THE

SEXUAL
SELF
Dr. Ma. Joycelyn A. Go-Monilla
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the chapter, you are able to:
1. Explain the development of sex characteristics and
human reproductive system.
2. Describe the erogenous zones and understand human
sexual response.
3. Understand attraction, love, and attachment.
4. Explain sexual orientation.
5. Identify the causes and consequences of sexually
transmitted infections and early pregnancy.
6. Reflect on the importance of contraception and
Reproductive Health Law.
 DEVELOPMENT OF SEX CHARACTERISTICS
AND THE HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
• The beginning of adolescence is marked by rapid
physical changes, including the maturation of the
reproductive system and development of the
primary and secondary sex characteristics.
• The primary sex characteristics are physical
characteristics that are present at birth.
• In women, these characteristics include the vagina,
uterus, and ovaries.
• In men, the primary sex characteristics include the
penis, testes or testicles, scrotum, and prostate
gland. The primary sex characteristics are directly
involved in reproduction.
• The secondary sex characteristics
develop during the onset of puberty.
• For women, the earliest evidences of
puberty are the enlargement of the
breasts, menstrual cycle, widening of
hips, enlargement of buttocks, and
growth of pubic hair.
• Testicular growth, sperm production,
appearance of facial, pubic, and other
body hair, and deepening of voice are
some of the first signs of puberty in
men.
• During puberty, testosterone and other
androgens stimulate the development of
primary and secondary sex
characteristics and also increase sex
drive.
• The level of testosterone production is
fairly constant.
• In women, the ovaries produce estrogen
and progesterone as well as small
amount of testosterone.
• Estrogen promotes female reproductive
capacity and secondary sex
• The production of female sex hormones
follows a cyclical pattern, on an
approximately 28-day monthly cycle.
• The greatest production occurs during
ovulation period, when an egg is released
from the ovaries.
• The two ovaries produce, store, and
release egg cells during ovulation.
• Ovulation period can occur 14 days after
the beginning of the menstrual period.
• The reproductive system is a system
of sex organs designed for reproduction
or sexual function.
• The female reproductive system
comprises the two ovaries, the fallopian
tubes, the uterus, the vagina, and the
clitoris.
• The male reproductive system includes
the penis, the testes, the scrotum, the
prostate gland, the seminal vesicles, the
vas deferens, and the epididymis.
SEXUAL AROUSAL AND EROGENOUS
ZONES: WHAT TURNS PEOPLE ON

• Human sexual arousal may be produced

by direct stimulation of the body’s
erogenous zones.
• According to Freud, erogenous zones
are areas of the body that provide
pleasure.
• Erogenous zones include the genitals,
mouth, breast, ears, anus, and to a
lesser degree, the entire surface of the
body.
• One of the most basic sexual
stimulation is masturbation or self-
stimulation that causes sexual pleasure
or orgasm.
• Other sexual activities such as intimate
kissing, cuddling, necking, petting, or
touching the erogenous zones may be
uniquely important to sexual arousal.
• In many species, sexual arousal is
closely tied to variations in hormonal
levels; in humans, however, hormones
play less of a role.
• In one sense, the brain is where sexual
desire originates and where sexual
behavior is controlled.
• Cognitive factors thus play an important
role in sexual arousal in humans.
• Culture also influences the expression
of sexual desire.
THE PHASES OF SEXUAL RESPONSE

• William Masters and Virginia Johnson

use the term sexual-response cycle to
describe the changes that occur in the
body as men and women become sexually
aroused.
• They divide the sexual-response cycle
into four phases: excitement, plateau,
orgasm, and resolution.
• The excitement phase is the beginning of
sexual arousal and can last from one minute
to several hours. Pulse rate increases, blood
pressure rises, breathing quickens, and the
skin shows a rosy flush particularly on the
chest and breast areas during this phase.
The nipples harden and erect in both men
and women. In men, the penis becomes
erect, the skin of the scrotum thickens, and
the testes increase in size. In women, the
clitoris swells, the lips of the vagina open,
and the inside of the vagina moistens in
preparation for sexual intercourse.
• In the plateau phase, the changes in the
body are continued. In men, the penis
becomes more erect, the circumference of
its head increases, and releases few drops
of fluid. In women, the outer part of the
vagina swells with increased amounts of
blood to that area, while the clitoris
retracts under the clitoral hood but
remains highly sensitive. The outer lips of
the vagina become redder in color.
Breathing becomes more rapid, heart rate
increases, body temperature rises, and
blood pressure increases during this stage.
• During the orgasmic phase, the orgasmic
contractions of the muscles in and
around the penis stimulate the release
of the semen which contains the sperm
cells. Men usually achieve one intense
orgasm. In women, orgasm involves the
contraction of the pelvic muscles that
surround the vaginal walls and can
happen multiple times.
• In the resolution phase, the body
returns to its normal state after
orgasm. In men, the erection is lost, the
testes decrease in size, and the skin of
the scrotum thins again. In women, the
clitoris, the color of the outer lips of
the vagina, and the lips of the vagina
return to its normal state.
 ATTRACTION, LOVE, AND
ATTACHMENT
• During adolescence, dating and courtship
emerge and become increasingly important.
Puberty is a stage when many boys and girls
experience their first sexual attraction.
Romantic love is especially important among
college students.
• Attraction is a positive attitude held by one
person toward another person.
• Initial attraction is influenced by social norms,
physical attractiveness, and process of
interpersonal exchange.
• Psychologist Robert Sternberg suggests
that there are three components of love:
intimacy, passion, and commitment.
• The intimacy component refers to the
feelings of closeness, connectedness, and
bondedness. The passion component refers
to the drives that lead to romance, physical
attraction, and sexual
consummation.Whereas, commitment
component refers to the decision to love
and the commitment to maintain that love.
• Attachment may also be called affectionate
or companionate love.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
• Sexual orientation refers to a person’s
sexual and romantic interests either people
of the opposite sex or people of the same
sex.
• The most common sexual orientation is
heterosexual, in which people are sexually
attracted to members of the opposite sex.
• In homosexual orientation, people are
attracted to and interested in relationship
with people of the same sex.
• Men with a homosexual orientation are
referred to as gay while women with
• Bisexual people are attracted to both
men and women.
• Transgender people are those who
believe they were born with the body of
the opposite sex. Thus, some seek sex-
change operation.
• Transsexual people are those whose
genitals are surgically removed and are
fashioned as the genitals of the desired
gender.
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
(STIs) AND EARLY PREGNANCY
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
are diseases that are contracted
primarily through sexual contact
(vaginal, oral, or anal sex).
• STIs are increasing health problems.
• Some STIs affect the sex organs
themselves, whereas others have
broader and more life-threatening
effects.
• The bacterial infections are treatable
with antibiotics, but those caused by
viruses are more difficult to treat and
are often incurable such as HIV/AIDS.
• STIs commonly include human
immunodeficiency virus/acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome
(HIV/AIDS), gonorrhea, syphilis,
chlamydia, genital herpes, and genital
warts.
• Anyone who is sexually active is at risk
to sexually transmitted infections.
• Hence, sexually active persons should
practice safe sex.
• However, it is important to remember
that not having sex can be the safest
sex method to avoid all forms of
sexually transmitted infections as well
as other sexual problems such as early
pregnancy.
 METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION AND
THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW
• Contraception refers to methods that are used
to prevent pregnancy.
• Some methods of contraception such as condom
can also be used to prevent some sexually
transmitted infections (STIs). Other common
methods of contraception available in the
Philippines include intrauterine device or IUD,
birth control injection, withdrawal method,
calendar method, cervical mucus or the Billings
method.
• Responsible Parenthood and
Reproductive Health Act of 2012 or
otherwise known as Reproductive Health
Law or RH Law, is a law that guarantees
universal access to methods
on contraception, fertility
control, sexual education, and maternal
care.
• The RH bill provides for "prevention and
treatment of HIV/AIDS and other,
STIs/STDs"
• The Reproductive Health Law or RH Law
aims to keep couples and especially
women, well-informed about available
family planning methods that they can
freely use depending on their needs and
beliefs.
• As well, it aims to promote adolescent
and youth health and propagate
information on sexuality and
reproductive health through proper
care and sex education.
Reference:

Go-Monilla, J. & Ramirez, N. (2022).

Understanding the self. Quezon City: C&E
Publishing, Inc.