have More Sex? Try Monogamy"
C) "Hidden Perversions: How Middle-America is Changing its Sexual Habits"
D) "Still Uptight After All These Years: Americans Are Talking More About Sex and Having Less"

Question 12

What are the two major reasons that younger women have sex for the first time according to the National Opinion Research Center Survey?

A) peer pressure and affection for their partner
B) drug-induced decision-making and peer pressure
C) rebellion against parents and drug-induced decision-making
D) personal pleasure and imitating behavior seen on television

Question 13

What is the median number of sexual partners over a lifetime for adult American women?

A) 2
B) 6
C) 10
D) 15

Question 14

Which of the following individuals represents the modal individual in terms of sexual activity in the past year?

A) Andy who had one sexual partner
B) Barry who had four sexual partners
C) Sam who had relied on oral sexual exclusively
D) Thomas who has had sex with both men and women

Question 15

Two anonymous surveys with similar response rates yield two very different estimates of the percent of the population that identifies as homosexual. A professor uses the examples to teach students in a research class. What is the lesson that is most likely to be learned from this finding?

A) The geography of the samples can influence results.
B) The wording of questions can determine the response rate.
C) Most people will not admit their homosexuality even in anonymous surveys.
D) Topics such as sexual behavior lead to very low response rates, that make the surveys not interpretable.

Question 16

What change in sexual practices has occurred over the last several decades in the United States?

A) first intercourse occurs later
B) higher reported rates of homosexuality
C) males responding less to peer pressure
D) oral sex more widely accepted by college students

Question 17

Why do homosexuals used the term "gay" to describe their lifestyle?

A) The term refers to the ancient Greek god of homosexuality.
B) The term has fewer negative implications than homosexual.
C) Surveys reveal the term is preferred by the majority of the general population.
D) The term gay was the first term used to describe their lifestyle more than 200 years ago.

Question 18

What are the views of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association concerning homosexuality?

A) The two organizations have no formal position on homosexuality.
B) The two organizations currently hold opposed views of homosexuality.
C) The two organizations have voted to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses.
D) The two organizations maintain homosexuality as a mental illness, but only in cases of severe psychological discomfort.

Question 19

Which of the following has had a major impact on the sexual behaviors of people?

A) sexually transmitted diseases
B) Viagra
C) AIDS and HIV virus
D) fulfilling sexual fantasies

Question 20

Society's labeling and stigmatizing of homosexuals can be:

A) harmful, cause anxiety, and lead to self-doubt
B) a source of frustration
C) a psychosocial factor in acceptance to certain groups
D) hurtful and create confusion with regard to sexual orientation

Question 21

Which of the following statements is not associated with empirically based evidence regarding homosexuality?

A) Lesbians and gay men differ in their adjustment to sexual orientation.
B) A majority of children identified themselves as heterosexual even though they were raised in lesbian families.
C) Adjustment of children from heterosexual parents and gay or lesbian parents is about the same.
D) Lesbians and gay men do not differ in psychological adjustment from heterosexual men and women.

Question 22

Why might homosexual males be at higher risk for psychological disorders?

A) Homosexuality is a mental illness.
B) The AIDS crisis causes increased stress.
C) They are biologically predisposed to mental disorders.
D) They are probably unaware of resources available to them.

Question 23

Which part of the brain has been the focus of research on possible anatomical differences between homosexual and heterosexual men?

A) cortex
B) hippocampus
C) hypothalamus
D) medulla oblongata

Question 24

What is an important limitation of research showing differences in the hypothalamus of heterosexual and homosexual men?

A) no control for brain size
B) inappropriate statistical tests
C) The homosexual men had died of AIDS.
D) The heterosexual men had brain injuries.

Question 25

Angela is bisexual. What would be a mental health concern that should be addressed?

A) psychosocial factors regarding adjustment
B) psychobiological factors regarding gender
C) conflict over her "true" sexual identity
D) stressors encountered with this lifestyle

Question 26

What do all of the sexual dysfunctions covered by DSM-IV-TR have in common?

A) They cause distress or interpersonal difficulty.
B) They are symbolically related to early childhood conflicts.
C) Each of them has a different and specific genetic cause.
D) Each of them can occur at each of the stages of the sexual response cycle.

Question 27

A review of the concordance rates for homosexuality among twin brothers indicates the rate of homosexuality in fraternal twins was 22%. How have researchers interpreted this finding?

A) The rate points to the influence of genetic factors.
B) The finding confirms previous results indicating homosexuality does not have a genetic basis.
C) This rate is above the rate for non-twin brothers and thus points to environmental influences.
D) The finding indicates the key factor in homosexuality is having a same-sex sibling in the household.

Question 28

Ed's wife reports he has lost interest in sexual activity. He is not responsive, and she is considering divorce. Ed has a:

A) sexual aversion
B) problem specific to arousal
C) sexual dysfunction
D) None of the above.

Question 29

Predisposing factors to sexual dysfunction include:

A) child-rearing factors
B) sexual trauma
C) anticipation of failure
D) All of the above.

Question 30

Which statement is true regarding sexual dysfunctions?

A) Most sexual dysfunctions have an array of causal factors. These factors can range from psychological to organic.
B) Most causal factors for sexual dysfunction are specific with relation to psychological areas.
C) Psychological factors and preexisting biological factors should be the focus of the clinical interview.
D) Interpersonal factors are important with regard to sexual dysfunctions with psychological predispositions being the main focus of the clinical interview.

Question 31

________involves components shaped by development and cultural influences while _________ involves excitement and pleasure.

A) Sexual arousal; orgasm
B) Sexual desire; orgasm
C) Sexual desire; sexual arousal
D) Sexual arousal; sexual desire

Question 32

What are the three major categories of sexual dysfunctions in DSM-IV-TR?

A) desire, arousal, orgasm
B) primary, secondary, tertiary
C) homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual
D) environmental, genetic, interactional

Question 33

Which of the following involves inability to attain an erection?

A) erectile dysfunction
B) retarded ejaculation
C) premature ejaculation
D) nocturnal penile tumescence

Question 34

At what stage of the sexual response cycle does erectile dysfunction occur?

A) desire
B) orgasm
C) arousal
D) resolution

Question 35

What is the most common sexual problem for which men seek treatment?

A) erectile dysfunction
B) retarded ejaculation
C) inhibited sexual desire
D) nocturnal penile tumescence

Question 36

Which of the following describes a case of erectile dysfunction?

A) a man does not keep an erection throughout intercourse
B) a woman sometimes loses the ability to achieve orgasm
C) a woman who for the past year has had no interest in achieving orgasm
D) a man who has never been able to sustain an erection long enough for coitus

Question 37

Which disorder could possibly lead to a panic attack with feelings of terror?

A) erectile dysfunction
B) inhibited sexual arousal
C) hypoactive sexual desire disorder
D) sexual aversion disorder

Question 38

Erectile dysfunction occurs in men at the arousal stage. In women, a problem at this stage is called:

A) sexual aversion disorder
B) inhibited sexual arousal
C) hypoactive sexual desire disorder
D) sexual dysfunction

Question 39

In which disorder will the participant possibly suppress sexual desire?

A) erectile disorder
B) inhibited sexual arousal
C) sexual aversion disorder
D) hypoactive sexual desire disorder

Question 40

Which of these is a common physical cause of erectile dysfunction?

A) diabetes
B) cirrhosis
C) Grave's disease
D) sickle cell anemia

Question 41

What is nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT)?

A) changes in penis size during sleep
B) male timidity about being seen naked
C) increased frequency of intercourse at night
D) a biological problem associated with bedwetting

Question 42

After years of anxiety concerning his sexual performance, Sam decides to see a specialist. Part of the evaluation involves observation of Sam during sleep. After the evaluation, the specialist concludes that Sam's problem is psychological, not physiological. On what basis could the specialist have drawn this conclusion?

A) Sam had a penile erection during sleep.
B) Sam's dreams were normal for a healthy male.
C) The tight clothing Sam wears during the day accounted for his sexual difficulties.
D) Sam spent so much time preparing for bed that he was too tired to engage in sexual behaviors.

Question 43

Roger has recently experienced several episodes of impotence and has become so worried about it that the frequency of the impotence is increasing. What is the likely cause of this difficulty?

A) frigidity
B) hormonal imbalance
C) performance anxiety
D) functional dyspareunia

Question 44

How does retarded ejaculation differ from premature ejaculation?

A) The response to sexual stimuli is with erotic feelings but ejaculation does not occur.
B) The failure to control orgasm results from feelings of sexual inadequacy.
C) Anxiety occurs from conflict with partners.
D) Orgasm occurs but is insufficient for pleasure.

Question 45

Richard is having difficulty with his sex life because he climaxes as soon as his penis enters his partner. Sometimes he climaxes even before penetration. What is the likely diagnosis?

A) dyspareunia
B) premature ejaculation
C) nocturnal penile tumescence
D) inhibited sexual desire disorder

Question 46

Vaginismus is characterized by

A) chronic vaginal infections.
B) inability to maintain lubrication.
C) lack of interest in or fantasy about sex.
D) involuntary spasms of the outer portion of the vagina.

Question 47

Which of these sexual disorders can occur in both men and women?

A) vaginismus
B) anorgasmia
C) dyspareunia
D) erectile disorder

Question 48

What was the major contribution of William Masters and Virginia Johnson to the study of sexuality?

A) They treated sexual disorders with psychoanalysis.
B) They developed objective surveys of attitudes about sex.
C) They explored the role of repression in sexual dysfunction.
D) They conducted laboratory studies of human sexual behavior.

Question 49

What does the technique of sensate focus involve?

A) reducing aggressive fantasies
B) open discussion about sexual problems
C) focusing on pleasures of tactile contact
D) emphasis on vaginal orgasms for women

Question 50

What are couples encouraged to do in the early stages of sensate focus?

A) explore each others' bodies
B) try intercourse in a new setting
C) argue openly about past incidents
D) focus on the woman having an orgasm

Question 51

Why is the squeeze technique used in sex therapy?

A) to eliminate ejaculation
B) to sexually arouse a male's partner
C) to recondition the ejaculatory reflex
D) to encourage exploration of the partner's body

Question 52

The Masters and Johnson technique of sensate focus is most similar to

A) flooding.
B) psychotherapy.
C) cognitive restructuring.
D) systematic desensitization.

Question 53

Which of the following is the most accurate characterization of Helen Singer Kaplan's technique for treating sexual dysfunction?

A) medical
B) existential
C) humanistic
D) psychodynamic

Question 54

Which behavior is characteristic of gender-identity disorder of childhood?

A) being mistaken for the opposite sex
B) sexual play with members of same sex
C) difficulty identifying others as male or female
D) expressing a vehement desire to be of the opposite sex

Question 55

Gender identity refers to a person's

A) biological sex.
B) sense of being male or female.
C) attitudes about sex-typed behaviors.
D) willingness to conform to sex-role stereotypes.

Question 56

What is the difference between gender identity and sexual preference?

A) Gender identity refers to basically homosexual relationships; sexual preference refers to heterosexual relationships.
B) Gender identity involves choice of sexual partners; sexual preference involves one's view as being either male or female.
C) Gender refers to behaviors that are psychological in nature; sexual preference refers to behaviors that are genetically caused.
D) Gender identity involves whether a person views themselves as male or female; sexual preference involves attraction to either a male or a female.

Question 57

A newspaper story described a 26-year-old man who has an intense desire to change his physical sex. In the account, the reporter wrote that she asked a physician for the appropriate term to describe this man. What term was used?

A) transsexual
B) transvestite
C) homosexual
D) pseudohermaphrodite

Question 58

Several times a week Vince dresses and acts as a woman. He does not cross dress to get sexual gratification, but because he wishes he could be a woman. He does not want to have surgery or otherwise change his secondary sex characteristics. What diagnosis would a psychologist suggest as the most appropriate one in this case?

A) exhibitionism
B) transvestism
C) transsexualism
D) a dressing fetish

Question 59

Which of the individuals exhibits behavior that seems to fit with the diagnosis of nontranssexual gender identity disorder?

A) Bob who is homosexual
B) Dan who has experienced temporary, pre-pubertal distress concerning his sexual orientation
C) Eileen who feels discomfort concerning her biological sex and is preoccupied with getting rid of her sex characteristics
D) Felicia who feels discomfort about her assigned sex, although she is not preoccupied with getting rid of her sex characteristics

Question 60

What are the two types of gender identity disorder in adults according to DSM-IV-TR?

A) primary and secondary
B) sexual and bisexual transsexualism
C) transvestic fetishism and bisexuality
D) transsexualism and nontransexual gender identity disorder

Question 61

Al has been diagnosed as a transsexual; Bob has the diagnosis of nontranssexual gender identity disorder. What is the most significant difference between these two individuals?

A) Al is likely to be delusional; Bob has no evidence of delusions.
B) Al is preoccupied with getting rid of his sexual characteristics, Bob is not.
C) Al is likely to have genetic and hormonal defects; Bob has no genetic or hormonal defects.
D) Al is likely to have been sexually abused as a child; Bob is more likely to have been sexually abused in his adolescent years.

Question 62

The approximate rate of transsexualism in the United States is 1 in every

A) 10,000.
B) 50,000.
C) 100,000.
D) 250,000.

Question 63

How long are candidates for sex-change operations usually required to live in the community as a member of the opposite sex?

A) 1 or 2 weeks
B) 1 or 2 months
C) 1 or 2 years
D) 10 to 12 years

Question 64

Andy is a transsexual who has been accepted for sex reassignment surgery. What is likely to happen in the 1 to 2 years he will wait for the surgery?

A) He will be given hormone injections to alter secondary sex characteristics.
B) He will undergo covert sensitization in insure that he really wants to change his sex organs.
C) He will undergo psychoanalytic treatment in order to align his unconscious with the changes that will take place.
D) He will have his chromosomes checked to insure that he has not suffered damage from all of the testing required prior to being accepted for surgery.

Question 65

Why do clinicians stress the need for careful evaluation of candidates for sex-change operations?

A) The surgery has a high fatality rate.
B) There is a high rate of psychological disturbances.
C) Many candidates for the surgery are fugitives from the law.
D) Candidates for the surgery often have genetic abnormalities.

Question 66

In contrast to transvestites, transsexuals are characterized by

A) chronic exhibitionism.
B) a concurrent paraphilia.
C) sexual arousal when cross-dressing.
D) a desire to live as a member of the opposite sex.

Question 67

What is a paraphilia?

A) an extra-marital relationship
B) a philosophy of sexual responsibility
C) a vibrator used for sexual gratification
D) sexual attraction to something deviant

Question 68

An individual spends part of his typical night peeking into windows in order to watch people as they undress; the rest of the night he kisses and fondles a black boot. What two paraphilias does this person exhibit?

A) voyeurism and fetishism
B) pedophilia and fetishism
C) exhibitionism and sadism
D) pedophilia and voyeurism

Question 69

What term do we use for sexual attraction to a nonliving object?

A) fetishism
B) transvestism
C) exhibitionism
D) transsexualism

Question 70

What is the primary source of sexual arousal in cases of fetishism?

A) children
B) humiliation
C) inanimate objects
D) nonconsenting partners

Question 71

Which of the following is the most typical fetishist?

A) Amy who loves to dress in silk clothing
B) Robert who loves to expose his genitals to strangers
C) Roberta who works as an exotic dancer at a local club
D) Andy who masturbates while wearing rubber garments

Question 72

Tom has decided to seek therapy for his fetishism. Which of the following treatments is most likely to be recommended?

A) Gestalt therapy
B) aversion therapy
C) client-centered therapy
D) systematic desensitization

Question 73

Why is transvestic fetishism generally limited to men?

A) It is motivated by a desire to be dependent.
B) It is caused by a need to imitate one's mother.
C) Male clothing styles are not attractive to women.
D) Society is more accepting of women in masculine clothing.

Question 74

Why is the case of Billy Tipton, the jazz musician from the 1930s, important?

A) It was a case of undetected female cross-dressing.
B) Tipton underwent the first successful sex-change operation.
C) Tipton was involved in pre-1960s "drag" show for entertainment.
D) It was a rare case in which pedophilia was accepted by a community.

Question 75

What have studies of the personality characteristics of transvestites revealed?

A) They are often fearful and ill-at-ease among women.
B) They do not differ in many areas of personality from nontransvestites.
C) They are generally more outgoing than members of the general population.
D) They have repressed sexual abuse in childhood that haunts them in their adulthood lives.

Question 76

Although studies of the personality of transvestites have found that they do not differ in many areas of personality, there are some differences such as a tendency for transvestites to be

A) less responsible.
B) more independent.
C) less conscientious.
D) more achievement oriented.

Question 77

In covert sensitization, individuals who want to eliminate their transvestism create vivid mental images of cross-dressing and pair them with

A) shocks.
B) aversive images.
C) positive self-statements.
D) sexually-arousing stimuli.

Question 78

Which of these individuals is engaging in behavior that would be described as sadistic sexual behavior?

A) George who is aroused by a fetish
B) Harry who is aroused when being hurt
C) John who is aroused when cross-dressing
D) Kevin who is aroused by humiliating someone

Question 79

Which of the following individuals fits the typical pattern of someone involved in masochistic sexual behavior?

A) Ted who enjoys being slapped during sex
B) Barbara who dresses in men's clothing during sex
C) Veronica who likes to humiliate her partner during sex
D) Ray who cannot achieve orgasm unless he is holding something made of rubber

Question 80

Roger has recurrent, sexual urges and related fantasies about torturing his sexual partner. He acts out these fantasies with a prostitute. Which of the following is the best description of Roger's disorder?

A) sadism
B) masochism
C) scatologia
D) sadomasochism