Chapter 2

Unpacking the Self

“Don’t belittle yourself. Be BIG yourself.”
- Carita Kent

INTRODUCTION

We are living in a world where the material and immaterial self are both represented. How is
that possible? Thanks to advance in technology, we not only live in a physical world, we also have
virtual reality. How do you view yourself in both worlds?

Society shapes us in many ways, possibly more than we realize it. This involves:

 How we perceive our bodies visually;

 How we feel about our physical appearance;
 How we think and talk to ourselves about our bodies; and
 Our sense of how the other people view our bodies.

The current embedded idea of what is attractive, beautiful, or handsome is an unrealistic

image, which is genetically impossible for many of us to emulate. This unrealistic image is
continually driven into our minds by the media through ads, movies, and TV shows. The media is a
very powerful tool in reinforcing cultural beliefs and values. Although it is not fully responsible for
determining the standards for physical attractiveness, it makes escaping the barrage of images and
attitudes almost impossible to escape.
A positive view of “self” involves understanding that healthy, attractive bodies come in many
shapes and sizes, and that physical appearance says very little about our character or value as a
person.
We have to strive to know ourselves beyond our preconceived ideas of who we are.
 Chapter Overview
In this chapter, the student will explore some of the various aspects that make up the
self, such as the biological and material to the spiritual and political, including the more recent
digital self. Moreover, the student will also reflect on a concrete experience on a holistic point

THE PHYSICAL SELF

“Beauty is when you can appreciate yourself. When you love yourself, that’s when
you’re most beautiful.”
- Zoe Kravitz
 Diagnostic Exercise
“My Best Presentation of the Physical Self.”

Make the best presentation of yourself through a moviemaker/PowerPoint presentation

emphasizing what your physical body can do to enhancing and maintaining your beauty and good
health.
What is beauty? How beauty is appreciated varies through time, culture, and the various
perceptions about the world. Beauty is defined in so many ways, but in its simplest sense, beauty can
be described as happiness.
Every person is unique. Our individual experiences and memories tie together to form our
versions of beauty. We have different sizes, shapes, colors, heritage, and roles. Hence, our body is
simply a shell that allows us to radiate our experiences where beauty gets to shine through. No
culture, company, or concepts could ever truly define beauty. As what Helen Keller said, “The best
and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the
heart.”

WHAT PHILOSOPHERS THINK ABOUT BEAUTY

(The Stanford Encyclopedia Philosophy, 2016)

The nature of beauty is one of the most enduring and controversial themes in western
philosophy. Beauty, traditionally, was among the ultimate values along with goodness, truth, and
justice. It was a primary theme among ancient Greek, Hellenistic, and medieval philosophers; it was
central to the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century thought. By the beginning of the twentieth century,
beauty was in decline as a subject of philosophical inquiry. However, there were signed of revived
interest by the early 2000s.
The two most- debated views about beauty are:
1. Beauty is objective.
2. Beauty is subjective.
Before the 18th century, most Western philosophical views on beauty treated it as an objective
quality. For example:
 St. Augustine asked whether things were beautiful because it gave delight, or whether it gave
delight because it was beautiful. He believed it to be the latter.
  Plato connected beauty as response to love and desire. He asserted that beauty exist in the
realm of Forms, and that objects are found beautiful because they are a reflection of the idea
of beauty that already exist in the realm of Forms.
 Aristotle asserted that the chief forms of beauty are order, symmetry, and definiteness that
can be demonstrated by mathematical sciences.
By the eighteenth century, however, beauty was associated with pleasure as a personal
preference. Some philosophers who hold this view are:
 David Hume – “Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exist merely in the mind which
contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty. One person may even
perceive deformity, where another is sensible of beauty; and every individual ought to
acquiesce in his own sentiment, without pretending to regulate those of others” (Hume 1757,
136).
 Immanuel Kant – “The judgment of taste is therefore not a judgment of cognition, and is
consequently not logical but aesthetical, by which we, understand that whose determining
ground can be no other than subjective” (Kant 1790, section 1).
 Francis Hutcheson – “The perception of beauty does depend on the external sense of sight;
However, the internal sense of beauty operates as an internal or reflex sense. The same is the
case with hearing: hearing music does not necessarily give the perception of harmony as it is
distinct from the hearing” (Inquiry I.I.X).

TRIVIA
The term for a makeup artist in Egyptian hieroglyphic is derived from the root “sesh,” which
means, “to write, to engrave.”

Makeup application was taken pretty seriously back then: the same accuracy was needed to
paint lips as etching symbols into a rock.

WHAT DID PSYCHOLOGY DISCOVER ABOUT BEAUTY

(The Psychology of Beauty, WEB)

Research found that person who is perceived as attractive makes more money than a person
of below-average looks. In politics, voters who are not actively engaged in social and political issues
choose candidates based on “looks” 90% of the time.
These study results can be attributed to a cognitive bias called the “halo effect.” A cognitive
bias is an error in reasoning, evaluating, remembering, or any other mental process that is often a
result of holding on to one’s preferences and beliefs regardless of contrary information. The halo
effect (also known as the physical attractiveness stereotype and the “what is beautiful is good”
principle) refers to the tendency of people to rate attractive individuals more favorably for their
personality traits or characteristics as compared to those who are less attractive.
 Meanwhile, evolutionary psychology found that
faces hold certain fundamental and important characteristics
that could indicate a person’s quality as a romantic partner
and as a mate. Among the most important and consistent
factors in facial attractiveness are structural qualities of the
face. These structural qualities are also sex-typical. For
example, in the eyes of female experimental participants, an
attractive man is generally one with relatively prominent
cheekbones and eyebrow ridges and a relatively long lower
face. Meanwhile, male raters generally found women to be
attractive with prominent cheekbones, large eyes, small
nose, a taller forehead, smooth skin, and overall young or even childlike appearance.
Our hormones sculpt our faces. These sex-typical facial features of adult men and women are
the result of the testosterone to estrogen ratio or estrogen to testosterone, respectively, acting on the
individual during development. We are programmed to be drawn to strong indicators of maleness
(for women) and femaleness (for men) partly because they reflect an individual’s health (Fink &
Penton-Voak, 2002).

TRIVIA
A full-lipped, cheek-chiseled man in Ancient Greece knew two things – that his beauty was a
blessing (a gift of the gods no less) and that his perfect exterior hid an inner perfection.

For the Greeks a beautiful body was considered direct evidence of a beautiful mind. They even
had a word for it – kaloskagathos – which meant being gorgeous to look at, and hence being a good
person.

 How Cultural Traditions Shape Body Image

Culture has a significant impact on how a person feels about himself or herself, as well as his
or her body image. Cultural traditions can either be positive or a negative influence on body image
and on self-esteem. Body image is generally defined as how one thinks and feels toward one’s body
(Yam, 2013; Cash & Smolak, 2011).
People see cultural group membership as an integral part of who they are. Hence, they are
more likely to engage in events and behaviors that are related to their culture - choose friends, media,
and even marital partners from their culture (Yam, 2013; Yeh & Huang,1996). When “culture” is
experienced as a personally meaningful activity, it is difficult for a person to resist the conscious and
unconscious ways that culture influences a person’s life.
 For example, ideal standards of body sizes are culturally specific. Since the 1960s, ideal body
sizes for white American women have emphasized thinness (Yam, 2013; Fallon, 1990; Wiseman,
Gray, Mosimann & Ahrens, 1992). The Philippines is undoubtedly influenced Western culture,
particularly American culture; a culture that generally tends to hyper-focus on dieting and body
appearance. Digitally retouched photos are the norm (i.e., photoshopped), and this mentality can
negatively influence a person’s body image. A study reported that young Filipino women were
dissatisfied with their bodies that possibly stemmed from unreasonable weight concerns and extreme
drive for thinness (Torres, 2012).

 The Relationship Between Body Image and Self-esteem

Do you have high or low self-esteem? If you don’t know, then let’s take the Roseberg Self-
esteem Scale.

Activity 1
“HOW DO I FEEL ABOUT MYSELF?”
Roseenberg Self-Esteem Scale

Below is a list of statements dealing with your general feelings about yourself. Pease indicate
how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement by putting a check (/) mark in the column of
your choice.

STRONGLY STRONGLY
ITEMS AGREE DISAGREE
AGREE DISAGREE
1. On the whole, I am satisfied
with myself.

2. At times I think I am no good at

all.
3. In feel that I have a number of
good qualities.
4. I am able to do things as well as
most other people.
5. I feel I do not have much to be
proud of.

6. I certainly feel useless at times.

 7. I feel that I am a person of
worth, at least on an equal
plane with others.
8. I wish I could have more
respect for myself.
9. All in all, I am inclined to feel
that I am a failure.
10.I take a positive attitude toward
myself.
Scoring:
Items 2, 5, 6, 8, 9 are revers scored. Give “Strongly Disagree” 1 point, “Disagree” 2 points, “Agree”
3 points, and “Strongly Agree” 4 points. Sum scores for all ten items. Keep scores on a continuous
scale. Higher scores indicate higher self-esteem.

 Does your body image have an impact on yourself-esteem?

The term self-esteem was coined by William James in 1800. James presented self-esteem as
the number of successes a person achieves in the domains of life that are important to him or her,
divided by the number of failures that occurred in those areas (The Corsini Encyclopedia of
Psychology and Behavioral Science, 2002). In the 1960s, behavioral scientist defined self-esteem in
terms of an attitude concerning one’s worth as a person (Rosenberg, 1965). Self-esteem is about how
you value yourself and how you feel others value you. Self-esteem is important because it can affect
your mental health as well as how you behave.
Body image is how you view your physical body, whether you feel you are attractive, and
how you feel some other people like your looks. For many people (especially teenagers) body image
is closely linked to self-esteem.
If you have a positive body image, you probably like and accept yourself the way you are,
even if you do not fit the popular notion of “beautiful” or “handsome.” This healthy attitude allows
you to explore some other aspects of growing up, such as developing good friendship, becoming
more independent from your parents, and challenging yourself physically and mentally. Developing
these parts of yourself can help boost your self-esteem.

 How important is physical beauty?

What came into your mind could be the saying, “Do not judge the book by its cover.” You
may have heard many people say this; you may have said this yourself. However, though it is a wise
thought from the conscious mind, your subconscious mind will contradict you, and you will still find
yourself judging people based on their looks on your initial encounters.
 Physical beauty is extremely important. You must also understand that you need to know
the correct definition of physical beauty so that your self-esteem will not suffer. The dictionary’s
definition of beauty is, “the degree to which a person’s physical traits are considered pleasing or
beautiful.” Take note that the definition did not indicate “who” determines what type of physical
traits is attractive and unattractive. Why? Because even though physical beauty is extremely
important, the good news is that physical beauty standards differ from one person to another.
A self-image problem happens when your looks do not match your beauty standards. For
example, if you believe that being thin is sexy and attractive, yet you are not thin (in fact you are on
the heavier side) then you might believe you are unattractive (even though there are others who find
you attractive).
The problem here is with your own beauty standards and not with your looks. To have a
positive self-image and a higher self-esteem you must fix your false beliefs about physical
attractiveness first.
 SUMMATIVE TEST

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Course and Year: ________________________________________ Score: ________________

Let’s test your

memory
I. Match the descriptions in Column A with the concepts/theorists in Column B. Write only the
letter of your choice before each number. Options can be answered once.

Column A Column B
_______ 1. It is an error in reasoning, evaluating, A. Aristotle
or remembering
_______ 2. It is about how you value yourself. B. Body image
_______ 3. It is generally defined as how one
thinks and feels toward one’s body. C. Cognitive bias
_______ 4. This philosopher states that, “Beauty
exist merely in the mind…” D. Hume
_______ 5. He asserted that forms of beauty are
order, symmetry, and definiteness that E. Kant
can be demonstrate by mathematical
sciences. F. Self-esteem

II. Application

1. How do you personally define beauty?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Do you think you are “beautiful”? what are your bases why you consider yourself as
beautiful?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
 ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Let’s
reflect
Think-Pair Share

1. Do you believe in the old adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?” Why or why
not?
2. How important is “physical beauty” for you?

Let’s do it
together “Let’s Ramp and Show off Who we Really Are”
1. Form groups of five members each.
2. Each grow will do the ramp modelling by assigning each group of any of the following
scenarios: clothing/wardrobe endorsers, food advertisers, gadget/technology endorsers,
shampoo commercial models, whitening lotion endorsers.

THE SEXUAL SELF

“Self-love is about respecting and appreciating every single part of who you are
and being proud to be you.”
- Miya Yamanouchi, Embrace Your Sexual Self: A Practical Guide for Women

Activity 2
BODY MAPPING
Procedures:
1. The class will be divided into five groups.
2. Each group will bring either manila paper or cartolina and a pentel pen.
3. Each group will think of a slogan or title for its drawing/illustration.
4. Each group will draw either a male or female figure by including the important
body parts.
 5. The members of each group should be ready with their oral presentation to
familiarize themselves with their body parts without any malice.
 Development of Secondary Sex Characteristics and the Human Reproductive
System
Soon after the fertilization of an egg, the development of the reproductive system begins. For
example, approximately one month after conception, primordial gonads also begin to develop. Rapid
reproductive development happens inside the mother’s womb; but when the child is born until he/she
reaches puberty, there is little change in the reproductive system.
 Development of the Sexual Organs in the Embryo and Fetus
The female sex is considered the “fundamental” sex because if a particular chemical
prompting is absent, all fertilized eggs will develop into females. For a fertilized egg to become
male, a cascade of chemical reactions must be present initiated by a single gene in the male Y
chromosome called the SRY (Sex-determining Region of the Y chromosome). Female do not have
any Y chromosome; hence, they do not have the SRY gene (Lumen Learning Courses, WEB).
Both the male and female embryos have the same group of cells that will potentially develop
into male or female gonads or sex glands. However, the presence of the SRY gene initiates the
development of the testes while suppressing the vital genes for female development.

PRACTICE QUESTION
A baby’s gender is determined at conception, and the different genitalia of male
and female fetuses develop from the same tissues in the embryo.

Note: Before you allow your students to watch the short video, make sure to explain it in a
scientific way.

View this animation to see a comparison of the development of structures of the female and
male reproductive systems in a growing fetus. (https://www.babycenter.com/2_inside-
pregnancy-girl-or-boy_10313041.bc#videoplaylist)

Where are the testes located for most of the gestational time?

Show Answer
The testes are located in the abdomen
 Further Sexual Development Occurs at Puberty
Puberty is the stage of development at which individuals become sexually mature. The
outcome of puberty is different for boys and girls, but the hormonal process is similar, Moreover,
though the timing of these changes varies for every individual, the sequence of changes for boys and
girls is predictable, resulting in an adult physical characteristic and the capacity to reproduce.
Puberty can be separated into five stages. The characteristics for each stage vary for girls and
boys.

STAGES PUBERTY STAGES IN GIRLS PUBERTY STAGES IN BOYS

Approximately between the ages of 8 and Approximately between the ages of 9 and
11 12

1 The ovaries enlarge and hormone No visible signs of development occur; but
production starts, but external internally, male hormones become a lot
development is not yet visible more active. Sometimes a growth spurt
begins at this time.
Approximately between the ages of 8 and Approximately between the ages of 9 and
14 15

The first external sign of puberty is usually Height increases, and the shape of the
breast development body changes.

At first breast buds develop. The nipples Muscle tissue and fat develop at this time
will be tender and elevated.
2
The area around the nipple (the aureole The aureole, the dark skin around the
will increase in size nipple, darkens and increases in size.

The first stage of pubic hair may also be The testicles and scrotum grow, but the
present at this time. It may be coarse and penis probably does not.
curly or fine and straight.

Height and weight increase at this time. A little bit of pubic hair begins to grow at
The body gets rounder and curvier. the base of the penis.
3 Approximately between the ages of 9 and Approximately between the ages of 11 and
15 16

Breast growth continues and pubic hair The penis starts to grow during this stage.
gets coarser and darker It tends to grow in length rather than
width.
During this stage, whitish discharge from
the vagina may be present. Pubic hair is getting darker and coarser
and spreading to where the legs meet the
For some girls, the first menstrual period torso.
 begins at this time.
Also, boys continue to grow in height, and
even their faces begin to appear more
mature.

The shoulders broaden, making the hips

look smaller.

Muscle tissue increases and the voice

starts to change and deepen.

Finally, facial hair begins to develop on the

upper lip.
Approximately from ages of 10 and 16: Approximately 11 and 17:

Some girls notice that their aureoles get At this time, the penis starts to grow in width,
even darker and separate into a little too.
mound rising above the rest of the breast.
The testicles and scrotum also continue to
grow. Hair may begin to grow on the anus.
Pubic hair may begin to have more adult
triangular pattern of growth. The texture of the penis becomes more adult-
4 looking. Underarm and facial hair increases as
If it did not happen in Stage Three, well.
menarche (first menstruation) should start
now. The first fertile ejaculations typically appear at
approximately 15 years of age, but this age can
Ovulation may start now, too. But it will vary widely across individual boys.
not necessarily occur on a regular basis. (It
is possible to have regular periods even if Skin gets oilier, and the voice continues to
deepen.
ovulation does not occur every month.)
Approximately between ages of 12 and 19: Approximately 14 and 18:

This is the final stage of development. Full Boys reach their full adult height.
height is reached, and young women are
ovulating regularly. Pubic hair and the genitals look like an adult
man’s do.
5
Pubic hair is filled in and the breast are
At this point, too, shaving is a necessity.
developed fully for the body
Some young men continue to grow past this
point, even into their twenties.

http://www.healthofchildren.com/P/Puberty.html
 What are the erogenous zones of the body?
The term erogenous zones was popularized in the 1960s and 1970s to describe areas of
the body that are highly sensitive to stimuli and are often (but not always) sexually exciting. In this
context, “highly sensitive” means these areas of the body have a high number of sensory receptors or
nerve endings that react to stimuli. These are places where a person is generally more sensitive to
both pain and pleasure than in other areas of the body. Professionals usually discuss sensuality in
terms of the complex stimuli and associations that give rise to an appreciative response.
The skin
The skin serves as the primary erotic stimulus. Two types of erogenous zones exist in the
skin (Winkelmann, 2004):
1. Nonspecific type
a. It is similar to any other portion of the usual haired skin.
b. The nerves supplying it are composed of the usual density of dermal-nerve networks and
hair-follicle networks.
c. The learned and anticipated pleasurable sensations when a stimulus is presented in these
regions produce the amplified sensation.
d. The pleasurable sensation felt from these regions is simply an exaggerated form of tickle.
e. Examples of this type of skin are the sides and back of the neck, the axilla (armpit,
underarm) and the sides of the thorax (chest).
2. Specific type
a. It is found in the mucocutaneous regions of the body or those regions made both of
mucous membrane and of cutaneous skin.
b. These regions favor acute perception.
c. These specific sites of acute sensation are the genital regions, including the prepuce,
penis, the female external genitalia (valva), the perianal skin, lips, and nipples.

The prepuce is the retractable fold of skin covering the tip of the penis. Nontechnical name:
foreskin. It is also a similar fold of skin covering the tip of the clitoris (Collins English Dictionary).
The penis is a male erectile organ of copulation by which urine and semen are discharged
from the body (Splendorio & Reichel, 2014).
Female external genitalia (vulva) include:
 The mons pubis.
 The clitoris. A female sexual organ that is small, sensitive, and located in front of the opening
of the vagina.
  The labia majora and labia minora. The labia majora are fleshy lips around the vagina.
These are larger outer folds of the vulva, The labia minora also known as the inner labia,
inner lips, vaginal lips or nymphaea are two flaps of skin on either side of the human vaginal
opening in the vulva situated between the labia majora.
 Vaginal introitus is the opening that leads to the vaginal canal.
 The hymen is a membrane that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening.
(Human Reproductive Biology, 2012)
Perianal skin refers to the area of the body surrounding the anus, and in particular, the skin.
The perianal skin is very sensitive. It is also susceptible to injury and damage.
The lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the articulation of
sound and speech. Human lips are designed to be perceived by touch and can be an erogenous zone
when used in kissing and any other acts of intimacy.
Nipples are raised region of tissue on the surface of the breast. A recent study found that the
sensation from the nipples travels to the same part of the brain as sensations from the vagina, clitoris,
and cervix (Pappas, 2011).
Bear in mind though that not only is individual sensitivity different (what feels great for you
or one person does not mean others will like it, too) but how your brain interprets what is happening
with the given part of the body influences your sexual response as well. For example, even if a
particular part of the body is packed with sensory nerve receptors, stimulation of this part may feel
unpleasant if you had negative experiences or you have negative ideas about that given part of the
body.
 Understanding the Human Sexual Response
What is the sexual response cycle? The sexual response cycle refers to the sequence of
physical and emotional occurrences when the person is participating in a sexually stimulating
activity, such as intercourse or masturbation (Cleveland Clinic, WEB).
Knowing how the body responds during each phase of the cycle can help enhance a couple’s
sexual relationship, and it can also help address the cause of sexual dysfunction.
In general, both men and women experience these phases. However, they do not experience it
at the same time. For example, it is unlikely that a couple will orgasm simultaneously. Moreover, the
intensity of the sensation and the time spent in each phase also vary from person to person.
In the late 1950s, William Masters and Virginia Johnson pioneered research to understand
human sexual response, dysfunction, and disorders. Masters and Johnson have been widely
recognized for their contributions to sexual, psychological, and psychiatric research, particularly for
their theory of a four-stage model of sexual response (also known as the human sexual response
cycle).
Four phases of the human sexual response cycle:
1. Excitement 2. Plateau 3. Orgasm 4. Resolution

PHASES GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Phase 1:  Muscle tension increases.
Excitement  Heart rate quickens and breathing is accelerated.
 Skin may become flushed (blotches of redness appear on the chest and back).
 Nipples become hardened or erect.
 Blood flow to the genitals increases, resulting in swelling of the woman’s clitoris
and labia minora (inner lips), and erection of the man’s penis.
 Vaginal lubrication begins.
 The woman’s breast become fuller and the vaginal walls begin to swell.
 The man’s testicles swell, his scrotum tightens, and he begins secreting a
lubricating liquid.

Phase 2:  The changes begun in phase 1 are intensified.

Plateau  The vagina continues to swell from increased blood flow and the vaginal walls
turn a dark purple.
 The woman’s clitoris becomes highly sensitive (may even be painful to touch)
and retracts under the clitoral hood to avoid direct stimulation from the penis.
 The man’s testicles are withdrawn up into the scrotum.
 Breathing, heart rate and blood pressure continue to increase.
 Muscle spasms may begin in the feet, face and hands.
 Tension in the muscles increases.

Phase 3: This phase is the climax of the sexual response cycle. It is the shortest of the
Orgasm phases and generally lasts only a few seconds. General characteristics of this
phase include the following:
 Involuntary muscle contractions begin.
 Blood pressure, heart rate and breathing are at their highest rates, with a
rapid intake of oxygen.
 Muscles in the feet spasm.
 There is a sudden, forceful release of sexual tension.
 In women, the muscles of the vagina contract. The uterus also undergoes
rhythmic contractions.
 In men, rhythmic contractions of the muscles at the base of the penis result
in the ejaculation of semen.
 A rash or “sex flush” may appear over the entire body.
 Phase 4: During this phase, the body slowly returns to its normal functioning level. The
Resolution swelled and erect body parts return to their previous size and color. This phase is
marked by a general sense of well-being; intimacy is enhanced; and often, fatigue
sets in.
With further sexual stimulation, some woman can return to the orgasm
phase. This allows them to experience multiple orgasm. Men, on the other hand,
need recovery time after orgasm. This is called the refractory period. How long a
man needs a refractory period varies among men and his age.
 Sex and the Brain. What parts are involved?
Primarily, sex is the process of combining male and female genes to form an offspring.
However, complex systems of behavior have evolved the sexual process from its primary purpose of
reproduction to motivation and rewards circuit that root sexual behaviors.
Ultimately, the largest sex organ controlling the biological urges, mental processes, as well as
the emotional and physical responses to sex, is the brain.

Roles of the brain in sexual activity:

1. The brain is responsible for translating the nerve impulses sensed by the skin into pleasurable
sensation.
2. It controls the nerves and muscles used in sexual activities.
3. Sexual thoughts and fantasies are theorized to lie in cerebral cortex, the same area used for
thinking and reasoning.
4. Emotions and feelings (which are important for sexual behavior) are believed to originate in
the limbic system.
5. The brain releases the hormones considered as the physiological origin of sexual desire.

Roles of hormones in sexual activity:

The hypothalamus is the most important part of the brain for sexual functioning. The small
area at the base of the brain has several groups of nerve-cell bodies that receive input from the limbic
system. One reason the hypothalamus is important in human sexual activity is its relation to the
pituitary gland. The pituitary gland secretes the hormones produced in the hypothalamus.

1. Oxytocin
It is known as the “love hormone” and believed to be involved in our desire to
maintain close relationships. It is released during sexual intercourse when orgasm is
achieved.
2. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
 It is responsible for ovulation in females. The National Institute of Environment
Health Sciences in Durham, N.C., discovered that sexual activity was more frequent during a
woman’s fertile time.
3. Luteinizing hormone (LH)
The LH is crucial in regulating the testes in men and ovaries in women. In men, the
LH stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. In males, testosterone appears to be a major
contributing factor to sexual motivation.
4. Vasopressin
Vasopressin is involved in the male arousal phase. The increase of vasopressin during
erectile response is believed to be directly associated with increased motivation to engage in
sexual behavior.
5. Estrogen and progesterone
Estrogen and progesterone typically regulate motivation to engage in sexual behavior
for females, with estrogen increasing motivation and progesterone decreasing it.
(Boundless Psychology, courses.lumenlearning.com)

 Understanding the Chemistry of Lust, Love and Attachment

Falling in love can be a beautifully wild experience. It is a rush of longing, passion, and
euphoria. Fast forward a few years, and the excitement would have died down (though the levels
vary for every couple). For couples who remain together through the years, the rush would have been
replaced by a warm, comfortable and nurturing feeling.
Each stage of this cycle can actually be explained by your brain chemistry – the
neurotransmitters that get stimulated to released hormones throughout your body.
Anthropologist Helen Fisher of Rutgers University proposed three stages of falling in love;
and for each stage, a different set of chemicals run the show.
The three stage of falling in love are:
1. Lust (erotic passion)
2. Attraction (romantic passion); and
3. Attachment (commitment).
Lust
This staged is marked by physical attraction. You want to seduce by your object of affection.
Lust is driven by testosterone in men and estrogen in women. Lust, however, will not guarantee that
the couple will fall in love in any lasting way.
Attraction
 At this stage, you begin to crave for your partner’s presence. You feel excitement and
energetic as you fantasize about the things you could do together as a couple. Three chemicals
trigger this feeling: norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin.
Norepinephrine – responsible for the extra surge of energy and triggers increased heart rate,
loss of appetite, as well as the desire to sleep. Your body is in a more alert state and is ready for
action.
Dopamine – associated with motivation and goal-directed behavior. It makes you pursue
your object of affection. It creates a sense of novelty, where the person seems exciting, special, or
unique that you want to tell the world about his or her admirable qualities.
Serotonin – thought to cause obsessive thinking. Low levels of serotonin are said to be
present in people with obsessive-compulsive behavior (OCD). Meanwhile, a study found that those
who expressed they were in love and people with OCD both had less serotonin transporter in their
blood compared to those who did not express they were in love and do not have OCD as well.

Attachment
Attachment involves the desire to have lasting commitment with your significant other. At
this point, you may want to get married and/or have children.
(Psychology Today, 2017)
Psychology aspect of sexual desire
Sexual desire is typically viewed as an interest in sexual objects or activities. More precisely,
it is the subjective feeling of wanting to engage is sex. Sexual desire is sometimes, but not always,
accompanied by genital arousal (penile erection in men and vaginal lubrication in women). Sexual
desire can be triggered by a large variety of cues and situation, including private thoughts, feelings
and fantasies, erotic materials (such as books, movies, photographs), and a variety of erotic
environments, situations, or social interactions.
Sexual desire is often confused with sex drive, but these are fundamentally different
constructs. Sex drive represents a basic, biologically mediated motivation to seek sexual activity or
sexual gratification. In contrast, sexual desire represents a more complex psychological experience
that is not dependent on hormonal factors.
However, developmental research suggested that the capacity to experience sexual desire
though not hormone-dependent, are probably still facilitated by hormones. For example, because of
adrenal gland development and the subsequent secretion of adrenal hormones, some 9-year-old
children may experience sexual desires. Researchers noted that despite this development, children
who experienced such desires generally are not motivated to seek sexual gratification or activity.
Such motivation typically develops after 12 years old when puberty produces notable surges in levels
of gonadal hormones. Thus, physiological arousal is not a necessary element of sexual desire and
should not be considered a more valid marker of sexual desire than individual self-reported feelings.

Gender differences on sexual desire

Factors that influence the notable gender difference on sexual desire include:
 Culture
 Social environment; and even
 Political situations.
One of the most notable gender differences on sexual desire is that women place great
emphasis on interpersonal relationships as part of the experience. Males, on the other hand, enjoy a
more casual sexual behavior.
Alternatively, some researchers attributed that because of different evolutionary pressures
men and women face through time, early human females practiced selective mating with carefully
chosen males to achieve maximum reproductive success, while no such pressure was evident on
men. This may have favored the evolution of stronger sexual desires in men than in women.
(Psychology.iresearchnet.com,
©2017)

Physiological mechanisms of
sexual behavior motivation
Much of what we know about the
physiological mechanism that
underlie sexual behavior and
motivation comes from animal
research. The hypothalamus plays an
important role in motivated behaviors
and sex is no exception. Laboratory
rats that were physiologically
incapable of coupling were observed
to nevertheless seek receptive females. This finding suggested that the ability to engage in sexual
behavior and the motivation to do so may be mediated by different systems in the brain.
Animal research suggest that limbic system structures, such as the amygdala and nucleus
accumbens, are especially important for sexual motivation.
Amygdala is the integrative center for emotions, emotional behavior, and motivation.
 nucleus accumbens (also referred to as the pleasure center) plays a role in motivation and
cognitive processing of aversion. It has a significant role in response to reward and reinforcing
effects, translating emotional stimulus into behaviors.
 The Diversity of Sexual Behavior
Like food, sex is an important part of our lives. From an evolutionary perspective, the reason
is obvious – perpetuation of the species. Sexual behavior in humans, however, involves much ,ore
than reproduction.
Sexual orientation is defined as an individual’s general sexual disposition toward partners of
the same sex, the opposite sex, or both sexes. There has been much interest in sexual desire as an
index of sexual orientation. Historically, the most important indicator of same-sex (i.e., gay, lesbian,
or bisexual) orientation was same-sex sexual desire. Cotemporary scientific studies, however, found
that same sex desire and sexual orientation are more complicated than previously thought.
Past studies thought that gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals were the only people who ever
experienced same-sex sexual desires. It was found though that completely heterosexual persons
periodecally experience same-sex sexual desires, eve if they have little motivation to act on those
desires. It also did not appear to indicate that a completely heterosexual individual will eventually
want to pursue same-sex sexual behavior or will eventually consider himself or herself lesbian, gay
or bisexual.
Thus, researches now generally believe that lesbian, gay and bisexual orientations are
characterized by persistent and intense experiences of same-sex desire that are stable over time.
 Gender Identity
Many people fuse sexual orientation with gender identity into one group because of
stereotypical attitudes that exist about homosexuality. In reality, although these two are related, they
are actually different issues. Sexual orientation is a person’s emotional and erotic attraction toward
another individual. On the other hand, gender identity refers to one’s sense of being male or female.
Generally our gender identities correspond to our chromosomal and phenotypic sex, but this is not
always the case.
 What is LGBTQ+?
LGBTQ+ is an umbrella term for a wide spectrum of gender identities, sexual orientation and
romantic orientations.
 L stands for lesbian. These are females who are exclusively attracted to women.
 G stands for gay. This can refer to males who are exclusively attracted to any other males. It
can also refer to anyone who is attracted to his or her same gender.
 B stands for bisexual or someone who is sexually/romantically attracted to both men and
woman.
  T or Trans*/Transgender is an umbrella term for people who do not identify with the gender
assigned to them at birth. Trans woman is an identity label adapted by male to female trans
people to signify that they identify themselves as women. A trans man is an identity label
adapted by female to male trans people to signify that they identify themselves as men.
 Q stands for queer. It is a useful term for those who are questioning their identities and are
unsure about using more specific terms, or those who are simply do not wish to label
themsleves and prefer to use a broader umbrella term.
 + The plus is there to signify that many identities are not explicitly represented by the letters.
This includes (but is not limited to) intersex or people who are born with mix of male and
female biological traits that can make it hard for doctors to assign them a male or female sex;
and asexual or a person who is not interested in or does not desire sexual activity.

Regardless of how sexual orientation is determined, there is preliminary empirical research that
strongly suggests sexual orientation is not a choice. Rather, it is a relatively stable characteristic of a
person that cannot be changed. Just as the mojority of the heterosexual people do not choose to be
attracted to the opposite sex, the large majority of the LGBTQ+ people also do not choose theirs. The
only real choice that the LGBTQ+ community has to deal with is whethernto be open about their
orientation.

 Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues

There’s a lot ,ore to being male, female or any gender than the sex assigned at birth. Your
biological or assigned sex does not always tell your complete story.
Sex is a label – male or female – that you’re assigned by a doctor at birth based on the
genitals you’re born with and the chromosomes you have. It goes on your birth certificate.
Gender is define by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as “the
relations between men and women, both perceptual and material. Gender is not determined
biologically, as aresult of sexual characteristics of either women or men, but is constructed socially.
It is a central organizing principle of societies and often governs the processes of production and
reproduction, assumption and distribution” (Fao, 1997).
According to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, gender identity is one’s
innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive
themselves and what they call themselves. One’s gender identity can be the same or different from
their sex assigned at birth. On the other hand, sexual orientation is an inherent or immutable
enduring emotional; romantic or sexual attraction to some other people. This attraction can be for
someone from the same sex or someone from the opposite sex.

 Sociocultural Factors
Sociocultural factors influence the various issues related to sexual orientation and gender
identity. For example, the Philippines and most of its Southeast Asian neighbors view
heterosexuality as the norm. However, there are countries that are culturally not as restrictive with
their human sexual/romantic relationship attirudes. For example, in New Gunea, young boys
expected to engage in sexual behavior with any other boys to become men (Baldwin & Baldwin.
1989). In the Philippines, an individual is classified as either male or female only, However,
Thailand recognizes more than two categories – male, female, and kathoey. A kathoey is an
individual who would be described as transgender in western cultures (Tangmunkongvorakul,
Banwell, Carmichael, Utomo, & Sleigh, 2010).
 Family influences
There are also studies that asserted how children’s upbringing and social environment
influences their developing gender identities. In summary, this work found that children’s interest,
preferences, behaviors and overall self-concept are strongly influenced by parental and authority
figure teachings regarding sexual stereotypes. Thus, children whose parents ashere to strict gender-
stereotyped roles are, in general, more likely to take on those roles themselves as adults than are
peers whose parents provided less stereotyped, more neutral models for behaving.
 Urban Setting
Another research also discovered that homosexuality positively correlated with urbanization.
The correlation though was more substantial in men than in women. The study surmised that large
cities seem to provide a friendlier environment for same-gender interest to develop and be expressed
(Laumann, et al., 1994) than in rural areas. These cities host venues or areas where people with
specific sexual orientations socialize and become a support group. The number of gays and lesbians
residing in large cities may function protectively to generate resiliency among the LGBTQ+
community in the face of stigmatization, discrimination and harassment, thus, potentially resulting in
positive consequences for their well-being.
On the other hand, existing literature highlighted that the challenges of rural living for LGBTQ+
people are:
 High levels of intolerance;
  Limited social and institutional supports; and
 Higher incidence of social isolation.
There are studies that also countered the popular notion of urban versus rural living for
LGBTQ+ - that is, rural life is actually more beneficial to their well-being than urban life. However,
these studies are newer and less supported than existing literature on LGBTQ+ life, challenges and
issues.
 History of Sexual Abuse
Previous publised studies claimed that abused adolescents, particularly those victimized by
males, are more likely to become homosexual or bisexual in adulthood. These studies were critisized
for being non-clinical and unreliable. Some other findings suggested no significant relationship that
child abuse is a cause of same-sex sexual orientation in adulthood (Wilson and Wisdom, 2009).
 Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s)
What are STD’s? STD stands for sexaully transmitted diseases. It is also known as STI or
sexually transmitted infection. In general, STD is a desease of infection acquired through sexual
contact where the organisms that cause STD are passed on from person to person in blood, semen
and vaginal or any other bodily fluids.
STD can also be transmitted non-sexually such as:
 Mother to infant during pregnancy;
 Blood transfusion; and
 People sharing needles for injection.
It is possible to contact sexually transmitted deseases from people who seem perfectly healthy
and who may not even be aware of the infection. STDs do not always cause symptoms, which is one
of the reasons experts prefer the term “sexually transmitted infections” to “sexually transmitted
diseases.”
 The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Healthe Act of 2012

RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT

OF 2012
An Act providing for national policy on Responsible Parenthood
and Reproductive Health

Citation Republic Act No. 10354

Enacted by House of representatives of the Philippines

Date enacted December 19, 2012

Enacted by Senate of the Philippines

Date enacted December 19, 2012

Date signed December 21, 2012

Signed by Miriam Defensor Santiago

 The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (Republic Act No.
10354), informally known as the Reproductive Health Law or RH Law, is a law in the Philippines
that guarantees access to contraceptive methods, such as fertility control, sexual education and
maternal care. Passage of the legislation was controversial and highly divisive. Experts, academics,
religious institutions, and major political figures declared support or opposition while it was just a
bill. After the (then) RH Bill was passed into law, the Supreme Court delayed its implementation in
response to challenges. On April 8, 2014, the Court ruled that the law was “not unconstitutional” but
struck down eight provisions partially or in full.
 Goals, Objectives and Strategies of Reproductive Health Law
Specific objectives:
 Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio.
 Reduced by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.
 To have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse, the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Regional objectives:
 Improve access to the full range of affordable, equitable and high-quality family planning and
reproductive health services to increase contraceptive use rate and reduce unwanted pregnancies
and abortions.
 Make pregnancy safer.
 Support countries and areas in developing evidence-based policies and strategies for the reduction
of maternal and new born mortality.
 Improve access to the full range of affordable, equitable and high-quality family planning and
reproductive health services to increase contraceptive use rate and reduce unwanted pregnancies
 Improve the health and nutrition status of women of all ages, especially pregnant and nursing
women.
 Gender, women and health:
 Integrate gender and rights considerations into health policy and programs, especially into
reproductive health and maternal health care.
 Improve the health and nutrition status of women of all ages,
(WHO Western Pacific Region, WPRO, 2017)

 Advantages and Disadvantages of Family Planning

Family planning allows both men and women to make informed choices on when and if they
decide to have children. Knowing both the advantages and disadvantages of family planning methods
may help you decide what option is right for you.
Methods of contraceptive:
 Long-acting reversible contraception, such as the implant or intra uterine device (IUD)
 Hormonal contraception, such as the birth control pill and the birth control injection.
 Barrier methods, such as condoms.
 Emergency contraception
 Fertility awareness
 Permanent contraception, such as vasectomy and tubal ligation
Benefits of family planning/contraception according to the WHO
 Prevent pregnancy-related health risk in women
 Reduce infant mortality
 Help prevent HIV/AIDS
 Empower people and enhance education
 Reduce adolescent pregnancies
 Slow population growth
(WHO Western Pacific Region, WPRO, 2017)

 Benefits of Using Family Planning According to DOH

Family planning provides many benefits to mother, children, father and the family.
Mother
 Enables her to regain her health after delivery
 Gives enough time and opportunity to love and provide attention to her husband and children
 Gives more time for her family and own personal advancement
 When suffering from an illness gives enough time for treatment and recovery

Children
 Healthy mothers produce healthy children
 Will get all the attention, security, love and care they deserve

Father
 Lightens the burden and responsibility in supporting his family
 Enables him to give his children their basic needs (food, shelter, education and better future)
 Give him time for his family and own personal advancement
 When suffering from an illness, gives enough time for treatment and recovery
Disadvantages
 Birth control health risks
Some forms of birth control pose health concerns for women and men, such as allergies to
spermicides or latex. For some women, oral contraceptives can lead to hair loss and weight gain,
and the use of diaphragms can lead to urinary tract infections
 Possibility of pregnancy
Family planning methods are not one hundred percent reliable. Other than abstinence, there is
no birth control method (including the natural rhythm method) that is completely effective.
Couples who are engaging in sexual activity should always consider the possibility of an
unexpected pregnancy.
 Pregnancy after birth control
All bodies are different. There is no way to know how long it will take a woman to conceive,
and that is true whether you have been using birth control or not. It is possible to get pregnant
almost right away after stopping hormonal contraceptives, such as birth control pills or after
having the IUD removed. On the other hand, it might take months for ovulation and the menstrual
period to return to normal. How long the menstrual period takes to return to its normal cycle in
entirely individual and has nothing to do with how long the woman has been using birth control.
The most important thing to know about stopping your preferred method of birth control is that
ovulation can return immediately. Hence, a woman can get pregnant right away.
 The Natural Family Planning Method
Natural family planning (NFP) is the method that uses the body’s natural physiological
changes and symptoms to identify the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle. Such
methods are also known as fertility-based awareness methods.
Once a month as egg is released from one of a woman’s ovaries (ovulation). It can stay alive
in the uterus for about 24 hours. Men can always produce sperm cell and these can stay alive in the
female reproductive system for about two to five days after being deposited in the vagina during
sexual intercourse. This means women have certain time during their cycle when they are unlikely to
conceive, whereas mean have no “safe period.”
Natural family planning methods are generally the preferred contraceptive method for women
who do not wish to use artificial methods of contraception for reasons of religion, or who, due to
rumors and myths, fear other methods.
However, Natural family planning methods are unreliable in preventing unwanted pregnancy.
It also takes time to practice and use NFP properly; and this adds to its unreliability. Moreover,
natural family planning methods do not protect a person against sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs), including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The effectiveness of any method of natural family planning varies from couple to couple. All
these methods become less effective if couples do not follow the method carefully.

Types of Natural family planning methods

1. Periodic abstinence (fertility awareness) method
2. Use of breastfeeding or lactationalamenorrhoea method (LAM)
3. Coitus interruptus (withdrawal or pulling out) method

 Periodic Abstinence (Fertility Awareness) Methods

During the menstrual cycle, the female hormones estrogen and progesterone cause some
observable effects. Observation of these changes provides a basis for periodic abstinence methods.
There are three common techniques used in periodic abstinence methods, namely:
a. Rhythm (Calendar) method;
b. Basal body temperature (BBT) monitoring; and
c. Cervical mucus (ovulation) method.

With rhythm (calendar) method, the couple tracks the woman’s menstrual history to predict
when she will ovulate. This helps the couple determine when they will most likely conceive. Basal
body temperature monitoring is a contraceptive method that relies on monitoring a woman’s basal
body temperature on a daily basis. A woman’s body temperature changes throughout the menstrual
cycle and changes in body temperature coincide with hormonal changes. This indicates fertile and
non-fertile stages of the menstrual cycle. By monitoring temperature every day, a woman determine
the periods of her menstrual cycle when she is, or is not, fertile. The cervical mucus (ovulation)
method, also called the Billing’s method as this was devised by John and Evelyn Billings in the
1960s, involves examining the color and viscosity of the cervical mucus to discover when ovulation
is occurring.
 Lactation Amenorrhea Method
Through exclusive breastfeeding, the woman is able to suppress ovulation. This method is
called lactation amenorrhea method. However, if the infant were not exclusively breastfed, this
method would not be an effective birth control method. Generally, after the three months of
exclusive breastfeeding, a woman must choose another method of contraception.
 Coitus Interruptus
 This is one of the oldest methods of contraception. The couple proceeds with coitus;
however, the man must release his sperm outside of the vagina. Hence, he must withdraw his penis
the moment he ejaculates. This method is only 75% effective because pre-ejaculation fluid that
contains a few spermatozoa may cause fertilization.
 Hormonal Contraception/Artificial Family Planning
Hormonal contraceptives are an effective family planning method that manipulates the
hormones that directly affect the normal menstrual cycle so that ovulation will not occur.
 Oral Contraceptives
It is also known as the pill. Oral contraceptives contain synthetic estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen suppresses ovulation while progesterone decreases the permeability of the cervical mucus
to limit the sperm’s access to the ova.
 Transdermal Contraceptive Patch
A transdermal patch is a medicated adhesive patch that is placed on the skin to deliver a
specific dose of medication through the skin and into the bloodstream. In this case, a transdermal
contraceptive patch has a combination of both estrogen and progesterone released into the
bloodstream to prevent pregnancy.
 Vaginal Ring
It is a birth control ring inserted into the vagina and slowly releases hormones through the
vaginal wall into the bloodstream to prevent pregnancy.
 Subdermal Implants
Subdermal contraceptive implants involve the delivery of a steroid progestin from polymer
capsules or rods placed under the skin. The hormone diffuses out slowly at a stable rate, providing
contraceptive effectiveness for 1-5 years.
 Hormonal Injections
It is a contraceptive injection given once every three months. It typically suppresses
ovulation, keeping the ovaries from releasing an egg. Hormonal Injections also thickens cervical
mucus to keep the sperm from reaching the egg.
 Intrauterine Device
An IUD is a small, T-shaped plastic device wrapped in copper or contains hormones. A
doctor inserts the IUD into the uterus. IUD prevents fertilization of the egg by damaging or killing
sperm. It makes the mucus in the cervix thick and sticky, so sperm cannot get through to the uterus.
It also keeps the lining of the uterus (endometrium) from growing very thick making the lining a
poor place for a fertilized egg to implant and grow.
 Chemical Barriers
Chemical barriers, such as spermicides, vaginal gels and creams and glycerin films are also
used to cause the death of sperms before they can enter the cervix. It lowers the pH level of the
vagina, so it will not become conducive for the sperm. However, these chemical barriers cannot
prevent sexually transmitted infections.
 Diaphragm
Diaphragm are dome-shaped barrier methods of contraception that block sperms from
entering the uterus. They are made of latex (rubber) and formed like a shallow cup. It is filled with
spermicide and fitted over the uterine cervix.
 Cervical Cap
A cervical cap is a silicone cup inserted in the vagina to cover the cervix and keep sperm out
of the uterus. Spermicide is added to the cervical cap to kill any sperm that may get inside the
protective barrier. However, this is not a widely used method and few health care providers
recommend this type of contraception. The most common side effect from using a cervical cap is
vaginal irritation. Some women also experience an increase in the number of bladder infections.
 Male condoms
The male condom is a latex or synthetic rubber sheath placed on the erect penis before
vaginal penetration to trap the sperm during ejaculation. Condoms can prevent STDs.
 Female Condoms
It is a thin pouch inserted into the vagina before sex serving as protective barrier to prevent
pregnancy and protection from sexually transmitted diseases, including the HIV. Female condoms
create a barrier that prevents bodily fluids and semen from entering the vagina.
 Surgical Methods
One of the most effective birth control methods is the surgical method. This method ensures
conception is inhibited permanently after the surgery.
Two kinds of surgical methods:
 Vasectomy
A surgical operation wherein the tube that carries the sperm to a man’s penis is cut. It is a
permanent male contraception method. This procedure preserves ejaculation and does not cause
impotence or erectile dysfunction since the vasectomy does not involve anything in the
production of testosterone.
 Tubal Ligation
It is surgical procedure for female sterilization involving severing and tying the fallopian
tubes. A tubal ligation disrupts the movement of the egg to the uterus for fertilization and blocks
 sperm from travelling up the fallopian tubes to the egg. A tubal ligation does not affect a
woman’s menstrual cycle. A tubal ligation can be done at any time, including after normal
childbirth or a C-section. It is possible to reverse a tubal ligation – but reversal requires major
surgery and is not always effective.
SUMMATIVE TEST

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Course and Year: ________________________________________ Score: ________________

Let’s test your

memory
I. Identify what is being asked in each statement below. Write your answer before each number.

__________________ 1. It is the stage of development when individuals become sexually mature.

__________________ 2. These areas of the body are highly sensitive to stimuli and are often
sexually exciting.

__________________ 3. It refers the sequence of physical and emotional occurrences when the
person is participating in a sexually stimulating activity.

__________________ 4. It is the most important part of the brain for sexual functioning.

__________________ 5. It is also known as the “love hormone” and believed to be involved in our
desire to maintain close relationships.

__________________ 6. This stage involves the desire to have lasting commitment with your
significant other.

__________________ 7. It is a person’s emotional and erotic attraction toward another individual.

__________________ 8. It refers to one’s sense of being male or female.

__________________ 9. This method uses the body’s natural physiological changes and symptoms
to identify the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle.
__________________ 10. It refers to a method that manipulates the hormones which directly affect
the normal menstrual cycle so that ovulation will not occur.
II. Application
1. For Girls: How was your experience the first time you had your menarche or first
menstruation? Were you afraid? How did you cope with your feeling of
awkwardness/negativity, especially since it was accompanied by bodily changes?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
For boys: How was your experience the first time you had your nocturnal emission? How did
you cope with your feeling of awkwardness/negativity, especially since it was accompanied
by bodily changes?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you have a crush now? A boyfriend/girlfriend? How are you dealing/managing with your
emotions? Do you consult your parents? Friends? Classmates about it?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Let’s
reflect
Think-Pair Share

Do you believe in the old maxim “Love at first sight?” Why or why not?
 Let’s do it
together
“Let’s Ask and Find Out”

1. Students will be grouped into 5.

2. Each group will conduct a quick survey on the preference of couples using either the natural
or artificial contraceptive method as their method for family planning.

THE MATERIAL/ECONOMIC SELF

“Once a culture becomes entirely advertising friendly, it seizes to be a culture at

all.”
- Mark Crispin Miller

Activity 3
“I HAVE, THEREFORE I AM”

HAIRSTYLE FOOD

SELF

CLOTHING STATUS

Procedures:
1. Let each student share why they choose to have hair color, short or long hair;
2. Then their food preferences;
3. Their type of wardrobes; and
 4. Status that they post.

In this age of digital technology, everything in our society is based upon the idea that
consumption should be easy as possible. We say, “Money makes the world go round.” We take
instantaneous loans using our cellphones and not many minutes of our lives pass by without some
kind of commercial message barraging our consciousness. These ads carry the message that we
become happy by buying, buying, buying. Often, we even consume just for the sake of consuming.
Shopping has become leisure and a way to pass time. Our homes and our lives are more than full of
things, stuff, gadgets, widgets, devices etcetera. Consequently, our consumption also contributes to
our garbage problems, pollution and the depletion of our natural resources.

 Shop Therefore I am: I have, Therefore I am?

In the “I shop therefore I am” trend report we are looking into the world of consumer
culture. Shopping has turned into a lifestyle. At what point does the accumulation of material goods
become less fulfilling and more stressful and overwhelming? People are slowly realizing that the
power of consumption is stopping us from finding true and sincere happiness and that shopping often
works as a substitute for something that we are missing in life. As a primary consumer, the issue is
about what we buy and what we choose to invest.
 Consumption and Production
“Consume” is defined as “use up, to spend wastefully, to destroy” (Gusdorf, 1978). The
definition shows that consumption has a negative connotation. There is, however, a positive side to
consumption that is often neglected.
Behind consumption, there is production. Consumers keep companies alive. These companies
pay people whose earnings put food on the table. Such is the pattern of consumption. Thus, it cannot
be denied that consumption is important.
 Conscious Consumption
Consumers are often portrayed as “victims,” exploited by greedy companies. However, you
should take note that every person has “free will.” Therefore, choices are important. As a consumer,
free will comes with responsibility and obligation. Conscious consumption is about practicing
responsible buying habits.
 Psychological/Sociological Consumption
As mentioned earlier, for many people these days (with the younger generation as the
vulnerable group) happiness seems attached to buying something. Consumption has become an
addiction. Many people have forgotten there are things in life that can bring true and lasting
happiness, such as spending time with family and/or friends; to have “me” time; enjoy nature; to
read, etcetera.

Dec 24, 2015 – Pope Francis returned

to one of his favoured themes in his  Identify and Consumer Culture
homily at midnight mass on Christmas
March (1993. P.7) argued
Eve at the Vatican, castigating a
hedonistic and consumerist society that identify is a symbolic idea.
and a culture of indifference. It is an image we build for
ourselves through social
interaction. Thus, a person’s
identity is dynamic and context-dependent. It is improved through
communication with others and through different ways that a person interacts
within the cultural atmosphere and social relations.

Factors that affect identity:

 Social relations of power, and

 Symbolic image of the world.

“Identity” as we know it is now mainly derived from the work of psychologist Erik Erickson in
the 1950s. Identity may refer to:

a. A social category defined by membership rules, characteristic attributes, or expected

behaviors.
b. Socially distinguishing features that an individual takes pride in having.
(Fearon, 1999)
Meanwhile, studies have observed that every waking moment in a modern lifestyle has become
a cycle of “alternating time-space for work and time-space for consumption” (Sassatelli, R, 2007,
p.3). Slater (1997) outlined some main features and characters in consumer culture:

1. Consumer culture is a culture of consumption.

2. Consumer culture is the culture of market society.
3. Consumer culture is universal and impersonal.
4. Consumer culture identifies freedom with private choice and life.
5. Consumer needs are insatiable and unlimited.
6. Consumer culture is a privileged medium for building personal identity and status.
As previously mentioned, consumerism is one of the strongest forces affecting modern people’s
lives. The term consumerism does not simply mean the constant barrage and intrusion of ads in our
 lives, but everything that is connected to the
modern society’s idea that to be happier and more
successful, we have to buy, buy, buy. We slip into
a cycle of wanting more things – to get that new
iPhone model, get the latest gadget, wear the
trendiest clothes, hang out in places where “cool”
people go, etcetera. The pursuit of these things
take up our time, energy and the money we do not
have. We also tend to compare ourselves with
some other people. Social media reinforces this tendency.

Comparing ourselves with others (wanting to be like them or be in their position) will lead us to
constantly feeling dissatisfied and never happy with what we have. This is also what consumerism
wants because it makes people active consumers on a regular basis. Thus, consumerism not only
affects our behavior; it also affects our thinking process.

 The Problem with Consumerism

1. It is intrusive
2. It is manipulative.
3. It cannot provide many of the things that are important to us.
4. It restricts our choices and lives.
5. It affects our worldviews and characters.
6. It is unsustainable.

 Avoid the Trap

Consumerism is intrinsically woven into the fabric of modern society. Society needs a
cultural shift to move away from the culture of consumerism. Social changes do not happen
overnight, therefore, it is best to take immediate steps in your own life to release yourself from the
grip of consumerism.

1. Exercise intellectual independence. Be aware of how consumerism controls your life.

Try to defend yourself from unwanted external pressures. Ignore advertising. Think for
yourself. Question all information given to you and start looking for information yourself.
2. Consume less, live more. Stop and think about the influences of consumerism in your
life. Then, think about what really matters to you and how you want to live it. Strive to
live the life you want, not how others think you ought to live.
 SUMMATIVE TEST

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Course and Year: ________________________________________ Score: ________________

Let’s test your

memory
I. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is incorrect. Write your answer on the
space provided.

_____________1. Consumption has a negative connotation; however, its positive side is often
neglected.

_____________ 2. Consumers are often portrayed as “victims,” exploited by companies, however,

every person has “free will.”

_____________ 3. Consumption would never become an addiction.

_____________ 4. Shopping nowadays has turned into a lifestyle for most people.

_____________ 5. Free will is not important when it comes to shopping.

_____________ 6. Conscious consumption is about practicing buying habits regardless of price and
relevance.

_____________ 7. Consumption is important because of production.

_____________ 8. Consumer culture is a medium for building persona identity and status.

_____________ 9. Consumerism is one of the strongest forces affecting modern people’s lives,
specifically their behaviors and thinking processes.

_____________ 10. Consumerism does not restrict our choices and lives.

II. Application
1. What is your purpose for going shopping?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
 __________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Have you tried online shopping? If yes, what makes it different from shopping in malls? If
no, why not?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. What particular item do you usually buy? Why?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Let’s
reflect “I shop, therefore I am”
1. Suppose you won a cash prize of P10,000.00 but with one condition: to spend the said
amount in only one day or the prize would be forfeited. What are the things that you will
buy? Enumerate them below with approximate prices.
Amount Item
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________

Let’s do it
together
“LET’S TOUR AROUND THE MUSEUM”

1. The whole class will visit a museum in the city/place.

 2. Make each student write an insight paper after the tour by focusing on the beauty and
consumerism of the culture exhibited in the museum.

THE SPIRITUAL SELF

“Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak.”

- Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

Activity 4
“ME AND MY FAITH”

“NAME GAME”
Mechanics:
1. The class is divided into five groups to enact the different practices of Filipinos
with regard to religious beliefs.
2. Let each group make a guess of the particular belief the other groups will act
out
Objectives:
To give the students the chance to familiarize themselves with how and why
Filipinos practice those religious beliefs.

Philosophy started the moment humans started to wonder (with just about anything). For the
longest time, humans have pondered on questions, like “Why do we die? Why bad things happen to
good people? Do we really have free will? Is the future determined? Does God exist?”

As a college student, it is vital that you develop a healthy sense of wonder. Part of this
curiosity should be about the range of human beliefs. It is important, too, that you keep an open mind
as you seek to understand belief systems that may not be the same as yours.

 Spiritual Versus Religious

Spiritual is defined as “relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material
or physical things.” Religion and spirituality are both paths to God; however, they are different in
their approaches. A religious person is someone who believes in a god or group of gods and
consciously adheres to the beliefs of his/her religion. A spiritual person, on the other hand, places
little importance on beliefs and traditions and is more concerned with growing and experiencing the
Divine.
Quite often, religion takes the approach of fear. It emphasizes sin, guilt and the concept of a
punishing God. The spiritual approach to God is through the path of love. This is a love where there
is no condemnation and judgment, but where there is mercy and acceptance.
Often, religion talks of God who is high up in the heavens. At times, God is depicted as
separate from humanity, who is impartial but impersonal. Spirituality believes in God who is
omnipresent and omniscient, someone who is a living presence in our hearts.
Many religions feel their path is the only way to salvation and that other religions are wrong.
Religious people strongly feel the need to convert others to their faith. On the other hand, like the
analogy, “different paths that lead to the same destination,” spirituality feels all faiths are valid.
Spirituality embraces all the world’s religions, but at the same time it is not constrained by any
religious dogmas or forms.

Why is spirituality important?

Sense of meaninglessness and lack of purpose in like can be significant factors in causing
anxiety, depression and phobias; however, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that
spiritual practices are associated with better health and well-being.
Many spiritual traditions encourage participation in a community. Spiritual fellowship (such
as attending church or a meditation group) can be a source of social support that may provide a sense
of belonging, security and community. Strong relationships have been proven to increase well-being
and bolster life expectancy, which is perhaps why one study found a strong association between
church attendance and improved health, mood and well-being.

Contemplative practice is good for students like you. Contemplative practice can be broadly
understood as a method to develop concentration, deepen understanding and insight and cultivate
awareness and compassion. These practices can have a profound impact on students’ experiences
both in college and beyond.

Examples of contemplative practices:

1. Mediation – mental exercise (such as focusing on one’s breathing or repeating a mantra) for
the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness. It can induce feelings of
calm and clear-headedness, as well as improved concentration and attention.
2. Prayer – a spiritual communion with God (or an object of worship) as in supplication,
thanksgiving, adoration or confession. Prayers may elicit a relaxation response, along with
 feelings of hope, gratitude and compassion – all of which have a positive effect on overall
well-being. There are several types of prayers. Many of which rooted in the belief that there
is a higher power that has some level of influence over life. This belief can provide a sense of
comfort and support in difficult times. A recent study found out that clinically depressed
adults who believed their prayers were heard by God (or a concerned presence) responded
much better to treatment than those who did not believe.
3. Yoga – a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline. In Hindu theistic philosophy, it teaches the
suppression of all mind and body activity so that the self may realize its distinction from the
material world and attain liberation. In western culture, yoga is system of physical postures,
breathing techniques and sometimes meditation to promote physical and emotional well-
being.
4. Journaling is another (but often overlooked) Contemplative practice that can help you
become more aware of your inner life and feel more connected to your experience and the
world around you. Studies show that writing during difficult times may help you find
meaning in life’s challenges and
TRIVIA help you become more resilient in
the face of obstacles.
(Lin, Oxford & Brantmeier, 2013)
 The Practice of Religion: Belief
in Supernatural Being and
Power
The vast majority of the earth’s
more than 7 billion people practice some
form of religion. The number of religions
and spiritual traditions that the human
Figure 2. Pope Francis was named Time magazine’s population practices is estimated at a little
“Person of the Year” in 2013, where he was
identified as “poised to transform a place [i.e., the over 4,000. The reasons and theories of
Vatican] that measures change by the century” human’s having religion are just as many
(Chua-Eoan & Dias 2013). Photo courtesy of Edgar
Jimenez/Flickr. (if not more).

Religion is defined as “the belief in and

worship of a superhuman controlling
power, especially a personal God or gods” (Oxford University Press, 2017). It is also a “particular
system of faith and worship.” (University of Minnesota Human Rights Center, 2003, 2016). More
than its belief and practices, religion is an experience. Religion, however, may best be understood as
a systematic “attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object” (read:
Anthropomorphism). One reason humans attribute human characteristic to some other “entities” is
that the world is huge, ambiguous and we need to interpret it the best possible way we can.

The psychology behind religious belief

A 1990 research conducted by Steven Reiss, professor emeritus of psychology at the Ohio
Sate University, posited a theory on why people are attracted to religion. Religion, he said attracts so
many followers because it satisfies all 16 basic desires that humans share (the 16 Striving for God,
2016).
According to Reiss, the 16 basic desires that humans share are:
1. Acceptance 7. Independence 13. Social contact
2. Curiosity 8. Order 14. Status
3. Eating 9. Physical activity 15. Tranquility
4. Family 10. Power 16. Vengeance
5. Honor 11. Romance
6. Idealism 12. Saving
Reiss claimed that we all share the same 16 goals, but what makes us different is how much
we value each one. For example, in social contact, religion attracts both the introvert and extrovert.
For extroverts, religion offers fellowship with others. For introverts, religion encourages meditation,
private retreats and solitude.
Another example is that religion also find ways to deal with vengeance. According to Riess,
while some other preach a God of peace, there are also religions that preach holy wars.
Reiss added that all religious beliefs and practices are designed to meet these 16 desires.
Religious beliefs provide people with certain ways of thinking to help them cope with ultimate
questions that cannot be explained in any other way.
The four dimensions of religion
The incredible amount of variation between different religions makes it challenging to decide
upon a concrete definition of religion that applies to all of them. Sociologists noted four dimensions
that seem to be present in varying forms and intensities in all types of religion (Dawson & Thiessen,
2014). These are:
1. Belief;
2. Ritual;
 3. Spiritual experience; and
4. Unique social forms of community.
Religious beliefs are a generalized system of ideas and values that shape how members of a
religious group come to understand the world around them. These beliefs are taught to followers by
religious authorities, such as priests, imams or shamen, through formal creeds and doctrines, as well
as more informal lessons learned through stories, songs and myths.

Rituals are the repeated physical gestures or activities, such as prayers and mantras, used to
reinforce religious techniques, elicit spiritual feelings and connect worshippers with a higher power
(Little, 2016). A common type of ritual is a rite of passage, which marks a person’s transition from
one stage of life to another. Examples of rites of passage include baptism and weddings. From a
psychological perspective, rituals play an important role in providing practitioners with access to
spiritual “powers” of various sorts. In relieving anxieties, religious rituals provide a basis of
psychological stability when people face uncertainty or chance.
A third common dimension of various religions is the promise of access to some form of
unique spiritual experience or feeling of immediate connection with a higher power. From this point
of view, religion is not so much about thinking a certain way (i.e., a formal belief system) as about
feeling a certain way. Saint Thomas Aquinas is often quoted to have said, ‘To one who has faith, no
explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible” -summing up the
experiential dimension of religion.
The fourth common dimension of religion is creating unique social forms of community.
Emile Durkheim (1915-1964) emphasized that religious beliefs and practices “unite in one single
community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.”
Social dimensions that religions share according to Dawson and Thiessen (2014):
 Religion gains credibility when agreed and shared by a group. It is easier to believe in
something if others around you (whom you respect) believe it as well.
 Religion provides an authority that deals specifically with social or moral issues, such
determining the best way to live life. It provides a basis for ethics and proper behaviors, which
establishes the normative basis of the community.
 Religion acts as a form of social control and it supports the development of self-control, which
are vital elements of a functional society.
 Places of religious worship function as social hubs within communities, providing a source of
entertainment, socialization and support.
 TABLE 15.1
One way scholars have categorized religions is by classifying what or who they hold to be divine.
RELIGIOUS
WHAT/WHO IS DIVINE EXAMPLE
CLASSIFICATION
Hinduism, Ancient Greeks and
Polytheism Multiple gods TRIVIA Romans
Monotheism Single god Judaism, Islam, Christianity
Judaism is the oldest of the Abrahamic
Antheism No deities Atheism, Buddhism, Taoism
religions and the predecessor of Christianity and
Nonhuman beings
Animism Islam. Indigenous nature worship, Shinto
(animals, plants, natural world)
Jews remain faithful to the writings of
the Torah, which was believed to have been
The Major Religions handed to Moses on Mt. Sinai and the Tanakh,
1. Judaism 3. Islam the books of the prophets, the kings and some
other religious writings.
5. Buddhism
2. Christianity 4. Hinduism
TRIVIA
Judaism encompasses the religion,
The world’s largest religion is
philosophy, and culture of the Jewish people. It
Christianity. To date it has 2.1 billion followers
is characterized by belief in one transcendent worldwide.
God who has revealed himself to Abraham,
Moses and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life in accordance with the scriptures and rabbinic
traditions. Their sacred text is the Torah.
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus
Christ, who serves as the focal point of the Christian faith. For Christians, the word of God is written
in the Bible.

Interesting Islam Facts:

 The word “Islam” means submission or surrender.
 The root word of Islam is “Salam,” which means “peace.”
 The word “Islam” in religious terms means “surrender one’s will to the true will of God to
achieve peace.”
 A Muslim is one who surrenders himself to God’s true will.

Islam is the religious faith of Muslims who worship Allah as the sole deity and believes
Muhammad is His prophet. The holy scriptures of Islam is the Koran.

Interesting Hinduism Facts:

 The word of Hindu originates from the Indian Indus River.
 There are more than one billion followers of Hinduism in the world today.
 Hinduism is not a single religion; rather, it is practiced by many different religious groups
from India
 Most of Hinduism’s scared text were written in Sanskrit in ancient times.
 The oldest ancient scared text of Hinduism are called the Vedas. Vedah means knowledge.
 The Vedas include Rigveda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda and Atharva-Veda
 Hinduism, considered the world’s oldest religion, is still commonly practice. Hinduism
combines the beliefs, philosophy and cultural practices of India. Hindu practitioners are guided by
Vedic scriptures and believe in righteousness, the laws of cause and effect and the cycle of birth and
death. Central to the faith is a belief in reincarnation and one supreme god called Brahman who has
multiple manifestations as either a god or goddess. Gods and goddesses can be spirits,trees, animals
and even planets.

Interesting Buddhism Facts:

 Buddha is also known as “the enlightened one” or “the awakened one.”
 When Buddha was 35, he meditated under a fig tree, the Bodhi tree, for several days until he
attained enlightenment.
 Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching his followers (in the northeastern Indian
subcontinent) the path of awakening.
Buddha lived to the age of 80. He died in Kushinagar, India in 483 BC.

Buddhism refers to the teachings of Gautama Buddha. Buddha, (originally a follower of the
Hindu faith) experienced enlightened, or Bohdi, while sitting under a tree. It was in this moment that
Buddha was said to be awakened to the truth of the world, or the Dharma. Buddha, an ordinary man,
taught his followers how to follow the path to Enlightenment. Thus, Buddhism does not believe in a
divine realm or God as a supernatural being, but instead follows the wisdom of their founder.
The concept of “Dungan,” Spirit and Soul
In pre-colonial Philippines, our ancestors looked up to a “babaylan.” Described as a priestess
or shaman, a babaylan acted as healer, spiritual leader and medium. The babaylan perform rituals
through chants or prayers for spiritual intervention to drive spirits that cause illness or misfortune.
A babaylan is usually a woman, but there were some men who were babaylans, too. Male
babaylans, however, were said to have feminine traits.
The babaylans explore the world of animism. Animism is the attribution of a soul to plants,
inanimate objects, and natural phenomena. Our ancestors believed that souls are quasi-physical and
can exist outside the body (such as in dreams and in visions) and that they can transfer from one
body to another. They also believed that souls persist after death and become ghost, in the same way
that modern Filipinos believe in “multo.”
Prior to being converted to a religion (Islam or Catholism), our ancestors already believed in
spirit beings that dwell in the environment, our deceased ancestral souls, and forces in nature (wind,
moon, stars). Central to the traditions of our ancestors was the belief that animate and inanimate
creatures have a “life force.”
How do “Dungan” and “ginhawa” differ?
Alicia P. Magos, an anthropologist and a professor emerita of University of the Philippines
Visayas made a pioneering study on the primeval Visayan concept of “dungan.” According to
magos, “dungan” was “a life force, an energy, as well as an ethereal entity, a spirit with a will of its
own that resides in the human body and provides the essence of life.” (Magos, 1992, pp. 47-50).
Under this concept, everyone has a “dungan.” This is similar to the western concept of “soul,”
however, unlike the soul, the “dungan” can temporarily leave the body when the person is asleep.
Once “dungan” returns to the person’sbody, he or she becomes fully conscious again. If any other
spirits harm the “dungan” while it is outside the body and cannot return, the person dies.
Meanwhile, our pre-colonial ancestors also believed that aside from a “dungan,” a vital force
also occupies the body. This vital force was called “ginhawa” (translation: breath of life). “Ginhawa”
was said to be responsible for the heart’s ability to beat. It was believed that if “ginhawa” left the
body, the person also dies.
“Ginhawa” and “dungan” both exist in every person. Ginhawa was the breath of life while
dungan was the conscious intellectual and emotional aspects.
What is the difference between the soul and the spirit of man?
The soul and the spirit are the two primary immaterial aspects ascribed to humanity. There
are different shades of meaning between the idea of the soul and the idea of the spirit from culture to
culture and religion to religion.
Here is a brief and general overview of the difference between a soul and a spirit:
Etymology
Old English for “soul” was “sawol” that meant the “spiritual and emotional part of a person’s,
animate existence.” Spirit is directly from Latin spiritus “a breathing (respiration, and of the wind),
breath, breath of a god,” hence, “inspiration, breath of life.”
Biblical beliefs
Soul refers to conscious, the moral and thinking part of a person. The soul is immortal; it will
go to hell, purgatory or heaven after the person dies.
Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit, the third part of the Trinity. It is the force of God through
which blessings are bestowed upon His people. As one develops in the faith, he or she said to be
growing spiritually.
In Western Culture
 Soul can often be taken to mean someone’s moral consciousness. For example, a cruel killer
could be said to have no soul.
Spirit may also refer to ghost or any other supernatural beings. It is believed that the souls of
people who died with unfinished business wander the earth until their task is fulfilled.
In Eastern Culture
Soul is the part of the person that has dharma. In Hinduism dharma is one’s obligation with
respect to caste, social custom, civil law and sacred law. Dharma incurs karma. In Hinduism and
Buddhism, karma is the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence depends on
one’s karma.
Nature and ancestor spirits are common in Taoism. Shinto, an animistic folk religion from
Japan, places an emphasis on shamanism, particularly divination, spirit possession and faith healing.
Confucianism tolerates the Chinese folk recognition of the existence of animistic spirits, ghost and
deities.
The Soul According to some Ethnolinguistic Groups of the Philippines
 Linnawa or “soul of the dead” by the Ifugao.
 Kaduwa of the Isneg (an Igorot tribe native to Apayao Province in the Philippines’ Cordillera
Adminitrative Region). The Isneg believes that the dead exists in a realm called the aglalanawan.
The kaduwa (soul) is believed to cross a pond in a ferry piloted by a kutaw (spirit).
 The Kankanaey (another member of the Igorot people) believes that the human person is
composed of the physical body and the ab-abiik (soul). When spirits summon a person’s ab-abiik
he or she becomes sick. A ritual will be performed to appease the spirits who summoned the ab-
abiik so that it will allow the ab-abiik to return to its body and the person recovers from the
illness.
 Kaluluwa is the Tagalog people’s concept of soul. However, it refers more to the soul of the
deceased. The soul of a living person is called a “kakambal.” The “kakambal” leaves the physical
body at night to roam and any bad encounter causes bangungot (nightmare).
 The Ilokano has four-soul system.
o The kararua, or the soul proper. It is the equivalent of a soul in the Christian concept.
o Karkarma stands for natural vigor, mind and reason. It can leave the physical body when
one is frightened. A karkarma can also be stolen, If this soul fails to return to the body, the
person becomes insane. Sacrificial ceremonies may be performed to lure back a lost
karkarma.
 o Aniwaas can leave the body during sleep and visits places familiar to the body, If one
wakes up while the aniwaas is visiting these places, he or she may lose the aniwaas and
become insane.
o Araria is the liberated soul of the dead. It visits relatives and friends in the physical world
to ask for prayers. It can also perform a duty it failed to do in life. The howling of dogs
means araria is present. This soul can make sounds and manipulate physical objects
usually relating to what it did in life.
 The Ibanag/Ybanag (who inhabits the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya) has a
distinction between baggi (body) and ikaruruwa (soul). The Ibanag believes that the soul has
physical characteristics. The soul may have color and the souls of dead babies can reach
adulthood in the spirit realm. The role of the soul is to give direction and wholeness to the man,
but the body can survive without the soul and even without the body the soul experiences material
wants and needs.
 The Hanunoo Mangyan (of Mindoro) believes in the plurality of souls. For instance, they have
karaduwa tawu/tawo (human soul), karaduwa manok (chicken soul), karaduwa baboy (pig soul),
karaduwa kuti (cat soul) and karaduwa hipon (shrimp soul). A soul can also separate itself from
the physical body. When a person sleeps, the karaduwa roams the world. What the person dreams
are actually the experiences of the karaduwa while roaming around.
 The Tagbanwa of central and northern Palawan believes that people have one ‘true soul’ or
kiyaraluwa and five secondary souls. The kiyaraluwa is given at birth by the god Magindusa. The
secondary souls are located in both hands and feet, while there is also one in the head just below
the air whorl (alimpuyo).
 The ethnic tribes of Bukidnon believe in the gimukod. According to their custom, there are two
types of gimukod: the one in the right hand and the one in the left hand. The gimukod in the right
hand is the good soul and the one in the left hand is the bad soul. The right hand soul is associated
with life, health, activity and joy. The left hand soul is the cause of lethargy, pain and illness.
Rituals and Ceremonies
A ritual is a ceremony or action performed in a customary way. Rituals may be prescribed by
the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals include not only the worship
rites and sacraments of organized religions and cults, but also rites of passage, atonement and
purification rites, oaths of allegiance, dedication ceremonies, coronations, presidential inaugurations,
marriage, funeral – perhaps all kinds of human activity.
 A ceremony is a formal act or ritual (often set by custom or tradition) performed in
observation of an event or anniversary, i.e., a Japanese tea ceremony.
Where does ritual originate?
The general approaches to theories about the nature and origin of rituals are:
1. Origin approach;
2. Functional approach; and
3. History of religions approach.
The origin approach was the earliest form to explain ritual. The basic premise of this
approach is that ritual behavior was part of the human evolution. Scholars believed that locating the
oldest cultures and cults could explain the universal nature of rituals; that if they could discover the
origin, then contemporary human rituals can be explained.
Some other scholars turned away from the origin approach claiming such approach cannot
adequately explain human behavior because no one can verify these ideas. Instead, these scholars
focused on empirical evidence gathered through actual observation. The nature of rituals was
believed to be defined by its function in society. The aim of the functional approach was to explain
ritual behavior in terms of individual and social needs.
The history religions approach holds the view that ritual behavior is an expression of the
sacred; it is how the material human connects with the transcendent realm or the ultimate reality. The
basic problem with this approach, however, is that scholars need to agree first that such a
transcendent realm really exist before the theories can be confirmed (Encyclopedia Britannica).

Classification of Rituals
1. Imitative 3. Sacrificial
2. Positive and Negative 4. Life crisis
The meaning of every ritual is based on some belief system. These are called imitative rituals
because these are patterned after myths and the ritual repeats the myths or aspects of the myth. For
example, Filipinos make noises at the strike of twelve every New Year. This practice is actually
based on a Chinese myth. As the story goes, there are once a monster called nián. Every spring, at
midnight on New Year’s Day, nián would arrive to eat villagers and destroy homes and farms. One
New Year, nián came while the villagers were burning bamboo to keep themselves warm. The
monster frightened by the cracking noise of the burning bamboo, fled. The villagers realized this was
how they could defeat the monster. As time passed by, firecrackers replaced bamboo burning.
Avoidance is the best description for a negative ritual. The word taboo has been applied to those
rituals that concern something should be avoided because it is forbidden. Thus, negative rituals focus
on rules of prohibition, which cover an almost infinite variety of rites and behavior. One
characteristic they all share, however, is that if the person breaks the ritual, it will result in dramatic
change that usually brings some misfortune. On the other hand, positive rituals are mostly concerned
with giving blessings to an object or to an individual.
Sacrificial rituals are seen as the earliest form of religion. The significance of sacrifice in the
history of religion is well documented. The distinct feature of this type of ritual is the total
destruction of the sacrifice as an offering to a “higher being.” The sacrifice can be a human being, an
animal, food crops or objects. The destruction could be by burning, dismembering, cutting the
TRIVIA
YAKAN HONEYMOON RITUALS
The Yakans of Basilan Island observe interesting rituals during the honeymoon
period.
In the afternoon, just before the first night the new couple spend together, each of
them will be given a separate bath so that children will not only be born clean but also stay
clean throughout life.
In their first sexual intercourse, the girl makes sure that she is accepted as a wife and
not as harlot by asking questions about her status. The groom has to answer adequately that
she is his wife.
Just because the sexual act, the boy should first step on the right foot as heavily as he
can. This symbolizes strength. The first hand to touch his wife should be the right one, for
strength and long life. The first kiss should be planted on the forehead for oneness of mind,
with eyes opened so that his children will not be born blind. He should breathe lightly so that
later in life he will have fewer problems.
The girl wants to be assured that her marriage is accepted spiritually and that she will
be his wife even after life. For this reason, the bedding items have to be sanctified and be
named in a liturgical language. Permission is also granted to the groom to own the body of
his wife and also name her anatomical parts in liturgical speech.
Any sexual intercourse that is not done according to the natural way is considered
abominable in the eyes of the Yakan and will bring punishment from God on the culprit and
his family.
sacrifice into a small piece, eating or buying it.
The basic characteristic of a life crisis ritual is the transition of one mode or stage of life into
another. This ritual usually defines the life of an individual. For example, it is a Filipino tradition to
bury the placenta right after birth and it is the father who is task to do this. Moreover, for the
succeeding children, it is important to bury the placenta of the siblings together so that they will
always love and care for one another the rest of their lives (Encyclopedia Britannica).
 SUMMATIVE TEST

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Course and Year: ________________________________________ Score: ________________

Let’s test your

memory
I. Identify what is being asked in each statement below. Write you answer before each number

_____________1. It is defined as “relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to

material or physical things.”

_____________ 2. It is a mental exercise for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual
awareness.

_____________ 3. They refer to repeated physical gestures or activities, such as prayers and
mantras.

_____________ 4. It is the attribution of a soul to plants, objects and natural phenomena.

_____________ 5. It is a vital force that occupies the body which is the conscious intellectual and
emotional aspects.

_____________ 6. It refers to a formal act performed in observation of an event or anniversary.

_____________ 7. It is Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, which teaches the suppression of all
mind and body activity so that the self may attain liberation.
_____________ 8. It is a spiritual communion with God as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration
or confession.

_____________ 9. It is defined as “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power,

especially a person God or gods.”

_____________ 10. Another contemplative practice that can help you become more aware of your
inner life and feel more connected to your experience and the world around you

II. Application
1. Whatever your religion is, how do you practice your faith? (e.g., through prayer, meditation,
yoga, etc.)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you believe in spirits? Supernatural forces? If yes, do you have a personal encounter or
experience with those forces? What did you do?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Let’s
reflect
 “WALKING IN DESSERT”

Procedure:
1. Let each student reflect by walking for at least 30 minutes in a place where he or she could
find peace.
2. Scribble in a journal his/her personal experience by answering the questions below:
a. What thoughts come up while you were walking?
b. What happened when you were walking?
c. How did you respond to such distractions?
 Let’s do it
together “SHOW US A TRICK/MAGIC”

1. The class is divided into five groups.

2. Let each group present or perform a trick or magic.
3. Ask comments/feedback from the groups if they were convinced/persuaded of the
trick/magic presented/performed in class by each group.

THE SPIRITUAL SELF

Activity 5
“I SPEAK FOR TRUTH”

“Y Speak”
Mechanics:
The class is divided into five groups to have a debated on the current issue (e.g.,
Does decriminalizing drugs minimize crimes?).
Objectives:
To let the students be socially and politically aware of what is happening now in our
country so that they also have their voice to participate in how to resolve such issues.

In general, when discussing national identity, the focus tends to be in being a citizen of a
country. The role of culture on identity should never be underestimated. “The Filipino identity is not
static. A Filipino’s self-image can be as varied as his or her background. It goes without saying that
all Filipinos are alike regardless of all these. His consciousness of being a Filipino psychologically
defines him as one, no matter how he sees and defines the Filipino” (Enriquez, 1977).
 Developing a Filipino Identity: Values, Traits, Community and Institutional
Factors
The Filipino culture is a mix of both eastern and western cultures. The beliefs and traditions
of pre-colonial Philippines were mainly an indigenous Malay heritage (Baringer, 2006). The Malays
made a large contribution to Philippines history. The Malay temperament is a basic factor of a
Filipino personality. It can best be described as “being nice and pleasant to others.” Additionally the
important role of family in Filipino culture stemmed from the strength of the Malay family clan that
serve as a strong security unit.
 When the Spaniards colonized the islands, the Hispanic culture influenced the natives.
Christianity became the dominant religion, and a western-based social and political organization was
established in the Philippines.
The Americans shaped the modern Filipino culture, and this is primarily manifested by the
widespread use of the English language in the Philippines today. It was from these influences that
formed the Filipino character. The brief occupation of the British (1762-1764) and the Japanese
(1942-1945), however, had no cultural influence in the Philippines at all.
Psychologist, educator and (former) chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education, Dr.
Patricia B. Licuanan, wrote that the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino character are rooted in
factors, such as:
1. The home environment; 6. Religion;
2. The social environment; 7. The economic environment;
3. Culture and language; 8. The political environment;
4. History; 9. Mass media; and
5. The educational system; 10. Leadership and role models.
Licuanan said that in the home environment, Filipino children are taught to value family and
give it primary importance. The Filipino social environment is characterized by depending on one
another to survive. This dependence on relationships and the struggle for survival make Filipinos
group-oriented (1994).
Meanwhile, Filipino culture and language depict openness to foreign elements with no basic
consciousness of our cultural core (Licuanan, 1994). The Filipino colonial mentality, such as the
importance of the English language in our educational system, the wider following of Hollywood
movies, foreign soap operas/TV shows, and foreign songs/singera over Filipino movies, shows and
music, is a manifestation of our attachment to foreign elements.
Licuanan added that our colonial history is regarded as the culprit behind our colonial
mentality. Unfortunately, most Filipino elites are no help in setting an example of overcoming
colonial mentality because they are even more westernized in their ways. Present-day media, on the
other hand, reinforced these colonial influences (1994).
The Philippine educational system is also instrumental in molding the strength and
weaknesses of the Filipino character. Schools are highly authoritarian. Early on, children learn that
well-behaved and obedient students are praised and rewarded. This teaches passivity and conformity.
The Filipino is also religious. Religion taught us optimism and resilience; however, it also instilled in
us a fatalistic attitude. Since religious communities are also highly authoritarian, this further
reinforced our being passive and conformist (Licuanan, 1994).
 Several Filipino traits are rooted in our economic environment. The hard life drove Filipinos
to work hard and take risks, such as leaving our families to work abroad. This further developed our
ability to survive. Unfortunately, our political environment and government structures and systems
are fraught with problems. For instance, the face that political power is mainly in the hands of the
elite and the absence of a strong government presence enhances the Filipino’s already extreme
family centeredness (Licuanan, 1994). The economic and political environment are among the
elements that have developed the culture of corruption in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, how did mass media reinforce our colonial mentality? What did you notice about
the ads, music, movies, fashion, etc. shown on TV, aired over the radio, printed in the
newspaper/magazines, or gone viral online? These were greatly based on American pop culture. The
emphasis on the superiority of an imported brand or product through mass media is, in fact,part of a
Filipino’s daily life.
Since Filipinos highly respect authority, we learn on our leaders and role models. Any person
with authority is looked up to. Thus, when our leaders violate the law and when there is lack of
accountability for leaders who break the law, the Filipino mindset is hugely affected in a negative
way (Licuanan, 1994).
 Strength of the Filipino Character
The Filipino traits listed here is certainly not exhaustive, but these are mostly what we have
in common. The strong aspects of the Filipino character are:
1. Pakikipagkapwa-tao;
2. Family orientation;
3. Joy and humor;
4. Flexibility, adaptability and creativity;
5. Hard work and industry;
6. Faith and religiosity; and
7. Ability to survive.
Pakikipagkapwa-tao is demonstrated in the Filipino’s openness, helpfulness and generosity;
in the practice of bayanihan or mutual assistance; and the famous Filipino hospitality (Licuanan,
1994; Guevara & Gripaldo, 2005). Filipino also possess a genuine love for family. This love is not
just for one’s spouse and children but also for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (even in
every distant ones), and even ceremonial relatives. This love is shown through giving honor and
respect to parents and elders, care for the children, generosity toward kin and the personal sacrifices
that a Filipino endures for the welfare of the family (Manauat & Gripaldo, 2005). This strong family
 orientation has given Filipinos a sense of belonging
and security.
Filipinos are also cheerful and fun-loving. Our
various fiestas and social gatherings demonstrate the
Filipino joy and humor. We can laugh at those we
love and hate, and we can make jokes about our good
or bad fortune. Even in the most trying times,
Filipinos will always find a reason to smile or laugh.
This pleasant disposition has contributed to our
ability to overcome life’s challenges. Filipinos are
also tremendous in adjusting and adapting to any
circumstances. We can improvise and make use of
whatever is at hand to create and produce. Our flexibility, adaptability and creativity are reasons
many Filipinos thrive in various parts of the world (Licuanan, 1994).
Filipinos also value hard work and industry. This trait is most noticeable in our willingness to
take risks and work in other countries. Filipinos also value faith and religiosity. This can be related to
our bahala na mindset. There is actually a positive side to this fatalistic trait. For Filipinos the
bahala na attitude could serve as a “kickstarter” or a http://www.filipiknow.net/interesting-facts-
“pampalakas loob” to move him or her into action about-the-philippines/

(Gripaldo, 2005).
All these positive Filipino traits mentioned contribute to our ability to survive. The
salawikain or proverb “matutong mamaluktot habang maikli ang kumot” aptly depicts our survival
instinct. We can endure, make do and get by on so little while looking forward to the coming of
better days. This trait is the reason why Filipinos continue to carry on even through our harsh
economic and social circumstances (Tianco & Gripaldo, 2005; Licuanan, 1994).
Weaknesses of the Filipino character
Aside from identifying the roots and strengths of the Filipino character, Dr. Patricia B.
Licuanan also pointed out our weaknesses. This is important because this enables the Filipino to
identify the areas that need improvement to grow and develop as a person. An informed and
improved Filipino will also result in a stronger and more progressive nation.
Generally, these weaknesses are:
1. Extreme personalism; 5. Colonial mentality;
2. Extreme family-centeredness;6. Kanya-kanya syndrome; and
3. Lack of disciple; 7. Lack of self-analysis and self-reflection
 4. Passivity and lack of initiative;
Licuanan noted that Filipinos function in the world by personally relating to things, events
and people. We find it difficult to separate objective task from emotional involvement. This is where
the palakasan system springs from. Filipinos want to get special treatment and will always look for
“inside connection” in most (if not all) of his or her transaction, For example, family and friends are
given preference in hiring, in the delivery of services and even in voting (Licuanan, 1994). Since
personal contacts are involved, request of this nature also become difficult to turn down. Extreme
personalism is another element that has led to the prevalence of graft and corruption in the country.
The family may be a source of strength for Filipinos, but extreme family-centeredness is also
its flow. Family is valued above anything and everyone else. Thus, concern for the rest of the
community and for the common good is less important. Extreme family-centeredness is manifested
in our political system where political dynasties lord over our elected government posts starting from
the barangay level to the national positions (McCoy, 1994; Licuanan, 1994).
The Filipino’s lack of discipline is characterized by our idiomatic expression “ningas cogon.”
Projects start out with full enthusiasm and interest, but no sooner has it started that the enthusiasm
and interest just as soon dies down (Licuanan, 1994). Another related characteristic is “Filipino
time.” Filipinos are known to be always late – we arrive late, or we start late. Since global trends
strictly follow schedules, this trait that disregards the importance of time is adversely affecting
Filipino productivity (Tan, 2016).
Filipinos have a very high respect for authority. Unfortunately, this has also led to general
passivity and lacking initiative. For instance, there is a strong reliance on leaders and the government
to solve the nation’s problem, but ordinarily, Filipinos also do not feel the need to initiate or
contribute to the solution. This trait is also related to our lack of discipline. Look at our traffic rules
and regulations are also blatantly ignored every day.
Generally, Filipinos love anything foreign. Foreign elements are adapted and incorporated
into our image and in the process, we are also losing our cultural identity. Licuanan noted that this
colonial mentality is connected to our general feelings of inferiority, where we think foreigner –
especially westerners, are superior (1994).
The kanya-kanya syndrome is related to the Filipino traits of extreme personalism and
extreme family-centeredness. Personal and in-group interests are supreme and the drive to fulfill
these interests is completely insensitive to the common good. The kanya-kanya syndrome has
dampened our sense of community and cooperation and we trample on one another’s rights as a
result. The expression crab mentality, where we tend to pull others down to climb up, exemplifies
the kanya-kanya syndrome.
 Licuanan further observed that the joyful and fun-loving Filipino also has the tendency to be
superficial and somewhat flighty. This means that in times of crisis, either personal or social, there is
a general lack of analysis and reflection (1994). A manifestation of this lack of self-analysis and
self-reflection is the expression that Filipinos are “madaling makalimot” or have a short memory.
This means, as a nation, we easily forget the mistakes we have made; hence, we make the same
mistakes again. This is one reason traditional politicians or “trapos” are always reelected into office.
The Filipino character is a contradiction. For example, our bayanihan culture coexists
comfortably with our kanya-kanya syndrome. Many of our strong points, in fact, are linked to our
weaknesses. Despite the weaknesses, however, there is still much good in the Filipino character.
What is important is that we know our values as a nation because these help us grow and develop.
We need to understand our character as a Filipino because this is the first step toward creating the
future we want as an individual and as a nation.
Establishing a democratic culture
Democracy is a government in which the supreme power is vested in and exercised by the
people directly or indirectly through a system of representation, usually involving periodically held
free elections. Although democracy has several flaws, it also uniquely possesses a number of features
that most people – whatever their basic political beliefs – would consider desirable. For example:
1. Democracy help prevent cruel and vicious autocrats from ruling.
2. It fosters human development (i.e., health, education, personal income and any other
indicators) more fully than do other forms of government.
3. Democracy helps protect fundamental individual rights and interest.
4. Democratic societies provide people the maximum opportunity to take moral responsibility
for their choices and decisions.
5. Democratic societies offer a relatively high chance of political equality.
The adjustment of individual awareness to the collective awareness is achieved through formal
and informal ways. The formal way refers to a system od ideas and models that are officially
established (i.e., policies and laws) whereas the informal way refers to the acceptance of
behaviors and thoughts that are not established as the formal way of interpersonal relations.
Culture is an informal way of shaping collective awareness. Other than culture, there are also
religion, sciences, morality and ideology that shape and structure individual awareness.
 Establishing democratic institutions, however, is not enough for democracy to flourish.
Democracy cannot be sustained if political attitudes and political culture of the citizens do not have a
participative attitude. Attitudes, such as having a sense of responsibility for society and becoming
concerned about human rights and human development, are important in establishing a democratic
culture. A study showed that personality traits factor in internalizing political attitudes (Marcovic,
2009). For example, openness to experience and extroversion influence attraction to democratic
attitudes about family, education and freedom of speech (Marcovic, 2009).

TRIVIA
The idea of democracy (rule of the people) originated in Ancient Greece over two
thousand years ago. Theoretically, it designated a government where the people shared in
directing the activities of the state, as distinct from governments controlled by a single class,
select group or autocrat; hence, Greece has always been labeled as the Cradle of Democracy.
 SUMMATIVE TEST

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Course and Year: ________________________________________ Score: ________________

Let’s test your

I. memory
Identify what Filipino trait/attitude is being asked in each statement by choosing the correct
answer from the word. Write the answer on the space provided.

Pakikipagkapwa-tao kanya-kanya
syndrome
Ningas cogon colonial mentality joy and
humor
Hard work and industry family-centeredness faith and religiosity

_____________1. It is Filipino trait that is manifested in the practice of Bayanihan or mutual

assistance
_____________ 2. This trait is demonstrated in our willingness to take risks and work into other
countries.
_____________ 3. This trait is demonstrated by Filipinos to carry on and endure even through harsh
economic and social circumstances.
_____________ 4. This trait emphasizes personal and in-group interest, which are insensitive to the
common good
_____________ 5. This trait starts with enthusiasm but sooner or later that enthusiasm just dies
down.
_____________ 6. This demonstrated when Filipinos become cheerful and fun-loving, especially
during fiestas and any other social gatherings.
_____________ 7. This involves personal contacts, which make requests become difficult to turn
down and may lead to the prevalence of graft and corruption in the country.
_____________ 8. Family is valued above anything and everyone else because the family is the
source of strength.
_____________ 9. This trait is connected to our general feelings of inferiority, where we think
foreigner are superior.

_____________ 10. This trait is actually a positive side to “bahala na” mindset, which serves as a
“kickstarter” or a “pampalakas loob” to move someone into action.
II. Application
Do you believe that your Filipino identity (e.g., traits and values) influences how you
perceive and actively engage yourself in political issues/concerns?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Let’s
reflect
“ARE YOU POLITICALLY AWARE AND INVOLVED”

1. Go to a place where you can observe any political problems.

2. Write a one-page essay on what you perceive/think, feel and act about the scenario that you
have witnessed.

Let’s do it
together
“DEATH PENALTY OR LIFE IMPRISONMENT”
1. The class is divided into 2 groups.
2. A panel discussion will be presented next meeting.
3. Let each group present some of the facts of one side of an issue.
4. Make them discuss the advantage and disadvantage of either death penalty or life
imprisonment.
 THE DIGITAL SELF

“There will be time, there will be time, to prepare a face to meet the faces that you
meet.”
- T.S. Eliot, The lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock

Activity 6
“ME AND MY DIGITAL IDENTITY”

“Show and Tell”

Mechanics:
1. Students will be divided into small groups of 4-5.
2. Students will choose pictures from their mobile devices.
3. They explain the meaning behind the pictures
Objectives:
To let the students be updated of their digital selves

The feeling of an inner self and an outer self-generated the impulse to reveal oneself to others
in a believable manner. University professor and author Lionel Trilling’s (1997) analysis of literature
about the “self” and its relationship with others distinguished sincerity and authenticity. Sincerity
refers to the exposure in public of what one feels privately. On the other hand, an authentic person is
one who takes action based on some internal standard and takes responsibility for this freely chosen
action.
The social world of a western-influenced society, like the Philippines, typically consist of
three domains:
 Family,
 School. And
 Neighborhood
People in these social domains exert different impacts on the formation of self, depending on
the stage of development of the child. Research has shown that parents have a dominant influence on
their children’s sense of self prior to adolescence. As a child grows older, the influence of peers
increase (Rosenberg, 1986).
 The emergence of the Internet, however, adds a
fourth domain – the online life – to the social world. The
online life has definitely altered the dynamics of self-
identity, especially for adolescents.
I, Me, Myself and my use ID online identity
The self that is constructed online is generally called the
digital self. Analyses of the experience of online users
(especially teenagers) have shown that the characteristics of
the digital self are (Zhao, 2005):
 Oriented inward; • Retractable and
 Narrative in nature; • Multipliable.
The digital self is oriented inward toward the world of thoughts and feelings because others
cannot see the online user’s overt attributes. It is narrative in nature because online users will only
come to know the person primarily through what that person tells them, It is retractable because
others are unable to link the online self-claims to the offline identities. Finally, it is multipliable
because people can interact with one another in different domains of the online world at relatively
the same time.
People are able to present themselves online in the manner that they want to. This process is
called self-presentation. Research suggests that self-presentation tends to be superficial. A study
found that students and nonstudents between 18 to 39 years old were more likely to disclose their
interest online rather than their beliefs and feelings (Attrill & Jalil, 2011). This constrains the
feedback that one receives and thus, influences the self.
The basic kinds of people you interact with online are:
1. People you do not know at all;
2. People you know both online and offline; and
3. People you know only online.
In the online social domain, it is entirely acceptable to contact and to be contacted by
complete strangers. For example, you need not be introduced to talk to a stranger in a chat room, or
to read and comment on a blog, an FB post or a tweet of someone you are not personally acquainted
with. However, many of the people you interact with in the digital world are those you know both
online and offline although your familiarity with these people vary considerably. Finally there are
persons you interact with only online. Through frequent interactions, you get to know one another
without meeting in person. Regardless of how much you have known them online, their offline
identity largely remains unrevealed or unverified. People you have become familiar with only online
are strangers and acquaintances at the same time. They are strangers because you have never seen
them in person; you do not know what they really look like; and probably you will not even
recognize them when you meet face to face. Through online communication, however you have
come to know a lot about them, including the
personal secrets they reveal to you, making you feel a
certain level of intimate acquaintance with them.
 Selective Self-Presentation and
Impression Management
Self-presentation behavior intended to
create, modify or maintain an impression of
ourselves in the minds of others. Whenever we are
attempting to lead people to think of us in a particular way, we are engaging in self-presentation.
Why do people engage in self-presentation?
Self-presentation:
 Helps facilitate social interaction;
 Enables individuals to attain material and social rewards; and
 Helps people privately construct desired identities.
Generally, social media platforms are used for:
 Social browsing;
 Social searching;
 Communication; and
 Impression management.
Impression management is the attempt to control or influence any other people’s perceptions.
This could be their perception of a certain person (including you) a material possession or an event.
There are two main motives of attempting to manage the impressions of others:
 Instrumental. This motive is to basically gain rewards and increase one’s self-esteem.
 Expressive. This motivation is about attempting to be in control of one’s personal behavior
and identity. It is a response to moral norms, expectations or restrictions, seeking to show
others that he or she, as a person, is different.
Impression-management Strategies
 Self-Promotion • Exemplification • Supplication
 Ingratiation • Intimidation
 Self-promotion is a proactive process in which a person actively says things or takes action to
show his or her competence to an audience (Rosenfeld et al., 1995, p.51). Self-promotion often
increases whenever there is an opportunity to openly impress someone of higher status (Giacalone &
Rosenfeld, 1986). Ingratiation is the process by which someone tries to win the approval or
acceptance of another. For example, if a woman wants to get her mother-in-law to like her, she may
“kiss up” to her by giving her compliments or gifts. She may also try to make herself appear more
similar to her mother-in-law in behavior and opinion, since people tend to like others with similar
values and interests. Exemplification involves a strategic self-sacrifice so that observers may
recognize the dedication. An exemplifier often wants other people to know how hard he/she has been
working because of the need to advertise his/her behavior (Rosenfeld et al., 1995). Intimidation is a
strategy that involves showing off authority, power or the potential to punish in order to be seen by
observers as someone who could be or is dangerous. Tis is designed to increase the credibility of
one’s threats and in turn enhance the probability that the target will comply with the demands for
agreement (Tedeschi & Reiss, 1981, p.11). Supplication is an approach where the individual
exploits his/her weaknesses or shortcoming to receive help or benefits.

Impact of online interactions on the self

Growing up digital: How the internet affect teen identity

When British 14-year-old Hannah Smith turned to popular social networking site
Ask.fm in July 2013, she wanted reassurance.
Stressed out from studying for exams and anxious about the return of eczema that made
her feel ugly, Smith opened up about her feelings on the site, which allows users to pose
questions others can respond to anonymously.
The responses came in rapid succession. Anonymous posters urged Smith to cut herself
and drink bleach. One even said, “Do us all a favour n kill ur self.”
When Smith did just that a month later, her father blamed the anonymity of Ask.fm’s
commenters for his daughter’s death. The family demanded action against the site and Smith’s
death made international headlines about the effects of cyberbullying.
What detectives found was arguably much more tragic – that Smith sent the hateful
message to herself, hoping her friends would rally in her defense.
While cases like Smith’s are rare, Smith was doing what most teenagers do: seeking
identity validation from friends and strangers, often via social media. As a new generation
comes of age online, the Internet could be affecting how they form their identity.
Catherine Steiner-Adair, a psychologist and author of “The Big Disconnect: Protecting
Childhood and Family Relationship in the Digital Age,” says the kind of outside affirmation
Smith sought online is a vital part of how teens form identity.
 “The need for validation and confirmation that you’re OK is so huge,” Steiner-Adair said.
“Parents often say, ‘How could you go on a site where people can anonymously respond to
whatever your question is: Am I cute? Am I fat?’ But we’re forgetting what it means to be a
teenager when we say things like that.”
Social media allow kids to broadcast everything while connecting them to experiences
they might not have encountered a generation ago. But it also opens teens up to exponential
ridicule or an amplified feeling of invisibility that can influence the perceptions they have
themselves.
According to market research data released this year from GFK, a German market research
institute, the amount of time teens spend online has grown 37 percent since 2012, to about four
hours a day. In a 2010 survey from the Girl Scout Research Institute, 74 percent of girls said they
felt their peers used social media to “make themselves look cooler than they are,” and 41 percent
said that also describes them.
A 2010 study from York University found that people with lower self-esteem spent more
time online and posted more “self-promotional” content to sites like Facebook.
Steiner-Adair says that while technology changed how teens seek and get feedback about
identity, teen behavior is much the same.
“Kids are always looking at each other, comparing themselves to each other. The same
thing that’s going on in the halls is going on online,” Steiner-Adair said. “The difference for
teenagers today is that there’s an endless supply of people to whom they can compare
themselves.”

In 1998, one of the first studies of Internet use found that Interest use in general significantly
affected social relationships and participation in offline community life (Kraut et al., 1998). The
study indicate that the more time spent online caused a decline in communicating with family
members. A 2013 data also indicated that the use of social networking sites (SNS) may possibly
undermine subjective perception of well-being and life satisfaction.
One of the reasons time spent on SNS may be associated with depressive symptoms is the
fact that computer-mediated communication may lead to the altered (and often wrong) impression of
the physical and personality traits of the other users. This may lead to incorrect conclusions
regarding physical appearance, educational level, intelligence, moral integrity, as well as many other
characteristics of online friends (Chou, 2012). However, it should be stressed that so far there is still
no conclusive evidence that use of SNS causes depression or even a single symptom of depression.
In fact, there is an indication that online communication with friends and family (today mostly done
on SNS) is actually associated with a decline in depression (Bessière et al., 2010).
In a more specific study, recent research presented conflicting results regarding the potential
influence of Facebook and any other SNS on self-esteem. One possible indication of the negative
relationship between self-esteem and the use of Facebook is that all social networking platforms
(where self-presentation is the principal user activity) cause or at least promote narcissistic behavior
(Mehdizadeh. 2010). However another study suggested that Facebook use may actually enhance self-
esteem. This study supported the interpersonal communication theory called hyper personal model.
This theory suggested that the advantage of computer-mediated communication is that a person can
edit his or her self-presentation, which in turn positively impacts impressions on the self; thus,
greater intimacy is possible (Gonzales & Hancock, 2011).
Social networking was also found to be addictive. The addictive nature of SNS is supported
primarily by the mental preoccupation of chronic SNS users who, as a result, tend to neglect some
other aspects of their social functioning such as family and offline friends. In addition, some chronic
users who have suddenly stopped online social networking (i.e., lack of Internet connection) have
been observed to display signs and symptoms that at least partially resemble the ones seen during
drug/alcohol/nicotine abstinence syndrome (La Barbera et al., 2009). Examples of these symptoms
are:
 Anxiety • Insomnia • Depression
 Restlessness • Headaches • Social isolation
 Irritability • Poor concentration
What makes us so addicted?
Communication occurs during interaction and our need to
be connected and interact with others is universal and
unavoidable. Communication is necessary in our unending
search for sense and meaning to our world. “One cannot not
communicate” (Watzlawick & the Palo Alto School, 1967).
The social world is socially constructed through
interactions between people: roles, rules, categorization,
stereotypes and so on. Social networks have the power to
amplify this human nature. They have broken the barriers of
distance and time; of presence and visibility. They expand the
possibilities of sharing and playing identities. They fulfill the
most deeply felt human need of finding a psychological distinctiveness and self-definition in a social
context.
Social validation is an important part of being human. Hence, a Facebook (Like) or a Twitter
(Favorite” is a social signal that makes us feel good and makes us want to crave for more.

Boundaries of the self-online: Private vs. public; personal/individual vs. social identity online
How are identities constructed in the age of the Internet? Is the distinction between “private
identity” and “public identity” relevant, especially for this generation? An important characteristic of
the Internet age is the phenomenon of “public identity.”
It can be said that for millennials and for the future generation, the notion of “privacy” as an
individual would probably be lost. After all, these are young people who have been subjected to
security measures in various forms and in numerous settings (schools, airports, malls). In many
settings, the words, “This Area Is Under Constant Surveillance,” are posted. Even parents and the
youth use “webcams” to capture everyday behaviors. Millennials have been socialized to do things in
groups.
Private vs. public self
Social scientists have given very different of the concept of “private” and “public.”
Understanding the difference between these concepts will help in your study of the “self”
(Baumeister, 2012):
 Private. The prevalent definition among social psychologists is “private” refers to metal
events in a person that are inherently unobservable by others.
 Public. What social psychologists consider as “public” are behaviors that are open to the
observations of other people.
SUMMARY OF THE VARIOUS USES OF THE TERMS “PRIVATE” AND PUBLIC”
PRIVATE PUBLIC
Phenomenological experience Observable behavior
Acting only for self Acting as agent for others
Actor controls access to Information about self not
information regarding self controlled by actor
Acting in the interest of a limited Acting in the interest of the
number of people community

Social profiles are a description of individuals’ social characteristics that identify them on
social media sites, such as LinkedIn and Facebook. When it comes to online personal or business
branding, the creation of social media profiles is absolutely essential. Before the advent of the
Internet, only companies had to worry about their brands. Now individuals do as well, especially
individuals who are open to or actively seeking new job opportunities.
Possible advantages of making your online profile public:
 It facilitates open communication that could lead to better and faster information discovery and
delivery.
 It allows open discussion on ideas ad the posting of news, asking of questions and sharing of
links.
 It provides an opportunity to widen business contacts
 It targets a wide audience, making it a useful and effective tool to increase your network of
friends.
 If you are an entrepreneur, it improves business reputation and client base with minimal use of
advertising.
 It helps expand market research, implement marketing campaigns, deliver communication and
direct interested people to specific websites.
Possible Risk:
 It opens up the possibility for hackers to commit fraud and launch spam and virus attacks.
 It increases the risk of people falling prey to online scams that seem genuine, resulting in data or
identity theft.
 It potentially results in negative comments and bashing.
Some advantages of making your online profile private:
 You have control over the viewers. You only connect with those you want to communicate
with.
 Your online profile is protected from scammers and bashers.
Disadvantages of a private profile:
 Your network is very limited; thus, you close your doors to opportunities that social networking
bring.
 Your engagement is very low.
 You do not get to meet interesting people with whom you can exchange ideas or learn from.
 If you are entrepreneur, a private profile will not help grow your business.
Individual vs. social identity
How do you know you are the same person you were as a child? Is it because you remember
yourself growing within the same body you have now? Or is it because you perceive that you have
the same mind? What criteria can be used to confirm you are, in fact, a “person?” Personal
(individual) identity is the concept you develop about yourself that envolves over the course of your
life. This may include aspects of your life that you have no control over, such as where you grew up
or the color of your skin, as well as choices you make in life, such as how you spend your time and
what you believe in.
Characteristic of personal identity:
 The emphasis is on the individual.
 It is created through differences in personal characteristics when comparing the self with others
Social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner (1979) theorized that social identity is a
person’s sense of who he/she is based on group membership(s). They asserted that the groups (e.g.,
social class, family, basketball team and so on), to which people belonged to were an important
source of pride and self-esteem.
Characteristic of personal identity:
 The emphasis is on what the person has in common with the members of his or her group.
 It is created based on similarities with others.
Gender and sexuality online
Does the Internet influence stereotyping? The Internet plays an essential role in shaping our
conception of the world, our opinions and our values. Children and young people who are in the
process of forming their opinions and attitudes about norms and acceptable behavior and also about
sexuality are most susceptible to the Internet’s influence. The attitudes conduct and roles toward
women, men and the LGBTQ+ community are being strongly influenced by Internet content. By
creating a certain type of message, internet users can manipulate people’s attitudes and opinions.
Gender stereotypes existing in the offline environment (which are the root of inequality between
men, women and the LGBTQ+ and the origin of gender violence) are also present in the online
world.
A stereotype is “…a fixed, overgeneralized belief about a particular group or class of
people” (Cardwell, 2014). The use of stereotypes is a manner in which people simplify the social
world. Stereotyping is assuming that the characteristics and abilities of one person is also present in
all members of the group. Stereotyping leads to social categorization, which is one of the reasons for
prejudice attitudes (i.e., “them” and “us” mentality).
What factors affect adolescent sexuality? Sexuality as a developmental issue is present
throughout the life cycle, but it becomes especially salient during the adolescence. Adolescents have
to adjust to their developing sexuality, in particular their increased sexual drive, interest in sex and
the task of constructing their sexual selves.
 The development of sexuality is an important bio-psycho-social development. During
adolescence, major biological, as well as psychological developments take place. The myriad of
changes that occur in adolescents put them under enormous stress, which may have adverse physical
and psychological consequences.
Factors that affect an adolescent’s sexuality:
1. Hormones;
2. Personality or temperament;
3. Social or environmental factors; and
4. Media and the Internet.
An adolescent’s sexual interest has a lot to do with his or her hormones, The brain controls
puberty by producing hormones that travel in the bloodstream to various organs. The sex organs
(gonads) are stimulated to make sex hormones. A girl’s ovaries are stimulated to make the female
hormone estrogen. A boy’s testicles are stimulated to make the male hormone testosterone.
Meanwhile, personality or temperament is an important psychological factor that also decides
the attitude toward sexuality. For example, there are introvert adolescents who face difficulty in
approaching and responding sexually (Kar et al., 2015).
Social or environmental factors that facilitate sexual learning and decide the sexual attitude of
the adolescent include:
 Attitude of parents toward sexuality;
 Parenting style;
 Peer relationship; and
 Cultural influences
In the recent decades, media coverage and the Internet have grown worldwide exponentially.
Adolescents’ access to them can easily literature related to sexuality, sexual crimes and violence that
affect their perception and attitudes toward sexuality.
 SUMMATIVE TEST

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Course and Year: ________________________________________ Score: ________________

Let’s test your

memory
I. Identify what is being asked below. Write your answer before each number.

_____________1. It is the self that is constructed online.

_____________ 2. It is how people presents themselves online in the manner that they want to.

_____________ 3. It is the attempt to control or influence other people’s perception.

_____________ 4. It is a proactive process in which a person actively says things to show

competence to an audience.

_____________ 5. It refers to mental events in a person that are inherently unobservable by others.

_____________ 6. This concept is considered as open to the observation of other people.

_____________ 7. This identity that involves over the course of your life is the concept you develop
about yourself.

_____________ 8. It is a person’s sense of who he/she is based on group membership.

_____________ 9. It plays an essential role in shaping our conception of the world, our opinions and
our values.

_____________ 10. It is a generalized belief about a particular group of people.

III. Application
1. What are your reasons/purpose for going online?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

2. What network site/s do you usually visit? (e.g., FB, Yahoo, Google, YouTube and the like)
Why?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. How often do you stay online? (e.g., 5 hours a day, 8 hours a day and so on)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. If you open you FB account, do you keep your identity public or private? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. What would be the possible “benefits” and “risk” if your online profile is made public?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
 Let’s
reflect
“Think and Share”

Based on the article presented in the previous lesson, “Growing up digital: How
the Internet affects teen identity,” answer the following questions:

a. How was Smith’s sense of identity influenced by online interaction?

b. What prompted Smith to commit suicide?
c. If you were that “anonymous” commenter, what would be your advice to Smith who was
not your friend but had just read her post sharing her anxiety online?

Let’s do it
together
Let’s Revisit Our Old Digital Photos

1. Students bring photos from their past.

2. They hang them on the board.
3. Students identify the photos by writing names beside them.
4. The owners of the photos talk about the memories elicited by their photos.