Module 3 Psychosocial Perspective in Gender and Sexuality PDF

Preview

Summary

Module 3.Psychosocial Perspective in Gender and SexualityCourse Code : GEE 102/ Course Title : Gender and SocietyCourse Description :In this course, students will explore the meaning of gender in contemporary society. It considers gendered relations of power and the articulation of gender with other...

Description

Module 3.0 Psychosocial Perspective in Gender and Sexuality Course Code: GEE 102/103 Course Title: Gender and Society Course Description: In this course, students will explore the meaning of gender in contemporary society. It considers gendered relations of power and the articulation of gender with other kinds of social difference such as ‘race’, class and sexuality. A variety of theoretical perspectives will be applied to a number of substantive issues of contemporary concern.

Total Learning Time: 54 hours Pre-requisites: None Overview: In this module, students will have the opportunity to explore sex and gender from the psychological and sociological perspectives. What are the psychosocial needs of people in relation to their gender and the relationships surrounding one’s gender identity and sexuality? What concepts and principles can help make sense of people’s gendered behaviors and experiences? Learning Outcomes: At the completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. Develop an understanding of gender as something that is socially constructed. 2. Examine how gender relations are fundamentally relations of inequality. 3. Draw attention to how gender inequality remains structurally embedded in a systemic patriarchy. 4. Explore how gender inequality intersects with other bases of inequality such as: race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, disability, age, etc. 5. Describe how gendered inequalities as social exclusions are differently expressed across different institutional domains. Specifically in this module, students should be able to: 1. Reflect upon one’s responsibility in ensuring psychosocial wellness in the aspect of gender and development 2. Identify needs, issues, and concerns experienced by people who are in a romantic relationship, and reflect upon one’s attitudes towards love, intimacy, and relationship 3. Show appreciation of the diversity of human sexual expression 4. Understand the manifestations of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination on gender 5. Explain the importance of these terms 6. Know fully the themes of masculinity and its relationship with well-being, fathering, domestic roles, drug and alcohol use; comprehend hegemonic, protest and caring masculinities.

1

Indicative Content  Gender and Sexuality as a Psychosocial Issue  Love, Intimacy and Relationships  Sex and Senses  Sexual Behaviors  Stereotype, Prejudice and Discrimination  LGBT Psychology  Men and Masculinities Pre-Assessment

    

In what way do you think does your gender influence how others relate to you? You to them? If you were to be in a romantic relationship, what would you want it to be like? What are examples of sexual expression you have observed/heard of? What are the examples of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination on the basis of sex and gender? What do you think of when you imagine the role, characteristics, behaviors and values of a ‘man’?

Lesson 3.1

Gender and Sexuality as a Psychosocial Issue Psychosocial The psychological aspect of gender and sexuality is anchored in psychology, and thus, the three domains: Affect, Behavior and Cognition AFFECT

Affect - emotions and feelings (anger, fear, joy, sadness, guilt, etc) Behavior - observable (overt) and not readily observable (covert) actions Cognition - thought processes (attention, memory, perception, problem solving, imagination, etc.)

COGNITION

BEHAVIOR

In attempting to understand why humans behave the way they do, it is important to learn to recognize the interplay among the three:  how one’s emotions influence one’s thoughts  how one’s emotions influence one’s behavior  how one’s thoughts influence one’s emotions  how one’s thoughts influence one’s behavior  how one’s behaviors influence one’s emotion  how one’s behaviors influence one’s thoughts

2

This means that in studying gender and sexuality, it is important to look into the way people think, feel and behave since these are linked to one another. For instance, someone who believes (cognition) that another person is attracted to them may also feel excited (affect) upon seeing the said person, which may also increase the likelihood of flirting (behavior). Another example is how someone who feels disgust (affect) toward someone with a different sexual orientation may perceive (cognition) the said feelings as valid because of one’s belief system, and in turn try to justify speaking out against the said person (behavior). The social aspect is anchored on sociology and social psychology. This means the study of gender and sexuality can also be viewed from the lens of people’s experiences and realities as they interact with other individuals, groups and institutions.

Awareness Given the capacity to think and recognize the self, an important aspect of identity and human development is self-awareness. Self-awareness is self-focused attention and knowledge. Being self-aware means recognizing one’s strengths, weaknesses, interests, aspirations, values, fears, among many other aspects of one’s identity. In terms of gender and sexuality, being self-aware means having a sense of what one’s gender is, what one’s sexual orientation is, how one expresses one’s gender, what one’s values and convictions are, knowing what one is comfortable and afraid of, why one reacts a certain way, etc. This requires constant self-reflection and a realistic evaluation of how one interacts with and responds to the world.

Intimacy and relationship As two people begin to get to know each other, interact more often and share more of themselves, they form a relationship. This may or may not be formal and may or may not be time-bound. As people continue to engage in relationships with others, they invest time, energy and resources. Part of what people may share and develop is intimacy. Intimacy is a state of extreme emotional closeness such that each party’s personal space can be entered by the other party without causing discomfort to the former. It entails a deep understanding of one another and requires mutual trust and respect. It is also important to note that not everyone in a romantic, committed or sexual relationship also has intimacy with one’s partner. Nevertheless, intimacy is something that can be cultivated in relationships.

Well-being In studying the psychosocial aspect of gender and sexuality, it is important to consider that the aim is for people to achieve and experience a state of well-being—a state of satisfaction, meaning and purpose in life. There are two general classifications of well-being. Objective – This is observable and can be evaluated for its presence or absence in the environment. Some questions that can be asked to evaluate objective well-being are: 1. Are material possessions available and sufficient to people regardless of gender and sexual orientation? 2. Are health care systems and services responsive to the needs of people with different sexes, genders, etc? 3

3. Are there services and policies in place to mitigate abuse and different forms of violence related to gender and sexuality? Subjective – This is one’s personal experience of satisfaction, meaning and purpose. In some instances, the environment may not provide for one’s needs yet a person experiences well-being. In other instances, even when needs are provided for, one’s well-being is wanting.

Image credits: https://medicine.yale.edu/urology/education/residents/wellness/

4

Lesson 3.2

Love, Intimacy and Relationships Love Love and the expression of love tends to be many different things to different people. Whether other forms of animals also experience love is subject for another discussion. For now, we can agree that love is an interesting and important universal human phenomenon. 1. It is a culture universal. This means it is a phenomenon experienced similarly by people across time, place and culture. Although there are variations across time and place as to how to it seen and expressed, the experience of love is common to people. 2. It is a social phenomenon. It results from our interaction and relationships with the people around us. Interaction entails a degree of social influence exercised by two people during a social encounter—using communication, giving and receiving information as well as language, verbal or non-verbal (e.g. paralanguage such as pitch, volume, intonation) symbols that people of a culture use to convey meaning, and realities. 3. It is an emotion. An emotion is a physiological response that we interpret psychologically and then react to. Emotions may be basic or complex. 4. It is a neurobiological event. The study of the experience of love is now often studied in neuroscience, with key findings regarding how love can be observed as it occurs in the nervous system, including brain activity and the release and movement of various neurotransmitters, chemicals that facilitate the human experience at the biological level. Several psychological frameworks have been created to make sense of love and here we will cover a few of them.

Robert Sternberg’s Triangular Model of Love The model attempts to codify and measure love based on three dimensions: Intimacy – feelings of closeness, connectedness, and warmth in a relationship Passion – drives that lead to physical attraction, sexual consummation and related phenomena Commitment – agency component of choosing to engage in and maintain the relationship The presence or absence and the combinations of any of these three dimensions indicates the type of love people experience for another. Non-love Infatuation Liking/Friendship Empty Love

Absence of any of the three dimensions Feelings of desire and physical passion for another without necessarily being emotionally and cognitively connected to another Feeling bonded to another emotionally and cognitively without physical desire nor commitment to be in a relationship Committing in a relationship while not being attracted nor feeling an emotional connection to a partner

5

Romantic Love

Companionate Love Fatuous Love Consummate Love

Feeling strong physical desire and being able to have deep and meaningful conversations with a partner that allows one to feel safe and accepted Committing for a long-term relationship with a person one trusts and can meaningful conversations with Committing for a long-term relationship with a person one is strongly attracted to; also known as a whirlwind relationship Represents and ideal form of love and relationship

It is still important to note that within the three dimensions, there are more things to consider in any intimate relationship. Also, relationships change over time as both partners grow as individuals. Hence, it is important to consider and regularly assess one’s relationship.

Love Language by Gary Chapman An important component of a loving relationship has to do with the way we express or communicate and receive affection for another. It is likewise important to important to understand that other people’s expression of love also varies. If you have ever done something for someone you love and then found out the person did not appreciate it, it is possible that you have a different love language from that of your loved one. Gary Chapman proposed a model to show how different people may have developed different love languages. Although to some extent, it is helpful to express and receive all different forms of love language, people may have a dominant love language, which when ignored, may be interpreted as the absence of love from their partner, leaving the person wanting and feeling devalued in a relationship. Below are the five love languages:

6

Words of Affirmation

Using words/language to support a loved one

Physical Touch

Being physically close and connected to a loved one Giving gifts to show a loved one they are remembered and thought of Spending time with a loved one Doing helpful things for a loved one

Receiving Gifts

Quality Time Acts of Service

Reminding someone of their strength when they’re starting to doubt themselves. Giving someone a hug after they cry. Giving someone the

Going on a hike with a partner Helping with house chores

George Levinger’s Relationship Stage Theory Each relationship goes through stages. This is important to understand as people sometimes go into a relationship thinking how they felt and interacted with their partner in the beginning will remain the same throughout the rest of the relationship. George Levinger proposed a five-stage theory to describe intimate relationships: 1. Acquaintance – Attraction begins at this stage based on factors such as proximity, exposure, similarity, physical attractiveness as well as first impressions. 2. Buildup – At this stage, interactions increase and two people will want to share more activities and interests with each other. They will also begin introducing each other to acquaintances, widening their social networks as they explore more about each other and their relationship. Relationship filtering based on attitudes, behaviors and complementarity of needs usually occurs heavily during this stage. 3. Consolidation / Continuation – During this stage, the people involved decide to commit to try to make the relationship last (e.g. becoming exclusive, living together, marrying each other). 4. Decline / Deterioration – While not all relationships go through this stage, there are those that encounter misunderstandings or irreconcilable differences. These may range from changes in the priorities, attitudes and values of each or both partners. This may also be triggered by a stressor in the relationship that both partners cannot resolve. Regardless, at this point, the partners have the option and agree to compromise, ignore the concerns or consider the last stage. 5. Ending / Termination – If a couple cannot address the problems that caused the relationship deterioration, the stages go on to terminate (via marriage dissolution, collective agreement to separate, or in some cases, one partner simply leaving the other behind).

7

Lesson 3.3

Sex and the Senses Sensorium Sensorium is a technical term for the entirely of our sensory experiences and perception. As our organs receive input from the environment, nerves send these to the central nervous system, particularly our brain. The information is then processed and interpreted into something meaningful, to which we then respond to via our behavior and affect. It is important to understand that not all sensory experiences are processed via higher order thinking done in the cortex of the brain. Some sensory experiences are processed by a more primitive part of the brain—limbic system—that is focused on emotions (e.g. fear, anger, sexual attraction). What are the different sensory experiences related to sexuality? Visual Experience Human beings rely heavily on visual information in order to navigate the world, including sexual experiences. Males, for instance, are found to be responsive to visual stimuli and are influenced by the sex of the person in a particular scenario, focusing on what the person looks like. On the other hand, while females are also influenced by the appearance of another person, women are found to be more influenced by the context (e.g. is the other person trustworthy or showing care?) (Rupp and Wallen, 2007). Auditory Experience When we communicate with other people, we use verbal signals, language, which also plays a role in our sexuality. Certain words said to a person trigger strong emotional responses, such as when your crush calls your name, or when your partner says they love you. Certain sounds indicate joy or pleasure, and signal one’s emotional state to another. Think also of how certain kinds of music played in the background influence your mood, especially in the presence of someone you are attracted to.

Olfactory Experience While we have a much limited olfaction capabilities compared to other mammals, our sense of smell and our interpretation of certain smells also contributes to our sexual experience. Scientists have long been interested in how olfaction influences sexual experiences. One concept they are exploring is the major histocompatibility complex, proteins that signal the presence of foreign substances to our immune system. Studies on the MHC seem to show that people tend to be attracted to those with different MHC genes. The other concept often studied is about pheromones, hormones emitted by the body. Both of these are hypothesized to attract people to certain sexes, and avoid others. However, these are yet to be confirmed by replication studies.

Tactile Experience Touch is an important component of sexual attraction and intimacy. Tactile signals received by the skin are coded—was the surface rough or smooth? Were the signals pulsating or

8

steady? Was there too much or too little pressure? These are then interpreted to denote meaning—was the touch loving and tender? Was it rough, dominant and hurting? In addition, touch also triggers the release of oxytocin, more commonly known as the bonding chemical because it promotes tribal bonds/team cohesion, maternal caring, and intimacy. The body also has different levels of sensitivity to tactile information. Certain areas such as the mouth, anus, genitals and nipples are highly sensitive called primary erogenous zones. Secondary erogenous zones, meanwhile, include the back, cheek, neck and buttocks and are also sensitive to touch. It is important to remember that because touch is an important component of the sexual experience, bonding and intimacy, not everyone will welcome certain kinds of touch from everyone. For instance, while someone may enjoy being hugged by a best friend, they may not welcome a hug from a suitor/ lover or vice versa. People must also recognize that the body’s biological response may not always be consistent with what one subjectively believes or desires. Arousal Non-concordance is the mismatch between physiological arousal and subjective arousal. In some situations, when a person touches another, the other person may show physical reactions that signal arousal and sexual excitement. This response is not deliberate, simply the body reacting to sexually relevant stimulus. However, just because stimulus is sexually relevant does not mean it is desired or that it is pleasurable *(Chivers, 2010 as cited by Nagoski, 2014). Arousal non-concordance is an important concept to understand because sexual abuse cases are at times justified by perpetrators who claim that the person they initiated sexual advances to responded, and by response, meaning that the person’s body reacted to the sexual touch regardless of what the person said they actually wanted. Hence, it is important to acknowledge that genital arousal and subjective arousal are not the same thing.

genital arousal

subjective arousal

9

Lesson 3.4

Sexual Behaviors Sexual Behaviors Sexual behaviors are actions humans agree to interpret as expression of their sexual motivations and intentions. Sexual behaviors are also generally erotic behaviors, meaning, they involve the body’s primary and secondary erogenous zones—face, neck, genitalia, chest, etc. They may also be classified as auto-erotic (self-directed), homoerotic (directed at the same sex) or hetero-erotic (directed at the other sex). It may include copulation—the insertion of the penis in the vagina. However, sexual behaviors are not only limited to that. It may also include a variety of non-copulatory behaviors such as kissing, hugging and touching or erotic stimulation of various parts of the body as well as various forms of verbal communication such as flirting. Many of these behaviors are context-dependent, and thus, open to interpretation of people observing or doing them. For instance, some people may feel that kissing and hugging are expressions of ...