Psychological Models of Sexual Response

Code:

PDSH03

Acronym:

MPRS

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Psychology

Instance: 2023/2024 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	Doctoral Programme in Human Sexuality

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
PDSH	11	Plano de Estudos em vigor	1	-	3	14	81

Teaching language

Portuguese and english

Objectives

The course “Psychological Models of sexual response” aims to develop knowledge, skills and expertise related to neuro-psychophysiological processes of sexual response, as well as the main theoretical models of psychological nature of the sexual response and functioning in men and women. 

• Neuro-psychophysiological processes of sexual response
• Classical models of sexual response and functioning (e.g. Masters & Johnson’s and Helen Kaplan’s models)
• Critical perspectives about the classical models of sexual response (e.g. Leonore Tiefer’s critical perspective)
• New models of sexual response (e.g. Basson’s Circular Model, Bancroft & Janssen’s Dual Control Model)
• Psychological models of sexual functioning and dysfunction (e.g. Barlow’s Cognitive-Affective Model, Nobre’s Cognitive-Emotional Model)

Learning outcomes and competences

The students should be able:

• To know to neuro-psychophysiological processes of sexual response
• To acquire knowledge on the classical models of sexual response and functioning (e.g. Masters & Johnson’s and Helen Kaplan’s models)
• To know the critical perspectives about the classical models of sexual response (e.g. Leonore Tiefer’s critical perspective)
• To acquire knowledge on the “new” models of sexual response (e.g. Basson’s Circular Model, Bancroft & Janssen’s Dual Control Model)
• To know the psychological models of sexual functioning and dysfunction (e.g. Barlow’s Cognitive-Affective Model, Nobre’s Cognitive-Emotional Model
• To integrate the knowledge from different theoretical models regarding sexual response and functioning, as well as being able to critically reflect upon them

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

NA

Program

1. Neuropsychophysiology of Sexual Response


2. Classical Models of Sexual Response (e.g. Masters & Johnson, Helen Kaplan)


3. Critical perspectives of sexual response models (e.g. Leonore Tiefer)


4. Alternative Models of Sexual Response (e.g. Basson, Bancroft & Janssen)


5. Explanatory models of sexual functioning/dysfunction (e.g. Barlow, Nobre)

Mandatory literature

E. Janssen; The Psychophysiology of Sex, Indiana University Press, 2007
Masters & Johnson; Human sexual response, Little Brown, 1966
L. Tiefer; Sex is not a Natural act, and other essays, Westview Press, 2004
John Bancroft (Editor); The Role of Theory in Sex Research, Indiana University Press, 2000
Zoe Peterson (Ed.) ; Handbook of Sex Therapy, The Wiley-Blackwell, 2017

Teaching methods and learning activities

• Expositive method, promoting the development of updated knowledge on the subject areas in study


• Reading and critical discussion of scientific articles about different models of sexual response


• Research of bibliographic materials using scientific databases (b-on, PsychInfo, EBSCO, Google Scholar, etc.)

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	20,00
Trabalho escrito	80,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	20,00
Frequência das aulas	14,00
Trabalho de investigação	20,00
Trabalho escrito	27,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

Type of assessment

Students should prepare an individual essay with a systematic literature review about one of the topics covered in the course and actively participate in the classes

In order to be approved in this course, the students should:

1. Obtain a grade of 9,5 or superior

2. Complete all components of the evaluation

Calculation formula of final grade

FINAL GRADE = (written work*0,80 + participation in the classes*0,20)

Examinations or Special Assignments

NA

Internship work/project

NA

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

NA

Classification improvement

Students may improve the final grade during the appeal season (for that they should develop a new written work)

Observations

NA