Taught to be Ashamed
Sexual Shame, Faith, and Moral Incongruence in Men’s Psychosexual Development
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12466279 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Christopher S Smith (0009-0002-1493-9476, California Institute of Integral Studies, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 2127-2149 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-14 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sexuality & Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1095-5143 • E-ISSN: 1936-4822 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12119-025-10503-4 |
| OpenAlex | W7123406954 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 34 |
This literature review synthesizes interdisciplinary research examining how conservative religious ideologies influence male sexual development through the mechanism of sexual shame. Using a biopsychosocial and intersectional framework, it explores how moral teachings about purity and gender roles contribute to internalized shame that may manifest as hypersexuality, hyposexuality, or relational distress. Drawing from psychology, sexuality studies, and theology, the review reveals that religion-based sexual shame is not merely an individual experience but one reinforced by broader cultural and institutional structures. It fills a critical gap in existing research by centering the influence on heterosexual men—a population rarely included in studies of sexual socialization. By integrating psychological, sociological, and theological perspectives, this paper reframes sexual distress as a biopsychosocial phenomenon rooted in moral incongruence, bridging theory and practice to suggest new directions for empirical and therapeutic research
Biopsychosocial model · Distress · Empirical research · Human sexuality · Phenomenon · Population · Psychosexual development · Shame · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Sexual function and dysfunction studies · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Self-Compassion Interventions and Psychosocial Outcomes
Pornography Problems Due to Moral Incongruence
The Need for a New Medical Model
True Love Waits
It’s Like Our Own Little World”
Revisiting the islam-patriarchy nexus
The construction of gender in halakhic Responsa by the Reform movement
How Men Experience Sexual Shame
Religiousness and Minority Stress in Conservatively Religious Sexual Minorities
The Impact of Religiosity on Adolescent Sexual Behavior
Decolonizing Purity Culture
Heteronormativity, Disgust Sensitivity, and Hostile Attitudes toward Gay Men
Pleasure and Sex Education
Confronting Sexual Stigma and Prejudice
Sexual addiction, sexual compulsivity, sexual impulsivity, or what? Toward a theoretical model
What Is the Patriarchy Doing in Our Bed? Violent Sexual-Affective Experiences Among Youth
Sexual Complexity
Christian Shame and Religious Trauma
Christianity as a Spiritual Sidepiece
Sexual Encounters and Manhood Acts
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |