Psychology 2075 650
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.
1.0 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Taylor Kohut, PhD
Office and Phone Number: 519-661-2111 ext. 84627
Office Hours: Thursdays 1:30 – 3:30
Email: tkohut@uwo.caIf 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 (6th Canadian
Edition). Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course is designed to be an introduction to the study of human sexuality. The primary focus of the course will be on psychological issues related to sexuality but biological, sociological, and cultural topics will be also included. The course will cover a broad range of topics such as theory and research on sexuality, anatomy, gender, attraction, sexual behaviour and disorders, sexual coercion and assault, and sex in the media. Students taking this course can expect to become more comfortable with and more knowledgeable about a wide range of sexual issues. It is also expected that students will learn to think critically about the scientific study of human sexuality and become more informed consumers of sex research. Please note that this course will involve explicit consideration, readings, imagery, and class discussion of each of these topics, behaviours, and experiences.
4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
This course provides a broad introduction to theories and findings related to the scientific study of human sexual behavior. By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:
- Apply psychological theories and concepts to the study of human sexuality;
- Distinguish between often conflated constructs such as sexual behavior, sexual orientation, and gender identity;
- Identify the contributions of leading scholars and researchers to the understanding of human sexuality;
- Evaluate various cultural and biological arguments that are used to explain human sexuality;
- Integrate conflicting multidisciplinary perspectives concerning the study of human sexuality.
5.0 EVALUATION
Course evaluation will consist of three multiple-choice examinations, each worth 30% of the final grade, and an online participation component worth 10% of the final grade. There will also be an online multiple choice quiz that will cover the first two units of the course. Students who complete this quiz will have the option of re-weighting their grade so that both the quiz and the first exam each contribute 15% to the final grade. This quiz can be competed any time before May 28th at 11:55 pm.
The exams will also be in multiple-choice format and will cover material from the online notes and the textbook. The exams are NOT cumulative.
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 Western's 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
Online Quiz (Units 1-2) before May 28th at 11:55 pm; online
Exam 1 (Units 1-4) Saturday, 2:00 pm, June 2nd; location TBA
Exam 2 (Units 5-9) Saturday, 9:00 am, July 7th; location TBA
Exam 3 (Units 10-12) TBA (final exam period July 30-August 2)
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
UNIT 1 - Introduction to Human Sexuality
Chapter 1 – Sexuality in Perspective
UNIT 2 - Theory and Research in Human Sexuality
Chapter 2 – Theoretical Perspectives on Sexuality
Chapter 3 – Sex Research
UNIT 3 - Sexual Anatomy and Sex Hormones
Chapter 4 – Sexual Anatomy
Chapter 5 – Sex Hormones, Sexual Differentiation, and Menstruation
UNIT 4 - Conception and Contraception
Chapter 6 – Conception, Pregnancy, and Childbirth
Chapter 7 – Contraception and Abortion
UNIT 5 - Sexually Transmitted Infections
Chapter 8 – Sexually Transmitted Infections
UNIT 6 - Sexual Response and Techniques of Arousal
Chapter 9 – Sexual Response
UNIT 7 - Sexuality and the Life Cycle
Chapter 10 – Sexuality and the Life Cycle: Childhood and Adolescence
Chapter 11 – Sexuality and the Life Cycle: Adulthood
UNIT 8 - Attraction, Intimacy, and Love
Chapter 12 – Attraction, Intimacy, and Love
UNIT 9 - Sexuality Education
Chapter 19 – Sexuality Education
UNIT 10 - Gender and Sexual Orientation
Chapter 13 – Gender and Sexuality
Chapter 14 – Sexual Orientation: Gay, Lesbian, Bi, or Straight?
UNIT 11 - Sexual Variations & Sexual Disorders
Chapter 15 – Variations in Sexual Behaviour
Chapter 18 – Sexual Disorders and Sex Therapy
UNIT 12 - Sexual Coercion & Sex for Sale
Chapter 16 – Sexual Coercion
Chapter 17 – Sex for Sale
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/PolicyPages.cfm?Command=showCategory&PolicyCategoryID=1&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12
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
- 2018 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.
