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 A. Fisher
Department of Psychology
Social Science Centre 7428
661-2111, extension 84665
Email: fisher@uwo.ca
Office Hours: By appointment with Professor Fisher, via email scheduling.
Teaching Assistants: Stephanie Montgomery-Graham, Erin Shumlich
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 L should contact Stephanie Montgomery-Graham (smontgo9@uwo.ca) for assistance; students with last names beginning with M through Z should contact Erin Shumlich (eshumlic@uwo.ca) for assistance.
Time and Location of Lectures:
Wednesday 2:30 – 5:30 pm
Natural Sciences 145
Class Website: OWL Sakai
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, 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.
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) and from class lectures (half of exam items). 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% 2100-2990 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 28, 2015: Examination I:
In class at usual time and location
December 11-22, 2015: Examination II:
Mid-Year Examination Period (At time and location TBA)
February 9, 2016: Examination III:
In class at usual time and location
April 9 -30, 2016: Examination IV:
Final Examination Period (At time and location TBA)
7.0 LECTURE SCHEDULE
Lecture and Examination Schedule and Required Readings
September 16: Course Orientation
Lecture only: course overview and orientation
September 23: Sex Research History
Film: Kinsey
September 30: Introduction and History of the Scientific Study of Sexuality
Chapter 1 Hyde et al.
October 7: Theory in the Scientific Study of Sexuality
Chapter 2 Hyde et al
October 14: Methodology in the Scientific Study of Sexuality
Chapter 3 Hyde et al
October 21: Sexual Anatomy
Chapter 4 Hyde et al.
Sex Hormones, Differentiation, Menstruation
Chapter 5 Hyde et al.
October 28: Examination I: In class at usual time and location
November 4: Sexual Response
Chapter 9 Hyde et al
November 11: Sexual Orientation
Chapter 14 Hyde et al
November 18: Sexual Orientation
Harvey Milk
November 25: Contraception and Abortion
Chapter 7 Hyde et al.
December 2: Conception, Pregnancy, Childbirth
Chapter 6 Hyde et al.
December 9: Sex Differences in Sexual Behavior
Chapter 13 Hyde et al.
December 11-22 Examination II: Mid-Year Examination Period (At time and location TBA)
January 6: Understanding and Promoting Reproductive Health: Sexually Transmitted Infections
Chapter 8 Hyde et al.
January 13: Understanding and Promoting Reproductive Health: The AIDS Epidemic
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.
(to be posted on OWL)
Presentation of documentary and intervention materials
January 20: Pornography, Erotica, and Behaviour
Chapter 17 Hyde et al
January 27: Sexual Coercion: The Research Perspective
Hyde et al., Chapter 16
February 3:Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault: The Western Perspective
Sexual and Physical Abuse at Canadian Residential Schools
Guest Lecturers—Lecture Only
February 10: Examination III: In class at usual time and location
February 15-29: Reading Week
February 24: Sexual Dysfunction and Sex Therapy
Chapter 18 Hyde et al.
Variations in Sexual Behavior (Lecture only)
March 2: Attraction, Love, and Attachment: I
Hyde et al., Chapter 12
March 9: Attraction, Love, and Attachment: II
Reading: http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm
March 16: Attraction, Love, and Attachment: III
Lecture only
March 23: Sexuality Education
Hyde et al., Chapter 19
March 30: Sexuality and the Lifespan: Childhood and Adolescence
Chapter 10 Hyde et al.
Transforming Gender
April 6: Sexuality and the Lifespan: Adulthood and Ageing
Chapter 11 Hyde et al.
How to be Reasonably Sexual in 2016 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/appealsundergrad.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 The University of Western Ontario 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://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2015/pg117.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
- 2015 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during
Additional Information Concerning Sex Research 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
International Journal of Sexual Health
Websites:
http://www.Sexualityandu.ca
Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
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
