Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce

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Many persons played significant though varied roles in the research and writing that led to the final publication of the manuscript. I would like especially to recognize the contributions of Paul H. Gebhard, Julie Ann Lindahl, Beatrice Awes Martinson, and Edwin J. Nichols. Center for Studies of Child and Family Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health Rockville, Maryland May 15, 1973 F.M.M. viii
I. INFANCY (0-2 YEARS) There is probably no human activity about which there is greater curiosity, greater social concern, and less knowledge than sexuality, particularly infant and child sexuality. If we ever hope to understand infant and child sexuality we must improve on the theoretical and conceptual base, develop testable hypotheses from the different theoretical systems, and carry out the designated research. We especially need theoretical alternatives to the psychoanalytic theory of infant and child sexuality. We have too long been complacent about leaving the explanation of sexuality of the young to psychoanalysis. Freud (1915) had no intention that it should be so. He insisted that his conclusions were based on psychoanalytic investigations alone and that these needed to be amplified by studies in other spheres, including sociology. Freud himself turned to a sociology of sex in his later years when he gave much attention to the opposition between civilization and the freedom of sexual expression. (Jones, 1955). There are currently several theories as to how and when human beings develop sexually and arrive at patterns of sexual behavior. From a physiological point of view, it has been said that preadolescent boys and girls do not desire each other sexually because certain glands are not functioning. The testes, for example, after a period of activity prenatally, enter a period of hormonal quiescence until the onset of puberty. (Money, 1973). At puberty, when the glands secrete their hormones, boys and girls awaken sexually and have an urge to engage in sexual activities. Hence, it is because of social restraints that they do not indulge in sexual license. (Udry, 1966, p. 104). According to the hormone theory sexual inadequacy, frigidity, and impotence are the result of too few sex hormones, too many, or the wrong kind. (Broderick, June 1964). Hence, most persons develop this sex urge at puberty but some develop it abnormally early and some develop it abnormally late or not at all. According to psychoanalytic theory, the libido, the basic life force, is present from birth, and even the infant has sex needs which are met in sucking, elimination, or manipulating the sex organs. The ages seven to eleven are seen as a period of relatively decreased intensity of the biological drive and are referred to as latency. Relieved from the internal stress and conflict occasioned by the severe internal pressure of the drive, the latency child supposedly busies himself with learning about the outer world. The vivid fantasy life and creativity of childhood is replaced by fact-finding, collecting, the acquisition of skills, memorization, et cetera. The period from eleven to thirteen years of age is seen as one of relative peace. But it is short-lived; indeed it may not in some cases be distinguishable at all. Preadolescence then anticipates the onrush of intensified sexual drive for the second time--the first time being during infancy, the second being at puberty. The emphasis on latency as well as general disregard of sexuality 1
Page 1 and 2: INFANT AND CHILD SEXUALITY A Sociol
Page 3: About the Author Ph.D., Sociology,
Page 6 and 7: PREFACE We know very little about s
Page 10 and 11: in infancy and childhood in hormone
Page 12 and 13: cause psychoanalytic theory, though
Page 14 and 15: and differentiating adults by such
Page 16 and 17: questions about his penis. He watch
Page 18 and 19: (Korner, 1973). The male infant has
Page 20 and 21: milk. Breast feeding is significant
Page 22 and 23: infant. Not only the amount but als
Page 24 and 25: According to the middle class stand
Page 26 and 27: myths about this practice. The Chil
Page 28 and 29: three hundred (one percent of the f
Page 30 and 31: Infants deprived of touch--holding,
Page 32 and 33: pervasive aspect of one’s total p
Page 34 and 35: The mother of a five year old told
Page 36 and 37: ate count as to the number who do,
Page 38 and 39: een aware that autoeroticism--eroti
Page 40 and 41: had erections when playing with gir
Page 42 and 43: they will eventually select their m
Page 44 and 45: and I can remember being scolded nu
Page 46 and 47: the arousal, but I was aroused. Chi
Page 48 and 49: was more inquisitive than sexual. B
Page 50 and 51: In both of the following cases, as
Page 52 and 53: emember to this day the nauseated f
Page 54 and 55: I remember one scene very well. He
Page 56 and 57: and he’d done it! The only penis
Page 58 and 59:
of dwellings. He based his work on
Page 60 and 61:
ents. Bandura and Walters conclude
Page 62 and 63:
1965, p. 225). Children often contr
Page 64 and 65:
shocked, told me not to do it anymo
Page 66 and 67:
all children who are told to get
Page 68 and 69:
cide that the child is “not old e
Page 70 and 71:
little”; “they grow out of the
Page 72 and 73:
that there was a “place in mommy
Page 74 and 75:
tivity, and especially that which i
Page 76 and 77:
His next approach was to tell me ab
Page 78 and 79:
My father when undressed was a sour
Page 80 and 81:
In other words, I was to avoid him,
Page 82 and 83:
The general taboo on sensory-affect
Page 84 and 85:
held by the eight year old. An inte
Page 86 and 87:
asked each boy to rate his response
Page 88 and 89:
It was not until high school that I
Page 90 and 91:
fondling between the ages of eleven
Page 92 and 93:
invited on an individual basis. Oft
Page 94 and 95:
parents didn’t allow me to go any
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me. I repeatedly told her that I wa
Page 98 and 99:
grade girl) was so embarrassed and
Page 100 and 101:
societies that are considerably mor
Page 102 and 103:
attempts at fellatio. Other cases i
Page 104 and 105:
it. I felt a tingling all over my b
Page 106 and 107:
me to look at a cunt as soon as pos
Page 108 and 109:
Sex Instructions fondle me and inve
Page 110 and 111:
ing. This pattern continued on to j
Page 112 and 113:
long as I had started it, I could r
Page 114 and 115:
As far back as I can remember my pa
Page 116 and 117:
mal sex education from my father du
Page 118 and 119:
with their immediate descendants. T
Page 120 and 121:
fully initiated but not yet married
Page 122 and 123:
nificance in the presence of childr
Page 124 and 125:
sexuality nor for the quality of se
Page 126 and 127:
Literature One indirect method util
Page 128 and 129:
love, sex, and the opposite sex. Th
Page 130 and 131:
year olds in Elmtown about 15 perce
Page 132 and 133:
ing attitudes, conversations, and a
Page 134 and 135:
Outcomes of Preadolescent Sexual En
Page 136 and 137:
Positive in love romantic really li
Page 138 and 139:
anticipation, and satisfaction. Wha
Page 140 and 141:
IV. A FEW WORDS OF MY OWN It is goo
Page 142 and 143:
BIBLIOGRAPHY Abelson, H., Cohen, R.
Page 144 and 145:
Crist, John R., “High School Dati
Page 146 and 147:
Ketcher, Allan, “The Discriminati
Page 148 and 149:
Newton, Niles and Michael Newton,
Page 150 and 151:
Woody, Jane Divita, “Contemporary
Page 152 and 153:
INDEX Ford, Clellan S., 8, 15, 49,
Page 154:
INDEX in early childhood with adult
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