UTS 7.7 SEXUAL SELF

• Primary developmental task during early adolescence

  Integrate into a sense of self or identity those experiences associated with moving away from childhood
• Androgens and testosterone are male hormones, while estrogens and progesterone are female hormones
• Hormones stimulate the development of primary and secondary sex characteristics and sexual drive
• Researches about adolescent sexuality were mainly focused on problem behavior outcomes such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection among middle or late adolescent girls, resulting in a narrow perspective regarding the sexual lives of adolescents
• The master gland signals the body to increase production of growth hormones that interact with sex hormones to cause the growth spurt and puberty
• Development of secondary sex characteristics are the visible signs of sexual maturity
• Secondary sex characteristics in boys

  • Pubic hair growth
  • Facial and underarm hair growth
  • Voice deepening
  • Muscle development
  • Narrow hips
  • Less fat tissue overall
  • First ejaculation (spermarche)
• Both sexes produce androgens and estrogens, but males have a higher concentration of androgens and females have a higher concentration of estrogens
• Puberty is the period during which the sexual organs mature, beginning when the children’s bodies start producing sex hormones
• Progesterone specifically stimulates the growth of female reproductive organs and prepares the uterus for pregnancy
• Notable changes in early adolescents’ lives important in the evaluation of sexual self

  • Dramatic physical change during puberty
  • Awareness of sexual drive and erotic feelings
  • Developing interest in others
• Sexual self


  An individual’s view of him- or herself as a sexual person
• Girls start puberty at around age 11 or 12, while boys begin at around 13 or 14
• Secondary sex characteristics in girls

  • Development of breasts
  • Pubic hair
  • Wider hips
  • Higher voice
  • Menstruation (menarche)
• Male reproductive system components

  • Testes (sperm production)
  • Penis
  • Scrotum (external pouch for testes)
  • Vas deferens (sperm transport)
• Female reproductive system

  • Includes the clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora
  • Major internal organs are the vagina and uterus (vessel for semen) and the ovaries (produce ova)
  • Vagina attached to the uterus through the cervix
  • Fallopian tubes connect the uterus to the ovaries
  • Egg cells are produced and stored in the ovaries and released during ovulation
  • Ovulation period can occur 14 days after the beginning of the menstrual period
  • One egg is released during ovulation and sent down the fallopian tube, if not fertilized, it is eliminated during menstruation
• Erogenous zones


  • Areas of the body that provide pleasure and can trigger sexual arousal
  • Include genitals, mouth, breast, ears, anus, and to a lesser degree, the entire surface of the body
• Touching a partner triggers and maintains their partner’s sexual arousal, preparing them physically for copulation and promoting sexual behavior
• In some cultures, masturbation and pre-marital sex are not encouraged, culture shapes people’s perspective about sex according to what is socially acceptable
• Men tend to think of sex or have sexual fantasies more frequently than women
• Male reproductive system


  • Consists of the testes where sperm are produced and the penis
  • Testes are carried in the scrotum, which needs to be cooler for sperm production
  • Vas deferens transports semen
  • Epididymis stores sperm cells
  • Prostate gland and seminal vesicles produce and nourish semen
  • Ejaculation is the release of sperm cells from the penis
  • Each ejaculation contains approximately 300 to 500 million sperm cells which can live up to 48 hours inside the uterus
• Affiliative touching and stimulation


  May maintain and establish long-term relationships
• Fantasizing and creating erotic scenarios or images can trigger arousal in some individuals
• Female tend to give importance to their emotional feelings when engaging in sexual activities than men do
• Human sexual arousal is complex
• Sexual scripts are stereotyped patterns of how people should behave sexually