PSY 306 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS 100% SOLVED
advantages of surveys - ANSWER-Easier to collect large amounts of info
-Can reach lots of diverse people
-Inexpensive and easy to administer
disadvantages of surveys - ANSWER-Self-report, participants may lie/not remember
correctly in responses (retrospective recall)
-Subject to demand characteristics (trying to make yourself look good due to gender
bias)
-Socially desirable responding - may choose to lie because they say what you want
to hear to make themselves look better
-Monetary compensation can also influence data
Explain the attraction of facial symmetry in men - ANSWERwe're programmed to
develop symmetrically in the womb, deviations from perfect symmetry. Even slight
deviations are detectable. Facial symmetry is another signal of reproductive health.
Explain the attraction of a .9 WHR in men - ANSWERDev Singh found this has an
important influence on attractiveness for both men & women. After puberty gender
difference in where men/women store fat. Ideal WHR for men .9. Puberty creates a
lower WHR for women than men.
-If you go too much below .9, the men tend to take on a more feminine body
appearance, and too high above .9 is a guy with more belly fat than is deemed
sexually attractive.
-WHR role is maintained across both culture & body size.
Give an example of demand characteristics - ANSWERmales usually overreport,
females underreport
Give an example of how to combat socially desirable responding as a researcher -
ANSWERWe try to keep surveys anonymous or administer questionnaire that taps
into socially desirable responding (ex: have you ever stolen anything as a child?)
Lordosis - ANSWERanimal model of sexual response; Measured by female arching
back to expose herself to male
Proceptivity - ANSWERanimal model of sexual response; Female rats wiggle their
ears or hop up and down to show interest
Rejection behaviors - ANSWERanimal model of sexual response; Female rat kicks
male rat off of her
Pacing chamber - ANSWERanimal model of sexual response
,-Glass chamber with 2 rooms, female and male rats kept apart by door in the middle
-Door in the middle is small enough for the female but not for the male, observes
female sexual desire (if she chooses to walk through the door)
Explain Alfred Kinsey and his influence - ANSWER-Entomologist documented
phylogeny of gall wasps
-Began studying human sex behavior in 1933
-Interviewed 18,000 Americans about their sex lives (largest face-to-face interview
ever done)
-Best-selling science author (Human Male + Human Female)
-His findings resulted in a public outcry and he lost government funding
-Found vast gender differences in men and women
Advantages of observational studies - ANSWERAllows for first-hand observation in
comparison to subjective reporting
Eliminates possible data falsification
Disadvantages of observational studies - ANSWER-observer effect
-unnatural environment
Explain observer effect - ANSWERaka Hawthorne effect, a form of reactivity in which
subjects modify an aspect of their behavior, in response to their knowing that they
are being studied.
Explain the influence of William Masters and Virginia Johnson - ANSWER-Masters
began sexuality research in 1954 at Washington University, St. Louis
-Joined by Virginia Johnson in 1957
-Married in 1971; divorced in 1999
-Published highly influential books Human Sexual Response (1966), Human Sexual
Inadequacy (1970)
-Mapped the sexual response cycle
-Coined sexual psychophysiology
sexual psychophysiology - ANSWERthe study of physiological sexual processes that
underlie psychological sexual responses
Advantages of Experimental Manipulation - ANSWER-Controlled environment (you
can manipulate conditions)
-Easy to see cause + effect
Disadvantages of Experimental Manipulation - ANSWER-Unnatural lab setting
(uncomfortable for lab subjects)
-Time consuming
-Often costly
-Makes it hard to study large amounts of people
-Men don't volunteer as often for these kind of experiments
What are the experimental technologies for humans - ANSWER-Non-genital
measures for both sexes: heart rate, respiration rate
, -Men: penile strain gauge
(Mercury in rubber, measures penile circumference changes (blood flow))
-Women: vaginal photoplethysmograph
Indirect measure of blood flow in vagina
-VBV gradually pooling blood genital tissue; VPA more immediate indicator sexual
arousal in women - moment to moment changes in vasocongestion, more sensitive
and specific.
What are cross-cultural methods for human sexuality? - ANSWER-Testing
predictions about universality
-Testing predictions about cultural variation
-Pitting competing hypotheses against each other
What are genetic methods for human sexuality? - ANSWER-Twin and adoption
studies
-Molecular genetic studies [e.g., 7R allele of the DRD4 gene]
-Genghis Khan effect
-Test competing hypotheses about human origins
-Informing us about human evolution over past 40,000 years
DRD4 gene - ANSWER-7 repeat allele gene linked to dopamine receptor activity
(and also to sensation-seeking)
-Dopamine associated with pleasant physical feelings
Genghis khan effect - ANSWERexpression of his genes in evolution
Key parts of natural selection - ANSWER-variation
-inheritance
-differential reproduction
-differential reproductive success: everyone has ancestors, but not everyone leaves
descendants
Natural selection provided 3 key answers - ANSWER-Explained change over time:
descent with modification
-Explained apparent purposive quality of component parts: adaptive function
-United all species into one grand tree of descent, including humans
An evolutionary perspective on sexuality - ANSWER-Nothing is closer to the 'engine'
of the evolutionary process than sex.
-We expect a rich and complex sexual psychology
-Key contribution: What is the function? The 'why' question
How did Darwin first describe the theory of natural selection? - ANSWERa theory of
survival selection; traits evolve to help us survive
What did Darwin say were the 3 classes of the hostile forces of nature that are bad
for survival - ANSWER-Environmental forces/physical conditions of life
-Other species/you can get eaten, or corrupted by parasites, etc.
-Other members of your own species/other humans
ANSWERS 100% SOLVED
advantages of surveys - ANSWER-Easier to collect large amounts of info
-Can reach lots of diverse people
-Inexpensive and easy to administer
disadvantages of surveys - ANSWER-Self-report, participants may lie/not remember
correctly in responses (retrospective recall)
-Subject to demand characteristics (trying to make yourself look good due to gender
bias)
-Socially desirable responding - may choose to lie because they say what you want
to hear to make themselves look better
-Monetary compensation can also influence data
Explain the attraction of facial symmetry in men - ANSWERwe're programmed to
develop symmetrically in the womb, deviations from perfect symmetry. Even slight
deviations are detectable. Facial symmetry is another signal of reproductive health.
Explain the attraction of a .9 WHR in men - ANSWERDev Singh found this has an
important influence on attractiveness for both men & women. After puberty gender
difference in where men/women store fat. Ideal WHR for men .9. Puberty creates a
lower WHR for women than men.
-If you go too much below .9, the men tend to take on a more feminine body
appearance, and too high above .9 is a guy with more belly fat than is deemed
sexually attractive.
-WHR role is maintained across both culture & body size.
Give an example of demand characteristics - ANSWERmales usually overreport,
females underreport
Give an example of how to combat socially desirable responding as a researcher -
ANSWERWe try to keep surveys anonymous or administer questionnaire that taps
into socially desirable responding (ex: have you ever stolen anything as a child?)
Lordosis - ANSWERanimal model of sexual response; Measured by female arching
back to expose herself to male
Proceptivity - ANSWERanimal model of sexual response; Female rats wiggle their
ears or hop up and down to show interest
Rejection behaviors - ANSWERanimal model of sexual response; Female rat kicks
male rat off of her
Pacing chamber - ANSWERanimal model of sexual response
,-Glass chamber with 2 rooms, female and male rats kept apart by door in the middle
-Door in the middle is small enough for the female but not for the male, observes
female sexual desire (if she chooses to walk through the door)
Explain Alfred Kinsey and his influence - ANSWER-Entomologist documented
phylogeny of gall wasps
-Began studying human sex behavior in 1933
-Interviewed 18,000 Americans about their sex lives (largest face-to-face interview
ever done)
-Best-selling science author (Human Male + Human Female)
-His findings resulted in a public outcry and he lost government funding
-Found vast gender differences in men and women
Advantages of observational studies - ANSWERAllows for first-hand observation in
comparison to subjective reporting
Eliminates possible data falsification
Disadvantages of observational studies - ANSWER-observer effect
-unnatural environment
Explain observer effect - ANSWERaka Hawthorne effect, a form of reactivity in which
subjects modify an aspect of their behavior, in response to their knowing that they
are being studied.
Explain the influence of William Masters and Virginia Johnson - ANSWER-Masters
began sexuality research in 1954 at Washington University, St. Louis
-Joined by Virginia Johnson in 1957
-Married in 1971; divorced in 1999
-Published highly influential books Human Sexual Response (1966), Human Sexual
Inadequacy (1970)
-Mapped the sexual response cycle
-Coined sexual psychophysiology
sexual psychophysiology - ANSWERthe study of physiological sexual processes that
underlie psychological sexual responses
Advantages of Experimental Manipulation - ANSWER-Controlled environment (you
can manipulate conditions)
-Easy to see cause + effect
Disadvantages of Experimental Manipulation - ANSWER-Unnatural lab setting
(uncomfortable for lab subjects)
-Time consuming
-Often costly
-Makes it hard to study large amounts of people
-Men don't volunteer as often for these kind of experiments
What are the experimental technologies for humans - ANSWER-Non-genital
measures for both sexes: heart rate, respiration rate
, -Men: penile strain gauge
(Mercury in rubber, measures penile circumference changes (blood flow))
-Women: vaginal photoplethysmograph
Indirect measure of blood flow in vagina
-VBV gradually pooling blood genital tissue; VPA more immediate indicator sexual
arousal in women - moment to moment changes in vasocongestion, more sensitive
and specific.
What are cross-cultural methods for human sexuality? - ANSWER-Testing
predictions about universality
-Testing predictions about cultural variation
-Pitting competing hypotheses against each other
What are genetic methods for human sexuality? - ANSWER-Twin and adoption
studies
-Molecular genetic studies [e.g., 7R allele of the DRD4 gene]
-Genghis Khan effect
-Test competing hypotheses about human origins
-Informing us about human evolution over past 40,000 years
DRD4 gene - ANSWER-7 repeat allele gene linked to dopamine receptor activity
(and also to sensation-seeking)
-Dopamine associated with pleasant physical feelings
Genghis khan effect - ANSWERexpression of his genes in evolution
Key parts of natural selection - ANSWER-variation
-inheritance
-differential reproduction
-differential reproductive success: everyone has ancestors, but not everyone leaves
descendants
Natural selection provided 3 key answers - ANSWER-Explained change over time:
descent with modification
-Explained apparent purposive quality of component parts: adaptive function
-United all species into one grand tree of descent, including humans
An evolutionary perspective on sexuality - ANSWER-Nothing is closer to the 'engine'
of the evolutionary process than sex.
-We expect a rich and complex sexual psychology
-Key contribution: What is the function? The 'why' question
How did Darwin first describe the theory of natural selection? - ANSWERa theory of
survival selection; traits evolve to help us survive
What did Darwin say were the 3 classes of the hostile forces of nature that are bad
for survival - ANSWER-Environmental forces/physical conditions of life
-Other species/you can get eaten, or corrupted by parasites, etc.
-Other members of your own species/other humans
