Men and Sex: New Psychological Perspectives

Men and Sex: New Psychological Perspectives
ISBN-10
047116903X
ISBN-13
9780471169031
Category
Psychology / General
Pages
283
Language
English
Published
1997-10-24
Publisher
Wiley
Authors
Gary R. Brooks, Ronald F. Levant

Description

Are the stereotypes true? Are men obsessed with sex, attracted solely to a woman’s physical appearance, incapable of forming deep emotional bonds? Are men content to experience the physical release of intercourse without any underlying commitment to their partners? Are these and other traits that typify male sexuality hardwired—genetically programmed, immutable qualities that men and women must live with no matter how destructive they may be? In Men and Sex, Ronald Levant, Gary Brooks, and a team of leading researchers and practitioners challenge the evolutionary and genetic explanations of male sexuality from the perspective of the new psychology of men. Although many of their findings confirm the above stereotypes, these researchers argue strongly that men’s tendency toward nonrelational sexuality—although it may be normative—is not natural, not genetic, not a product of evolution; it is closely linked to the traumatic socialization of boys, in which displays of emotion are discouraged and emotional intimacy is equated with the loss of autonomy. The book begins with an examination of non-relational sexuality—the tendency to experience sex primarily as lust without any requirements for relational intimacy or emotional attachment. The central mechanism of nonrelational sexuality, the focus on physical attributes and the objectification of women—"the Centerfold Syndrome"—is linked to a spectrum of problems associated with nonrelational sexuality: appearance obsession in women, repetitive infidelity and Don Juanism, sex as a commodity, sexual harassment and rape, and the perpetration of sexual abuse. Variations of these problems are explored in chapters that examine nonrelational sex across the life span, in African-American men, and among gay men. Meticulously researched, persuasively argued, and vividly supported with stories of actual cases that are as revealing as they are moving, Men and Sex offers a firm foundation for mental health professionals and social scientists who want to encourage change on the personal as well as cultural levels. It is both a springboard for researchers who seek new avenues of investigation into male sexuality and a powerful introduction to the subject for students at the graduate and senior undergraduate levels.

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