Empirical Sexual Attitudes

What sexual attitudes should we endorse if we want our attitudes to be as faithful as possible to the available scientific evidence? Empirical Sexual Attitudes provides a concise but thorough review of hundreds of scholarly works to shed new light on the science of sex. It uses a conversational tone and explains basic psychological terms and concepts, while maintaining research-level rigor, never overstating what is known and speaking frankly about controversial topics without sensationalizing. Thus, it is accessible to general readers while also making a suitable textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses in human sexuality. Each chapter has its own summary and detailed table of contents to make reading easy. The book considers questions such as:

• What are the consequences of sexual indulgence and sexual abstinence?
• How does sexual motivation affect everyday thinking and decision-making?
• Why do humans (and animals) engage in non-reproductive sexual behavior?
• Where do sexual taboos come from?
• What causes rape and other forms of sexual abuse?