Year: 2020
Type: reference-entry
Abstract: Sexual practices are those actions people define as sexual, and their relationship to the architecture of society. These practices vary widely between and within societies, and change significantly through time. This variation is due, among other reasons, to different definitions and prescriptions of what is normal sexuality and what not. This is illustrated by the fact that sexual‐romantic kissing is not universal. Nevertheless, the gap between what people do and what societies prescribe can be large. Sociology of sexual practices often focuses on social dimensions of risky behavior related to sexually transmissible infections, such as HIV/AIDS. One such social dimension is the relevance of the networks people are engaged in for sexual opportunities and behavior. The fast‐changing effects of information and communications technology on sexual practices is receiving growing attention among researchers.
Author: Stef Adriaenssens
Institution: KU Leuven
Language: English
Topic: Gender and Feminist Studies
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4320163202