Pedophilia: Biosocial Dimensions

(ed.), Jay Feierman R.
Place PublishedNew York
PublisherSpringer-Verlag, New York (1990), ISBN 0-387-97243-9
Extent600 pp
Research

Jay R. Feierman (ed.)

Pedophilia: Biosocial Dimensions

Springer-Verlag, New York (1990), ISBN 0-387-97243-9 

Introduction - Given in full text

Most of the lay and professional literature although voluminous, reflect a narrow anthropo-, ethno-, and chrono-centrism that precludes any real understanding of the topic with anything more than the preconceptions of our times. [...]
[...] This volume adds to this data base by including new, biosocial contribution from the perspectives of history, political science, sexology, biology, primatology, anthropology, experimental and developmental psychology, and psychiatry. What results is a transspecies, transcultural, and transhistorical perspective that gives new biosocial insights into the roots of pedophilia as the phenomenon is found in contemporary industrialized societies.

Chapter 1
A Biosocial Overview of Adult Human Sexual Behavior with Children and Adolescents
Jay R. Feierman  - Given in full text

Summary 
The biosocial basis of adult human sexual behavior with children and adolescents was related to culture, behavior, motivation, mood, sexual interactants, sexual attraction, and sexual arousal. The concept of the love map was related to stimulus discrimination and to stimulus fitness and potency. The relationship of the love map to love and to two components of reproductive behavior, i.e., mating effort and parental investment, was discussed. 
The context in which reproductive behavior, i.e., its mating-effort and parental-investment components, occurs was used to provide an understanding of aspects of non-sexual reproductive behavior as well as non-procreative sexual behavior. 
The relationship of pedophiles and ephebophiles to individuals with other erotic orientations was shown. The relationship of adult-child and adult-adolescent sexual behavior versus abuse was covered using the concepts of consent and harm.
Speculations were offered as to some possible proximate mechanisms involved in the development of pedo- and ephebophilia using the concepts developed earlier in the chapter. General conclusions were given regarding the need for conceptual and methodological caution as well as clarity in future research in this field.

Chapter 2 
Bullough V.L., History in Adult Human Sexual Behavior with Children and Adolescents in Western Society - Quotes are given

In fact, adult/adolescent sexual behavior has not simply been tolerated throughout much of history but, in some time periods, has been the norm. This attitude can be illustrated by a brief, descriptive listing of some famous or near-famous adult individuals in history who were involved in some form of sexual behavior with at least one adolescent or near-adolescent. 

Chapter 3 
Okami P.; Sociopolitical Biases in the Contemporary Scientific Literature on Sexual Behavior with Children and Adolescents - Quotes are given

This chapter explores certain tendencies within that body of vitimology-based literature sometimes referred to as the "new research" and writing on the subject of incest and child sexual abuse. [...]
Most of the writers in question view themselves not only as social scientists but also as social critics. An assumption of moral purpose, sometimes bordering on self-righteousness, repeatedly emerges from a reading of their work. Indeed, these writers typically display many of the attitudes associated with what Becker (1984) terms "moral entrepeneurs."

Chapter 11
Mackey W.C.
, Adult-Male/Juvenile Association as a Species-Characteristic Human Trait: A Comparative Field Approach - Quotes are given

The purpose of this chapter is to explore, in a systematic manner, the character, trends, and variations of the association between adult males and juveniles across a wide array of societies.
The adult-male/juvenile relationship reflects patterns of behavior that have been found in all human societies that have been studied. The systematic availability of a stable adult male to the offspring of mothers appears to be a universal event.

Chapter 14
Waal, F.B.M. de
; Socio-sexual Behavior Used for Tension Regulation in All Age and Sex Combinations Among Bonobos - Quotes are given

Humans' close primate relative, the bonobo, shows a large amount of intergenerational sexual behavior. [...]
Yet, the specific context in which intergenerational sex occurs among captive bonobos suggests an important additional function, which also applies to this species' intra-generational sex. Socio-sexual behavior occurs in all possible age and sex combinations as a mechanism of re-assurence and appeasement. This function of sexual behavior patterns does not interfere with the fertilization function of these patterns, because males appear to limit penetration and ejaculation to contacts with mature females.

Chapter 22
Human Erotic Age Orientation: A Conclusion - Jay R. Feierman - Full text is given. Here below the "Conclusions" from this chapter "A Conclusion":

Conclusions

If Not But For the Grace of God and Natural Selection . . . .

In the course of professional work over the past 13 years, this author/editor has had the opportunity to attend, in numerous jurisdictions within the continental United States, sentencing hearings for pedo- and ephebophiles who have been found guilty of pedo- or ephebosexual behavior. During such hearings, because the individuals who were being sentenced were public figures of high social status in their respective communities, media, especially television, nearly always were present.
At the conclusion of such hearings, one could appreciate the meaning of the term "judgemental," inasmuch as virtually all sentences were handed down within the framework of castigating and derogatory comments. Such comments, I believe, are what the larger social group wanted to hear, along with the sight of television footage or newspaper photographs of the publicly humiliated, submissively postured defendant waiting to be banished.
Often I have wondered during such times whether the sentencing judge would be able to meet his own standards of continence if the object of his own adult male sexual desires were similarly illegal.

Acceptance

Pedo- and ephebophiles with strong religious convictions, which is the population with which I am the most familiar, often take solace in their belief that "this is the way God made me." Most pedo- and ephebophiles with whom I have had contact over the years have begrudgingly accepted the reality that the object of their sexual desires is socially proscribed as illegal. Most, I believe, could have lawfully lived with this reality with a little help before their downfall.
Most were not given the opportunity to receive this help, however, because of the way that their behavioral proclivities were received by their societies. Perhaps much of this reception was a result of the lack of understanding of pedo- and ephebophilia. I hope so.