Psychology Chapter II - Unpacking the Self

Chapter II - Unpacking the Self: Physical and Sexual Self

• Sex chromosomes (XX for female, XY for male) and secondary sexual characteristics are believed to define sex.
• Genetics influence how individuals treat themselves and others from childhood.
• Individuals may not accept their innate sexual characteristics and seek to change their sexual organs through medication or surgery.
• Society and the external environment also shape an individual's development beyond genetics.

Gonads and Development

• Gonads (testes or ovaries), the reproductive glands producing gametes, begin forming around the 8th week of embryonic development.
• Primary reproductive structures form first, followed by accessory structures and external genitalia.
• Interventions in the normal sex hormone production process during embryonic development can lead to abnormalities.

True Hermaphrodites and Pseudohermaphrodites

• True hermaphrodites are rare individuals possessing both ovarian and testicular tissues.
• Pseudohermaphrodites have accessory reproductive structures that don't match their gonads.

Reproductive Organ Descent

• A critical event in development happens one month before birth when male testes, initially in the abdominal cavity, descend into the scrotum.
• Failure of this descent results in cryptorchidism, leading to sterility and potentially increasing the risk of testicular cancer.
• Surgery is often performed during early childhood in cases of cryptorchidism.

Chromosomal Abnormalities

• Males with extra female sex chromosomes may have normal accessory structures but sterile testes due to atrophy.
• Individuals with only one sex chromosome (XO female or YO male) experience significant abnormalities. XO females might appear normal but lack ovaries, while YO males often die during development.
• Other less severe conditions in males affect the male reproductive structure, such as phimosis (narrowing of the foreskin) and misplaced urethral openings.

Puberty

• Puberty occurs generally between ages 10-15, marked by the growth of reproductive organs and the rise of gonadal hormones (testosterone in males, estrogen in females).
• Reproductive ability continues until old age in males, and until menopause in females.
• Puberty in males involves growth of reproductive organs and the appearance of pubic, axillary, and facial hair at around 13 years of age.
• Puberty in females is marked by breast development, typically beginning at around 11 years of age.

Menarche

• Menarche is the first menstrual period in females, occurring about two years after the start of puberty.
• Hormones regulate ovulation and female fertility.

Diseases Associated with the Reproductive System

• Vaginal infections, more common in young and older women with low resistance to diseases, if untreated, may cause pelvic inflammatory disease and sterility.
• Infections include those due to Escherichia coli, sexually transmitted microorganisms (like syphilis and gonorrhoea), and yeast.
• Male inflammatory conditions such as orchitis (inflammation of testes), prostatitis (inflammation of prostate), and epididymitis, may be caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Menopause

• Most women reach their peak reproductive abilities in their late 20s.
• Menopause is the cessation of menstruation in females, marking a post-menopausal stage.
• Females at this stage face risks of cardiovascular disorders.
• In contrast, males demonstrate a gradual decline in testosterone, but continue to have reproductive capacity throughout their later life.

Erogenous Zones

• Erogenous zones are body parts that elicit sexual arousal when stimulated.
• Common examples include the mouth, breasts, genitals, and anus.
• Other areas, such as the neck, thighs, abdomen, and feet, can also be highly sensitive.
• Vasocongestion (swelling of body tissues due to increased blood flow) is a common physiological response during sexual arousal.

Human Sexual Behaviour

• Human sexual behavior is any activity, solitary or sociosexual, that induces arousal.

Solitary Behavior

• Solitary behavior involves self-stimulation leading to arousal and possibly orgasm, commonly practiced amongst unmarried individuals, particularly in young males and beginning before puberty.
• Self-gratification becomes less frequent with increased sociosexual activity.
• Fantasies are common in solitary or socio-sexual relationships

Sociosexual Behavior

• Sociosexual behavior involves two or more people engaging in sexual activity.
• Heterosexual relationships is the most frequent kind of sociosexual interaction in society.
• Physical contact like necking and petting can be considered as ingredients in courtship and mate selection.
• Petting commonly involves stimulation of the genitals and acts as an expression of affection.

Coitus

• Coitus (sexual intercourse) involves the insertion of the male reproductive organ into the female one.
• Social attitudes towards coitus vary, according to marital status.
• Pre-marital coitus is often tolerated but not encouraged in some modern societies.
• Marital coitus is more widely accepted and even seen as an obligation in most societies.
• Post-marital coitus by separated, divorced, or widowed people is typically ignored.
• Extra-marital coitus involves sexual activity with someone other than one's spouse, and is generally condemned in most societies.

Explore the complexities of physical and sexual self in this quiz based on Chapter II. Learn about the influence of genetics, gonadal development, and societal factors on individual identity. Delve into the concepts of hermaphroditism and how they relate to human development.