Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce

pervasive aspect of one’s total personality, the sum total of one’s
feelings and behavior not only as a sexual being, but as a male or female,”
(Kirkendal and Rubin, 1969) the answer has to be no. The infant
has an emerging but an only slightly developed self identity, is not
well-coordinated or organized, has only the most rudimentary understanding
of gender roles, and does not possess the erotic imagery of an
adult. Socially-appropriate gender roles--male and female--come later
as gender roles are learned. This learning begins in infancy and continues
through childhood and beyond. The richness of erotic imagery
available to the adult comes only after numerous and varied direct and
vicarious experiences.
Summary
The three major theories of human sexual development are the hormone
theory, the psychoanalytic theory and the social or social learning
theory. Each theory focuses on different aspects of human
development, and, therefore, each contributes to the understanding of
human sexuality. This book brings together what is known concerning the
sociology of infant sexuality to date, adds new data, and provides a
catalyst for needed socio-sexual research.
The infant is a creature with potential. Development of that potential
occurs through experience. The human offspring possesses somatosensory
response capacity from early in the fetal stage and on. Although
the mouth is the chief pleasure zone of the infant during the
first year, responsiveness to external stimulation of other parts of
the body, including the genitalia, is apparent.
The infant demonstrates a capacity to interact with others from the
first year of life. Early encounters of infant and mother contribute to
sensory and affectional awakening of the infant. The infant is not only
responsive but able to initiate sensory and affectional relations on
his own.
Self-stimulation by the infant occurs during the first year of
life. Preference for genital stimulation denotes the early existence of
so-called erogenous zones. Of the interaction possibilities available
to the infant, none excels the sucking experience--the major tactile
and potentially erotic situation of infancy.
Despite attempts to inhibit sensory-affectional interaction, no
conclusive evidence in behavioral or social science indicates that such
sensory-affectional interaction is harmful for the infant or for his
future. On the contrary, there is evidence, also not conclusive, that
such interaction is necessary and good. At this point in time, behavioral
and social scientists are not in a position to give definitive
counsel as to how infants should be reared, sexually speaking. More research
is needed.
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