UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
Multidisciplinary Approach
Chapter 6: The Sexual Self
• Sexual identity determines the sexual
concept of the individual.
• Puberty - brings physical changes as a
result of sexual maturity through the signals
sent by the brain to the gonads or sex
glands.
• Sex hormones allows physiological
changes.
• Testosterone - sex hormones of male.
• Estrogen – sex hormones of female.
The Development of Gender Identity
• Relevant to the acquisition of identity is the
development of a gender identity.
• Gender – first choice of orientation.
• Sex – endowment from birth.
• Penis – genitals of boy.
• Vagina – genitals of girl.
• Gender Identity - decision of an individual
on how the individuals wanted to be treated
and viewed.
• Sex is basically a biological characteristic
based on the chromosomes of a female witch
is XX and the male chromosomes which is
scientifically termed as XY.
• Sexuality – is a broad term that includes
many facets of the way we experience our
lives as sexual beings.
• Sexuality encompasses our sexual
behaviors, feelings, gender identities and
roles, sexual orientation, and reproduction. It
is influenced by physical, psychological,
spiritual, and cultural factors.
• Sex – act of intercourse, person’s gender, or
exchange of genetic material.
• Sexually transmitted infection (STI) an
infection that is most commonly transmitted
through sexual contact.
• Religions authorities often mandated
sexual norms.
• Sexual activities that could result in the
birth of a child were considered normal.
• Masturbation, oral sex, and same sex
activities were considered both abnormal
and immoral.
• Sexual deviations are defined as disorders
rather than abnormalities.
Perspective of Sexuality: A
• Sex is derived from the Latin word secare,
meaning “to divide”.
BIOLOGY
• Biology – the science of life and living
organism.
• Seat of sexual pleasure are penis and
clitoris, that both develop from same
embryological tissue.
• Hormones also play a vital role in sexuality.
• Estrogens and testosterone are the
primary hormones. They are responsible for
the growth and development of
reproductive organs and affects sex drive,
behavior, and love.
• Brain is the organ that most affect your
sexuality. It initiates and organizes many
sexual behaviors.
• Sexually dimorphic – an anatomical area
that has a different from in males and
females.
• Sensual simply means relating to the
senses.
• Sexual reproduction – the creation of new
generation by the fusion of egg and sperm.
SOCIOBIOLOGY/ EVOLUTIONARY
PSYCHOLOGY
• Sociobiology/Evolutionary Psychology –
the study of how evolutionary forces affect
our behavior.
• Males are more sexually promiscuous than
females and are more willing to engage in a
sexual relationship without an emotional
involvement or commitment.
• Females are born with all their eggs and
release just one egg each month.
RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY, AND VALUES
• Religious and morality have a major impact
on the expression of sexuality.
JUDAISM
• Judaism views sex as an important way to
strengthen marital bonds.
• Mitzuah – a commandment and a kindness
to have sex on the Sabbath.
In Genesis, the first chapter of the Hebrew,
Bible, God instructs Jacob to be “fruitful and
multiply.”
• Basis for much of Western society’s aversion SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
to non-procreative sexual acts, such as
masturbation and oral or anal sex. • STI – Sexually Transmitted Infections
• Childlessness was a reason for divorce. • Infection – bacteria, viruses, or other
• Polygyny – occurs when a man having more organisms that could possibly cause a
than one wife at a time. disease are present in a person’s body.
CHRISTIANITY • Disease – infection is causing symptoms.
• Christianity’s views on sexuality come from Why STI and not STD?
St. Paul and St. Augustine. • A person must be infected before they can
• Dualistic philosophy – the spirit is separate have a sexually transmitted disease.
from the flesh. • Infection – a germ that can cause sickness
• In order for the spirit to get to heaven, one is present inside a person’s body.
must practice self-denial and rid oneself of • Disease – an infection is actually causing the
earthy pleasures, such as wealth, comfort, or infected person to feel sick, or to notice
sexual pleasure. something is wrong.
• Sex was only permitted with one’s spouse • STI was once called “Venereal diseases”
and only for the purposes of procreation. (from Venus, the Roman goddess of love) or
• Sex was prohibited when ones wide was social diseases.
menstruating, pregnant, or nursing. • STI can be transmitted through:
ISLAM - Sexual Contact
• Prophet Muhammad decreed that the only 1. Anal
road to virtue was marriage. 2. Oral
• Celibacy within marriage is frowned upon. 3. Vaginal intercourse
• Muslim men are allowed to have up to four 4. Skin to skin contact with genetalia
wives, women can have only one husband. - Childbirth
• Sex only permitted only within marriage; - Exposure to contaminated blood
under Islamic law, the penalty for extramarital 1. Sharing infected needles
sex is 100 lashes and or stoning to death. 2. Transfusions with contaminated
TAOISM blood.
• Sex is not only natural and healthy, but a STI COMES FROM:
sacred union necessary to peoples • Bacteria - Tiny, single-celled
physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. microorganisms that can cause infections
• Men should be able to control their in animals and humans.
ejaculation, by not having ejaculation. - Examples
• Ching (sexual energy) – can be retained and 1. Chlamydia
redirected through the body into the higher 2. Gonorrhea
regions of the heart and brain. 3. Syphilis
HINDUISM • Viruses - Submicroscopic infections
• Physical love is an element of spirituality, agents that need a host to grow and
necessary to lead to eternal bliss in the next reproduce.
life. - Examples
• Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian sex 1. Genital warts - Human
manual written by Vatsyayana on 3rd papillomavirus
centuries. 2. Herpes
3. Hepatitis
• It describes 64 different sexual position as
4. HIV
well as 10 different types of kisses and 8
variations of oral sex. • Parasitic Insects - They feed off the blood
SEX EDUCATION of their human host and can be spread by
close contact with an infected individual.
• Barbara Huberman – suggest that children
- Examples
below the age of 5 should be taught the
1. Pubic Lice or scabies
correct terms for the parts of the body.
• Protozoa – single celled animals that are
more complex than bacteria.
- Examples
1. Trichomoniasis – a common
sexually transmitted infection caused
by protozoa, one-celled animals that
are larger and more complex than
bacteria.
• Women are Asymptomatic - when a person
has a disease or infection but experiences no
symptoms.
- Long term consequences of STI to
women:
1. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease –
inflammation of genital due to an
infection.
2. Infertility – not being able to get
pregnant.
3. Cervical Cancer – growth of
abnormal cells in the lining of the
cervix.
BACTERIAL INFECTIONS
• Chlamydia – a very common, and often
asymptomatic, bacterial STI.
- Transmission:
1. Caused by the bacterium Chlamydia
trachomatis.
2. through unprotected anal or
vaginal intercourse as well as
through childbirth.
- Symptoms
1. Appear 5 to 21 days after exposure
to the bacterium.
2. In women, infects the cervix and
cause vaginal discharge and
bleeding.
3. May cause pelvic pain, abdominal
and lower back pain, fever, and
nausea.
4. In men, testicles are swollen and
tender, and the tip of penis is red.
- Effects on Pregnancy
1. Pelvic inflammatory disease -
Inflammation of the uterus, fallopian
tubes and or ovaries
2. Long-term pelvic pain blocked
fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic
pregnancy.
• Trachoma – a bacterial infection of the eye,
characterized by conjunctivitis, which is the
inflammation, redness, pain and itching of
the inner lining of the eyelids.
- Effects
1. Inflame throat.
2. Can cause rectal pain, discharge,
and bleeding.
• Gonorrhea
- Transmission:
1. Caused bacterium Neisseria
gonorrhoeae, which grows and
multiplies in warm, moist areas.
- Symptoms
1. Pain or burning when they urinate or
move their bowels.
2. Spotting between periods or after
intercourse.
- Effects
1. In males can lead to epididymitis,
which can result in infertility.
2. Women are at risk of developing
pelvic inflammatory disease.
• Syphilis – a bacterial STI that has
progressive stages.
- Transmission
1. Most contagious during its early
stages and is passed by direct
contact with a syphilis sore.
2. Can also be passed during
pregnancy and childbirth.
- Chancre – the painless sore that occurs
at the site of syphilis infection.
- Primary Syphilis – the sore (or sores) is
usually small, firm syphilis sore., and
round that appears on penis, scrotum,
vagina, labia, anus, mouth, breasts, and
fingers,
- Diagnosis and Treatment
1. Examining material from the sore
under a microscope and by testing
for antibodies in the patient’s
blood.
2. If a person has syphilis, he or she is
treated with an injection of
penicillin.
3. If allergic to penicillin can be treated
with doxycycline or tetracycline.
• Bacterial Vaginosis
- Vaginitis = is an inflammation or
infection of the vagina.
- Bacterial vaginosis (BV) – the most
common cause of vaginal infection, often
not sexually transmitted.
- Common infection of the vagina in
women of childbearing age.
 - slightly grayish vaginal discharge that
has a fishy odor
- bacterial vaginosis can raise a woman’s
risk of other gynecological problems,
including PID, and increase her
susceptibility to chlamydia, gonorrhea,
and HIV.
- Pregnant women who’s infected has risk
of miscarriage, premature delivery,
and low birth weight babies.
- Treated with antibiotics such as
clindamycin or metronidazole.
VIRAL INFECTIONS
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - most
common sexually transmitted virus, causes
genital warts, others of which can lead to a
higher risk of some forms of cancer.
- Transmission
1. Sexual activities
2. Childbirth
- Symptoms
1. Low-risk papillomaviruses, most
commonly types 6 and 11, cause
genital warts.
- Genital Warts – a contagious STI that
caused by infection with HPV,
characterized by warts located on the
genitals.
• Herpes - sexually transmitted caused by the
herpes simplex virus, which causes sores
or blisters of the skin or mucous
membrane.
- Herpes simplex 1 and 2 are members of
the herpes-viridae family, a large group
of DNA viruses that cause diseases such
as chicken pox, shingles, and mono-
nucleosis.
- HSV-1 usually affects the mouth.
- HSV-2 usually affects the genitals.
• Viral Hepatitis – an inflammation of the
liver that can be caused by alcohol, drugs,
autoimmune diseases, medical conditions
and certain viruses.
- one out of every three people has been
infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV)
- Hepatitis B – one form of viral hepatitis,
which is transmitted through contact
with bodily fluid.
- Symptoms
1. Occur 1 to 4 months after infection.
2. Fever, fatigue, and achiness
3. Abdominal pain
4. Jaundice – yellow of the skin and
whites of the eyes
5. Dark and foamy urine, and pale-
colored feces.
- Health Consequences
1. Acute Hepatitis- they clear the
infection on their own, can’t transmit
the disease to others once it is
cleared from their blood, and can
never get re-infected.
2. Chronic hepatitis B- the infection
persists and may go on to damage
the liver.
3. Cirrhosis (liver scarring) or liver
cancer - destruction of healthy liver
cells, and their replacement with scar
tissue
- Treatment
1. Should get plenty of rest, eat healthy
diet, and avoid drugs and alcohol to
reduce stress on liver.
2. Alpha-interferon- a genetically
engineered form of a protein normally
made by the body’s immune system.
• HIV/AIDS –
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-
the virus that causes aids.
- Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome (AIDS) – is a group of
symptoms that result from a loss of
immune function and eventually leads to
death.
- HIV-1 is the primary strain seen around
the world.
- HIV-2 is the least infectious and mostly
found in West Africa.
- HIV attacks and destroys cells in the
immune system.
1. B-lymphocytes – white blood cells
that produce antibodies to destroy
foreign cells.
2. T-lymphocytes – a group of white
blood cells involved in cell-mediated
immunity.
- Types of T cells:
1. Killer-T cells - recognize foreign
cells and destroys them.
2. Suppressor-T cells – shut off the
immune system when the infection
slows.
 3. Helper-T cells – also called CD4
cells, which coordinate the immune
response to the foreign invader.
- HIV is a retrovirus. It uses an enzyme
called reverse transcriptase to convert
RNA to DNA.
- Opportunistic infections- an infection
by a microorganism that doesn’t usually
cause disease in a person with a healthy
immune system.
- Symptoms (Stages of AIDS)
1. Acute HIV infection- the first stage
of HIV infection soon after a person is
exposed to the HIV virus.
2. Viral load- the amount of HIV present
in the blood-rises.
3. Seroconversion- the point at which
antibodies to an illness such as HIV
are detectable.
4. Window period- the period between
exposure to HIV and the time at
which antibodies are evident in a
blood test.
- Virus inhibitory peptide (VIRIP) – may
prevent HIV from entering human
immune cells.
PARASITIC INFECTIONS
• Ectoparasites – any parasitic organism
that lives on the outside of a body, such as
lice.
- Pubic Lice is a parasitic insect that
infests human genitals. It is commonly
referred to as crabs. They
- Crabs are often transmitted sexually
through direct and prolonged skin-to-skin
attach to pubic hair and burrow into the
host's skin.
- Scabies - is a very contagious skin
infection caused by the mite Sacroptes
scabiei, a parasite that lives on the skin.
FUNGAL INFECTIONS
• Candidiasis (Yeast Infection) - an
overgrowth of the yeast organism Candida
albicans.
- normal lactobacteria of the vagina is
disrupted, allowing yeast to overgrow.
• Jock Itch - caused by the fungus Tinea
cruris, is more common uncircumcised
men.
• Spirochete – spiral celled bacteria
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
• GLBTQQ – gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgendered, queer and questioning.
• LGBTQIA+ - Lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgendered, queer, intersex, asexual.
• Sexual orientation –a person’s
predisposition or inclination regarding
sexual behavior, emotional attachment or
physical attraction to one or both sexes.
• Homosexual – refers to someone whose
sexual orientation is toward others of the
same sex.
• Heterosexual – a person whose sexual
orientation is toward others of the opposite
sex.
• Bisexuals – A person who may be sexually
oriented to both men and women.
- Kinsey’s scale - as people become
more attracted to their same sex, they
become less attracted to the other sex.
- Michael Storms’ 2-dimensional mode of
sexual orientation:
1. same-sex fantasies as homosexuals
2. other-sex fantasies as were
heterosexuals.
- Bisexuality is more common in women
than in men, and that women are more
fluid in their sexuality.
- Women experienced strong genital
arousal to both male and female sexual
stimuli.
• Sexual Fluidity – the idea that a person may
change from other-sex attractions to same-
sex throughout to his/her life.
- Men are more likely to view their
sexuality as fixed and innate, women are
more likely to see it as subject to change
based on specific relationships, choices,
and circumstances.
- Love and sexual desire are
independent processes, so a woman
may be sexually oriented toward men,
but still fall in love with a woman.
• Asexuality – when a person does not
experience any sexual attraction to either
sex.
• Hyper-sexuality – an excessive interest in
sex.
• Nymphomania –respectively obsessive and
uncontrolled sexual desire.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) -
an anxiety disorder characterized by
 intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive,
compulsion acts.
• Transsexual or Transgendered– are those
who think of themselves as members of the
opposite sex.
• Transvestite – a person, usually male, who
derives sexual gratification from dressing
in the clothing of the opposite sex.
• Gender Dysphoria - a psychological
condition in which there is an incongruity
between one’s physical sex in ones gender
identity.
• female-to-male (FTM) trans- sexuality is
lower, perhaps because transmen are less
likely to surgically transition.
• Transwoman – One who is born male but
identifies as female can called male-to-
female (MTF) or transwoman.
• Transman - One who is born female but
identifies as male is called female-to-male
(FTM) or transman.
• Milton Diamond – proposes the terms
gynecophilic, androphilic, and ambiphilic
rather than homosexual, heterosexual, and
bisexual.
• Gynecophilic – one who prefers a female
partner.
• Androphilic – one who prefers a male
partner.
• Ambiphilic – one who like both female and
male partners.
• Drag kings, drag queens – a person who
dresses as the opposite sex for the purpose
of entertainment.
• Sex Reassignment - If a transsexual wishes
to live as the opposite gender, he or she may
choose to undergo sex reassignment.
• Psychoanalytic Theory – the development
of a gay identity might result from parental
behaviors.
- Freud was one of the first proponents.
- Men become gay due to interactions with
emotionally distant fathers & overbearing
mothers.
• Learning Theory –same-sex attraction is
due to solely to learned or environmental
factors
- Early experiences are important in the
development of our sexual orientation.
- False is the belief that women become
lesbians due to sexual abuse by men.
• Female bonobo chimpanzee spends a
considerable amount of time in same-sex
sexual behavior.
• Bottlenose dolphins show one of the
highest rates of same-sex sexual behavior of
any animal.
• Penguins in captivity and Hawaiian
albatrosses can form long-lasting same-sex
pair bonds and also engage in same-sex
copulation.
• Both biological & environmental factors
interact to influence a person’s sexual
expression.
• Gaydar - the ability to tell if someone is gay
or lesbian by the way they look, move or act.
• Conversion/reparative therapy- type of
therapy condemned by American
Psychological Association, that seeks to
convert a gay person into a heterosexual.
- pseudoscientific practice of attempting
to change an individual's sexual
orientation, gender identity, or gender
expression to align with heterosexual and
gender norms.
• National Association for the Research
and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH)
believe that homosexuality is a mental
illness, primarily caused by parenting
styles.
• Coming out – means to acknowledge,
accept and openly express one’s sexual
orientation.
Gay and Lesbians Relationships
• Same-sex relationships are also described
as being more like best-friendships
combined with romantic and erotic attraction.
• Lesbian couples are described as more
emotionally nurturing and they spend more
leisure time together.
Marriage Equality
• Civil Marriage - two people have all the
rights and obligations of marriage, via license
issued by the state government.
• Religious Marriage - may be a rite,
sacrament, or solemnization of the union of
two people.
• Civil Unions - give same-gender couples a
legal status similar to civil marriage.
• Domestic Partnership - is a relationship
between two people, sometimes of the same
gender, who live together in mutually support
one another as spouses.
 Intersexuality
• Intersex – those with mixed male and female
reproductive anatomy.
• Disorder of Sex Development – congenital
conditions in which development of
chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomic sex is
atypical.
• True hermaphrodites are people who have
ambiguous genitals as well as both male and
female gonads.
• Pseudo hermaphroditism - gonads of their
chromosomal sex and ambiguous or
opposite external genitalia.
• Pseudohermaphrodite – internal
reproductive organs are of one sex, and
whose external genitalia resemble that of the
other sex.
• Guevedoces – an autosomal recessive
disorder of sex development in which the
baby is born with apparently female genitalia,
but the penis and scrotum develop at
puberty.
Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome
• People with androgen insensitivity syndrome
(AIS) have a Y chromosome, which causes
testes to form. It produces anti-mullerian
hormones as well as testosterone.
• So, female external genitalia develop, and
these children are raised as girls.
Klinefelter’s Syndrome
• Y sperm fertilizes an ovum that has extra X
chromosomes.
• Klinefelter’s syndrome has what may be
considered a more feminine body shape,
including some breast development,
narrow shoulders, wide hips, decreased
muscle mass.
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
• Girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia
(CAH) may exhibit more Boyish conduct and
CAH women are likely to be lesbians.
• Excess androgens masculinize the external
genitalia, causing the clitoris to enlarge and
the labia to fuse partially.
CHAPTER 7: THE MATERIAL SELF
• Materialism - all that is found in the universe
is matter which is the substance of nature.
• Material possession is all that matters
most.
• Western cultures have encouraged
materialism among people now as they
seek happiness and life satisfaction.
• Economists and even environmentalist
continue to reiterate on the need to focus on
needs rather than growing consumerism and
commercialism around us.
• Consumerism – the belief that it is good for
people to spend a lot of money on goods and
services.
• Consumer – an individual who used the
goods and services produced by the
workers.
• Consumer behavior – the study of the
buying units and the exchange processes
involved in acquiring, consuming, and
disposing of goods, services, and ideas.
• Consumer Decision making – the
integration process by which knowledge is
combined to evaluate two or more alternative
behaviors and select one.
• Consumer Personality is defined as the
characteristics that determine and reflect
how consumers make choices with regard to
buying patterns and consumption behavior.
• Commercialism – the attitude or action of
people who are influenced too strongly by the
desire to earn money or buy goods rather
than by other values.
THE CONCEPT OF SELF-GIFT
• Self is the primary object of one’s journey
through life.
• The act of behavior collecting goods and gift
to the self is considered as materialism.
• Narcissistic - is a characteristic of
excessive admiration of or infatuation with
oneself.
• Self-centeredness - prioritizing the self by
showing the evident lack of empathy on the
plight of others.
• Consumer Behavior – the study of why
people buy things.
• Narcissistic behavior – a person who has
an excessive interest in or admiration of
themselves.
 CHAPTER 9: THE DIGITAL SELF
• The constant increase in the use of digital
communication such as the social media has
undeniably defined the formation of digital
self among individuals.
• Each has digital self which is what we use to
be a part of the technological world.
• This digital self is decoy that we use conceal
our real self.
• Internet – an electronic communications
network that connects computer facilities
around the world.
• Social networking – the activity of creating
personal and business relationships with
other people especially by sharing
information, personal messages on the
Internet.
• Text message or short message service
(SMS) – a short message that is sent
electronically to a cellphone or other device.
• Smart Phones – a mobile telephone that can
be used to send and receive e-mail, connect
to the Internet, take photographs, etc.
• Applications – a program that performs a
particular task or set of tasks.
• You tube – is a video sharing service that
allows users to watch videos posted by other
users and upload videos of their own.
• Blogs/Vlogs - a website that contains online
personal reflections, comments and often
hyperlinks, videos, and photographs
provided by the writer.
• Search Engines – a computer program that
is used to look for information on the internet.
• Word Wide Web – a part of the Internet
accessed through a graphical user interface
and containing documents often connected
by hyperlinks –called Web
• Email – a system for sending messages from
one computer to another computer
• Chat Rooms – is an online platform that
enables users to communicate with each
other in real time. Chat rooms are typically
hosted on a server with an internet
connection, enabling members from around
the world to hold conversations about various
topics.
• •
• On-line shopping - the process of searching
for and purchasing goods and services over
the Internet through the use of the web
browser.
• Online dating – is a way of meeting a
potential love interest using the Internet.
• GPS (Global Positioning system) – a
system of satellites computers, and receivers
that is able to determine the latitude and
longitude of a receiver on Earth by
calculating the time difference for signals
from different satellites to reach the receiver.
• Wifi or Wireless Network- are computer
networks that are not connected by cables of
any kind.
• Game Consoles – A games console is an
electronic device used for playing computer
games on a television screen. The two
most popular consoles are
Sony’s Play station and
Microsoft’s Xbox.
• William James, the father of American
psychology, has reiterated that each
individual possesses personalities according
to his/her current situation which in turn
reveals his/her digital identity.
THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL
ADVANCEMENTS TO IDENTITY
• Disconnectedness
• Developing and Nurturing Virtual
Relationship
• Online Recklessness
• Distorted Identity Formation
• Significant Portion of our lives is being
broadcasted.
• Digital Self-Harm
• Contribute to a Declining Mental Health
• Self-Obsession
CHAPTER 10: INTELLECTUAL
• Intelligence is a component that has to be
considered when analyzing the ‘self’.
• Individual intelligence cannot be absolutely
measured because standards are at times
subjective.
• Einstein himself said that “The true sign of
intelligence is not knowledge but
imagination.”
• The true measure of intelligence and its
definition cannot be absolutely established.
Coon, (2006) summed up insights about the
essence of intelligence.
• Charles Spearman proposed that
intelligence is the single factor that enables
 problem solving and doing welll in all areas
of cognition.
• Louis Leon Thurstone, proposed that there
are seven primary abilities such as verbal,
word fluency, numerical, space, memory,
perceptual and reasoning abilities.
• Raymond Cattell, describe intelligence as
crystallized and flued and includes
knowledge and skills measured by tests and
vocabulary.
• Fluid intelligence is hereditary, based on
neurophysiological structures manifested in
a person’s ability to think and reason
abstractly.
• Intelligence - is defined as the global
capacity to act purposely, to think
rationally and deal effectively with
immediate environment.
• Intelligence involves reasoning, problem
solving ability, knowledge memory and
the successful adaption to one’s
surrounding.
• Howard Gardner himself has pointed onto
the eight multiple intelligence that an
individual may possess.
CHAPTER 11: EMOTION: NATURE AND
MANAGEMENT
• Emotion come from the Latin word
“emovere” which means to move out.
• Emotion are spontaneous responses to
certain stimuli. It is a natural and random
response to situations that may cause anger,
sadness, happiness and fear.
• Emotions are complex, a state of feeling that
results in physical and psychological
changes influencing behavior as it arouses
the nervous system.
• Physiological reactions may result from
certain emotional state that may even lead to
psychosomatic illnesses.
• Psychosomatic illness happens when people
develop physical symptoms that have no
clear medical cause.
WHAT KIND OF EMOTION AFFECT YOU?
• Positive Emotions – a classification of
pleasant emotion which may include
happiness, excitement, joy, relief, triumph.
• Negative Emotions - a classification of
emotion involving sadness, disgust, anxiety,
anger, jealousy, fear, and the like.
THE NATURE OF STRESS
• Stress - is defined as a state of extreme
difficulty, pressure, or strain.
• Stress is unpleasant as it puts the mind and
the body in a dilemma where it is
threatened or challenged.
• The concept of stress was developed by
Hans Selye (1936) postulated the theory of
stress reaction known as General
Adaptation Syndrome – this state that a
body under stress generally undergoes
response stages: alarm, resistance, and
exhaustion.
• Alarm – happens when the individual
recognizes the treat.
• Resistance - is when the person desires
either to confront the stressor know as fight
or to run away from the stressor flight.
• Exhaustion - is where body’s resources will
be depleted.
TYPES OF STRESS
• Positive Stress or Eustress – this is
experienced by the body as an unpleasant
stimulus becomes a source of motivation.
• Negative Stress or Distress – this type of
stress causes not only pain in the mind but
also in the body as it makes the individual
literally sick.
• As an event, the thwarting circumstances
that block or interfere with goal – directed
activity is frustration.
WHAT IS CONFLICT?
• Related to frustration is the state of conflict
which results when we must make a choice
of alternatives and cannot arrive at a
decision.
• Kurt Lewin Identify four types of Conflict:
• Approach- Approach - this type of conflict
occurs when the individual has two desirable
but mutually exclusive goals. It is when you
like all the available option. The conflict
comes from having to choose the one you
like the most.
• Avoidance – Avoidance - this type of
conflict occurs when there are two
undesirable situations but cannot avoid one
without encountering the other. Avoidance-
avoidance comes from two undesirable
option to choose from
• Approach- Avoidance - The conflict occurs
when a person is both attracted and repelled
by the same object, person or situation. This
 is difficult to resolve. The person is attracted
to a goal that has both positive and negative
values.
• Double/ Multiple Approach - In
double/multiple approach conflict the person
is attracted to two positive goals, but each
goal has a negative alternative. Double/
Multiple Approach is created by
having two options, each of which have good
and bad consequences.
WAYS TO RESPOND TO EXTREME
EMOTION AND STRESS
• Social Engagement - this is the most
evolved strategy for keeping ourselves
feeling calm and safe. Social engagement
refers to one's degree of participation in a
community or society.
• Mobilization - This is known as the fight-or-
flight response. When social engagement is
not an appropriate response and we need to
either defend ourselves or run away from
danger, the body prepares for mobilization.
• Immobilization - This is the least evolved
response to stress and used by the body
only when social engagement and
mobilization have failed.
OTHER WAYS OF COPING
• Aggressive Reaction - generally,
aggression is a kind of behavior intended to
harm another person. It is either expressed
physically or verbally. There are also two
kinds of aggression namely: direct
and displaced aggression
(indirect).
- The same can also be performed in several
forms which include:
• Displaced Aggression – is directing the
aggressive act towards another person or to
the objects that are causing the stress or
maybe the cause of frustration.
• Scapegoating – is an aggressive behavior
where one blames another person or objects
for his failures or fault.
• Free-Floating anger – is an aggressive
response which is prolonged as a sign of
extreme anger
• Suicide - is an aggressive response which is
self-destructive as result of hatred for oneself
or to another which resulted to extreme
frustration.
• Withdrawal Reaction - This response to
stress involves the use of defense
mechanisms which subsequently protects
the ego or the self from further pain.
• Defense Mechanisms - are unconscious
responses developed by Sigmund Freud
through the theory of psychoanalysis which
is aimed to reduce one’s anxiety caused by
life pressures and inevitable stressors.
It protects the individual from psychological pain.
Such defenses are the following:
1. DENIAL – refusing to accept an external
reality to protect the self, an unconscious way to
resolve emotional conflict.
2. DISPLACEMENT – shifting one’s
aggression towards something or someone that is a
lot weaker and uncompromising.
3. INTELLECTUALIZATION - use of reasoning
to effectively avoid confrontation with an emotional
stress thereby protecting the self
4. RATIONALIZATION – providing a logical
justification for a decision made or an act earlier
performed to make an excuse.
5. REACTION-FORMATION – a defense
mechanism in which unacceptable emotions are
being replaced by its opposite to prevent rejection
from others
6. PROJECTION – attributing one’s fault or
negative emotions onto others to express the
sentiment though not recognizing it
7. REGRESSION – in the face of hurts we use
an imagined time machine to revert to a more
pleasant past where we are more safe and secure.
8. REPRESSION/SUPRESSION – defense
mechanisms where one pushes the unwanted
thoughts onto the unconscious which however may
manifest in the future unknowingly.
9. SUBLIMATION – refocusing or rechanneling
one’s energy to something more acceptable and
productive
10. FANTASY - utilizing imagination as a way to
escape from life’s real problems and stress. his own
luxury car with his own chauffer while in a public
utility
• COMPROMISE REACTION - A strategy to
resolve an emotional stressor by devising
ways to achieve a better state for both parties
involved.