Human Sexuality
Personality and Social Psychological Perspectives
- Craig A. Hill - Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne
"Although intended as a textbook, this accessible book could as well serve in an academic collection as a useful source of background material for a variety of readers." —CHOICE
"Craig Hill's new text is a welcome addition to the textbooks available for undergraduate courses on human sexuality. It goes beyond the standard topics found in many books and seriously integrates social psychological research and theory on human sexuality. This book is just the type of serious treatment of psychological aspects of human sexuality that I have been seeking for some time for my course."
—Irene Hanson Frieze, Professor of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
Human Sexuality: Personality and Social Psychological Perspectives presents the topics typically covered in human sexuality courses, rooting the presentation in a strong psychological perspective. Author Craig Hill focuses on personality and social psychological theory to provide students with a conceptual understanding of the psychological factors involved in sexuality, and he encourages students to build upon that foundation by challenging them to think critically about the material in various ways. He also emphasizes the scientific investigation of sexuality, offering a solid review of the research literature.
Key Features
- Focuses predominantly on the psychological aspects of sexuality: The topics covered and the organization of the book are ideally suited for instructors who wish to emphasize psychological factors involved in sexuality.
- Stresses the symbiotic relationship between research and theory: The book provides a more accurate and complete understanding of the way in which science generates sound evidence that informs theories pertaining to sexuality and how those theories, in turn, inform further inquiry.
- Presents real-life examples: Personal anecdotes enable students to relate concepts and information to the lives of real people and to their own lives, making the information clearer and more meaningful to them.
- Integrates cultural diversity throughout: Race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation are considered in the topics covered and the examples employed.
- Helps develop critical thinking and analytic abilities: Analyze This: Looking at Different Perspectives; An Opportunity for Self-Reflection; and An Eye Toward Research boxes as well as end-of-chapter questions and caption questions allow students to delve further into the material, allowing them to think critically about current topics and their own lives.
Intended Audience
This is an excellent core text for both undergraduate and graduate courses on Human Sexuality particulary those offered in departments of psychology.
Supplementary Material
- An Instructor's Resource CD provides PowerPoint presentations; chapter study material; classroom handouts; and suggestions for course projects, discussion questions, and internet exercises. Also included is a Computerized Test Bank with multiple-choice, true/false, and essay questions that allows for easy test creation
- A Student Study Web Site provides e-flashcards, Internet exercises and resources, self quizzes, and links to SAGE journal articles and video clips. Also available is a link to the author's blog where students can respond to comments posted by the author and other students using the text. Go to www.sagepub.com/hillhsstudy to view the site.
"Author Craig Hill has created a comprehensive text unique in its approach to the literature on sexuality and relationship status, biological factors affecting specific aspects of sexuality, and adult sexual decision-making. This text successfully communicates psychological theories and theory-guided research while maintaining its appeal to undergraduates. Moreover, the material is inclusive in its consideration of research on gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and race. Craig Hill's Human Sexuality is a vital tool to any faculty member teaching a course in human sexuality."
"Although intended as a textbook, this accessible book could as well serve in an academic collection as a useful source of background material for a variety of readers."
—CHOICE
It was the best text that I found that combined gender and sexuality from a psychological perspective. I was however disappointed in the lack of recent references as it is published in 2007. My students felt the treatment of LBGTQ issues was old-fashioned harkening to the deviant days of years past. Is there a new edition on the horizon?
I found 'Human Sexuality' to be an excellent textbook. My students have embraced the context's of it's pages which were facilitated during their module Universal Issues in Counselling: Sexuality.
As not many lectures go into this matter in great depth (within the module), this is an excellent text for any student to read outside of the framework of the lectures. This is especially the case if working on essays or dissertations related to sexuality. A thorough assessment of human sexuality is given and there is a mass of research and references provided for the reader to use to their advantage and follow up.
Hill's Human Sexuality text is comprehensive in including LGBTQI-2S, as well as race, ethnicity, religion, class, and immigration. It offers a multiplicity of psychological theories and their intersection with human sexuality. Additionally Dr. Hill provides extensive opportunity for readers to engage critically with the material as well as highlight areas of needed research.
This book is a useful and comprehensive introduction to understanding the complexity of sexuality.
“Human Sexuality” offers an appealing synthesis of the social, bio- and differential psychological aspects of sex research. Its additional focus on developmental psychological ascendants, the cultural and/or religious contexts and a historical course of human sexuality makes it stand out favorably from other volumes about this topic.
Furthermore, it shouldn’t go unmentioned that “Human sexuality” is a very student-friendly and learner-oriented book that’s fun to work with, thanks to its numerous exercises, real life examples and attractive pictures. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in an overview of the different facets of sex research and the empirical knowledge researchers in this field have gathered throughout the last decades.
This book is useful for practitioners to extend their understanding of the wide and complex issues in sexual health.
Sage College Publishing
