Sexology

Madeline Gorman

** Sexology ** **Definition** The most basic definition of sexology is the systematic study of human sexuality. It is a multidisciplinary field that draws upon information from a host of otherfields, which include biology, medicine, statistics, epidemiology, sociology, and even criminology. It also studies human sexual development, how sexual relationships develop, the mechanics of sexual intercourse, a nd sexual malfunction. Sexology studies the sexuality of special groups, for example the handicapped, children, and the elderly, as well as studies sexual pathologies like sex addiction and sexual abuse.

**Sexology History** The scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behavior, and function dates back to the ancient Greeks and philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. All made extensive observations and references to topics such as sexual responses and dysfunctions, reproduction and contraception, abortion, sex legislation, and sexual ethics. (The Kinsey Institute, 1993-2011) It was not until the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century that significant steps were made towards the development of sexology. It was during this time that a vigorous and increasingly secularized discussion of sexual ethics took place, the first programs concerning public and private sex education occurred, and there were new classifications and documentations of sexual behavior. The 19th century made even greater strides because of new concerns about overpopulation, sexual psychopathy and degeneracy. These new concerns eventually led to the concept of “sexuality” and drove people to look for a stronger understanding of this subject matter. At the turn of the 20th century influential psychologists such as Sigmund Freud and Havelock Ellis began to investigate sexual problems as a legitimate study. From there, in 1908, the German dermatologist Iwan Bloch first proposed the concept of a special scientific and scholarly effort devoted to the understan ding of sex and coined the new term for it: Sexualwissenschaft. The Latin-Greek translation of the German word came about and is now referred to as the field of sexology, or literally the theoretical study of sex. (The Kinsey Institute, 1993-2011)

**Sexology Today** In the minds of people today there is often a confusion and association between sexology and “sex therapy.” There are in fact many differences between the two. Sex therapy, to a large extent, is not based on a medical model, but rather various models of human behavior, and many sex therapists are not in the medical profession. In order to be considered a sexologist in European countries one must be a physician or doctor first, and in the U.S. sexologists are typically professionals (psychiatrist, psychologist, anthropologist) who have specialized in the field of human sexuality. Interestingly, the only university in the world to offer both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in sexology is at L’Universite du Queben a Montreal in Quebec, Canada.

Currently there are three main areas of professional practice in sexology: research, sexual education, and clinical practice. To be considered a clinical sexologist one must receive their masters in sexology counseling and are typically specialized in the field of sexual difficulties. This makes clinical sexologists the most qualified at helping people with sexual problems. (Comte) Confusion can also be seen between the somewhat older concept of erotology, or the practical study of lovemaking, which is often translated into how to books that hope to guide the reader through subjective experiences. In contrast to sexology writings, which hope to convey objective insight. (The Kinsey Institute, 1993-2011) It is important to note, “the study of sex is above all, a study of ideas…and is therefore mainly the critical examination of ideologies.”(The Kinsey Institute, 1993-2011)

**Where Sexology is Heading?** Sexology today, while still focusing on the phenomenology of sex, is also starting to look at research in other fields such as history, economics, law, technology, religion, and influential forces that significantly shape people’s sexual awareness and behavior. Sexologists have begun to notice the important influence of new forms of technology and how it impacts society and thus translates into sexual uses and communication. Some examples would be the telephone leading to phone sex, the mobile phone and the emergence of sexting, photography developing pornography, and the Internet giving way to cybersex.

There has also been an increased interest in studying past societal issues in order help solve sexual problems of today. Doctor Marty Klein presented the idea as “here are a few ways in which our current sexual challenges were predictable, if only we’d had a better grasp of history and the other social sciences…” (Klein, 199 9) Sexology has thus begun to study such events as the plague and other epidemics to help solve the current AIDS problem, the impact of the Industrial Revolution and factories and how today that might relate to problems seen in mixed gender workplaces, and the past impact of the cinema, radio, and telephone and how that could be translated to the current sexual issues seen via the Internet and cybersex.

**Im** **portant Contributors to the Field of Sexology** **Iwan Bloch** is often referred to as the “father of sexology” because he was responsible for proposing the new idea of a science of sexuality in 19 07. He is known for contributing to the organization of this science, co-editing a Journal for Sexology, and editing a “Comprehensive Handbook of Sexology in a Series of Monographs” to which he wrote the first volume on prostitution. (Haeberle)

**Havelocke Ellis** was an English psychologist and a pioneer in establishing a scientific approach to the study of sex. In his most famous piece of writing //Studies in the Psychology of Sex// he took a look at sexual relations from a biological and multicultural perspective and was particularly interested in the typical sexual behavior of humans. Ellis also objected Freud’s use of adult sexual terms on infants and hoped to demystify human sexuality. In his book //Sexual Inversion// which came out in 1896 he also looked at cases of homosexual males and concluded that homosexual behavior was not a disease or a crime. (Liukkonen, 2008)

**William Masters and Virginia Johnson** are responsible for initiating the study of human sexual response in the 1960s and 70s. Their findings led to many changes in sexual attitudes and sexual behavior. Not only did they disprove myths concerning male and female sexual performance, they also helped to redefine society’s definition of “normal” sexual behavior, changed male and females expectations of sexual performance and satisfaction, and are responsible for creating much of the language used in modern debates about sexual behavior and response.

**References** Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin: Magnus Hirschfeld Archive for Sexology. (2001-2010). //Iwan Bloch.// Retrieved April 10, 2011, from herlin.de/sexology/GESUND/ARCHIV/COLLBLO.HTM

Jacqueline Comete: Clinical Sexologist and Psychotherapist. //What is Sexology?// Retrieved April 5, 2011, from http://www.jcomtesexo.ca/what_is_sexology.htm.

Klein, M. (August 10, 1999). The History and Future of Sex. //Electronic Journal of// //Human Sexuality, Volume 2.// []

The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. (1983). //The Birth of Sexology.// Retrieved April 5, 2011, from []

Liukkonen, P. (2008). //Havelock Ellis.// Retrieved April 9, 2011, retrieved from

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Neal Diem, G. (January 29, 2002). Masters and Johnson. In //St. James Encylopedia of Pop//

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