Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce
Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce
Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce
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ents. B<strong>and</strong>ura <strong>and</strong> Walters conclude that social training of sex is accomplished<br />
mainly through the transmission to children of parental<br />
anxiety reactions to the exploratory, manipulative, <strong>and</strong> curiosity behavior<br />
that inevitably occurs during childhood. Because of prolonged<br />
negative conditioning at home, many young people respond to their initial<br />
sexual experiences with anxiety <strong>and</strong> guilt <strong>and</strong> especially fear that<br />
their parents might learn of their activities. This is likely as their<br />
parents would have it.<br />
Some change is taking place, however, <strong>and</strong> one must not overlook the<br />
cases in which extreme reserve <strong>and</strong> an anxiety does not prevail, though<br />
these cases are in the minority. Some parents in the United States do<br />
not attempt to completely mask their own sexual activity <strong>and</strong> a few even<br />
engage in sexual encounters with their own children. In the following<br />
case, a kindergarten child describes the bathing experience in her family.<br />
It was in sixth grade when I really started to<br />
think <strong>and</strong> wonder about sex. My girlfriend <strong>and</strong> I<br />
walked to school everyday with a little girl in<br />
kindergarten, making sure she got across the<br />
busy streets, etc. Out of the clear blue sky one<br />
day she started to tell us how her mommie <strong>and</strong><br />
daddie <strong>and</strong> she always took baths together <strong>and</strong><br />
how they played with each other. In terms of<br />
what I know now, it was mutual masturbation<br />
among the three of them, <strong>and</strong> when one was missing,<br />
it occurred between the other two. However,<br />
the thing that struck me the most at the<br />
time was the nonchalant way she talked about<br />
what they were doing.<br />
Also, some of the new life styles do not take advantage of the privacy<br />
that opague walls <strong>and</strong> locked doors can give, as in the next three<br />
cases. It is too early to know the effects of such sexual upbringings<br />
on children in contemporary society since we have no longitudinal research<br />
data.<br />
Tina was about three. One morning she came in on<br />
her parents having intercourse. This was her<br />
first exposure to intercourse <strong>and</strong> her parents<br />
could see she was confused <strong>and</strong> disturbed. As<br />
they described their h<strong>and</strong>ling of the situation,<br />
they sent out “good vibrations” making their<br />
enjoyment obvious. They included her in the<br />
lovemaking by holding her <strong>and</strong> talking with her.<br />
Tina responded positively <strong>and</strong> showed no further<br />
negative reactions then or later to her parents’<br />
lovemaking. (Constantine).<br />
Alice was disturbed by her mother’s agitation<br />
<strong>and</strong> breathing during intercourse. She otherwise<br />
seemed happy with being with her parents as they<br />
made love. Her mother explained the whole thing<br />
very carefully one day. Her daughter then said,<br />
“I want to make love with you, Mommy.” At first<br />
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