Psychology 2075-001

Human Sexuality

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

1.0    CALENDAR DESCRIPTION

A survey of the psychological study of human sexual behaviour. Topics include history, methodology, theory, anatomy, physiology, attraction, sexual function, sexual orientation, contraception, conception and birth, sexual health and sexual coercion, and pornography.

3 lecture hours, 1.0 course


2.0    COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor:  Professor William Fisher                              

Office and Phone Number: Social Science Centre 7428, (519) 661-2111 ext 84665

Office Hours: By appointment                                                    

Email: fisher@uwo.ca

Teaching Assistants: TBN 1

                               TBN 2

 

Note: To make an appointment with your teaching assistant to discuss questions concerning this course, please contact your assigned teaching assistant for an appointment. Students with last names beginning with a through X should contact TBN 1 for assistance; students with last names beginning with X through Y should contact TBN 2 for assistance.     

Time and Location of Lectures:          

            Tuesday 2:30 – 5:30 pm

            Natural Sciences 1

 

Class Website: OWL

If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you.  Please visit:  http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health.

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.

3.0  TEXTBOOK

 Hyde, J. S., DeLamater, J. D., & Byers, E. S. (2015). Understanding Human Sexuality.  (Sixth Canadian Edition). Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

4.0    COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course provides a survey of the psychological study of human sexual behaviour. Topics include the history, theory, ethics, and methodology of the psychological study of human sexuality, the anatomy and physiology of human sexual function, and a review of the varieties of sexual behaviour, sexual dysfunction, sexual orientation, contraception and abortion, conception, pregnancy, and childbirth, sexual and reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections, sexual coercion and assault, pornography, interpersonal attraction, close relationships, and love. Please note that this course will involve explicit consideration, readings, imagery, and class discussion of each of these topics, behaviours, and experiences.

Voluntary participation in anonymous web-based surveys of sexual and relationship knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours is a feature of the course and aggregated results will be reported in class.

   4.1    STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to identify, discuss, and/or explain:

Critical events in the history of the scientific study of human sexuality.

The basic sexual anatomy of males and females and how this anatomy responds to sexual stimulation.

The primary events in conception and development of the foetus.

Alternative methods of contraception and their advantages, disadvantages, and side effects.

Research perspectives on heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, and asexual orientations and diverse gender identities.

Differences and similarities in the sexual behaviour of males and females.

Approaches to understanding and reducing sexual assault.

Major sexually transmitted disease infections, their symptoms, treatment, and prevneiton.

The impact of abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the elements of effective sex education.

Major claims and bodies of research evidence concerning the impact of pornography on behaviour.

Major theories of interpersonal attraction.

5.0     EVALUATION

Course evaluation will based upon four multiple-choice examinations, each worth 25% of students’ final grade. Exams will each consist of 50 multiple choice questions and will cover material from the assigned readings (half of exam items will come from material covered in required textbook readings) and from class lectures (half of exam items will come from material covered primarily in class lectures and discussion). The exams are not cumulative. Students are required to take every examination in the course without exception. The lecture schedule, lecture topics, assigned readings, and examination dates appear below.

Lecture attendance in this course is considered to be mandatory. Half of the items on each examination cover material that is presented only in lectures and not covered in readings. Students who miss lectures score dramatically more poorly on examinations.


Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:


70%     1000-level and 2000-level courses
72%     2190-2990 level courses
75%     3000-level courses
80%     4000-level courses
   
The Psychology Department follows the University of Western Ontario grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf ):

A+  90-100      One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A    80-89        Superior work that is clearly above average
B    70-79        Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C    60-69        Competent work, meeting requirements
D    50-59        Fair work, minimally acceptable
F    below 50    Fail



6.0  TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE

October 24, 2017: Examination I:

In class at usual time and location

 December 10-21, 2017: Examination II: 

Mid-Year Examination Period (At time and location TBA)

February 13, 2018: Examination III:

 In class at usual time and location

April 14 -30, 2018: Examination IV:

Final Examination Period (At time and location TBA)


7.0   CLASS SCHEDULE

Lecture and Examination Schedule and Required Readings

 

September 12: Course Orientation

 

                 ON LINE ONLY—VIA OWL: Course overview and orientation

 

                

 

 

September 19: Introduction and History of the Scientific Study of Sexuality

 

                 Chapter 1 Hyde et al.

 

September 26: Methodology in the Scientific Study of Sexuality

 

                 Chapter 3 Hyde et al

 

October 3: Theory in the Scientific Study of Sexuality

 

                 Chapter 2 Hyde et al

 

       October 9-13: Fall Reading Week

 

October 17: Sexual Anatomy

 

                 Chapter 4 Hyde et al.

 

                 Sex Hormones, Differentiation, Menstruation

 

                 Chapter 5 Hyde et al.

 

October 24: Examination I: In class at usual time and location

 

October 31: Sexual Response

 

                  Chapter 9 Hyde et al

 

November 7: Sexual Orientation

 

                 Chapter 14 Hyde et al


November 14: Sexual Orientation

 

                 Film: Harvey Milk

 

November 21: Contraception and Abortion

 

                  Chapter 7 Hyde et al.

 

November 28: Conception, Pregnancy, Childbirth

 

                 Chapter 6 Hyde et al.

 

December 5: Sex Differences in Sexual Behavior

 

                 Chapter 13 Hyde et al.

 

 

December 10-21 Examination II:  Mid-Year Examination Period (Time and location TBA) 

 

 

 

 

January 9: Understanding and Promoting Reproductive Health: Sexually Transmitted Infections

    

                 Chapter 8 Hyde et al.

 

       January 16: Understanding and Promoting Reproductive Health: The Fight Against HIV/AIDS

 

                 Fisher, W. A., Fisher, J. D., & Kohut, T.  (2009)  AIDS exceptionalism? The social

      psychology of HIV prevention research.  Social Issues and Policy Review, 3, 45-77.     

      (Posted on OWL)

 

                 Presentation of documentary and intervention materials

 

January 23: Pornography, Erotica, and Behaviour

 

                  Chapter 17 Hyde et al

 

January 30: Sexual Coercion: The Research Perspective

 

                 Hyde et al., Chapter 16

 

February 6: Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault: The Western Perspective

 

                 Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault: Western University Initiatives

 

                 The Gian Ghomeshi Trial: Legal Commentary and Analysis

 

                 Guest Lecturers—Lecture Only

 

      

       February 13: Examination III: In class at usual time and location

 

 

February 19-23: Reading Week

 

 

February 27: Sexual Variations

 

                 Lecture Only

 

                 Attraction, Love, and Attachment: I

 

                 Hyde et al., Chapter 12

 

March 6:     Attraction, Love, and Attachment: II

 

                 Reading: http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm

 

March 13:   Attraction, Love, and Attachment: III

 

                 Lecture only

 

March 20:   Sexuality Education

 

                 Hyde et al., Chapter 19

 

March 27:   Sexuality and the Lifespan: Childhood and Adolescence

 

                 Chapter 10 Hyde et al.

 

                 Transforming Gender

 

April 3:       Sexuality and the Lifespan: Adulthood and Ageing

 

                        Chapter 11 Hyde et al.

 

                

April 10:     Course Reprise Movie: Kinsey

 

                 How to be Reasonably Sexual in 2018 and Beyond

 

April 9-30:        Examination IV: Final Examination Period (At time and location TBA)

8.0     STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the following link:  http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com http://www.turnitin.com

Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.



9.0    POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2017/pg954.html 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html


10.0        OTHER INFORMATION

Office of the Registrar web site:  http://registrar.uwo.ca

Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:

    http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html

- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2017 Calendar References

No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.

Additional Information Concerning Sex Research and Related Topics for Those Interested

 

Periodicals

 

       Journal of Sex Research

       Journal of Sexual Medicine

       Archives of Sexual Behavior

       Annual Review of Sex Research

       Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality

       Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada

       International Journal of Sexual Health

 

Websites

 

       Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada

 

       Sexandu.ca

 

       Public Health Agency of Canada:  www.phac-aspc.gc.ca

 

       Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/hiv

 

       UN AIDS: http://data.unaids.org

 

Advanced Textbook

 

       Pukall, C.F. (Ed.) (2014) Human sexuality. A contemporary introduction : Oxford University

            Press. Don Mills, CA.

 

Sexual Harassment and Sexual Trauma Resources

Sexual Harassment

 

       UWO Sexual Harassment (Office of Equity and Human Rights) 519-661-3334

 

Sexual Assault

      

       London Police 911

 

       UWO Student Health Services (Medical Care, Counselling)

       519-661-3030 

 

       UWO Student Development Centre (Crisis Counselling, Psychological Services)

       519-661-3031

 

       Sexual Assault Centre London—St. Joseph’ (24 Hour Crisis and Support Line)

       519.438-2272

 

       Regional Sexual Assault Program, St. Joseph’s Hospital (medical care, examination, counselling)

       519 646-6100 ext. 64224