MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY AT NAAWAN

College of Education and Social Sciences

Department of Social Sciences and Humanities

COURSE GUIDE

Course Details

Course Number: GEC 101

Course Name: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Course Description:
The course deals with the nature of identity, as well as the factors
and forces that affect the development and maintenance of personal identity.

The directive to Know Oneself has inspired countless and varied

ways to comply. Among the questions that everyone has had to grapple with at one
time or other is “Who am I?” At no other period that this question asked more urgently
than in adolescence—traditionally believed to be a time of vulnerability and great
possibilities. Issues of self and identity are among the most critical for the young.

The course is intended to facilitate the exploration of the issues

and concerns regarding self and identity to arrive at a better understanding of one’s self.
It strives to meet this goal by stressing the integration of the personal with the academic
—contextualizing matters discussed in the classroom and in the everyday experiences of
students—making for a better learning, generating a new appreciation for the learning
process, and developing a more critical and reflective attitude while enabling them to
manage and improve their selves to attain a better quality of life.

The course is divided into three major parts. The first part seeks to
understand the construct of the self from various disciplinal perspective: philosophy,
sociology, anthropology, and psychology—as well as the more traditional view between
the Eastern and Western culture—each seeking to provide answers to the difficult but
essential question of “What is the self?”. And raising among others, the question “Is
there even such construct as the self?”

The second part explores the various aspects that makes up the
self, such as the biological and material up to and including the more recent Digital Self.
The third and final part identifies three areas of concern for young students: learning,
goal setting and managing stress. It also provides for the more practical application of
the concepts discussed in this course and enables them the hands-on experience of
developing self-help plans for self-regulated learning, goal setting, and self-care.

Number of Units: 3 Units

Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Outcomes
At the end of the course, students can:
The Self from Various Perspectives
1. Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various
disciplinal perspectives.

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 2. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different disciplines
and perspectives.
3. Examine the different influences, factors and forces that shape the self.
4. Demonstrate clinical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one’s self
and identity by developing a theory of the self.
Course Outline
UNIT 1: Defining the Self: Personal and Developmental Perspectives on Self and Identity
Module 1: The Self from Various Philosophical Perspectives
Module 2: The Self, Society and Culture
Module 3: The Self as Cognitive Construct
Module 4: The Self in Western and Eastern Thought

Study Schedule
Week Topic Learning Outcomes Activities
Week 1 Introduction to the Course - Engage students to learn more
about the course syllabus.
- Let the students explore more
on the fundamental questions
regarding the self.
- Explain to the students about
the mechanics of the course.
- Elaborate more on the
requirements and integrative
final requirement project.
- Do a self-evaluation on the
activity “Getting to know me
and you”.
Week 2-3 The Self from Various Perspectives - Explore on the importance of
At the end of this lesson, the student understanding the self.
will be able to: - Elaborate on the different
LO1: Understand why it is essential to notions of the self from
understand the self. various philosophical
LO2: differentiate the notions of the perspectives by submitting an
self from the points of view of various essay on “How do I
philosophers across time and place. understand myself? What led
LO3: recognize how the self has been up to this self?”
represented in different philosophical
- Evaluation on the meaning of
schools.
self-according to the
LO4: appreciate one’s self against the philosopher’s perspectives and
different views of the self that were then explaining how those
discussed. perspectives are compatible
with the student’s sense of
self.
-
Week 4-6 The Self, Society and Culture - Engage students in how the
At the end of this lesson, the student self is understood.
will be able to: - Explore the different ways by
LO1: distinguish the relationship which society and culture
between and among the self, society, shape the self.
and culture.

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 LO2: describe the different ways by - Explain the relationship
which society and culture shape the between and among the self,
self society and culture.
LO3: understand how the self can be - Elaborate on how the self is
influenced by the different institutions influenced by the different
in the society. forces of the environment.
LO4: compare one’s self against the
different views of self that were - Evaluate one’s self in terms of
discussed. describing the “self”,
influences of family in
development and comparing
one’s self in different
circumstances.
Week 7-8 The Self as Cognitive Construct - Engage student to do an
At the end of the lesson, the students activity on comparing how
will be able to: student view himself against
LO1: identify the different areas in how people perceive them
psychology about the “self” depending on how the student
present themselves.
LO2: create their own definition of the
“self” based on the definitions from - Let student explore on the
psychology. similarities of how the student
LO3: Analyze the effects of various views themselves and how
factors identified in psychology in the significant others view them
formation of the “self”.
- The student will elaborate on
how to boost their self-esteem
or improve their self-concept.
Students will do research and
cite sources.
The Self in Western and Eastern - Engage students in doing an
Thought activity based on identifying
At the end of the lesson, the students the top 5 differences between
will be able to: Western and Eastern society,
LO1: differentiate the concept of self- culture and individuals.
according to western thought against - Student will explore and
eastern/oriental perspectives. explain the differentiation
LO2: identify the concept of self as between the East and the
found in Asian thoughts West.
- Elaborate on the similarities of
the Eastern and Western
culture.
- Evaluate students by creating
their own representation,
diagram, or concept map of
the self-according to Filipino
culture.
Preliminary Examination

Week 9-13 Modules 5-10 -

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 Midterm Examination

Week 14- Modules 11-16 -

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Final Examination

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UNIT 1
DEFINING THE SELF: PERSONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVES
ON SELF AND IDENTITY

Module 1 THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES

Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:
1. explain why it is essential to understand the self;
2. describe and discuss the different notions of the self from the points of view of various
philosophers across time and place;
3. compare and contrast how the self has been represented in different philosophical
schools; and
4. examine the self against the different views of self that were discussed in class.

Introduction
Before we even had to be in any formal institution of learning, among the many things
we were first taught as kids is to articulate and write down our names. Growing up, we were
told to refer back to this name when talking about ourselves. Our parents painstakingly thought
about our names. Should we be named after a famous celebrity? A respected politician or
historical personality? Or even a saint? Were you named after one? Our names represent us,
who we are. It has not been a custom to just randomly pick a combination of letters and
number (or even punctuation marks) like zhjk756!! to denote our being. Human beings attach
names that are meaningful to birthed progenies because names are supposed to designate us
in the world. Thus, some people get baptized with names such as “Precious”, “Beauty”, or
“Lovely”. Likewise, when our parents call our names, we were taught to respond to them
because our names represent who we are. As a student in school, we are told to always write
our names on our papers, projects, or any output for that matter. Our names signify us. Death
cannot even stop this bond between the person and her name. Names are inscribed even into
one’s gravestone.
A name, no matter how intimately bound it is with the bearer, however, is not the
person. It is only a signifier. A person who was named after a saint most probably will not
become an actual saint. He may not even turn out to be saintly! The self is thought to be
something else than the name. The self is something that a person perennially molds, shapes,
and develops. The self is not static thing that one is simply born with like a mole on one’s face
or is just assigned by one’s parents just like a name. Everyone is tasked to discover one’s self.
Have you truly discovered yours?

ACTIVITY: Do you truly know yourself?

WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME

Circle the words that describe you.

Adaptive Self-aware Tolerant

Dependable Intelligent Fearless

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Compassionate Hard Worker Capable with Hands

Respectful Calm Humble

Energetic Eccentric Clever

Creative Confidant Thoughtful

Complex Realistic Cautious

Balanced Cooperative Shy

Quiet Attentive Picky

Other words that describe you: __________________________________________

__________________________________________

_________________________________________

Your Personal Identity

“Who are You?”

Your Personal Identity

“Who are You?”

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Analysis
Were you able to answer the questions above with ease? Why? Which questions did
you find easiest to answer? Which ones are difficult? Why?
Questions above in the Easy or difficult to Why?
pie chart. answer?

Abstraction
The history of philosophy is replete with men and women who inquired into the
fundamental nature of the self. Along with the question of the primary substratum that defines
the multiplicity of things in the world, the inquiry on the self has preoccupied the earliest
thinkers in the history of philosophy: the Greeks. It was the Greeks who seriously questioned
myths and moved away from them in attempting to understand reality and respond to
perennial questions of curiosity, including the question of self. The different perspectives and
views of the self can be best seen and understood then by revising its prime movers and
identify the most important conjectures made by philosophers from the ancient times to the
contemporary period.

Socrates and Plato

Prior to Socrates, the Greek thinkers, sometimes

collectively called the Pre-Socratics, to denote that some of them
preceded Socrates while others existed around Socrates’ time as
well, preoccupied themselves with the question of the primary
substratum, arché, that explains the multiplicity of things in the
world. These men like Thales, Pythagoras, Parmenides, Heraclitus,
and Empedocles, to name a few, were concerned with explaining
what the world is really made up of, why the world is so, and what
explains the changes that they observed around them. Tired of
simply conceding to mythological accounts propounded by poet-
theologians like Homer and Hesiod, these men endeavored to
finally locate an explanation about the nature of change, the
seeming permanence despite change, and the unity of the world amidst its diversity.

After a series of thinkers from all across the ancient Greek world who were disturbed by
the same issue, a man came out to question something else. This man is Socrates. Unlike the
Pre-Socratics, Socrates was more concerned with another subject, the problem of the self. He is

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the first philosopher who ever engaged in a systematic questioning about the self. To Socrates,
and this has become his life-long mission, the true task of the philosopher is to know oneself.

Socrates affirms, claimed by Plato in his dialogues, that the unexamined life is not worth
living. During his trial for allegedly corrupting the minds of the youth and for impiety, Socrates
declared without regret that his being indicted was brought about by his going around Athens
engaging men, young and old, to question their presuppositions about themselves and about
the world, particularly about who they are (Plato, 2012). Socrates took upon himself to serve as
a “gadfly” that disturbs Athenian men from their slumber and shakes them off in order to reach
the truth and wisdom. Most men, in his reckoning, were really not fully aware of who they were
and the virtues that they were supposed to attain in order to preserve their souls for the
afterlife. Socrates thought that this is the worst that can happen to anyone. To live but die
inside.

For Socrates, every man is composed of body

and soul. This means that every human person is
dualistic, that is, he is composed of two important
aspects of his personhood. For Socrates, this means
all individuals have an imperfect, impermanent
aspect, the body, while maintaining that there is also
a soul that is perfect and permanent.

Plato, Socrates’ student basically took off from his master and supported the idea that man is a
dual nature of the body and soul. In addition to what Socrates earlier espoused, Plato added
that there are parts or three components to the
soul: the rational soul, the spirited soul, and the
appetitive soul. In his magnum opus, The Republic
(Plato, 2000), Plato emphasizes that justice in the
human person can only be attained if the three parts
of the soul are working harmoniously with one
another. The rational soul forged by reason and
intellect has to govern the affairs of the human
person; the spirited part, which is in charge of
emotions, should be kept at bay; and the appetitive
soul in charge of base desires—like eating, drinking,
sleeping and having sexual intercourse, is controlled
as well. When this ideal state is attained, the human
person’s soul becomes just and virtuous.

St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Augustine of Hippo’s view of the human person reflects the entire spirit of the
medieval world when it comes to man. Following the ancient view of Plato and infusing it with
the newfound doctrine of Christianity, Augustine agreed that man is of a bifurcated nature.
There is an aspect of man, which dwells in the world, that is imperfect and continuously years
to be with the divine while the other is capable of reaching immortality. The body is bound to
die on earth and the soul is to anticipate living eternally in a realm of spiritual bliss in
communion with God. This is because the body can only thrive in the imperfect, physical reality
that is the world, whereas the soul can also stay after death in an eternal realm with the all

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 transcendent God. The goal of every human person is to
attain this communion and bliss with the Divine by living
his life on earth in virtue.
St. Thomas Aquinas, the most eminent 13 th century
scholar and stalwart of the medieval philosophy,
appended something to this Christian view. Adopting
some ideas from Aristotle, Aquinas said that, indeed,
man is composed of two parts: matter and form.
Matter, or hyle in Greek, refers to the common stuff
that makes up everything in the universe. Man’s body is
part of this matter. On ther other hand, form, or
morphe in Greek, refers to the essence of a substance or thing. It is what makes it what it is. In
the case of the human person, the body od the human person is something that he shares even
with animals. The cells in a man’s body is more or less akin to the cells of any other living,
organic being in the world. However, what makes a human person a human and not a dog or
tiger is his soul, his essence. To Aquinas, just as for Aristotle, the soul is what animates the
body, is it what makes us humans.

Rene Descartes, Father of Modern Philosophy, conceived

that the human person as having a body and a mind. In his
famous treatise, The Meditations of First Philosophy,
Descartes claims that there is so much that we should doubt.
In fact, he says that much of what we think and believe,
because they are not infallible, may turn out to be false. One
should only believe that which can pass the test of doubt
(Descartes, 2008). If something is so clear and lucid as not to
be even doubted, then that is the only time when one should
actually buy a proposition. In the end, Descartes thought that
the only thing that one can doubt is the existence of the self. For even if one doubts oneself,
that only proves that there is a doubting self, a thing that thinks and therefore, that cannot be
doubted. Thus, his famous cogito ergo sum or “I think therefore I am”. The fact that one thinks
should lead one to conclude without a trace of doubt that he exists. The self then for Descartes
is also a combination of two distinct entities: the cogito (the thing that thinks), which is the
mind and the extenza (extension of the mind), which is the body. In Descartes’ view, the body is
nothing else but a machine that is attached to the mind. The human person has it but it is not
what makes a man. If at all, that is the mind. Descartes says, “But what then, am I? A thinking
thing. It has been said. But what is a thinking thing? It is a thing that doubts, understands
(conceives), affirms, denies, wills, refuses; that imagines also and perceives” (Descartes, 2008).

David Hume, a Scottish philosopher, has a very unique way

of looking at man. As an empiricist who believes that one can
know only what comes from the senses and experience,
Hume argues that the self is nothing like what his
predecessors thought of it. The self is not an entity over and
beyond the physical body. One can rightly see here the
empiricism that runs through his veins. Empiricism is the
school of thought that espouses the idea that knowledge can
only be possible if it is sensed and experienced. Men can
only attain knowledge by experiencing. For example, Jack
knows that Jill is another human person not because he has
seen her soul. He knows she is just like him because he sees
her, hears her, and touches her.
To David Hume, the self is nothing else but a bundle of impressions. What are
impressions? For David Hume, if one tries to examine his experiences, he finds that they can all
be categorized into two: impressions and ideas. Impressions are the basic object of our
experience or sensation. They therefore form the core of our thoughts. When one touches an
ice cube, the cold sensation is an impression. Impressions therefore are vivid because they are

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products of our direct experience with the world. Ideas, on the other hand, are copies of
impressions. Because of this, they are not as lively and vivid as our impressions. When one
imagines the feeling of being in love for the first time, that still is an idea.
What is the self then? Self-according to Hume, is simply “a bundle or collection of
different perceptions, which succeed each other with an inconceivable rapidity, and are in a
perpetual flux and movement” (Hume and Steinberg, 1992). Men simply want to believe that
there is a unified, coherent self, a soul or mind just like what the previous philosophers
thought. In reality, what one thinks as unified self is simply a combination of all experiences
with a particular person

Immanuel Kant
Thinking of the self as mere combination of impressions was
problematic for Immanuel Kant. He recognizes the veracity in Hume’s
account that everything starts with perception and sensation of
impressions. However, Kant thinks that the things that men perceive
around them are not just randomly infused into the human person
without an organizing principle that regulates the relationship of all
these impressions. For Kant, there is necessarily a mind that organizes
the impressions that men get from the external world. Time and
space, for example, are ideas that one cannot find in the world but is
built in our minds. Kant calls these the apparatus of the mind.

Along with the different apparatus of the mind goes the self. Without the self, one
cannot organize the different impressions that one gets in relation to his own existence. Kant
therefore suggests the “self” is an actively engaged intelligence in man that synthesizes all
knowledge and experiences. Thus, the self is not just what gives one his personality. It is also
the seat of knowledge acquisition for all human persons.

Gilbert Ryle
Gilbert Ryle solves the mind-body dichotomy that has
been running for a long time in the history of thought by denying
blatantly the concept of an internal non-physical self. For Ryle, what
truly matter is the behavior that a person manifests in his day-to-day
life.
For Ryle, looking for and trying to understand a self as it
really exists is like visiting your friend’s university and looking for the
“university”. One can roam around the campus, visit the library and
the football field, meet the administrators and faculty, and still end
up not finding the “university”. This is because the campus, the
people, and the system, and the territory all form the university.
Ryle suggests that the self is not an entity one can locate and
analyze but simply the convenient name that people use to refer to all the behaviors that
people make.

Merleau-Ponty
Merleau-Ponty is a phenomenologist who asserts that the
mind-body bifurcation that has been going on for a long time is a
futile endeavor and an invalid problem. Unlike Ryle who simply
denies the self, Merleau-Ponty instead says the mind and body are
intertwined that they cannot be separated from one another. One
cannot find any experience that is not an embodied experience. All

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experience is embodied. One’s body is his opening toward his existence to the world. Because
of these bodies, men are in the world. Merleau-Ponty dismisses the Cartesian Dualism that has
spelled so much devastation in the history of man. For him, the Cartesian problem is nothing
else but plain misunderstanding. The living body, his thoughts, emotions, and experiences are
all one.

Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud’s* view of the self leads to an analogous

dualistic view of the self, though the contours and content of his
ideas are very different from Kant’s. Freud is not, strictly speaking, a
philosopher, but his views on the nature of the self-have had a far-
reaching impact on philosophical thinking, as well as virtually every
other discipline in the humanities and social sciences. Naturally, his
most dominant influence has been in the fields of psychology and
psychoanalysis. Freud’s view of the self was multitiered, divided
among the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. He explains
his psychological model in the following passage from his An Outline
of Psychoanalysis.

Freud’s topographical model of the mind divided it into systems on the basis of their
relationship to consciousness: conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. Freud later developed
a structural model of the mind that divided it according to mental functions: the id, the ego,
and the superego. Freud emphasizes the fact that although the structural model has certain
similarities with the earlier topographical model, the two are not the same. Although the id has
virtually the same place as the unconscious in the sense of being the reservoir for the primal
instinctual forces responsible for all human motivation, the ego and superego systems consist
of aspects that are both conscious and unconscious in the psychoanalytic sense—in other
words, they are inaccessible to consciousness except under unusual circumstances. Freud
believed that the strength of the structural model was its ability to analyze situations of mental
conflict in terms of which functions are allied with one another and which are in conflict
(analogous to the conflicting elements in Plato’s division of the soul into Reason, Spirit, and
Appetite).

APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT

In your own words, state what is the meaning of self for each of the following
philosophers. After doing so, explain how your concept of self is compatible with how they
conceived of the self.
1. Socrates

2. Plato

3. Augustine

4. Descartes

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 5. Hume

6. Kant

7. Ryle

8. Merleau-Ponty

9. Freud

Module 2 THE SELF, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE

Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:
1. explain the relationship between and among the self, society, and culture;
2. describe and discuss the different ways by which society and culture shape the self;
3. compare and contrast how the self can be influenced by the different institutions in the
society; and
4. examine one’s self against the different views of self that were discussed in class.

INTRODUCTION
Across time and history, the self has been debated, discussed and (fruitfully or
otherwise) conceptualized by different thinkers in philosophy. Eventually, with the advent of
social sciences, it became possible for new ways and paradigms to reexamine the true nature of
the self. People put a halt on speculative debates on the relationship between the body and
soul, eventually renamed the body and the mind. Thinkers just eventually got tired of focusing
on the long standing debate since 6 th Century BC between the relationship of the two
components of the human person. Thinkers just settled with the idea there are two
components of the human person and whatever relationship these two have is less important
than the fact that there is a self. The debate shifted into another locus of discussion. Given the
new ways of knowing and the growth of social sciences, it became possible for new approaches
of the examination of the self to come to fore. One of the locus, if not the most important axis
of analysis, is the relationship between the self and the external world.
What is the relationship between the external reality and
the self? In the famous Tarzan story, the little boy named Tarzan
was left in the middle of the forest. Growing up, he never had an
interaction with any other human being but apes and other
animals. Tarzan grew up acting strangely like apes and unlike
human persons. Tarzan became an animal, in effect. His sole
interaction with them made him just like one of them.
Disappointedly, human persons will not develop like human
persons without intervention. This story, which was supposed to be
based on real life, challenges the long-standing notion of human
person being special and being a particular kind of being in the
spectrum of living entities. After all, our “selves” are not special
because of the soul infused into us. We may be gifted with intellect
and the capacity to rationalize things but at the end of the day, our
growth and development and consequentially, our “selves” are truly products of our interaction
with external reality.

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 How much of you is essential? How much of who you are now is a product of your
society, community, and family? Has your choice of school affected yourself now? Had you
been born into a different family and schooled in a different college, how much of who you are
now would change?
ACTIVITY
Paste a picture of you when you were in elementary, in high school and now that you
are in college. Below the picture, list down your salient characteristics that you remember.

My Elementary Self My High School Self

My College Self

ANALYSIS

After having examined your “self” in its different stages, fill out the following table:
Similarities in All stages of My Differences in My “Self” Possible reason for the
“Self” across the Three stages of Differences in Me
My life

A Portrait of Yourself
● The best thing(s) I ever did was (were) _________________________________________

● I wish I could lose my fear of _________________________________________________

● I know I have the talent to ___________________________________________________

● I enjoy people who ________________________________________________________

● I admire _________________________________________________________________

● I feel most productive when _________________________________________________

● I am motivated by _________________________________________________________

● I almost never____________________________________________________________

● My idea of fun is __________________________________________________________

● Work is exciting when ______________________________________________________

● The best advise I ever got was _______________________________________________

● The thing I value most is ____________________________________________________

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 ● If money were no object, I would _____________________________________________

● It is easy for me to focus on _________________________________________________

● My idea of perfect life is ____________________________________________________

● My best days are __________________________________________________________

● My dream is ______________________________________________________________

● I always wanted to ________________________________________________________

● I look forward to __________________________________________________________

● I spent too much time ______________________________________________________

● The thing my friends like about me is __________________________________________

● When I try to change something ______________________________________________

● In a group I like to _________________________________________________________

● If I ever win a prize it will be for ______________________________________________

ABSTRACTION

What is the Self?

The self, in contemporary literature and
even common sense, is commonly defined by the
following characteristics “separate, self-
contained, independent, consistent, unitary, and
private” (Stevens, 1996). By separate, it is meant
that the self is distinct from other selves. The self
is always unique and has its own identity. One
cannot be another person. Even twins are distinct
from each other. Second, self is also self-
contained and independent because in itself it can exist. Its distinctiveness allows it to be self-
contained with its own thoughts, characteristics, and volition. It does not require any other self
for it to exist. It is consistent because it has a personality that is enduring and therefore can be
expected to persist for quite some time. Its consistency, therefore, allows it to be studied,
described, and measured. Consistency also means that a particular self’s traits, characteristics,
tendencies, and potentialities are more or less the same. Self is unitary in that it is the center of
all experiences and thoughts that run through a certain person. It is like the chief command
post in an individual where all processes, emotions, and thoughts converge. Finally, the self is
private. Each person sorts out information, feelings and emotions, and thought processes
within the self. This while process is never accessible to anyone but the self.

This last characteristic of the self, its being private, suggests that the self is isolated from
the external world. It lives within its own world. However, we also see that this potential clash
between the self and the external reality is what spells for the self what it might be, what it can
be, and what it will be. From this perspective then, one can see that the self is always at the
mercy of external circumstances that bump and collide with it. It is ever changing and dynamic,
allowing external influences to take part in its shaping. The concern then of this lesson is in
understanding this vibrant relationship between the self and external reality. This perspective is
known as the social constructionist perspective. “Social constructionists argue for a merged
view of ‘the person’ and ‘their social context’ where the boundaries of one cannot easily be
separated from the boundaries of the other” (Stevens, 1996 p. 222).
Social constructivists argue that the self should not be seen as a static entity that stays
constant through and through. Rather, has to be seen as something that is in unceasing flux, in
constant struggle with external reality, and is malleable in its dealings with society. The self is
always in participation with social life and its identity subjected to influences here and there.

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Having these perspectives considered should draw one into concluding that the self is truly
multifaceted.

Consider a man named Jon. Jon is a math professor in a Catholic university for more
than a decade now. Jon has a beautiful wife Joan, which he met in college. Joan was Jon’s first
and last girlfriend. Apart from being a husband, Jon is also blessed with two doting kids, a son
and a daughter. He also sometimes serves in the church too as a lector and a commentator. As
a man of different roles, one can expect Jon to change and adjust his behaviors, ways, and even
language depending on his social situation. When Jon is in the university, he conducts himself in
a manner that befits his title as a professor. As a husband, Jon can be intimate and touchy. Joan
considers him sweet, something that his students will never conceive him to be. His kids fear
him. As a father, Jon can be stern. As a lector and commentator on the other hand, his church
mate knew him as a calm, all-smiles guy ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. This
short story is not new to most of us. We, ourselves, play different roles, act in different ways
depending on our circumstance. Are we being hypocritical in doing so? Are we even conscious
of shifting selves? According to what we have so far, this is not only normal but it is also
acceptable and expected. The self is capable of morphing and fitting itself into any circumstance
it finds itself in.

The Self and Culture

Remaining the same person and turning chameleon by adopting to one’s context seems
paradoxical. However, the French anthropologist Marcel Mauss has an explanation for this
phenomenon. According to Mauss, every self has two faces: personne and moi. Moi refers to a
person’s sense of who he is, his body, and his basic identity; his biological givenness. Moi is a
person’s basic identity. Personne on the other hand, is composed of the social concepts of
what it means to be who he is. Personne has much to do with what it means to live in a
particular institution, a particular family, a particular religion, a particular nationality, and how
to behave given the expectations and influences from others.

In the story above, Jon might have a moi but certainly he has to shift personne from
time to time to adapt to his social situation. He knows who he is and more or less, he is
confident that he has a unified, coherent self. However, at some point, he has to sport his stern
professorial look. Another day, he has to be doting but strict dad that he is. Inside his bedroom,
he can play goofy with his wife, Joan. In all these and more, Jon retains who he is (his being Jon
and his moi), that part of him who is stable and static all throughout.

The dynamics and capacity for different personne can be illustrated better cross-
culturally. A Filipino OFW adjusting to a life in another country is a very good case study. In the
Philippines, many people unabashedly violate jaywalking rules. A common Filipino treats road,
even national ones, as basically his and so he just simply crosses whenever and wherever.
When the same Filipino visits another country with strict traffic rules, say Singapore, you will
notice how suddenly abiding the said Filipino becomes. This observation has been anecdotally
confirmed by a lot of Filipinos.

The same malleability can be seen in how some men easily transform into sweet, docile
guys when trying to woo and court a particular woman and suddenly change after hearing a
sweet “yes”. This cannot be hardly considered a conscious change on the part of the guy, or on
the part of the law abiding Filipino in the first example. The self simply morphed according to
the circumstances and the contexts.

In the Philippines, Filipinos tend to

consider their territory as a part of who
they are. This includes considering their
immediate surrounding as a part of

15
them, thus the perennial “tapat mo, linis mo”. Filipinos most probably do not consider national
roads as something external to who they are. It is a part of them and they are a part of it, thus
crossing the road whenever and wherever becomes a no brainer. In another country, however,
the Filipino recognizes that he is in a foreign territory where nothing technically belongs to him.
He has to follow rules or else be apprehended.

Language is another interesting aspect of this social constructivism. The Filipino

language is incredibly very interesting to talk about. The way by which we articulate our love is
denoted by the phrase, “Mahal kita”. this of course is the Filipino version of “I love you”. The
Filipino brand of this articulation of love, unlike the English version, does not specify the subject
and the object of love. Unlike in its English version, there is no specification of who loves and
who is loved. There is simply a word for love, mahal, and the pronoun kita which is a second
person pronoun that refers to the speaker and the one being talked to. In the Filipino language,
unlike in English, there is no distinction between the lover and the beloved. They are one.

Interesting too is the word, mahal. In Filipino, the word can mean both “love” and
“expensive”. In our language, love is intimately bound with value, with being expensive and
being precious. Something expensive is valuable. Someone we love is valuable to us. The
Sanskrit origin of the word love is “lubh” which means desire. Technically, love is a desire. The
Filipino word for it to has another intonation apart from mere desire, which is valuable.

Another interesting facet of our language is its being gender-neutral. In English, Spanish,
and other languages, there is clear distinction between a third person male and a third person
female pronoun. He and She El and Ella. In Filipino, it is plain “siya”. There is no specification of
gender. Our language does not specify between male and female. We both call it “siya”.

In these varied examples, we have seen how language has something to do with culture.
It is salient part of culture and ultimately, has tremendous effect in our crafting of the self. This
might also be one of the reasons cultural divide definitely accounts for the differences in how
one regards oneself. In one research, it was found that North Americans are more likely to
attribute being unique to themselves and claim that they are better than most people in doing
what they love doing. Japanese people, on the other hand, have been seen to display a degree
of modesty. If one finds himself born and reared in a particular culture, one definitely tries to fit
in a particular mold. If a self is born in a particular culture, the self will have to adjust according
to its exposure.

The Self and the Development of the Social World

So how do people actively produce their social words? How do children grow up and
become social beings? How can a boy turn out to be just like an ape? How do twins coming out
from the same mother turn out to be different when given up for adoption? More than a
person’s givenness (personality, tendencies, propensities, etc.) one is believed to be in active
participation of shaping the self. Most often, we think human persons are just passive actors in
the whole process of the shaping of selves. That men and women are born with particularities
that they can no longer change. Recent studies, however, indicate that men and women in their
growth and development engage activities in the shaping of the self. The unending terrain of
metamorphosis of the self is mediated by language. “Language as both a publicly shared and
privately utilized symbol system is the site where the individual and the social make and
remake each other” (Schwartz, White and Lutz 1993, p. 83).

Mead and Vygotsky

For George Herbert Mead and Lev Vygotsky, human

persons develop with the use of language acquisition and interaction
with others. The way that we process information is normally a form

16
of an internal dialogue in our head. Those who deliberate about moral dilemmas undergo this
internal dialogue. “Should I do this or that?” “But if I do this, it will be like this”. “Don’t I want
the other option?” So cognitive and emotional development of a child is always mimicry of how
it is done in the social world, in the external reality where he is in.

Both Vygotsky and Mead treat the human mind as something that is made, constituted
through language as experienced in the external world and as encountered in dialogues with
others. A young child internalizes values, norms, practices, and social beliefs and mores through
exposure to these dialogues that will eventually become part of his individual world. For Mead,
this takes place as a child assumes the ‘other’ through language and role play. A child
conceptualizes his notion of ‘self’ through this. Notice how little children are fond of playing
role play with their toys? Notice how they make scripts and dialogues for their toys as they play
with them? According to Mead, it is through this that a child delineates the “I” from the rest.

Lev Vygotsky, for his part believes a child internalizes real-

life dialogues that he has had with others, with his family, his
primary caregiver, or his playmates. They apply this to their mental
and practical problems along with the social and cultural infusions
brought about by the said dialogues. Notice how children can
become what they watch? Notice how children can easily adopt
ways of cartoon characters they are exposed to? Dora, for
example?

Self in Families

Apart from the anthropological and psychological basis

for the relationship between the self and the social world, the
sociological likewise struggled to understand the real
connection between the two concepts. In doing so, sociologists
focus on the different institutions and powers at play in the
society. Among these, the most prominent is the family.

While every child is born with certain givenness,

disposition coming from his parents’ genes and general condition of life, the impact of family is
still deemed as a given in understanding the self. The kind of family that we are born in and the
resources available to us (human, spiritual, economic) will certainly affect us and the kind of
development that we will have as we got through life. As a matter of evolutionary fact, human
persons are one of those beings whose importance of family cannot be denied. Human beings
are born virtually helpless and the dependency period of a human baby to its parents for
nurturing is relatively longer than most other animals. Learning, therefore, is critical in our
capacity to actualize our potential of becoming humans. In trying to achieve the goal of
becoming a fully realized human, a child enters a system of relationships, most important of
which is the family.

Human persons learn ways of living and therefore their selfhood by being in a family. It
is what a family initiates a person to become that serves as the basis for this person’s progress.
Babies internalize ways and styles that they view from their family. For example, by imitating
the language of their primary agents of rearing, their family, babies learn language. The same is
true for ways of behaving. Notice how kids reared in respectful environment becomes
respectful as well and the converse if raised in a converse family. Internalizing behavior may
either be conscious or unconscious. Table manners or ways of speaking to elders are things that
are possible to teach and therefore, are consciously learned by kids. Some behaviors and

17
 attitudes, on the other hand, may be indirectly taught through
rewards and punishments. Others such as sexual behavior or
how to confront emotions are learned in subtle means, like the
tone of the voice or intonation of the models. It is then clear at
this point that those who develop and eventually grow to
become adult who still did not learn simple matters like basic
manners of conduct failed in internalizing due to parental or
familial failure to initiate them into the world.

Without a family, biologically and sociologically, a person may not even survive or
become a human person. Go back to the Tarzan example. In more ways than one, the survival
of Tarzan in the midst of a forest is in itself already a miracle. His being a full human person
with a sense of selfhood is a different story though. The usual teleserye plot of kids getting
swapped in the hospital and getting reared by a different family give an obvious manifestation
of the point being made in this section. One is who he is because of his family for the most part.

Gender and the Self

Another important aspect of the self that is important to mention here is gender.
Gender is one of those loci of the self that is subject to alteration, change, and the
development. We have seen in the past years how people fought hard for the right to express,
validate, and assert their gender expression. Many conservatives may frown upon this and
insist on the biological basis. However, from the point-of-view of the social sciences and the
self, it is important to give one the leeway to find, express, and live his identity. This form of
selfhood is one that cannot just be dismissed. One maneuvers into the society and identifies
himself as who he is by also taking note of gender identities. A wonderful anecdote about Leo
Tolstoy’s wife that can solidify this point is narrated below:

Sonia Tolstoy, the wife of the famous Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, wrote when
she was twenty-one, “I am nothing but a miserable crushed worm, whom no one wants,
whom no one loves, a useless creature with morning sickness, and a big belly, gwo
rotten teeth, and a bad temper, a battered sense of dignity, and a love which nobody
wants wand which nearly drives me insane.” A few years later she wrote, “It makes me
laugh to read over this diary. It’s so full of contradictions, and one would think that I was
such an unhappy woman. Yet is there a happier woman than I?” (Moffat and Painter
1974).

This account illustrates that our gender partly determines how we see ourselves in the
world. Oftentimes, society forces a particular identity unto us depending on our sex and/or
gender. In the Philippines, husbands for the most part is expected to provide for the family. The
eldest man in a family is expected to head the family and hold it. Slight modifications have been
on the way due to feminism and LGBT activism but for the most part, patriarchy has remained
to be at work.
Nancy Chodorow, feminist, argues that
because mothers take the role of taking care
of children, there is a tendency for girls to
imitate he same an reproduce the same kind
of mentality as women as care providers in the
family. The way that little girls are given dolls
instead, encouraged to play with makeshift
kitchen also reinforces notion of what roles
they should take and the selves they should
develop. In boarding schools for girls, young women are encouraged to act like fine ladies, are
trained to behave in a fashion that befits their status as women in society.

18
 Men on the other hand, in the periphery of
their own family, are taught early on how to
behave like a man. This normally includes holding
in one’s emotion, being tough, fatalistic, not to
worry about danger, and admiration for hard
physical labor. Masculinity is learned by
integrating a young boy in a society. In the
Philippines, young boys had to undergo
circumcision not just for the original, clinical
purpose of hygiene but to also assert their
manliness in the society. Circumcision plays
another social role by initiating young boys into
manhood.

The gendered self is then shaped within a

particular context of time and space. The sense of self
that is being taught makes sure that an individual fits in
a particular environment. This is dangerous and
detrimental in the goal of truly finding one’s self, self-
determination, and growth of the self. Gender has to be
personally discovered and asserted and not dictated by
culture and society.

APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT

Answer the following questions, cogently and honestly.

19
Module 3 THE SELF AS COGNITIVE CONSTRUCT
Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to:

1. identify the different ideas in psychology about the “self”;
2. create their own definition of the “self” based on the definitions from psychology;
3. analyze the effects of various factors identified in psychology in the formation of the
“self”.

INTRODUCTION

As seen from the previous lessons, every field of the study, at least in the social sciences,
definition, and conceptualization of self and identity. Some are similar while some specific only
in their field. Each field also has thousands of research on self and identity as well as related or
synonymous terms. The trend of the lessons also seems to define the concept of the “self” from
a larger context (i.e. culture and society) down to the individual. However, it must be pointed
out that modern researches acknowledge the contributions of each field and this is not some
sort of nature vs. nurture, society/culture vs. individual/brain, or other social sciences vs.
psychology debate. Psychology may focus on the individual and the cognitive functions but it
does not discount the context and other possible factors that affect the individual. For students
who take up psychology, discussions on theories, development, etc. actually takes at least one
semester and still, there are more to be known about the concept of the “self”. The following
lesson provides an overview of the themes of psychology regarding the said concept.

ACTIVITY

This activity has two parts that try to compare how we look at ourselves against how
people perceive us depending on how we present ourselves to them. For the first part, list ten
to fifteen (10-15) qualities or things around the human figures representing you that you think
defines who you are.

20
For the second part, in the space below, write the following “I am
_________________________ (Your name). Who do you think I am based on what you see me
do or hear me say?” Since for the most part of the semester, you will be staying at home while
learning, you can chat among your friends in this activity. Do not use bad words. Consolidate all
responses and write it here on the space provided.

ANALYSIS
Compare what you wrote about yourself to those written by your classmates. What
aspects are similar and which are not? What aspects are always true to you? What aspects are
sometimes true or circumstantial? What aspects do you think are not really part of your
personality? Write your answers below:

ABSTRACTION

In confidence or in an attempt to avoid further analytical discussions, a lot of people say

“I am who I am.” Yet this statement still begs the question “If you are who you are, then who
are you that makes you who you are?”

As mentioned earlier there are various definitions of the “self” and other similar or
interchangeable concepts in psychology. Simply put, “self” is “the sense of personal identity
and of who we are as individuals” (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014, 106).

William James (1890) was one of the earliest pscyhologists to study the self and he
conceptualized the self as having two aspects—the “I” and the “me”. The “I” is the thinking,
acting, and feeling self (Gleitman, Gross and Reisberg 2011, 616; Hogg and Vaughn 2010, 66).
The “me” on the other hand is the physical characteristics as well as psychological capabilities
that makes you who you are. Carl Rogers (1959) theory of personality also used the same
terms, the “I” as the one who acts and decides while the “me” is what you think or feel about
yourself as an object (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg 2011, 616).

Other concepts similar to self is identity and self-concept. Identity is composed of one’s
personal characteristics, social roles and responsibilities as well as affiliations that defines who
one is (Elmore, Oyserman, and Smith 2012, 69). Self-concept is basically what comes to your
mind when you are asked about who you are (elmore, Oyserman, and Smith 2012, 69).

21
 Self, identity, and self-concept are not fixed in one time frame. For example, when asked
about who you are, you can say “I was a varsity player in Grade5” which pertains to the past, “a
college student” which may be the present, and a “future politician” which is the future. They
are not also fixed for life nor are they ever-changing at every moment. Think of a malleable
metal, strong and hard but can be bent and molded in other shapes. Think about water. It can
take any shape of the container, it can be in solid, liquid, or gas form, but at its core, it is still the
same elements.

Carl Rogers captured this idea in his concept of self-schema or our own organized
system or collection of knowledge about who we are (Gleitman, Gross and Reisberg 2011, 616;
Jhangiani and Tarry 2014, 107-108). Imagine an organized list or a diagram similar to the one
below.

Hobbies

Family
Self Religion

Nationality

The scheme is not limited to the example above. It may also include your interests, your
work, your course, age, name, physical characteristics, etc. As you grow and adapt to the
changes around you, they also change. But they are not passive receivers, they actively shape
and affect how you see, think, and feel about the object of things (Gleitman, Gross and Reisberg
2011, 617; Jhangiani and Tarry 2014, 107-108).

For example, when someone states your name, even if he is now talking about you, your
attention is drawn to him. If you have a provincial language and you hear someone using it, it
catches your attention. If you consider yourself a book-lover, a bookstore may always entice
you out of all the other stores in a mall.

Theories generally see the self and identity as mental constructs created and re-created
in memory (Elmore, Oyserman, and Smith 2012, 75). Current researches point to the frontal
lobe of the brain as the specific area in the brain associated with processes concerning the self
(Elmore, Oyserman, and Smith 2012, 75).

Several psychologists, especially during the field’s earlier development followed this
trend of thought, looking deeper into the mind of the person to theorize about the self,
identity, self-concept, and in turn, one’s personality. The most influential of them is Sigmund
Freud. Basically, Freud saw the self, its mental processes, and one’s behavior as the results of
the interaction between the Id, the Ego and the Superego.

22
 However, as mentioned earlier, one cannot fully discount the effects of society and
culture to the formation of the self, identity, and self-concept. Even as Freud and other theories
and researchers try to understand the person by digging deeper into the mind, they cannot fully
discount the huge and important effects of the environment. As in the abovementioned
definitions of the self, social interaction always has a part to play in who we think we are. This is
not nature vs. nurture but instead a nature-and-nurture perspective.
Under the theory of symbolic interactionism, G. H. Mead (1934) argued that the self is
created and developed through human interaction (Hogg and Vaughan 2010, 66). Basically,
there are at least three reasons why self and identity are social products (Elmore, Oyserman,
and Smith 2012, 76):
1. We do not create ourselves out of nothing. Society helped in creating the foundations of
who we are and even if we make our choices, we will still operate in our social and
historical contexts in one way or the other way. Of course, you may transfer from one
culture to another, but parts of who you were will still affect you and you will also to
adapt to the new social context. Try looking at your definition of who you are and see
where society had affected you;

2. Whether we like to admit it or not, we actually need others to affirm and reinforce who
we think we are. We also need them as reference points about our identity. One
interesting example is the social media interactions we have. In the case of Facebook,
there are those who will consciously or unconsciously try to garner more LIKES and /or
positive reactions and that can and will reinforce their self-concept. It is almost like a
battle between who got more friends, more views, and trending topics. If one says he or
she is a good singer but his or her performance and the evaluation from the audience
says otherwise, that will have an effect on that person’s idea of himself, one way or
another.

3. What we think as important to us may also have been influenced by what is important
in our social or historical context. Education might be an important thing to your self-
concept because you grew up in a family that valued education. Money might be
important to some because they may have grown in a poor family and realized how
important money is in addressing certain needs like medical emergencies. Being a nurse
or a lawyer can be a priority in your elf-schema because it is the in-demand course
during your time.

Social interaction and group affiliation, therefore, are vital factors in creating our self-
concept especially in the aspect of providing us with our social identity or our perception of
who we are based on our membership to certain groups (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014, 110). It is
also inevitable then that we can have several social identity, that those identities can overlap,
and that we automatically play the roles as we interact with our groups. For example, you are a
student yet you are also a member if a certain group of friends. You study because it is your
role as a student but you prefer to study with your friends and your study pattern changes
when you are with your friends than when you do it alone.

However, there are times when we are aware of our self-concepts, also called self-
awareness. Carver and Scheier (1981) identified two types of self that we can be aware of:
1) The private self or your internal standards and private thoughts and feelings, and
2) The public self or your public image commonly geared towards having a good
presentation of yourself to others (Hogg and Vaughan 2010, 69).

Self-awareness also presents us with at least three other self-schema: the actual, ideal,
ought self. The “actual self” is who you are at the moment, the “ideal self” is who you like to be,
and the “ought self” is who we think we should be (Higgins 1997 in Hogg and Vaughn 2010, 74).
Example is that you are a student interested in basketball but is also academically challenged in
most of your subjects. Your ideal self might be to practice more and play with the varsity team
but ought to pass your subjects as a responsible student. One has to find solution to such

23
discrepancies in order to avoid agitation, dejection, or other negative emotions. In some
instances, however, all three may be in line with one another.

Self-awareness may be positive or negative depending on the circumstances and our next
course of action. Self-awareness can keep you from doing something dangerous., it can help
remind you that there is an exam tomorrow on one of the subjects when you are about to
spend time playing computer games with your cousins, among others, in other instances self-
awareness can be too much that we are concerned about being observed and criticized by
others, also known as self-consciousness (Jahngiani and Tarry 2014, 112). At other times,
especially with large crowds. We may experience deindividuation or the “loss of individual self-
awareness and individual accountability in groups” (Festinger, Pepitone, and Newcomb 1952;
Zimbardo 1969). A lot of people will attune themselves with the emotions of their group and
because the large crowd also provides some kind of anonymity, we may lessen our self-control
and act in ways that we will not do when we are alone. A common example is a mass
demonstration erupting into a riot.

One of the ways in which our social relationship affects our self-esteem is through social
comparison. According to the social comparison theory, we learn about ourselves, the
appropriateness of our behavior, as well as our social status by comparing ourselves with other
people.

The downward social comparison is the more common type of comparing ourselves with
others, as the name implies, we create a positive self-concept by comparing ourselves with
those who are worse off than us. By having the advantage, we are able to raise our self-esteem.
Another comparison is the upward social comparison which is comparing ourselves with those
who are better off than us. While it can be a form of motivation for some, a lot of those who do
this actually felt lower self-esteem as we highlight more of our weaknesses or inequalities.

Take note that this occurs not only between individuals but also among groups. Thus, if a
person’s group is performing better and is acknowledged more than the other group, then
his/her self-esteem may also be heightened.

Social comparison also entails what is called self-evaluation maintenance theory which
states that we can feel threatened when someone out-performs us, especially when that
person is close to us i.e. a friend or family. In that case, we usually react in three ways. First, we
distance ourselves from that person or redefine our relationship with them (Jhangiani and Tarry
2014, 144). Some will resort to silent treatment, change of friends, while some may also
redefine by being closer with that person, hoping that some association may give him/her a
certain kind of acknowledgement also. Second, we may reconsider the importance of the
aspect or skill in which you were outperformed. If you got beaten in drawing, you might think
that drawing is not really for you and you’ll find a hobby that where you could excel, thus
preserving your self-esteem. Lastly, we may also strengthen our resolve to improve that certain
aspect of ourselves. Instead of quitting drawing, you might join seminars, practice more often,
read books about it, add some elements in your drawing that makes it unique, etc. Achieving
your goal through hard work may increase your self-esteem too.

However, in the attempt to increase or maintain self-esteem some people become

narcissistic. Narcissism is a “trait characterized by overly high self-esteem, self-admiration, and
self-centeredness”. They are often charismatic because of how they take care of their image.
Taking care of that image includes their interpersonal relationships thus they will try to look for
better partners, better acquaintances, as well as people who will appreciate them a lot. This
makes them bad romantic partner or friend since they engage in relationships only to serve
themselves.

Sometimes there is a thin line between high self-esteem and narcissism and there are a lot
of tests and measurements for self-esteem like the Rosenberg scale but the issue is that the

24
results can be affected by the desire of the person to portray him/herself in a positive or
advantageous way. In case you really want to take a test and find a numerical value or level for
your self-esteem, try to be honest and objective about what you feel and see about yourself.

Though self-esteem is a very important concept related to the self, studies have shown that
it only has a correlation, not causality, to positive outputs and outlook. It can be argued that
high or healthy self-esteem may result to an overall good personality but it is not, and should
not be, the only source of a person’s healthy perspective of him/herself.

People with high self-esteem are commonly described as outgoing, adventurous, and
adaptable in a lot of situations. They also initiate activities and building relationships with
people. However, they may also dismiss other activities that does not conform to their self-
concept or boost their self-esteem. They may also be bullies and experiment on abusive
behaviors with drugs, alcohol, and sex.

This duality in the behavior and attitudes only proves the abovementioned correlation.
Baumeister, Smart, and Boden (1996) in their research on self-esteem concluded that
programs, activities, and parenting styles to boost self-esteem should only be rewarding good
behavior and other achievements and not for the purpose of merely trying to make children
feel better about themselves or to appease them when they get angry or sad.

APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT

Activity 1: Success Stories

Think about and write two or three of your success stories. Use separate sheet when
necessary.
1. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

What does this say about who you are and what’s important to you? Share with your group
“why” these success stories are important to you. We will have a scheduled online session for
group sharing.

Activity 2: Improving Self-esteem

Do a research and list ten (10) things to do in order to boost your self-esteem or
improve your self-concept. Cite your resources. Analyze each item which of those that you have
listed is applicable to your own self at this time.

25
Module 4 THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHT
Objectives
At the end of the session, the students will be able to:
1. differentiate the concept of self-according to western thought against eastern/oriental
perspectives;
2. explain the concept of self as found in Asian thoughts; and
3. create a representation of the Filipino self

Introduction
Different cultures and varying environment tends to create different perception of the
“self” and one of the most common distinctions between culture and people is the eastern vs.
western dichotomy wherein eastern represents Asia and western represents Europe and
Northern America. It must be understood that this distinction and the countries included was
politically colored at the time that aforementioned concepts were accepted and used in the
social sciences. Furthermore, it must be reiterated that while countries that are closer to each
other geographically may share commonalities, there are also a lot of factors that create
differences. In the Philippines alone, each region may have similar or varying perception
regarding the “self”.

Activity
Write the top five (5) differences between Western and Eastern society, culture, and
inviduals in the table below. Cite your sources.
WESTERN EASTERN

Analysis
Do you agree with the differentiation between the West and the East? Where can you
find the Philippines in the distinction? What are the factors that make the Philippines similar or
different from its Asian neighbors? Is there also a difference between regions or ethnolinguisitic
groups in the Philippines?

26
ABSTRACTION
There are actually a lot of sources in which you can analyze the perspective of each
culture and country about the concept of “self”. You can see it in their literature like how one
culture depicts a hero or villain in their stories. You can see it in their social organization like
how they see their boss or their subordinate. Art works, dances, even clothing may show you
clues about the “self”.
For the purposes of this lesson, however, we will look at religious beliefs and political
philosophies that greatly influenced the mindset of each nation or culture. Since almost all the
theories about the self, which were discussed in the previous lessons, also came from the
Western scientific research, we will highlight the eastern thoughts in this lesson.

First is Confucianism. Confucianism can

be seen as a code of ethical conduct, of how one
should properly act according to their
relationship with other people, thus it is also
focused on having a harmonious social life (Ho,
1995). The identity and self-concept therefore of
the individual is interwoven with the identity
and status of his/her community or culture,
sharing its pride as well as its failures.

Self-cultivation is seen as the ultimate

purpose of life but the characteristics of chun-tzu, a man of virtue or noble character, is still
embedded in his/her social relationships. The cultivated self in Confucianism is what some
scholars call a “subdued self” wherein personal needs are repressed (subdued) for the good of
many, making Confucian society also hierarchical for the purpose of maintaining order and
balance in society.

The second philosophy is Taoism.

For the purpose of discussion, Taoism is
living in the way of the Tao or the
universe. However, Taoism rejects
having one definition of what the Tao is,
and one can only state clues of what it is
as they adapt a free-flowing, relative,
unitary, as well as paradoxical view of
almost everything. Taoism rejects the
hierarchy and strictness brought by
Confucianism and would prefer a simple
life. Thus, its teachings aim to describe
how to attain that life.

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 The self is not just an extension of the family or the community; it is part of the
universe, one of the forms and manifestations of the Tao. The ideal self is selflessness but this is
not forgetting about the self, it is living a balanced life with society and nature, being open and
accepting to change, forgetting about prejudices and egocentric ideas and thinking about
equality as well as complementarity among humans as well as other beings. In this way, you will
be able to act spontaneously because you will not be restricted by some legalistic standards but
because you are in harmony with everything.

The third belief is Buddhism. There are

various groups who have adapted Buddhism thus
you may find differences in their teachings with our
discussion but more likely, their core concepts
remained the same. The self is seen as an illusion,
born out of ignorance, of trying to hold and control
things, or human-centered needs, thus the self is
also the source of all these sufferings. It is
therefore our quest to forget about the self, forget
the cravings of the self, break the attachments you
have with the world, and renounce the self which is
the cause of all suffering and in doing so attain the
state of Nirvana.

The self or the individual is not the focus of the abovementioned Asian or Eastern
philosophies or belief. Even when extended discussions about how the self should work,
Confucianism and Taoism still situate the self within a bigger context. The person, in striving to
a better person, does not create a self above other people or nature but a self that is beneficial
to his/her community as well as in order and in harmony with everything else. As for Buddhism,
the self, with all its connections and selfish ideas, is totally taken, not just out of the center of
the picture, but out of the whole picture as a whole.

Bearing the previous lessons in mind, a Western perspective does not discount the role
of environment and society in the formation of the self but the focus is always looking towards
the self. You compare yourself in order to be better; you create associations and bask in the
glory of that group for your self-esteem; you put primacy in developing yourself.

28
 One can also describe that the Western thought looks at the world in dualities wherin
you are distinct from the other person, the creator is separated from the object he or she
created, in which the self is distinguished and acknowledged. On the other hand, the Eastern
perspective sees the other person as part of yourself as well as the things you may create, a
drama in which everyone is interconnected with their specific roles (Wolter, 2012).

Several studies showed that Americans, for example, talk more about their personal
attributes when describing themselves while Asians in general would talk about their social
roles or the social situations that invoked certain traits that they deem positive for their self.
Evaluation of the self also differs as Americans would highlight their personal achievements
while Asians would rather keep a low profile as promoting the self can be seen as boastfulness
that disrupts social relationships.

The western culture then is what we would call an individualistic culture since their
focus is on the
person. Asian
culture on the other
hand is called a
collectivist culture
as the group and
social relationships
is given more
importance than
individual needs and
wants.

By valuing
the individual,
westerners may
seem to have loose
associations or even
loyalty to their
groups. Competition
is the name of the game and they are more likely straightforward and forceful in their
communication as well as decision making. Eastern or oriental persons look after the welfare of
their group and value cooperation. They would also be more compromising and they tend to go
around the bush explaining things, hoping that the other person would feel what they really
want to say.

Westerners also emphasize more on the value of equality even if they see that the
individual can rise above everything else. Because everyone is on their own in the competition,
one can say that they also promote ideals that create a “fair” competition and protect the
individual. Asians, on the other hand, with their collective regard, put more emphasis on
hierarchy—as the culture wants to keep things in harmony and in order. For example,
Westerners would most likely call their boss, parents or other seniors by their first name. The
boss can also be approached head-on when conflicts or problems about him/her arises. For
Asians, we have respectful terms for our seniors and a lot of workers would not dare go against
the high ranking officials.

It must be emphasized, however, that these are general commonalities among

Western cultures as compared to Asian or Oriental culture. In the case of the Philippines, we
can also consider the colonization experience for differences and similarities with other Asian
neighbors. We might also find variation among provinces and regions due to geographical
conditions.

29
 With the social media, migration, and intermarriages, variety between the Western
and Asian perceptions may either be blurred or highlighted. Whereas conflict is inevitable in
diversity, peace is also possible through the understanding of where each of us is coming from.

APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT

Create your own representation, diagram, or concept map of the self-according to

Filipino culture. Provide a brief explanation about your output.

UNIT 2
UNPACKING THE SELF

Module 5 THE CONCEPT OF PHYSICAL SELF

(The Body, Sexuality and Gender)

“Man is a transitional being? This body is a bridge.” (Sri

Arubindo).

OBJECTIVES

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ discuss the physical aspect of sexuality;
⮚ explain human sexual behavior;
⮚ characterize the diversity of sexual behavior;

INTRODUCTION
It has been believed that the sex chromosomes of humans define the sex (female or
male) and their secondary sexual characteristics. From childhood, we are controlled by our
genetic make-up. It influences the way we treat ourselves and others. However, there are
individuals who do not accept their innate sexual characteristics and they tend to change their
sexual organs through medications and surgery. Aside from our genes, our society or the
external environment helps shape our selves. This lesson helps us better understand ourselves
through a discussion on the development of our sexual characteristics and behavior.

DEFINITION
Physical Self refers to the body, this marvelous container and complex, finely tuned,
machine with which we interface with our environment and fellow beings. The Physical Self is
the concrete dimension, the tangible aspect of the person that can be directly observed and
examined.

PART 1: FOCUS ON THE BODY

“MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHO’S THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL?”

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 ⮚ There are people who give so much importance to their face, their appearance, body
form and strength— especially among young single men and women.
⮚ Only a few would be satisfied with the shape and condition of their bodies.

THE OBSESSION TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FACE AND BODY

 The tragedy of Michael Jackson (endless surgery to alter face)

 The demand for cosmetic surgery, skin whiteners, etc
 Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia
 Malnutrition among young women due to improper way of dieting

THE “GOLDEN RATIO” THE PERFECT FACE STEPHEN MARQUARDT

It’s rather impossible to achieve the Golden Ratio, but…

 People still vie for it.
 Some are not satisfied with the way their partners look like, and are attracted to “more
beautiful” people. (“contrast effect”)
 We often ask: Which would you prefer, to be rich or to be beautiful?

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”… True, but…

 If I could afford to have a good looking partner, why not?
 It is but a big challenge to us educators and parents to inculcate to the young that it’s more
important to be beautiful inside than outside.

Plump… Skinny… Just right… Sexy or Chubby?

As long as the fashion industry dictates what is beautiful— be it for men or women—
youth can never be satisfied with their bodies.
Every culture would have standards for beauty
Medieval age at some tribes (e.g. Africa) – chubby, plump
Hollywood and local showbiz – skinny, sexy, six-pack abs for men

BODY ART AS STATUS SYMBOL

 THEN and NOW

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 1 tattooing
2 scarification
3 piercing
4 body painting

RELIGION & DE-EMPHASIZING THE BODY

PART 2: SEXUALITY

MEANS THROUGH WHICH SEXUALITY IS EXPERIENCED

From childhood to old age

 By means of the body

 Through roles in life
 By means of beliefs
 Through relationships

LUST– ROMANTIC EXCITEMENT– DESIRE- GENDER (libog - kilig – pagnanasa – kasarian)

Let’s take a look at these concepts…

 Gender identity – in the mind
 Sexual orientation – to whom are you sexually attracted
 Gender expression – how you move and what you wear
 Biological sex – depends on hormones and genitalia

SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS A DYNAMIC SPECTRUM AND MAY CHANGE THROUGH TIME.

 For instance, as time goes by, a person may : stay as heterosexual predominantly
heterosexual, occasionally homosexual bisexual predominantly homosexual, occasionally
heterosexual always homosexual They go through a process of discovery, as they are uncertain.
VARIOUS EXPRESSIONS
 Clothing and gestures may not show the gender of a person: - among the lesbians,
there are those who are more masculine in actions and clothing there are those who are

32
feminine, but are attracted to the same sex - among the gay men, there are those who are
feminine there are those who are masculine Among gay and lesbian couples, it is not necessary
that one should take the “wife” role and the “husband” role.
EVERYBODY DESIRES TO BE HAPPY
Regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, everybody wants to be happy.
 Happiness in relationships (good relations, loving each other)
 Happiness in physical/sexual relationship (there’s lust, satisfaction, orgasm)
 Free from diseases (sexually transmitted diseases, HIV-AIDS)
 Acceptance and respect from the society
 Productive lives (industry, life’s direction, contribution to the society)
AREAS OF SEXUALITY
 Physical
 Emotional
 Psychological
 Spiritual
These are all interconnected.

To Prevent, To Avoid, and To Fight Against Discrimination

 We must keep from and fight against treating a person as a sex object. There should be zero
tolerance against sex discrimination and sex abuse.
 Forms of discrimination and abuse according to gender:
⮚ demeaning behavior
⮚ ignoring the existence
⮚ slurs and jokes (whistling, green jokes)
⮚ discrimination in the work place
⮚ insults
⮚ causing physical injury
⮚ rape, molestation

EROGENOUS ZONES

Refer to parts of the body that are primarily receptive and increase sexual arousal when
touched in a sexual manner.

Let’s uphold the care for the whole person.

In Buddhist tradition the concept of Middle Path is of central importance in one’s

attitude towards the body. It involves neither full indulgence of one’s all desires nor extreme
asceticism or self-mortification. This is because? Both your life and your body deserve love and
respect, for it is by their agency that Truth is practiced and the Buddha’s power manifested?
(Dogen in Kennett, 1976).

Physical Self: The Sun in Darkness

The body that was to be a lamp to self,
One day worms will have a horrid feast of it.
Here is the common glory of all human flesh,
That the good and bad, high and low, all must die.
(Sir Edwin Arnold, Buddha-The light of Asia)

APPLICATION

Exercise 1: Body Map

1. Which part of your body you use the most and you can identify with?
2. Which part of your body you take for granted?
3. What does your body tell you about yourself?

Exercises 2: Draw (Long Bondpaper)

33
1. Make your own “The Gender Bread Person and color/label each part.

Exercises 3:
1. CREATIVE WORK. Propose a program in school or community that will raise the awareness of
the students and to help eliminate sexually transmitted diseases especially among the youth.
2. AGREE or DISAGREE. Are you in favor of legalizing marriage among homosexuals and
transgenders? Why?

Reference:
https://www.all-about-psychology.com/the-concept-of-physical-self-in-psychology.html
https://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/erogenous-zones

Module 6 THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL SELF

To this point, we have seen, among other things, that human beings have complex and
well-developed self-concepts and that they generally attempt to view themselves
positively.

OBJECTIVES

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ Understand the influence of culture towards self development
⮚ Make your own Genogram and be able to identify your genetic inheritance
⮚ discuss the Parental Socialization
⮚ describe the family system identify your own
⮚ internalize function s of Family
INTRODUCTION
These more cognitive and affective aspects of ourselves do not, of course, occur in a
vacuum. They are heavily influenced by the social forces that surround us. We have alluded to
some of these forces already; for example, in our review of self-verification theory, we saw how
feedback from others can affect our self-concept and esteem. We also looked at ways that our
sociocultural backgrounds can affect the content of our self-concept.

DEFINITION
GENOGRAM

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35
36
FAMILY SYSTEMS
The Family
▣ Families form a system of interacting elements.

37
 ▣ Parents and children influence one another.
� Parents influence their children both directly and indirectly
� Children influence their parents
Children’s behaviors, attitudes, and interests affect how their parents behave toward them.
In the systems view, families, parents and children influence each other and parent-child
relations are influenced by other individuals and institutions

FUNCTION OF FAMILIES
Survival of offspring
◼ Families help to ensure that children survive to maturity by attending to their
physical needs, health needs, and safety.
Economic function
◼ Families provide the means for children to acquire the skills and other resources
they need to be economically productive in adulthood.
Cultural training
◼ Families teach children the basic values in their culture.
PARENTAL SOCIALIZATION
Parents as direct instructors
◼ Parents may directly teach their children skills, rules, and strategies and explicitly
inform or advise them on various issues
Parents as indirect socializers

38
 ◼ Parents provide indirect socialization in the course of their day-to-day
interactions with their children
Parents as providers and controllers of opportunities
◼ Parents manage children’s experiences and social lives, including their exposure
to positive or negative experiences, their opportunities to play with certain toys
and children, and their exposure to various kinds of information
PARENTING DIMENSIONS
▣ There are two general dimensions of parental behavior:
� The degree of warmth and responsiveness that parents show their
children
� The amount of control parents exert over their children
WARMTH AND RESPONSIVENESS
▣ At one of the spectrum are parents who are openly warm and affectionate with their
children.
▣ At the other end of the spectrum are parents who are relatively uninvolved with their
children and sometimes even hostile toward them.
PARENTAL CONTROL
▣ Parents’ efforts to supervise and monitor their children’s behavior
▣ Effective control
◼ Setting standards that are appropriate for the child’s age
◼ Showing the child how to meet the standards
◼ Rewarding the child for complying to these standards
▣ Parents should enforce the standards consistently
◼ Children and adolescents are more compliant when parents enforce the rules
regularly
▣ Effective control is also based on good communication
◼ Parents should explain why they’ve set standards and why they reward or punish
as they do
PARENTAL STYLES (BAUMRIND)
▣ Authoritarian parenting
◼ High parental control with little warmth
▣ Authoritative parenting
◼ A fair degree of parental control with being warm and responsive to children
▣ Indulgent-permissive parenting
◼ Warmth and caring but little parental control
▣ Indifferent-uninvolved parenting
◼ Neither warmth nor control
▣ Children with authoritarian parents typically have lower grades in school, lower self-
esteem, and are less skilled socially.

39
 ▣ Children with authoritative parents tend to have higher grades and be responsible, self-
reliant, and friendly.
▣ Children with indulgent-permissive parents have lower grades and are often impulsive
and easily frustrated.
▣ Children with indifferent-uninvolved parents have low self-esteem and are impulsive,
aggressive, and moody.
HOW CAN PARENTS INFLUENCE THEIR CHILDREN?
▣ Direct Instruction
◼ Telling a child what to do, when and why
◼ Learning by Observing (modeling)
◼ Learning what to do by watching
◼ Learning what not to do (counter imitation)
▣ Feedback
◼ Parents indicate whether a behavior is appropriate and should continue or
should stop
FEEDBACK
▣ Reinforcement
◼ Any action that increases the likelihood of the response that it follows
▣ Punishment
◼ Any action that discourages the reoccurrence of the response that it follows
PUNISHMENT WORKS BEST WHEN:
▣ Administered directly after the undesired behavior occurs, rather than hours later.
▣ An undesired behavior always leads to punishment, rather than usually or occasionally.
▣ Accompanied by an explanation of why the child was punished and how punishment can
be avoided in the future.
▣ The child has a warm, affectionate relationship with the person administering the
punishment.
DRAWBACKS TO PUNISHMENT
● Punishment is primarily suppressive: if a new behavior isn’t learned to replace it, the
old response will come back.
● Punishment can have undesirable side effects:
◼ Children become upset as they are being punished which makes it unlikely that
they will understand the feedback that punishment is meant to convey?
◼ When children are punished physically – they often imitate this behavior with
peers and younger siblings.

Children who are spanked often use aggression to resolve their disputes with others and are
more likely to have behavior problems.

40
 Parenting behavior and styles evolve as a consequence of the child’s behavior.
Children’s behavior helps determine how parents treat them and the resulting parental
behavior influences children’s behavior, which can in turn cause parents to again change their
behavior.

This reciprocal influence lead many families to adopt routine ways of interacting with
each other.
● Some families end up running smoothly (parents and children cooperate, anticipate
each other’s needs, and are generally happy).
● Some families end up in trouble (disagreements are common, parents spend much time
trying to unsuccessfully control their defiant children, and everyone is often angry and
upset).
CHILDREN’S INFLUENCE
▣ Parental warmth gradually changes as children develop.
◼ Hugs and kisses work with toddlers not with adolescents.
▣ Parental control gradually changes as children develop.
◼ Parents gradually relinquish control and expect children to be responsible for
themselves.
ATTRACTIVENESS
▣ Mothers of very attractive infants are more affectionate and playful with their infants
than are mother of infants with unappealing faces.

41
 ▣ Why?
◼ An evolutionary explanation would propose that parents are motivated to invest
more time and energy into offspring who are healthy and genetically fit and
therefore likely to survive.
� Attractiveness could be seen as an indicator of these characteristics.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

DIVORCE
▣ Nearly half of all first marriages end in divorce.
◼ Every year approximately one million American children have parents who
divorce.
▣ Divorce is distressing for children because it involves conflict between parents and
usually separation from one of them.

FAMILY LIFE AFTER DIVORCE

● Children usually live with their mothers
◼ About 15% of children live with their fathers after divorce
◼ How does life change (based on the Virginia Longitudinal Study)?
◼ First few months after divorce, many mothers are less affectionate toward their
children
◼ Two years after the divorce, mother-child relationships improve, particularly for
daughters
◼ Six years after the divorce, children in the study were adolescents
� Family life continued to improve for mothers and daughters
� Family life was problematic for mothers and sons
Impact of Divorce on Children
▣ Children whose parents had divorced fare poorly compared to children from intact
families in:

42
 ◼ School achievement
◼ Conduct
◼ Adjustment
◼ Self-concept
◼ Parent-child relations
◼ Children adjust to divorce more readily if their divorced parents cooperate with
each other, especially on disciplinary matters
◼ Children benefit from joint custody if parents get along
Divorce’s Influence on Development
▣ The absence of one parent means that children lose a role model, a source of parental
help and emotional support, and a supervisor
▣ Single-parent families experience economic hardship
◼ Creates stress and often means activities once taken for granted are no longer
available
▣ Conflict between parents is extremely distressing to children and adolescents
◼ Particularly for children who are emotionally insecure
Which Children are Affected?
▣ The overall impact of divorce is about the same for boys and girls
◼ However, divorce is more harmful when it occurs during childhood and
adolescence than during preschool or college years
◼ With regard to parents’ remarriage, young adolescents appear to be more
negatively affected than younger children
◼ Young adolescents’ struggles with issues of identity are heightened by the
presence of a new parent who has authority to control them and is a sexual
partner of their biological parent

CHILDREN AND THEIR PEERS: PLAY

Peer Relations

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 ▣ Children’s skills at interacting with peers improves rapidly
◼ Children are becoming increasingly self-aware, more effective at communicating,
and better at understanding the thoughts and feelings of others
What are some benefits of play?
▣ Play and social development go hand and hand.
▣ Play offers many opportunities to be with other children and to share, take turns,
disagree, and compromise (Mitchell and Davis, 1992).
▣ While at play, children are increasing their self awareness and are becoming more
involved in cooperative play.
Benefits of play
▣ Emotionally, children develop greater self awareness and they are more able to predict
the emotions of others.
▣ According to Huffnung (1997) children will develop empathy or the ability to appreciate
the feeling of others and understand their point of view.
◼ If one child begins an activity, it is likely that his friends will want to follow along.
▣ Mildred Parten (1932) was one of the early researchers studying children at play. She
focused on the social interactions between children during play activities.
▣ Recent research suggests that children do not necessarily spend more time in social
types of play as they get older, but rather their play within each category becomes more
cognitively mature (Berk, 2004)
▣ Onlooker behavior 
▣ Playing passively by watching or conversing (or asking questions) with other
children engaged in play activities.
▣ These children seem to move closer to a group rather than watching whatever
momentarily catches their attention. 
All by myself play…
▣ Solitary independent - Playing by oneself.    
A child plays alone with objects.
▣ Even if the child is within speaking distance of others, the child does not alter her or his
play or interact with others. 
Cooperative play
▣ This type of play occurs when children organize themselves into roles with specific goals
in mind
◼ They help each other accomplish a joint venture, such as selling lemonade or
building a fort for their “club”
▣ Think back…What are some examples of YOUR cooperative play?
▣ Example: while playing hospital they assign the roles of doctor, nurse, and patient.
▣ Each member of the group remains with the task until it is finished or the group decides
together to go on to other activities.
APPLICATION

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 Make your own GENOGRAM and trace from where did you inherit traits dominant in
you.

Reference:
https://opentextbc.ca/socialpsychology/chapter/the-social-self-the-role-of-the-social-situation/

Module 7 THE CONCEPT OF MENTAL SELF

Your Mental Self (Mendelson) is very eager and willing to do what it is asked.
He will sometimes create a rationale for why his is the right method

OBJECTIVES

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ Define things that we can consider about Mental Self.
⮚ discuss the developmental aspect of the mental self;
⮚ explain human mental self

INTRODUCTION
The Mental Self can be likened to a large and powerful sledgehammer. This
sledgehammer is a perfect tool for pounding nails and knocking out two-by-fours. Because it is
so capable, and because we live in a very intellectually validating culture, we ask this
sledgehammer to do jobs it’s not suited for.. For example, if you ask the sledgehammer to frost
a cake, it will think it’s doing a great job and try to convince you of it. The cake, however, isn’t
going to look or taste appetizing. Cool and rational, logical and sensible, Mendelson is certain
he can do any task at hand and if the result is less than optimal, it must be because of an

45
external problem. It was served too late in the party, no one likes chocolate, and the pan wasn’t
the right shape.

Discussion
This attitude is bred into him through generations of belief patterns. This can really
impact the other two Selves and cause great confusion, discomfort and disharmony. If your
Mental Self muscles his way into projects or is invited to participate at a level that is over his
head (pun intended), he may take control and lead the proceedings. Your Emotional Self is
denied her unbridled joy and enthusiasm and your Physical Self may suffer pain from neglect.
Many times your Mental Self will ignore the other Selves until the entire system is threatened
by a breakdown or broken body through “accident” or illness. Perhaps you know someone who
allows their Mental Self to dominate their life until they are in tremendous pain. Something
must change or the entire system suffers. Many people, when they contract a life-threatening
disease, receive great insights and change the patterns of their lives. Some of them survive the
experience.
Bea was married to George for just a short time before they began having babies. They
were devout Catholics and had six children very close together. George was unhappy in his low
paying job and drank heavily. Many nights he would return home after midnight and take his
frustrations out on Bea by pushing her against walls and beating her up. Over twelve years, Bea
received many broken bones and bruises. Bea always rationalized his behavior and made
excuses for his foul mood. “George is just having a temporary set-back. He’s depressed. He
really is a good person.” Bea had many logical reasons to stay married. “It would break my
mother’s heart if I left George. The church does not sanction divorce. The kids need a father.”
George continued to beat her, eventually in the presence of the children. Early one morning he
returned, drunk as usual, and not only slapped Bea, but he began threatening the eldest
daughter. It was then that Bea’s Mental Self could find no other logical reason to stay. She had
reached the darkest level of emotional and physical pain in her life. She was willing to tolerate
her own pain, but it wasn’t until her daughter became the recipient of George’s abuse that Bea
was able to pull her Selves together and change the situation. It finally became obvious that her
Mental Self didn’t have a clue about how to handle this situation.
Your Mental Self’s job description includes:
o Takes external information and processes it to make logical, rational sense according to
information already stored in its experience-banks.
o Language. The Mental Self can verbally communicate its needs, interpretations and
perceptions.
o Processes the symbols that evolve into writing, reading and mathematics.
o The analyzer. Loves to figure things out, prove theories and fix problems.

In addition to recognizing your Mental Self and personifying him, you can encourage him to
develop his strengths by offering him the following:
o Recognize and write down jobs that he is good at. Validate him, verbally, for his fine
work in his areas of expertise.
o Give him specific jobs to do such as balancing the checkbook, reading maps and making
to-do lists. Make this a conscious act and intentionally engage your Mental Self.
o Recognize when he has stepped into the realm of controlling the emotions and body.
Simply being aware of current patterns of mental involvement will assist in balancing
Mendelson’s enthusiasm and return him to only those areas in which he is proficient.
o When embarking on an activity that involves only the Emotional Body (an intimate
moment with a lover, meditating) or Physical Body (digging the garden, washing the
car), ask your Mental Self to wait outside until there is work for him to do. You could
also visualize an analyzer shut-off switch in the Center of Your Head. You might find

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 yourself turning it off many times at the beginning. That’s okay. Beginning to use this
tool is similar to working out at the gym. You are developing a muscle you haven’t used
much until now. Don’t expect it to lift 150 pounds at the first attempt.
o Notice people around you who are dominated by their Mental Selves and how they’re
experiencing their lives because of it. Are they emotionally at ease? Are they happy and
healthy?
Reference:
https://masteringalchemy.com/content/four-faces-you-%E2%80%93-part-three-your-mental-
self

Module 8 THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUAL SELF

Your Spiritual Self has been there, in the background of your experience your
entire life.

OBJECTIVES

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ How religion differ to the role in society
⮚ How important the types of prayers to human
⮚ How Spiritual Self very significant to human being
INTRODUCTION
Spatia is a unique addition to the creation of this house party and your life. In fact,
without her, the party wouldn’t unfold smoothly and harmoniously. Spatia doesn’t lift the
tables with Phil, plan the activities with Mendelson or even choose the music with Emma.
Spatia oversees the entire operation and is the spiritual supporter of everyone. She makes sure
they are all doing what they love and are receiving the validation and encouragement they
deserve. Your Spiritual Self recognizes and intuits all needs and questions. She helps direct each

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Self to the best solutions. She is the quiet, invisible force in the background that holds the
whole party together.

DEFINITION
 Religion – an organized system of ideas about the spiritual or supernatural realm, that is
accompanied by rituals. Through rituals, people attempt to influence things that they think are
beyond their control.  Spirituality – also concerns an aspect of the divine and supernatural but
is often times limited to the individual, with no need for any formal organization. This is the
search for meaning and direction in life and the ways by which one may preserve these.  The
two are related – Although not separate from one another, spirituality is much more profound
than religion.

Religion – Its Role in Society

 To explain things
 To establish order
 To justify things
 To provide support
 Socializes people
 Vehicle for passage into a different domain

Theories on Religion
 Cognitive – imparts meaning and value to the world
 Psychological – how people adapt to extreme fatigue and tension (stress)
 Social Function – looks at the relationships of people, unity and conformity to the majority

Religion - Organized
 Organized belief in the supernatural.
 Fulfills numerous social and psychological needs.
 In the last 10,000 years, no group of people have gone/existed within religion.

FORMAL RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD

Religion – Symbols

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 Religions make use of many symbols
 Norms, words, ideas and objects that point to other objects.
 When put together, these symbols become a system of knowledge. (System of Knowledge)

Religion – Myths
 These are stories that have explanations about the divine and the supernatural.
 Within a culturally, myths are considered real.
 This is accompanied by ideology and a worldview.

Religion - Rituals
 Religions have rituals/ritu.
 Whateever is done repeatedly.
 2 types of ritual
 According to the Calendar (Calendric)
 Based on crisis

Religion –Rites of Passage

 Rites of separation – rites that involve the separation of the individual from society
 Rites of transition – rites on the temporary separation of an individual before inclusion in a
big group
 Rites of incorporation – in the new state/condition, the individual is returned to the big group.
 Rites of intensification – rituals used in times of problem or crisis, in order to unify, reduce
fear or to mobilize people into action

Religion and Spirituality

Types of Prayers (Dasal o Panalangin)

• Fasting (Pag-aayuno)
• Healing (Panggagamot)
• Offering (Pag-aalay)
• “Panalanging walang patid”
• Meditation
• Attending mass (Pagmimisa)
• Praying a novena (Pagnonobena)
• Praying the rosary (Pagrorosaryo)
• Carrying the Cross (Pagpasan ng krus)
• Curifixion (Pagpapako sa krus)

Expressions / Indications of Religion in early Filipino society encountered by the Spaniards

that remain up to present times

SPANISH ENCOUNTERS WITH THE BELIEFS AND RITUALS OF OUR ANCESTORS

ANITISM

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 Belief that nature derives energy from spirits that are separate and distinct from human
beings/bodies. These spirits dwell in people, animals, stones, rivers, tree and others.
 Prevail over people who do not regard themselves as superior over nature.
ANIMATISM
– Impersonal power on earth, which has no concerns about what happens to people
DEITISM
– has concern and compassionate care for people  3 types  Anthropomorphic (shape
that appears humanlike) Zoomorphic (shape that appears animallike) Biomorphic (shape that
is similar to plants and others)

APPLICATION

Questions
1. Do you believe in a God or in a Supreme creator? - What do you consider more
important – religion or spirituality? Do you pray? How?

REFLECTION
Looking back and reflecting on your life, how were you when you were a teen-ager and
how was your faith? What did you think of God? Of religion? Of the Church? NOW, WHAT IS
YOUR SPIRITUALITY AND RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND YOUR “KAPWA”?

References:
https://masteringalchemy.com/content/four-faces-you-%E2%80%93-part-four-your-
spiritual-self
https://www.nature.com/articles/423227a

Module 9 THE CONCEPT OF EMOTONAL SELF

“These bodies are perishable; but the dwellers in these bodies are eternal,
indestructible and impenetrable.” - The Bhagavad Gita

Objectives
In this module, you are challenged to:
⮚ discuss the development of emotional self;
⮚ describe the care and feeling in emotional self
⮚ explain on how important the emotional self into job

INTRODUCTION
Phillip, Emma, Mendelson and Spatia have been roommates for many years and are
continually learning how to live together in peace and cooperation. Each is a very strong-willed
individual and has well-defined agendas, passions, abilities and desires. It is the beginning of
spring and all four roommates want to throw a party. This is a perfect chance for each of them

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to demonstrate creativity and genius. The challenge they face is how to pull off a successful
party for their guests, while still allowing each other full creative expression. You see,
Mendelson’s idea of good music is classical, softly played in the background, so the guests may
talk and discuss interesting topics. Emma wants to play music that stirs the emotions and draws
people to move and dance. Phillip, who tends to dominate, believes it’s important to show their
guests the abundance and good taste they have, while Spatia likes to keep it simple. As you can
see, each roommate has his or her own opinion about the best party to throw. Can these four
diverse personalities join forces and pull together a party that satisfies them all as well as their
guests?
You, too, have four very unique, individual aspects that together compose who you are
as a total being. You have an Emotional Self, Mental Self, Spiritual Self and Physical Self. Full
Self-Integration requires all four aspects to be recognized, satisfied and respected. They all
must be honored and given what they need to become and remain healthy. This integration
brings balance into your outer and inner life. The emotional, spiritual, mental and physical
selves are like legs under a stool. If out of balance with each other, the stool topples over and
anything resting on its seat is overturned. A party designed by a group of conflicting, disjointed
roommates can result in discomfort for all involved.
A person who allows her Emotional Self to dominate her life is ungrounded and may
consistently create drama and chaos in her life. Something is always “wrong” with her. Her
personal challenge is neutrality and focus. A person who is allowing his Mental Self to dominate
his life may experience a lack of warmth that prevents friendships from forming or he may
worry excessively and focus predominately on the future. His challenge is judgment. A person
who allows his Physical Self to dominate may be underdeveloped mentally and emotionally and
finds his body to be his only concern. He may love the material and become obsessive or
despondent when his body ages or fails to operate the way he expects. His personal challenge
is greed. A person whose primary focus is upon the non-physical or spiritual aspects often has a
difficult time understanding the ways of the world and relating to others. The needs of the
body, mind and emotions may be neglected and ignored. Isolation is this person’s challenge.
Another way to imagine these aspects is to recognize they represent the four quadrants
of your brain. Dr. Paul MacLean, former head of the Department of Brain Evolution at the
National Institute of Mental Health, refers to the r-complex, or reptilian cortex, as the portion
located at the brain stem. It is concerned with survival, territory and procreation. This is also
called the “Lizard Brain” by Glynda-Lee Hoffmann in The Secret Dowry of Eve. It is where your
Physical Self lives.
The limbic system or mammalian cortex is located on top of and surrounding the r-
complex and is the home of the Emotional Self. The rational mind, or neocortex, is the familiar,
convoluted mass of gray matter. It is where the Mental Self lives and is the intellect, analyzer
and reasoning center. The prefrontal cortex is located directly behind the forehead and is also
called the frontal lobes. It is the home of your intuitive or Spiritual Self. It is the portion of the
brain that science has barely discovered, yet has been a part of our human anatomy for up to
200,000 years.
All four aspects are essential for a complete human experience. To deny or emphasize
one over another creates an imbalance in the entire system and the four-legged stool topples
to the floor. An effective way to balance and align these four aspects is to personify them. As an
adult kindergartner, just pretend these four parts of your brain and your personality are
roommates with unique and equally valuable contributions to offer. Together they can create
the best party ever conceived.

The Care and Feeding of Your Four Selves: The Emotional Self

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 Personified, this aspect of you can be a young, immature child whose emotions are
quite evident. Imagine a child who is allowed to fully express her energy-in-motion, e-motion.
She is non-verbal and so must express her needs through dreams, behavior patterns, acting-out
and will power. She cries, perhaps not understanding why. She laughs at the silly things. This
child is volatile and unpredictable. She feels vulnerable at times and impassioned at others.
Sometimes the Emotional Self (let’s call her Emma) feels misunderstood, not cared for and
disrespected. How she communicates this is often erratic and not generally understood by the
other selves. When Emma tries harder to be heard, the Physical and Mental Selves push harder
to quiet her. Emma internalizes her fire and sooner or later, this smoldering fire of energy-in-
motion manifests in ways the other selves feel even more uncomfortable with.
If your Emotional Self is not allowed freedom, she will eventually affect the Physical Self
(Phillip – this is kindergarten, remember) by causing physical pain or illness. The Mental Self
(Mendelson) may experience confusion and mental unclarity. When this small whimpering child
turns into a big, out-of-control beast, Mendelson and Phillip can no longer ignore their
discomfort and must allow Emma to contribute to the house party (your life experience) in
ways she enjoys. A healthy and respected Emotional Self enjoys her job. Here are a few items in
her job description:
o All emotions – those stimulated from both internal stimuli and data and those in
response to external data and events.
o How we feel about ourselves in general, if we like, value or respect ourselves.
o The feelings of conviction we attach to our beliefs.
o The parent/child bonding relationship.
o Intimate emotions with a significant other.

In addition to simply recognizing your Emotional Self and personifying her, what else can
you do to assist this part of you to come into alignment?
o Establish a line of communication with her. Talk to her and discover what your
Emotional Self enjoys and needs.
o Stimulate emotions and observe them as they move through your experience. Watch
movies that evoke emotions, and not just the socially acceptable ones like sadness or
love. Rent a movie that stimulates fear, irritation or anger and notice where in your
body that emotion lives. After the movie, you may want to make separations from it by
Grounding the movie from the uncomfortable body part, using your Grounding Line.
o As you notice comfortable or uncomfortable emotions rise to the surface, verbally tell
someone (your dog counts) what and where the emotions are. You may not have words
for them. That’s okay. Just get as close and specific as you can. This validates your
Emotional Self and helps her feel accepted.
Learning to heal your Emotional Self can be illustrated through Ben’s story. Ben was
experiencing the frustration of a six-year divorce process. Looking at Ben, one saw a very
grounded, quiet, gentle man. He admitted however, that he could get spontaneously angry and
that side always frightened him. He felt out of control and was afraid he would hurt someone.
While using his Energy Tools of Flowing Energy and Grounding, Ben personified Emma (his
Emotional Self) as a ferocious dragon, guarding her hoard of treasure. He gave Emma
permission to exist and express herself.
Ben talked to Emma and allowed her to fully be who she is. When his Emotional Self finally
heard a “Hello” and was acknowledged, she had permission to express herself. In a very short
time, through an easy, safe, nonthreatening and playful imagery process, Ben and Emma
became friends. The resistance Ben previously experienced as fear and doubt vanished.
Ben’s Emotional Self communicates with him now through slight, non-painful sensations,
particularly in his belly. This is Ben’s clue that his emotions are activated and have some
information for him. Ben’s increased awareness and appreciation for this aspect of himself has

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opened a door of communication that allows him to recognize when he is on-track or off his
path. Ben is able to recognize strong emotion before it gets out of control. His relationship with
his Emotional Self is now active, safe, healthy and creative. Ben is noticing that he laughs more
and can get angry without the accompanying urge to hit something. During our work together,
Emma transformed from a fierce dragon to a lion, to a German Shepherd, to a Golden
Retriever, as Ben continued to allow that energy-in-motion to simply be okay.
Ben also released a good deal of resistance toward his ex-wife, Suzie. As Ben recognized and
allowed his resentment and anger toward her to exist, with no resistance or judgment, it
became unnecessary for him to express it. Ben simply noticed the emotions rise and fall in his
body as sensations and stiffness. Within a very short period of time, the ex-wife came to an
easy agreement with Ben. Because Ben released the resistance and the charge he was holding,
the pattern of relating to Suzie was disrupted and she no longer had anything to push against.
She completed the divorce paperwork quickly and was soon on to her next relationship.
Reference:
https://masteringalchemy.com/content/four-faces-you-%E2%80%93-part-one-your-emotional-
self

Module 10 THE CONCEPT OF DIGITAL SELF

Like it or not, we all have a digital self—a mask that we put on to engage the
technological world.

OBJECTIVES

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ discuss SNS
⮚ describe Adolescents self- steem and SNS
⮚ explain
⮚ characterize identity construction in Facebook
⮚ differentiate the elements of Digital Self

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DEFINITION

ADOLESCENCE AND SNS

• Adolescence • period of physical, cognitive and emotional changes the individuals undergo as
they navigate from childhood to adulthood. • transition period of individuation for identity
construction of an autonomous self • Need for personal space
(McAdams, 2001; Erikson, 1968; McAdams, 1993, as cited in McLean, Breen, & Fournier, 2010)
⮚ SNS
• Provides the needed personal space and avenue for identity construction
through anonymity, connectivity, and interactivity
(De Kerck-hove, as cited in Maczewski, 2002)
ADOLESCENT SELF ESTEEM AND SNS
⮚ Adolescent self-esteem
– Self concept
– Personal Self-esteem
– Collective self-esteem
(Barker, 2009; Crocker & Luthanen, 1992; Mehdizadeh, 2010; Stefanone, Lackaff, and
Rosen,2011; Valkenbug, et al., 2006)

• Adolescents’ self-esteem is affected by their perceived evaluation of other people about them
• They tend to overestimate the extent to which other people evaluate them, as a
consequence, they become preoccupied with how they present themselves
• They package themselves by hiding their undesirable features and by highlighting their
pleasant ones
• Thus, when given good feedback, they feel better about themselves
(Barker, 2009; Mehdizadeh, 2010; Valkenbug, et al., 2006)
• Social affiliation and communication are essential factors in adolescents’ self-esteem
• Adolescents tend to feel good about themselves when they are happy with their group
membership and when their social support is available
• SNS serve as the avenue for these social needs

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(Barker, 2009; Crocker & Luthanen, 1992; Mehdizadeh, 2010; Stefanone, Lackaff, and
Rosen,2011; Valkenbug, et al., 2006)

IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION IN FACEBOOK

•Personal online identity construction •Social online identity construction
Results from the study of Brillantes-Evangelista, Baybay, & Dingcong (2013)
*Note: names indicated for participants are not their real names
Identity Construction in facebook
• Adolescent identity construction is a process of forming an autonomous self-presented to an
audience
• Personal Identity – personality attributes of an individual which are not shared with other
people
• Social Identity – aspect of individuals’ self-concept that stems from their knowledge of their
membership with a certain social group
IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION IN FACEBOOK
• Facebook, as a controlled setting, becomes a venue for the college students to engage in their
identity construction
• presented themselves through wall posts, photos, and profiles in such a way that convey an
image of themselves that they want their audience to see
• space for the participants to explore and create their personal and social identities
(cf., Barker, 2009; Kramer & Winter, 2008; Magnuson & Dundes, 2008; McAdams, 2001;
Erikson, 1968; McAdams, 1993, as cited in McLean, Breen, & Fournier, 2010; Mehdizadeh,
2010; Ryberg & Larsen, 2008).
FACEBOOK AS A PLATFORM TO:
• Create a space for self-revelation and assertion
• Project needs and preferences
• Create virtual surrogate group
• Experiment on different identity
• Manage impressions through positive self-presentation
CREATING A SPACE FOR SELF REVELATION AND ASSERTION
• Disclosure of their personal information and their assertion of who they are or what they
want others to see about them
• Facebook provides them their online personal space, which is an essential aspect in exploring
their identities (cf., Hart et al., 1997; Hetherington, 1998, as cited in Maczewski, 2002)
“When I was still in 1st year and very active on Facebook, I would post pictures of myself going
out with my friends, and many people would see it. They would point out that I had become
different from who I was back in High School, someone who didn’t have much of a social life
but would rather go home straight from school.”
“It can be seen in Facebook, like what I’m doing can be seen more, like my normal self when I’m
with my friends. Usually it can’t be seen who I really am when I’m with my family compared to

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when I’m with my friends. My posts are usually about activities with my friends and with my
boyfriend…”
PROJECTING NEEDS AND PREFERENCES
• Facebook is a space for the participants to project their emotional needs and preferences
• They are able to verbalize or at least depict through their photos and other posts their
thoughts and feelings
• This process of projection and airing out of needs and preferences serve as an externalization
of their thoughts and feelings which can help them reflect and reconstruct aspects of
themselves
(cf., McAdams, 2001)
• “…I just wanted to give voice to the thoughts of teenagers who might not be able to say it.” -
Participant with low score on self-esteem scale
• “I like K-Pop because of it is unique and colorful. K-Pop dances and fashion interest me.” -
Participant with low score on self-esteem scale
Participants with low self-esteem post photos that depict happy and lively persona
On photos on FB of women warriors: “…Well, yeah because they sort of have something to do
with my wishing to be stronger. Because I haven’t been really confident with my ability to be
strong because I feel like I’m not really very strong. So, I sort of used them as my inspiration.
That someday I will become stronger. – Participant with low score on self-esteem scale.
CREATING A VIRTUAL SURROGATE GROUP
• The participants’ relationships somehow shape their identity construction by allowing their
online social groups define how they present themselves
• This social construction of the self was further facilitated by the gratification they received
from their online group and by their dissatisfaction with their onground affiliations (Barker,
2009)
*Ms. Lopez kept a small circle of friends on ground. However, on Facebook, she networked and
interacted with a large number of people, particularly K-Pop fans.
*Ms. Ivler, on the other hand, formed a virtual surrogate group, family of her boyfriend whom
she seldom met face-to-face, to compensate what she lacked in her own family.
EXPERIMENTING ON A DIFFERENT IDENTITY
• The participants explore and experiment on their identities by trying out different aspects of
themselves and new roles
• By creating multiple accounts, these adolescents are able to create their different selves co-
existing in a virtual world
• They could shift from one identity according to who they chose to be at a given time
• With multiple Facebook accounts depicting different persona, the “self” is no longer deemed
as a unitary construct but fluid and plural identities
(Stern, 2004; Williams & Merten, 2008)
• *Ms. Ivler created another account exclusive to her boyfriend, his friends and family
members, and her very close friends – her role is the “girlfriend. – persona here as depicted by
her photos is more mature and modest while she is more carefree in her other account.
• *Ms. Gomez created an account with a fictitious character – she created this secret account
to communicate with her boyfriend if ever she would have one. – venue to communicate with

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her prospective online friends – In her survey response on SNS use, not happy with her current
friends
This fictitious account could serve as her platform to try out a different self and be able to
connect with people she can identify and be socially gratified with (cf., Barker, 2009)
MANAGING IMPRESSIONS: POSITIVE SELF PRESENTATION
• Participants depict happy and pleasant dispositions in their Facebook accounts.
• Showing only their socially desirable features-- they construct their ideal selves in front of
their audience
• Their self-presentation via Facebook is more strategic compared to their onground self-
projection. – more time to think of which aspects of their personalities or profile should be
presented or which photos depict their best image
(cf.,Kramer & Winter, 2008; Mehdizadeh, 2010; Stern, 2004).
• “I like pictures where I look good and decent. It’s not much about who I’m within the photos,
but more of how okay I look.” -Ramona Antonette Ty
(cf.,Kramer & Winter, 2008; Mehdizadeh, 2010; Stern, 2004).
• Adolescents tend to overestimate the extent to which other people watch and evaluate them
• They think they are always on the look-out, thus, they present their image as ideal as they can
be
• The feedback that they get from other people becomes their basis for changing aspects of
themselves or for hiding information
(cf.,Stern, 2004; Valkenburg et al., 2006).

The results seem to show that SNS (e.g., facebook) can be a viable venue for identity
construction…
So what’s wrong with using social networking sites?
It’s not the use per se, but how it is used…
It becomes unhealthy when it replaces REALITY… when it replaces on-ground social
interaction…
when virtual reality becomes the basis of social gratification, self-esteem, and identity…
When the person is in constant monitoring of the self (e.g., likes, photos, status, activity posts,
etc.) and how one fares in comparison to others…
When personal identity becomes dependent on virtual social identity
When these happen,
One can have very weak or diffused identity, can be very insecure, and/or self-absorbed, and
with very poor socio-emotional skills
POSSIBLE MINI RESEARCH ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS
• Mini research on the various SNS accounts of the students (facebook, Instagram, tweeter) –
Can be a group project
• Content analysis of the profiles in various accounts of the participants

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• Interview participants on the connection of their SNS accounts to how they see themselves,
their presentation of themselves, and if their SNS use affect their identity or construction of
their identity.
Elements of the Digital Self
Your online identity is like an investment. You start out with a small amount of capital,
and the way you use it over time determines how much you end up with later on. The
difference is, it’s actually a lot easier to control your online identity than it is to predict the
stock or real estate markets. What goes into building your digital self? It can and does include
everything you say and do under your own name. Some elements of your digital self includes:

Developing Your Identity with Online Content and Social Media

Given that your online behaviour makes a huge impact on how you present your digital
self, it’s important to always use social media with care and consistency—always aware of how
your personal brand can be affected by what you say and do. Always assume that potential
employers will perform an online search, so make sure that everything they find is positive and
professional.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is always the best place to start when you’re building your professional identity. It’s
the world’s biggest online professional network, and both hiring managers and recruiters use it
to find and vet new talent. It’s always cheaper, faster, and overall easier to hire via a referral
than to open up a job to applicants, so make sure you’re the one people are referring, by
building a strong and active LinkedIn presence. Complete your profile and keep it updates; join
and participate in groups; build up a network of connections—then ask those connections to
write recommendations you can include in a resume or job application

Twitter and Facebook

If you think Twitter is not appropriate for professional purposes, think again. It’s actually
a valuable tool, giving you the chance to follow and chat informally with people in your
industry. The beauty of Twitter is that it can be whatever you want it to be. If you want it to be
a place for building your professional digital identity, make it happen by following industry
experts, leaders, hiring managers, recruiters, and other people you want to hear from. And
don’t be shy: Twitter is a public forum, so get involved in conversations, and tweet your own
thoughts too.
Even Facebook can be useful in this way, if you’re following the right people. It’s the
most popular social media platform in the world, with more than 1 billion unique users, so
there’s huge potential there for developing professional connections, especially when used in
conjunction with LinkedIn and Twitter.
Create a Personal Vlog

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 Have unique ideas about your industry that you want to share? Creating a personal
branded blog is a great way to start sharing your own content, and blogging offers some unique
advantages. You have the chance to develop your thoughts in much greater depth than on
social media, and this makes it easier to truly define who you are and what you can offer in
terms of professional skills.

APPLICATION
Quick FB/Instagram look

What’s in my facebook or Instagram account?

Are there common themes in your posts?
If ever, what are they?
What do they say about you/ your identity?

References:
https://evonomie.net/digital-identity/your-digital-self-how-to-present-yourself-online/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-digital-self/201008/understanding-and-
creating-your-digital-self
Barker, V. (2009). Older adolescents’ motivations for social network site use: The influence of
gender, group identity, and collective self-esteem. CyberPsychology & Behavior 12(2). 209-213.
ComScore Data Mine. (2011). The Philippines spends highest share of time on social networking
across markets. Retrieved from http://www.comscoredatamine.com/2011/06/the-
philippinesspends-highest-share-of-time-on-social-networking-across-markets/
ComScore Data Mine. (2011). Top Facebook markets by percent reach. Retrieved from
http://www.comscoredatamine.com/2011/03/top-facebook-markets-by-percent-reach/
Crocker, J. & Knight, K.M. (2005). Contingencies of self work. Current Directions in Psychological
Science. 14, 200-203.
Hair, J.F. Jr., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., Anderson, R. E. & Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate data
analysis. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Hsiu-fen Lin. (2006). Understanding behavioral intention to participate in virtual communities.
CyberPsychology & Behavior 9(5), 540-547.

UNIT 3
Module 11 SETTING UP GOALS AND LEARNING
(Finishing your race: Derek Redmond/ Video cLIp)
OBJECTIVES

In this module, students are expected to:

⮚ Explain how learning occurs;

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 ⮚ Enumerate various metacognition and studying techniques; and
⮚ Identify the metacognitive techniques that every student find most appropriate
for oneself.
⮚ Identify what are the 9 multiple intelligences

INTRODUCTION

Knowing the “self” is not enough. Since “who you are” is partly made up of your choices,
you must also have the ability to choose especially to be better “you.” In the school setting,
your knowledge of yourself should at least enable you to become a better student.

This lesson will present several techniques that you can adapt depending on your
situation and preferences to make you a better learner. Learning should not just mean studying
for your quizzes and exams in school. Learning could also occur outside the confines of a book,
a classroom, like when you want to acquire a new move in your favourite sports, or the skills for
a certain hobby, among others. Furthermore, the techniques here are not the only techniques
available, months or years from now, new ways on how to study better will be discovered or
rediscovered. What is important at this moment is that you learn how to learn these things.

DEFINITION
The 9 Types of Intelligences
o The brain is a complex tool and we’re only just beginning to unlock some of its
complexities.

1. NATURALISTIC INTELLEGENCE
People with naturalistic intelligence enjoy being outdoors, and share a connection with
both living and nonliving elements in nature.

2. MUSICAL INTELLEGENCE
Those with musical intelligence are sensitive to pitch, timbre, tone, and rhythm. They’re
able to identify different sounds and instruments with ease, and can often be found
listening to or creating music.

3. LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL INTELLEGENCE
People with logical-mathematical intelligence do well with numbers and figures. They
use inductive and deductive reasoning, have a knack for logic puzzles, and are able to
conceptualize abstract ideas

4. EXISTENTIAL INTELLEGENCE
Those with existential intelligence thrive as motivational speakers, psychologist,
teachers, and theologists.

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5. INTERPERSONAL INTELLEGENCE
Interpersonal Intelligence relates to your EQ, or emotional intelligence. This is the ability
to read and understand the feelings and motives of others.

6. BODILY-KINESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE
This refers to the ability to coordinate both the body and mind as one. People with this
form of intelligence are natural born athletes. They excel at a variety of physical
activities and enjoy hands-on learning experiences.

7. LINGUISTIC INTELLEGENCE
Those with linguistic intelligence often possess rich vocabulary and pick up new
languages with ease.

8. INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE
Intrapersonal Intelligence is the intelligence of self-awareness. It’s the ability to
recognize and interpret your own feelings, motives, and desires.

9. VISUAL-SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE
Visual-Spatial Intelligence is the ability to conceptualize abstract ideas in 3D using
mental imagery and spatial reasoning.

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https://www.academia.edu/37961554/Types_Of_Intelligence
…
We are Homo sapiens or the “wise man”. We think in a more complex level than our ancestors
and most, if not all, of the other beings. But being called wise, not only do we think, but we are
also capable to think about thinking, like how we think of things and why we think in a certain
way about things. It is like your brain thinks about itself, and then thinks about how it thinks
about itself.
In the context of learning, studies show that when you are able to think about how you
think, how you process information, and how you utilize techniques while you are studying, you
have a higher chance of improving your learning process than those who do not reflect on their
methods.
This idea falls under the concept of metacognition. Metacognition is commonly defined
as “thinking about thinking” (Livingston 1997; Papaleontiou-Louca 2003). It is the awareness of
the scope and limitations of your current knowledge and skills (Meichenbaum 1985 in American
Institutes for Research 2010). Due to this awareness, metacognition enables the person to
adapt their existing knowledge and skills to approach a learning task, seeking for the optimum
result of the learning experience (American Institutes for Research 2010).
Metacognition is also not limited to the thinking process of the individual. It also
includes keeping one’s emotions and motivations while learning in check (Papaleontiou-Louca
2003). Some people learn better when they like the subject, some when they are challenged by
the topic and others if they have a reward system each time they finish a task. The emotional
state and the motivation of a person then should also be in the preferred ideal state for that
person in order to further facilitate his or her learning.

According to Waterloo Student Success Office (n.d.), the following are other skills that can help
you in exercising metacognition:
1. KNOWING YOUR LIMITS. As mentioned earlier, one cannot really make any significance
advancement in using metacognitive skills without having an honest and accurate
evaluation of what you know and what you do not know. Knowing your limits also looks
at the scope and limitations of your resources so that you can work with what you have
at the moment and look for ways to cope with other necessities.

2. MODIFYING YOUR APPROACH. It begins with the recognition that your strategy is not
appropriate with the task and/ or that you do not comprehend the learning experience
successfully.

3. SKIMMING. This is basically browsing over a material and keeping an eye on keywords,
phrases, or sentences. It is also about knowing where to search for such key terms.

4. REHEARSING. This is not just about repeatedly talking, writing, and/ or doing what you
have learned, but also trying to make a personal interpretation or summary of the
learning experience. One of the fun ways to do this is by imagining yourself being
interviewed about your task.

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 5. SELF-TEST. As the name implies, this is trying to test your comprehension of your
learning experience or the skills you have acquired during learning. While some
materials already come with tests like this book, you can still create tests for yourself.
You can make essay questions or definition of terms test while you are reading or
watching a material.

Other tips that you can use in studying are the following (Queensland University of Technology
Library n.d.):
1. Make an outline of the things you want to learn, the things you are reading or doing,
and/or the things you remember.
2. Break down the task in smaller and more manageable details.
3. Integrate variation in your schedule and learning experience.
4. Try to incubate your ideas.
5. Revise, summarize, and take down notes, then reread them to help you minimize
cramming in the last minute, especially when you have a weakness in memorizing facts
and data.
6. Engage what you have learned. Do something about it. On a reading material for
example, highlight keywords and phrases, write your opinions about the matter on a
separate notebook, or create a diagram or concept map.

APPLICATION
SCENARIO: You are about to study for your final examinations and it is as if the universe
conspired for a heavy finals week, all your subjects provided at least three new reading
materials and topics one week (7 days) before the examination period. Create a diagram or
schedule at least five of the metacognitive strategies, skills, and studying techniques mentioned
in this lesson on how you would prepare for the next seven days before your final
examinations.
REFLECTION
How Do You Think About Thinking?
1. Answer the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and evaluate yourself as a learner. A
copy of MAI can also be downloaded from the following link:
https://www2.viu.ca/studentsuccessservices/learningstrategist/documents/
MetacognitiveAwarenessInventory.pdf (accessed October 1, 2017).
2. Answer the following questions, then write your answers in the space provided.
a) Do you agree with the results of your MAI? Why or Why not?
b) Make a list of your “Top 5 Tips/Secrets for Studying” based on your personal
experiences/preferences. Share your answer in class.
c) Does your MAI result consistent with your personal Top 5 Tips/Secrets for Studying?
REFERENCES:
Metacognitive Awareness Inventory n.d. Accessed September 9, 2017.
https://www2.viu.ca/studentsuccessservices/learningstrategist/documents/MetacognitiveAwarenessInventory.pdf
Waterloo Student Success Office n.d. “Metacognition” Accessed September 15,
2017.https://uwaterloo.ca/studentsuccess/sites/ca.studentsuccess/files/uploads/files/
TipSheet_Metacognition.pdf.
American Institutes for Research. 2010 “TEAL Center Fact Sheet No.4: Metacognition Processes”. In teaching
Excellence in Adult Literacy Accessed September 15,
2017https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/4_TEAL_Metacognitive.pdf

Module 12 MENTAL HEALTH, POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

OBJECTIVES

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ Use Bandura’s self-efficacy theory for self-assessment;

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 ⮚ Differentiate growth and fixed mindset by Dweck; and
⮚ Design personal goals adapting Locke’s goal setting theory

INTRODUCTION

Jack Canfield is an epitome of success. He has authored seven books listed in the
Guinness Book of World Records as New York Times Bestseller, beating Stephen King
(Macmillan 2017). These books are: Chicken Soup for the Soul Series; The Success Principles:
How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be; The Power of Focus; The Aladdin
Factor; Dare to Win; You’ve Got To Read This Book; and The Key to Living The Law of Attraction.
Jack Canfield is the chairman and founder of The Canfield Training Group; founder and former
chairman of The Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprise; and was invited to a thousand radio
television programs worldwide (Canfield 2017).

One of Canfield’s featured quotes about success is: “By taking the time to stop and
appreciate who you are and what you have achieved- and perhaps learned through a few
mistakes, stumbles and losses- you actually can enhance everything about you. Self-
acknowledgement and appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move
forward toward higher goals and accomplishments” (Brown 2016)

We will learn more about Canfield’s quote through Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory,
Dweck’s mindsets theory, and Locke’s goal setting theory.

DEFINITION

What Is Mental Health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects
how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and
make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and
adolescence through adulthood.

Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood,
and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
• Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
• Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
• Family history of mental health problems

Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental health problems
can get better and many recover completely.

EARLY WARNING SIGNS

Not sure if you or someone you know is living with mental health problems?
Experiencing one or more of the following feelings or behaviors can be an early warning sign of
a problem:

1. Eating or sleeping too much or too little

2. Pulling away from people and usual activities
3. Having low or no energy
4. Feeling numb or like nothing matters
5. Having unexplained aches and pains
6. Feeling helpless or hopeless
7. Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
8. Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared
9. Yelling or fighting with family and friends
10. Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
11. Having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head

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 12. Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
13. Thinking of harming yourself or others
14. Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or
school

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Positive mental health allows people to:

1. Realize their full potential
2. Cope with the stresses of life
3. Work productively
4. Make meaningful contributions to their communities

Ways to maintain positive mental health include:

1. Getting professional help if you need it
2. Connecting with others
3. Staying positive
4. Getting physically active
5. Helping others
6. Getting enough sleep
7. Developing coping skills

MENTAL HEALTH: FACT

Mental illness affects 19% of the adult population, 46% of teenagers, and 13% of
children each year.

Only half of those affected receive treatment, often because of the stigma attached to
mental health. (Play Video Presentation about the Mental Health Stigma)

Untreated, mental illness can contribute to higher medical expenses, poorer

performance at school and work, fewer employment opportunities and increased risk of
suicide.

WHAT ACTION TO TAKE:

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY/PERMA THEORY

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 • Summary: Positive psychology is the study of happiness, flourishing, and what makes
life worth living. Seligman points to five factors as leading to well-being — positive
emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and purpose, and accomplishment.

ORIGINATORS AND CONTRIBUTORS:

MARTIN SELIGMAN MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

CHRISTOPHER PERTERSON

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY OBJECTIVES

1. To gain a deeper understanding of positive emotions, positive traits, and positive
institutions;
2. To replace traditional psychology, but to build a more complete picture of human
experience.
3. To analyze mental health and happiness to its basic components

Three Areas of focus:

1. The past : Well-being and satisfaction

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2. The present: Happiness and flow
3. The future: Hope and optimism

Core Concept of the Theory:

1. Authentic Happiness Theory- People can feel happiness from different types of experiences.

The Pleasant life: refers to feeling positive emotions in the most intuitive way, of feeling
pleasant sensations
The Engaged life: refers to experience of completely loosing oneself in an activity.
The meaningful life: engaging flow activities may be, they can be utterly meaningless
and fill a person with a void after some time.
2. Well-being Theory – emphasizing the goal of reaching well-being. It may not be an alright
happiness at the present moment but in the end it complete your happiness.
5 Factors of Well-being:
a. Positive emotion

b. Engagement

c. Relationships

d. Meaning and purpose

e. Accomplishment

f. Spirituality

The maximum well-being leads to a state of flourishing. Flourishing is described as a state of

thriving, of being full of vitality, and prospering as individuals and as a group.
3. Character Strengths and Virtues- are the building blocks of flow, happiness, and well-being.
There are 6 Universal Virtues
1. Wisdom
2. Courage
3. Humanity
4. Justice
5. Temperance
6. Transcendence

BE KIND TO YOUR SELF

“INSTEAD OF”

⮚ I’m not good at this.

⮚ I’m awesome at this
⮚ I give up
⮚ This is too hard.
⮚ I can’t make this any better.
⮚ I can’t do math
⮚ I made a mistake.
⮚ She’s so smart. I will never be that smart.
⮚ It’s good enough.
⮚ Plan A didn’t work.

“TRYING THINKING”
⮚ What I am missing?

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 ⮚ I’m on the right track
⮚ I’ll use some of the strategies we’ve learned.
⮚ This may take some time and effort.
⮚ I can always improve, so I’ll keep trying.
⮚ I’m going to train my brain in math.
⮚ Mistakes help me to learn better.
⮚ I’m going to figure out how she does it so I can try it!
⮚ Is it really my best work?
⮚ Good thing the alphabet has 25 more letters!

AFFIRMATIONS
I Am Feeling Healthy And Strong Today.
I have all that I need to make this a great day of my life.
I have all the information I need to solve any challenges that come up today.
I have the knowledge to make smart decisions for myself today.
I make the right choices all day using my inner wisdom.
I am wonderfully and supremely blessed today.

APPLICATION

• Compassionate chair work (SELF-COMPASSION)

- It involves treating yourself with care and concern when considering personal
inadequacies, mistakes, failures, and painful life situations.

It comprises three interacting components:

1. Self-kindness vs. self-judgment
2. Sense of common humanity vs. isolation
3. Mindfulness vs. over-identification

COMPASSIONATE CHAIR WORK

• Think of something that has recently caused you to criticize yourself.

Part I: sit in the perspective of the inner critic. Think of an issue that you’ve been dwelling on
(out loud)

Part II: move to the chair that represents the sensation of being judged (by you). Vocally
express how it feels to encounter criticism (out loud)

Part III: move to the chair that represents the friend or wise counselor. Drawing on a sincere
sense of compassion, confront the critical voice and the critiqued voice. Address both
perspectives vocally.

REFLECTION
It is said that because teachers are overloaded with work, is there any possibilities that
the TEACHER will go to experience Mental Health? Why or Why not? Expand your answer.

Module 13 STRESS MANAGEMENT

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OBJECTIVES

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ Explain the effects of stress to one’s health;
⮚ Examine cultural dimension of stress and coping; and
⮚ Design a self-care plan.

INTRODUCTION

The American Psychological Association (2017) has these statements about stress:
"Stress is often described as a feeling of being overwhelmed, worried, or run-down. Stress can
affect people of all ages, genders, and circumstances and can lead to both physical and
psychological health issues. By definition, stress is any uncomfortable ‘emotional experience
accompanied by predictable biochemical, physiological, and behavioral changes. “Some stress
can beneficial at times, producing a boost that provides the drive and energy to help people get
through situations like exams or work deadlines. However, an extreme amount of stress can
have health consequences and adversely affect the immune, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine
and central nervous systems.”

Since stress is inevitable to life, we have to learn how to handle and cope up with it.
More so, we have to be familiar with other approach to a healthy lifestyle, which is self-care.

DEFINITION

STRESS DISEASES are maladies caused principally by errors in the body’s general adaptation
process. (AIS 2017)

STRESS, ANGER AND HEALTH

* Does anger, stress, and all other emotions affect our physical health?

Reflect on this!
THE INTEGRATED SELF

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 MOST
COMMON LIFE
STRESSORS

70
STRESS AND THE BRAIN

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IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR AND ANGER

WHEN WE ARE STRESSED, IT’S EASY TO BE ANGRY!

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 DISSECTING ANGER!

* Anger is part of our emotions. It’s okay to feel angry especially when we are triggered by
environmental situations and by people who try our patience.

* But remember always that our ability to control our anger measures our emotional
stability.

TYPES OF ANGER
* Moral anger
* Retaliatory anger
* Addictive/habitual anger
* Attention-seeking anger
* Power anger
* Constructive anger
* Self-inflicted anger
* Passive anger
* Verbal anger
* Violent anger
* Dramatic anger

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 * FACE YOUR ANGER… DONT LET IT RUIN YOU’RE FACE.

MORE TIPS ON ANGER MANAGEMENT

THE GENERAL STRESS SYNDROME HAS THREE COMPONENTS:

1. The alarm stage- represents a mobilization of the body’s defensive forces. The body
is preparing for the “fight or fight” syndrome. This involves a number of hormones
and chemicals excreted at high levels, as well as an increase in heart rate, blood
pressure, perspiration, and respiration rate, among others.
2. The stage of resistance- the body becomes adaptive to the challenge and even
begins to resist it. The length of this stage of resistance is dependent upon the
body’s innate and stored adaptation energy reserves and upon the intensity of the
stressor.
3. The exhaustion stage- the body dies because it has used up its resources of
adaptation energy. Thankfully, few people ever experience this last stage.

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TECHNIQUES TO COUNTER CHRONIC STRESS

Several techniques to counter chronic stress were presented in the same article (Health
Harvard 2017):

1. Relaxation Response. Dr. Herbert Benson, director emeritus of the Benson-Henry

Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, has devoted
much of his career to learning how people can counter the stress response by using
a combination of approaches that elicit the relaxation response.
2. Physical activity. People can use exercise to stifle the build-up of stress in several
ways.
3. Social support. Confidants, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, relatives, spouses,
and companions all provide a life-enhancing social net, and may increase longevity.

SELF-CARE THERAPY

A positive way to counter stress is self- care therapy. Nancy Apperson (2008) of
Northern Illinois University has provided steps for self-care:

1. Stop, breath, and tell yourself: “This is hard and I will get through this one step at a
time.” During an unexpected event or crisis, we are faced with dealing with a new reality
and it takes time to incorporate what happened into our everyday lives.
2. Acknowledge to yourself what you are feeling. All feelings are normal so accept
whatever you are feeling. Once you recognize, name, and accept your feelings, you feel
less out of control.
3. Find someone who listens and is accepting. You do not need advice. You need to be
heard.
4. Maintain your normal routine as much as possible. Making everyday decisions to get
dressed, doing the dishes, or going to work gives you a sense of control and feels
comforting as it is a familiar activity.
5. Allow plenty of time for a task. You will not be as productive as you normally are.
6. Take good care of yourself. Remember to:

a. Get enough rest and sleep. Sleep at least six hours and not more than nine
hours.
b. Eat regularly and make healthy choices. Skipping meals, particularly
breakfast, contributes to fatigue, mood swings, and poor concentration.
c. Know your limits and when you need to let go. Some problems are beyond
our control. If something cannot be changed, work at accepting it for what it
is.
d. Identify or create a nurturing place in your home. A rocking chair, a nice
view, and a shooting music are important components to a nurturing place.
e. Practice relaxation or meditation. Go to your nurturing place and listen to
guided relaxation tapes.
f. Escape for a while through meditation, reading a book, watching a movie, or
taking a short trip.

SELF-COMPASSION THERAPY

Self-compassion is another way to counter stress. Kristin Neff (2012) has discussed self-
compassion in her article, “The Science of Self-Compassion.”

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SELF-COMPASSION PHRASES

Neff provided self-compassion phrases when feeling stress or emotional pain, perhaps
when you are caught in a traffic jam, arguing with a loved one, or feeling inadequate in some
way.
⮚ This is a moment of suffering.
⮚ Suffering is a part of life.
⮚ May I be kind to myself.
⮚ May I give myself the compassion I need.

LESS STRESS, CARE MORE

We should be in control of the stress that confronts us every day. Otherwise, when we
are overwhelmed by stress, it can be detrimental to our health. Self-care and self-compassion
are two ways to positively confront stress. We should love and care for our self-more and more
each day.
APPLICATION

1. REACTION PAPER. Make a reaction paper about the article, “Stress and Filipino” by
Michael L. Tan from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. (2006). The
article is available through this link: http://pcij.org/stories/stress-and-the-filipino/.
Use the lesson on the social and cultural dimension of stress in making your reaction
paper.
2. SELF-CARE PLAN. Design for your self-care plan for the whole school year.
3. REFLECTION PAPER. Make a self-compassionate letter and make a reflection paper
about it.

REFLECTION

Self-Stress Assessment
To handle life stress is to identify sources of life stress. Arizona State University adopted
“The Social Readjustment Scale” of T.H. Holmes and R.H. Rahe to come up with the “College
Student’s Stressful Event Checklist.” Use the Event Checklist to assess your stress level as
college student. Follow these instructions for your guidance:

1. Get a copy of the “College Student’s Stressful Event Checklist” from the Arizona
State University available through Research Gate. Use the link provided:
(https://www.researchgate.net/file.PostFileLoader.html?
id=57361005f7b67ee8fb041dc2&assetKey=AS
%3A361336895754242%401463160837813)
2. Answer the questionaire honestly. To put the checklist in our context, change the
third item about “Divorce between parents, “to “Separation between parents.”
3. Write your score and its interpretation inside the box.

4. Circle all events you identified.

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 5. During class session, pair with a classmate and share two to three life events you
circled. Observe confidentially after sharing.
Module 14 CONFLICT RESOLUTION
OBJECTIVES

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ Identify the different kinds of conflict.
⮚ What are the Conflict Resolution Skills?
⮚ Knows what are the common problems that will occur in conflict .
⮚ Apply Conflict Resolution in our daily lives situation.

DEFINITION

What is a conflict?

• An uncomfortable situation/problem arising from differences in opinions and principles,

resulting to discord, stress, and failure to communicate.

Different kinds of conflict

• Self vs. Self

• Self vs. Situations

• Self vs. Others (Relational conflict)

CONFLICT RESOLUTION
(PAGSULBAD SA PANAGBANGI)

• Self vs self
– Ayaw pakigsupak sa maayong tumong sa imong kaugalingon
– No to self-destruction
– Dawata ang imong kaugalingon bisan si kinsa ka pa

Examples of self vs. self conflict

1) Ubos nga panglantaw sa kaugalingon

2) Kulang sa kahibalo
3) Kulang sa Motivation nga molihok
4) Depression

• Self vs. situations

– Away from home (alienated)

– Adjustments (personality differences

• Self vs Others (relational)

– The Golden rule

– Open and sincere communication (kinasingkasing nga pakig-istorya ug

pakighusay)

– Humility (pagpaubos)

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CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS
⮚ Identify the problem
⮚ Understanding the source of the conflict
⮚ Communicating about the problem to the right persons
⮚ Communicate honest feelings in a gentle tone and composure
⮚ Talking and resolving the conflict
⮚ Closing the issue: do not talk about the problem after the resolution

NOTE: Every conflict can be solved by open and respectful communication.

APPLICATION
MOST COMMON PROBLEMS
1. List down as many problems you experience in your unit.
2. What is the common conflict in the following:
a) Self vs. Self?
b) Self vs. Situations?
c) Self vs. Others?

REFLECTION
To understand more about conflict and resolution please see these video clip
presentations and make reaction paper.
Gift
(Play Video Clip) Korean Father and son)

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Module 15 CARING FOR THE SELF
- GB EVANGELISTA (Miriam College)

CHALLENGE

In this module, you are challenged to:

⮚ Identify the different components of wellness ( range from Bio-psychosocial to
Physical Health).
⮚ Determine General Adaptation Syndrome and how it affects Human Health.
⮚ Knows what are the common stressor and its effects.
⮚ Apply Caring for the Self in our daily lives.
⮚ Make a Self-Care Plan

DEFINITION

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
• Subfield of behavioral medicine that looks into the psychological factors that is
important in promotion and maintenance of health.

COMPONENTS IN A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL APPROACH TO PHYSICAL HEALTH

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STRES

GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME (GAS)

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81
82
WORK AND FUNCTIONS
•Enjoying one’s activities •Recognizing strengths and limitations
•Prioritizing: Manage schedules and activities

•Dividing tasks into chunks

•Asking help
•Taking breaks

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POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
• P – Positive Emotion
• E – Engagement
• R – Relationship
• M – Meaning

 Achievement
• S - Spirituality (deepening spiritual experience) (added by Dr. Motilla)

APPLICATION
COLLAGE:
Make your own vision board of your wellbeing and discussed.

REFLECTION
How Physiological of Stress does affects to you as a person?

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Module 16 HOLISTIC REFLECTION
OBJECTIVES

In this reflective and conclusive module, you are challenged to:

⮚ Process the whole thing in oneself, view several clips portraying various life
stories and real family encounters
⮚ See and appreciate the role of significant others in one’s life and the developing
self in you
⮚ View oneself in the perspective of being human in respect to the maker of all
things.

Tasks to do
To understand more about holistic reflection , please watch these video clips/
presentations and make your reaction/reflection journal paper. This will be reinforced by
facilitation/processing dynamics with the teacher and students being grouped.
You’ll be in my heart (Emotional)
(Play Video Clip)

Truck Makes a U-Turn Near A Cliff (Emotions/Reactions)

(Play Video Clip)

World’s Toughest Job

(Play Video Clip)

My Dad’s Story
(Play Video Clip)

Ungrateful
(Play Video Clip)
Processing follows( To be facilitated by the instructor with students participation)
 Insight Sharing
 Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
 Resolved Issues

END

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