The document discusses several topics related to unpacking the self, including the physical self, sexual self, and spiritual self. Regarding the physical self, it describes how heredity works and what traits can be inherited from parents, such as physical features, abilities, and health conditions. It also outlines several key periods of human development from prenatal to late adulthood. The section on the sexual self provides definitions and explanations of terms related to sex, gender, sexuality, and Freud's psychosexual stages of development. It also discusses gender roles/stereotypes and the biological and psychological bases of lust, love and attachment.

1. MARY GRACE M. ACEVEDA
Unpacking the

2. Unpacking the Self
The Physical Self
The Sexual Self
The Spiritual Self
The Economic Self
The Political Self
The Digital Self

3. THE PHYSICAL SELF

4. What is heredity?
 Heredity is the sum of all the traits passed on through
genes from parents to children. It is the transmission
of characteristics from parents to their offspring
through the genes (Feldman, 2007)
 Heredity causes both similarities and differences in
people.

5. What can we inherit from our parents?
 Your skin, hair, and eye color are inherited traits, as
are your facial features, body build, and height.
 Bodily structures such as length and proportion of the
limbs, the shape of the nose, color blindness,
shortness of fingers, curly or straight hairs, texture of
the skin, etc…(Feldman, 2007)
 Mental and physical abilities are also inherited. You
have little, if any, control over your inherited traits.

6. Periods of Development:
Prenatal Period (conception – birth)
 Germinal stage
 Embryonic stage
 Fetal stage
Infancy Period (birth – 24 months)
 Time of extreme dependence
 Development of language, symbolic thought,
sensorimotor coordination and social learning

7. Early Childhood (end of infancy – 6 yrs. old)
 Preschool years – self-sufficient and care for one’s self.
 School readiness skill – following instructions, identifying
letters.
 Playing stage
Middle and Late Childhood (6 yrs. – 11 yrs. old)
 Elementary school years
 Fundamental skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic are
mastered
 Self- control increases.
Periods of Development:

8. Adolescence (12 years – 22 years of age)
 Rapid physical changes – height, weight, body contour, and
development of sexual characteristics
 Puberty stage – sexual maturity
 Cognitive – logical, abstract, and idealistic
 Peer pressure
Adulthood (late teens – senescence stage)
 Early adulthood
 Middle adulthood
 Late adulthood
Periods of Development:

9. Early adulthood (late teens – 30 years old)
 Time of establishing personal and economic independence
 Time of career development
 Time of reflection for family life
Middle Adulthood (35 years – 60 yrs. old)
 Time of expanding personal and social involvement and
responsibility
 Reaching and maintaining satisfaction in one’s career.
 Responsibility in assisting the next generation in becoming
competent, mature individuals.
Periods of Development:

10. Late adulthood (60 years old – until death)
 Time of adjustment to decreasing strength and health
 Time of reflection (life review)
 Time of retirement and adjustment to new social roles.
Periods of Development:

11. THE SEXUAL SELF
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

13. THE SEXUAL SELF
Which of the following is the meaning of BIOLOGICAL SEX?
a. A medical term used to refer to the chromosomal, hormonal, and
anatomical characteristics that are used to classify an individual as female
or male or intersex.
b. An enduring emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction primarily or
exclusively to people of a particular gender.
c. A person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which
may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth.
d. The external display of one’s gender, through a combination of
appearance, disposition, social behavior, and other factors, generally
measured on a scale of masculinity and femininity.
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

14. THE SEXUAL SELF
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

15. Physical Dimensions of Sex
Sex Dimensions Male Female
1. Chromosomes
2. Gonads
3. Hormones
4. External genitalia
5. Internal accessory organs
6. Secondary sex
characteristics
7. Sexual orientation
XY XX
Testes Ovaries
Androgens Estrogens
Penis, scrotum Labia, clitoris,
vaginal opening
Prostate, seminal Vagina, uterus,
vesicles, fallopian tubes,
vas deferens cervix
Beard, low voice, Breasts,
sperm emission menstruation
Heterosexual, gay, Heterosexual,
bisexual lesbian, bisexual
THE SEXUAL SELF

16. THE SEXUAL SELF
Intersex: An umbrella term that refers to a
variety of chromosomal, hormonal, and
anatomical conditions in which a person
does not seem to fit the typical definitions of
female or male.
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

17. THE SEXUAL SELF

18. THE SEXUAL SELF
a. A medical term used to refer to the chromosomal, hormonal, and
anatomical characteristics that are used to classify an individual as female
or male or intersex.
b. An enduring emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction primarily or
exclusively to people of a particular gender.
c. A person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which
may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth.
d. The external display of one’s gender, through a combination of
appearance, disposition, social behavior, and other factors, generally
measured on a scale of masculinity and femininity.
Which of the following is the meaning of SEXUAL ORIENTATION?
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

19. THE SEXUAL SELF
Heterosexuality: An enduring emotional, romantic, or
sexual attraction primarily or exclusively to people of a
different gender. People who are heterosexual often
identify as “straight.”
Homosexuality: An enduring emotional, romantic, or
sexual attraction primarily or exclusively to people of
the same gender. People who are homosexual often
identify as “gay” or “lesbian.”
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

20. THE SEXUAL SELF
Bisexuality: An enduring emotional, romantic,
or sexual attraction to people of more than one
gender. People who are bisexual often identify
as “bisexual.”
Asexuality: An enduring absence of sexual
attraction. People who are asexual often
identify as “asexual.”
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

21. THE SEXUAL SELF
Pansexual: Not limited in sexual choice with
regard to biological sex, gender, or gender
identity
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

22. THE SEXUAL SELF
a. A medical term used to refer to the chromosomal, hormonal, and
anatomical characteristics that are used to classify an individual as female
or male or intersex.
b. An enduring emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction primarily or
exclusively to people of a particular gender.
c. A person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which
may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth.
d. The external display of one’s gender, through a combination of
appearance, disposition, social behavior, and other factors, generally
measured on a scale of masculinity and femininity.
Which of the following is the meaning of GENDER IDENTITY?
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

23. THE SEXUAL SELF
Transgender: An umbrella term referring
to an individual whose gender identity is
different from their sex assigned at birth.
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

24. THE SEXUAL SELF
 Heterosexual transgender woman - born
with male genitalia, identify self as a
woman, and attracted to men
 Homosexual transgender woman - born
with male genitalia, identify as a woman,
and attracted to women
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

25. THE SEXUAL SELF
 Transgender - denoting or relating to a person
whose sense of personal identity and gender
does not correspond with their birth sex. Identity is
opposite of the sex they are born with
 Transvestite (Cross-dresser) - a person, typically
a man, who derives pleasure from dressing in
clothes primarily associated with the opposite sex.
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

26. THE SEXUAL SELF
 Transsexual - a person who emotionally and
psychologically feels that they belong to the
opposite sex. Those who have undergone sex
reassignment surgery (SRS). A person who has
undergone treatment in order to acquire the
physical characteristics of the opposite sex.
 Cisgender - denoting or relating to a person
whose sense of personal identity and gender
corresponds with their birth sex. Those whose
SOGIE are in tune with their physical
presuppositions
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

27. THE SEXUAL SELF
a. A medical term used to refer to the chromosomal, hormonal, and
anatomical characteristics that are used to classify an individual as female
or male or intersex.
b. An enduring emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction primarily or
exclusively to people of a particular gender.
c. A person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which
may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth.
d. The external display of one’s gender, through a combination of
appearance, disposition, social behavior, and other factors, generally
measured on a scale of masculinity and femininity.
Which of the following is the meaning of GENDER EXPRESSION?
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

28. THE SEXUAL SELF
Gender norms: A culturally-defined set of
roles, responsibilities, rights, entitlements,
and obligations, associated with being
female and male, as well as the power
relations between and among women and
men, boys and girls.
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

29. THE SEXUAL SELF
MSM Men who have sex with men. Men may be considered MSM if they
engage in sex with other men, regardless of whether or not they
identify as gay or bisexual.
LGBT Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender. This acronym is commonly
used to refer to gender and sexual minority communities.
Variations exist that add, omit or reorder letters (e.g., LGBTI, LGB,
GLBT).
GSM The majority of the world’s population is presumed heterosexual
and male or female. Gender and sexual minorities are everyone
else, people whose gender, sexual orientation, or sexual
characteristics are different.
Additional Terminology
Adapted from: Killerman, 2013

30. Freud’s Psychosexual Theory of Development (Feldman, 2007)
Stage Age Major Characteristics
Oral Birth – 18 months Interest in oral gratification from sucking, eating,
mouthing, biting
Anal 18 months – 3 years Gratification from expelling and withholding feces;
coming to terms with society’s controls relating to
toilet training
Phallic 3 years – 6 years Interest in the genitals; coming to terms with Oedipal
conflict, leading to identification with same- sex
parent
Latency 6 years – adolescence Sexual concern largely unimportant
Genital Adolescence - adulthood Reemergence of sexual interest and establishment
THE SEXUAL SELF

31. Stage Age Fixation
Oral Birth – 18 months  Oral fixation: smoking, drinking,
overeating
Anal 18 months – 3 years  Anal fixation :
 Anal retentiveness
 Anal impulsiveness
Phallic 3 years – 6 years  Oedipus complex
 Electra complex (Carl Jung)
Latency 6 years – adolescence  Sexual interest becomes dormant
Genital Adolescence - adulthood  Maturity of sexual relationship
THE SEXUAL SELF Freud’s Psychosexual Theory of Development (Feldman, 2007)

32. Stage Age Fixation
Oral Birth – 18 months  Oral fixation: smoking, drinking,
overeating
Anal 18 months – 3 years  Anal fixation :
 Anal retentiveness
 Anal impulsiveness
Phallic 3 years – 6 years  Oedipus complex
 Electra complex (Carl Jung)
Latency 6 years – adolescence  Sexual interest becomes dormant
Genital Adolescence - adulthood  Maturity of sexual relationship
THE SEXUAL SELF Freud’s Psychosexual Theory of Development (Feldman, 2007)

33. Gender Role
 Set of prescriptions for behavior related to
sex and gender – what behaviors are
appropriate for a person holding a particular
position within a particular social context
 Cultural expectations about attitudes,
actions and personality traits of being
women and men
What are the gender roles that are present in
our society?

34. Gender Stereotypes
 Gender stereotypes are strongly-held and over generalized
beliefs about the characteristics of women and men
including their physical characteristics, typical behaviors,
occupational positions, or personality traits
What are the gender stereotypes that we hold and
manifest in our daily lives?

35. Gender Stereotypes
 Stereotype - a concept held about a person or group of
people that is based on superficial, irrelevant characteristics.
 Gender stereotype - a concept held about a person or group
of people that is based on being male or female.
 Sexism - prejudice about males and/or females leading to
unequal treatment.
 Benevolent sexism - acceptance of positive stereotypes of
males and females that leads to unequal treatment.

36. THE SEXUAL SELF
Biological and
Psychological
Bases of Lust,
Love, and
Attachment
What is LUST?
 Lust is defined as very strong
sexual desire
 Lust (Kush, 2013) is defined as
craving for sexual gratification which
is linked with testosterone in both
men and women

37. THE SEXUAL SELF
Biological and
Psychological
Bases of Lust,
Love, and
Attachment
What is LOVE?
 Love is an intense feeling of
deep affection
 Love is a deep romantic or sexual
attachment to someone.
 Love includes all of the qualities of friendship
plus three more such as:
 Sexual desire
 Priority over other relationships
 Caring to the point of self-sacrifice

38. THE SEXUAL SELF
Biological and
Psychological
Bases of Lust,
Love, and
Attachment
What is LOVE?
 Love is a complex neurobiological phenomenon,
relying on trust, belief, pleasure and reward
activities within the brain (Esch & Stefano, 2005)
 Love is both neurochemical and hormonal process
which involves the chemical process such as
dopamine, norepinephrine, phenyethylamine,
serotonin, estrogen, testosterone, oxytocin,
vasopressin, endorphins, and growth factors found
in the brain parts like media insula, anterior
cingulated frontal lobe, septal areas and
amygdalae (Kush, 2013)

39. THE SEXUAL SELF
Biological and
Psychological
Bases of Lust,
Love, and
Attachment
What is LOVE?
Neurochemicals Functions
Phenyethylamine
(PEA)
Acts as stimulant in the release of norepinephrine and
dopamine. It triggers falling in love and elates the
feelings of love.
Norepinephrine
(NE)
Physiological signs of falling in love such as
excitement, tachycardia, flushed skin, sweaty palms
Dopamine (DA) Involved in mate selection, stimulates the copulatory
desire. It is a pleasure chemical, so the feeling of
bliss is experienced.
Oxytocin It fosters trust, happiness and bonding in females for
the long-term attachment. Oxytocin creates feelings for
hug and touch
Testosterone Ignites raw lust in males and females. The physical
attraction and sexual arousal in the females depend on
testosterone levels.

40. THE SEXUAL SELF
Biological and
Psychological
Bases of Lust,
Love, and
Attachment
What is LOVE?
Neurochemicals Functions
Endorphins Promote feelings of calmness, comfort and
attachment. They also relieve pain, anxiety and
reduce stress.
Serotonin (5-HT) promotes feelings of contend relaxation togetherness,
and warm feelings
Vasopression It is released after sex and assures long-term
commitment and helps loved ones to stay together.
Vasopressin and oxytocin are flooded after sex for
attaching life time relationships. These neurological
ingredients promote faithfulness. Vasopressin
saturates brain structure in
sensing satisfaction for life long coupling.
Nerve growth
factor (NGF)
Released in high levels when first fall in love,
especially in young people, but return to initial
level after one year

41. THE SEXUAL SELF
Stages of
LOVE (Helen Fisher)
What is LOVE?
Stages Functions
STAGE 1. LUST This is the first stage of love and is driven by the sex
hormones testosterone and estrogen in both men and
women.
STAGE 2.
ATTRACTION
serotonin levels of new lovers were equivalent to the
low serotonin levels of Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder patients
STAGE 3.
ATTACHMENT
Oxytocin is a powerful hormone released by men and
women during orgasm. It probably deepens the
feelings of attachment and makes couples feel much
closer to one another after they have had sex. The
theory goes that the more sex a couple has, the
deeper their bond becomes. Vasopressin is another
important hormone in the long-term commitment stage
and is released after sex

42. THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE
What is LOVE? These theories include:
• Attachment theory
• Reiss’s wheel theory of love
• Sternberg’s triangular theory of love
• Lee’s research on the styles of
loving
• Exchange theories

43. Attachment Theory
 This theory proposes that our primary
motivation in life is to be connected
with other people, because this is the
only true security we will ever have.
 John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth are
researchers associated most often
with this theory.
 Several studies have tracked
attachment style from toddlerhood
through adulthood and have found
that attachment styles can change
over the life course, regardless of a
child’s early experiences.
THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

44. Reiss’s Wheel Theory
of Love
 Sociologist Ira Reiss and his associates
have proposed a “wheel theory” of love,
that generated much research for
several decades. Reiss described four
stages of love: rapport; self-revelation;
mutual dependence; and personality
need fulfillment.
THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

45. THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

46. Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of
Love
 Sternberg said that love has three important
components:
Intimacy—encompasses feelings of
closeness, connectedness, and bonding.
Passion—leads to romance, physical
attraction, and sexual consummation.
Decision/commitment—has a short- and
long-term dimension. A couple makes a
short-term commitment to love each other,
which can turn into a long-term commitment
to stay in love.
THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

47. Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of
Love
• According to Sternberg, the mix of intimacy,
passion, and commitment can vary from one
relationship to another.
 Love can vary from one relationship in which
there is no love to another relationship in
which all kinds of love are present.
THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

48. THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

49. Lee’s Styles of Loving
 John Lee developed one the most widely cited
and studied theories of love. According to
Lee, there are six basic styles of loving:
 EROS;
 MANIA;
 LUDUS;
 STORGE;
 AGAPE; and
 PRAGMA
THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

50. THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

51. Exchange Theory
 Social scientists often describe love
as a social exchange process.
Romantic love and long-term
relationships involve exchange and
negotiation.
THE SEXUAL SELF
THEORIES
OF LOVE

52.  Love ensures human survival—loving
someone and being loved ensures the
survival of our species.
 Love enhances our physical and
emotional health - numerous studies have
shown a connection between our
emotions and our physical and emotional
health, and love is certainly one of those
essential emotions.
THE SEXUAL SELF
Functions of
LOVE and
LOVING

53.  Love improves the quality of our lives -
love fosters self-esteem. From a solid
basis of love, children can then go out
and face the world with the emotional
support of their families.
 Love is fun - love doesn’t appear out of
nowhere, to get and keep love, one has
be active and take some chances.
THE SEXUAL SELF
Functions of
LOVE and
LOVING

54. THE SEXUAL SELF
Functions of
LOVE and
LOVING

55. Who is most likely to be in LOVE?
 For most people caring, trusting, respect, and
honesty are central to loving.
THE SEXUAL SELF
Experiencing
LOVE
Recent research: Men between ages of
30 to 49 years old
Recent research: Married People

56. Are MEN or WOMEN more Romantic?
THE SEXUAL SELF
Experiencing
LOVE
Research found that Men are more
likely to fall in love quickly. However,
men and women tend to link love and
sex.
Men can be very romantic, but not see
love as necessarily leading to marriage

57. Are MEN or WOMEN more Intimate?
THE SEXUAL SELF
Experiencing
LOVE
Men and women show intimacy
differently. Women link intimacy with
being held, cuddled, and with
communication. Men link intimacy with
sex
For women, sex comes after intimacy
For men, sex is their way of expressing
intimacy

58. When does LOVE go Wrong?
THE SEXUAL SELF
Narcissistic
Personality
Narcissists are people who have
exaggerated feelings of power and
self-importance. They believe that they
are unique.
Narcissistic partners can be dangerous in a
relationship. Depending, of course, on the
person, they may become intensely jealous
over meaningless things and try to control
the partner

59. Are Men or Women more Jealousy?
THE SEXUAL SELF
Jealousy
One researcher found that women are
more jealous of emotional infidelity
than of sexual infidelity
This could be for two reasons:
1. They could blame themselves—“Maybe I
wasn’t there enough for him.”
2. They see an emotional affair as more
threatening because it could develop into a
long-term relationship.

60. THE SEXUAL SELF
Jealousy
Jealousy is a form of control of one
partner over another. The person
exhibiting the jealousy or control
tries to isolate the victim by
becoming jealous of every minute
they spend doing something
besides paying attention to them.

61. THE SEXUAL SELF
Stalking
Stalking behaviors include telephone
harassment, following a person,
threatening a person or their family, or
now even cyberstalking. Many women
live in fear for their lives because the
men they once thought loved them are
being abusive
What is STALKING?

63. References:
Benokraitis, Nijole V. (2011). Marriages and families: Changes, Choices and Constraints. Pearson
Education, Inc.
Kush, Luv (2013). The Molecular basis of love. International Journal of Innovative Research &
Development, vol 2(11). Retrieved from www.ijird.com
Esch, Tobias & Stefano, George B. (2005). The Neurobiology of love. Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.
26. Retrieved from www.nel.edu