According to him Philosophy must obtain practical results for the greater wellbeing

Ethics, also called moral philosophy, the discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad of society.
and morally right and wrong. The term is also applied to any system or theory of moral values or For Socrates the acquisition of wisdom through” KNOWING ONE’S SELF.
principles.

Module 1 But the philosophers insisted that knowing oneself is more than just the basic
facts.
LESSONS AND COVERAGE:
To know thyself is first an imperative and then requirement.
Lesson 1: Socrates, Plato, St. Augustine
Lesson 2: Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant It is imperative to know the limits of the self so that one knows what one is capable
Lesson 3: Freud, Ryle, Churland, Merleau-Ponty of doing and what one is not.

EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME: The real meaning of knowing thyself, then, is a requirement for self-moderation,
Lesson 1: Articulate the various philosophical views about the self prudence, good judgment, and excellence of the soul. (careful judgement that
Lesson 2: Examine one’s thoughts and experiences allows someone to avoid danger or risks).
Lesson 3: Propose an answer to the question “Who am I?”
“know thyself” or “self-control”. This means that the greeting is not only an
CHAPTER 1
imperative of self-knowledge but is also a requirement that one has to have self-
THE SELF FROM THE VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE moderation
A.Philosophy
KNOWING THE SELF
1. Socrates, Plato and Augustine
 IMPERATIVE (a request, demand) to know the limits of the self
The dictum “Know Thyself” as we hear today is an ancient greeting of the highly  REQUIREMENT (ought to do, allows someone to avoid danger or risks) for
civilized Greeks. It was believed that the temple gods greet the people with this self-moderation, prudence, and excellence of the soul.
salutation as they enter the holy sanctuary. The ancient Greek philosophers
 -The unexamined life is not worth living”. This is perhaps the most satisfying
manifested to the people their various interpretations of the greeting.
philosophical assertion that Socrates claimed in order to protect human
beings from the shallowness of living their lives.
For ancient Greek the soul is the essence of the person.
 An examined life is a life that is duty bound to develop self-knowledge and
In the consent, the greeting may seem to be the only epistemological. Knowing self-dignified with values and integrity. Not only that; living a good life
oneself is only about measurable facts that pertain to the self, such as age, height, means having the wisdom to distinguish what is right from wrong.
 Socrates further argued that the unexamined life is no better off than animal
color, blood type or cholesterol level.
life.

SOCRATES  PLATO
Influenced by the wise pronouncements of Socrates, Plato proposed his own
He was: 1. a scholar 2. teacher 3, philosopher
He influences countless of thinker throughout generations. philosophy of the self. He started on the examination of the self as a unique
1
experience. The experience will eventually better understand the core of the To St. Augustine, man’s end goal is happiness. Only in God can man
self which he called the “Psyche” pronounce “syki” attain true and eternal happiness, made possible in his contemplation of the
truth and the divine wisdom.
For Plato, the psyche is composed of three elements
2. Descartes, Locke, Hume and Kant
 The appetitive element of the psyche includes one’s desires, pleasures,
physical satisfactions, comforts, etc.
 The spirited element is part of the psyche that is excited when given Rene Descartes, the father of modern philosophy, deviated from the
challenges or fights back when agitated, or fights for justice when unjust theocentric philosophies on the years before him. He was in fact able to
practices are evident. In a way, this is the hot –blooded part of the psyche. readdress the question concerning the self in a very different rational
 The mind, however, refers to the element as “the nous” reason which
means the conscious awareness of the self, the superpower that controls the method. He started his quest of discovering the self by his methodic doubt.
affairs of the self, it decides, analyses, think ahead, proposes what is best,
and rationally controls both the appetitive and spirited elements of the Descartes claimed that we cannot really rely on our senses because our
psyche. senses perceptions can often deceive us. There are times when we hear
something when in fact there is nothing that resembles with what we
thought we saw. This will be true to our senses of smell, touch, hearing and
St. Augustine so on. Therefore, Descartes refused to believe in the certainty to his sense
perceptions and started to doubt everything.
Another concrete example of a highly self-controlled nous is the z of
Augustine. He hailed from Tagaste, Africa in 354 B. He succumbed to vices He claimed that since he could no longer doubt that he is doubting, there
and pleasures of the world. Augustine was unsettled and restlessly searched should be a level of certitude that there must be someone who is doubting-
for the meaning of his life until his conversion to Christianity. In his that’s him. Then he said “Cogito, ergo Sum.” This is translated as “I think
confessions, he pronounced: You have made us Yourself, O Lord, and our therefore I am” or “I doubt therefore I exist.” Only after the certitude of
hearts are restless until it finds rest in You. the “doubting I” can all the other existence.

The development of the self of St. Augustine is achieved through self- For Descartes, the existence of the self is human rationality. Simply put, we
presentation and self-realization. He was not afraid to accept to himself and need reason in order to evaluate our thoughts and actions. We need reason
tell the people about this sinfulness. However the realization of the wasted to live fully the demands, challenges and call of our religion. We need
self is achieved through his conversion to the faith. Thus his journey toward reasons in order to exist and to continue to survive the generations to come.
the understanding of the self was centered on his religious convictions and
beliefs. John Locke, suggested another way of looking at the self. Locke
opposed the idea that only reason is the source of knowledge of the self. His
proposition is that the self is comparable to an empty space where every
day experiences contribute to the pile of requirement on order to have sense
2
data which, through the process of reflection and analysis eventually tingling sensation” or “I refuse to cheat because that’s wrong.” Admittedly,
becomes sense perception. the question “Who am I?” will not provide a victorious unified answer but a
complicated diverse features of moral judgments, inner sensation, bodily
Challenging the position of John Locke, movements and perceptions. The “I” will never be the same and it will
continue to change overtime. In other words, Freud sees the “I” as a
David Hume, a Scottish philosopher and historian, put forward his product of multiple interacting processes, systems and schemes. To
skeptical take on the ideas forming the identity of the self. Hume claimed demonstrate this, Freud proposed two models: The Topographical and
that there cannot be a persisting idea of the self. While Hume agreed that all structural Models (Watson, 2014)
ideas are derived from impressions, problematically, it follows that the idea
of the self is also derived from impressions. However, impressions are
subjective, temporary, provisional, prejudicial and even skewed-and
Topographical Model. According to Freud’s concept of hysteria, the
therefore cannot be persisting.
individual person may both know and do not know certain things at the
same time. We may say, for example, that we know the advantage and perils
Immanuel Kant a Prussian metaphysicist who synthesized the
of missing classes without any reason, but we are not sure why we still do it
rationalist view of Descartes and the empiricist views of Locke and Hume.
anyway. We are certain about the many wrongs that may be brought about
His new philosophy the Transcendental Unity of Apperception.
by premarital sex, ie. Early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections,
Kant theory explains that being or the self is not in the body, it is outside ruined relationships and depression, but we never understand why there is
the body and even outside the qualities of the body.-meaning this something somewhere inside us that makes many of us do what we
transcendental. Kant ideas are perceived by the self, and they are know is wrong.
connecting the self and the world. The similarity of ideas between
Freud’s solution to this predicament is to divide the “I’ into concious and
individuals is made possible because for Kant, we all have the sensory
the unconcious. The unconcious keeps what it knows by what Freud calls
apparatus by which we derive our ideas. This means we need not reject our
“censorship” so that the concious will be left on its own. Clearly, the self for
ideas, unlike Hume, no matter how temporary and non-persistent they are
Freud will never be arbitrarily taken as a unified whole. There will always be
because there is unity in ideas.
fragments and discontinuity and struggle inside the same “I”.
3. Freud, Ryle, Churchland and Merleau-Ponty Structural Model. Similar to the disintegration of the self in Topographical
Just as the philosophers celebrate the “unity” of the self as achieved by Model, Freud’s Structural Model will also represents the self in the three
Kant, psychologist Sigmund Freud lamented the victory and insisted on the different agencies. This is popularly known as the id, ego and the
complexity of the self. Freud, refusing to take the self or subject as technical superego. The id is known as the primitive or instinctive component.
terms, regarded the self as the “I” that ordinarily constitute both the The ego desccribed by Freud as the part of the id which has been modified
mental and physical action. So we say “I run”, “I eat”, ”I decide”, I feel the by the direct infuence of the external world. Many interpreters of freud see
3
the ego as the “I” and the super ego as “above I”. The super ego Sunday ritual of going to Mass. He is raised with plenty of time to work and
synthesizes the morals, values and system in society in order to function as play and study. He is sent to an expensive private school until he found
the control, outpost of the instinctive desires of the id (McLeod, 2007) himself kicked out by the school because of drug addiction and cutting
classes. He steals the family fortune to afford his vices. He destroyed many
Three parts of personality according to Sigmund Freud
lives of his friends. He disrespects his parents and siblings and accuse them
Id- act to satisfy oneself
the idea that all of your needs should be met immediately, The little devil of not loving him. He ended up broke, wasted, imprisoned and a menace to
Ego- decides what is right from wrong society.
“You” as the person know what is wrong or right.
Super ego- the decision maker.  Now we ask: Where is the self? How can we understand the “I” in this
Your view of what is right, example? What is it in the self that was not able to control the piles of
Conscience your view what is considered wrong. self-destructive activities of the child? What is it in the experiences of
the child that made him deviant of the otherwise ideal upbringing?
How can we know? Freud’s claim that there is nothing else above the
We often equate the ego as the self, the subject or the “I”. However, Freud “I” that will consolidate the three agencies .There is only the plurality
does not readily approve this equation because while the three agencies are of these antagonistic and independent agencies.
distinct from one another, oftentimes, the ego is not able to control the
In an attempt to offer an explanation to some behaviors that are difficult to
instincts of the id, and cannot even manipulate the thoughts of the
justify by reason, Gilbert Ryle, a British philosopher, proposed his Positive
superego. This even leaves the ego as only a marginal and impotent agency
View in his “Concept of the Mind”. It started as a stern critique of
of the mind-not the ideal philosophical self or soul that we want to figure
descartes’ dualism of the mind and body. Ryle said that the thinking I will
out. Freud remarked that it is even the id- this devil, instinctual,
never be found because it is just a “ghost in the machine.” It means he
unthoughtful, fearless and primitive agency of the mind- that is the core of
finds the philosophy of Descartes totally absurd. The mind is never
our being (Freud, 2011). The sensationalization of the self as unifying agent
separate from the body. He proposed that physical actions of behaviors are
and a powerful command center of the other agencies simply do not exist in
dispositions of the self. These dispositions are derived from our inner private
Freud’s Structural Model. Although the ego initiates the command, it simply
experiences. In other words, we will only be able to understand the self
lacks the power to control and put limits to the range of the id. Moreover,
based from the external manifestation-behaviors, expressions, language,
the ego will only content itself with the limited information revealed by the
desires and the like. The mind therefore, is nothing but a disposition of
vast databank of information in the concious which oftentimes are
the self.
incomplete and inaccurate.
Ryle continued that the mind will depend on how words are being told and
Let us take a hypothetical example of a child who is born in a happy, loving
expressed and delivered. In a way, he demystified the operation of the mind
and affluent family. He is well provide by his well-mannered parents who
because the operations of the mind are simply manifested by the disposition
are respected professionals in their fields. The family never misses the
4
of knowing and believing. To illustrate this position, we take the visitor on a might as well go for MRI scan or CT Scan to understand the present
tour around the city. We bring him to the City Hall, to the park, to the condition of the brain and how it currently works.
known schools, to big malls, to beautiful gardens, to night life venues, to the
Interestingly, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, a French philosopher, seemed to
known landmarks and to your house. After the tour, your visitor will ask:
support the emerging trends in understanding the self. His philosophy, the
Where is the City? All those parks malls and places consist the city. This
Phenomenology of Perception draws heavily from the contemporary
same observation is true to the disposition of the mind. All the
research Gestalt psychology and neurology. He developed a kind of
manifestations in physical activities or behavior are the disposition of the
phenomenological rhythm that will explain the perception of the self. The
mind. All the manifestation in physical activities or behavior are the
rhythm involves three dimensions. First is the empiricist take on
dispositions of the self, the basis of the statement; “I act therefore I am” or
perception, followed by the idealist-intellectual alternative, and lastly,
“You are what you do”.
the synthesis of both positions.
Bringing this argument a little further, couple Paul and Patricia
On the onset, Merleau-Ponty rejected classical empiricism because it
Churchland promoted the position they called “eliminative materialism
eliminates the indeterminate complexities of experience that may have an
which brings forth neuroscience into the force of understanding the self. For
effect on perception. In the same way, he also rejected the idealist-
centuries, the main concern of philosophy and even of psychology is the
intellectual position because it will only falsify perception based from one’s
understanding of the state of the self, and still they failed to provide
biases and prejudices. What Merleau-Ponty proposes is treating
satisfactory position in the understanding of the self. For the churchlands
perception as a casual process. It simply means that our perceptions are
these philosopical and psychological directions will eventually be abandoned
caused by the intricate experiences of the self, and processed intellectually
only to be replaced by a more acceptable trend in neuroscience that
while distinguishing truthful perceptions from illusory. Therefore the self is
provides explanation of how the brain works.
taken as a phenomenon of the whole-a Gestalt understanding of perceptual
synthesis.

This position is a direct attack against folk psychology. Eliminative In closing, this section through historical approach. In the Ancient and
materialism sees the failure of folk psychology in explaining basic concepts Medieval times, we have identified the self as the perfection of the soul. To
such a sleep, learning, mental illness and the like. Given the length of the achieve this requires self-examination and self-control. In moderned period,
time that these sciences have investigated these concepts and yet there is understanding the self is recognized in the dialectic synthesis between
no definitive explanation offered to understand the mind is tantamount to Rationalism and Empiricism. Contemporary philosophy takes a wide variety
“explanatory poverty”(Weed,2018). It is not remotely impossible that folk of theories in understanding the self.
psychology will be replaced by neurobiology. As the Churchlands wanted to
In the end we realize that we are not yet done in answering the question “
predict, when people wanted to ask what is going on with themselves, they
Who am I” although we already have achieved a lot in our philosophical

5
reflections about it, We continue our quest for understanding the who we a. expression c. impression
really are. b. moderation d. judgement
3. For ancient Greek the______________ is the essence of the person.
a. body c. mind
b. soul d. heart
4. It is very important because such will bring the person to the
excellence of the soul.
a. ethics in knowing thyself c. norms in knowing thyself
b. moral in knowing thy self d. rights in knowing thyself

5. The most satisfying philosophical assertion that socrates claimed

inorder to protect human beings from the shallowness of living their
lives.
Enrichment Activities
a.The unexamined life is not worth living c. What is Love?
b.What is beauty? d.what you do reflects who you are

6. It is the psyche that includes one’s desires, pleasures, physical

satisfactions and comforts.
Name:_______________________________________________________ a.appetitive element c.psyche
Score:________________ b.spirited element d.element
Course and Year:____________________________________________
7. It is the part of the psyche that is excited when given challenges, or
Date:_________________
fights back when agitated.
Test 1: Multiple Choices: Circle the letter of the best answer. a.appetitive element c.spirited
element
1. Which of the following is the ancient greetings of the highly civilized b.spirit d. mind
Greeks.
a. know Thyself c. Me, Myself and I 8. He died in 430 and later was declared Doctor of the church.
b. Who am I d. You and I a.socrates c.St.
2. It is an ethical requirement to be wise in choosing moderation, and to Augustine
be able to make good judgments in desiring what is good in avoiding b.Descartes d.Hume
that will bring harm.

6
 9. According to St. Augustine the man’s end goal is_______________. Stability of one’s self-identity is no longer based on pre-given traditional
a.money c. power broad definition of the self.
b.happiness d.eternal life
Clifford Geertz (1973) believes that the struggle for one’s individuality is only
10. The father of modern philosophy who started his quest of possible in modern society where religion-theological traditions are
discovering the self by his methodic doubt. gradually replaced by rational and scientific calculations; and the intimate
a.Rene Descartes c. Plato personal affiliations are replaced by exceedingly impersonal associations
b.David Hume d.Lock brought about by urbanized way of life. Modernization or the destruction of
the traditonal way of life “delicalizes” the self. This poses certain problem as:

1. The newfound freedom treatens the very authenticity of the self (e.g.
Module 2 love).
2. Alienation (Marx)- human beings haunted by the very images they
LESSONS AND COVERAGE: have created
3. Objectification of the body (e.g. medical practice)
Lesson 1: Sociological Views of the Self
Lesson 2: Mead and the Social Self: Mead’s Theory of the Self 4. Dehumanization of the self

Solution: For the individual to discover the “true” and “authentic” part of
EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME: himself/herself to realize his/her potentials, there is a need to abolish
repressive social constraints.
Lesson 1: Examine the sociological views of the self
Lesson 2: Discuss Mead’s theory of the self 1.2 Self as Necessary Fiction

Self for Nietzsche, is the sum of individual’s action, thoughts and feelings.
B. Sociology Self is nothing more than a metaphor, a representation of something
abstact; symbolic. It is possible for us to remember something even if we
1. Sociological views of the self
have not experienced it. Self has a continuity even if it is only in memory i.e,
1.1 The Self as Product of Modern Society Among Others either heard or witnessed which did not happen to you. A tue given self is
not what unites these experiences, but it is the presumed unity of these
With modernization, the self becomes a “delocalized” self which is free to experiences that gave rise to a concept of the self.
seek its own identity; defining religion, theological tradition: free from
customary constraints hence, deviating from the traditional way of life. 1.3 Post-modern View of the Self

7
Self as a narrative, a text written and rewitten. Self is a story. It is dynamic. redescribing one’s self is just a way of reinterpreting and redescribing one’s
Self is a product of modern discourse that is historically and socially past.
imprisoned by what is acceptable by norms, etc. Self in post modernity is
1.5 Self Creation and Collective Identity
complicated by electronic mediated virtual interaction of cyber self such as
change in appearance (in the cyberspace). According to N. Green, self is Memories (photograps, videos) play significant role in creating the self and
“digitalized” in cyberspace, a virtual version of who we are. The self is seen identity. Memory and forgetting are the most important powers in
in website or social media-face book, twitter, instagram, etc. recreating a person’s identity. Such memories of the past include pain,
triumph, etc. Such experinces of the past can be linked with social
The following are the manifestations:
transformation.
1. Information technogy dislocates the self, thus, self is “digitalized” in
Another important aspect of this view of the self is that self creation is
cyberspace.
formed within “imagined communities”. Selves obtain their nature from
2. Global migration produces multicultural identities.
cultural traditions, embodied in various social institutions. These are
3. Post-modern selves are “pluralized” selves.
preseved in a collective narrative which becomes the reservoir for the project
Social Construction of the Self: of self-creation. Self creation along cultural lines must be done in maximum
cultural recognition of differences among and between individuals and
Self is not discovered; it is made through the socialization process. BUT,
cultural groups.
individuals are not just hapless victims of socialization. The individual is an
active, strategizing agent that negotiates for the definition of himself. (“Ikaw 1.6 Self Creation and the struggle for cultural recognition
ang gumagawa ng kung ano ka”). Self is acquired socially through language,
This is a challenge of self-identity amidst recognition of racial and ethnic
like symbols. We construct ourselves based on our social roles through
identities. Self creation is necessarily grounded on collective solidarities. We
socialization agents-family, school, community, etc. create ourselves by struggling with cultural hassles then owning the created
self. We hide the ugly part of our cultural nature. We learn to adjust.
1.4 Rewriting the Self as an Artistic Creation

Nietzsche states that the unity of the self is not pre-given but accomplished Beyond Self Creation
through concious effort – transform self through beautiful work of art.
The quest or search for self-identity is a product of modern society but this
Individuals must fashion, care for and cultivate themselves. We can create is complicated by the socio-cultural sensibilities of postmodernity, new
ourselves to get hold of the present, forgive the past and plan the future. information technologies and globalization, reconfiguring ourselves as to
gender, sex, ethonocity, and creating one’s own style, signature.
Rorty: contingencies of selfhood – conceal the “ugly” by reinterpreting the
overall aesthetic contours of the self. This does not mean that by rewriting
the narrative of herself she will discover something deep about herself…..
8
Yet the project of creation is embedded within imagined communities. The The “I” is the response to the “me”, or the persons individuality. It is the
self constantly lives in this paradox: to pursue self creation within pre-given, essence of agency of human action. So, in effect the “me” is the self as
not willfully chosen social circumstances. object, while the “I” is the self as subject (Crossman , 2017)

In other words, the “I” is the response of individual to the attitudes of

2. Mead’s Theory of Self others, while the “me” is the accumulated understanding of the “generalized
other”, e.g. how one thinks one’s group perceive oneself. The “I” is the
George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) is an American sociologist best known as individual’s impulses. The “I” is the self as subject; the “me” is the self as
a founder of American pragmatism, a pioneer of symbolic interaction theory, object. The “I” is the knower, the “me” is the known. The mind, or stream of
and as one of the founders of social psychology. thought, is the reflective movements of the interaction between the “I” and
the “me”. This dynamic go beyond selfhood in a narrow sense, and form the
Mead’s theory of the self maintains that the conception a person holds of basis of a theory of human cognition. For Mead the thinking process is the
himself/herself in his his/her mind emerges from social interaction with internalized dialogue between the “I” and the “me”.
others. This is, in effect, a theory and argument against biological
deteranminism because it holds that the self is neither initially there at Understood as a combination of the “I” and the “me” Mead’s self proves to be
birth nor necessarily at the beginning of a social interaction, but is effect, a noticeably entwined within a sociological existence. For Mead, existence in a
theory and argument against biological determinism because it holds that community comes before individual conciousness. First one must
the self is neither initially there at birth nor necessarily at the beginning of participate in the different social positions within society and only
social interaction, but is constructed and re-constructed in the process of subsequently can one use that experience to take the perspective of others
social experience and activity. and become self-concious (Boundless, 2016).

The self, according to Mead, is made of two components: the “I and the 2.1 Meads Three Stages of development of Self
“me”. The “me” represents the expectations and attitudes of others ( the
Stage 1: The Preparatory Stage
“generalized other”) organized into a social self. The individuals defines his
or her own behavior with reference to the generalized attitude of the social The first is the preparatory Stage. The preparatory stage starts from the
group(s) he/she occupies. When the individual can view himself or herself time we are born until we are about at age two. In this stage, children mimic
from the standpoint of the generalized other, self-conciousness in the full those around them. This is why parents of young children typically do not
sense of the term is attained. From this standpoint, the generalized other want to use foul language around them (Rath, 2016). If the two year old
( internalized in the “me”) is the major instrument of social control, for it is child can “read”, what he or she has most likely done is memorized the book
the mechanism by which the community exercise control over the conduct that he had been read to him or her. In a noontime TV show, Vic Sotto,
of its individual members. Allan K., Jose manalo, use quite foul language like “bwesit”, “bastos!”, “sira
ulo”, and so is the language of the child who hears them. Does he or she

9
have any idea of what he/she is saying or doing? No. He/She is mimicking. The concept of the looking-glass self states that part of how we see
He/She in the preparatory stage. If he/she had been an older child, the ourselves from our perception of how others see us (Cooley, 1902)
scene in the segments of the shoe would cease to have any humor. It works
According to the American sociologist Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929),
because he/she doesn’t understand the meaning behind his/her words,
the degree of personal insecurity you display in social situations is
actions,or tone voice.
determined by what you believe other people think of you. Cooley’s concept
Stage 2: The Play Stage of the looking glass self, states that a person’s self grows out of a person’s
social interactions with others. The view of ourselves comes from the
From about age two to six, children are in the play stage. During the play
contemplation of personal qualities and impressions of how others perceive
stage, children play pretend and do not adhere to the rules in organized
us. Actually, how we see ourselves does not come from who we really are,
games like patentero, or basketball (Rath, 2016). Playing a game with
but rather from how we believe others see us (Isaksen, 2013)
children of this age is far easier to just go with any “rules” upon them.
Playing the never-ending chinese garter with girls still do not actually have Sometimes, the influence of other peoples’ appraisals of ourdselves-concept
one specific set of rules the same as last time played, and yet they still play may be so strong that we end up internalizing them. For example, we are
the game while adhering to these rules. During this stage, children play often labeled in particular ways by others, perhaps informally in terms of
“pretend” as the significant other. This means that when they play “bahay- ethnic background or more formally in terms of a physical or psychological
bahayan”, they are literally pretending to be the mommy or the daddy that diagnosis. The labeling bias occurs when we are labeled, and others’ views
they know. and expectations of us are affected by that labeling (Fox &Stinnett, 1996).
For example, if a teacher knows that a child has been diagnosed by a
Stage 3: The Game Stage
particular psychological disorder, that teacher may have different
The third stage is the game stage, which is from about age seven onwards. expectations of the child’s behavior than he or she would if not aware of that
In this stage, children can begin to understand and adhere to the rules of label. Where things get really interesting for our present discussion is when
games. They can begin to play the formalized games because they begin to those expectation start to become self-fulfilling prophecies, and our self-
understand other people’s perspective – or the perspective of generalized concept and even our behavior starts to align with them. For example, when
other. In this stage, when children play “pretend” they may still play “bahay- children are labelled in special education contexts, these label can then
bahayan”, but are pretending to a mommy or a daddy independent of the impact their self-esteem (Taylor, Hume, & Welsh, 2010)
one that resides in their home. The generalized others refers to the
If we are repeatedly labeled and evaluated by others, then self-labeling may
viewpoint of the social group at large. The child begins taking this
occur, which happens when we adopt others’ labels explicitely into our self
perspective into account during this stage (Rath, 2016).
concept. The effects of this self-labeling on our self-esteem appear to depend
2.2The Looking –Glass Self: Our Sense of Self is Influenced by Others’ very much on the nature of the labels. Labels used in relation to diagnosis
Views of Us of psychological disorders can be detrimental to people who then internalize

10
them. For example, Moses (2009) found that the adolescents who self- ( Festinger, 1954)
labeled according to diagnosis they had receive where found to have higher
Social comparison occurs primarily on dimension on which there are no
levels of self-stigma in their sel–concepts compared with those who
correct answer or objective benchmarks and thus on which we can rely on
described their challenges in non-pathological terms. In this type of
the beliefs of others for information. Answer to question such as “What
situation, those who self label may come to experience internalized
should I wear to the interview?” or “What kind of music should I have at my
prejudice, which occurs when idividuals turn prejudice directed toward by
wedding?” are frequently determined at least in part using the behavior of
them by others onto themselves. Internalized prejudice has been found to
others as a basis of comparison to help us determine our skills or abilities-
predict more negative self-concept and poorer psychological adjustment in
how good we are at performing a task or doing a job, for example. When
members of various groups, including sexual minorities (Carter, 2012) and
students ask their teacher for the class average on an exam, they are also
racial minorities (Szymanski & Obiri, 2011).
seeking to use social comparison to evaluate their performance.
In other cases, labels used by wider society to describe people negatively can
be positive reclaimed by those being labeled. Galinsky and colleagues (2013)
explore this use of self-labeling by members of oppressed groups to reclaim
derogatory terms, including “queer” and “bitch” used by dormant groups.
ASSESSMENT
After self-labeling, nimority group members evaluated these terms less
negatively, reported feeling more powerful, and were also percieved by
Name:______________________________________________________Score:________
observers as more powerful. Overall, these results intricate that individuals
____________
who incorporate a formerly negative label into their self-concept in order to
reclaim it can sometimesundermine the stigma attached to the label. Course and
Year:___________________________________________Date:_____________________
2.3 Social Comparison Theory: Our Sense of Self Is
Influenced by Comparisons with Others Test 1: Multiple Choices. Encircle the letter of your chosen answer.

Self-concept and self-esteem are also heavily influenced by the process of

social comparison (Buunk & Gibbons, 2007). Social comparison occur 1. It represents the self as subject, and the individual’s impulses.
when learn about our abilities and skills, about our relative social status by a. “I” b. “me” c. “You” d. “ We”
comparing our own attitudes, beliefs and behavior with those of others. These
comparisons can be with people who we know and interact with, with those 2. In this stage, children can begin to understand and adhere to the
whom we read about or see on TV, or with anyone else we view as rules of games.
important. However, the most meaningful comparisons we make tend to be a. Game b. language c. play d.
with those we see as similar to ourselves preparatory
11
 b. Prejudice d. discrimination
3. He is known for his concept of looking- glass self.
a. Cooley b. Mead c. Erikson d. Freud 10. This occur when we learn about our skills and ability, about the
appropriateness and validity of our opinion, and about our relative
4. This occurs when one is labeled, and other’ views and expectations of social status.
an individual are affected by that labeling. a. Social comparison c. sense of self
a. Internalized prejudice c. Self Labeling b. Performance d. development of self
b. Labeling bias d. social comparison
5. This occur when individuals turn prejudice directed toward them by
others onto themselves.
a. Internalized prejidice c. self labeling
b. Labeling bias d. social comparison

6. The self is the sum of individual’s action, thoughts and feelings.This

Module 3
statement is according to;
a. Geertz c. Nietzsche LESSONS AND COVERAGE:
b. Marx d. Mead
Lesson 1: Anthropology
Lesson 2: The Self and Person in Contemporary Anthropology
7. Plays significant role in creating the self and identity.
Lesson 3: The Self Embedded in Culture
a. Memories c. games
b. Accident d. friends
EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME:
8. The degree of personal insecurity you display in social situation is
determined by what you believe other people think of you. This is Lesson 1: Expore the anthropological view of the self
according to; Lesson 2: Discuss the personality of the self in contemporary anthropology
Lesson 3: examine the self embedded in culture
a. Cooley c. Horton
b. Meads d. Gibbons
C. Anthropology
9. This occurs when we are labeled, and others’ views and expectations
of us are affected by that labeling. 1. Anthropology
a. Internalized prejudice c. labeling bias

12
Anthropology is the study of all the aspects of human condition. This Culture is traditionally defined as systems of human behavior and thought.
includes human history, the present human condition, and even the futture This cover all customs, traditions and capabilities of humans as
possibilities. It also examines the biology, interactions in society, language theyfunction in society. In other words, cultures are those complex
and specially cuture. Anthropology explores the interconnectedness and structure of knowledge , beliefs, arts, religion, morals, law, language,
interdependence of human cultural experiences in all places and ages. This traditional practices and all other aspects needed by humans to function in
kind of broad and holistic perspective of anthropological inquiry equips the society.
anthropologists the ascendancy in explaining human nature (Havilland et.
al., 2014). Cultureis symbolic. When our ancestors learned to use tools and symbols
to originate meaning of significant events of life and society, those tools and
How does anthropology exolain human nature? What is the anthropological symbols become an integral part of the culture. The burial sites, ancestral
concept of the self? The self is both a biological and a cultural entity. The homes, landmarks of significant and historical events, the rituals,
traditional anthropological understanding of the self is that the self is an customary actions and even some natural phenomena are all part of one’s
animal specie which underwent the process of biological evolution and has culture. In the words of Geertz, C. (1973), culture is “a historically
shared himcharacteristics with other living animals, the hominids, in transmitted pattern of meanings embodied in symbols, a symbols, a system
particular. The self is believed to have evolved from apes some 33 million of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which
years ago and in the evolutionary process the self traced his/her origin from men communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about their
hominid species “homo sapiens”. Since the self has better development in attitudes towards life”. The “embodiment in symbols” of cultural elements
terms of brain with billion neurons, and adaption to the environment for describes both an attitude of our body to incorporate new and different
survival, the self develops a culture resulting in behavioral changes. The self expressive operative ways. (thomas Csordas, 1999).
is a living animal but superior to other animalsdue to certain factors,
namely: a.)physical aspects (self as the only animal with a larger brain Culture therefore, is learned and is very much integrated in one’s customs
capacity making him/her a rational animal; the only animal that can stand and beliefs. It is engrained in the pattern and systems of one’s life. Hence, if
straight allowing him/her to have better mobility in doing things,etc., culture considers all aspects and elements of the sef, people must be on
b.)social aspects (self uses language and symbol in dynamic, complicated guard that culture can be adaptive or maladaptive. On the one hand,
and yet systematic manner allowing him/her to communicate, and preserve communities shall continue to asses wether the practices, rituals and
history, knowledge, culture, etc.; can cooperate with others in a systematic customary actions are still relevant and still beneficial to the development of
manner in larger cooperation; and invents new things fofr survival) the community. Adaptive culture shall continue to manifest the key central
values that the individual and the community want to demonstrate. On the
Now, let us examine the twovery important concepts in anthropology before other hand, communities may also try to get rid of the cultural practices
we discuss futher about the self, the contemporary self. These concepts are that will only extinguish the identity and good will of the community.
culture and enculturation

13
In order to do this, we have to understand the concept of enculturation. These rearing practices are the key to the development of the neuromotor
Broadly defined, enculturation is the transmission of culture from one functions of the child and this neuromotor circuity is fundamental in the
generation to the next. Unlike biological hereditary transmission, cultural information of self-awareness.
transmission is done through observation, use of language, adaptation to
environment, rituals, and formal and informal education. Every member of 1.1 Self-awareness
the community will then distinguish themselves from other communities
Anthropology defines self-awareness as “that which permits one to assume
because of the differences in the way people do things in their lives.
responsibility for one’s own conduct, to learn how to react to others, and to
2.The Self and Person in Contemporary Anthropology assume a variety of roles” (Haviland, 2003). It has been observed that the
child starts to conceptualized much earlier by children sleeping with
The anthropological self takes a holistic dimension of the individual person. parents and are exposed to a variety of stimuli like touch and the like.
It consider both the biological and environmental aspects of the person. The Stimulation is than with the children with less stimulation. This is
genetic component plays a significant role in the cultural development of an particularly advantageous for us Filipinos because most of the time our
individual. Anthropologist even suggest that the genes of the person living in cultural practice is to sleep with our parents until at least school age.
a particular community are already anecessary component for the
encuturation of the person. In the same way, environmental exposure is Following the faster process of enculturation and self-awareness is the
also a vital component in the creation of the cultural self. Some importance of attachment of positive values necessary for adult life. Parents,
anthropologist claim that environmental exposure starts soon after birth. immediate family and the community play avital role in the development of
However, contemporary anthropologist suggest that the environment the child’s values. What the child obseves from what the adults are doing or
exposure starts during conception. The child inside the mother’s womb thinking will more likely be adapted and imitated by the child. However, in
already hears the language, tastes the food and feels the mother’s emotion. the continued process of self-awareness the child will eventually develop his
These experiences then are solidified as soon as the child is born. or her own identity. This identity is further intensified by a practice
common to all cultures – the naming .
The growing years of a child is very crucial in anthropological perspective.
This is the time when the childs develop the psychological construct of Naming individualizes a person. It gives a person his/her own unique
dependency or independency. In many western cultures where traits, experiences personality, identity and status. The later, however, gives
independence is the cultural emphasis, the child is usually provide with a the person’s name its place as a member of the group. The person’s name is
room and is trained to be independent by giving less physical contact from also a symbol of one’s status in the community. Its either gives you honor or
parents or carers. On the contrary, in most part of Asia and Africa, children stigma. The person’s name is at the same time project in progress. The self
are reared in close contact with parents, especially the mother, thus that bears the name continues to establish an identity of the name in the
developing the sense of dependence on significant others and the immediate community.
community (like the family).
1.2 Self and Behavioral Environment
14
In order to strengthen the identity of the self. One must be able to grasp the concept of time is practiced, the self must be able to adjust to this temporal
different behavioral orientations. These are concepts that will help situate orientation.
the self in different behavioral condiions. The four fundamental orientations
are: object orientation, spatial orientation, temporal orientation, and The last example is better expalined in normative orientation. Normative
normative orientation. orientation provides the self with the grasp of accepted norms in the
community. Being on time is generally accepted norm in communal
Object orientation positions the self in relation to the surrounding objects. activities. In communities where punctuality is considered a value, being on
The self should be able to act responsively to the cultural objects around. time is already a charitable gesture. Likewise, normative orientation is at
Take for example the T’boli, an indigenous group from South Cotabato. The the same time providing the self and idea of behaviors which are not
learn to respect the trees, the lakes, the falls and the animals of the forest. acceptable in the community. The self at a very early age must have known
They believe of the spirit of the forest hence they consider the woods as a that killing, stealing hurting others and the like are behaviors that should
holy ground where no leaf shall be turn as one walks through. be avoided.

Spatial orientation provides the self with personal space in relation to other 3.The Self Embedded in Culture
people orthings. In our earlier example, the individualistic society where
independence is of utmost importance, personal space is also emphasized. When the self is able to distinguish what is acceptable behavior and what is
not, it only follows that the self is already able to recognize the differences of
Whereas in the communal society where interdependence is strongly one’s self and the other. The ability to manage the differences between
developed, personal space is more likely lessed it is however important to selves is what makes the self-embedded in culture. Psychological
note that the self must be able to keep personal space. It would be a deviant anthropologists recognize the thin line that distinguishes the cultural self
behavior to any community when a person intrudes the personalspace of and the “actual self”. The latter includes all the feelings, thoughts,
the other. experiences, biological and physiological constitutions, language and
memory, however the actual self is also being shaped by all these same
Temporal orientation endows the self with the sense of time. Time is truly elements and more. Therefore what remains in this distinction is the solid
relevant to cultural communities.in the Filipino philosophy, time is seen as identity of the self in relation to everything else.
spherical ( unlike the western concept of time as linear), Where life- events
are repeated butt may not be necessarily the same. Routinary activities are The claim of the self as embedded in culture can only be embraced when the
not considered a repetition of previous activity because these activities will self recognizes its relation to everything else. The conlexity of cultural
be done at the “feel of time”.This is particularly true in the rural identities of peoples, things, and events shall be recognized and respected
communities where only the self or very few people are involved. In urban by the self. The individual self must remain reflective of the similarities and
communities where time is of the essence, and where the western linear unique differences of everything around it. This shows that the self should
not remain the individualistic, independent and autonomous entity but that

15
the self should be able to maintain his or her solid culturally reflexive In a larger scale, culture is also lost through continued violence, genocide,
identity in relation to everything and everyone else. inability to respect traditions , religious, beliefs, and the cultural
community’s sense of pride, which are largely the result of globalization. For
Anthropology recognizes the movement of this understanding towards many decades, the Moros of Mindanao, for example, ar e continously
plurality and multiplicity of thoughts, beliefs, convictions, and practices. striving for the recognition of their cultural identity and self-realization.
Hence this is exactly the contribution of anthropology to the post modern However, history tells us that both the Moros and the dominant culture
era. There is now the breakdown of grand narratives that subdue the small living in Mindanao are constantly victimized the unending violence
voices in the peripheries. In other words, the anthropological movements at perpetrated by various groups. In the end, many of the cultural landmarks,
this time are already geared toward recognizing the power in culture in meaning the identity of the people, are either prejudiced or lost forever.
influencing little gaps and interstices, meaning intervening spaces between
people. It is only when self recognizesthe power of culture constituted by A very obvious example of cultural degration is that brought about by
every system that we can have an effective shaping of social reality. excessive exposure to media in various forms. Television for instance
influences language, traditions, beliefs, knowledge and even personalities.
This can be illustrated by few examples. One perhaps is the attitude of some In judging beauty for, media proposes the following criteria:
indigenous peoples (IP’s), especially the IP students enrolled in big
universities where they do not want to be recognized IP or they do not want  Face must be beautiful and unpimpled
to be identified as IP. This may only means that these students are not  Hair must be black and silky
proud of their cultural identity. Eventually, this may lead to cultural  Skin color must be fair and flawless
degration.  Body must be slim and toned, etc.

Cultural degration or more horribly cultural genocide means the loss of a “Culture is also not a force or causal agent in the world, but a context in
particuar culture due to assimilation or loss of interest. Assimilation which people live out their lives,”(Clifford Geertz, 1973)
happens when a dominant culture, the Ilocano culture for example, is
overshadowing the inferior culture meaning the culture possessed by lesser In conclusion, Anthropology liberates the self from the fallacies of dominant
population living within the Ilocano communities: the inferior culture will ideas. In this most liberating science, the self is no longer seen as an entity
eventually lose its identity. As a result, we will not be surprised when with innate ideas, ready to faced the world, and as if programmed to
children do not know how to speak their own indigeneous dialect, or respond to the demand of time. Likewise, the self is not seen as a ‘blank
perform the rituals that were used to be performed by the elders, or play slate” ready to encode all the details of everyday experiences, so that it
traditional instruments that were palyed by the indigenous musician, or to becomes limited only to what is written on that slate. In anthropology, the
cook the indigenous delicacies prepared by traditional chefs to mention a self is recognized as (1) bilologically attuned to respond to his or her
few. environment, (2) variably self-aware of the mechanisms of the culture

16
working within the self , and (3) self-reflexive of the uniqueness and
differencess of all the other selves and everything else around.
I. True or False. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if
the statement is incorrect.

a. _____________Anthropologist emphasized that the self is purely

cultural beings whose thoughts and action are
prescribed by society.

b. _____________ Culture encompasses all aspects of the human

being including
art, language, subsistence, history, thoughts and the like.

c. _______________ Religion is NOT part of culture because

anything that pertains to God and Faith is holy can cannot be
subjected to scientific experimentation.

d. _______________ In recognition of the uniqueness of the other

person, one must be able to respect cultural practices that
involve violence and repression.
e. _______________ Normative orientation speaks of the self as
Enrichment reflexive of the ethical norms of the community.
Activities
II. Multiple Choice: Encircle the letter of the best answer.

1. It is the study of all aspects of human condition includes human

Name:__________________________________________________ history, the present human condition, and even future possibilities.
Score:______________ a.psychology c. biology
b.anthropology d. sociology
Course and Year:________________________________________
2. A complex structure of knowledge, beliefs, arts, religion, morals, law,
Date:_______________
language, traditional practices and all other aspects needed by
humans to function in society.
17
 a.symbol c. enculturation 1. THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION
b.acculturation d. culture
Cognitive Costruction is a cognitive approach that focusses on the mental
process rather than the obvervable behavior. This approach will assist the
3. Provides the self with personal space in relation to other people or
things. individuals in assimilating new information to their existing knowledge and
a.spatial orientation c.temporal orientation will enable to make the appropritate modification to their existing
b. object orientation d.normative orientation intellectual framework to accommodate their new information.

II.1 William James and the Me-Self, I-Self

4. Self has better development in terms of____________ with billion
neurons. With the initiative of Wilhelm Wundt, the father of Scientific Psychology,
a.brain c.rational scientific method of what Aguirre et al. (2011) mentioned as the
b.behavioral change d.social aspects “phenomenon of the conciousness”, urge interest in further studies of the
self and its role in human behavior. It is in this time that William James’
5. It has been observed that child starts to___________ their self- classic distinction between the self as knower (or pure ego) and the self as
awareness at age of two. known (or the empirical self) provides a useful scheme within which to view
a.learn how to react with others c.variety of roles the multitidinous aspects of self-functioning.
b.conceptualized d.variety of stimuli
W. James suggessted that “the total self of ‘Me’ being as it were duplex” is
Module 4 composed of “partly object and partly subject”. As a consequence, the
differentiated between the self as knower, or the “I”, or the self as know, or
LESSONS AND COVERAGE:
“Me”. He referred to the “I” as pure ego and suggested that this component
Lesson 1: The Self as a Cognitive Construction of the self is conciousness itself. The “Me”, on the other hand, is one of the
Lesson 2: The Self as proactive and Agentic many things that the I may be concious of, and it consist of three
components, one physical or material, one social, and one spiritual

EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME: Material Self – consists of things that belong to us or that we have belong to.
Things like family, clothes, our body and money are some of what make up
Lesson 1: Recognize the self as a cognitive construction
our material self.
Lesson 2: internalize the self a proactive and agentic
Social Self – our social selves are who we are in agiven social situation. For
James, people change how they act depending on the social situation that
D. Psychology they are in. James believe that people had as many social selves as they had
social situations they participated in.
18
Spiritual Self – is who we are at our core. The spiritual self is more concrete The self as the regulating center of an individual’s personality and self-
odr permanent than the other two selves. The spiritual self is our subjective process under the guise of id, ego and superego functioning (Pajares &
and most intimate self. Aspects of an individual’s spiritual self, include Schunk, 2002), rocked Psychology as the biggest breakthrough in
things like his or her personality, core values and conscience that do not understanding the psychological self. From this milestone, prominent
typically change throughout a lifetime. psychologist followed with their own perspectives of the self to contest the
roles and functions of ego as the self. These were the landmarks of
Contemporary Psychologsist called foe renewed attention to inner
II.2 Gobal versus Differentiated Models experience, internal processes, and self –contructs. This perspective assert
the over all dignity and worth of human beings and their capacity for self-
There had been postulation that one’s self may be fragmented into different realization.
parts and different selves which may be in conflict or needs regulation from
each other. Although W. James gave a very interesting perspective on the Karen Horney with her Feminine Psychology, established that a person has
self, and was even among the first writers to coined the term “Self-Esteem”, an ‘idealself’, ‘actual self’ and the ‘real self’. She believe that everyone
other theories emerged to the study on the selfhood as an integral part of experiences basic anxiety through which we experience conflict and stive to
one’s psyche. In the past 30 years, self-esteem has become deeply cope and employ tension reduction approaches. Hall, et al. (1997)
embedded in popular culture. It is a person’s overall self-evaluation or sense mentioned that Horney believed people develop a number of strategies to
of self-worth. cope with basic anxiety. Because people feel inferior an idealized self
image – an imaginary picture of the self as the processor of unlimitted
Global Self-Esteem ( a.k.a.Trait self-esteem), is a personality variable that powers and superlative qualities, is often despised because if fails to fulfill
represents the way people generally feel about themselves. It is relatively the requirements of the idealized image. Underlying both the idealized self
enduring across time and situations. According to researchers Global self- and the actual self is the real self, which is revealed only as aperson begins
esteem is a decision people make about their worth as a person. to shed the various techniques developed to deal with basic anxiety and to
find ways of resolving conflicts. The real self is not an entity but a ‘force’
State Self-esteem (a.k.a. Feelings of Self-worth), refers to temporary feelings
that impels growth and self-realization.
or momentary emotional reactions to positive and negative events where we
feel good or bad about ourselves during this situation or experiences. Carl Rogers with his Person-Centered Theory, establish a conception of
self, involving the Real Self (a.k.a. Self-concept) and Ideal Self. The real self
Domain Specific Self-Esteem (a.k.a. Self-evaluation), is focused on how
includes all those aspects of one’s being and one’s experiences that are
people evaluate their various abilities and attributes. This is making
perceive in awareness (though not always accurately) by the individual. It is
distinction or differentiation on how good or bad people are in specific
the part of ourselves where we feel, think, look and act involving our self our
physical attributes, abilities and personal characteristics.
self image. On the other hand, the Ideal Self revolves around goals and
II.3 Real and Ideal Self Concepts ambitions in life, is dynamic, the idealized image that we have developed
19
over time. This is what our parents have taught us considering : what we Donald W. Winnicott distinguished what he called the “true self” from “false
admire in others, what our society promotes, what we think are in our best self” in the human personality,considering the true self as based on a sense
interest. of being in the experiencing body and the false self as the necessary
defensive organization, a survival kit, a caretakerself, the means by which a
A wide gap between the ideal and the real self indicates incongruence and
threatened person has managed to survive.
an unhealthy personality. If the way that I am (the real self) is aligned with
the way that I want to be, the incongruence, or lack of alignment, will result True Self has a sense of integrity, of connected wholeness that harks to the
in mental distress or anxiety. The greater the level of incongruence between early stage.
the ideal self and the real self, the greater is the level of resulting distress. False Self is used when the person has comply with external rules, such as
being polite or otherwise following social codes. The false self constantly
II.4 Multiple versus Unified Selves seek to anticipate demands of others inorder to maintain the relationship.
The Healthy False Self is functional can be compliant but without the
Postmodern psychology contends that man has an identity that shifts and feeling that it has betrayed its true self. The Unhealthy False Self fits in
morphs in different social institution and in responds to different stimuli, as but through a feeling of forced compliance rather than loving adaptation.
Kenneth Gergen argues that having a flexible sense of self in different False Selves, as investigated by Heinz Kohut, can lead towards narcissistic
personality, which identifies with external factors at the cosst of one’s own
context is more socially adaptable than force oneself to stick on one self-
autonomous creativity.
concept.

Theorist believed that there is no one answer to the questio, “Who am I?” as
2.The Self as Proactive and Agentic
one person can undergo several transitions in his life and create multiple
version of himself. However, there is still the contention of the importance of The Social Cognitive Theory takes an agentic view of personality, meaning
mental well-being, of maintaining a unified, centralized, coherent self. that humans have the capacity to exercise control over their own lives.
People are self regulating, proactive, self reflective, and self organizing and
Multiple Selves, according to K. Gergen, are the capacities we carry within that they have the power to influence their own actions to produce desired
us from multiple relationships. These are not “discoved” but “created” in our consequences. People conciously act on their environment in a manner that
relationships with other people. permits growth toward psychological health. An adequate theory of
personality, to G. Allport must allow proactive behavior.
Unified Selves, as strongly pointed out in Traditional Psychology emphasizes
that well-being comes when our personality dynamics are congruent, Agent Self- The agent self is known the executive function that allows for
cohesive and consistent. It is understood that a person is essentially action. This is how we, as individuals make choices and utilize our control
connected with selfhood and identity. In a healthy person the ego remains in situations and actions. The agent self, resides over everything that
involves decision making, self control, taking charge in situations, and
at the helm of the mind, coherent and organized, staying at the center.
actively responding. A person might desire to eat unhealthy foods, however,
II.5 True versus False Selves
20
it is his/her agents self that allows that person to choose to avoid eating 1. It refers to the ‘self’ as the pure ego.
them and make food choice. a. “I” b. “Me” c. “We” d. “You”
2. He was among the first who coined the term ‘self-esteem’.
Human agency is not athing but an active process of exploring, a. Berkeley b. W. James c. Horton d.
manipulating and influencing the environment in order to attain desired Colins
outcomes. According to Albert Bandura, the core features of human agency 3. He proposed that ideal self is one’s aspiration to become.
are intentionality (acts a person performs intentionally ) forethought (setting a. Michael b. Rogers c. Marx d. James
goals, anticipation of outcomes of action, selection of behaviors to produce 4. He contends that a person has multiple rather than unified selves.
desired outcomes and avoiding undesirable ones), self –reactiveness a. Gergen b. Albert c. Rogers d. Freud
(monitoring progress toward fulfilling choices), and self-reflectiveness 5. The differentiated model of self is stating the presence of
(examination of own functioning, evaluation of the effect of other people’s a. Permanent reactions c. False reaction
action on them). These lead to self- efficacy, the belief that they are capable b. Temporary reactions d. Self-awareness
of performing actions that will produce a desired effect.
6. Which of the following focuses on the representation of an individual
Self – Efficacy lies in the center of Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. It is based on his experiences?
the measure of one’s ability to complete goals. People with high self-efficacy a. psychology of the self b. conciousness c. cultural self d.
often are eager to accept challenges because they believe they can overcome physical self
them, while people with low self-efficacy may avoid challenges, or believe
they can overcome them, while people with low self-efficacy may avoid 7. What cognitive approach that focuses on the mental process rather
challenges, or believe experiences are more challenging than they actually than the obsevable behavior?
are. a. behavior b. cognitive construction c. knowledge d.
initiative

8. Who is the father of the Scientific Psychology?

a. Wilhelm Wundt b. William James c. Sigmund Freud d.
ASSESSMENT James Tyler

9. Which of the following is consist of things that belongs to us or that

we belong to?
Name:______________________________________________________________Score: a. matrial self b. social self c. spiritual self d.
________ cultural self
Course &
Year:______________________________________________________Date:________ 10. Which of the following determines our selves in a given social
situation?
Test I: Multiple Choices. Encircle the letter of your chosen answer. a. material self b.social self c. spiritual self d.
cultural self
21
 Lesson 2: Diffentiate the individualistic self from the collective self
Lesson 2: Explain the spiritually and philosophy of Confucious

E. The Self in Western and Oriental/Eastern Thought

Philosophy started from the est. one of the earliest Chinese rulers, Huang-
Ti, meaning the “Yellow Emperor” was credited for his introduction of
wooden houses in villages, carts, boats and the clever design of the bow and
arrow. This wise emperor also intoduced and systematized Chinese writing
and literature. He is the champion of Chinese culture, he organized
government institutions and pioneered the use of the coin in commerce. It
was also during his reign when the Chinese people perfected the craft of silk
production by breeding silkworms. Most importantly, the Yellow Emperor
was credited for his people with virtues comparable to the teaching of early
Daoism, and with highest accord to natural law. He ensured order and
prosperity among the inhabitants.

Almost 200 years before the first western text was introduced, the eastern
civilization was already so advanced that it had accounts of the various
philosophies of China, the famous civil codes like Babylonian Code of
Hammurabi, and the earliest religious texts of India like Rigveda. Noticeably
Module 5 the eastern thoughts are concerned about the collective life in the
community. This is very much in contrast with the individualistic concepts
LESSONS AND COVERAGE:
of the west.
Lesson 1: Individualistic vs. Collective
1. Individualistic vs. Collective Self
Lesson 2: The Construction of the Self in Western Thought
Lesson 3: The Self as Embedded in Relationships and Through Spiritual The concept of the psyche is a western model of the soul. Western traditions
Development in Confucian Thought-Eastern Construct
are always preoccupied by the duality of the body and soul. Plato started
EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME: with the idea that the soul inhabited the world of ideas, while the body
descended to the world of the sensible. The ideal self is there up above the
Lesson 1: Distinguish the eastern from the western constructs of the self heavens while the bodily self, or the soul imprisoned in a finite material
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body, by which we know today is only thrown into the oblivion of live according to the ideals of the soul. The lone purpose of the self,
remembering what the soul used to know while living in the world of ideas. therefore is to live according to the ideals of the soul. The Greeks call this
arete- the ultimate goodness, perfection, excellence. All of life’s directions, in
Even Aristotle did not solve this problem of duality. He proposed the
as much as the western individualistic self is concerned, are geard towards
hylemorphic theory, meaning that the human person is composed of matter
self-perfection.
or the body and form or the soul. Matter is changeable while the form
remains. This means that the body and form or the soul. Matter is Although the self in the eastern perspective also wants to attain perfection
changeable while the form remains. This means that the body will grow and in mediation and enlightenment, there has never been an issue of dualism.
eventually die and decompose and will be transformed into something else. Easterners do not have the notion of the separation of the body and soul. It
The form however remains unchanged. But unlike Plato, Aristotle asserted is always one self. The Atman, for example in Indian philosophy is
that the body is equally important as the soul, because the former will give considered to be the seat of conciousness. The ataman may have different
the latter the knowledge it ought to have through senses. levels of conciousness but there is always one self. Even death is considered
to be just another level of conciousness but the atman continues to exist
This is much very similar to the duality of body and soul of Descartes. The
because it is not dependent on the body. This is in fact is also the concept of
body is the one gathering information through the senses, although he
the non-self in buddhism. In this concept the self is considered as nothing
never always trusted the information coming from the senses. It is the
but an evolution and transformation of inner conciousness.
reason that processes all information and makes sense with experiences of
the body. In an attempt to solve the issue of duality, Descartes proposed Further, the Confusion philosophy fron China emphasized the relational self
that the body and the soul fused in one very important part of the brain the and the social understanding of the self. Scholars reach Confucius’
pineal gland. philosophy in two ways. One interpretation says that the ideal-thus moral-
self is always able to forego individual interest in view of prioritizing the
Still, the western concept of the self is very much anchored on the
social interest. In a way, the self is the ideal of a selfless person who is
individuality of the psyche. The individual self is always in a struggle to
willing to forget about his self-interest in favor of the interest of the
reconcile the connection between the ideal self or perfect soul and the
community. In this concept, there is still the individual self and the self is
limited self of the body. This dichotomy drives us in adult years. She is
mutually exclusive as the social self. Howerver the individual self is
expected to complete with other professionals in her field and become the
subsumed in the interest of the social self.
best in her line of work. She will eventually find a partner and raise children
the way she was raised. This is such an example of an ideal self that The second interpretation of Confucian thought asserts that the individual
manifest the perfection of the soul. self and the social self are not mutually exclusive but are metaphysically
and profoundly related. The individual character of the ideal self is
When, on the contrary, the self did not have the opportunity to be raised,
constructively connected with the pursuit of the social self. Let us take as
and to grow, and to die a good and happy life, the self becomes a waste as it
an example many family in dynamics in which, when in dire poverty one or
did not live the ideals of the soul. The lone purpose of the self, therefore is to
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the other sibling will be asked to stop going to school so that the family will others is frequently seen as -as a community, family or nation
be able to send the rest of the children to school to continue with their shameful. more than as an individual
education. Here, the self is willing to sacrifice and may forget to assert self- -People are encouraged to do
interest in order to pursue the resolve of the whole family. The same self- things on their own; to rely on
themselves
sacrifice may be manifested in groups, communities and nation.
-People strive for their own
The Middle Eastern traditions are very much associated with communal successes
self. One example is the Judae-Christian philosophies which put emphasis
on the unity of a nation-the chosen people of God (Exodus 19:5). The 2. The Social Construction of the Self in Westerb Thought
biblical prophets would always find themselves reminding the people, as
community of believers, to be faithful to the loving compassion of God. Even Social construction is shared assumption or perception of the people in
prophet Mohammad of Islamic traditions highlights the oneness of Allah society. The western social construct of the self can be characterized in
and the inclusivity of Islam as a religion. Islamic ethics, in the words of three ways. First is the individualistic self. At a very young age, the child is
Mohammad asserts that community ”[m]y will never agree to an error” already taught to pursue what is best for self. Thus later in adult life, the
(Esposito, 2005). Both traditions stress the importance of the community measure of a successful life is when the self is able to show independence.
over the self. The Eastern philosophy therefore, is more attuned to the
Relevant to independence brings about the second western social construct
collective dimension of the self as opposed to the western individualistic
of the self which is self-sufficiency. This construct the presumes that a
ideals of the self.
successful self must be able to supply one’s needs without external
assistance. Being self –sufficient also implies confidence in one’s capacity to
provide what the self needs from one’s power and accumulate the needed
Features of Individualism Features of Collectivism knowledge and resources so that one will be able to provide one’s needs.
-“I” identity -Each person is encouraged to be an
- Promotes individual goals, active player in society, to do what is The third social construct is the self being rational. In the western
initaitive and achievement best foe society as a whole rather practice, there is no time for the self to be weak and emotional. The self
-Individual rights are seen as being than themselves. must not waste resources on mediation and other metaphysical cognitions
the most important. Rules attempt -The rights of families, communities, but to be constantly rational and reasonable. The self masters the causal
to ensure self-importance and and the collective supersede those of
relationships of things. Everything must be explained by logic and reason.
individualism the individual.
-Independence is valued; there is -Rules promote unity,brotherhood, Phenomenon outside the logical realm are simply discredited and rejected.
much less of a drive to help other and selflessness. This explain the western logical positivist movement. It contends that what
citizens or communities than in -Working with others and is rational and reasonable are only those which can logically viable. The
collectivism cooperating is the norm; everyone successful self therefore, is grounded on one’s investment on reason and
-Relying or being dependent on supports each other. logical thinking.
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It also necessarily follows that when the self adapts the rational-logical caused by the unchecked selfish desires of individuals. The self therefore in
conception of things, one must be scientific. The self marvels at the safety the Confucian system is a person withi the society who exhibits refinement
measures of scientific procedures. Scientific researches ascertain the cause and compassion
and effect relationship of things and phenomena. Safety is derived from the
mastery of the phenomena concerning the self. This brings about the ideals
of self-efficacy in which everything can be explained by science, and The refined and compassionate perso was what Confucius envisioned as
everything can be provided for science. The successful self embraces the junzi. It is the new self formed in the right education under the virtuous
scientific conception of things that affect one’s growth, psycho-physical teacher as the role model. Central in the educational formation of junzi are
development, intellectual capacity, interaction with others and involvement humanistic learning, refined personal manners and the capacity to govern
in social institutions and infrastructure. the community wisely and with compassion. In principle, the new self of
junzi –the sage king- brings to life the virtues of the ancestors to the new
3. The Self as Embedded in relationships and Through Spiritual
order of society. The self therefore is the transmitter of the ancient virtues
Development in Confucian Thought- Eastern Construct
to the new world.
Eastern social infrastructures are mostly seen as contrary to the western
To carry out the transmission, one must have the correct procedures and
individualistic construct. The eastern social construct is primarily viewed as
protocol. In Chinese philosophy, religious rituals are of great importance.
collectivistic and is always grounded in nature. There were many eastern
The word li originally means sacrifice. In time, the principle of li is better
traditions that flourished in the history of thought that were firmly based on
understood as refined manner of spiritual rituals and sacrifices, and
how the self relates to others, to the Divine Being and to nature.
protocols in honoring the ancestors. Li is both the restraining and the
We have learned in the previous discussion that the eastern traditions are refinement of the self. The virtuous self must be able to practice the correct
primarily composed of Ancient philosophies from India, China, Japan and customary procedures and protocols governing all of life.
the Middle East. The Hindu and Budhist traditions sprang from India. The
Another Concept in Confucian philosophyis the principle of ren. Ren is the
Confucian Daoist traditions originated from China. Japan also develop the
character of the self that sincerely shows compassion for others. The self
Shinto traditions. The Judaeo-Christian and Islamic tradition laid their
must embody human-heartedness by prioritizing the self-interest of others.
foundations in Middle East. However, in this particular section we shall
The sage king –jenzi- is characterized by his practice of ren in putting others
focus on the Confucian spirituality and philosophy.
first before the self in putting others first before the self.
Confucius or Kung Fu Zi ascertained the ancient Chinese civilization by
Although Confucius was not given the opportunity to become the leader of
establishing social order. The society will be lead by wise leaders who
China, his principle of jenzi, li and ren became influential all throughout
guaranted peace. Prosperity and harmony. Here in the Confucian system we
China even unto many other modern civilization of the world.
can immediately notice the primacy of the society over the individual
person. In fact Confucius believed that the threat to social order is only
25
To conclude,we commonly hear the dichotomy between the east and the Course &
weast. The eastern traditions are known for their communal and spiritual Year:_______________________________________________Date:_________________
constructs. On the other hand, the western traditions developed a construct _
of being individualistic, self-reliant, rational and scientific. In this chapter
Test 1. Multiple Choice: Encircle the letter of the best answer.
we were able to distinguished between the individualistic and collective self.
We clarified the many western constructs of the self vis-à-vis the 1. He was credited for his introduction of wooden houses in villages and one of the
relationaland spiritual construct of the east. earliest Chinese rulers?

In this section we also discovered that there are still many other traditions a. Huang-Ti b. Lao Tzu c. Kung Fu Zi d. Mohandas Gandhi
by which we can derive the conception of the self. We have initially identified
2. Who believed that the threat to social order is only caused by the unchecked
the African traditions and conceptions of the self. We also have noted the
selfish desires of individuals?
distinction between the traditions of the north versus the south. Our
understanding of the self therefore, must not only be limited to the dividing a.Junzi b. Gandhi c. Confucius d. Jude
differences between east and west.
3. What do you called the new self formed in the right education under the
We continue to unify different traditions and philosophies about the self as virtuous teacher as a role model?
a. junzi b. jenzi c. li d. ren
we explore the different aspects of the self and identity in the next chapter.
4. The famous statement “ An unexamined life is not worth living” this attributed
to______.
a. Aristotle b. John Locke c. Socrates d. Plato

5. The Philosophy of Hegel is known as

a. phenomenal idealism c. absolute idealism
b. personal idealism d. objective idealism

6.Metahphysics is the work of ____________.

a. Socrates
b. Plato
c. Aristotle
d. Thales
ASSESSMENT 7.“Tabularasa” is the term coined by:
a. John Lock
b. Socrates
c. Kant
Name:________________________________________________________Score:______ d. Spiniza
___________ 8.Plato was the teacher of _____________.
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 a.Georgias
b. Socrates Lesson 1: Identify and reflect on the different forces and institution that
c. Asistotle impact the development of the physical self
d. protagoras Lesson 2: Explain the impact of culture on body image and self-esteem
9. Cogito ergo sum means:
a. I doubt therefore I am
b. I see therefore I
c. I think therefore I am CHAPTER 2
d. I ask therefore I am
10. Descartes was born at_____________. UNPACKING THE SELF
a. Touraine b. Amsterdam c. Viena d. Marseille

A.The Physical Self

1. The Self as Impacted by the Body

Through the years, the concept of physical self has gained a considerable
attention in the fields of Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, including
religious and biological or health studies. These disciplines agree on the
premise that the physical self is an important component in the study of the
person’s self and identity. As what William James said, “the self is the sum
total of all the man can call his, which includes his body, family and
reputation, also his clothes and his house…”Such body, family, clothes, and
the like are also described by Russel W. Belk as part of our Extended Self
which will be discussed in the later part of this book. But what do we mean
by physical self? The concrete or tangible aspect or dimension of the person
which is primarily observed and examined through the body is known as
the physical self and such is the focus of our discussion.
Module 6
William James, a renowned psychologist and a pioneer of American
LESSONS AND COVERAGE:
Sociology, states that the body is the initial source of sensation and
Lesson 1: The Self as Impacted by the Body necessary for the origin and maintenance of personality. Erik Erickson also
Lesson 2: The Impact of Culture on Body Image and Self-esteen: The claims that experience is anchored in the group-plan of the body. This is
Importance of Beauty supported by Sigmund Freud who states that the physical body is the core
of human experience. Furthermore, Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1945) placed
EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME:
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the body at the center of human existence, as a way of experiencing the A contrasting model within modern body culture is delivered by mass
world. sports. In Gymnastic the fitness training, the body is disciplined by
subjecting it to certain rules of “scientific”, social geometrical or aesthetic
Such ideas make clear to us the fact that the body is the way through which
order ( Roubal, 2007). In the recent years, “body studies” has of expanded
we make sense of the world and our environment. We experience life
through our biodies and senses (sight, smell etc. ), allowing us to interpret rapidly, becoming an increasingly popular field of study within
the world around us. However, the body is not merely an object in the world Anthropology, Sociology, and cultural studies (Margo De Mello, 2014).
but we are also our bodies in that the body is the vehicle for our expression
in the world. The body is the sight for the articulation of all our 2. The Impact of Culture on the Body Image and Self-esteem: The
identification of gender, class, sexuality, race ethnicity and religion. Importance of Beauty

Do you consider yourself beautiful? What is your concept for beauty? What
The human body is endowed with varied forms of social significance which is the society’s concept of beauty? Do this perception really matter?
Sociology has adressed by asking question like: To what extent do
Well dressed, elegant, good-looking, attractive! These are the words we
individuals have control over their own bodies? How significant is the body
usually associate with beauty. As Kenny and Nichols describe, they are the
to the development and performance of the self in everyday life? What
determining factors shaping beauty. “Attractive children, and adults are
images of the body influence people’s expectations of themselves and
treated more favorably by others in the society
others?
Standards of beauty and appearance are the product of a diverse mix of
From the late 1970’s to 1980’s Humanities and Sociology developed a new
cultural and historical influences. Norms of beauty and appearance are tied
and broader interest in the body. Sociologist, historian, philosophers, and
to ideals of appearance and hard work. Today, the norms or the standard of
anthropologists, including scholars from sports studies and medical studies
beauty includes wavy blond hair light skin and eyes, and a tall and slim
spoke about this interest on the body which was then called “body culture”.
form. Physical appearance is dealt with great importance as in the case
The ociologists, Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens, agree in saying that the
presented at the beginning of this topic. It was used as the basis in choosing
body is the only fix-point of “self-identity”.
the more presentable girl as the bride’s made of honor in her weeding. Some
Studies also shows that one of the visible and deeper changes in relation to people have the good fortune to possess features thet adhere to
the modern body concerns the dress reform and the appearance of the standardized ideals of beauty though nature bestows less-than-perfect
naked body. The change from noble skin to sustain skin as a “sportive” physical attributes upon others such as slightly misshapen noses,
distinction was not only linked to sport, but had astrong impact on society protuberant chins, breasts that appear too larger or too small. For the most
as a whole. The change of appreciated body or color reversed the social- part, people learn to live with these imperfections. But in several cases, the
bodily distinctions between people between people and classes, and nudism individual is so dissatified with his or her physical attributes that he or she
became a radical expression of this body-cultural change. seeks to alter them through surgical means. The process appears trouble-
free, yet there are many unseen pitfalls. Breast augmentation is the favorate
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while liposuction is always liposuction is also prevalent. Extra breast What do we exactly mean by body image?. In this concept, we think of how
padding is usually considered desirable, whereas the same amount of flesh attractive our body is, It refers to the person’s perception of the level of
on the upper arms is regarded as adetriment. So patient and doctor seek to attractiveness of his or her body or it can be somebody’s owm impression of
sculpt a more ideal physique such as large breasts, slender but, well-formed how his or her body looks. It may also be our sense of how other people view
biceps, a tiny waist, around yet toned posterior. Plastic surgery remains our bodies. In that sense, body image can be seen both internal (personal)
most popular among women , maintaining beautiful bodies through plastic and external (social). One’s perception of his or her body elicits either
surgery procedures. pleasing/satisfying or unpleasing/unsatisfying feelings. Body image lies at
the heart of adolescence and its is the mental representation of one’s own
The male ideal remains “muscular wash-board abs, powerful legs, chiseled
body, which is a very important aspects of identity.
features,” Needles to say, this pursuit of perfection put a huge strain on
both genders. “Females” in particular receives a massive amount of societal Along with the concept of the body image is the concept of beauty. Beauty is
pressure to conform to conventional beauty standards. Little girls get the of two types: the iiner beauty which refers to the inner qualities of the
message early. They spend hours staring at themselves appear more person and the external beauty which refers to the physical characteristics
attractive to others. Is beauty bound up with a dynamic, cultural aesthetic of the person. External beauty focuses on the physical features of the body
honed in the ways that members of the groups/community/society are commonly defined as “ a combination of qualities, which includes shape,
“nurtured” to perceive attractiveness from childhood?” color, or form that pleases the aesthetic sense, especially the sight.”

Now let’s talk about “body image” and “identity”. Popular interest in body Much effort is exerted to reach the ideal body called “body beautiful” by men
image issue has grown dramatically in the recent years, due to an emphasis which is the admired muscular “adonis” body built. The “coca-cola”
on individual responsibility and self-determination in contemporary society contoured figure for women is equally desired and each one, male or female,
as well as the seemingly limitless capacities of modern medicine; however, strives to acquire the body of his/her dream. We are in culture in which
body image as a separate field of academic inquiry is still relatively young. beauty is judged by numbers. As commonly observed, attraction to another
Sukhanova and Thomashoff in “Body Image and Identity in Contemporary person’s body increases if that body is symmetrical and in proportion. If the
Societies”, bring together contributions fron psychoanalysts, face is proportionate, we are more likely to notice it and find it beautiful. We
psychotherapist, psychiatrists and scholars in the fields of social sciences even perceive proportional bodies to be healthier.
and humanities to explore representations of the body in literature and the
The presence of aesthetically based cultural goods and their ever-increasing
arts across different times and cultures. They give analysis of social
influence in modern society poses a new conceptual opportunity to
constructionof the ‘ideal’ body in terms of beauty, gender, sexuality, race,
Sociology. A new term, “aesthetic capital”, is introduced. Such concept
ethnicity, class and disability, from a broadly psychoanalytic perspective,
covers the privileges and wealth people receive from aesthetic traits, such as
and traces the mechanisms which define the role of the physical appearance
their, hair, body, clothes, grooming habits and other markers of beauty.
in the formation of identity and the assumption of social roles.

29
For Samantha Lovascio, visually appealing traits greatly impact our lives, in wax, etc. We manipulate our bodies’ weight through diet and exercise and
matters of modest importance (friend selection) to great importance (e.g. we even modify our bodies to extreme levels and introduce mechanical
getting a job and carrer mobility). Thus, the promise of an aesthetic capital agents to our bodies merging flesh and technology. The body is enthralled to
concept lies in enabling Sociology to better understand inequality and the cultural regimes, telling us how we shold look – especially how we should
socially based forms of wealth available to individuals in modern society. It dress and what our bodies’ weight (fat levels) should be”.
seems such attraction to ‘body image’ and ‘aesthetic capital’ is increasingly
What happens when your body doesn’t look like how it’s supposed to look
becoming today’s preoccupation, especially of young people as it gradually
like, or feel how it’s supposed to feel, or do what it’s supposed to do? Who or
becomes the basis upon which one’s identity and self-esteem are built.
what defines the ideals behind these expectations? How can we challenge
2.1 The Role of Culture in our Understanding of “Body Image” and them and live more peacefully in our bodies? De Mello (2014), in the
“Self-esteem” ‘Encyclopedia of Body Adornment’, De Mello explores these questions as
she says:
Culture is commonly defined as the shared patterns of thoughts, beliefs,
behaviors, and habits in both material and symbolic realms. “Culture “All cultures everywhere have attempted to change their body in an attempt
includes language, technology, economic, political and emotional systems, to meet cultural standards of beauty as well as their religious and/or social
religious and aesthetic patterns, social structures and so on. It is widely obligations. In addition, people modify and adorn their bodies as part of the
recognized by social scientist that the self is shaped, in part, through complex process of creating and recreating their personal and social
interaction with groups .”(Harry Triandis). Through culture, society shapes identities. Body adornment refers to the practice of physically enhancing the
us in many ways. As mentioned earlier, body image is both internal body by styling and decorating the hair, painting and embellishing the finger
(personal) and external (society). These include how we perceive our bodies nails, wearing jewelry, and the use of clothing. Body adornments are by
visually, how we feel about our physical appearance, how we think and talk definition temporary. Body adornments are by definition temporary. Body
to ourselves about our bodies, and our sense of how other people view our modification, on the other hand, refers to the physical alteration of the body
bodies. through the use of surgery, tattoing, piercing , scarification, branding, genetal
mutilation, implants, and other practices. Body modifications can be
Furthermore, consideration of the body as a subject for study has increased
permanent or temporary,although most are permanent and alter the body
in recent years. Kenny and Nichols explain that this is done with new
forever” (Margo de Mello, 2014).
technilogies, forms of modification, debates about obesityand issues of age
being brought into focus by the media. “Drawing on contemporary culture, Furthermore in her book “Shameful Bodies: Religion and the Culture of
our bodies are not only biological but also cultural in that we say, we all Physical Improvement”, traditional religious narratives and modern
shape and manipulate our bodies. We are all body-buliders as we build and philisophical assumptions come together in the construction and pursuit of
style our bodies on a daily basis . We decide how to dress and style our a better body in contemporary weatern society. De Mello explains that the
bodies, we decide how much hair we want on our bodies, and we shave, culture of physical improvement trains us not only to believe that all bodily

30
processes are under control, but to feel ashamed about those parts of our tied into self-esteem and confidence, two critical components of a healthy
flesh that refuse to comply with the cultural ideal. Lelwica clarifies however dispositon throughout maturation and into adulthood.
that such shame is not a natural responds to being fat, physically impaired,
Pop culture icons tend to extend their visibility beyond culture and into
chronically sick, or old. Rather, body shame is a culturally conditioned
brands, which they sell via advertisements or products carrying their time
reaction to a commercially-fabricated fantasy of physical perfection. Here
name. Teenagers who see, for instance, Alden Richards or Main Mendoza
are today’s embedded ideals of the physical – fine or great skin, protruding
using beauty products like Vicky Belo’s kojic soap, may then be influenced
behinds, tiny waist plus other ideals and preferences inspired by media
to patronized that label. Beyond fostering a certain degree of
such as our prejudice on size number, among others.
commercialism, these brands have associations in and of themselves that
Audry Tramel (2013) mentions that the predominance of “pop culture” in tie into self- definition or social groups within a teenager’s lifeOften,
today’s society definitely has some effects such as the way teenagers think celebrity brands tie into an acceptable level among teenagers,such that
of themselves, how they associate with others, and how they express some teenagers feel they must own a particular brand inorder to be
characteristics of their maturation. What is Pop culture? Pop culture or accepted. These sentiments can distract teenagers from the key aspects of
popular culture from a common understanding is a culture widely accepted their development.
and patronized by the public as in pop music which is very appealing to the
So then, in our hyper-mediated society, we are constantly beset with media
youth. Pop culture influences how teens defines themselves as in the case of
images, especially advertisements representing appropriate bodies or skin,
a recent famous K-pop boy band, named “Exo” which gained the admiration
so that we internalize these ideals and either attempt to conform to them or
of millions of the Filipino teenagers. Its influence on them goes to the point
resist them.the media creates ideals, in the form of celebrities and models,
of imitating the way they dress and style their bodies, the way they talk and
for men and women to admire. These give us pressure to conform to
express themselves. It influences the way they define themselves. Indeed, an
expectations. Images on the media often make us worry about our own
important characteristics of every teenager’s maturation is hi/her self-
apprearance, defining what the body is attractive and which one is not,
definition. Self-definition refers to the way a person sees himself. For
seeing being fat as unattractive,etc.
teens, that image is influenced to a large extent by personal choices, which
are, in turn, influenced by the images and association teens glean from pop It seems comtemporary culture is obsessed with the body. At any moment,
culture on adaily basis. we are likely to be told, from a variety of media , how the body should act
and shoud look; also telling us how we should dress, what our weight
Recent researchers agree that pop culture has some impact on teenagers’
should be, how we should spend our leisure time, and even how our body
self-definition. Pop culture can provide benchmarks which become the
should age. Through media, campaignon the use of certain beauty products,
teenagers’ basis of their self-definition. In this way, they see themselves
has the goal of improving the look of the spokes model in order to improve
adopting certain characteristics from the various celebrities and other
his/her appearance to perfection using those cosmetics. As a result, most
models they see in pop culture. Lastly, self-definition can be intrinsically
women are dissatisfied with their appearance which, Annie Lennox says, is

31
the ”stuff that fuels the fashion and beauty industries”. This result in they read from magazines. They also feel unhappy about their weight seeing
women feeling insecure about their own appearance and then conforming to a model from a magazine.
the media’s perception of beauty buy buying beauty products such as
2.1 b. Impact of Media on the Self-esteem of the Adolescent
make-up, creams, and hair dyes. “beauty has become the currency system”
and it assigns hierarchical value to women , encouraging escalating Evidence from types of studies in the fields of eating disorders, media
consumerism. psychology, healthpsychology and mass communication indicates that mass
media are an extremely important source of information and reinforcement
2.1.a The Influence of Media on the Adolescent’s Understanding of
in relation to the nature of the thin beauty ideal, its importance, and how to
Beauty
attain it.
Genesis M. Javellana (2014) mentions that the media plays a large role in
“Athough considerable research to be done,evidence is accumulating that
how teenagers view themselves by shaping images of what teenagers are
repeated exposure to media and to both direct and indirect (via media’s
supposed to be or do. Research findings revealed that the internet is the
effect on peers, parents, coaches, physician etc.) pressures from media to be
most frequently used in media with the respondents using it often.
thin constitute risk factor body dissatisfaction over weight and disordered
Magazine has the strongest negative relationship with the weight of the
eating behaviors in adolescent girls and young women. A figural summary of
respondents; and, proposed that measures such as media awareness
media affects that integrates moderating and mediating factors such
seminars and screening and balancing of commercials and advertisements
internalization of the thin beauty ideal, social comparison, and activation of
on television and magazines are needed to balance the effects of media on
the thinnes schema is presented below” (Gemma Lopez-Guimera, et
adolescents.
al.,2009)
Finding fro other studies, showed that teenagers imagine themselves being
In the concepts of physical changes in the body and identity of the
the actors/actress in a movie they have watched. They copy an
adolescent, Davies & Furnham, found out the average teenager is sensitive
actor’s/actress’ clothes, hairstyle, and/or lines in the movie because the
to, and critical of, his/her physical self. Constant exposure to cultural
actors and the actresses in that movie look exceptionally good. They
standards of beauty in evaluating own body image (via media and social
immmediately try and new product that they saw in the commercial. They
networks) may produce non-normative shift in the form of dieting practices
used the product endorsed by their favorite actor/actress. They feel upset
which may lead to eating disorders as a result of body image dissatisfaction,
after seeing handsome/beautiful personalities on TV or internet. They spend
the feeling of discrepancy between actual and ideal body. Researchers have
more than nine hours in week online, searching tips, advice and/or
found body image dissatisfaction to be strong predictor of depression,
procedures from the internet that would improve their outward appearance.
exercise dependence, eating disorders and steroid use among young people
They edit their solo pictures to make them look before posting them online.
in the US (Stice and Withenton, 2002).
They feel handsome/beautifful when their solo picture gets a lot of likes.
Similarly, teenagers follow a lot of beauty, fashion and/or fitness advice that

32
Boys’ body image is generally more positive than girls, and boys are much wouldneck would nearly preclude him from wearing a skirt. Ken would be 7
more likely to welcome weight gain. Simmons and Blyth’s “Cultural Ideal feet 2 inches tall while Barbie would be 5 feet 2 inches.
Hypothesis” predicts that, since the cultural ideal for the female body is
Certainly, the exposure to the thin-ideal media image on women posed a
being slim, adolescents girls should more likely to express body
great impact on their self-esteem. It increased body dissatisfaction, negative
dissatisfaction and resort to dieting.
mood states, and eating disorder symptoms and decreased self-eestem.
Caufmann and Steinberg say that girls in westen cultures are more “Exposure to thin-ideal media images may contribute to the development of
concerned about appearance and express more worry and concern about eating disorders by causing body dissatisfaction, negative moods, low self-
how other people respond to them than in other cultures. If body shapeis far esteem, and eating disorders symptoms among women”.Miller also speaks of
from dominant cultural ideal of slimness, teens are more likely to develop the of the disturbing problem of very young girls dieting and having
low self-esteem and negative body image. Fredrickson and Roberts mention thoughts about their body.
that western girls are socialized to constantly think of whether their bodies,
2.2 Self-esteem and Its Significance
and physical appearance are pleasing to others or not. May it be in a
chronic state of anxiety, Stice and Withenton further claim that body image “Self-esteem, sometimes referred to as self-worth or self- respect, is an
dissatisfaction is a strong predictor of depression in the US. important part of success. Too little self-esteem can leave people feeling
defeated or depressed. It can also lead people to make bad choices, fall into
To Croll, body image is the dynamic perception of one’s body- how it looks,
destructive relationships, or failto live ut to their full potential. Too much
feels and moves. Her study reveals that 88% of adolescent girls feel
self-esteem, however, as exhibited in narcissitic personality disorder, can
negatively about their body. Puberty for boys brings characteristics typically
certainly be irritating to others and can even damage personal
admired by society- height, speed, broadness,and strenght. On the other
relationships”.
hand, puberty for girls brings characteristics often perceived as less
desirable; girls generally get rounder and have increased body fat. These 2.2a The Concept of Self-esteem
changes can serve to further enhance dissatisfaction among girls going
Self-esteem levels at the extreme high and low ends of the spectrum can be
make it difficult for her to walk upright. In Ken’s case, his huge barrel chest harmful, so ideally, it’s best to strike a balance somewhere in the middle. A
and enormously thick through puberty. realistic yet positve view of yourself is generally consedered the ideal. But
what exactly is self-esteem? Whre does it come from and what influence
Strikingly, today, girls exposed to images of Barbie dolls reported lower body
does it come from and what influence does it really have on our live? In
esteem and a greater desire for a greater desire for a thinner body shape.
Psychology, the term self esteem is used to described a person’s overall
Clearly, the body –image expectations of pre-teens can be distorted with
sense of self-worth or personal value. In other words, it is how much you
their ‘If Barbie and Ken Were Real’ thinking. Barbie’s neck would be too and
appreciate and like yourself. Self-esteem is often seen as a personality trait
thin to support the weight of her head, and her upper body proportions
which tends to be stable and enduring. Self-esteem can involve a variety of

33
beliefs about yourself, such as the appraisal of your own appearance,
beliefs, and behaviors.

Why is self-esteem important? Self- esteem can play a significant role in

one’s movitation and success throughout life. Low self- esteem may hold
you back from succeeding at school or work because you don’t believe
yourself to be capable of success. By contrasting, having a healthy self-
esteem can help you achieve because you navigate life with a positive,
assertive attitude and believe you can accomplish your goals. Maslow
suggested that people need both esteem from other people as well as inner
self-respect. Both of these needs must be fullfilled in order for an individual
to grow as a person and achieve self-actualization. Self-esteem is one of the ASSESSMENT
basic human motivations.

Name:______________________________________________________ Date:_____________

Course & Year:_____________________________________________ Score:____________

Test 1: Multiple choices: Encircle the letter of your chosen answer.

1. Physical appearance is among the major concerns of people today in our

world which is heavily influenced by meadia this is according to_____.
a. John Erving c. Harky Goffman
b. Erving Goffman d.Merleau-Ponty

2. Who is the renowned psychologist and a pioneer of American Sociology,

states that the body is the initial source of sensation and necessary for the
origin and maintenance of personality?
a. Wilhelm Wundt
b.William James
c.Erik Erickson
d. Sigmund Freud

3. Visually appealing traits greatly impact our lives in matters of modest

importance to great importance this is according to______.
a. Samantha Lovascio c. Kelly Nichols
b. Harry Triandis d. De Mello

34
4. What culture in today’s society definitely has some effects such as the way
teenagers think of themselves?
a. new culture c. pop culture
b. rock culture d. all of the above

5. Which of the following words sometimes referred to as self worth or self

respect.
a. self-esteem c. self confidence
b. sefl ambition d. behavior

6. According to William James, this is the sum total of all that man can call
his.
a. Body image c. self
b. Identity d. self-esteem
7. This is the way through which we make sense of the world and our
Module 7
environment.
a. Body c. identity LESSONS AND COVERAGE:
b. Body image d. self
8. It refers to the person’s perception of the level of attractiveness of his/ her Lesson 1: The Sexual Development
body or it can be somebody’s own impression of how his or her body looks. Lesson 2: Human Sexuality
a. Beauty c. physical appearance Lesson 3: The Diversity of Human Sexuality
b. Body image d. self- EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME:
esteem
9. It is generally defined as the shared patterns of thoughts, beliefs, behavior,
and habits in both material and symbolic realms. Lesson 1: Discuss the Sexual Development involving the human
a. Culture c. self-concept reproductive system, erogenous zone, sexual behavior and human sexual
b. Language d. values response
10. Is is used to describe a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. Lesson 2: Internalize the human sexuality
a. Self-concept c. self-esteem Lesson 3: Examine the diversity of human sexuallity, sexual health,
b. Self-confidence d. self-identity
sexually transmitted diseases and methods of contraception

B.SEXUAL SELF

1. Sexual Development

Sexual development is a lifelong process that starts at the moment of

conception. People are all a little different from each other, so it makes
sense that they don’t all develop in the same way. Sexual development
35
 can be predicted as part of the human development but not everyone is The ovaries produce 400,000 eggs or so every 28 days. The ovum
expected to have the same pattern of changes or the same pacing. is 100,000 larger than the sperm cell. The egg cell carries the X
chromosome. Puberty in girls usually starts between ages 8-13, along with
3 Reasons why an individual sex is important in Lifelong
all the bodily changes (breast, hair, skin, hips, voice) it is also where
Development
Menarche (from the Greek words ‘moon’ and ‘beginning’), the first menstrual
1. Each year children come under increasing cultural pressures from period, would seal the growth spurt and signal the female’s sexual maturity.
parents, teachers, peer group and society at large to develop attitudes
1.2b The Male Reproductive System
and behavior patterns that are considered appropriate for members of
teir sex. The testes produce 200 million sperm cells/spermatozoa every
2. Learning experiences are determined by the individual’s sex. In the week. It carries X or Y chromosome, which is the sex-determining cell. In
home, at school, and in play groups, children learn what is considered boys, puberty starts around 10-15 years old and explains why some girls
appropriate for members of their sex. look more matured than boys.
3. The attitude of parents and other significant family members towards
1.3 Human Sexual Response
individuals because of their sex. Strong preferences for a child of a
given sex have marked influences on parents’ attitudes affecting Biological factors such as the presence of androgens, estrogens
relationship with the child. and progesterone, prime people for sex. People’s sexual responses follow a
1.1 Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Stages of Development and regular pattern consisting of four phases, excitement, plateau, orgasm and
the Concept of Erogenous Zone resolution. Sexual motivation, often referred to as libido, is a person’s
Freud believed that every child goes through a sequence of overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity.
developmental stages and that the child’s experiences during these
stages determine adult personality characteristics. Freud believed 1.4 The Basic Biology of Sexual Behavior: Teen Sexual Behavior
that that the adult personality is formed by the end of the 5 th year
The change from child to adult is an especially dangerous time for
of life. Each stage has an erogenous zone association with
adolescents in our society. From their earliest years. Children watch
stimulation and pleasure.
television shows and movies that insist that “sex appeal” is a personal
1.2 The Human Reproductive System
quality that people need to develop to the fullest.
One of the many seemingly magical things about human
2. Human Sexual Response
reproduction is that only one sperm can ever penetrate an egg. Sex,
however, is not just for reproduction – not in humans. Sexuality is much more than sexual feelings or sexual intercourse.
It is an important part of who a person is and what she/he will become. It
1.2a The Female Reproductive System
includes all the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors associated with being

36
male or female, being attractive and being in love, as well as being in Attraction – This phase is said to be one of the beautiful moments in life.
relationships that include sexual intimacy and sensual and sexual activity. This is the phase when a person actually starts to feel the love.

2.1 The Five Circles of Sexuality Attachment – is a bond helping the couple to take their relationship to
1) Sensuality – is awareness and feeling about your own body and other advanced levels. It instigates the feeling of bearing children and falling in
people’s bodies, especially the body of a sexual partner. love with them wholeheartedly.
2) Sexual Intimacy – is the ability to be emotionally close to another
3. The Diversity of Human Sexuality
human being and to accept closeness in return.
3) Sexual identity – is a person’s understanding of who he/she is There are many “rules” about what men and women can/should do
sexually, including the sense of being male or of being female. that have nothing to do with the way their bodies are built or function. This
4) Reproduction and Sexual Health – These are a person’s capacity to aspect of sexuality is especially important for young adolescents to
reproduce and the behaviors and attitudes that make sexual understand, since peer, parent, and cultural pressures to be “masculine” or
relationships healthy and enjoyable. “feminine” increase during the adolescent years.
5) Sexualization – is the aspect of sexuality in which people behave
sexually to influence, manipulate or control other people. What is Sexual Orientation?

Sexuality in adolescent youth (ages 13 to 19) – Once youth have Sexual Orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional,
reached puberty and beyond, they experience increased interest in romantic romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women or both sexes.
and sexual relationship and in genital sex behaviors. As youth mature, they
How do people know if they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual?
experience strong emotional attachments to romantic partners and find it
natural to express their feelings within sexual relationships. According to current scientific and professional understanding, the
core attractions that form the basis for adult sexual orientation typically
2.2 The Chemistry of Lust, Love and Attachment
emerge between middle childhood and early adolescence. These patterns of
There are physiological and psychological aspects in being turned on, emotional, romantic and sexual attraction may arise without any prior
being in love and attached to other person. The chemistry of lust, love and sexual experience.
attachment lies in our brains, which is the humans’ most important “sex
What about sexual orientation and coming out during adolescence?
organ”.
Adolescence is a period when people separate from their parents and
Lust – This is a phase which is driven by the sex hormones testosterone
families and begin to develop autonomy. Adolescence can be a period of
and estrogen – in both men and women. Estrogen and Testosterone are the
experimentation, and many youths may question their sexual feelings.
two basic types of hormones present equally in men and women’s body that
Becoming aware of sexual feelings is a normal developmental task of
excite the feeling of lust within the brain.

37
adolescence. Sometimes adolescents have same-sex feelings or experiences preventable and manageable but not curable. AIDS is “Acquired
that cause confusion about their sexual orientation. Immunodeficiency Syndrome”. Since this is a syndrome, there are several
manifestations of the breakdown in the body’s immune system and have
3.1 Sexual Health and Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Infections
developed in people who have been infected by HIV.
The factual information about reproduction is necessary so youth will
3.2 Teenage Pregnancy
understand how male and female reproductive systems function and how
conception and/or STD infection occur. Adolescents often have inadequate This is pregnancy in human females under the age of 20 at the time
information about their own and/or their partner’s body. that the pregnancy ends. Pregnant teenagers face many of the same
obstetrics issues as other women. In teenage pregnancy, there are risks of
Sexual Intercourse
low birth weight, premature labor, anemia, pre-eclampsia are connected to
Sexual intercourse is one of the most common behaviors among the biological age itself, as it was observed in teen births.
humans. Sexual intercourse is a behavior that may produce sexual pleasure
Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy
that often culminates in orgasm in females and in males.
Comprehensive sex education and access to birth control appear to
Premarital Sex
reduce unplanned teenage to birth control appear to reduce unplanned
Is sexual activity practiced by people who are unmarried. It can be teenage pregnancy. It is unclear if a single interventions is most effective.
any sexual relations a person has prior to marriage. The alternative terms
Education
for premarital sex have been suggested, including non-marital sex (which
overlaps with adultery), youthful sex, adolescent sex and young-adult sex. The Dutch approach to preventing teenage pregnancy has often been
seen as a model by other countries. The curriculum focuses on values,
Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Infections
attitudes, communication and negotiation skills, as well as biological
These are also known as Venereal Diseases (VD). They are passed aspects of reproduction.
through sexual contact or genital – through vaginal intercourse, oral sex
Family Planning Methods/ Methods of Contraception
and anal sex. The term STI evolved from “Veneral Disease” to “sexually
transmitted disease” which has a broader range of meaning: that it can be Youth also need to know that traditional methods of preventing
passed without disease. (You don’t have to be ill to infect others.) pregnancy (that may be common in that particular community and/or
culture) may be ineffective in preventing pregnancy and may, depending on
HIV/AIDS
the method, even increase susceptibility to STDs. It should be determined
HIV is “Human Immunodeficiency Virus”. This is a retrovirus – what those traditional methods are, their effectiveness and their side effects
genetic info @RNA than DNA. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS and it is
38
and know traditional methods of contraception in a culturally appropriate
and informative way.

1. Natural Birth Control employs natural control methods that people

do to help prevent an unintended pregnancy are without the use of
modern/artificial ways of contraception. These require commitment
when you make the decision, discipline and self-control for it to be
effective.
2. Artificial Birth Control employs artificial control methods to help
prevent unintended pregnancy use modern/contemporary measures
such as contraceptive or birth control pills, diaphragm, male and
female condoms, spermicide, cervical cap, today sponge, birth control ASSESSMENT
patch, etc.
Name:____________________________________________________________Date:___
______

Course & Year:___________________________________________________

Score:________

Test 1: Multiple Choices: Encircle the letter of your chosen answer.

1. It is the phase which is driven by the sex hormones testosterone

and estrogen –in both men and women.
a. Love b. lust c. infatuation
d. sex

2. It is the awareness and feeling about your own body and other
people’s bodies, especially the body of a sexual partner.
a. Sexuality b. sexual intimacy c. sensuality
d. sex

3. It refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/ or

sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes.
a. Sexual orientation c. Sexuality
39
 b. Gender d. sex b. contraception d. all of the abov

4. It is a behavior that may produce sexual pleasure that often

culminates in orgasm in females and in males.
a. Sexuality c. Lust
b. Sexual intercourse d. Sex

5. This is the part of yourself which evolves your sexual

development and how peoples sexual activity, beliefs,
misconceptions and unlimited acess from the internet on sex
can influence your own sexual behaviors and responses.
a. Sexuality c. Forbidden Self
b. Sexual self d. sex

6. This is the phase said to be one of the beautiful moments of life. Module 8
a. Attraction c. attachment
b. Lust d. love LESSONS AND COVERAGE:

7. It is the bond helping the couple to take their relationship to Lesson 1: The Material Self
advanced levels. Lesson 2: Shaping The Way We See Ourselves
a. Attraction c. attachment
b. Lust d. love EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME:

8. The testes can produce _____________ million of sperm Lesson 1: Define material self
cells/spermatozoa ever week. Lesson 2: Describe how material self affect a person
a. 200 c. 400
b. 300 d. 100

9. What is the sexual activity practiced by people who are

unmarried? C.The Material/Economic Self
a. sexual intercourse c. sexual health
b. premarital sex d. masturbation
1. The Material Self
10. A concept linked to family planning and also known as birth
People had a “material self”, in the words of William James, the
control
a. fertilization c. reproduction Harvard psychologists and giant of the American intellectual scene in the
40
late nineteenth century. A “man’s self is the sum total of all that he can call e. Addiction
his” James wrote in 1890. This included his body, family and reputation but
Many addictions begin because a person gets a positive response from
also his “clothes and hi house… his lands and horses, and yacht and bank-
a certain type of behavior. Whether it’s a happy feeling that one gets from
account.” If they grew, their owner felt triumphant. If they faded, people felt
shopping or a thrill that comes from gambling, actively seeking out that
a part of themselves was dying.
behavior again and again for the same outcome can trigger an addiction.
a. Social and Business Value
2. Shaping the Way We See Ourselves: The Roles of Consumer
Heyman and Ariely (2004) surmised that there are two motivations for Culture on Our Sense of Self and Identity
completing a given task. The first is social. By recognizing a task’s social 2.1 Possessions and the Extended Self
value, a person sees it as a worthy investment of time and a part of his/her
The premise that people regard their positions as parts of themselves is
social duty.
not new. If possessions are viewed as part of self, it follows that an
b. Self-sufficiency and Service unintentional loss of possessions should be regarded as a loss or lessening
of self. Goffman (1961) provides a thorough review of the evidence of the
Those who are conscious of money typically strive to be more self-
deliberate listening of self-manifested in such institutions as mental
sufficient than those for whom money isn’t a priority. When given a very
hospital, homes for the aged, prisons, concentration camps, military
difficult and even impossible task, with instructions that help was available,
trainings camps, boarding schools and monasteries.
it was the money-related group that seemed the most intent on getting the
job done alone. 2.2 Special Cases of Indented Self
1. Collections (“I shop, Therefore I am”)
c. Self-view
As Belk (1982) notes, humans and animals once primarily assembled
The amount one earns could have an effect on how he/she views both
collections of necessities for future security, but today humans more often
himself/herself and others. The wealthiest people are those with the deepest
assemble collections of non-necessities for distinction and self-definition.
sense of class essentialism- the idea that differences between classes are
Collections of these sort maybe initiated by gifts or other unintended
based upon identity and genetics, rather than circumstance.
acquisitions, but the cultivation of a collection is a purpose for self-defining
d. Ethics act.

Those who perceive themselves to be in a higher class were the most 2. Pets as Extended Self
likely to engage in unethical behavior, particularly when a symbol of wealth
Pets are regarded commonly as representative of self and studies show
was introduced, such as cutting off a pedestrian when in a luxury car, for
that we attempt to infer characteristics of people from their pets. Some
example.
relationship between personality and choice of pets does, in fact, exist.
41
 3. Body Parts b. Self-sufficiency d. social and business value
4. The “cycle of work and spend” is the best illustrated in
Parts are among the most central parts of the extended self. In a. Work more to buy more
psychoanalytic terms, such self-extension is called cathexis. Cathexis b. Work less to buy more
c. Buy more to spend more
involves the charging of an object, activity, or idea with emotional energy by
d. Work more to provide enough
the individual. 5. Which is not a nonvoluntary loss of possession?
a. Lost of theft or casualty
b. Mudslide and forest fire
c. Handbag snatching
d. Lending an item
6. Which are the most central parts of the extended self.
a. Physical c. mind
b. body d. all of the above
7. Regarded as commonly representative of the self.
a. Pets c. family
b. Friends d. classmates
ASSESSMENT 8. Humans and animals once primarily assembled collections of necessities for
the future security this is according to____.
a. Belk c. Murdock
b. Geertz d. George
Name:__________________________________________________________ Date:_________________ 9. Those who are concious of money typically strive to be more _____ than
those for whom money isn’t a priority.
Course & Year:_________________________________________________Score:_________________ a. self-sufficient c. self service
b. self value d. social self
Test I: Multiple Choices: Encircle the letter of your chosen answer.
10. Refers to the goodness and badness of our action.
1. The use and display of wealth and other possessions, all the physical
a. philosophy c. methaphysics
elements that reflect who a person is, make up the
b.ethics d. self
a. Material self c. social self
b. Spiritual self d. none
2. It is an idea which suggests that those who have the most money to occupy
higher classes are more likely to take a “what’s in itfor me?” attitude.
a. Self-sifficiency c. self-view Module 9
b. Self-interest maximization d. addiction
3. It is the that differences between classes are upon identity and genetics, LESSONS AND COVERAGE:
rather than circumsatnce.
a. Class essentialism c. self-interest maximization Lesson 1: The Concept of Spirituality
42
Lesson 2: Loob and Personhood awareness. This can be a healing process that leads to personal
Lesson 3: Finding and Creating Meaning development.

EXPEXTED LEARNING OUTCOME: 1.1 The Spirit and the Soul

Lesson 1: Explain the Biblical as well as the Filipino understanding of the The interconnection of two important terms in our discussion need to be
soul and the spirit consedered, which is that of the spirit and the soul. Though these are
Lesson 2: Construct an essay indicating how he/she could personally and sometimes used interchangeably, they have distinction which need to be
concretely live the great commandment of love. recognized. As mentioned by L. Mercado (1994). “the spirit in the Hebrew
Lesson 2: Articulate ways of finding meaning in life.
language is ruach or pneuma in Greek which mean breath (esp. the
breath of life). The spirit is described as the disposition of an individual,
a person habitual attitude, as man’s supernatural power which come
D.The Spiritual Self from God. The Soul on the other hand, in Hebrew, nephesh or in Greek
psyche, originally meaning ‘throat’ or ‘neck’, which means human life.
Hebrew sees the distinction between the natural and supernatural in
1. The Concept of Spirituality
respect to the soul and spirit. The term used by the Filipinos for the
As mentioned in the earlier chapter, the spiritual self is who we are at spirit is a loan word, “espirito” or “espititu”, which in Visayan term,
our core. It is a more permanent than the other two selves, material self and “ginhawa”, in Tagalog, “hininga” and in Ilocano, “anges”. The concept of
social self. The spiritual self is our subjective and most intimate self. It is the soul is very familiar to the Filipinos, this is the “nonphysical aspect of
the aspect of self which develops a certain level of spirituality which is the person, the complexity of human attributes that manifest as
deemed as man’s way of seeking as well as expression the meaning and conciousness, thought, feeling and will, regarded as distinct from the
purpose of his life. It speaks of the quality of one’s relationship – with God, physical body.
self, others, institutions and God’s entire creation, marked by respect,
foregiveness, generous service and prayer. It is showing the great refinement
or high level of Christian maturity and concern with the higher things in life 1.2 The Filipino Traditional Understanding of Soul
such as the Sacred or the Divine. This spirituality is specified more
concretely in deepening the faith, spirituality leads man to a deeper We consider the traditional understanding of Filipino communities in
communion with the Divine. It is a path of direct and personal connection our discussion of the soul since this is the key to understanding ourselves
with the divine. It embraces all faith, social and political ideologies. It aids at present, recalling our past as a people which still has traces in today’s
person in spiritual, emotional or physical distress, crisis or discomfort as context.
well as those seeking to make a significant change in their lives through self 2. Loob and Personhood

43
 In the contemporary Filipino understanding of self, we have the Filipinos were free. The system of government was wide-ranging in small
concept of loob and personhood. LOOB, the inner self or inner being, is the units called Balangay – a term derived from a wooden boat used by a
core of one’s personhood and where the true worth of the person lies. community of families for their living. The notes of Antonio Pigafetta, the
scribe of the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan, revealed that the natives
God’s Kagandahang-loob
of the Philippine islands were autonomous and economically prosperous.
The Filipino concepts and value, gandang-loob (kindness, generosity,
2. Establishing a Democratic Culture
benevolence, helpfulness) can be a very appropriate description of who God
is for Filipinos. It connotes all that is good in a person which is the ideal Just shortly after we have gained independence from the United
among Filipinos. States, Filipino Democracy started to take shape; the Japanese occupied the
country and established the Japanese-sponsored Philippine Republic.
Loob and Prayer
President Jose Laurel cushioned the impact of atrocities and violence by
Prayer is said to be “The first expression of man’s interior truth”. constantly winning the trust of the Japanese while faithfully serving the
Interior truth refers to the coe of one’s personhood, his loob, which is suffering Filipinos. He was the guerilla who fought his battle not in the
closely related to man’s spirit. It is the ultimate organizing center of human jungles but in the embattled office of Malacaňang.
reality.
In recognition of the importance of People Power, and the Fortification
3. Finding and Creating Meaning – Viktor Emil Frankl of Democratic Culture, the 1987 Constitution ensures the following:

According to Viktor Frankl, “Meaning is something to discover rather 1. The government shall afford full protection of Filipino workers here
than to invent.” It has the same concept with inner happiness, life and abroad, and provide equality of employment opportunities (Article
satisfaction, self-actualization, deep spirituality. He believes that in life, XIII Section 3);
there is an existential vacuum which means that life is empty, meaningless, 2. That everyone guarantees the right of workers to self-organization,
purposeless, aimless, adrift, and so on. collected bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted
activities in accordance with law (Article XIII, Section 3);
Module 10 3. The institution recognize the rights of farmers and land owners, as
well as cooperatives and farmers’ organization (Article XIII, Section 3);
E.The Political Self 4. The authorities protect the rights of subsistence fisher folks (Article
1. Developing a Filipino Identity: Values, Traits, Community and XIII, Section 7);
Institutional Factors 5. That the people may pursue and protect, within a democratic
framework, their legitimate and collective interest through peaceful
Our historical experience provides a profound trace of how our
and lawful means (Article XIII, Section 15);
identifying values and traits have developed. IN the pre-colonial era, the

44
 6. That the government ensures the right of the people under 2. Selective Self-Presentation and Impression Management
organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all level of
These are characteristic showing behaviors design to convey an
social, political and economic decision-making (Article XIII, Section
image about ourselves to other people and to influence the perception of
16), and
other people of this image. This explains why our behaviors can change if
7. That congress provide a system of initiative and referendum where
we notice that we are being watched or observed. This self-presentation can
people can directly propose and enact or reject laws passed by
also change depending on who we are interacting with or what personal
congress or local legislative body (Article XVI, Section 32)
information we need to be providing to present ourselves in a way that will
Democracy is described as the awareness and understanding that the be acceptable to others.
self and community are both the foundation of democratic practice and the
3. Impact of Online Interactions of the Self
result of it. Yet, studies confirm that the presence of democratic institutions
is no guarantee that the people are able to exercise the rights and the When interacting with other people, we automatically make
obligations. inferences about them without even being consciously aware of it. We
cannot help but ponder what they are thinking about, what their facial
Module 11
expressions mean, what their intentions are, and so on.
F.The Digital Self: Self and Other in Cyberspace 4. Extended Self in a Digital World – Russel W. Belk
1. ONLINE IDENTITY AND “SELF IN CYBERSPACE: (I, Me, A glimpse of the ideas of Ruseel W. Belk on his; Extended Self in a
Myself, and My User ID Online Identity) Digital World could give more light on the topic. Belk presents five changes
Online Identity is the sum of your characteristics and interactions. emerging from our current digital age:
Because .you interact differently with each website you visit, each of those 1. Dematerialization
websites will have a different picture of who you are and what you do. 2. Re-embodiment
Sometimes the different representations of you are referred to as partial 3. Sharing
identities, because none of them has the full and true picture of who you 4. Co-construction of Self
are. 5. Distibuted Memory
How do you build your online identity? Every website that you
interact with well collect its own version of who you are, based on the
information you have shared. Thus, it is up to you how you will represent 5. Boundaries of the Online Self: PRIVATE VS. PUBLIC;
yourself as closely as who you are and what you do in real life or selectively, PERSONAL VS. SOCIAL IDENTITY ONLINE: GENDER AND
to create a representation far from your real life. SEXUALITY ONLINE.

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 Adolescents’ online interactions are both a literal and a metaphoric Ryan (1970) as cited by Locke & Latham, premised that conscious
screen for representing major adolescent developmental issues, such as goals affect action, thus, a goal is the object or aim of an action. A college
sexuality and identity. Because of the public nature of internet chat rooms, student’s academic goal is to fulfill the course requirements and pass all
they provide an open window into the expression of adolescent corners. examinations to graduate on time for the leangth of the program he/she is
taking.

2.Albert Bendura’s Self-efficacy

Module 12
Students’ goals can be achieved only if they are worthy of believing
CHAPTER 3 these goals can be achieved. As Gandhi perfectly understood the essential
role of self-belief in the students’ lives: “Your beliefs become your thoughts.
MANAGING AND CARING FOR THE SELF
Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your
1. How Learning Happens in the Human Brain actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values
become your destiny”
Expanded by Ford (2011), learning happens through a network of
neutrons where sensory information is transmitted by synapses along the Module 14
neutral pathway and stored temporarily in short0term memory, a volatile
C. TAKING CARE OF ONE’S HEALTH
region of the brain that acts like receiving center for the flood of sensory
information we encounter in our daily lives. 1. Stressors and Responses

2. Metacognition If, in fulfilling one’s goals, obstacles get in the way and the
surrounding conditions become unfavorable, then stress is very much of an
One amazing wonder the brain is capable of doing besides learning,
invitation. Stress is any factor that makes adaptation to an environment
which is something that everyone is expected to do is learning to learn.
difficult for an individual to maintain a state of equilibrium between himself
College students’ state of mind have learned component skills that allow
and the external environment.
them to perform a task, or had complete steps toward producing a product,
but they are not actually learning and mastering knowledge. 2.Sources of Coping

Module 13 As mentioned earlier, stress is negative experience, usually

accompanied by emotional, psychological, cognitive and behavioral
B. SETTING GOALS FOR SUCCESS
adjustments. The term, coping, according to Lazarua & Folkman, is the
1.The Importance of Success process of attempting to manage the demands created by stressful events
that are appraised as taxing or exceeding a person’s resources.

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 3.The Social and Cultural Dimensions of Stress

No one could ever expound Filipinos’ stress as Dr. Michael L. Tan, a

Filipino medical anthropologist. Below is an excerpt from Tan’s (2006)
article entitled, ‘Stress and the Filipinos’

Stress is mediated through culture: from the very nature of the

stressors, to the ways we respond to the stress. Understanding this local
context might help us develop more culturally appropriate, and therefore more
effective, ways to deal with stress.

4.Taking Care of the Self: The Need for Self Care and
Compassion

Generally s[peaking, self-care is engaging in activities and behaviors

that have a positive effect on one’s mental and physical health. She adds
that there’s a bit of “reverse golden rule” aspect to the practice,; that is to
treat yourself as compassionately as you treat others.

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