HUMAN SEXUALITY 5
Running head: HUMAN SEXUALITY 1
HUMAN SEXUALITY 5
Discussion 1 400+ words Must use textbook provided as one of the sources.
List the types of love relationship and provide a short explanation of each in your own words. Then, choose one of the types of relationship development and discuss it in detail. Why did you choose this type to discuss? How do you identify/not identify with it?
Reply 1 50 words
Crooks et al. (2020) lists two types of love that can occur between romantic partners: passionate love and companionate love. Passionate love leaves a person feeling giddy, happy, high feelings of joy, each time they see their partner. This type of love is unsustainable and short lived because the passion eventually fizzles out and people are left with a person that they may not be so compatible with. Some people can work through the dispassion they find at the end of the relationship and move on to companionate love. Companionate love is an easy love. It may have stemmed from a passionate love, or a friend turned romantic partner, or something else entirely. Relationships built from this type of love are the ones that last, because the partners are friends and companions. Difficult situations may come up, but the deepness of the feelings you have built for the other person, the mutual empathy, makes the struggles easier somehow. I think most people that are in satisfying marriages have companionate love. I chose to write about companionate love because that is the type of love I have for my husband. He is a friend, a lover, and a life partner. The level of passion we feel rises and falls but is always there to some degree. Our relationship started out as a passionate love, and we were lucky that it evolved to a companionate love. My first marriage was a passionate love as well, but it turned into a hatred.
Crooks et al. (2020) also discuss a couple different models/theories about love that are really interesting and seem built off of the two types mentioned above, but they further specify them. For example, Sternberg’s triangular theory of love states that there are three components of love: passion, intimacy, and commitment, and that the various combinations of the three make up different kinds of love. Companionate and consummate love seem to be the closest comparison to the companionate love described above and fatuous love and romantic love seem to be the closest to the passionate love mentioned above. Lee’s styles of loving model also has some similarities to the basic two types of love; romantic and possessive love styles are similar to the passionate kind of love, and altruistic and companionate love styles are similar to the companionate kind of love.
I also thought the chemistry of love mentioned in our book explained companionate and passionate love in a neat, biological way (Crooks et al., 2020). The wonderful first feelings of passionate love are produced by the norepinephrine, dopamine, and PEA neurotransmitters that give us the love ‘high’. When our brain gets used to all of those chemicals, it can’t produce enough to keep us satisfied and the passionate love diminishes. Sometimes we produce endorphins that help facilitate companionate love. Pretty cool!
Reply 2 (50 words)
Unbeknownst to many, there are only three main components that are said to make up love as well as many types of love relationships. According to Sternberg’s triangular love theory, passion, intimacy, commitment, and the combination of the three are what make up love relationships. Passion is the motivation in a relationship. It includes romantic feelings, physical attraction, and desire. Intimacy is the emotional aspect that gives feelings of warmth and closeness. And lastly, commitment is the thinking component that is said to be the conscious decision to love another while maintaining a relationship over time despite conflict or the lack of in a relationship. Some love relationships will have only one component, a combination of two or more, or even lack all three components (Crooks, 2020).
Romantic love is said to be based on intimacy and passion. This type is usually in the early stages of a relationship where long term commitments have not been established and are fueled by physical attraction and excitement as well as bonding thru closeness and deep sharing of information. Companionate love is based on intimacy and commitment. This type is where the choice to love one another over time while sharing a deep connection form. There is however the lack of passion, but that does not mean this isn’t a healthy relationship. Companionate love is a relationship that is often what comes after passionate love as a relationship grows. This I often seen in marriages and long term relationships. A love that is based solely on intimacy is known as liking love. This type lacks passion or commitment. This is more of a friendship type of love as you share deep conversations but lack every other part of a love relationship. An empty love relationship is based solely on commitment. This makes me think of arranged marriage types of relationship or a business partnership per se as there is no intimacy or passion, just an agreement to make this relationship work over time. This love can change over time though as the couple gets more familiar and comfortable. Fatuous love is fueled by passion and commitment. Fatuous love is more impulsive to me and driven solely on physical attraction and a commitment while overlooking someone’s red flags or flaws. It is believed this type of love relationship often fail. Consumate love is unique and involves all three components (passion, intimacy, and commitment). It is the love relationship most strive for. There are deep feelings of physical attraction, closeness, and a decision to overcome difficulties and build the relationship. When there is an absence of all three components, it is known as non love (Crooks, 2020).
Passionate love is said to occur in the early stages of a relationship and can be described as lasting days, weeks, or months but not years. Passionate love is an extreme form of desire for another the produces sexual desire and ecstasy feelings. The more unknown their is towards a person, the greater the passion in most instances. During this stage of love, one often overlooks the flaws or red flags of a person and finds it provides complete personal fulfillment (Crooks, 2020). As I was reading the description of passionate love, I thought a lot about the relationship I am in now. It honestly started out as passionate love. We were complete strangers with no friends in common. We turned passion into a commitment early into our relationship moving in together as well. As our textbook stated, passionate love usually gives way to routine and conflicts and annoyances begin to arise. This usually ends the relationship or you can add intimacy and fulfill your commitment to the relationship. Companionate or consummate love then take over. Thankfully in my case, as we grow as a couple and work thru differences, I feel we are now more of a consummate love relationship. Our intimacy and commitment has grown and we communicate ways to facilitate passion in everyday life though it may not be the same things that brought it as in the beginning.
Discussion 2 (400 words)
Complete the prompts for Discussion 6 and contribute a response to at least two classmates. Source an online article on gender-based communication and provide a URL/link in your posting.
What is sexual communication? Why is sexual communication important in relationships and what makes it so difficult for many couples?
Using an example, discuss the differences in communication styles between individuals in relationships. What are your thoughts on the strategies provided in the text on improving sexual communication? Do you agree with them? Are there others you would add or perhaps change slightly?
Reply 1 (50 words)
Sexual communication, is when there is communication between individuals about sexual desires and consent. “Good communication about sexual desires and concerns has frequently been identified as a valuable asset to the development and maintained of a satisfying and enduring sexual relationship” (Mark& Jozkowski, 2013; Montesi et al., 2013; Yoo et al., 2014). Sexual communication is important in relationships.. for the main reason of consent but it also provides sexual satisfaction between couples and also also being essential in maintaining a happy and healthy relationship. Although, it is important that feelings are mutual between each other.
Honesty, and openness will help bring each other together and create a learning process about one another. “There is a belief that the basis for effective sexual communication is mutual empathy-the underlying knowledge that each partner in a relationship cares for another and knows that the care is reciprocated” (Crooks, 2020, pg.193). Being open when it comes to sexual communication can be difficult for couples and this can be because of fear and insecurities can come into play. Sex makes individuals vulnerable so when discussing things like this it can be difficult and cause fear and sometimes even be uncomfortable.
My thoughts on the strategies provided in the text on improving sexual communications I believe are relevant and necessary. The little things mentioned such as ‘maintaining eye contact, and being an active listener’ even these two things can make all of the difference during serious conversations. These make it known that one is truly listening and engaged. I think the strategies mentioned in the text can help improve sexual communication. If I had to add any, it would be to maintain open minded during these discussions, honesty, and not to let anything from these said conversations make oneself feel bad and discouraged.
Crooks, R. L., Baur, K. and Widman, L. (2020). Our Sexuality (14th Edition). Cengage
Reply 2 (50 words)
Crooks, 2021) Sexual communication can be defined as how individuals express their preferences regarding sex. It is important to communicate and not only establish but maintain consent in sexual experiences. Mutual consent is the foundation of ethical and desirable sexual connection. Communication about sexual needs and concerns has been identified as a valuable asset to the development and maintenance of a satisfying sexual relationship. The basis for effective sexual communication is mutual empathy, the underlying knowledge that each partner in a relationship cares for the others needs and knows that the care is reciprocated. Providing and expressing love and appreciation are important in maintaining mutual empathy. Communication of sexual desires is most successful when it is mutual involving both effective communication and active listening.
(Crooks, 2021) Communication of sexual desires and needs can be difficult for many couples as they are unsure what questions to ask, how to request these pleasures, expressing their needs without judgement, and having an active listener who understand and accepts these request. Examples to help express and communicate these needs are asking open ended questions. Talking with your partner with active listening and following up on their needs and concerns.
There are many ways in which we can communicate are sexual desires with are partner both verbally and nonverbally. Personally I prefer verbal communication over nonverbal communication. For example I would rather you tell me things you like more over other things, then continuing to do things to you that don’t fulfill your desires. I believe nonverbal communication can sometimes be perceived in the wrong ways. Facial expression and touch can be more harmful than helpful in some circumstances where verbal communication would have led to an end result of satisfaction on both sides. I believe that the most important aspect of sexual communication is active listening and applying. Oftentimes in everyday events I feel like I could talk for hours about my needs or desires and no one is even truly listening or caring of my thoughts. Not only actively listening but applying these needs your partner expresses is essential in successful sexual communication. The text express multiple valuable needs when it comes to sexual communication, I agree that we need all verbal and nonverbal to achieve these desires. Although I believe verbal is more reliable than nonverbal, sometimes nonverbal can be easily read. Some examples of nonverbal would be, like touch, kissing your partner and expressing the desire to have sex, unlike like walking up to your partner and simply saying “I want to have sex.” Although discussing our pleasures in which we desire to experience can be embarrassing and hard, I believe with the right partner it should be easy to express, learn, and understand these desires without judgment.
Crooks, R., Baur, K., & Widman, L. (2021). In Our sexuality (fourteenth, chapter, 7). essay, Cengage Learning.
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HUMAN SEXUALITY 1 is the running head.
5 HUMAN SEXUALITY
1400+ word discussion One of the sources must be the given textbook.
List the different forms of love relationships and give a brief explanation of each in your own words. Then, pick one of the relationship growth kinds and go over it thoroughly. Why did you select this topic to discuss? How do you identify with it/disagree with it?
1st response 50 words
According to Crooks et al. (2020), there are two kinds of love that can exist between romantic partners: passionate love and companionate love. Passionate love makes a person feel joyful, happy, and ecstatic every time they see their spouse. This form of love is unsustainable and short-lived because the desire fades and
