Understanding of SELF and Personality

COMPONENTS OF SELF
The self is first and foremost the collection of beliefs that we hold about ourselves.
What are our important characteristics? What are we good at? What we do poorly?
What kinds of situations do we prefer or avoid?
One person may think of himself/herself academically inclined who plans to
become a professor. Another might think of himself/herself as not academically
inclined but good at most sports. A third person may think of himself/herself
primarily in terms of a future goal, such as the desire to become the biggest real
estate mogul in a defined territory such as NCR. Thus, the set of beliefs we hold
about who we are is called the self-concept.
The factors that contribute to the formation of self-concept are:

1. Personal vs. Social Identity

2. Working Self-Concept
3. Self-Confidence
4. Self-Image
 
Personal vs. Social Identity
One of the most fundamental principles of the social identity perspective is that
individuals can perceive themselves differently depending on where they are at a
particular moment in time, which is known as the personal-social identity
continuum.
The personal identity end of this continuum refers to when we think of ourselves
primarily as individuals. The social identity end refers to when we think of
ourselves as members of specific social groups.
Because we do not experience all aspects of our self-concept simultaneously, the
aspect of our identity which is salient at any given moment will influence how we
think about ourselves, and this, in turn, has consequences for our behavior. When
we may think of ourselves as unique individuals, our personal identities are salient
and this is likely to result in self-description that emphasizes how we are different
from other individuals. e.g. you might describe yourself as a confident person
when think of yourself at the personal identity level, to emphasize your self-
perception as having more of this attribute that other individuals you are using as
the comparative referent. Because personal identity self-description can be thought

1
of as intra-group in nature – involving comparisons with other individuals who
share our group membership – which group is the implicit referent used when
describing the personal self can affect the content of self-descriptions.
At the other end of the personal-social continuum, we can perceive ourselves as
members of a group, which means we emphasize the ways that we are similar to
other group members. When we think of ourselves at the social identity level, we
describe ourselves in terms of the attributes that members of our group share with
each other and what differentiates our group from other groups. That is,
descriptions of the self at the social identity level as intergroup in nature – they
involve contrasts between groups e.g. you may think of yourself in terms of your
social identity as a fraternity or sorority group member, and describe yourself as
relatively athletic and self-motivated attributes that your perceive to be shared with
other members of your group, and as simultaneously differentiating your group
from other fraternities or sororities that you see as being more studious and
scholarly than your group perhaps.
 
Working Self-Concept
The aspect of the self which influences our thoughts and ongoing behavior depend
in large part on what aspect of the self concept is relevant to a particular situation.
This aspect of the self concept that is assessed for a particular situation is called the
working self concept. e.g. in a classroom situation, the academic self is likely to be
the dominant determinant of our thoughts and feelings, whereas when we are
reminded about a party on Friday, the social self may be accessed.
This working self-concept is important because it draws on not our overall self-
concept only but guides social behavior in specific situations and is, in turn,
modified by what goes on in the situation.
 
Self-Confidence
Self-confidence is the confidence one has in oneself, one’s knowledge, and one’s
abilities. It is the confidence of the type: “I can do this”. “I have the ability to do
this”.
Self-confidence is the one thing that is much more important than many other
abilities and traits. If you do not have self-confidence, what you do will never
become fruitful at all. The fruits of what you do without self-confidence are lost.

2
Actually, confidence is to be willing to try that which scares you the most and the
belief that you can manage anything that arises.
Would you like to have more self-confidence? Actually I have not yet met a person
who replied to that question with a negative. Well, there is only one way: by doing
to do it.  of the ways you gain confidence is by trying things you are not sure you
can do. Each time you achieve something new, you boost your confidence levels a
little.
Many times you are afraid of to try new things because you could fail and that
wouldn’t look good. However, trying is what is most important. If you don’t try,
you have failed already. So, you have nothing to lose by trying. Not trying means
you do not even give yourself the chance of succeeding. You stay in the safety
zone of not looking silly or failing. It probably is safer but it also gets you
nowhere. So, the first step to building confidence is daring to try that which you
are not sure you will succeed at. Don’t forget to plan for your worst case scenario
before you do anything but remember that very rarely will that worst case scenario
ever become  a reality.
Building confidence is also about what you should not be doing. For example,
something happens and you end up looking silly and unprofessional. Most of you
will spend some time worrying about it and thinking what you should have done
instead. It is true you should learn from your mistakes, but there’s no need to
punish yourself for them. Remember, keep things in perspective and file it now.
Having tolerance and compassion for yourself is just as important as having it for
others. 
 
Self-Image
Self-image is how you see yourself or how you perceive yourself. People infer
their personal qualities from observing their own behavior. That is, in the process
of observing ourselves, we see ourselves consistently preferring certain activities
over others, certain food over others, or certain people over others. From observing
these regularities, we form an image about ourselves.
You have some great skills, but unless you see yourself as having those skills, and
can make others see them as well, they will stay locked in a box, never to be
acknowledged. Being who you are, is one thing and being seen for who you are
can be quite another.

3
 Understanding of SELF and Personality
Personality
For understanding ourselves, we need to know about our personality type. But
before knowing about our personality type, we need to know what personality all
about is? What do mean by ‘personality’? Why are some people quiet and passive,
while others are loud and aggressive? Are certain personality types better adapted
than others for certain job types? Before we can answer these questions, we need to
address a more basic one: What is personality?
When we talk of personality, we don’t mean that a person has charm, a positive
attitude toward life, or a smiling face. When psychologists talk of personality, they
mean a dynamic concept describing the growth and development of a person’s
whole psychological system. Rather than looking at parts of the person, personality
looks at some aggregate whole that is greater than the sum of the parts.
 
The definition of personality we most frequently use was produced by Gordon
Allport. He said, personality is “the dynamic organization within the individual of
those psycho-physical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his
environment”.
For our purposes, you should think of personality as the sum total of ways in which
an individual reacts to and interacts with others.
We most often describe it in terms of the measurable traits a person exhibits.
Our personalities shape our behavior. So, if we want to better understand the
behavior of someone in an organization, it helps if we know something about
his/her personality.
A psychological test is a structured technique used to generate a carefully selected
sample of behavior. This behavior sample is then used to make inferences about
the psychological attributes of the people who have been tested. Tests may
measure several aspects of a person, ranging from intelligence, abilities, and
interests to aspects of one’s personality such as self-esteem and emotional stability.
A personality test measures those relatively enduring aspects of an individual
which distinguish them from other people, making them unique. At the same time,
however, they permit a comparison between individuals.
A test is based on empirical research and theoretical background. Tests are valid,
reliable, and standardized. They are characterized by uniformity, objectivity, and

4
 interpretability. They help draw up a comprehensive behavioral profile of a person
and warn management of one’s strengths and weaknesses, which can be
successfully utilized for career development and other decisions. Mainly, there are
two ways in which personality is measured”

1. Self-report surveys
2. Observer-ratings surveys
 Self-report surveys – which are completed by the individual – are the most
common way to measure personality. One concern with self-report surveys,
however, is that the individual might lie or practice impression management – that
is, the person could “fake good” on the test to create a good impression. This is
especially a concern when the survey is the basis for employment. Another concern
is accuracy. In other words, a perfectly good candidate could have just been in a
bad mood when the survey was taken.
 Observer-ratings surveys – have been developed to provide an independent
assessment of personality. Therefore, instead of an individual taking the survey –
as in the case of self-report surveys – perhaps a coworker could do the rating
(sometimes with knowledge of the individual, sometimes not). Research suggests
that observer-ratings surveys are a better predictor of success on the job.
 
PERSONALITY DETERMINANTS
An early debate in personality research centered on whether an individual’s
personality is a result of heredity or of environment. Was the personality
predetermined at birth, or was it the result of the individual’s interaction with
his/her surroundings? Clearly, there’s no simple black and white answer.
Personality appears to be a result of both hereditary and environmental factors.
However, it might surprise you that research in personality development has
tended to better support the importance of heredity over the environment.
Heredity refers to factors determined at conception. Physical stature, facial
attractiveness, gender, temperament, muscle composition and reflexes, energy
level, and biological rhythms are generally considered to be either completely or
substantially influenced by who your parents are – that is, by their biological,
physiological, and inherent psychological makeup. The heredity approach argues
that the ultimate explanation of an individual’s personality is the molecular
structure of the genes, located in the chromosomes.

5
Evidence demonstrates that traits such as shyness, fear, and aggression can be
traced to inherited genetic characteristics.
Researchers in many different countries have studied thousands of sets of identical
twins who were separated at birth and raised separately. If heredity played little or
no part in determining personality, you would expect to find few similarities
between the separated twins. But the researchers found a lot in common. For
almost every behavioral trait, a significant part of the variation between the twins
turned out to be associated with genetic factors. For instance, one set of twins who
had been separated for 39 years and raised 45 miles apart were found to drive the
same model and color car. They chain smoked the same brand of cigarette, owned
dogs with the same name, and regularly vacationed within three blocks of each
other in a beach community 1,500 miles away.
This is not to suggest that personality never changes. Over periods of time,
people’s personalities do change. Most research in this area suggests that while
some aspects our personalities do change over time, the rank orderings do not
change very much. For example, people’s scores on measures of dependability
tend to increase over time. However, there are still strong individual differences in
dependability and despite the fact that most of us become more responsible over
time, people tend to change by about the same amount so that the rank order stays
roughly the same. That is, if you are more dependable than your sibling now, that
is likely to be true in 20 years, even though you both should become more
dependable over time.

PERSONALITY TRAITS
Early work on the structure of personality tried to identify and label enduring
characteristics that describe an individual’s behavior. Popular characteristics
include shy, aggressive, submissive, lazy, ambitious, loyal and timid. When
someone exhibits these characteristics in a large number of situations, we call them
personality traits. Thus, personality traits are the enduring characteristics that
describe an individual’s behavior.
The more consistent the characteristic and the more frequently a trait occurs in
diverse situations, the more important that trait is in describing the individual.
A number of early efforts tried to identify the primary traits that govern behavior.
However, the Big Five Model of Personality is the most widely accepted approach
that has become the dominant framework for identifying and classifying traits.

6
 The Big Five Personality Model
or
Five-Factor Model of Personality
or
Big Five Model
or
Big Five (5)
 
A personality assessment model that taps 5 basic dimensions:

1. Extraversion
2. Agreeableness
3. Conscientiousness
4. Emotional stability
5. Openness to experience
An impressive body of research supports that 5 basic dimensions encompass most
of the significant variation in human personality.
The Big 5 factors are:

1. Extraversion: Captures one’s comfort level with relationships. A

personality dimension describing someone who is sociable, gregarious, and
assertive.
2. Agreeableness: Refers to an individual’s propensity to defer to others. A
personality dimension that describes someone who is good natured, cooperative,
and trusting.
3. Conscientiousness: Is a measure of reliability. A personality dimension that
describes someone who is responsible, dependable, persistent, and organized.
4. Emotional stability: Taps a person’s ability to withstand stress. A
personality dimension that characterizes someone as calm, self-confident, secure
(positive) vs. nervous, depressed, and insecure (negative).
5. Openness to experience: Addresses one’s range of interests and fascination
with novelty. A personality dimension that characterizes someone in terms of
imagination, sensitivity, and curiosity.

THE BIG FIVE FACTORS

FACTOR HIGH AVERAGE LOW

7
Extraversion Extraverted, Moderate in activity Introverted, reserved,
gregarious, outgoing, and enthusiasm. Enjoy timid and serious.
active, assertive, and the company of others Prefer to be alone or
high-spirited. Prefer but also value privacy. with a few close
to be around with friends.
people most of the
time
Agreeableness Compassionate, good Generally warm, Hard-headed,
natured, and eager to trusting, and agreeable, skeptical, proud,
cooperate and to but can sometimes be competitive, cold,
avoid conflict. Are stubborn and disagreeable, and
warm and trusting. competitive. antagonistic.
Conscientiousness Conscientious, well- Dependable and Easy-going, not very
organized, moderately well well-organized, and
dependable and organized. Generally sometimes careless
persistent. Have high have clear goals, but and unreliable. Prefer
standards and always are able to set the work not to make plans.
strive to achieve aside.
goals.
Emotional stability Emotionally stable, Generally calm and Nervous, anxious,
tend to be calm, able to deal with depressed and insecure
confident and secure stress, but sometimes
experience feelings of
guilt, anger or sadness
Openness to experience Creative, curious, and Practical but willing to Down to earth,
artistically sensitive. consider new ways of practical and
Have broad interests doing things. Seek a traditional; find
and very imaginative balance between the comfort in the familiar
old and the new.

INFLUENCES OF BIG FIVE TRAITS

BIG FIVE WHY IT IS RELEVANT? WHAT DOES IT AFFECT?
TRAITS
Extraversion  Better interpersonal skills  Higher performance
 Greater social dominance  Enhanced leadership
 More emotionally expressive  Higher job and life
satisfaction
Agreeableness  Better liked  Higher performance
 More compliant and  Lower levels of deviant
conforming behavior
Conscientiousness  Greater effort and persistence  Higher performance
 More drive and discipline  Enhanced leadership
 Better organized and planning  Greater longevity
Emotional  Less negative thinking and  Higher job and life

8
stability fewer negative emotions
 Less hyper-vigilant
Openness to  Increased learning
experience  More creative
 More flexible and autonomous
satisfaction
 Lower stress levels
 Training performance
 Enhanced leadership
 More adaptable to change

THE PHYSICAL SELF

 A crucial aspect of the self is one’s physical features;
 More than physical attributes, peoples should also consider their physical
competencies, valuation of physical worth and perception of beauty
 The physical self is shaped by biological and environmental factors
Heredity is defined as the transmission of traits from parents to offspring. The
traits are made up of specific information embedded within one’s gene.
Genotype refers to the specific information embedded within one’s genes; not all
genotypes translate to an observed physical characteristic.
Phenotype is the physical expression of a particular trait.
 Each individual carries 23 pairs of chromosomes, which are threadlike
bodies in the nucleus of the cell and the storage unit of genes. The 23rd pair,
also known as sex chromosomes, determines the sex of an individual.
 Within each chromosome is the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is a
nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions specifying the biological
development of every individual.
 Maturation is known as the completion of growth of a genetic character
within an organism or the unfolding of an individual’s inherent traits or
potential.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONING
 As you grow up, you are exposed to environmental influences that shape
your physical self, including those from your social networks, societal
expectations, and cultural practices.

9
  Family, being your first social group, forms a crucial foundation of your
development, including that of your physical self.
 As you grow older, you get exposed to a larger social group with new
practices and standards. As a result, you may begin engaging in acts that
would make you attractive and acceptable to others.
 One aspect of physical beauty is a person’s body type. Contemporary
media has portrayed slim bodies as the ideal body type for women and
muscular bodies for men. Thus, adolescents indulge in activities that would
enable them to achieve these ideal body types.
 However, some adolescents may resort to unhealthy habits just to achieve
the ideal body type. It is important to remember that physical beauty is only
skin-deep; that what matters is feeling good about oneself and embracing a
healthy perception of one’s physical worth.

HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE PHYSICAL WELL BEING?

PERSONAL HYGIENE
 Being clean and hygienic creates a good image and allows one to feel good
about the ‘self’.
 It is not necessary to follow the hype in fashion but only the requirement to
be neat and well-groomed at all times.
 Taking care of the: Skin, Hair, Teeth, Armpit, Face
GOOD GROOMING
 FIRST IMPRESSION LASTS
10
  It is necessary to take pride in our appearance and to dress appropriately as
those significant others serve as our audience and critic;
 Careful grooming and observance of proper clothing in specific occasions is
an important practice in building one’s self-esteem.
 FOR GENTS:
 Be clean.
 Take a shower, cut nails, pamper skin;
 Select the right wardrobe for the right event;
 Have a sense of style. Wear clothing that feels comfortable but elegant
 Wear clean and shiny shoes that compliment your attire;
 Smell good by wearing mild perfume scent;
 Check your bearing and posture
 FOR LADIES:
 Bathe, be clean and fresh always as it excludes confidence;
 Polish nails to add femininity and art;
 Apply light makeup using colors that match your skin tone;
 Choose the appropriate attire that suits the event;
 Use a mild feminine perfume scent that fits your personality;
 Wear clean shoes or sandals;
 Choose the best bag or clutch that compliments your clothes;
 Bring only essentials in your bag
 Wear a smart face, chin up, and keep your proper smart posture

SOCIAL GRACES
 Are skills used to interact politely in social situations;
 Include manners, etiquettes, deportment, fashion, and refinement;
 Maintained through certain unwritten guidelines that maintain the harmony
in relationships; adheres in the conventional requirements of social behavior
PROPER POSTURE
 Composure and bearing affects not only one’s physical self and image but
his/ her level of confidence;
 POSTURE – the position in which you hold your body upright against
gravity while standing, sitting or lying down;

11
  Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit and lie in
positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and
ligaments during movement.
BENEFITS OF PROPER POSTURE
1. Keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are
being used properly;
2. Helps decrease the abdominal wearing of joint surfaces that could
result in arthritis;
3. Decrease the stress on the ligaments holding the joints of the spine
together;
4. Prevents the spine from becoming fixed in abnormal positions
5. Prevents fatigue because muscles are being used more efficiently,
allowing the body to use less energy;
6. Prevents strain or overuse problems;
7. Prevents backache and muscular pain.
8. Contributes to a good appearance.
HEALTH
 Our health affects our performance and compliance in our daily tasks in
school or at work;
 Our self-image will suffer if our physical self could never be maintained and
taken care of.

HOW DO WE CARE OF OUR HEALTH?

1. PROPER NUTRITION
 Food is crucial to our body’s survival but eating the right food will
assure protection of illnesses and complications;
 The Food Pyramid is designed to make healthy eating easier. It
shows the different food groups and how much of each we need to
have a healthy diet. Eating the right amount from each food group
is called eating a "balanced" diet.
2. CLEAN ENVIRONMENT
 Many of the diseases that afflict people now are caused by the
pollutants;

12
  It is necessary to engage in activities that will revive the
environment, replenish the lost resources and revert to the original
state of our environment.
 RESOURCE CONSERVATION
 RECYCLING
 REDUCE POLLUTION

THE SEXUAL SELF

UNFOLDING THE SEXUAL SELF
SEXUALITY

 Understanding sexuality is an important component of appreciating the

sexual tendencies and behaviors that have implications on the sexual health
of young people;
 Sexuality encompasses the individual’s total personality, particularly his/ her
thinking, behaving, loving and relating with God/ Allah/ Supreme Being and
other individuals;
WHY SEXUALITY IS IMPORTANT
 It helps you sort out your feelings, develop your own sexual standards,
understanding viewpoints of others and obtain information needed to make
responsible sexual decisions;
 Sexual ignorance or lack of information about your body can also cause
disappointments and inability to give and receive sexual pleasure;
 Sexuality helps you to define your feelings of self-worth. It is one of the
most important factors that shape our identity and helps us define who we
are
FIVE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF SEXUALITY
 Sex
 Sexual Orientation
 Gender Identity

13
  Sexual Identity (body image)
 Values, attitudes, feelings and emotions
SEX
 Being male or female and how the human body works and develops;
 Includes the biological concerns on reproductive anatomy and physiology;
 Humans have 2 sexes – male and female
 Sex is determined when the egg is fertilized
 A preferred term when the discussion is limited to the biological dimension;
 Often referred to the sexual activity;
 Used to create emotional bond and divide individuals;
 Used to relieve and to cause tension;
 Used to enhance self-esteem and humiliate;
 Used to signal status;
 Used to communicate;
 Used as a means to express personal preferences;
 Used to act out fantasies
 Used for profit;
 Used to empower and to remove power;
 Used to control and liberate;
 Used to enslave;
 Used to create and destroy;
 Used as an expression of love or an act of hate
DEVELOPMENT IS CHANGE. ADOLESCENT IS A TIME OF CHANGE
 Adolescents are individuals ages, 10-10. Youth refers to those in the 15-24
age group
 Among boys and girls, the reproductive organs start to work
 The years between the late childhood and early adolescence are the most
rapid and dramatic periods of physical change in the human life cycle
PHYSICAL CHANGES AMONG WOMEN
 Breast Grow
 Pubic Hair Develops
 Vaginal Discharge appears

14
  Underarm hair grows
 Onset of menstruation
 Changes in hips
PHYSICAL CHANGES AMONG MEN
 Testes and scrotal sac grow
 Pubic Hair begins to appears
 Penis grows longer and testes continue to get bigger
 Voice changes and begins to deepen
 Facial hair grows
 Breasts may become tender and larger

MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

 Testes/ Testicles  Seminal Vesicle and Prostate
 Testosterone Glands
 Sperm  Cowper Glands
 Scrotum  Urethra
 Epididymis  Penis
 Vas Deferens  Glans Penis
 Foreskin
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
 Ovary
 Fallopian Tube
 Estrogen and Progesterone
 Egg Cell
 Vagina
 Uterus
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE RELEASE OF SEX HORMONES
 Extreme difficulty and discomfort due to the surge of hormones due to
the strain in the body experiences during the hormonal change;

15
  A sense of insecurity as development does not happen as expected. This
usually happens when one notices that their counterparts are quickly
maturing physically;
 Self consciousness caused by the changing body composition resulting from
growth sprout gives the individual a sense of awkwardness.
 Changes in digestion and appetite as a result of hormonal changes influence
the metabolism of the young adult. This can result to health hazards (e.g.
obesity, diabetes)
 Changes in body built due to the development of muscle mass make the
males become more muscular while females suddenly have bigger hips and
breasts which can cause awkwardness and uncomfortable feelings due to the
new body composition;
 The development of primary sexual characteristics such as the ovaries for
the female and testes for the male which shows that the individual is capable
of reproductive functioning.

o Onset of menstrual cycle – menarche

o First release or ejaculation of mature sperm – spermarche
 The development of secondary sexual characteristics resulting from
hormonal changes as the individual sexually matures results in changes in
the growth of body hair as well as changes in voice quality.
 As the transforming individual continues to physically mature, they develop
greater skills and precision in manipulating their limbs. These are either
gross or fine motor skills which consequently result in decisions to take
career paths in such direction.

 When physiological changes are triggered within the adolescent’s

reproductive system, he/ she is likely to experience sexual urges, becomes
more sensitive to sexual stimuli, and feel sexual arousal.
 Arousal may be exhibited through penile erection in men and vaginal
lubrication or wetness in women.
 If sexual arousal is satisfied through sexual intercourse, orgasm would be
reached.
 The refractory period is longer among men than women;
SEXUAL RESPONSE CYCLE:
16
1ST - EXCITEMENT
2ND -PLATEAU
3RD- ORGASM
4TH- RESOLUTION
Phase 1: Excitement
General characteristics of the excitement phase, which can last from a few minutes
to several hours, include the following:
 Muscle tension increases.
 Heart rate quickens and breathing is accelerated.
 Skin may become flushed (blotches of redness appear on the chest and
back).
 Nipples become hardened or erect.
 Blood flow to the genitals increases, resulting in swelling of the woman's
clitoris and labia minora (inner lips), and erection of the man's penis.
 Vaginal lubrication begins.
 The woman's breasts become fuller and the vaginal walls begin to swell.
 The man's testicles swell, their scrotum tightens and begin secreting a
lubricating liquid.
Phase 2: Plateau
General characteristics of the plateau phase, which extends to the brink of orgasm,
include the following:
 The changes begun in phase 1 are intensified.
 The vagina continues to swell from increased blood flow, and the vaginal
walls turn a dark purple.
 The woman's clitoris becomes highly sensitive (may even be painful to
touch) and retracts under the clitoral hood to avoid direct stimulation from
the penis.
 The man's testicles tighten.
 Breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure continue to increase.
 Muscle spasms may begin in the feet, face, and hands.
 Muscle tension increases.

17
Phase 3: Orgasm
The orgasm is the climax of the sexual response cycle. It is the shortest of the
phases and generally lasts only a few seconds.
General characteristics of this phase include the following:
 Involuntary muscle contractions begin.
 Blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing are at their highest rates, with a
rapid intake of oxygen.
 Muscles in the feet spasm.
 There is a sudden, forceful release of sexual tension.
 In women, the muscles of the vagina contract. The uterus also undergoes
rhythmic contractions.
 In men, rhythmic contractions of the muscles at the base of the penis result
in the ejaculation of semen.
 A rash, or "sex flush" may appear over the entire body.

Phase 4: Resolution
During resolution, the body slowly returns to its normal level of functioning, and
swelled and erect body parts return to their previous size and color.
This phase is marked by a general sense of wellbeing, enhanced intimacy and,
often, fatigue. Some women are capable of a rapid return to the orgasm phase with
further sexual stimulation and may experience multiple orgasms. Men need
recovery time after orgasm, called a refractory period, during which they cannot
reach orgasm again. The duration of the refractory period varies among men and
usually lengthens with advancing age.

 Humans are likely to engage in sexual activities to satisfy sexual urges;

however, the kind of sexual activities they engage may vary
Reading/ watching pornographic materials;
Engage in kissing and petting
Perform masturbation

18
 A person should be aware of his/ her sexuality and sexual attributes in order
to make responsible decisions.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION
 Being straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual;
 The preference of an individual to have a sexual relationship with either
someone of the opposite sex or someone of the same sex
 At present, how an individual’s sexual orientation develops, is not yet well
understood;
 Various scientists have proposed differing sources for sexual orientation,
including genetic or inborn hormonal factors and life experiences during
early childhood;
 Many scientists share the view that sexual orientation is shaped for most
people at an early age through complex interactions of biological,
psychological and social factors
 However, recent studies on the origins of sexual orientation reveal that
“sexual orientation is not a choice. It is no something people can decide
for themselves or for others. It has a very strong genetic component and is
not purely determined by life experiences”
 Since a person’s sexual orientations is not a matter of choice and its origin
remains a mystery, it is best if one simply respects and accepts both oneself
and others, regardless of sexual orientation.
 STRAIGHT: describes someone who is emotionally and sexually attracted
to people of the opposite gender (also called heterosexual)
 GAY: describes someone who is emotionally and sexually attracted to
people of the same gender. Some women prefer to call themselves gay
women rather than lesbian, although the word gay is most often used about
men
 LESBIAN: describes a woman who is emotionally and sexually attracted to
other women
 BISEXUAL: describes someone who is emotionally and sexually attracted
to both women and men.

SEXUAL IDENTITY BODY IMAGE

19
  Feelings about our body and about being a man and a woman;
 Includes concerns on relationships and intimacy, sexual response, sexual
awakening, and other sexual concerns, such as frigidity and impotence.
 Two major question:
 Who am I sexually?
 How do I relate to others as a sexual person?

GENDER IDENTITY
 The psychological sense of being male or female and our personal and/ or
social norms for feminine or masculine behavior
 Concerns the individual’s concept of sex roles and stereotypes;
 The most significant influence to our sexuality comes from prescribed
gender roles – the social norms and values that develop the relative power,
responsibilities, and behavior of women and male
 The prescribed gender roles for women and men reinforce the imbalance of
power relations between the sexes which are likely to be manifested in the
person’s expression of his/ her sexuality;
 The prescribed passive role for women in sexual relations inhibits women
from negotiating with their partners on the timing and nature of sexual
activity which could result in unwanted pregnancy, disease and sexual
violence like rape, incest etc.
 Moreover, as a consequence of the passive role, women tend to suppress
their sexual desires. Meanwhile, sexual conquest as a manifestation of
manhood is almost a traditionally-invested role for men;
 The imbalance of power between men and women may be due to a lack of
basic knowledge about how different risky or protective behavior can affect
sexual and reproductive health and consequently the quality of their sexual
relationships.
 Prescribed gender roles, however, can be influenced and changed. Learning,
listening and talking about sexuality are just some of the important ways by
which individuals can be assisted to change their perceptions of themselves
and to understand the relationship between their individual behavior and the
social and cultural context in which they live.

20
VALUES AND ATTITUDES, FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS
 About life, love and the people our lives touch;
 Our sexuality is a product of what we are born with and our unique life
experiences that have shaped our attitudes, feelings and values towards
ourselves and towards other people;
 The sociological approach to understanding influences to sexuality has been
identified by sociologists to be occurring at 4 levels:
o Macro level or society as a whole;
o Sub-cultural level at which one’s social class or ethnic group may
have an impact on one’s personality;
o Interpersonal level in which interactions with parents, peers or lovers
influence a person;
o Individual level, which each has his/ her own level of sexual desire,
sexual orientation and a set of sexual values stored memory

21