Question 1

How are the psychoanalytic and sociobiological theories similar?

Accepted Answer

Both theories consider biological factors as significant influences on human sexual behavior.

Question 2

A woman with a vaginal infection repeatedly experienced pain during penetration, leading her to eventually stop having sexual intercourse.This is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of operant conditioning because the pain during penetration became associated with sexual intercourse, leading to a decrease in the behavior of engaging in sexual intercourse.

Question 3

Which of the following is a major difference between the psychoanalytic and the learning theories?

Accepted Answer

Psychoanalytic theorists, like Freud, emphasize early childhood experiences as crucial in shaping behavior, including sexual behavior, whereas learning theorists focus on behavior being learned and modified through experiences throughout life.

Question 4

What does contemporary research say about Freud's theory of latency?

Accepted Answer

Contemporary research suggests that children continue to express sexual curiosity during the latency period, contrary to Freud's theory that they repress it.

Question 5

After the resolution of the Oedipus or Electra complex, children pass into a prolonged stage known as _____.

Accepted Answer

The latency stage is a period in Freudian theory where sexual impulses are repressed, allowing children to focus on developing skills and knowledge.

Question 6

Since the stimulation of the clitoris and penis are automatically pleasurable, an orgasm that results from such a stimulation is classified as a(n):

Accepted Answer

An unconditioned response is a natural, automatic response that doesn't require any learning or conditioning. The pleasure felt from stimulation of the clitoris and penis is an unconditioned response because it is innate and automatic.

Question 7

Freud was criticized by feminists because:

Accepted Answer

Freud was criticized by feminists because he considered women to be biologically inferior to men, particularly through his theories like "penis envy," which suggested that women were defined by their lack of a penis and were inherently inferior to men.

Question 8

_____ conditioning is the process of changing the frequency of certain behavior by following it with positive reinforcement (which will make the behavior more frequent in the future) or punishment (which should make the behavior less frequent in the future).

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is a learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

Question 9

According to Freud, during the phallic stage of development, a girl is likely to experience _____, which is part of the Electra complex.

Accepted Answer

During the phallic stage, girls experience penis envy, which is a desire to possess a penis like that of boys, as they develop an awareness of anatomical differences between the sexes. Freud believed this desire led to the development of the Electra complex.

Question 10

The concept "_____" was coined by Karen Horney to describe men's wishful feelings about women's reproductive capacity.

Accepted Answer

Karen Horney proposed the concept of "womb envy" as a counter-idea to Freud's theory of "penis envy." According to Horney, men may feel envious of women's reproductive capacity and the ability to bear children, as it is a uniquely feminine experience that they cannot share.

Question 11

According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, a person who is addicted to smoking cigarettes is fixated at the _____ stage.

Accepted Answer

Freud's psychoanalytic theory suggests that an addiction to smoking is indicative of an oral fixation, which occurs during the oral stage of psychosexual development.

Question 12

_____ theorists believe that sexual behavior can be changed at any time in one's lifespan.

Accepted Answer

Learning theorists believe that behavior, including sexual behavior, can be modified or changed at any point in a person's life through experiences and environmental influences.

Question 13

Leah's boyfriend always wears a particular brand of cologne during their dates and sexual encounters.Now, whenever she meets a man wearing the same cologne, she feels sexually aroused.This learning is an example of:

Accepted Answer

This is an example of classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus (the cologne) becomes associated with a response (sexual arousal) due to its repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus (her boyfriend during dates and sexual encounters).

Question 14

Studies on operant conditioning suggest that:

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning research generally shows that rewards (positive reinforcement) are more effective in shaping behavior than punishments, as they encourage the repetition of desired behaviors.

Question 15

According to Freud, during the _____, sexual impulses are repressed or are in a quiescent stage.

Accepted Answer

During the latency period, typically between the ages of 6 and 11 years old, sexual impulses are repressed or in a quiescent stage. The focus of this stage is on the development of social and cognitive skills rather than sexual development.

Question 16

One of Freud's major contributions to the study of sexuality was:

Accepted Answer

Freud proposed the concept of psychosexual development, which suggests that humans pass through stages of psychological development related to the erogenous zones of the body. This theory revolutionized the study of human development, particularly in the area of sexuality.

Question 17

According to Freud, identification with the same-gender parent occurs at the conclusion of the _____ stage of psychosexual development.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud, identification with the same-gender parent occurs at the conclusion of the phallic stage, which is when the Oedipus or Electra complex is resolved.

Question 18

According to Freud, with puberty, sexual urges reawaken and the child moves into the _____ stage of psychosexual development.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud, the genital stage is the final stage of psychosexual development, which begins at puberty when sexual urges reawaken.

Question 19

According to Freud, the _____ complex is the sexual attraction of a little girl for her father.

Accepted Answer

The Electra complex is a psychoanalytic term used by Freud to describe a girl's psychosexual competition with her mother for possession of her father.

Question 20

From a scientific point of view, one of the major problems with the psychoanalytic theory is that:

Accepted Answer

Psychoanalytic theory, developed by Freud, is criticized for its lack of empirical testability, as many of its concepts are abstract and subjective, making them difficult to measure or evaluate scientifically.

Quiz 2: Theoretical Perspectives on Sexuality