Final answer:
Alfred Kinsey's major studies, known as the Kinsey Reports, were pioneering works in the field of human sexuality, published in 1948 and 1953.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dr. Alfred Kinsey initiated large-scale survey research into human sexuality that led to the publication of the Kinsey Reports in 1948 and 1953. These reports were monumental at the time for revealing statistics on topics such as homosexuality and marital infidelity, which were seldom discussed openly.
The first report, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, and its counterpart, Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, highlighted the wide variety of sexual behaviors and experiences that were far more common than previously assumed. Kinsey's work not only provided eye-opening statistics but also challenged societal norms by discussing homosexuality, female sexual experiences, and other sexual behaviors that were considered taboo.
Kinsey's studies also sparked a broader conversation about human sexuality leading to more openness and eventually impacting societal attitudes. Along with the statistics, he introduced the Kinsey scale, a continuum still used today to categorize sexual orientation. Despite later criticisms of Kinsey's methodology, his findings have had a lasting impact on the field of sex research, challenging perceptions and providing a basis for future studies in sexual behavior and motivation.