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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 of the chemistry of love,
lust and attachment; The Psychological aspect; the sexually diverse behavior;
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STIs) and Contraception.
● 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
● 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.
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.
● In this stage, a person may begin to be obsessed 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 has brain pathways that controls “reward” behavior, which explains the 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 with high
levels of dopamine and related hormones (norepinephrine) are released.
● 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.
● 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
● 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 various specific emotions, such as euphoria aor anxiety”.
Unlike many emotions, love is not associated with any specific facial expression, and I am 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”.
1. Eros (EH-ros). Love is based on a 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.
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
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.
● The psychology of love shows that there are psychological theories that would explain why people
fall in love.
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.
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:
o Physical attractiveness (though beauty is in the eye of the beholder)
o Reciprocity (people tend to like an individual who also like them)
o Proximity (being around anytime physically or virtually)
o Similarities (same age, religion, education, race, physical attractiveness, intelligence,
and socio-economic class)
The diversity of sexual behavior: solitary, heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual and transsexual
● 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 provides 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:
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.
● Sexually Transmitted Diseases (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 a certain amount of saliva.
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
o 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.
o 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 became 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 caused by a large family of viruses
of different strains. These strains produce other non-sexually transmitted diseases such as
chicken pox and mononucleosis.
o 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.
o 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.
o 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.
o Symptoms for males are discharge from the penis and burning sensations during
urination.
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.
● There are a lot of reasons why people use contraceptives. Some purposes of birth control are
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
● 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.
a. Oral Contraceptives (Pills) – These are daily oral contraceptives. Some contain estrogen and
progesterone; others are progestin only and are 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.
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.
c. Outercourse – It is a sexual activity that does not include the insertion of the penis into the
vagina.
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.
Master, A. and Johnson, T. Human Sexual Response. Accessed July 28, 2020.
https://canvas.du.edu/courses/24161/files/1152570
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
This section aims to reinforce your understanding of some of the topics covered in
Week 9 through the two activities below.
A. Reflect on the presented article “The Sexual Self” in Week 9, then express yourself by choosing a
song that you like about love.
Direction:
- Write the lyrics of your song choice about what true love is. (Make your song choices in any
genre of music but limit it in the year 2010 – present only)
- Highlight the line/phase that for you really expresses the meaning of true love.
- Answer the following questions:
a. Why this song is expresses True love for you?
b. If given a chance to dedicate this song, to whom will you dedicate the song and why?
Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using GED 101 group chat via FB
messenger.
Based on the presented topic of Sexual Self with the collaboration with the Batangas State
University Gender and Development Office, you will make a Photojournal
Direction:
● The theme for this year’s photo journal is “We Make Change Work for Women.” So you may
explore on different topics about women presented in the Sexual self.
● There should be 3 students for each group. And they must submit only one (1) photo entry.
● Entry must be the contestants’ original work.
● Only photos taken by digital cameras are allowed. There should be no professional editing done
for the picture, only for the brightness or colors.
● Photo must be in JPEG format
● Pictures must have a title and a 5 sentences explanation.
Storytelling All story elements Most of the story While some Few elements
relate compelling story elements evident elements of present which
Storytelling refers to the Essay's (setting, character, which still provide story evident, do not support a
ability to evoke imagination, create a plot, exposition, a compelling story. they do not coherent,
feeling, tell a story, or visually conflict, climax, support a compelling
illustrate an idea. The images should resolution) compelling story.
tell the story in a visual way creating story.
interest by capturing the moment.
Images can better illustrate the story
and keep the viewers interest with
variety, angles, lighting, color, etc
Photography content Lighting, angles, Lighting, angles, Either quality of Neither photo
composition, cropping composition, photos are not quality or story
Photography includes impact, and content in all cropping and consistent or support is
creativity, technical excellence, photos support story. content in all they do not evident in
composition, lighting, style, color and Variety of images. photos support support the images
story telling. The photos should story story. provided.
provide variety, interesting angles,
imagination, and properly illustrate
the story being told.
The test questions for the Midterm Examination will be send to you on the
scheduled date of examination via Google Classroom. Kindly check your
Classwork Folder in GED 101 Class.