Development of primary and secondary

sexual characteristics
 Infant sexuality
• Capacity for sexual response present from birth
• Infants engage in self-pleasuring activity
Pelvic thrusting, rubbing genital area against an object (doll,
pillow, etc.)
• In some cases, infants have been observed to experience what
appears to be orgasm
• Unable to differentiate sexual from sensual pleasure
Many natural everyday activities, breast-feeding, bathing,
diapering, involve pleasurable tactile sensation
 Childhood sexuality
Normative behavior not well studied
• Research limited by political squeamishness over what “might be
interpreted as exploiting children or introducing sexual ideas to
them”
• Difficult to get funding or approval for research on childhood
sexuality
• Much of what we know about childhood sexuality relies on
recollections of adults about their childhoods
Sexual behavior is normal part of development
• Important to remember that adults tend to interpret childhood
experiences in terms of the meanings that adults attached to them--to
the child, it’s not “masturbation w/the goal of climax;” it’s just
pleasurable self-touching
Childhood sexuality (cont.)
Masturbation (rhythmic genital manipulation; not just
rubbing) starts at 2-3 years
• Important for parents to express acceptance and
reinforce idea of privacy that most kids already
understand
Sex play starts 4-7 years
• Curiosity about sexual parts, sexual behaviors
5-7 year olds begin to enact marriage
(heterosexual)scripts
• Ex: playing house
Childhood sexuality (cont.)
Emergence of homosociality 8-9 years
• boys and girls play separately, though may have romantic interest in
other sex
• Interest in reproduction and sexuality is high
Interest in bodily changes starts at 10-11
• May be self-conscious about their bodies
• Separation from other sex is still common
• Children of this age often strongly protest suggestions of romantic
interest in other sex
• Sex play w/children of same sex is common-- may be a transition to
heterosexual orientation or may reflect homosexual or bisexual
orientation
Important for parents to avoid responding negatively or labeling the
activity according to adult labels of sexual orientation
Physical Changes of Adolescence
Puberty: period of rapid physical changes in early
adolescence during which the reproductive organs mature
• onset between 8 to 14 years; 2 years earlier in girls
• triggered by release of pituitary gland hormones called
gonadotropins
Chemically identical in males and females
In males, cause testes to increase testosterone
production
In females, cause ovaries to increase estrogen
levels
Physical changes during puberty
Primary sex characteristics: physical characteristics in
genital development that indicate sexual maturity
females:
• thicker vaginal walls
• larger uterus
• enlarged labia
• vaginal secretions
• menarche around age 12 to 13; age has fallen
males:
• larger prostate, penis, seminal vesicles, and testes
• 1st ejaculation around 13
Changes in age of puberty onset in girls
From 1840 to 1960, the average age of menarche fell
sharply from 17 to 13 years.
• Thought to be due to improved health and nutrition
Over the past 40 years, average age of menarche has
declined slightly and is now at 12.3 years.
Ethnic differences exist in age at menarche (see Table)
Average age of onset of breast development was 11.5 years
in 1970; by 1997, age was < 10 for Caucasian girls and <9
for African-American girls
Physical changes during puberty
Secondary sex characteristics physical characteristics
other than genital development that indicate sexual maturity
both sexes:
• pubic hair,
• growth spurt (earlier in girls)
• genitals enlarge
• axillary oil-secretion

females: - males
• breast buds • voice deepens
• voice changes • facial hair
Physical changes during puberty
secondary

primary