Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce

completely missing. These findings support the assumption that during
the first year of life autoerotic activities vary with the nature of
the relationship between the infant and those with whom he has intimate,
affectional encounters.
Sears (1957) reports another behavioral pattern associated with inadequate
infant-mother encounters. A relatively cold and undemonstrative
attitude toward the infant, combined with high sexual anxiety on
the part of the mother and severe toilet training, were “most efficient
in producing prolonged bed-wetting.” Severe toilet training increased
the amount of upset in children whose mothers were relatively
cold and undemonstrative. However, the mother’s “coldness” per se did
not appear to upset the child; “coldness” had to be manifested overtly,
through severe training practices, before it produced the noted disturbances
in behavior. On the other hand, Sewell (1953) found in a study
of 5-6 year old children that the personality adjustment and traits of
those who had varying infant-adult encounters did not differ significantly
from each other. Personality adjustment and traits of children
did not differ significantly whether or not as infants they were suckled
or bottle fed, fed on a self-demand schedule or on a regular schedule,
weaned gradually or weaned abruptly, introduced to bowel training
early or late, introduced to bladder training early or late, were not
punished for toilet training accidents or were punished, slept with
their mothers during infancy or did not sleep with their mothers. Personality
adjustment and traits of children whose infantile security appeared
to be favorable did not differ significantly from those of
children where it appeared to be insecure. Personality adjustment and
traits of children whose toilet training experience appeared to be favorable
did not differ significantly from those of children whose
scores were unfavorable, and personality adjustment and traits of children
whose feeding training appeared to be favorable did not differ
significantly from those of children whose scores were unfavorable. The
findings of Spitz and Sewell are not directly comparable, but they do
point out the need for additional research.
It is evident from studies of mammals that intimacy, attachment,
caressing, fondling, and genital play are outcomes of involvement of
parent and infant. Among humans, infants with adequate affectional relations
play with their genitals. A minority of infants not only play
with their genitals but also masturbate, that is, they on occasion
stimulate themselves to orgasm. Kinsey reported that 32 percent of boys
two to twelve months of age were able to reach a sexual climax. (Kinsey,
1948).
Prescott (1969, 1972) hypothesizes that it is reasonable to assume
that affectional deprivation can have neurobiological consequences that
are produced by the absence of physical touching. Neurostructural, neurochemical,
and neuroelectrical measurements document abnormal development
and functions of the sensory system resulting from sensory
deprivation during the formative periods. (Prescott, 1972).
It is instructive to consider the effects of sensory enrichment as
well as sensory deprivation upon neural and behavioral development.
(Prescott, 1969). As one example, studies of rats have shown significant
increase in cell numbers in the cerebellum of handled over against
non-handled rats.
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