A Review of: “An Insider's View of Sexual Science since Kinsey” edited by Ira L. Reiss

Masters, Johnson and Kolodny a volume which claims that risk understated by public This paper presents a brief analysis of the key data contained in MJK's book using simple mathematical models. The paper shows that the unconditional per partner risk of infection for the sexually active heterosexuals in the MJK study is exceeded by the similar risk for typical gay men in San Francisco by a factor of nearly fifty; that the conditional probability of infection given exposure via vaginal sex is about 2% for men and 3% for women per partner (both of these numbers are lower than the corresponding infec‐tivities for unprotected anal sex among gay men); and that an AIDS epidemic among the general heterosexual population would occur only if the average number of sexual partners per year exceeds about 5.3, an unlikely number given the data in MJK's study.     

The Science of Orgasm Has Finally Come: A Review of: “The Science of Orgasm. By Barry R. Komisaruk,Carlos Beyer-Flores,and Beverly Whipple.”

This research sought to examine psychologically mediated effects of differential penis size. To investigate this issue, we asked male and female undergraduates (N = 284) to read erotic passages that differed only in the length of the penis that was ascribed to the male protagonist—3 in. long (small), 5 in. long (medium), 8 in. long (large), or no mention made of penis size (control condition). Arousal and attributional responses to these portrayals were then assessed. In addition, subjects' erotophobia‐erotophilia (their disposition to respond to erotic stimuli with negative to positive emotions) and their level of prior sexual experience were assessed. Results showed that the erotic passages were significantly arousing and that the manipulation of perceptions of penis size was highly effective. Despite the effectiveness of the manipulation, however, subjects did not report differential arousal or (for the most part) attributional responses to depictions of small, medium, or large penises. Correlational analyses revealed that erotophilic (versus erotophobic) persons may be more aroused by depictions of a large penis, and more sexually experienced males seemed to be more aroused by depictions of medium than by small or large penises. In all cases, however, the observed correlations were modest. Overall, the findings suggest that, for most individuals, penis size may be as unimportant on a psychological level as it appears to be on a physical level.     

A Review of: “Producing Sperm Sperm Counts: Overcome by Man's Most Precious Fluid. By Lisa Jean Moore.”

This paper offers a preliminary conceptualization of the psychological structure of AIDS‐related attitudes among American adults and describes some of the social and psychological factors that affect those attitudes. Data were collected first from participants in focus groups in five U.S. cities and then from respondents in a national telephone survey. Two major psychological dimensions of attitudes were observed consistently. The first dimension, labeled COERCION/COMPASSION, includes judgments about the extent to which AIDS is viewed as highly contagious and requiring containment, through coercion if necessary. It also includes attributions of blame to people with AIDS. The second dimension, PRAGMATISM/MORALISM, includes judgments about the extent to which AIDS is viewed as controllable through research, public education and governmental sponsorship of behavior‐change programs. The two attitude dimensions are not highly correlated. Regression analyses suggest that the two dimensions have different social and psychological antecedents and that these antecedents differ between White and Black Americans. Using the two factors, a tentative typology of responses to the AIDS epidemic is presented. Implications for AIDS education and policy are discussed.     

A Review of: “Exploring Black Sexuality. By Robert Staples.”

Higgins, Trussell, Moore, and Davidson (2010) expand our understanding of sexual satisfaction by showing that first vaginal sex is more likely to be psychologically than physically satisfying and by revealing differences between women and men and similarities between African Americans and Whites. Their analyses highlight the need for further theory-building, explicating the dynamics of change over time, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches, and articulating implications for public policy. These are crucial steps toward developing a social science of sexual satisfaction. More research that focuses on positive aspects of sexuality, such as satisfaction, should be encouraged.     

Integrated physical and mental health care at a nurse-managed clinic: report from the trenches

The Health and Wellness Center (HWC), located in Joliet, Illinois, is a nurse-managed universally accessible primary health care center funded by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The goals of the HWC are to improve access to quality primary health care services for all patients, including those who are uninsured and underserved, and to develop and implement a model of nurse-managed primary health care that integrates both physical and mental health assessment and treatment. After 5 years of developing and using this model, it is clear that integration requires strategic supports from the financial, political, and professional sectors to be considered a cost-effective model of health care delivery. Recommendations for policy and practice change are offered based on the author's experiences of providing integrated health care at the HWC and the health care industry's responses to uninsured or underinsured patients' needs.     

Review Essay:Analyzing Slavery and the Slave Narrative

Many Thousands Gone: The First Two Centuries of Slavery in North America, by Ira Berlin. Remembering Slavery: African Americans Talk About Their Personal Experiences of Slavery and Emancipation, edited by Ira Berlin, Marc Favreau, and Steven F. Miller.     

A Review of: “Crossing Sexual Boundaries: Transgender Journeys,Uncharted Paths. Edited by J. Ari Kane-DeMaios & Vern L. Bullough.”

THE SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION OF CHILDREN. Mary de Young. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &; Company, 1982; 179 pages; $18.95.

“FEMININITY,” “MASCULINITY,” AND “ANDROGYNY” A Modern Philosophical Discussion. Mary Vetterling‐Braggin (Ed.). Totowa, NJ: Littlefield, Adams, &; Co., 1982; 326 pages; $8.95.

IMPOTENCE: Physiological, Psychological, Surgical Diagnosis and Treatment. Gorm Wagner and Richard Green. New York: Plenum Press, 1981; 182 pages; $24.50.

Bullough, V. L. Age at Menarche: A Misunderstanding. Science 1981, 213, 365–366.