Development of Sexual Behavior

Stages of Development: Adulthood

Reproductive Behavior 1

On the individual level, adulthood is usally the time when females and males decide to become parents. In modern societies, parenthood in adolescence is not typical and often the result of an unwanted pregnancy. In contrast, most adults now make a conscious choice to have children. They also choose when to have them, how many, and at what intervals. Taking advantage of the now available methods of contraception, they see erotic and reproductive behavior as separate issues.                                                                              Indeed, this view is encouraged by many governments concerned about unchecked polulation growth. A good example is China, where the official policy of “one child per couple” makes it clear to every citizen that sex and reproduction are no longer inextricably linked.
On the other hand, some religious traditions still insist on this linkeage. The Catholic Church, for example, demands that sexual intercourse should always remain “open to the possibility of new life”. According to this doctrine, most forms of contraception are therefore “artificial” and immoral.
In most countries today, the decision to use contraception is left to the individual conscience. This is also true of the ways in which couples deal with infertility. Some accept it as the will of God and adjust to a life without children, others choose adoption, and still others take advantage of one of the many modern methods of overcoming Infertility.