Course Code: PSYC 2005
Academic Year: 2025-2026
Whether engaged in for reproductive purposes or undertaken as part of adult play activities, sex is as close to a universal part of human experience as any volitional behaviour can be. As one of the most powerful motivators of human behaviour, sex is used to grab our attention and sell us goods. Despite its omnipresence mixed messages concerning sex have historically been the norm. Even the word sex can engender confusion. Sex can refer to a biological categorization system or physical activities. With the suffix -ual(ity), sex can reference thoughts, desires, fantasies, behaviours, identities, and commodities. If the perplexing messaging and terminology arent enough, sex and sexual identity often come with their fair share of fear, guilt, and shame, not to mention misinformation. As remedy, this course brings the psychological study of human sexuality - how we understand and express ourselves as sexual beings - to the fore with an emphasis on the many ways human sexuality is ultimately characterized by diversity.