A Sociological Journey into Sexuality

Abstract

The Freudian, Marxian, and sociobiological explanations of sexuality are not well designed for answering questions concerning differences among societies or groups in their sexual lifestyles. A macro-level, societal explanation of sexuality is needed to answer such questions. Such a theory is lacking in sociology but is developed in this paper. Sexuality is defined as a societal product whose importance lies more in its physical pleasure and selfdisclosure aspects than in its reproductive potential. Those qualities are universally valued because they are the building blocks of social relationships. This paper proposes that sexuality is universally linked to the social structure in three specific areas: (a) marital jealousy, (b) gender role power, and (c) beliefs about normality. Variations and interrelations of these three linkages are explained by the logical structure of this sociological theory. Evidence concerning the theory is explored by examining the Standard Cross Cultural Sample, National Opinion Research Center surveys, and individual research on other societies. The sociological explanation presented here applies to both heterosexual and homosexual relationships and to both industrial and nonindustrial societies. A number of specific, interrelated propositions that explain societal variations within the three universal linkage areas are explored. The logical structure of the theory is developed as the context of those propositions. The paper also treats the relevance of this theory for the applied professions dealing with sexuality.