Studying Sexology: 8 reasons that can convince you
This educational path allows you to better understand human sexuality in all its aspects.
Human sexuality is one of the most important aspects of our lives. Regardless of whether we have a partner or not, or our sexual orientation, this psychological factor affects us greatly in our day-to-day lives; even asexual people, who do not experience this type of desire, live immersed in societies in which intimate relationships based on sex influence practically everything around them.
It is for this reason, among others, that studying Sexology as a university specialization or postgraduate degree can be an interesting option for many people. However, if we look more closely, we will be able to find many reasons to choose this training path. But first, let's start with the basics.
What is Sexology?
Sexology is the discipline that studies human sexualityin general, and with all the psychological and Biological processes associated with it. This means that it is a field of research and intervention related especially to the health sciences, but also maintains contact with the social sciences, since the cultural modulates our way of experiencing and expressing sexuality.
On the other hand, it must be taken into account that sexuality is an area of life that goes far beyond sexual relations or the pleasure obtained in this way; it also includes aspects such as the perception of one's own nudity and the forms of discomfort linked to the stigmatization of marginalized sexual identities, etc.
Thus, Sexology can be a path of training and studies that can be reached by different routes. In many cases it is a specialization that is reached after having started more general university careers.
Why study Sexology?
Having skills and training in Sexology allows one to expand one's knowledge in health and wellness, and for this reason this is a particularly interesting option for students of Psychology or Medicine..
Below you can find 8 reasons to study Sexology.
1. It offers a more global vision of health
People interested in the world of health can find a powerful ally in Sexology, since it offers a global conception of wellness that does not only focus on disease, but also on the improvement of what already exists in the body. but also on the improvement of what is already functional.. In this case, it may be the improvement of sexual relations, a habit linked to pleasure and the strengthening of emotional ties.
2. It helps to break the information blockade
Sex remains a taboo subject even in Western societies, and this contributes to misinformation about this facet of our lives. Therefore, studying sexology has beneficial social effects, as it helps reliable information about the subject to circulate and spread throughout the culture.
3. It allows us to know ourselves better
Much of sexuality is related to sensations, emotions and the subjective. For this reason, training in Sexology allows us to to know oneself better and to link the knowledge to our own experiences. In this way we have a global vision of the objective and subjective processes of sexuality.
4. Offers the power to break myths
Sex has also been modulated from a phallocentric and macho vision of relationships, and that is why studying Sexology helps to break down many myths about how sexuality should be experienced. In a way, it serves to overthrow structures of domination of women and minorities such as homosexuals or bisexuals.
5. It is a good complement to couples therapy
If you are a psychologist, training in Sexology can offer you the possibility of dealing with a wider range of problems, so that you can intervene both in the kind of problems related to this particular area of health as well as in the psychological aspects of marital crises and lack of self-esteem that are often associated with the former.
6. You will be able to work in sex education
Sexology not only has a clinical part, but also offers the possibility to focus on education of children and young people and the prevention of sexually transmitted sexually transmitted diseasesunwanted pregnancies, etc. This professional outlet is very useful for professionals whose work keeps them in contact with schools and institutes, such as psychopedagogues, and also to disseminate through the media and the Internet, whose reach has the potential to be massive.
7. It allows a better understanding of society
As we have seen, sexuality is everywhere: in advertisements, in the division of labor, in design and rituals, etc. Therefore, studying sexology is a way to better understand the way in which cultures modulate the way in which this area of life is experienced. This is a particularly interesting option for social psychologists and anthropologists. for social psychologists and anthropologists.
8. Helps to better understand the organism
Students coming from careers such as medicine or biomedicine can better understand the biological and physiological processes involved in the involved in the way sexuality is experienced. Having this information helps prevent a wide variety of problems and avoid unwarranted fears.
Bibliographical references:
- Bullough, V.L. (1989). The society for the scientific study of sex: A brief history. Mt. Vernon, Iowa: The Foundation for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.
- Diamond, M. (2004). Sex, gender, and identity over the years: a changing perspective. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 13 (3): 591-607, viii.
- Haeberle, E.J. (1983). The birth of sexology: A brief history in documents. World Association for Sexology.
(Updated at Apr 13 / 2024)