Human Sexuality in a Changing World, 10th edition

Published by Pearson (May 1, 2019) © 2018

  • Spencer A. Rathus The College of New Jersey
  • Jeffrey S. Nevid St. John's University
  • Lois Fichner-Rathus The College of New Jersey

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A contemporary overview of human sexuality that fosters personal reflection and critical thinkingRevel Human Sexuality in a Changing World provides a clear overview of this diverse field, aimed at helping students see the effects of both biology and culture upon human sexuality. In order to foster a more personal and impactful learning experience, authors Spencer Rathus, Jeffrey Nevid, and Lois Fichner-Rathus encourage students to reflect upon their own beliefs and experiences as they proceed through the text. In addition to the latest research, the Tenth Edition has been updated with new content on the ways in which the Internet and digital devices have impacted sexuality in many contemporary societies.
Learn more about Revel.
Dynamic content designed for the way today's students read, think, and learn brings concepts to life
  • Integrated within the narrative, interactives and videos empower students to engage with concepts and take an active role in learning. Pearson Revel's unique presentation of media as an intrinsic part of course content brings the hallmark features of Pearson’s bestselling titles to life. Revel's media interactives have been designed to be completed quickly, and its videos are brief, so students stay focused and on task.
  • Located throughout Revel, quizzing affords students opportunities to check their understanding at regular intervals before moving on.
  • The Revel mobile app lets students read, practice, and study — anywhere, anytime, on any device. Content is available both online and offline, and the app syncs work across all registered devices automatically, giving students great flexibility to toggle between phone, tablet, and laptop as they move through their day. The app also lets students set assignment notifications to stay on top of all due dates.
  • Revel’s writing functionality enables educators to integrate writing — among the best ways to foster and assess critical thinking — into the course without significantly impacting their grading burden. Self-paced Journaling Prompts throughout the narrative encourage students to express their thoughts without breaking stride in their reading. And assignable Shared Writing Activities direct students to share written responses with classmates, fostering peer discussion.
  • Highlighting, note taking, and a glossary let students read and study however they like. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.

A shift in approach coupled with new and updated content represents the state of sexuality in the digital age
  • NEW! A switch in title, from Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity to Human Sexuality in a Changing World, reflects the authors’ continuing focus on human diversity as well as their new commitment to portraying the ways in which the digital age has exploded the availability of sexual information and reshaped the ways in which many of us experience sexuality.
  • NEW! Utilizing a streamlined chapter structure, the authors have organized the Tenth Edition into 16 chapters as opposed to the 19 chapters in the previous edition. In addition to fitting better with the semester calendar, this new organization presents content in a more logical fashion — flowing from the core of who a person is as a sexual being to coverage of attraction, love, sexual behavior, and sexuality through the lifespan. The final chapters explore crucial topics such as sexual dysfunctions, sexually transmitted infections, atypical variations in sexual behavior (paraphilias), and more.
  • NEW! Sex in the Digital Age features help students to understand what the electronic age has brought to the world of human sexuality. These engaging contemporary features highlight how the applications of digital technology to human sexuality are virtually endless, and show how people shape these apps and are shaped by them. Examples of topics covered include:
    • Thinking Critically about Sexual Advice on the Internet
    • Gender-Hacking on OkCupid
    • Sexting
    • Fertility and Period Trackers
    • Rape Prevention? There’s an App for That (Actually There Are Several)
  • NEW! Throughout the Tenth Edition, the authors employ a heightened use of popular culture to stimulate students and illustrate issues involving human sexuality. Examples include:
    • In Chapter 4, references to Laverne Cox of Orange Is the New Black and Caitlyn Jenner illustrate transgender issues among celebrities;
    • In Chapter 5, coverage of Miley Cyrus’s statements suggestive of bisexuality sheds light on sexual orientation;
    • In Chapter 8, references to characters portrayed by Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake in the film Friends with Benefits illustrate contemporary wrinkles in sexual relationships;
    • In Chapter 14, the authors reference Dakota Johnson’s character in the film Fifty Shades of Grey as an illustration of sadomasochism;
    • In Chapter 15, coverage of issues concerning Bill Cosby and alleged sexual assault illuminates the topic of sexual coercion.
  • NEW! Updated references throughout the text ensure that research in sexual health, in the psychology of sex, and in all other key areas is thoroughly up to date.

Engaging features stimulate student interest and enhance understanding
  • Real Students, Real Questions highlight questions, collected from college students from across the country, on human sexuality topics big and small. These questions serve as icebreakers and encourage students in the class to pose their own questions. Sample questions include the following:
    • One of my breasts is bigger than the other. Is this normal?
    • How do you tell someone the relationship is over?
    • How can I keep my partner interested in sex after five years together?
  • Sex in a World of Diversity features highlight the rich variety of human sexual customs and practices in our own society as well as those throughout the world. Viewing human sexuality in a multicultural context helps students better understand how cultural beliefs, values, and attitudes can influence the expression of sexuality. These features help students learn about cultural differences related to gender roles, sexual orientation, sexual jealousy, and premarital and extramarital sexual patterns. Examples of topics covered include:
    • Historical and Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Menstruation
    • Third Gender/Third Sex
    • Women in STEM Fields
    • Ethnicity and Sexual Orientation: A Matter of Belonging
    • LGBT Family Building
  • A Closer Look features provide in-depth discussions of scientific techniques (“Physiological Measures of Sexual Arousal”) and skill-building exercises (“Breast Self-Examination,” “Self-Examination of the Testes”). Other examples of topics covered include:
    • The 13 Basic Reasons for Having Sex
    • Myths about Menopause
    • Prostate Cancer: Treat It or Wait It Out?
    • XY Boys Who Are Reared As Girls
    • Women from the “Kink” Community
  • Truth-or-Fiction? chapter openers command student attention by challenging common sense, stereotypes, and folklore. Truth-or-Fiction Revisited sections interspersed throughout each chapter provide feedback to students regarding the accuracy of their assumptions in light of the evidence presented in the chapter.

Pedagogical tools guide students students through the course
  • Learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter guide students by identifying main ideas and defining learning goals. These learning objectives appear again in the end-of-chapter summary, to help reinforce key information.
  • Self-scoring questionnaires stimulate students’ interest and help them satisfy their curiosity about themselves. These questionnaires also enhance the relevance of the text to students’ lives. Examples of questionnaires include:
    • Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale
    • Pro-Choice or Pro-Life? Where Do You Stand?
    • Ten Cultural Myths That Create a Climate That Supports Rape
  • A running glossary presents key terms in bold type in the text, and presents their definitions in the margins near to where they appear. This enables students to readily find the meanings of key terms without breaking their concentration on the flow of the material.

Superior assignability and tracking tools help educators make sure students are completing their reading and understanding core concepts
  • Revel’s assignment calendar allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. When they understand exactly what is expected of them, students are better motivated to keep up.
  • Revel’s performance dashboard empowers educators to monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. Actionable information, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task, helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways. For example, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining, helping educators to identify students who might need help to stay on track.
  • Revel’s Blackboard Learn™ integration provides institutions, instructors, and students easy access to their Revel courses. With single sign-on, students can be ready to access Revel’s interactive blend of authors' narrative, media, and assessment on their first day. Flexible, on-demand grade synchronization capabilities allow educators to control exactly which Revel grades should be transferred to the Blackboard Gradebook.
Dynamic content designed for the way today's students read, think, and learn brings concepts to life
  • Integrated within the narrative, interactives and videos empower students to engage with concepts and take an active role in learning. Pearson Revel's unique presentation of media as an intrinsic part of course content brings the hallmark features of Pearson’s bestselling titles to life. Revel's media interactives have been designed to be completed quickly, and its videos are brief, so students stay focused and on task.
  • Located throughout Revel, quizzing affords students opportunities to check their understanding at regular intervals before moving on.
  • The Revel mobile app lets students read, practice, and study — anywhere, anytime, on any device. Content is available both online and offline, and the app syncs work across all registered devices automatically, giving students great flexibility to toggle between phone, tablet, and laptop as they move through their day. The app also lets students set assignment notifications to stay on top of all due dates.
  • Revel’s writing functionality enables educators to integrate writing — among the best ways to foster and assess critical thinking — into the course without significantly impacting their grading burden. Self-paced Journaling Prompts throughout the narrative encourage students to express their thoughts without breaking stride in their reading. And assignable Shared Writing Activities direct students to share written responses with classmates, fostering peer discussion.
  • Highlighting, note taking, and a glossary let students read and study however they like. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.
A shift in approach coupled with new and updated content represents the state of sexuality in the digital age
  • A switch in title, from Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity to Human Sexuality in a Changing World, reflects the authors’ continuing focus on human diversity as well as their new commitment to portraying the ways in which the digital age has exploded the availability of sexual information and reshaped the ways in which many of us experience sexuality.
  • Utilizing a streamlined chapter structure, the authors have organized the Tenth Edition into 16 chapters as opposed to the 19 chapters in the previous edition. In addition to fitting better with the semester calendar, this new organization presents content in a more logical fashion — flowing from the core of who a person is as a sexual being to coverage of attraction, love, sexual behavior, and sexuality through the lifespan. The final chapters explore crucial topics such as sexual dysfunctions, sexually transmitted infections, atypical variations in sexual behavior (paraphilias), and more.
  • Sex in the Digital Age features help students to understand what the electronic age has brought to the world of human sexuality. These engaging contemporary features highlight how the applications of digital technology to human sexuality are virtually endless, and show how people shape these apps and are shaped by them. Examples of topics covered include:
    • Thinking Critically about Sexual Advice on the Internet
    • Gender-Hacking on OkCupid
    • Sexting
    • Fertility and Period Trackers
    • Rape Prevention? There’s an App for That (Actually There Are Several)
  • Throughout the Tenth Edition, the authors employ a heightened use of popular culture to stimulate students and illustrate issues involving human sexuality. Examples include:
    • In Chapter 4, references to Laverne Cox of Orange Is the New Black and Caitlyn Jenner illustrate transgender issues among celebrities;
    • In Chapter 5, coverage of Miley Cyrus’s statements suggestive of bisexuality sheds light on sexual orientation;
    • In Chapter 8, references to characters portrayed by Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake in the film Friends with Benefits illustrate contemporary wrinkles in sexual relationships;
    • In Chapter 14, the authors reference Dakota Johnson’s character in the film Fifty Shades of Grey as an illustration of sadomasochism;
    • In Chapter 15, coverage of issues concerning Bill Cosby and alleged sexual assault illuminates the topic of sexual coercion.
  • Updated references throughout the text ensure that research in sexual health, in the psychology of sex, and in all other key areas is thoroughly up to date.
Superior assignability and tracking tools help educators make sure students are completing their reading and understanding core concepts
  • Revel’s assignment calendar allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. When they understand exactly what is expected of them, students are better motivated to keep up.
  • Revel’s performance dashboard empowers educators to monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. Actionable information, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task, helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways. For example, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining, helping educators to identify students who might need help to stay on track.
  • Revel’s Blackboard Learn™ integration provides institutions, instructors, and students easy access to their Revel courses. With single sign-on, students can be ready to access Revel’s interactive blend of authors' narrative, media, and assessment on their first day. Flexible, on-demand grade synchronization capabilities allow educators to control exactly which Revel grades should be transferred to the Blackboard Gradebook.

Brief Contents

  1. What Is Human Sexuality?
  2. Female Sexual Anatomy and Physiology
  3. Male Sexual Anatomy and Physiology
  4. Gender: Identity, Roles, Differences
  5. Sexual Orientation
  6. Attraction and Love
  7. Sexual Response and Sexual Behavior
  8. Relationships and Communication
  9. Conception, Pregnancy, and Childbirth
  10. Contraception and Abortion
  11. Sexuality Through the Lifespan
  12. Sexual Problems and Solutions
  13. Sexually Transmitted Infections
  14. Atypical Sexual Variations
  15. Sexual Coercion
  16. Selling Sex
Spencer A. Rathus received his PhD from the University at Albany. He is on the faculty at The College of New Jersey. His areas of interest include psychological assessment, cognitive behavior therapy, and deviant behavior. He is the originator of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, which has become a Citation Classic. He has authored several books, including Psychology: Concepts and Connections; PSYCH, HDEV, CDEV, Essentials of Psychology, and Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development. He co-authored Making the Most of College with Lois Fichner-Rathus; AIDS: What Every Student Needs To Know with Susan Boughn; and Behavior Therapy, Psychology and the Challenges of Life, Your Health and Health in the New Millennium with Jeffrey S. Nevid. His professional activities include service on the American Psychological Association Task Force on Diversity Issues at the Precollege and Undergraduate Levels of Education in Psychology, and on the Advisory Panel, American Psychological Association, Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) Task Force on Undergraduate Psychology Major Competencies.
Jeffrey S. Nevid is Professor of Psychology at St. John's University in New York, where he directs the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and supervises doctoral students in clinical practicum work. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University at Albany and was a staff psychologist at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, New York. He later completed a National Institute of Mental Health Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Mental Health Evaluation Research at Northwestern University. He holds a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology, is a Fellow of the Academy of Clinical Psychology, and has served on the editorial boards of several journals and as Associate Editor of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. His publications have appeared his in such journals as Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Health Psychology, Journal of Occupational Medicine, Behavior Therapy, American Journal of Community Psychology, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Journal of Clinical Psychology, Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Teaching of Psychology, American Journal of Health Promotion, and Psychology and Psychotherapy. Dr. Nevid is also author of the book, Choices: Sex in the Age of STDs and the introductory psychology text, Psychology: Concepts and Applications, as well as several other college texts in the fields of psychology and health that he coauthored with Spencer A. Rathus. Dr. Nevid has also been involved in conducting a program of pedagogical research focusing on helping students become more effective learners.
Lois Fichner-Rathus is Professor of Art in the Art Department of The College of New Jersey, where she has also chaired the Program in Gender Studies. She holds a combined undergraduate degree in fine arts and art history, an M.A. from the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art, and a Ph.D. in the History, Theory, and Criticism of Art from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her areas of specialization include feminist art history and criticism, contemporary art, and modern art and architecture. She has authored several textbooks, including Understanding Art and Foundations of Art and Design. She has also published articles in professional journals and exhibited her large-format photographic prints.

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