Intimacy
Emotional component of love, including feelings of closeness, warmth, openness, and affection
Passion
Sexual component of love, including, attraction, romance, excitement, and physical intensity
Commitment
The decision aspect of the relationship, the pledge to stay with a partner through good and bad
Nonverbal communication
Communication that takes place without words, mainly through body language
Metamessage
The unspoken language of a communication; the meaning behind the message, conveyed by nonverbal behavior and by situational factors such as how, when, and where the message is delivered
Assertiveness
The ability to stand up for oneself without violating other people's rights
Sex
A person's biological status as a male or female, usually established at birth by the appearance of the genitals
Intersex
A general term used for a variety of conditions when a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male
Gender
Masculine or feminine behaviors and characteristics considered appropriate for a male or female in a particular culture
Gender role
Set of behaviors and activities a person engages in to conform to society's expectations of his or her sex
Transgender
Having a sense of identity as a male or female that conflicts with one's biological sex; transgendered individuals experience absence of inappropriateness about their sex and identify strongly with the other sex
Gender identity
Internal sense of being male or female
Sexual orientation
A person's emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction to a member of the same sex, the other sex, or both
Heterosexuality
Emotional and sexual attraction to members of the other sex
Homosexuality
Emotional and sexual attraction to the members of the same sex
Bisexuality
Emotional and sexual attraction to the members of both sexes
Homophobia
Irrational fear of homosexuality and homosexuals
Cohabitation
Living arrangement in which 2 people of the opposite sex live together as un married partners
Blended families
Families in which one or both parents bring a child or children from a previous marriage
Community
A group of people connected in a way that transcends a casual attachment
Values
Set of criteria for judging what is good and bad that underlies moral decisions and behavior
Spirituality
The experience of connection to self, others, and the community at large, providing a sense of purpose and meaning
Service learning
Form of education that combines academic study with community service