MODULE 2

UNIT 1: THE PHYSICAL SELF

This unit aims to discuss the self and personal identity as impacted by the body. It
shall provide an opportunity for you to reflect on how culture and society, and possibly
genes, have shaped the way you look into your body image and develop your self-
esteem.

Let’s learn more about the Physical Self.

• WHAT IS BODY IMAGE?

• Body Image is an individual’s mental representation of his/her
own body.
• Body image influences self-esteem There are two types of body
• image:
1. Internal/ Personal - Person’s perception of the level of
attractiveness of his own body; produces either satisfying or
unsatisfying results
2. External/ Social - Sense of how other people view our bodies
What if you don’t like the way you look? That is called Body
Image Dissatisfaction.
•
Body Image Dissatisfaction occurs when there is a discrepancy
between actual (i.e. what you really look like) and ideal body
image
(i.e. what you want to look like)
•

WHAT IS BEAUTY?

There are two general types of BEAUTY:

1. External Beauty
- Physical characteristics of a person
- Usually what is considered as pleasant to the aesthetic senses

2. Inner Beauty
• Pertains to the inner qualities of a person
WHAT IS CONSIDERED BEAUTIFUL/HANDSOME?
What do you think is more attractive? Put an X mark on your answer.

____ Common physical features ____ Striking physical features

According to a study conducted by Gillian Rhodes

(2006), the correct answer to the question is common
facial features. The results of her study showed that
averageness, rather than distinctiveness, was correlated
with facial attractiveness. This means that the more
common the facial features of a person, the more
attractive that person is to others. Rhodes explained that
averageness makes a person’s face more familiar. Striking
and unusual features often make people appear strange.

WHY DOES BEAUTY MATTER?

• Aesthetic Capital refers to the privileges and wealth people receive
from aesthetic traits such as their face, hair, body, clothes, grooming
habits and other markers of beauty
• Samantha Lovascio – aesthetic traits impact our lives in matters of
modest importance (e.g. friend selection) up to matters of great
importance (e.g. career mobility). This
advertisement depicts this concept of
aesthetic capital.

• HOW DOES CULTURE INLUENCE OUR

PERCEPTION OF BEAUTY?
―All cultures everywhere have
attempted to change their body in an
attempt to meet their cultural
standards of beauty, as well as their
religious and/or social obligations” – De
Mello
• According to De Mello (2014) people
seek to conform to certain standards of
beauty through the following:
1. Body Adornment - Practice of
physically enhancing the body by
temporary means such as styling
and decorating

2. Body Modification - Temporary or

permanent physical alteration of
the body through means such as
 surgery, tattooing, piercing and the like

• De Mello explains that the Culture of Physical Improvement is what

necessitates these behaviors.
This culture pertains to the belief of people that all bodily processes
should be under our control. Additionally, this culture also trains us to be
ashamed of body parts that refuse to comply with the cultural ideal.

• e.g. A Filipina with a morena complexion becomes self-conscious when

seeing advertisements of whitening products; An elderly man saying
―pasensya na mga anak, matanda na kasi” to the people behind him
since he cannot walk any faster; A child who is disabled feels
discouraged in his P.E class since he is left out in the activities.

WHAT IS BODY SHAME?

• Lelwica clarifies that Body Shame is not a natural

response to being fat, physically impaired,
chronically sick, or old.
• It is a culturally conditioned response to a
commerciallyfabricated fantasy of physical
perfection.
• Some of the things that determine whether a
person feels ashamed of their body are the
following:
a. Popular or ‘Pop’ Culture
• A culture that is widely accepted and
patronized by the public
• Usually influences people to patronize
products endorsed by popular celebrities or products that are ‘on
trend’.
b. Media
• People that are given the most exposure are usually attractive
celebrities and models that create ideals
for men and women to admire and
emulate.
• The constant exposure pressures
individuals to conform to these
expectations
c. Hyper-mediated Society
• Presence of advertisements representing
appropriate body or skin types
• People internalize ideals presented and either attempt to conform
or resist

HOW DO ALL THESE AFFECT PEOPLE?

 Self-esteem is a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. In
relation to the concepts of body image and body image dissatisfaction, the
way people perceive and feel about their body significantly affects their self-
esteem.
• Usually people who are dissatisfied with their bodies and perceive
their physical selves as far from dominant cultural ideals, they report
having lower self-esteem.
• Puberty also plays a role in body
image. Children who
develop too fast (‘Tweeners’) or too slow
(‘Late Bloomers’) may experience an
increase or decrease in their self-esteem.

Go back to your results on the

questionnaire earlier and focus on the
Global Esteem Scale. This scale gives you
an idea of your level of self-esteem.

HOW CAN PEOPLE DEVELOP POSITIVE BODY IMAGE?

Here are a few tips to help you develop a positive body image:
1. Understand that healthy and attractive bodies come in many shapes
and sizes. 2. Physical appearance says very little about our character
or value as a person 3. Try to practice self-acceptance.
References:

Chafee, J. (2013) Who are you? Consciousness, Identity and the Self. In the Philosopher's
Way: Thinking Critically about Profound Ideas. Pearson. 106 — 169.
De Mello, M. (2014). Beautiful Bodies. Body Studies: An Introduction. Routledge.
Gillian, R. (2006) The Evolutionary Psychology of Facial Beauty. Annual Review of
Psychology. 57, 199-226.
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Society and the adolescent
selfimage. Princeton, NJ: Princeton
Salvacion, V., Quillope, A., Tunac R., and Borja, E. (2018). Understanding the Self. Nieme
Publishing House Co. Ltd., Rm. 413 Villasi Mansion, N. Domingo St., Brgy. Kunlaran,
Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines.
UniversityPress.http://fetzer.org/sites/default/files/images/stories/pdf/selfmeasures/Self_
Measures_for_Self-Esteem_ROSENBERG_SELF-ESTEEM.pdf