The high rate of sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancies among the Cree adolescents indicate that this population frequently engages in unprotected sexual activities. AIDS is a critical health problem worldwide and AIDS contamination within a Cree community could be a threat to its survival. / A questionnaire was developed to survey attitudes, knowledge and behavior of Cree students in relation to AIDS. Further analysis included finding relationships between knowledge level, attitudes and behavior in order to guide future educational interventions. / A satisfactory level of knowledge about AIDS can be credited to the interventions of the clinic, the school, and the television. The level of knowledge is positively correlated with the level of tolerance of Cree students towards people infected by the HIV virus and of their perception of the danger of AIDS for the Cree population. While knowledge level and attitudes cannot be used to predict safer sexual behavior, alcohol consumption is highly related to risky sexual practices.

Sexual 'arousal' in Helix aspersa can be divided into 2 components, sexual proclivity (the tendency of a snail to respond to conspecific contact with courtship) and sexual arousal (the intensity with which the snail courts). Sexual proclivity and sexual arousal have different effects on feeding and locomotion and are differentially affected by sexual isolation, daily conspecific contact, and by a courtship pheromone found in the digitiform gland mucus. Therefore sexual arousal and sexual proclivity are probably mediated by 2 separate physiological mechanisms. Behavioural state, or the animal's general level of activity, correlates positively with mating behaviour. However, although a central system controlling behavioural state probably exists, it has no direct effect on either sexual proclivity or sexual arousal. Confusion over the term 'arousal', which impedes neuroethological research in this area, would be decreased by the adoption of the terms used in this thesis.

This thesis utilizes a qualitative method to investigate recreational sex among teenagers as recounted by current college-aged students. As defined for the purposes of this thesis, recreational sex is any consensual sexual activity undertaken for the purpose of pleasure and can encompass a variety of sexual activities. Questions were focused on attitudes and feelings about experiences and were formulated based on reminiscence methods. Studies that discuss teen sexuality in terms of pleasure are important for acknowledging sexual agency and self-efficacy among teens and for addressing the inherent risk involved in sexual activity. The first part of this thesis focuses on recreational sex in a more traditional recreational context. In other words, how do teens discuss and view recreation and recreational sex? Findings suggest that it is often hard to define sexual activity in terms usually associated with other recreational activities but that there are parallels upon further discussion. In addition, partners, past experience, and use of contraception play a role in shaping current experiences. The second part of this thesis examines the gendered contexts of teenage sexual pleasure. Findings show that the pursuance of pleasure is problematic for females in the same way that other sexual activities are. Participants suggest that sexual pleasure is assumed for males but criticized for females and that females often must negotiate the social landscape carefully to project a particular desirable image. In addition, many female participants described being the victims of sexual assault as part of their sexual experiences. Taken together, these pieces provide a contextual picture of teenage recreational sex. Rather than investigate more traditional aspects of teen sexual behavior (i.e. contraception, alcohol and drug use), this thesis approaches sexual activity in terms of pleasure. This gives credence to the idea that teens not only experience sexual pleasure but also that they actively seek it.

This study investigated the correlation between fear and knowledge of AIDS and changes in sexual behavior. A review of the literature showed students with more knowledge and fear of contracting AIDS made changes in their sexual behavior to help prevent becoming infected. Subjects who participated in this study were undergraduate student volunteers in the Counseling Psychology Research Pool. The subjects were given two questionnaires to complete. The first questionnaire consisted of thirty questions.It assessed their general knowledge of AIDS by asking them to respond with a "yes* or "no" to the statements. In the second questionnaire, the first eleven questions assessed their fear of contracting AIDS by asking the subjects to respond to an agree/disagree continuum from one through seven. The final four questions asked the subjects to respond to changes they have made in their sexual behavior because of the possibility of contracting AIDS. The continuum ranged from " not at all" through "a great deal." ThePearson product moment statistic was used to determine correlations.There was a significant correlation (.001) between fear of AIDS and changes in sexual behavior, but there was not a correlation between knowledge of AIDS and changes in sexual behavior. AIDS is not prevalent at this university, so the students were not as fearful of contracting the disease as students might have been in high incidence environments and as a result did not take necessary precautions. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The purpose of this study was to determine if the level of spirituality in college students influenced the sexual behaviors in which they engaged. Subjects for this study were sampled from among students enrolled in large core curriculum courses at Ball State University. The design of this study was a cross-sectional survey, descriptive, comparative study. The data collection instruments for this study were the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scales (Hatch et al. 1997) and selected questions from the College Risk Behaviors Questionnaire (CDC, 1995). A total of 300 instruments were distributed and 93.3% (n=280) were completed and returned.The Pearson Chi-Square analysis was used to test the hypotheses that there was no association between spirituality and selected sexual risky behavior among college students. Results of the Pearson's Chi-Square analysis revealed that there was an association between spirituality and sexual risk behavior of college students, therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

Sexual compulsivity describes poorly controlled sexual thoughts, fantasies, urges, and behavior. The purpose of the current study was to examine and compare, utilizing a non-clinical sample, the relative psychometric properties of two existing scales used to assess sexual compulsivity, the Sexual Compulsivity Scale and the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Inventory. Participants were 334 male undergraduate students ranging in age from 18 to 42 years (M =19.54, SD = 2.16) enrolled in Introductory Psychology courses at a mid-sized Midwestern university. Zero-order correlation analyses were conducted to identify which sexual behaviors and constructs associated with sexuality were significantly related to scores on the CSBI and the SCS. Examination of the differential patterns of sexuality relations suggests the CSBI and the SCS may measure different aspects of compulsivity. Step-wise regression analyses indicated that the use of drugs and alcohol to gain compliance from a sexual partner, fantasies of impersonal sex, and sexual anxiety were significant predictors for both the CSBI and the SCS. On the CSBI, the final predictor that accounted for a significant increase in variance accounted for was expressing anger, while on the SCS additional variance was accounted for by sexual preoccupation. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed. / Department of Psychological Science

We aimed to identify the volatile compounds in inflorescences of Rudbeckia hirta that may be responsible for the olfactory attraction of the crab spider Misumenoides formosipes to this plant. Our approach was to use ultrasonic extraction, separate the extract into fractions using flash chromatography with different solvent systems, and test the attraction of the male spiders to the pooled fractions using a y-tube olfactometer. Ultrasonic extraction is carried out using a mixture of 1:2 hexane/diethyl ether with 10 g of inflorescences for 30 minutes. Bioassay results indicated that male spiders chose the inflorescences, bulk ultrasonic extract, and the pooled 100% dichloromethane fractions over controls. Nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and infrared spectroscopy experiments were carried out on the 100% dichloromethane fractions and these experiments indicated that a long chain hydrocarbon is the main component in the 100% dichloromethane fractions / Chromatographic method and bioassay development method -- M. formosipes olfactory response to R. hirta -- Separation and identification of the possible attractants in the 100% dichloromethane fractions. / Department of Chemistry

Previous research has shown that many women feel self-conscious of their bodies during physical intimacy with their partners, and this body image self-consciousness was related to sexual esteem, sexual assertiveness, sexual experience, and avoidance of sexual behavior. The purpose of the present study was to further explore body image selfconsciousness and examine its relationship with sexual functioning, risky sexual behavior, and sexual victimization. Participants were 171 heterosexual, sexually active, female undergraduate college students and completed the Body Image Self-Consciousness Scale (BISCS), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES), and a questionnaire assessing sexual experience and risky sexual behavior. Results found that body image self-consciousness was associated with use of protection against sexually transmitted infection during vaginal sex, overall sexual functioning, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction, and the frequency of some sexual behavior, but not sexual victimization. / Department of Psychological Science

Research has shown that college students understand the risks associated with risky sexual behavior, but make up to close to 50% of new STI cases every year. Previous research suggests that lower perceived susceptibility to negative consequences, extroversion, openness, and neuroticism are all related to risky sexual behavior. Three hypotheses are proposed. Hypothesis one proposes that men and women will have significantly different levels of perceived susceptibility. Hypothesis two proposes that perceived susceptibility, extroversion, openness, and neuroticism predict sexual risk taking. Finally, hypothesis three proposes that perceived susceptibility will be negatively correlated with sexual risk taking, whereas extroversion, openness, and neuroticism will be positively correlated with sexual risk taking. Hypothesis one was not supported, hypothesis two was supported, and hypothesis three was only partially supported. Future directions in safe sex education are suggested. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Wright and Adams (1994; 1999) developed a Choice Reaction Time measure to assess sexual interests in men and women. In their studies, men responded in accordance to their self-reported sexual interests much more consistently than women. Placing these results in the framework of objectification theories (e.g., Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), the present study was designed to examine the relationship between body image and young women's CRT responses.Forty-two females participated in the CRT task. Consistent with previous studies, 21 (50%) of the women took longer to respond on male trials than female trials. These women were compared to those who took longer on female trials on all the body image and sexuality measures using ANOVA's. Results indicated no significant differences on any of the body image measures, but a small number of differences on sexuality measures. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for gender differences in sexual interest. / Department of Psychological Science