In many religions, there are strict rules about what kind of sexual behavior is allowed and what kind isn't. These rules can vary widely between different sects and even individuals, but they often include prohibitions against premarital sex, adultery, same-sex relationships, and extramarital affairs. People who violate these rules may face consequences such as excommunication from their community, social shaming, or even physical violence. While some people see this as moral guidance that helps them lead more virtuous lives, others view it as an intrusion into their personal lives. This article will examine how religious moral surveillance affects people's private psychological experiences of arousal.
One way to understand this phenomenon is through Freudian psychoanalysis. Sigmund Freud believed that all humans have unconscious desires and needs, which he called "drives." These drives are mostly sexual in nature, and they motivate human action. When someone feels attracted to another person, for example, that attraction is driven by unconscious libidinal energy. Freud argued that if someone represses or denies their sexual urges, those urges will find other outlets - for instance, through guilt, anger, or aggression. For religious people who feel guilty about their sexual desires, this can be a very damaging experience. They may feel like something is fundamentally wrong with them because they cannot act upon their natural urges.
Another way to think about the issue is through sociology. Sociologist Erving Goffman famously argued that we present ourselves in public based on our "presentation of self" - the persona we show to others. He wrote that people are constantly monitoring themselves and each other to make sure that their actions conform to cultural norms. Religious communities often place strict limits on acceptable behavior, so members must monitor themselves closely to ensure they don't violate these rules. This constant scrutiny can create feelings of shame and anxiety, which can interfere with healthy sexual development.
We can consider the effects of surveillance itself. Sociologists Michel Foucault and Jeremy Bentham argue that surveillance changes our relationship to power dynamics, making us more fearful and less willing to take risks. In religious communities, there is usually a clear hierarchy between leaders and followers, with the former having authority over the latter. When individuals are under constant surveillance, they become more likely to obey orders without questioning them. This can lead to a loss of individuality and creativity. It also means that when individuals break the rules, they may feel even greater shame since they have violated not only their own conscience but also the community as a whole.
Moral surveillance within religious communities has profound effects on individuals' psychological experiences of arousal. By constraining sexual desires, it creates an environment where some people are ashamed of their own bodies and sexualities.
This can lead to difficulties forming intimate relationships and experiencing pleasure.
How does moral surveillance within religious communities affect the private psychological experience of arousal?
The concept of moral surveillance refers to the idea that people are constantly monitored by their community's morality standards and norms. In religious communities, this is often heightened as members may feel pressure to conform to certain behaviors and beliefs due to social expectations and pressures. This can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and self-doubt when individuals deviate from these norms.