The Socio-biological Aspects of the Self

A vital aspect of one's identity is the sexual self, encompassing the biological, physical,
emotional, and social domains. While it is initially rooted in the distinguishing physical attributes
found in men (penis) and women (vagina), bodily transformations and the development of
secondary sexual characteristics ​during adolescence​ also trigger the physiological responses,
leading to beliefs and behavior associated with sex. During this stage, s​exual curiosity is often at
its peak, with adolescents engaging in sexual activity as influenced by biological and
socio-cultural factors​. Further, the ​gender orientation of the adolescent may manifest ​at this
stage. Thus, ​it is important for a person to be aware of his or her sexuality, thoughts, and
behavior, in order to make responsible choices concerning one's sexual self.

The Biology of Sex

● At birth, the sexual genital (penis for males and vagina for females) is a biological feature
that distinguishes males from females. Moreover, during puberty, ​observable
changes in the human body also known as secondary sexual characteristics begin​.
For males​, the changes include the ​growth of facial and bodily hair, emergence of adam's
apple, deepening of the voice, and muscle developmen​t.

● In the Philippines, the practice of circumcision is considered a rite of passage to

adulthood among young men. ​For females​, the onset of ​menstruation, and noticeable
changes in the hips, breast, and skin ​underlie the sexual changes during this
developmental stage.

● Aside from these observable developments in males and females, the release of
hormones (testosterone for males and estrogen for females)triggers physiological
changes in the reproductive system. Thus, ​at this stage, males and females start to
become capable of procreation; males start producing sperm while females begin
producing eggs.​ ​When physiological changes are triggered within the adolescent's
reproductive system, he or she is likely to experience sexual urges, become more
sensitive to sexual stimuli, and feel sexual arousal. Arousal may be exhibited through
penile erection in men and vaginal lubrication or wetness in women​.

● If sexual arousal is satisfied through sexual intercourse​, orgasm would be reached. The
refractory period, or the period of rest after orgasm, is likely to be longer in men. Thus,
women can achieve multiple orgasms due to a shorter refractory period.

● These bodily sensations are normal and typical in any sexual activity since they are
triggered by hormones produced within the body. These physiological sensations are part
of the sexual response cycle, which includes four phases: excitement,plateau, orgasm,
and resolution. Completing the cycle leads to sexual satisfaction.

● Humans are likely to engage in sexual activities to satisfy sexual urges. However, the kind
of sexual activities they engage in may vary. During adolescence, it is common to watch
 and read pornographic materials, engage in kissing and petting, and performmasturbation,
or the act of stimulating one's genitals for sexual pleasure.

● Medical professionals have cited the health benefits of masturbation, including stress
relief, better sleep, improved self-esteem, and enhanced body image. ​Further,
masturbation is a better alternative to sexual intercourse, which may result in
pregnancy and acquiring sexually transmitted diseases​.

● A person should be aware of his or her sexuality and sexual attributes in order to make
responsible decisions. Adolescents need to realize the importance of having informed
choices. Engaging in sexual activities may result in consequences that adolescents may
not be ready for: pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Sexual Identity and Gender Orientation

● At birth, one's sexuality depends on his or her physical features and genitals. Most of the
time, one's sexuality and gender orientation correspond with each other. However,
biological sex and gender orientation are two different things. ​Biological sex​ is one's
assignment upon birth and is dependent on physical features. On the other hand, ​gender
is an identity that is learned and embraced by the individual. It goes beyond biological
domains and is both a personal and social construct. ​As a social construct, gender
comprises the socially created roles, personality traits, attitudes, behaviors, and values
attributed to men and women. It also includes the relative power and influence of each,
indicating that gender is relational and refers not simply to women or men but to the
relationship between them. Thus, gender is anchored on societal beliefs and norms.
Gender roles refer to societal expectations of how men and women should act. Everyone
has a basic idea of gender roles: men are assumed to be strong and dominant while
women are perceived to be submissive and demure. Aside from the problems with these
assumptions, gender and biological sex are not always the same. A person may have been
born a man but assumes "womanly" traits while a woman may behave like a "man." This is
an aspect of sexual orientation, which manifests itself in relationships. A guy who is
attracted to girls is considered heterosexual while someone who is attracted to the same
sex is called a homosexual. Sexual identity and gender orientation underlie one's
concept of self.

● A person expresses his or her sexuality through individuality:one's beliefs and behavioral
lifestyle are based on his or her own perception of sexuality. However, while gender
orientation and sexual identity are deemed to be social constructs, it is important to
highlight one's self- expression and moreover, become responsible in doing so. This
responsibility also applies to expressing one's beliefs about sex, gender, and behavior.

● It should be noted that one's behavior in various situations entails consequences. An

individual needs to realize the effects of such actions and how one can regulate his or her
own behavior, including his or her sexual behavior.
The Consequences of Sexual Choice

● Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation, is the reproductive act in which the male
organ (penis) enters the female's reproductive tract (vagina). Adolescent couples who
engage in sexual intercourse are usually overwhelmed by the sensations they feel during
the act. In addition, most teenagers who have sex with their partners often rationalize the
act by claiming that they "love each other" and are "ready to be committed to each other."

● However,if the woman is fertile during the time of intercourse, pregnancy is likely to occur
and it lasts approximately nine months before the birth of the child.

● Having a child entails a big responsibility and should not merely be a consequence of an
impulsive moment. Physical risks to having an early pregnancy may impact an
adolescent's development, including miscarriage, emotional stress,and health risks to
both mother and infant.

● Further, early pregnancy may result in the mother dropping out of school, alienation, and
other similar social disruptions. Pregnancy does not only affect females; males are also
burdened by the responsibility of caring for a new child and his partner, and may also face
the same problems as the female.

● Aside from pregnancy, another consequence of impulsive and careless sexual

intercourse is the risk of acquiring sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). While most of
them can be treated and cured, STDs may have long-term consequences to one's health.
These diseases are passed through the exchange of body fluids or genital contact. Among
the common STDs are ​syphilis, gonorrhea,chlamydia, and genital warts​. Symptoms
include a burning sensation during urination, warts and sores in the genital and mouth
areas,pus, abnormal and smelly discharge, genital irritation, and painful bowel
movements. Treatment may entail medication and in some cases, surgery. However, there
are cases when these diseases may affect one's reproductive functions and worse,
may lead to death.

● The most alarming sexually transmitted disease is the acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS) caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It can be
transmitted by contact between broken skin, wounds, or mucous membranes and
HIV-infected blood or blood-contaminated body fluids. Usually, it spreads through
unprotected sexual contact with an infected person, as well as through pregnancy,
breastfeeding, sharing injecting equipment, or contaminated blood transfusion.
Untreated, HIV can lead to AlDS which compromises the immune system and puts the
person at risk of illness and death.​

● In its early stages, HIV has no symptoms. Once the illness has progressed, the infected
person may develop fever, rashes, and sores. In its final stage, a person with AIDS may
suffer from a variety of illnesses, including pneumonia and cancer. At the moment, there
remains no cure for HIV and AIDS. How does one acquire a sexually transmitted disease?
 STDs are prevalent among individuals who engage in unprotected sex with multiple
partners. Irresponsible sexual behavior often results indirect consequences that have
significant impact on people's lives and futures. Aside from health risks, STDs may also
ruin relationships,create a negative stigma against the person, and risk other aspects of
one's social life. Thus, it is important that everyone makes responsible decisions with
regard to sexuality and sexual behavior. Responsible sexual behavior entails the
following:

1. ​Respect for one's body.​ It means taking care of one's body and avoiding activities that
undermine one's worth and respect.

2. ​Maturity in thoughts and deeds.​ It refers to being objective,rational, and calm, instead of
being swept by one's emotions.

3. ​Being guided by one's personal beliefs and core values​. Everyone, especially an
adolescent, should always be grounded by his or her personal principles and self-worth.

4. ​Being future-oriented.​ Instead of focusing on the present, a person should always weigh
his or her present actions with possible consequences in the future. Sexual pleasure
might be overwhelming at the moment but always focus on what it will entail in the future.

Debate

Instructions: Form yourselves into four teams. The two teams will be affirmative
while others will be negative. The debate focus on the following topics:

1. Do beauty pageants objectify women?

2. Are you in favor of same-sex marriage?

Unfolding the Social Self

No man is an island

This module focuses on the social aspects of the self. As social beings, individuals interact with
others and relate themselves to other people. Social institutions and environments significantly
contribute to one's identity and self-development. Among millennial learners, technology and the
internet have significantly influenced their social environments and, consequently, their sense of
self. In this module, the cultural, digital, and economic aspects of one's life and how they
influence a person's social self will be put to light. This module aims to provide learners with a,
deeper understanding of themselves through a socio-cultural perspective.
The Social Self

This discusses the social and environmental factors that shape oneself. This includes
environmental systems, cultural orientations, and other social factors that play a crucial role to
one's social self.

Intended outcomes:

1. Explain, elaborate, and give examples of social factors that shape the development of
oneself;

2. Create a conceptual diagram of how these social factors are intertwined and
interactively influence their sense of self; and

3. Analyze and evaluate one's social behaviors and identity ways to manage them
effectively.

AGREE OR DISAGREE?

1. Culture is important in the development of one's social self.

2. People you do not know do not affect your social self.
3. One's behavior is affected by the people around him or her.
4. Social institutions have an influence on people's lives.
5. People don't need other people to survive.

The Self and Its Social Agencies

● Human development is largely influenced by membership in crucial social groups that

shape various aspects of the self; from belief systems, values orientation, and behaviors.
An individual is born into a family and toward the end of his or her life, he or she is
evaluated in the context of his or her contribution to the society,the quality of his or her
social relationships, and how he or she has touched lives of people whom he or she has
directly encountered.

● At the beginning of life, one already belongs to a social group:his or her family. It is the
most pervading influential social group that impacts the self in its entire course of
development. The views one holds about the world, values upheld in making choices and
decisions, and the habits and persistent behavior one carries have been formed in the
context of one's family and home environment. Parents are one's first teachers; from a
very early age, it is from them that one creates initial impressions of the world beyond his
or her home, and the first barometer in determining which acts are good and rewarded and
those that are unacceptable, for which one is reprimanded and punished.
● As one's family grows, his or her siblings become his or her first friends and playmates.
Relationships with siblings harness one's socialization skills, particularly in play moments
and quarrels which help shape one's conflict resolution skills that he or she can carry
throughout his or her life. These consistent family experiences are crucial in shaping of
one's social self.

● Next to family, schools and the general academic environment forms a significant part of
the social self. Worldviews expand as one gets exposed to more people in different social
learning environments. Knowledge and social skills gained from mentors,relatives, and
peers contribute to how the social self is harnessed. The information gleaned from books,
lectures of mentors, and insights from classmates are assimilated and imbibed
consequently in the inner recesses of the self. One's knowledge of the world is shaped by
collaborative learning conditions, as one is exposed to the insights of his or her learning
peers. Values of social harmony,emotional sensitivity to the needs of other people, and
behavior with regard to the personal spaces of others in the environment are just some
learning insights that are inculcated in one's social self. Roughly, about a third of people's
lives are spent as students in educational institutions. The experiences an individual
gains in an academic environment shape his or her social self as he or she embarks on
the next stages of development. Aside from one's family and school environments,
communities also shape one's social self toa large extent.

● ​From an anthropological and sociological perspective, one's cultural beliefs and

practices are influenced by what communities and societies dictate. Values such as
respect for the elderly, persistence and dedication for tasks, and love for one's country are
often the products of communal settings one belongs to and societal expectations
imposed on him or her. Specific practices such as attending worship, avoiding conflict
and strife with others, taking part in rituals and ceremonies such as weddings, baptisms,
and other religious activities, are embedded in one's social self as communities and the
society have developed shared meanings with regard to these milestones. R​eligion,
politics,media, education, and the government are all social institutions that directly
impact one's social self.​ The social self inevitably changes as one accommodates and
eventually assimilates beliefs promoted by the society as he or she thinks, appreciates,
and behaves according to standards set by micro and macrosystems.

● According to Edward Tylor (1871), "culture is the complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, law, art, moral, custom, and other capabilities and habits acquired by
man as a member of society." Based on this definition, one can conclude that
culture #has a great impact on a human being, and this is manifested in his or her
thoughts, behaviors, and expression. However, culture is highly relative; it varies in terms
of geographical, traditional, and individual contexts. A dominant characteristic of culture
is that it is socially transmitted and learned by groups of people, bound by ethnicity,
geography, and personal orientations. To further understand the nature of culture and its
influences on oneself, the following models illustrate how culture functions in relation to
one's social self.

● Bioecological Systems Theory of Urie Bronfenbrenner's (1935) explains an individual's

social development,using biological, environmental, and ecological lenses. The theory
explains the bidirectional influence of individual systems to each other and posits five
 specific systems that shape an individual's sense of self.

These systems are as follows:

1. Microsystem. This system refers to the institutions and social groups that the
individual has direct contact and interaction with, including families, peers, schools,
religious institutions, and the immediate community.
2. ​Mesosystem. This system refers to the interconnections among aspects of the
microsystems affecting the individual. Pragmatic examples of this would include
parent-teacher associations (PTA), parent and peer connections, and community relations,
among others.
3. Exosystem. This system refers to the social setting that an individual has no direct
interaction with but nevertheless affects his or her development. An example of this could
be the work setting of one's parents where a major company decision that results in the
loss of job of either parent will have a significant impact to the child.

4. Macrosystem. This system encompasses the larger cultural context in which the
individual resides in. A cultural context may include the socioeconomic status of his or
her country, issues of ethnicity, societal values embraced by social institutions, cultural
beliefs and practices handed down from generation to generation, and how all these affect
an individual's behavior and opportunities in the society. An example of a macrosystem
would be the Philippines as a third-world country where there is a notion that life can be
better when one works abroad. Acceptable values which are defined by the society that
are handed down from generation to generation is inexplicably imbibed by the
individual.

5. Chronosystems. This system focuses on patterns of environmental events, including

socio-historical events from a specific to a general context. For example, one's graduation
from college would entail changes in his or her social self as he or she is expected to work
to help his or her family and contribute to the society.

Individualism-Collectivism Model (Hazel Rose Markus and Shinobu Kitayana

(1991)

● Individualism as an orientation focuses on one's individual attributes and personal

distinctiveness. People who are individualistic are observed to be competitive and
self-reliant. They are likely to become independent in achieving their personal interests
rather than becoming dependent on a group. On the other hand, the collectivist orientation
values relationships and harmony. People who are collectivistic prioritize interests to
maintain healthy relationships. They are likely to be adaptive to other people, and
cooperative in group tasks.

● The Philippine society is traditionally perceived to be a collectivist one because of the

idea that Asian nations adhere to a collectivist mindset. In the context of collectivism,
collective interests are prioritized over personal ones and the functionality of
relationships is maintained through practices that would benefit everyone. For example,
choosing a career that would fulfill the expectations of the entire family and being
 non-confrontational with thoughts and beliefs that are opposed to what the group accepts
are some aspects of collectivism.

● In the Philippine context, practices like staying in one's family home, attending mass or
going to places of worship in groups and even the inappropriate practice of sharing the
achievements of others just because they are a relative or even simply because they are
also Filipinos showcase a collectivist mindset. Veering away from tradition, the Filipinos
are no longer tightly bound to strongly collectivist practices.

● Due to the rise of globalization and the influence of different nations with individualistic
mindsets, the Filipino society also adapts perspectives leaning to the individualist
orientation. Many Filipinos strive to be independent and self-reliant, with goals
matching one's individual needs. This is evident in behaviors that break away from the
collectivist outlook: moving out of one's parent's house after graduation, choosing a
career based on one's personal inclinations,and the like. Although these oppose the
traditional mindset of always adhering to what others ask of an individual, these behaviors
show the capacity of an individual to think for himself or herself.

● Notions of individualism and collectivism show how the self is directly influenced by the
society and its standards. Being part of social groups impacts one's thoughts and values
and also affects one's social behavior.

I vs Me

One's behavior when he or she is alone differs form his or her behavior when he or she is
with others. Different situations trigger particular behavior because of differing social
expectations. This is what Herbert Mead (1934) posited in his theory of the social self. He posited
that the self is divided into​ two parts:

1. the "I" which is known-as the unsocialized self, and the;

2. "Me" which is known as the "socialized" self

​ ccording to Mead, the "I" is who an individual really is. It is

A
one's opinion of himself or herself as a whole. The "I" is manifested when one acts naturally for
his or her own motivations and not because of others. On the other hand, the
"Me'" is the awareness of how others expect one to behave. This is also known as the social self.
This part of the self, according to Mead, is the careful and the conscious. When
you know that there are people staring at you, you are likely to take note of what others would
think about you, and thus adjust your behavior according to what you think is acceptable to
others. Based on Mead's model, the state of the actual self is achieved when the "I" and "Me"
become congruent. These different models present ideas on the process of the self's social
development. It is important to note that culture plays an important role in one's social
development. Studying these models help in understanding oneself and other people. It is not
ideal,however, to generalize a certain culture based on these models. Individual differences
should always be considered and respect should always be fostered among one another.
Individual Task:

1. Using a concept tree, define/enumerate what thoughts, beliefs, values,

habits, and other behavior (both positive and negative) you have acquired
reflecting on Bioecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1935).
2. What beliefs, values, and behaviors do you consider to be helpful to your
social self? Why?
3. What beliefs, values, and behaviors do you consider as detrimental to your
social self? Why?
4. What new insights about your social self do you have at this point?