Variations in Sexual Behavior

Historical Background 4

In the course of the 20th-century, sexologists conducted extensive biological, physiological, psychological, sociological, erthnological, and historical research, and their findings eventually forced the psychiatrists to become more self-critical. As a result, they revised their diagnostic handbooks several times. For example, the current psychiatric list of sexual and gender identity disorders no longer includes “zoophilia” and “homosexuality”, and some other “paraphilias” are now under discussion as candidates for removal. Some therapists even demand the removal of the entire category. For the purpose of the present course, however, the details of this discussion are not important. Essential are the underlying questions: Should certain variations in human sexual behavior be classified as mental illnesses or disorders? If so, which ones? And what should be the criteria for such a classification? What are its consequences for the individual and for society? What are the consequences for medical science? Does a medical model offer the best explanation of erotic specialization? Are there other, and perhaps better, models?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)
of the American Psychiatric Association.
In the last few decades, the handbook has been revised several times. The latest edition is “DSM V”.
Left: III. Edition - Revised 1987. Middle: IV. Edition - Text Revision 1994, Right: V. Edition 2013.