

A Critical Introduction to Human Sexuality
Lead Author(s): Nicole McNichols, Matt Numer
Student Price: Contact us to learn more
A modern, comprehensive and research-based exploration of human sexuality that incorporates real life perspectives on contemporary issues.
What is a Top Hat Textbook?
Top Hat has reimagined the textbook – one that is designed to improve student readership through interactivity, is updated by a community of collaborating professors with the newest information, and accessed online from anywhere, at anytime.
- Top Hat Textbooks are built full of embedded videos, interactive timelines, charts, graphs, and video lessons from the authors themselves
- High-quality and affordable, at a significant fraction in cost vs traditional publisher textbooks
Key features in this textbook



Comparison of Human Sexuality Textbooks
Consider adding Top Hat’s A Critical Introduction to Human Sexuality textbook to your upcoming course. We’ve put together a textbook comparison to make it easy for you in your upcoming evaluation.
Top Hat
Nicole McNichols, Matthew Numer, “A Critical Introduction to Human Sexuality”, Only One Edition needed
Oxford Press
Baldwin, Janice & John Baldwin & Simon LeVay, Discovering Human Sexuality (3rd ed.)
McGraw-Hill
Hyde, Janet and John DeLamater, Understanding Human Sexuality (13th ed.)
Pearson
Hock, Roger R., Human Sexuality (4th ed.)
Pricing
Average price of textbook across most common format
Up to 40-60% more affordable
Lifetime access on any device
$67.95
E-book
$169.95
Hardcover print text only
$90
E-book
$180
Hardcover print text only
$199.95
Hardcover print text only
Always up-to-date content, constantly revised by community of professors
Content meets standard for Human Sexuality. Constantly revised and updated by a community of professors with the latest content
In-Book Interactivity
Includes embedded multi-media files and integrated software to enhance visual presentation of concepts directly in textbook
Only available with supplementary resources at additional cost
Only available with supplementary resources at additional cost
Only available with supplementary resources at additional cost
Customizable
Ability to revise, adjust and adapt content to meet needs of course and instructor
All-in-one Platform
Access to additional questions, test banks, and slides available within one platform
Pricing
Average price of textbook across most common format
Top Hat
Nicole McNichols, Matthew Numer, “A Critical Introduction to Human Sexuality”, Only One Edition needed
Up to 40-60% more affordable
Lifetime access on any device
Oxford Press
Baldwin, Janice & John Baldwin & Simon LeVay, Discovering Human Sexuality (3rd ed.)
$67.95
E-book
$169.95
Hardcover print text only
McGraw-Hill
Hyde, Janet and John DeLamater, Understanding Human Sexuality (13th ed.)
$90
E-book
$180
Hardcover print text only
Pearson
Hock, Roger R., Human Sexuality (4th ed.)
$199.95
Hardcover print text only
Always up-to-date content, constantly revised by community of professors
Constantly revised and updated by a community of professors with the latest content
Top Hat
Nicole McNichols, Matthew Numer, “A Critical Introduction to Human Sexuality”, Only One Edition needed
Oxford Press
Baldwin, Janice & John Baldwin & Simon LeVay, Discovering Human Sexuality (3rd ed.)
McGraw-Hill
Hyde, Janet and John DeLamater, Understanding Human Sexuality (13th ed.)
Pearson
Hock, Roger R., Human Sexuality (4th ed.)
In-book Interactivity
Includes embedded multi-media files and integrated software to enhance visual presentation of concepts directly in textbook
Top Hat
John Redden & Joe Crivello, Human Physiology, Only One Edition needed
Oxford Press
Baldwin, Janice & John Baldwin & Simon LeVay, Discovering Human Sexuality (3rd ed.)
McGraw-Hill
Hyde, Janet and John DeLamater, Understanding Human Sexuality (13th ed.)
Pearson
Stuart Fox, Human Physiology (14th ed.)
Customizable
Ability to revise, adjust and adapt content to meet needs of course and instructor
Top Hat
John Redden & Joe Crivello, Human Physiology, Only One Edition needed
Oxford Press
Baldwin, Janice & John Baldwin & Simon LeVay, Discovering Human Sexuality (3rd ed.)
McGraw-Hill
Hyde, Janet and John DeLamater, Understanding Human Sexuality (13th ed.)
Pearson
Hock, Roger R., Human Sexuality (4th ed.)
All-in-one Platform
Access to additional questions, test banks, and slides available within one platform
Top Hat
John Redden & Joe Crivello, Human Physiology, Only One Edition needed
Oxford Press
Baldwin, Janice & John Baldwin & Simon LeVay, Discovering Human Sexuality (3rd ed.)
McGraw-Hill
Hyde, Janet and John DeLamater, Understanding Human Sexuality (13th ed.)
Pearson
Hock, Roger R., Human Sexuality (4th ed.)
About this textbook
Lead Author
Nicole McNichols, Ph.DUniversity of Washington
Nicole McNichols is a lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington in Seattle, where she also received her PhD in Social Psychology. Over the past five years, Nicole has built her class, The Diversity of Human Sexuality, into the University of Washington’s largest and most popular undergraduate course with over two thousand enrolled students each year. Nicole is frequently a guest lecturer and speaker regarding topics in human sexuality. She was at the forefront of the University of Washington’s push to adopt and develop active learning techniques and technologies to bring scientific subject matter to life in the classroom. Nicole is an active member of a variety of societies for teaching human sexuality and was recently the keynote speaker at the University of Washington’s Psychology graduation. Nicole received her BA from Cornell University and her MA from NYU.
Lead Author
Matthew Numer, Ph.DDalhousie University
Matthew Numer is an Assistant Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University and cross-appointed to the Gender and Women’s Studies Program. He has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for his work in the areas of gender, sex and sexuality. His research interests include substance use, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men’s health, sexual health, online technologies, LGBTQ2S health, masculinities, Indigenous boys’ and men’s health, and post-secondary pedagogical practices. He has received numerous awards for his interactive teaching methods and is widely known as an innovator in the classroom. He is the former Chair of the Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project, was a member of the board of directors for the Halifax Sexual Health Centre for eight years, and currently serves on the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia: Gay Men’s Health Advisory Committee.
Explore this textbook
Read the fully unlocked textbook below, and if you’re interested in learning more, get in touch to see how you can use this textbook in your course today.
Welcome to Human Sexuality!
Hi there! Welcome to your new interactive Human Sexuality textbook! We hope you have a great experience with this course and this textbook. To start, we would like to introduce you to some of the features so that you are comfortable using it this semester.
Interactive Questions
Among the things you will frequently encounter in this textbook are embedded questions. Depending on your professor, these may be graded for participation or correctness. Let's take at some examples:
1) Multiple Choice: Simply click on the correct answer and then click "Submit". If there is more than one correct answer, it will be specified in the question.
Which of the following is NOT a fruit?
Apple
Orange
Cucumber
Pear
2) Word Answer and Fill in the Blank: Just type your answer into the text box and click "Submit".
This is a textbook written about human _________.
3) Matching Question: Click on an item in the left-hand column, and then click on its match in the right-hand column to align them. The remaining options in the right-hand column will reshuffle.
Match each fruit to its correct color:
Red
Apple
Yellow
Lime
Green
Banana
4) Sorting Question: Drag the options into the proper order.
Sort these numbers from lowest to highest
3
2
4
1
5) Discussion Question: These are long-form, typed responses that are submitted and read by your professor.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of eating vegetables.
Call Out Sections
There are two types of call out section to look out for within each chapter, which will support your learning in different ways. They are each highlighted by a different banner, detailed below.

Throughout the textbook, you will see this Spotlight Stories banner, which indicates sections that contain interviews from everyday people who are impacted by the topics you are learning about. There will be one in every chapter along with 3-5 discussion questions to help you reflect and deepen your understanding of the content.


You will also see this banner, which introduces real-world examples of the topics you are learning about. The Reality Check sections will usually provide an example or outside source for you to visit, along with a few questions to help test your understanding.

Interactive Diagrams
Throughout the book you may come across interactive diagrams. These will have interactive circles on them, which will appear when you hover over the image with your mouse. Hovering over the circles themselves will cause a definition, video, photo, or article to pop up, to enhance your understanding of the topic.
In-Chapter Feedback

We would love to hear your feedback about the text! We take every comment into consideration when thinking about how to make the text better, and regularly release updates based on what we hear from you.
At the end of every chapter, there is a survey like the one pictured to the right that you can fill out to ask questions, or report any issues. This survey is entirely optional and the responses are sent to Top Hat, not your professor.
Support
Finally, we're here to help. If you experience any issues with your Top Hat text, please reach out to our friendly support team at support@tophat.com or check out our student support pages here.
Good luck, and we hope you have a great year!
Version: 1.0.1