A critical examination of current biological thinking about gender differences and their origins, male-female sexual
dimorphisms and their variations; the continuum from essentialism to constructionism; the mental and cognitive aspects of
sexuality; theories of eroticism and sex-object choice; physiology of the sexual responses; genetic factors in the biology of
behavior. This course aims at presenting in lectures and conferences current understanding of the biological bases for gender
and sex differences and human sexuality. The approaches will include anatomical and physiological studies, as well as
neurobiological and genetic work. The goal will be to analyze complex behavioral and physiological aspects of gender and
sexuality such as the mechanisms of the sexual responses; the anatomy and physiology of sexual arousal and its variations;
the evidence for and against sexual dimorphic characters including such topics as secondary sexual features and brain/mind
differentiation in males and females; sexual orientations; and cognitive aspects of sexuality such as desire, erotic feelings, and
gratification. The course will not overlap significantly with the MCDB 240 (Biology of Reproducton), which is aimed at
students majoring in the biological sciences and concentrates on the molecular and cellular aspects of reproduction, per se
(e.g., gametogeneis, fertilization, embryogenesis and placentation, and endocrinology).
Lectures:
There will be two lectures each week, and the relevant notes, illustrations, etc., will be provided on the web in the form of powerpoint files. They will be available for a limited time (approximately two weeks) so if you want to save them, either print them out in a timely manner, or download the files and save them on your own computer.
Conferences:
There will be one conference session each week at which lecture material as well as assigned reading will be discussed. Students may be called upon randomly to lead the discussion each week.
Exams:
There will be three one hour, in-class, exams. These exams will NOT be cumulative, but some carry-over knowledge is expected. There will be NO final exam. The exams will be short (one paragraph) answers and will be aimed at understanding of scientific reasoning, process, and evaluation of evidence.
Research Proposal:
Because this course is aimed at helping you "think like a scientist" in approaching complex, yet interesting problems, you will have the opportunity to prepare a short, concise, logical proposal for an investigation into some unknown area of biology of gender and sexuality. You will be responsible for formulating the research question based on your own personal interests. This proposal will take the form of a written document, no longer than 2500 words (about 10 pages), in which you will formulate the specific aims of your investigation, give the scientific background for your investigation, describe your investigative approach or approaches (methods), consider the possible outcomes of the proposed investigation, and summarize the significance of the possible outcomes. A bibliography of works cited is required.
Focus on these five areas: AIMS; BACKGROUND; APPROACH; OUTCOMES; SIGNIFICANCE
It is due 13 April 2008 (Monday) at 4:30pm. There will be a drop-off box located outside the door to WLH 315. Some suggestions and hints for online research are available: Click Here. PLEASE PUT THE NAME OF YOUR SECTION LEADER ON THE PROPOSAL. If you would like to see an example of a typical "Scientific Research Proposal", Click Here.
The proposal will be evaluated as follows:
Content (good=8; exceptional=10)
Argument and logic (good=8; exceptional=10)
Organization (good=2; exceptional=3)
Style (acceptable=2)
Sources (good=4; exceptional=5)
Note that a proposal that meets all the expectations for a good proposal will average 24/30; only truly exceptional proposals will be graded higher.
For advice on how to find sources and conduct online literature research CLICK HERE
Required work: Participation in all conference sessions (10%); three one-hour exams (20% each); and an original research proposal (30%).
Readings:
Readings will be from materials available in a course packet from Docuprint (Whitney Ave) plus a few in-class handouts
and/or online sources. The material included in the reading packet is marked with an asterisk (*) in the syllabus.
Click on Lecture Title to see Notes and Illustrations in Powerpoint format. * Indicates material in Reading Packet.
13 Jan. Science and sexuality; gender vs sex vs sexuality
Module I; Sexual Anatomy and Reproduction
15 Jan. Sexual anatomy: Gross anatomy and functions: The Female: ovaries, uterus, breast, and eggs.[no weekly conference]
20 Jan. Sexual anatomy: Gross anatomy and functions: The Male: testes, ducts, sperm, and semen
22 Jan. Fertilization, implantation and pregnancy
Discussion: Anatomy
27 Jan. Parturition
29 Jan. Assisted Reproduction: Artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization
Discussion: *Johnson and Everitt: Chapter 15 "Fertilization" from Essential Reproduction
3 Feb. Assisted Reproduction: Surrogacy and Gestational Cloning
Module II: Sexual Responses
5 Feb. Physiology of sexual responses: Phases and time-course of sexual activity; arousal, erectile tissues, viagra.
Discussion: *Material on assisted reproduction: (1) The Famous Baby M Case; (2) Sex Selection.
10 Feb. Hour Exam I (Module I)
12 Feb. Physiology of sexual responses: Female orgasm, G-spot, etc. vaginal vs. clitoral For Grafenberg's paper click HERE.
Discussion: *Masters and Johnson: Chapter 1: "The sexual response cycle"; chapter 2: "The research population" from
Human Sexual Response
17 Feb. Physiology of sexual responses: Male orgasm
19 Feb. MAKE-UP EXAM I (5:00 pm, location: TBA)
19 Feb. Sex Hormones: Birth control, ERT, bodybuilding steroids, "chemical castration."
Discussion: *Masters and Johnson: Chapter 9: "The female orgasm"; chapter 14: "The male orgasm" from Human Sexual
Response*
24 Feb. Sexually Transmitted Infections:
Module III: Sexual Diversity
26 Feb. Sexual polymorphisms: male-female binary: Genetics of sex determination/ genetic determinism
Discussion: *NIDA InfoFacts: Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic); NIDA Research Report on Anabolic Steroid Abuse.
3 Mar. Sexual polymorphisms: Embryology of the sex organs; continuous variations; Intersex
5 Mar.. Continuous variations: Film: "Hermaphrodites Speak"
Discussion: *Johnson and Everitt: Chapter 1 "Sex" from Essential Reproduction; Fausto-Sterling: "How to build a man",
from Rosario, ed., Science and Homosexualites
24 Mar. Sexual polymorphisms: Sex surveys from Davis to Kinsey to Sex in America
26 Mar. Hour Exam II (Sexual Responses and first lecture on Sexual Diversity; i.e., 7 Feb - 28 Feb, inclusive)
Discussion: *Dreger: "Hermaphrodites in love: the truth of the gonads", from Rosario, ed., Science and Homosexualites;
Optional Online Film: "XXXY"
31 Mar. Sexual polymorphisms: Sex surveys from Davis to Kinsey to Sex in America
1 Apr. MAKEUP EXAM II: 5:00-6:00 pm, Room TBA
2 Apr. Desire, eroticism, cognitive aspects of sexuality
Discussion: *Kinsey, et al.; Chapter 6: "Total sexual outlet" from Sexual behavior in the human male.
Module IV: Self, Sexual Identities, and Sexual Orientations
7 Apr. Identity: Self and sexual Identity
9 Apr. Transsexualism.
Discussion: *Freud: "The sexual aberrations" from Three essays on the theory of sexuality*
13 Apr. Proposal Deadline (4:30 pm) drop in box outside room 315 WLH.
14 Apr. Orientation(s): what is(are) it(they)? How to study it(them) scientifically?
16 Apr. Sex and age: Sexuality in the young and old
Discussion: *Stoller, et al.: "A symposium: Should homosexuality be in the APA nomenclature?" Am. J. Psychiatry 130(11)
1207-16, 1973; Stein: Chapter 2: "What is a sexual orientation?"; in The mismeasure of desire.*
21 Apr. Orientations: what is(are) it(they)? How to study it (them) scientifically? Prenatal influences.
23 Apr. Hour Exam III (Sexual Orientations, etc... 6 March to the end of the term)
Discussion: Exam review and general discussion. (No assigned reading).
27 Apr. MAKEUP EXAM III: 2:00-3:00 pm, Room TBA
To send a message to Professor Summers, click here.
This page was last updated 1155 25 May 2008.