A biocultural analysis of circumcision
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5958458 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ronald S Immerman (Case Western Reserve University, corresponding author), Wade C Mackey (Bryan College) |
| Year | 1997 |
| Volume | 44 |
| Issue | 3-4 |
| Pages | 265-275 |
| Publication date | 1997-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Biodemography and Social Biology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1948-5565 • E-ISSN: 1948-5573 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/19485565.1997.9988953 |
| PMID | 9446966 |
| OpenAlex | W2083566267 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 36 |
The phenomenon of circumcision may well serve a range of religious and symbolic functions. In addition to these conceptual categories, we argue that circumcision also serves a more mundane, practical function of lowering excitability and distractibility quotients--sexual arousal--of pubescent males, i.e., biasing young males more toward increased tractability which would enhance group efforts and less toward individual goals of amorous exchanges. Neurological data suggest that early lesions of the prepuce/foreskin tissues would generate a re-organization/atrophy of the brain circuitry. This re-organization/atrophy, in turn, is suggested to lower sexual excitability. Epithelial data indicate that keratinization of the more exposed glans penis would lower the sensibility, hence sexual excitability, of the circumcised male's genitalia. In addition, circumcision removes the foreskin-prepuce which, by secreting smegma, would also minimize any pheromonic qualities which the smegma may generate. Inferential data support the hypothesis that a practical consequence of circumcision, complementary to any religious-symbolic function, is to make a circumcised male less sexually excitable and distractible, and, hence, more amenable to his group's authority figures
Geography · Health services · Male circumcision · Population · Sociology · Demography · Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare · Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Issues · Genital Health and Disease
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| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,14 |
| Citation span | 2004 - 2008 (5) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |