性行为的发展

婴幼儿期会在短时间内经历一个引人注目的生理与心理的发育与发展过程。他们也许会在很早就具备了基本的“性反应”能力，并且有的甚至会体验到极度兴奋(orgasm[1])。在2岁时，他们通常已经学会用手探查外部世界和自己的身体。在后续的几个月里，也能够指望他们控制自己的排尿和排便。转而，这也能够帮助他们发展自主意识，并且，如果他们没有受到干预——他们也可能开始有某种方式的性器官刺激活动。

这不是意味着他们的（这种）体验能够与成人的性欲行为相比拟，而是意味着那种成人期的性欲行为的生物潜能常常在早期就能够被发觉。对于婴幼儿和低幼儿来说，他们使身体愉悦的各种体验尚未被清晰地辨别和精确地作出划分。儿童只是会逐渐学习哪一种行为和感觉是“性的”行为和“性的”感觉，哪一种不是“性的”行为和“性的”感觉。他们会从一个总体的文化脚本来获得这种认知。而这个文化脚本是由其父母、亲属和其他成年人传授给他们的。

文化决定什么是“性的”定义

[1]. 按照作者所讲“就婴儿和儿童来说，永远都应该审慎地使用‘性的（sexual）’这个词”的审慎观点，此处的orgasm并不翻译成“性高潮”或“高潮”。而是翻译成“极度兴奋”。详见网页：婴幼儿期的性行为发展。——译者注。

Stages of Development: Infancy

“Sexual Response”

Infants undergo a dramatic physical and psychological development within a short time. They may very early become capable of basic „sexual responses“, and some may even experience orgasm. At the age of two, they have usually learned to use their hands for exploring the world and their own bodies. Within another few months, they can also be expected to gain control over their bladder and bowel movements. This, in turn, helps them to develop a sense of independence, and - if they are not interfered with - they may also begin a pattern of deliberately stimulating their sex organs.
This does not mean that their experiences are comparable to the erotic behavior of adults, but it means that the biological potential for it can often be detected early on. For infants and small children, their various pleasurable physical experiences are not yet clearly identified and neatly compartmentalized. Children learn only gradually which actions and feelings are “sexual” and which are not. They learn this from a general cultural script transmitted to them by their parents, relatives and other adults.