Human Sexuality - Essay Example

SEX Since the introduction of the internet, researchers have different alternatives to colleting data, with respective pros and cons. The internet has definitely directly influenced sexual behavior, in terms of how people meet, communicate, and date, as well as changing research methods and design that center around flexible and fixed methods. However, not all information on the internet is equally empirical, and although a wider sample may be available, there are possible costs in terms of the validity and reliability of internet data. “The internets accessibility, affordability, anonymity (Cooper, 1998), and acceptability (King, 1999) make it especially attractive for research with hidden and stigmatized groups. Anyone with access to a computer and a modern is a potential participant, and respondents may access the research at a time and place convenient to them” (Bowen, 2005). Overall, the benefits to the internet perhaps outweigh the disadvantages, for sex researchers. Although sex researchers may reach out to the internet as a sort of compendium of evidence, one must proceed with caution when it comes to the validity and reliability of many online sources. Many people assume that just because something made it onto the internet, it has some sort of authority that reduces the possibility that the information is spurious, doubtful, or even patently false. But with the proliferation of the internet as an information resource, there has been an attendant proliferation of dubious web-sites promoting different types of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda masquerading under a moniker of credibility. The current sex researcher professional must take extra steps to make sure that they can evaluate the content of information that is found on the internet, in terms of its credibility, reliability, and substantiation as information or data. Anyone doing research on the internet or receiving the information there must be able to sift or filter the false or spurious data from the worthwhile data found there, and this includes educators in terms of responsibility and other dedicated professionals in terms of leadership. Authorship is perhaps the major criterion used in evaluating information. “Who wrote this? When we look for information with some type of critical value, we want to know the basis of the authority with which the author speaks… The publishing body also helps evaluate any kind of document… Are there headers… that show the document to be part of an official academic or scholarly Web site?” (Kirk, 2001). Even when this is established, however, there is still room for doubt. There are plenty of sites which openly display names and dates, but are far from credible. It is perhaps most useful, if one is looking for scholarly information, to pay attention to the last third of this author’s quotation. Sex researchers must know that discretion in using internet sources is a responsibility that comes with the relatively unregulated nature of the internet itself, but many individuals take this responsibility for granted or do not exercise it often enough. This allows spurious or false sites to further proliferate, disseminate misinformation, and use quasi-scientific authority to attempt to posit credible scientific data. This is why the internet must be watched carefully for information that is valid and legitimate, and comes from valid sources. The internet can be a very effective tool for getting information and using it, and it can also make retrieving information more easy and convenient for the user. Due to the proliferation of the internet, sex researchers can more easily use different types of flexible and fixed designs, which have their respective advantages and disadvantages. Surveys and experiments are examples of fixed research designs, which are more quantitative than qualitative and have more aspects of this type of theory, and have expanded opportunities for sex researchers on the internet. Quantitative studies tend to rely on hard data and statistics that can provide generalizable results about a population, whereas qualitative studies could be more of a case example or subjective viewpoint. As one text states about the difference between fixed and flexible designs, “Flexible research designs are much more difficult to pin down than fixed designs. This is in part because it is only in recent years that researchers have given consideration to the design issues which they raise. Previously there had been a tradition in the disciplines of social anthropology of an apprenticeship model” (Huberman and Miles, 2002). If flexible designs have less history behind them in the literature on the subject of studying sexuality, it might be an indication that they are not as effective. Then again, this could just be the result of a dearth of interest in researchers regarding this subject, or could be a projection of individual authors. Legitimate sources of sex research can often be substantiated according to where they have been published. Overall, Kirk (2001) defines information counterfeiting on the internet in three general and useful categories: propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation. Propaganda may be true, but uses levers to encourage a certain way of thinking. “Misinformation differs from propaganda in that it always refers to something which is not true. It differs from disinformation in that it is intention neutral. It isn’t deliberate, it’s just wrong or mistaken… Urban legends are fabricated or untrue stories that are passed along by sincere people who believe them” (Kirk, 2001). Through flexible and fixed designs, sex researchers can take advantage of internet settings for various types of experiments. “By making use of existing or experimental on-line sex therapists and sexual self-help or entertainment groups, researchers can study topics such as interpersonal attraction, flirting, sexual language, sexual self-help, sexual writing, role playing, and therapeutic relationships.” (Sex, 2010). Flexible and fixed research designs can exist together and there does not really have to be one that is better than the other generally. Sometimes these designs are even used within the same study. In terms of disadvantages however there are disadvantages to both approaches. For example if someone can’t decide on the problem, then no research is going to be done in the first place. Another disadvantage in reference to flexible designs could be their lack of scientific credibility when compared to fixed designs. “Fixed designs, with their reliance on quantitative data and statistical generalization, are considered by their proponents to be scientific. The scientific status of flexible designs is much more in dispute. There are those mainly from qualitative traditions who have no wish to have their research viewed as science” (Robson, 2002). If I were a sex researcher today, I would want to explore more about homophobia and how it is reflected in mainstream gender roles. I think that there is a lack of information about this subject in existing literature, and that it is something that experimenters can shed light on. However, conducting research on this subject may be difficult, because in many communities, closeted homosexuals may not want to participate in research due to confidentiality fears. REFERENCE Bowen, A (2005). Internet sexuality research with rural men who have sex with men: can we recruit and retain them? Journal of Sex Research http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2372/is_4_42/ai_n15929176/ Kirk, E.E. (2001). Evaluating Information Found on the Internet. www.library.jhu.edu/elp/useit/evaluate. Huberman, A and M. Miles (2002). The Qualitative Researcher’s Companion. New York: Sage. Robson, C. (2002). Real World Research. New York: Blackwell. Sex research on the internet—ethical issues (2010). http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=LT7CQZG85ccpxqwJj3lL8rn88HLXV5C6nXKVZ7sdlpRCpsSQM12n!-1113899634!1144346239?docId=5001240102 Volunteer Bias in Sexuality Research Using College Student Participants (1999) Journal of Sex Research http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2372/is_1_36/ai_54128118/ Read More