Lesson 9: Sexual Self: Understanding Sexual Behavior,

STI’s and Contraception

This section will provide understanding on the developing a sexual self-concept

that is an important developmental task of adolescence; however, little empirical evidence
describes this development, nor how these changes are related to development in sexual
behavior. Highlight of this part is the understanding the chemistry of love, lust and
attachment; The Psychological aspect; the sexual diverse behavior; Sexually Transmitted
Disease (STIs) and Contraception

Understanding the Chemistry of Lust, Love, and Attachment

▪ According to anthropologist Helen Fisher (2016) there are three stages of falling in love. In
each stage, a different set of brain chemicals run the show. These stages are lust, attraction,
and love.

1. Lust

▪ When people are in the

stage of lust, they feel Source: https://goo.gl/rKRP9d
physically attracted and
drawn to their object of
affection. There are
elements of mystery that
make things exciting.

▪ Lust is driven by the desire

for sexual gratification. The
evolutionary basis for this
is from people’s need to
reproduce, a need shared
among all living things.

▪ Through reproduction,
organisms pass on their
genes, and contribute to the
perpetuation of their
species. The hypothalamus
of the brain plays a big role
in this, stimulating the production of the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen from the
testes and ovaries.

▪ While these chemicals are often stereotyped as being male and female, respectively, both play
a role in men and women. As it turns out, testosterone increases libido in just about everyone.

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 The effects are less pronounced with estrogen, but some women report being more sexually
motivated around the time they ovulate, when estrogen levels are highest.

2. Attraction

▪ Attraction is characteristic that causes pleasure or interest by appealing to a person’s desires or

tastes, and causes one to be drawn to the other.

▪ In this stage, a person may begin to be obsess about their object of affection and crave for his
presence. A person may don’t feel like sleeping or eating. People can certainly lust for someone
they are attracted to, and vice versa, one can happen without the other.

▪ .Attraction have brain pathways that controls “reward” behavior, which explains first few
months of a relationship. Dopamine is the main player in the brain’s reward pathway. When it
is released, people feel good. In this case, these things spending time with loved ones high
levels of dopamine and related hormones (norepinephrine) are released.

▪ These chemicals make

people energetic, and euphoric
that can lead to decreased
appetite and insomnia – which
actually means a person is so
“in love” that this person
cannot eat or cannot sleep. In
addition, norepinephrine plays
a large role in the fight or flight
response, which have a say
when people are stressed and
kept them alert.

▪ Brain scans of people in love have actually shown that the primary “reward” centers of the
brain. Finally, attraction seems to lead to a reduction in serotonin, a hormone that is involved
in appetite and mood. In the end, everyone is capable of defining love for themselves. And, for
better or for worse, if it’s all hormones, maybe each of us can have “chemistry” with just about
anyone.

3. Attachment

▪ This stage involves wanting to make a more lasting commitment to your loved one. All the
goals are dedicated to the object of affection being a part of a person’s life. dopamine decreases
and attraction goes down.

▪ If things are going well, it gets replaced by the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin, which
create the desire to bond, affiliate with, and nurture your partner. You want to cuddle and be
close and share your deepest secrets with her. You plan and dream together.

▪ Understanding the science of lust, attraction, and attachment can help a person develop more realistic
expectations of their relationships.

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▪ Most romantic relationships begin
with two individuals falling into love
with each other. The singer Robert
Palmer compares love with an
addiction. This was verified in a study
in which 17 participants who were
madly in love were asked to go to the
lab and bring a picture of their loved
one. Participants were placed in a
brain scanner (fMRI functional
magnetic resonance imaging) which
measures the neural activity of the
brain. Their brain activity were
recorded that when participants gazed
at a photo of their beloved, regions in
the brain were activated. Those parts closely associated with the anticipation of reward and with focused
attention. This is the dopamine system in the brain which is the same system involved in pleasure and
addiction. Fisher, et al (2006) concluded that, rather than defining love as an emotion, “being in love”
can be considered a strong motivation – an addictive craving to be with the other person (Hewstone et
al, 2015).

▪ Thus, early passionate love is not an emotion in and if itself. Rather, it is best characterized as a
“motivation or goal oriented state that leads to carious specific emotions, such as euphoria aor anxiety”.
Unlike many emotions, love is not associated with any specific facial expression, and I is focused on a
single reward. The emotions associated with love – elation, anxiety, joy, fear – may come and go. But
motivation to be with the beloved – remains.

▪ Love can be characterized by concern for other’s well-being, a desire for physical presence and
emotional support. In a study of Tennov in 1979, though sex is an important component of romantic
love, 95% of women and 91% of male respondents did not agree with the statement that “the best thing
about love is sex”.

▪ John Lee’s Love Styles:

1. Eros (EH-ros). Love is based on strong sexual and emotional component. This type of love creates
initial excitement of a new relationship. A romantic and passionate love which emphasizes physical
attraction and sexual desire. The Eros lover dreams of the ideal characteristics of a partner and
usually experiences love at first sight. The relationship, however, seldom lasts forever because they
tend to be quick to fall in and out of love.

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 2. Agape (AH-gah-pay). This is
altruistic and selfless love. The
person shows his love without
expecting to receive the same in
return. He considers the wishes of
his partner as more important than
his own. He may not have a perfect
partner but he will always be there
to support and offer his love.

3. Storge (Store-gay). This is love-

related friendship and based on
nonsexual affection. The person
experiences love as gradual and
slow process. When love is storge,
love take time. Storgic lovers do
not suddenly fall in love with an
idealized lover. Commitment,
stability and comfort are their goals.

4. Ludus. For ludic lovers, love is just a game, something for fun or entertainment. They do not
experience jealousy. They do not value commitment or intimacy. They manipulate their partners
by lying, cheating and deceiving.

5. Mania. This is characterized by an intense feeling which may lead to obsessive and possessive love
towards the loved one. Manic lovers always check the partner’s whereabouts. They easily get
jealous and their experience of love is out of control. They are easily taken advantage of by ludic
lovers.

6. Pragma. This is a practical and business-like love. Pragmatic lovers may plan the best time to get
married, have children, and other future plans. Love is based on what is appropriate. It is not intense
nor out of control.

▪ The Triangular Theory of Love by Robert Sternberg, According to him, love is made up of three
components:

1. Intimacy. This includes the desire to give and receive emotional closeness, support, caring and
sharing.

2. Passion. This is the hot component of love which can be described as intensely romantic or sexual
desire for another person usually accompanied by physical attraction and physiological arousal.

3. Commitment. This is the cold component of love. It is the decision to maintain the relationship
through good times and bad times.

▪ Sternberg also described several types of love based on the above components.

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 1. Liking (Intimacy). This only
involves emotional intimacy and has
no passionate intention for long-term
commitment. It is just a friendly
relationship.

2. Infatuation (Passion). This is

associated with a high degree of
physiological arousal. There is only
passion without intimacy or
commitment. It is usually called
“love at first sight” and may fade
quickly.

3. Empty love (Commitment). This

involves only commitment. A
relationship. With no intimacy and
passion. Couples only stay together
for their children or other important
reasons.

4. Romantic love (Passion and Intimacy). It is a

combination of both passion and intimacy which
may be present during the first phase of a
relationship. This is characterized by emotional
intensity and sexual excitement. The experience of
passionate love may be positive and negative.

5. Companionate love (Intimacy and

Commitment). The components are both intimacy
and commitment which is experienced in long
deeply committed friendship or marriage where
passion has faded. It is more durable than romantic
love and may grow over time.

6. Fatuous love (Passion and Commitment). A

combination of passion and commitment
experienced by couple who spent a short time in
courtship and suddenly decided to get married.

7. Consummate love (Passion, Intimacy, and

Commitment). There exists a healthy balance of
passion, intimacy, and commitment shared by couples considered to be ideal for each other.

▪ The psychology of love shows that there are psychological theories that would explain why people
fall in love.

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 1. Behavioral Reinforcement Theory. When someone received a reward such as free ride or other
favors from another, a positive feeling may be experienced. The better the feeling associated with
the behavior of a person, the more likely it is for the behavior to be repeated.

2. Physiological Arousal Theory. This explains the most acceptable theories about emotions: the
bodies experience a physiological change first, then people assign an emotion to that physical
sensation. It is based on the interpretation of the brain. For instance, when a big spider falls in
front of an individual, the stress reaction would be: the person might gasp, the heart would pound
faster, and breathing would quicken. The brain would interpret an emotion associated to this
experience as the feeling of FEAR. In another situation, a girl who happens to see her crush
walking by will have the same experience as the person who encounters the spider (a person might
gasp, the heart and respiratory rate would elevate): the brain would have different interpretation
in the second case, a feeling of LOVE.

3. Evolutionary Theories. This explains that love arose due to some sociobiological need. Males
tend to look for young, healthy females mates to carry their offspring. Females prefer males who
have the resources to support them and their offspring.

▪ Based on social psychological data from Rosenthal (2013), the factors that would determine
with whom people fall in love are:
▪ Physical attractiveness (though beauty is in the eye of the beholder)
▪ Reciprocity (people tend to like an individual who also like them)
▪ Proximity (being around anytime physically or virtually)
▪ Similarities (same age, religion, education, race, physical attractiveness, intelligence,
and socio-economic class)

The diversity of sexual behavior: solitary, heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual and

transsexual

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 ▪ Human sexual behavior is any activity, solitary,
by pair or by group which includes sexual arousal.

▪ Human sexual behavior may conveniently be

classified according to the number and gender of the
participants.

▪ Not all sexual arousal can lead to sexual activity.

Humans are constantly exposed to sexual stimuli when
seeing attractive persons or seeing advertisement with
sexual themes through mass media.

▪ There is solitary behavior involving only one

individual, and there is sociosexual behavior involving
more than one person.

▪ Sociosexual behavior is generally divided into

heterosexual behavior (male with female) and homosexual
behavior (male with male or female with female). If three
or more individuals are involved it is, of course, possible
to have heterosexual and homosexual activity
simultaneously.

▪ In both solitary and sociosexual behavior there may be activities that are sufficiently unusual
to warrant the label deviant behavior. The term deviant should not be used as a moral judgment
but simply as indicating that such activity is not common in a particular society. Since human
societies differ in their sexual practices, what is deviant in one society may be normal in
another.

▪ Solitary behavior – A behavior with the intention of stimulating self that caused arousal
usually done in private. This behavior is more common to males. There is great individual
variation in frequency. Solitary behavior provide pleasure for self with emotional content with
sole control to the degree of pleasure.

▪ One of the necessary tasks of growing up is learning to cope with one’s sexual arousal and to
achieve some balance between suppression, which can be injurious, and free expression, which
can lead to social difficulties. There is great variation among individuals in the strength of sex
drive and responsiveness, so this necessary exercise of restraint is correspondingly difficult or
easy.

▪ On the other hand, Rosenthal (2013) defined sexual orientation as a person’s predisposition or
inclination regarding sexual behavior, emotional attachment or physical attraction to one or
both sexes.

▪ The phrase “sexual orientation” is preferred over “sexual preference” which implies a
conscious or deliberate choice of a sexual partner. The following are types of sexual
orientations:

1. Heterosexuality – it is the attraction to members of opposite sex.

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 2. Homosexuality – refers to a person whose sexual orientation is toward another of the same
sex. It is the attraction to members of the same sex.

a. Lesbian – is the term used to describe a woman whose sexual and romantic attraction
toward women.

b. Gay - is a man whose sexual and romantic attraction is towards other men.

3. Bisexual – is a person who may be sexually oriented to both men and women

4. Transsexual – these are people experience a gender identity that is inconsistent with, or
not culturally associated with, their assigned sex, and desire to permanently transition to
the gender with which they identify, usually seeking medical assistance.

▪ According to DSM V (2013), refers to the broad spectrum of individuals who

transiently or persistently identify with a gender different from their natal gender.
▪ Transsexual denotes an individual who seeks, or has undergone, a social transition
from male to female or female to male, which in many, but not all, cases also involve
a somatic transition by cross-sex hormone and genital surgery (sex reassignment
surgery).
▪ In clinical viewpoint, a person is suffering from gender dysphoria if there is a distress
that may accompany the incongruence between one’s expressed gender or gender
identity and one’s assigned gender.
▪ Although not all individuals will experience distress as a result of incongruence, many
are distressed if desired physical interventions by means of hormones and/or surgery
are not available.

5. Pansexual – is a new sexual orientation of persons who are sexually attracted to people
regardless of their sex or gender identity. The word “pan” is a Greek word for “all r every”.
Thus, they may also be called “gender blind” for they believe that gender and sex are not
determining factors for getting sexually attracted to both males and females whereas
pansexual is more fluid. Aside from men and women they may also be attracted to
transgender, transsexual, androgynous and other gender categories.

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)

▪ Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) are also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI),
together with venereal disease, these are infections that are commonly spread by sexual
intercourse. These are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual
contact, blood transfusion, breastfeeding, and certain amount of saliva.

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 ▪ Most STD’s affect both
men and women, but in many
cases the health problems they
cause can be more severe for
women. If a pregnant woman has
an STD, it can cause serious
health problems for the baby.
Antibiotics can treat STDs
caused by bacteria, yeast, or
parasites. There is no cure for
STDs caused by a virus, but
medicines can often help with the
symptoms and keep the disease
under control.

▪ Some causes of STDs

are: bacteria, parasites, yeast, and
viruses. These STDs can be
dangerous, although in today’s
generation is can be treated in
different ways, but if not it can
lead to Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
or even Acquired immune
deficiency syndrome or acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS).

▪ The following are some

examples of STIs:

1. HIV/AIDS. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus with AIDS stands for
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Thus, HIV is a virus while AIDS is a condition or
syndrome. HIV can lead to infections that attack and destroy the CD4 (Tcells) of the
immune system which is the body’s natural defense against such illness as tuberculosis,
pneumonia, and cancer.

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 ▪ HIV without treatment
can lead to AIDS but not all cases
of HIV develops AIDS. Only
untreated HIV may lead to
AIDSS. Presently, there is no
effective cure for HIV. But the
condition can be controlled with
proper medical care.

▪ The antiretroviral
therapy (ART) is a combination
of medications that are used to
prevent HIV from replicating to
protect the body against the virus
and infection. However, ART is
not a cure. It helps those with HIV
positive to live longer and happier
and lowers the risk of advancing
the condition into AIDS.

▪ In the statistics of Philippine Department of Health (DOH), in 2008), there is one (1)
newly diagnosed HIV case per day. In 2010, it increased to four (4) cases per day. In
2012, it becomes nine (9) per day. In 2014, it has blown to seventeen (17) cases per
day and in 2016, there are twenty-sex (26) reported daily cases of newly diagnosed
HIV.

2. Genital Herpes. This is a sexually transmitted infection cause by a large family of viruses
of different strains. These strains produce other non-sexually transmitted diseases such as
chicken pox and mononucleosis.

▪ Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms. When signs do occur,
they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The
blisters break, leaving tender sores that may take two to four weeks to heal the first
time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first,
but it almost always is less severe and shorter.

▪ The virus remains in the body for life and the lesions may recur from time to time.
Severe or frequently recurrent genital herpes is treated with one of several antiviral
drugs that are available by prescription. These drugs help control the symptoms, but
do not eliminate the herpes virus from the body.

3. Genital Warts. Genital warts (also called venereal warts or Condylomata Acuminata) are
caused by the human papillomavirus, a virus related to the one that causes common skin
warts. Certain high-risk types of HPV can cause cervical cancer and other genital cancers,
but these are different from the types that cause genital warts.

▪ Genital warts usually first appear as small, hard painless bumps in the vaginal area or
around the anus. If untreated, they may grow and develop a fleshy, cauliflower-like
appearance.

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 4. Gonorrhea. This a sexually transmitted infection caused by bacterium Neisseria
gonorrheoeae which thrives in the moist mucous membranes linings of the mouth, throuat,
vagina, cervix, urethra, and the anal tract.

▪ Most women who are infected have no symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms,
they can be so non-specific as to be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. The
most common symptoms of gonorrhea are a vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding
between periods. Untreated cases can lead to serious complications, including PID,
ectopic pregnancy and infertility.

▪ Symptoms for males are discharge from the penis and burning sensations during
urination.

5. Syphilis. This is a sexually transmitted infection caused by bacterium Treponema

palligum, a spirochete. If left untreated, syphilis may progress through four phases: Primay
(chancre sores appear), Secondary (general skin rashes occur), latent (a period that can last
for several years with no overt symptoms), and tertiary (cardiovascular disease, blindness,
paralysis, skin ulcers, liver damage, mental problem and even death may occur).

6. Chlamydia. This is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, named for
Chlamydia trachomatis, an organism that spreads through sexual contact and infects the
genital organs of both sexes.

▪ Many people with chlamydial infection, however, have few or no symptoms of

infection; it often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Once diagnosed with chlamydial
infection, a person can be treated with an antibiotic.

Methods of Contraception (Artificial and Natural)

▪ There are a lot of reason on why people use contraceptives. Some purpose of birth control is to
prevent pregnancy, many women choose to use contraception because of certain health
advantages. For example, some hormonal birth control methods may help regulate your
period, reduce acne, and/or lower endometriosis-related pain.

▪ In general, with the exception of male and female sterilization, all methods that are appropriate
for healthy adults are also potentially appropriate for healthy, post-pubertal adolescents. Once

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 puberty has been achieved,
methods that are physiologically
safe for adults are also
physiologically safe for
adolescents.

▪ In reality, contraceptive use

entails consideration of more than
just medical safety. Before
discussing contraceptive options,
a person must be given the
opportunity to express their needs
and to decide freely whether they
want to protect against pregnancy
or need to protect against
STI/HIV.

▪ Once a decision is made for protection, sexually active individual should be presented with
options that, if used consistently and correctly, will prevent pregnancy and, depending upon an
individual’s circumstances, prevent sexually transmissible diseases. When selecting a method,
a person should consider the nature of their sexual relationship, sexual behaviors engaged in,
frequency of intercourse, risk of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) or even HIV, ability to
comply with the use, ability to tolerate side effects, cost, convenience, religious beliefs and
other personal factors that may affect their decisions.

▪ Some of the methods of contraception:

1. Hormonal method of contraception (prevents the release of an egg or ovulation)

a. Oral Contraceptives (Pills) – These are daily oral contraceptives. Some contain estrogen and
progesterone; others are progestin only and is over 99% effective if used according to
instruction. Often reduces bleeding and period pain, and may help with premenstrual
symptoms. Missing pills, vomiting or severe diarrhea can make it less effective.

b. The Patch – It is a small patch you stick on the skin that releases estrogen and progestogen. It
stops ovulation. It can make
bleeds regular, lighter, and less
painful, however, may be seen and
can cause skin irritation.

c. The ring – The contraceptive

vaginal ring is a small plastic ring
a woman inserts into her vagina
every month and releases
hormones to stop ovulation. One
ring stays in for three weeks – you
don’t have to think about
contraception every day and must

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 be comfortable with inserting and removing it.

d. Implants - A small, flexible rod put under the skin of the upper arm releases progestogen.
Works for 3 years but can be taken out sooner. It requires a small procedure to fit and remove
it.

e. Injectable - An injection of progestogen. Works for 8 or 13 weeks – you don’t have to think
about contraception during this time. Can’t be removed from the body so side effects may
continue while it works and for some time afterwards.

2. Barrier methods (methods that physically or chemically block the sperm from reaching an egg
and provide a barrier between direct skin to skin contacts)

a. Diaphragm - A flexible latex (rubber) or silicone device, used with spermicide, is put into the
vagina to cover the cervix. Can be put in any time before sex.

b. Cervical Caps – These are similar to the diaphragm, though they are generally always made of
silicone. They are put into the vagina to cover the cervix and are 92 to 96 percent effective
when used correctly.

c. Male and Female Condoms or spermicides - For Males: A very thin latex (rubber) polyurethane
(plastic) or synthetic sheath, put over the erect penis. For Females: Soft, thin polyurethane
sheath that loosely lines the vagina and covers the area just outside. Condoms are the best way
to help protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections

3. Behavioral Methods

a. Rhythm or Calendar Method – It is a way to determine a woman’s most fertile and interfile
times by charting the menstrual cycle. It is also known as natural family planning or fertility
awareness.

b. Abstinence or celibacy – It refers to the avoidance of sexual intercourse.

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 c. Outercourse – It is a sexual activity that does not include the insertion of the penis into the
vagina.

d. Withdrawal – it happens when a man removes his penis from vagina and ejaculate outside of
the woman’s body.

4. Sterilization (procedures that make an individual permanently incapable of conceiving or

fertilizing a partner)

a. Tubal Ligation /Sterilization – It is a surgery for

woman in which fallopian tubes are tied to prevent
eggs from travelling to the uterus so a woman cannot
get pregnant.

b. Vasectomy – It is an operation in which the

surgeon makes a small cut in the upper part of the
scrotum then ties or blocks the vas deferens. Men can
still have orgasm or ejaculation after the operation.

5. Intrauterine Device (IUD) – It is a small device

that is places in the uterus by a doctor to prevent
pregnancy.

6. Emergency Contraception - It is a measure that protects against pregnancy after unprotected sex
has already occurred. It could be through IUD or higher dosage of pills.

References:

Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self. Malabon
City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.

Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.

Marshall, E. and Tanner, S. Introduction to Psychology. Accessed July 28, 2020.

https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/6-3-adolescence-developing-independence-and-
identity/

Master, A. and Johnson, T. Human Sexual Response. Accessed July 28, 2020.
https://canvas.du.edu/courses/24161/files/1152570

Remez, R. Developing Adolescene. Accessed July 28, 2020.

https://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/develop.pdf

Rosenthal, M. (2013). Human Sexuality from Cells to Society. Asia: Cengage Learning

Seventeeth congress (First Regular session). Accessed July 20, 2020.

http://www.congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/first_17/CR00101.pdf

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