Motivation and Sexuality: A Comprehensive Guide
CONCEPT OF MOTIVATION
Motivation is often defined as an inner state of activation, derived from a stimulus that activates and directs behavior toward a goal. According to this definition, we can say that we are always motivated when we feel driven internally to do any activity aimed at achieving a specific goal.
We can classify the physiological and social reasons. Among the former are mostly innate, while the social need of the environment to develop as such, i.e., they are acquired.
Some motivations are fixed for all individuals of all cultures, such as hunger, thirst, and sleep.
Other reasons, not physical, no exceptions. Others are typical of certain cultures, while some are personal.
Psychologists have developed a number of theories to explain human motivation and have done so from very different biological, psychological, and social perspectives.
THEORIES OF MOTIVATION
Homeostatic theory:
One of the central assumptions of human motivation is the homeostatic. Homeostasis represents the optimum balance in the body. According to this theory, human behavior has its origin in a disturbance of homeostasis and continues to operate until homeostasis is restored.
According to Hull the process of motivation is this:
Need to conduct —– —– —– momentum reduction of the need.
Freud postulated that the motive force comes from the tension and the organization of behavior around the reduction of stress. Notes that the main motivation is unconscious and fed by aggressive and sexual impulses. Highlighted two driving forces: Eros (sex, survival, getting food …) and thanatos (which included the death wish.
LEWIN, meanwhile, belongs to the school raises cognitive behavior in terms of person and environment. Addresses the issue through the aspiration level of people taking into account the difficulty of the task and the probability of success.
2.2 THEORIES OF INCENTIVE
Homeostatic theories began to decline when it was discovered that there were other primary motivations other than restorative homeostatic impulses. (Harlow found that monkeys preferred the exploration of the environment to satisfy their own needs and Young the existence of food preferences in the homeostasis unsubstantiated.)
Instrumental learning of Thorndike and Skinner’s reinforcement theory suggest a sense that the consequences of behavior determine how often it occurs.
AND ATKINSON MC.CLELLAND studied from different points of view, the theoretical development of the concept of motivation.
2.3. Cognitive theory
One hypothesis is the most important cognitive Festinger called cognitive dissonance. This concept refers to the discrepancy between the perceived and expected. Dissonance leads to a state of tension of motivational and inspirational character motivated by hunger.
When a person does not make their expectations, the dissonance occurs.
WEINER for its part, has tried to identify the causes of behavior and the essential dimensions of it.
These dimensions are essentially threefold:
the LOCUS or place of the causes, which may be internal or external to the subject.
We attribute the success or failure of our events to external or internal
which impacts on our self-esteem.
stability, which is related to expectations. Thus the attribution of success or failure in the ability generates good or bad expectations for the future.
The control relate to personal feelings.
For example:”the blame for not having studied more”
2.4. HYPOTHESIS Humanists
Allport believes that adult motives develop from previous motivational systems but maintain functional independence or autonomy with respect to them. At first, there may be interest in a task, but the performance can become to please and motivate herself.
Maslow motivation organized in a hierarchy.
When motivation is satisfied, another takes its place on, will be responsible for controlling the behavior of the subject.
Maslow’s self-actualizing person has actually motivations of growth compared to the self-realized person does not prevail in the motivations of deficiency.
Maslow SCALE
TYPES OF MOTIVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
As we noted at the start of the topic, we distinguish two main groups of reasons:
Physiological or primary motivations: that originate in the body’s physiological needs, in their process of self-regulation. Accompany the body from birth.
Are, for example, the motives of thirst, hunger, maternal sexuality, suck, escape from pain, sleep, excrete, breathe, etc …
Social motivations or secondary acquired during the socialization process, and vary from one individual to another and, above all, from one culture to another.
Thus, the grounds for aggression, prestige, social contact, communication, etc. Of these reasons some are linked with the physiological, but others have a source and self-development.
Both physiological and social motivations are becoming increasingly complex as we share with our neighbors. We can therefore say that every man has a socially motivated social nuance, acquired through learning.
In the development and complexity of the motivations involved three possible components:
Simple conditional association of a stimulus to another, one object acquires new values for us.
For example:”go to a banquet is not just eating, but to participate in the party, socializing with people, wear clothes, etc …
transmission of values: sometimes becomes an end what was initially a mere means. The money, half to get things, has come to become an end in itself.
Transmutation of motivations: Freud stated that certain other reasons can become. This process is called sublimation.
For example.”Unsatisfied sexual desire can be sublimated into a desire for food”
Some alterations of the reasons most frequently today are the t oxicomanías, anorexia, bulimia ,….
Below are 20 steps to improve motivation
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4. SEXUALITY AS MOTIVATION AND BEHAVIOR AS
5. FUNCTIONS OF SEXUALITY
We can distinguish four types of functions:
1. PLAYBACK: From the biological standpoint the ultimate goal of sexuality is reproduction. However, this perspective explains the sexual behavior of many animal species is less critical in humans, and that our sexual behavior is not limited to the periods of ovulation, but is maintained over time.
2. PLEASURE: The pursuit of pleasure is at the base of many expressions and sexual behaviors, and not only pleasure generally involves arousal and orgasm
, but the joy of giving, receiving and communicating in a positive sexual relationship.
3. EXPRESSION OF FEELINGS: Sex is a privileged channel for expressing love, affection or love for others, since sex is one of the most intimate and exciting ways to interact and communicate with the person you want.
4. IMPROVING SELF-ESTEEM: It helps us improve our self-image, to feel more vital, to protect us from the alienation of a society governed at times by the values of competitiveness and consumption. But sexuality is also used on occasion to exercise dominion over others or as a commercial claim.
6. External and internal stimuli SEXUAL BEHAVIOR.
According GROSSMAN sexual motivation is not homeostatic, ie, satisfaction is not necessary for the survival of the individual. Nevertheless, it seems difficult to say which is easier to live a balanced ignoring sexual motivation.
We can distinguish two kinds of stimuli of sexual motivation: the external and internal.
– External stimuli, external stimuli are a very important factor in the homeostatic motivations. Without doubt it is the principal partner of each, but besides this there are not so direct.
Ones to have studied these factors have been the ethologists, so they refer mainly to the animal world.
. The temperature and light influence more or less depending on the species.
. The sexual territory, which may not match the food.
. The effect of stimulation group and exert a considerable influence on sexual behavior.
. Stimuli partner under a more complex depending on the species and related odors, colors, etc. (pheromones).
. The “sexual fatigue”, facilitated by habituation. So that the exchange partner increases the levels of sexual arousal.
Internal stimuli: Two types of influences are fundamental to the domestic level in sexual motivation: The brain structures and hormonal functions. Apparently, the hypothalamus is the part of the brain structure that exerts greater control over sexual behavior. Regarding the hormones, we know that are related to sexual activity, in the sense that an influx of some in the blood increases sexual activity.
Pheromones are substances that are expelled into the air and are picked up by other reactions motivating desire.
7. Human Sexual Response.
The sexual stimulation can occur through any sense and also through the imagination. The sense of touch plays an important role. The whole body is capable of being stimulated, but there are places where there is a greater sensitivity. Are known as erogenous zones.
The sexual response is very similar in men and women. In the body there are two basic reactions to sexual stimuli exciting:
– Vasocongestion, ie the flow of blood to the blood vessels in certain areas.
– Myotonia, ie, increased muscle tension.
These two phenomena are responsible for all the changes in our body as we respond positively to erotic stimuli. All these changes can vary greatly from one person to another and from one situation to another.
The sexual response is experienced as a continuum. However, researchers have distinguished four phases:
1. Arousal: The most important changes are the erection of the penis in men and vaginal lubrication in women. Both phenomena indicate a positive response to sexual stimuli. There is an increased breathing rate and muscle tension.
2. Plateau phase: This occurs when the excitation phase has peaked and stabilized for a while. At this stage remains above changes in a more or less brief.
3. Orgasm phase: This is the release of sexual tension accumulated in the two previous phases. This phase coincides with the sensation of pleasure. Physiologically consists of a series of contractions which end with ejaculation in the case of man.
4. Resolution phase: The return to the idle state that produces a feeling of general relaxation. Men undergo a variable period of time, called refractory period, during which no one is able to respond sexually to any new stimulus, while the woman does not go through this waiting period.
8.DISFUNCIONES SEXUAL
Sometimes sexual response may be altered in different ways and for various reasons, can occur at any stage and blocking a person to participate or enjoy sex.
Masters and Johnson established the following classification:
DYSFUNCTION IN WOMEN:
Inhibited sexual arousal: The most frequent causes are due to education and relate to the idea of failure, sin, shame …
Vaginismus: It is due to a muscle spasm that hinder sexual activity.
Anorgasmia: Difficulty or inability to achieve orgasm.
Dyspareunia: Genital pain during intercourse.
DYSFUNCTION IN MEN:
Inhibited sexual excitement: Absence or decrease of erection by organic or psychological causes.
Premature ejaculation: Lack of control and harmony with your partner.
Inhibited orgasm. Absence of ejaculation after a suitable period of sexual excitement.
PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES:
Some disorders may be caused by physical disorders (hypertension), or ingestion of certain substances (alcohol, drugs) but in most cases arise from psychological causes.
– Personal: Lack of information, acceptance of cultural myths irrational rejection, routine, etc..
Impersonal: Poor communication or power struggles in the couple, different attitudes or sexual preferences, etc.
Most of these problems are cured with appropriate therapy.
SEXUAL EXPRESSION 9.FORMAS
Sexuality does not age and change throughout life. When we talk about sexual orientation we mean the type of objects for sexual attraction we feel toward those who run our desire. Globally we can consider the following forms of sexual behaviors: masturbation, homosexuality, heterosexuality, bisexuality, and paraphilias.
Masturbation: It is the earliest and lasting expression of human sexuality. Babies and young children have great curiosity and get pleasure from touching their genitals. In fact, Freud attributed to sexual maturation in several stages that begin with birth (oral, anal, genital, latency …). It has long been attributed to numerous physical ailments and mental masturbation, but today we know that only about half of knowing your body and learn about sexual ability, without negatively impacting relationships with others.
Homosexuality: The sexual attraction between persons of the same sex. It is common in sexual development before and during puberty there are attractions such disorient the boy or girl. When sexual maturity is reached, most individuals have developed a clear idea of their sexual orientation, mostly heterosexual.
For many years, homosexuality has been considered an unnatural behavior for different religions and even as a mental illness in medicine. However, since 1980 the American Psychiatric Association removed its system of classification of mental disorders.
Its origin there is no agreement among researchers: For some genetic factors are decisive, for others is learned.
At present some countries have removed all legal restrictions on admitting gay marriages and adoption.
Heterosexuality: It consists in the attraction between individuals of different sex and behavior, most common among humans. In most cultures is manifested in the relations between a man and a woman, but there are societies where polygamy is accepted (polygyny or polyandry)
Heterosexuality is settled and stabilized during youth. Men and women become aware of their needs, preferences and sexual responses, and sex becomes an important part of relationships, often characterized by monogamy.
Variations in sexual behavior: The term designates paraphilias unusual sexual behavior. It seeks excitement and sexual gratification through unusual experiences and are more common in men than in women. The most common paraphilias are:
Exhibition: The tendency to expose the genitals of the opposite sex outside the context of sex, for self-excited, reaching orgasm, or shock.
Voyeurism: It consists in obtaining satisfaction through the observation of nudity or sexual acts of others.
Transvestism: is the tendency to use sex dresses for sexual stimulation achieved. Does not coincide with homosexuality.
Fetish: Tendency to be attracted to some inanimate object, usually someone else’s clothes.
Sadism and masochism: In the first case you get pleasure causing injury to another person, while in the second case is obtained through pain or humiliation of their own.
Pedophilia: Consists of molesting boys and girls for sexual pleasure, whether or not contact them.
Other paraphilias are rare bestiality (sex with animals), necrophilia (sexual attraction for the dead) or coprophilia (sexual arousal through contact with feces or urine).
As in all human relationships, sexuality is subject to the constraints related to our education. Thus, an overly strict and authoritarian education may impact later in the way we live our sexuality and our relationships with others.
From the point of view of values, sexual behavior should be guided by three basic principles: freedom, respect and responsibility.
. Freedom: A time to choose whether to maintain these relationships and how. We should never be forced to maintain a behavior we do not want or force others to maintain it. The sexual relationship between two people should always be the result of mutual consent.
. Respect: We must always consider our partners as a person worthy of dignity and respect, not as an object of pleasure to our whims. Therefore, any form of sexual relationship should always be accepted by both.
. Responsibility: We must be aware that sexual relations can always be a latent risk. Risk of unwanted pregnancy, of contracting sexually transmitted diseases or emotional harm to others or ourselves. Therefore, we must act responsibly using appropriate means to avoid these risks.