UNIT III

PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE
IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY
• Gender and Sexuality
as a PSYCHOSOCIAL
Lesson 6 ISSUE
Lesson Objectives:

Define the term psychosocial;

Discuss the psychosocial dimension;

Reflect upon one’s responsibility in ensuring psychosocial

wellness in the aspect of gender and development.
 TERMS

• A term pertaining to psychological and social factors and

PSYCHOSOCIAL the interaction of these factors
• Needs and concerns relating to one or all of the
PSYCHOSOCIAL
ISSUES
psychosocial dimensions.
• The social
script ascribed to individuals pertaining to their role in
REPRODUCTIV
E
child-bearing or child-rearing and related tasks such as maintaining
ROLE
the household.
• The social script ascribed to individuals pertaining to their role in economic
PRODUCTIVE
production and related tasks such as engaging in public affairs and living in the world of
ROLE works.
 Review: These reproductive mechanism are interpreted by SOCIETIES, thereby, creating
Human person has biological DIFFERENTIATED SOCIAL STANDARDS for behavior and expectations.
mechanisms for sexual growth Example:
and reproduction, and that
depending on SEX, these society interprets this capacity as
mechanisms differ. Female - is capable of bearing a child associated to womanhood, thus, sets
fulfillment of reproductive role.

Male - does not have the capacity to society expects the male to perform
productive role
bear the child but has a
relatively larger
muscular-skeletal frame

Take Note:
• There are distinct physiological differences, much of the capabilities, except those involved in reproduction, can
actually be performed by either sexes.
• Both women and men can perform child-rearing role.
• Both can also engage and succeed in the world of work.
• In many cases, the LIMITS are only set by social expectations.
The example and other scenarios only exemplify that much about gender and sexuality is not only BIOLOGICAL
and PHYSIOLOGICAL but also PSYCHOLOGICAL and SOCIAL.

Psychosocial The perspective of exploring and understanding human sexuality in the lens of
Perspective psychological and social processes.

Contemplate:

How does your being a female or male influence your family’s and
peers’ expectations from you?
 What does Psychosocial mean?
Social
Psychological
- Pertains with
-pertains to the
human relationship,
mental process and
connection, and
behavior
interaction
 3 PRIMARY PSYCHOLOGICAL DOMAIN

- is a field of science Affect -pertains to people’s emotions and feelings

which concerns
itself with how
people think and feel -pertains to people’s action -both observable
Behavior
and how thoughts (overt) or not readily observable (covert).
and feelings
interact and lead to - Pertains to people’s thought process such as
behavior. Cognition
memory, perception, and information –processing.

Remember:
Our sexual behaviors, as well as gender-related behaviors, originate from what we sense, think, and feel.
 Understanding the Psychosocial Dimension:
 Our experience of gender and sexuality is generally a
- is a field of science relational experience. – because as individuals, we
which concerns itself have our affect, cognition and behavior to be
aware of, we are also viewing ourselves in relation
with the human person’s to others who also have their own personal
realities and preoccupation.
experiences as part of
groups, and
institutions, including
the structures and
functions of these
institutions, and the and
the dynamics of
human relationships
within them.
•thinking, feeling, and behaving
(psychological) + Sociology (society)
•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).
 Self/Other awareness

Relationship and Intimacy

g
Socialization
Self Others
Meaning-making

What
motivates me? Who and
What am I?
What are my
strengths? What do I like/
dislike?
 Is our conscious understanding of something
 As individuals we are in constant process towards self-
awareness.
 Self-awareness-think and recognize the self,
self-focused attention and knowledge
• In terms of gender and sexuality, being
• recognizing one's self-aware means having a sense of
• Strengths • what one's gender is
• what one's sexual orientation is
• Weaknesses • how one expresses one's gender
• Interests • what one's values and convictions are
• Aspirations • knowing what one is comfortable and afraid
of
• Values • why one reacts a certain way, etc.
• Fears
This requires constant self-reflection and a realistic evaluation of how
one interacts with and responds to the world.
 Intimacy and Relationship – when 2 people recognize and become
aware of each other, they decide to keep close distance in each other’s
lives, shape their personal bubbles and allow frequency of interaction
between them.

Human
Intimacy Socialization
Relationship
• a bond formed • the process of • the process by
between 2 or knowing others which we learn
more people, and allowing cultural norms
manifested others to know and traditions.
through us.
communication
and interaction.
 How am I in the following psychosocial aspects of my life?
Awareness of Self and others Intimacy and relationship

Learning and Socialization Purpose and Meaning

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
as a Psychosocial
Goal
Subjective well-being
 our personal experience of satisfaction,
meaning, and purpose.

Objective well-being
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:
• Availability and sufficiency of material
possessions available regardless of gender and
sexual orientation
• healthcare systems and services responsive to
the needs of people of different sexes,
genders