Studies
Wardell Pomery's "What Is Normal?" is a Kinsey study that seeks to pragmatically examine normal versus abnormal sexual behaviors. Pomery lists five criteria for determining if sexual behaviors are normal: statistical, phylogenetic, moral, legal, and social. He applies these to masturbation, homosexuality, nonmartial sex, oral sex, pedophilia, and rape. The article inclues a chart with the results.
Morgan Hunt's "Sexual Behavior in the 1970s" is apart of a series that considers sexual behavior in the 1970s. It is mentioned in the articles that Hunt plans to writes a book based on his surveys and reports. Throughout the series he considers various topics such as premaritial sex, sex within marriage, masturbation, and deviant sexuality. This particular survey concludes that American sex habits have met definite changes.
Both of these articles deeply analyze sexual behavior, yet "What Is Normal?" is from the beginning of our decade under examination and "Sexual Behavior in the 1970s" nears the end of our decade. Historically, much has occured during this time span. These articles illuminate the changing nature of Playboy and the Sexual Revolution. They demonstrate that Playboy constantly questioned sexual behavior throughout 1965-1975, while Hunt's work specifically argues change in American sexual behavior has occured. There are notable distinctions between the two. Pomery's article is just a singular article, while Hunt's is a multi-part series. There is more emphasis on and analysis of sexual behavior in the latter part of the decade. Also, the earlier article is entirely text, while the very first page of the latter work is a sexually explicit collage. This obvious distinction between text and flesh aids Hunt's literal illustration that change has occured in American culture due to the Sexual Revolution. These articles are representative of the overall changing nature of Playboy and society within this decade.