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LEARNING TO BE A BETTER LEARNER

MODULE 10

OVERVIEW

This lesson will present several techniques that you can adapt depending on your situation and
preferences in order 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 or of a classroom like
when you want to acquire a new move in your favorite sport, the skills for a certain hobby, among others.
Furthermore, the techniques here are not the only techniques available and 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.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Explain how learning occurs;

• Enumerate various metacognition and studying techniques;
• identify the techniques that they find most appropriate for themselves.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES & SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES (SAA)

➢ ACTIVITY
• How do you think about thinking? Answer the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and evaluate yourself as a
learner. A copy Of the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory can also be downloaded from the
Following link:
https://www2.viu.ca/studentsuccessservices/learningstrategist/documents/metacognitiveAwarenessinvientory.pdf
- Do this on a separate sheet of paper or you may print it out.

➢ ANALYSIS
1. Do you agree with the results of your MAI? Why or why not?
2. Make a list of your top five tips/secrets for studying based on your personal experience/preference. Share your list.
3. Does your MAI result consistent with your personal top five tips/secrets for studying?

➢ ABSTRACTION
- We are Homo sapiens or the "wise man." We think in a more level than our ancestors and most, if not all, 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, 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.

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- Metacognition is commonly defined as "thinking about thinking." (Livingston 1997, 1; Papaleontiou-Louca 2003, 10). It is
the awareness of the scope and limitations of your current knowledge and skills (Meichenbaum 1985 in American
Institutes for Research 2010, p. l). Due to this awareness, metacognition enables the person to adapt their existing
knowledge and skills in order to approach a learning task, seeking for the optimum result of the learning experience
(American Institutes for Research 2010, p. 1).
- 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, p. 9). 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
facilitate further his/her learning.
- As seen from the abovementioned definitions, metacognition has two aspects: 1) self-appraisal and 2) self-management of
cognition (Paris and Winnograd 1990 in Papaleontiou-Louca 2003, p. 10). Self-appraisal is your personal reflection on
your knowledge and capabilities while self-management is the mental processes you employ using what you have in
planning and adapting to successfully learn or accomplish a certain task (Paris and Winnograd 1990 in Papaleontiou-
Louca, 2003, p. 10). Similar concepts, usually called elements of metacognition metacognitive knowledge or what you
know about how you think and metacognition regulation or how you adjust your thinking processes to help you learn
better (American Institutes for Research 2010, 2).
- Under metacognitive knowledge are several variables that affect how you know or assess yourself as a thinker. First is the
personal variable that is your evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses in learning. Second is the task variable is what
you know or what you think about the nature of the task as well as what strategies the task requires. Lastly, strategy
variable refers to what strategies Or skills you already have in dealing with certain tasks (American Institutes for Research
2010, 2)
- However, it must be noted that in order to make self-appraisal and self- management work, you must have an accurate
self-assessment—you must be honest about what you know and capable of in order to find ways to utilize your strengths
and improve on your weaknesses (Schoenfield 1987 in Papaleontiou- Louca 2003,
- Review your MAI results and your answers during the analysis. Do you feel that the results do not represent you? Rather
than dismissing the test or the results if you feel any incongruence to your perception, try to analyze if your answers were
accurate and think of the specific instances when you were learning something. Think also of the various factors that make
that learning experience successful and enjoyable for you including your emotions and motivations at that certain period.
- By doing the above reflection, you are actually utilizing metacognitive skills. Here are other skills that might help you
with exercising metacognition:
1. Knowing your limits (Waterloo Students Success Office n.d.j 2): 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 don't 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 (Waterloo Students Success Office n.d., 2): it begins with the recognition that your strategy
is not appropriate with the task and/or that you are not comprehending the learning experience successfully.
Recognizing, for example, that you are not understanding what you are reading, you should also learn to modify your
strategy in comprehending your material. You might want read and re-read a page for 5-minute intervals instead of
trying to finish the material in one sitting. You may want to make a summary or code for yourself instead of using
keywords or highlighting sections of what you are reading.
3. Skimming. This is basically browsing over a material and keeping an eye on keywords, phrases, or sentence. It is also
knowing where to search for such key terms. For example, you might want to look at the introduction first or the
abstract. The table of contents can also provide you with a quick guide to the contents of the book. Introductory
paragraphs, headings or subheadings, and conclusions can also provide you with an overview of the whole material.
This technique works best when you want to get an idea about the contents of a reading material, when you are trying
to read through several materials in a limited time frame, or when you want to focus on certain details, among others.
4. Rehearsing. This is not just about repeatedly talking, writing, and/or doing what you've learned but also trying to make
a personal interpretation or summary of the learning experience. One of the fun ways to do this is imagine yourself
being interviewed about your task and as you try to convey what you have learned from the resources, you will also
insert your opinions or other personal take on the matter. Just be sure that the key concepts are well understood and
are still in-line with the source material even with multiple rehearsals.

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5. Self-Test (Waterloo Students Success Office n.d., 2): 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. You can challenge yourself in completing a task successfully, maybe in a given period of time, for
example doing 50 free throws with at least 90% success rate. Self-test does not only focus also on what you have learned but
how you learned it. You should also ask after the experience questions like "What strategies did I use?" "How successful were
my learning strategies?" "How can I further improve my learning skills?" Other strategies that you need to develop include
asking questions as well as questioning your methods, self-reflection, finding a mentor or support group if necessary, thinking
out loud (though you have to be considerate of others also when doing this), and welcoming errors as learning experiences. For
clarification, "welcoming errors" does not mean seeking them or consciously making them as much as possible. The phrase
means that when you commit a mistake, you do not dismiss it as insignificant or you do not try to avoid responsibility of the
results. You must process them to learn every lesson that you can take about yourself, about the topic, and other people or
things. By having a more positive attitude toward mistakes, you will also have the courage to venture into new and unknown
learning experiences that may one day interest you.
- Using these strategies, you can at least identify four types of metacognitive learners (Perkins 1992 in Cambridge
International Examinations 2015, 2). First, the "tacit" learners are unaware of their metacognitive processes although
they know the extent of their knowledge. second, the "aware" learners are aware of some of their metacognitive
strategies but using techniques are not always planned. Third, "strategic" learners, as the name implies, strategize, and
plan their course of action toward a learning experience. Lastly, the "reflective" learners reflect on their thinking while
they are using the strategies and will adapt their metacognitive skills depending on the situation.
- As you may have noticed already, the goal of metacognition is for the student to be a self-regulated learner. Education
should not be limited by the capabilities of the teacher, the content of school textbooks, the four corners of the
classroom, and the duration of the academic year or your courses. One should have the capability to study things on
his/her own as well as accurately evaluate his/her progress.
- This is one of the benefits in using metacognitive techniques and strategies. Another benefit is the compensation and
development of cognitive limitations of the learner because of the student is now aware of his/her capabilities. Various
researches also showed significant improvement in academic performance in any subject and across age range
(Cambridge International Examinations 2015, 2). The student is also enabled to transfer knowledge from one context
into another (Cambridge International Examinations 2015, 2).
- Other tips that you can use in studying are the following (QUT Library n.d., 4—11) :
1. Making an outline of the things you want to learn, the things you are reading or doing, and/or the things you
remember;
2. Breaking down the task in smaller and more manageable details;
3. Integrating variation in your schedule and learning experience. Change reading material every hour and do not put
similar topics together (ex. Try studying English then Mathematics instead of English then Filipino together).
Also include physical activities in your planning;
4. You may also try to incubate your ideas. First, write your draft without doing much editing. Let the ideas flow.
Then leave your draft at least overnight or around 24 hours—some do not look at it for a week—and do
something else. After a given period, go back to your draft or prototype and you might find a fresh perspective
about it. Sometimes, during incubation, you suddenly have ideas coming to you. Write them down in a notebook
first and do not integrate them into the draft yet. Review then when the incubation period is done;
5. Revising, summarizing, and taking down notes then rereading them might help you minimize cramming in the last
minute especially when you have a weakness in memorizing facts and data. Some people are motivated when the
deadline is very close—for example, tomorrow—that they just review the day before some evaluation or
exercises. If you are that kind of person, you may still motivate yourself and have that feeling of urgency at the
last minute but by using the aforementioned techniques, your "cramming" need not be a desperate attempt to learn
but only as a way to energize your brain as you make a final review of the things you have already been studying
for a week or so before;
6. You should also engage what you have learned. Do something about it. On a reading material for example,
highlights
Keywords and phrases, write your opinions about the matter on a separate notebook, or create a diagram or
concept map. Some people also learn best by copying the key paragraphs word for word. You may want to look
for other definitions and compare or contrast materials. Use your new knowledge during discussions—just do
something about it.
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➢ APPLICATION
1. Scenario: you are about to study for your final examinations and it's as if the universe conspired
for a heavy finals week, all your subjects provided at least three new reading materials and topics
one week (seven days) before the examination period. Create a diagram or schedule using at least
five of the metacognitive strategies, skills, and studying techniques mentioned in this lesson on
how you would prepare for the next seven (7) days before your final examinations. Be creative in
making your own schedule. You can do this on a separate sheet of paper.

SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES (SAA) SHEET

➢ ACTIVITY
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➢ ANALYSIS
1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
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➢ APPLICATION

______________________________________________________________________________
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KEY POINTS
✓ Metacognition is commonly defined as "thinking about thinking."
✓ Metacognition is also not limited to the thinking process of the individual.
✓ Metacognition has two aspects: 1) self-appraisal and 2) self-management of cognition
✓ Under metacognitive knowledge are several variables that affect how you know or assess yourself as a thinker.
✓ Here are other skills that might help you with exercising metacognition:
a. Knowing your limits
b. Modifying your approach
c. Skimming
d. Rehearsing
e. Self-Test
✓ Other strategies that you need to develop include asking questions as well as questioning your methods, self-reflection,
finding a mentor or support group if necessary, thinking out loud (though you have to be considerate of others also when
doing this), and welcoming errors as learning experiences.
✓ Four types of metacognitive learners
a. "tacit"
b. "aware"
c. "strategic"
d. "reflective"
✓ The goal of metacognition is for the student to be a self-regulated learner. Education should not be limited by the capabilities
of the teacher, the content of school textbooks, the four corners of the classroom, and the duration of the academic year or
your courses. One should have the capability to study things on his/her own as well as accurately evaluate his/her progress.
✓ Another benefit is the compensation and development of cognitive limitations of the learner because of the student is now
aware of his/her capabilities. Various researches also showed significant improvement in academic performance in any
subject and across age range (Cambridge International Examinations 2015, 2). The student is also enabled to transfer
knowledge from one context into another

LOOKING AHEAD
Congratulations for making it till the end of this module! If you aced the assessments, I am happy for you. If you have not
reached your desired level of competence, just keep going! Remember that an expert was once a beginner. The next topic
will be Chapter III: Managing and Caring for self care” “Do not just dream. Make it happen”. Happy learning!

REFERENCES
American Institutes for Research. 2010. “TEAL Center Fact Sheet No. 4: Metacognitive Processes.” In Teaching
Excellence in Adult Literacy. Accessed September 15, 2017. https://linc.ed.gov/sites/default/files/4_TEAL_Metacognitive.pdf.
Eden joy Pastor Alata, Caslib B.N.Jr., Serafica J.PJ., Pawilen R.A., (2018). Understanding the Self. Rex Book Store,
Inc.

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SELF AND MODULE EVALUATION

This part requires the students to rate the quality of the module to help continuously improve the development of this
learning module. This also asks the students to rate their learning experience for each of the modules.
ex.
Rate the module using the following:
4 - Strongly disagree
3 - Disagree
2 - Agree
1 - Strongly agree

The learning module: 1 2 3 4

Please check appropriate column

was engaging
allowed for self-checking (SAAs)
developed in gradual, manageable steps
provided independent, self-paced learning
contained relevant information I needed

SELF-EVALUATION

Rate the extent of your learning in this module using the scale blow. Check the column corresponding to your
rating in the space provided. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need further assistance.
4 - I’m an expert. I understand and can teach a friend about it.
3 - I’m a Practioner. I understand and can cite examples on the topics given.
2 - I’m an apprentice. I understand if I get help or look at more examples.
1 - I’m a novice. I do not understand the topic.

My learning: 1 2 3 4

I can now:

Please check appropriate column

• explain how learning occurs
• enumerate various metacognition and studying techniques
• identify the techniques that they find most appropriate for myself

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END OF MODULE ASSESSMENT (Answer Sheet)

(Please do not forget to provide information on this part)
Name: _____________________________________________________________Course&Year:__________________
Module Number and Title: __________________________________________________________________________
Contact number & email (if any): _____________________________________________________________________
Date accomplished: ________________________________________________________________________________

I. SPIN AND WIN: AGREE OR DISAGREE

Direction: Read each statement and decide whether you AGREE or DISAGREE. Write your answer before each
number.
____________________1. Metacognition is commonly defined as "thinking about thinking."
____________________2. The emotional state and the motivation of a person then should also be in the preferred
ideal state for that person in order to facilitate further his/her learning.
____________________3. Self-Test as the name implies, this is trying to test your comprehension of your learning
Myexperience
learning: or the skills you have acquired during learning. 1 2 3 4
____________________4. You must be honest about what you know and capable of in order to find ways to utilize
I can
yournow:
strengths and improve on your weaknesses.
____________________5. Education should not be limited by the capabilities of the teacher, the content of school
Please
textbooks, the four corners of the classroom, and the duration of the academic year check
or your appropriate column
courses
Identify the different educational levels
Familiarize the different types of curricula in schools
II. IDENTIFICATION
Direction: Identify what type of curriculum is the following. Write your answer before each number.

_____________________1. Learners reflect on their thinking while they are using the strategies and will adapt their
metacognitive skills depending on the situation.
_____________________2. This is not just repeatedly talking, writing, and/or doing what you've learned but also
trying to make a personal interpretation or summary of the learning experience.
_____________________3. Learners, as the name implies, strategize, and plan their course of action toward a
learning experience.
_____________________4. Learners are unaware of their metacognitive processes although they know the extent of
their knowledge.
_____________________5. 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 don't know.

III. ESSAY
Question: (Should not be less than 100 words)
1. How is metacognition important to the learning process of a particular student like you?
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_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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DO NOT JUST DREAM, MAKE IT HAPPEN

MODULE 11

OVERVIEW

"By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you've achieved—and perhaps learned through a few
mistakes, stumbles and losses—you actually can enhance everything about you. Self-acknowledgment and appreciation are
what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward higher goals and accomplishments." (Brown 2016)

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• use Bandura's self-efficacy theory for self-assessment;

• differentiate growth and fixed mindset by Dweck; and
• design personal goals adapting Locke's goal setting theory

LEARNING EXPERIENCES & SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES (SAA)

➢ ACTIVITY
5- 10 – 20 SELFIE
Direction: On each designated box, draw your envisioned “Future Self.” Who would you be: (you may use a
separate sheet)

5 years from now: 10 years from now:

20 years from now:

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➢ ANALYSIS
Envisioned Self
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33

Answer the following questions.

1. Who are you or what would you become:
a. In five years
b. In ten years
c. In twenty years
2. What are your motivations for your envisioned self:
a. In five years
b. In ten years
c. In twenty years
3. Outline your plans on how you will make your envisioned self into reality:
a. In five years
b. In ten years
c. In twenty years
4. How do you feel after doing this exercise?
5. What is your perception on goal setting?

➢ ABSTRACTION
✓ Albert E. Bandura's Self-Efficacy
- Albert E. Bandura introduced his concept of self-efficacy in an article entitled "Self-efficacy: Toward a Unifying
Theory of Behavioral Change" that was published in Psychological Review in 1977. The article also became an
instant classic in psychology. (Kendra 2017)
- Who is Albert E. Bandura? He was born in Mundare, Alberta in December 4, 1925. He was the youngest of six
children. Though times were often hard growing up, Dr. Bandura's parents placed great emphasis on celebrating life
and more importantly family. They were also very keen on their children doing well in school.
- Dr. Bandura learned a lot about value and importance of self-direction from this time in his life. After spending a
summer working in Alaska after finishing high school, Dr. Bandura went to the University of British Columbia. He
took an introductory psychology course because it fitted into an early timeslot and allowed him to work in the
afternoon and then, he was hooked. He graduated three years later in 1949 with the Bolocan Award in psychology.
- Dr. Bandura went to the University of Iowa to complete his graduate work. During that time, the University of Iowa
was central to psychological study, especially in the area of social learning theory. Dr. Bandura completed his
Master's in 1951 followed by a PhD in clinical psychology in 1952. After completing his doctorate, Dr. Bandura
went onto a postdoctoral position at the Wichita Guidance Center before accepting a position as a faculty member at
Stanford University in 1953, where he still is today!
- Dr. Bandura is perhaps most famous for his Bobo doll experiment in the 1950's. At the time, there was a popular
belief that learning was a result of reinforcement. In the Bobo Doll Experiment, Dr. Bandura presented children
with social models of novel (new) violent behavior or non-violent behavior toward the inflatable redounding Bobo
doll. The children who viewed the violent behavior were in turn violent toward the doll; the control group was
rarely violent toward the doll. Dr. Bandura and his colleagues Dorrie and Sheila Ross showed that social modeling
is a very effective way of learning. Dr. Bandura went on to incorporate social modeling into his views on social
learning theory, which had a huge impact on psychology in the 1980s. Social learning theory focuses on what
people learn from observing and interacting with other people.
- Dr. Bandura has widely published works and has received various honorary degrees and awards all over the world.
He is highly recognized for his work in social learning theory and social cognitive theory (a theory that states
people are active participants in their environment and are not simply shaped by that environment). Dr. Bandura is
still an active member of Stanford's faculty today. He is continuing his research into the effects of modeling on
human behavior, emotion, and thought. He is also researching self-efficacy, and stress reactions at what level of
internal control can people separate themselves from harmful acts they are committing. (The Great Canadian
Psychology 2005—2008)

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- Dr. Bandura's work is considered part of the cognitive revolution in Psychology that began in the late 1960s. His
theories have had a tremendous impact on personality psychology, cognitive psychology, education, and
Psychotherapy. In 1974, Dr. Bandura was elected president of the American Psychological Association (APA). The
APA awarded him for his distinguished Scientific contributions in 1980 and again in 2004 for his outstanding
lifetime contributiols to psychology. Today, Dr. Bandura is often identified as the greatest living psychology as well
as one of the most influential psychologists of all time. In 2015, Dr. Bandura was awarded the National Medal of
Science by President Barack Obama. (Kendra 2017)
✓ Summary of Self-Efficacy Theory
Weibell (2011 ) summarized Albert Bandura's Self-Efficacy
- Self-efficacy typically comes into play when there is an actual or perceived threat to one's personal safety, or one's ability
to deal with potentially aversive events. Increasing a person's self-efficacy increases their ability to deal with a potentially
averse situation. For example, experimental studies on the treatment of adult snake phobics have demonstrated that
raising levels of self-efficacy is an effective technique to help them cope with threatening situations. Perceived self-
efficacy mediates anxiety arousal.
- Bandura defined self-efficacy as "people's beliefs about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance
that exercise influence over events that affect their lives." People with "high assurance in their capabilities."
1. Approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered;
2. Set challenging goals and maintain strong commitment to them;
3. Heighten or sustain their efforts in the face of failures or setbacks;
4. Attribute failure to insufficient effort or deficient knowledge and skills which are acquirable
5. Approach threatening situations with assurance that they can exercise control over them.
- In contrast, people "who doubt their capabilities":
1. Shy away from tasks they view as personal threats;
2. Have low aspirations and weak commitment to goals they choose to pursue
3. Dwell on personal deficiencies, obstacles they will encounter, and all kinds of adverse outcomes, rather than
concentrating on how to perform successfully.
4. Slacken their efforts and give up quickly in the face of difficulties.
5. Are slow to recover their sense of efficacy following failure or setback.
6. Fall easy victim to stress and depression
- Bandura described four main sources of influence by which a person's self-efficacy is developed and maintained:
1. performance accomplishments or mastery experiences
2. vicarious experiences;
3. verbal or social persuasion;
4. physiological, or somatic and emotional, states.
- Mastery experiences, or personal performance accomplishments, are the most effective way to create a strong sense of
efficacy. "Successes build a robust belief in one's personal efficacy. Failures undermined it, especially if failures occur
before a sense of efficacy is firmly established". Vicarious experiences through observance of social models also
influence one's perception of self-efficacy. The most important factor that determines the strength of influence of an
observed success or failure on one's own self- efficacy is the degree of similarity between the observer and the model.
- Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers' beliefs that they too possess the capabilities
master comparable activities to succeed. By the same token, observing others' fail despite high effort lowers observers'
judgments of their own efficacy and undermines their efforts. The impact of modeling on perceived self-efficacy is
strongly influenced by perceived similarity to the models. The greater the assumed similarity, the more persuasive are the
models' successes and failures. If people see the models as very different from themselves, their perceived self-efficacy is
not much influenced by the models' behavior and the results its produces.
- Verbal or social persuasion also affects one's perception of self-efficacy. It is "a way of strengthening people's beliefs that
they have what it takes to Succeed." Verbal or social persuasion can provide a temporary boost in perceived ability.
When it is effective in mobilizing a person to action, and their actions lead to success, the enhanced self-efficacy may
become more permanent. "People who are persuaded verbally that they possess the capabilities to master given activities
are likely to mobilize greater effort and sustain it than if they harbor self-doubts and dwell on personal deficiencies when
problems arise." This increases their chances of success. Unfortunately, "it is more difficult to instill high beliefs of
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Teacherpersuasion
Education alone than to undermine it since unrealistic boosts in efficacy are quickly
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- People also rely on their somatic or emotional states when judging their capabilities. Stress and tension are interpreted as
"signs of vulnerability to poor performance." Fatigue, aches and pains, and mood also effect perception of ability. However
Bandura notes that it is not the intensity of the emotional or physical reaction that is important, but rather, how it is
perceived and interpreted. People with a high sense of self-efficacy may perceive affective arousal as "an energizing
facilitator of performance, whereas those who are beset by self-doubts regard their arousal as a delimitator."
- Since "most human motivation is cognitively generated," self-beliefs of efficacy are an important factor in human
motivation. Beliefs of self-efficacy work in coordination with component skill and incentive to act. Inasmuch as a person
has both the component skills needed to succeed, and the incentive to engage, self-efficacy plays an important role in
determining what activities a person choose to engage in, how much effort they will expend, and how long that effort
be sustained when things get tough.
- Expectation alone will not produce desired performance If the component capabilities are lacking, Moreover, there are
many things that people can do with certainty of success that they do not perform because they have no incentives to do so.
Given appropriate skills and adequate incentives, however. Efficacy expectations are a major determinant of people's choice
of activities, how much effort they will expend and of how long they will sustain effort in dealing with stressful situations.
- Dr. Albert Bandura's quotes about self-efficacy (Kendra 2017):
• "Self-efficacy is the belief in one's capabilities to organize and execute the sources of action required to manage
prospective situations." -From social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory 1986
• "If efficacy beliefs always reflected only what people can do routinely they would rarely fail but they would not
set aspirations beyond their immediate reach nor mount the extra effort needed to surpass their ordinary
performances." -From Encyclopedia of Human Behavior 1994
• "Self-belief does not necessarily ensure success, but self-disbelief assuredly spawns failure." —From Self-efficacy:
The Exercise of Control 1997
• "By sticking it out through tough times, people emerge from adversity with a stronger sense of efficacy." —From
Encyclopedia of Human Behavior 1994
• "People's beliefs about their abilities have a profound effect on those abilities. Ability is not a fixed property; there
is a huge variability in how you perform. People who have a sense of self- efficacy bounce back from failure; they
approach things in terms of how to handle them rather than worrying about what can go wrong." —From Self-
Efficacy: The Exercise of Control 1996
- Carol S. Dweck's Fixed and Growth Mindset Theory
• Carol S. Dweck is the author Mindset The New Psychology of Success. Who is Carol S. Dweck? Carol S. Dweck was
born on October 17, 1946. She graduated from Bernard College in 1967 and earned Ph.D from Yale University in 1972.
She taught at Columbia University, Harvard University and University of Illinois before joining the Stanford University
in 2004. (Upclosed 2017)
• She is one of the leading researchers in the field of motivation and is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of
Psychology at Stanford University. Her research has focused on why people succeed and how to foster success. She has
been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her works has been featured in different publications like
The New Yorker, Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe. She appeared on Today
and 20/20. (Mindset 2006-2010)
- Dr. Dweck has received the following awards (Stanford Profiles n.d.):
• Book Award for Self-Theories, World Education Federation (an organization of the United Nations and UNICEF) (2004)
• Donald Campbell Career Achievement Award in Social Psychology Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2008)
• Award for Innovative Program of the Year, "Brainology" (2008)
• Ann L. Brown Award for Research in Developmental Psychology, University of Illinois (2009)
• Klingenstein Award for Leadership in Education, Klingenstein Center, Columbia University (2010)

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• Thorndike Career Achievement Award in Educational Psychology, American Psychological

Association (2010)
• Beckman Mentoring Award, Columbia University (2011)
• Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, American Psychological Association (2011)
• Gallery of Scientists, Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences (2011)
• James McKeen Cattell Lifetime Achievement Award, Association for Psychological Science (2013)
• Distinguished Scholar Award, Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2013)
Fixed and Growth Mindset
Dr. Dweck contribution to ocial psychology relates to implicit theories of intelligence with her
book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success published in 2006. Dweck describes people with two
types of Mindset. People who believe that their success is based on innate ability, these are said to have a
"fixed" theory of intelligence goes under Fixed Mindset. Others, on the other hand believe their success is
based on hard work, learning, training and perseverance are said to have growth theory of intelligence,
which goes under growth mindset. According to Dr. Dweck, individuals may not necessarily be aware of
their own mindset, but their mindset can still be discerned based on their behavior. It is especially evident
in their reaction to failure. Fixed-mindset individuals dread failure because it is a negative statement on
their basic abilities, while growth mindset individuals do not mind or fear failure as mush because they
realize their performance can be improved.
- improved and learning comes from failure. These two mindsets play an important role in all aspects
of a person's life. Dr. Dweck argues that the mindset will allow a person to live a less stressful and
more successful life. In an interview with Dr. Dweck in 2012, she described the fix and growth
mindset.
"In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents are just fixed
traits. They have a certain amount and that's that, and their goal becomes to look smart all the time
and never look dumb. In the growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be
developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don't necessarily thing everyone's the
same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work for it."
- Individuals with growth mindset are more likely to continue working hard despite setbacks while
individuals with fixed mindset can be affected by subtle environmental cues. For examples, children
given praise such as -good job, you're smart" are more likely to develop a fixed mindset, whereas, if
given compliments like good job, you worked very hard" are likely to developed a growth mindset. In
other word, it is possible to encourage students to persist despite failure by encouraging them to think
about learning in a certain way. (Upclosed 2017)
- Edwin A. Locke's Goal Setting Theory
Edwin A. Locke is internationally known for his research on goal setting. Who is Edwin A.
Locke? Edwin A Locke was born January 5, 1938. He is Dean's Professor (Emeritus) of Leadership
and Motivation at the RH. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. He
received his BA from Harvard in 1960 and his PhD in Industrial Psychology from Cornell University
in 1964.
He has published more than 300 chapters, notes and articles in Professional journals on such
subjects as work motivation, job satisfaction, incentives, and the philosophy of science. He is also the
author or editor of 12 books, including The Selfish Path to Romance: How to Love with Passion and
Reason (Platform Press), Study Methods and Study Motivation (Ayn Rand Bookstore 2008), Goa/
Setting: A Motivational Technique That Works (Prentice Hall 1984, with G. Latharn), A Theory of Goal
Setting and Task Performance (Prentice Hall 1990, with G. Latham), New Developments in Goal Setting
and (2013, with G, Latham), Handbook of Principles of Organizational Behavior (Blackwell 2000; 2nd
edition, Wiley 2009), The Primo Movers. of the Great Wealth Creators (Second Edition, Ayn Rand
Bookstore 2000) arc Postmodernism and Management: Pros, Cons and the Alternative (JAI: A recent

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survey found that Locke’s goal setting theory (developed G Latham) was ranked #1 in importance among
73 management theories work has been supported by numerous research grants, and he has served
consultant to research firms and private businesses.
Dr. Locke has been elected a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the American
Psychological Society, the Academy of Management, arc has been a consulting editor for leading
journals. He was a winner of the Outstanding Teacher-Scholar Award at the University of Maryland, the
Distinguished Scientific
Contribution Award of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the Career Contribution
Award from the Academy of Management (Human Resources Division), the Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Academy of Management (Organizational Behavior Division), and the James McKeen
Cattell Fellow Award from the American Psychological Society. He is a writer and lecturer for the Rand
Institute and is interested in the application of the philosophy of Objectivism to behavioral sciences.
(Locke 2017)
Goal/ Setting Theory
The Goal Setting Theory was first studied by Dr. Edwin Locke in the middle of 1960S. He
continued to do more studies in relation to his theory. In '1996. He published another article entitled,
Motivation Though Conscious Goal Setting
This is about the 30 years of research findings on the relationship between conscious performance goals
and performance on work tasks. The basic content of setting theory are summarized in terms of 14
categories of findings (1996) first describe that the approach of goal setting theory on what Aristotle
called final causality, that is, action caused by a purpose it status of consciousness and volition It also
assumes reports provide useful and valid data for formulating psychological etc). He then discussed the
attributes of goals and 14 research findings.
Goal Attributes
Goals have both an internal and an external aspect. Internally, they are ideas (desired ends);
externally, they refer to the object or condition sought (egg, a sale, a certain performance level), The idea
guides action to attain the object. Two broad attributes of goals are content (the actual object sought) and
intensity (the scope, focus, complexity etc. of the choice process). Qualitatively, the content of a goal is
whatever the person is seeking, Quantitatively, two attributes of content: difficulty and specificity have
been studied.

Self-efficacy.
The term self-efficacy refers to task- specific confidence and is a key component of Bandura's (1986)
social-cognitive theory. Bandura as shown that self- efficacy can be raised by: enactive mastery,
persuasion, and role modeling—all referred to above. In organizational settings enactive mastery can be
assured by providing people with needed experience and training and also by selecting people based on
their skills and abilities. Persuasion may include not only verbal expressions of confidence but also giving
people information regarding what task strategies to use. The effectiveness of role modeling depends on
the attributes of the model and on the person observing the model.

➢ APPLICATION
1. Jack Canfield Quote Hunt
- Using Canfield’s quote on success in the introduction of this lesson, identify the elements of
Bandura, Dweck and Locke’s theories. Give explanation to your answer.

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2. Graphic Organizer
- Make an artistic graphic organizer to differentiate fixed mindset from growth mindset of Dr.
Carol Dweck. Highlight the definition, description, characteristics, examples of situations
where each mindset are developed, advantage and disadvantages.
3. Describe your future self and give message to your future self.

SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES (SAA) SHEET

ACTIVITY
5 years from now: 10 years from now:

20 years from now:

ANALYSIS
1. ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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3. ______________________________________________________________________________
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4. ______________________________________________________________________________
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5. ______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________

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APPLICATION
1.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________

2.

3. ______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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KEY POINTS

✓ Albert E. Bandura introduced his concept of self-efficacy in an article entitled "Self-efficacy:

Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change" that was published in Psychological Review in
1977.
✓ Dr. Bandura's work is considered part of the cognitive revolution in Psychology that began in the
late 1960s.
✓ "If efficacy beliefs always reflected only what people can do routinely they would rarely fail but
they would not set aspirations beyond their immediate reach nor mount the extra effort needed to
surpass their ordinary performances." -From Encyclopedia of Human Behavior 1994
✓ Carol S. Dweck was born on October 17, 1946. She graduated from Bernard College in 1967 and
earned Ph.D from Yale University in 1972. She taught at Columbia University, Harvard
University and University of Illinois before joining the Stanford University in 2004. (Upclosed
2017). She is one of the leading researchers in the field of motivation and is the Lewis and
Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University.
✓

LOOKING AHEAD
Congratulations for making it till the end of this module! If you aced the assessments, I am happy for you.
If you have not reached your desired level of competence, just keep going! Remember that an expert was once a beginner.
The next topic will deal on The School Curriculum: Definition, Nature and Scope! Happy learning ☺

SELF AND MODULE EVALUATION

This part requires the students to rate the quality of the module to help continuously improve the development of this
learning module. This also asks the students to rate their learning experience for each of the modules.
ex.
Rate the module using the following:
4 - Strongly disagree
3 - Disagree
2 - Agree
1 - Strongly agree

The learning module: 1 2 3 4

Please check appropriate column

was engaging
allowed for self-checking (SAAs)
developed in gradual, manageable steps

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provided independent, self-paced learning

contained relevant information I needed

SELF-EVALUATION

Rate the extent of your learning in this module using the scale blow. Check the column corresponding to your rating
in the space provided. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need further assistance.
4 - I’m an expert. I understand and can teach a friend about it.
3 - I’m a Practioner. I understand and can cite examples on the topics given.
2 - I’m an apprentice. I understand if I get help or look at more examples.
1 - I’m a novice. I do not understand the topic.

My learning: 1 2 3 4

I can now:

Please check appropriate column

• use Bandura's self-efficacy theory for self-assessment
• differentiate growth and fixed mindset by Dweck
• design personal goals adapting Locke's goal setting theory

REFERENCES

Eden joy Pastor Alata, Caslib B.N.Jr., Serafica J.PJ., Pawilen R.A., (2018). Understanding the
Self. Rex Book Store, Inc.

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END OF MODULE ASSESSMENT (Answer Sheet)

(Please do not forget to provide information on this part)

Name: _____________________________________________________________Course&Year: __________________
Module Number and Title: __________________________________________________________________________
Contact number & email (if any): _____________________________________________________________________
Date accomplished: ________________________________________________________________________________

I. IDENTIFICATION

1. He was born in Mundrade, Alberta and introduced the concept of Self-efficacy: Toward a
Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change.
2. It is the experiment of Dr. Bandura in which he presented children with models of novel
violent behavior or non-violent behavior were turn violent.
3. It comes into play when there is an actual or perceived threat to one’s personal safety, or
one’s ability to deal with potentially aversive events.
4. It is defined as peoples beliefs about their capabilities to produced designated levels of
performance that exercises events.
5. He is the author of the book Mindset The New Psychology of Success.
6. He is known for his research on goal setting.
7. It is the type of goal that refer to the object or condition such as job, sale or certain
performance.
8. It is the association that awarded Dr. Bandura for his distinguished scientific
contributions in 1980.
9. Who awarded Dr. Bandura the National Medal of Science?
10. Locke first describe the approach of goal setting theory as based on Aristotle
_____________.

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Less Stress, More Care

MODULE 12

OVERVIEW
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 be beneficial at times, producing a boost that
provides the drive and energy to help people get through situations like exams or work deadline.
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 healthy lifestyle, which is self-care.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Explain the effects of stress to one’s health;

• Examine cultural dimension of stress and coping;
• Design a self-care plan

LEARNING EXPERIENCES & SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES (SAA)

ACTIVITY
Self-Assessment
Instruction:
1. Have a copy of the “College Student’s Stressful Event Checklist” of Arizona State University available
through Research Gate
(https://www.researchgate.net/file.PostFileLoader.html?id=57361005f7b67ee8fb041d-
c2&assetKey=AS%3A361336895754242%401463160837813)
2. Answer the questionnaire honestly. To put the check in our context, the third item about divorce
between parents changes to separation between parents.
3. Write your score and its interpretation inside the box.

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4. Circle all events you identified.

ANALYSIS
1. How do you feel as you are doing a checklist?
2. Is the result near to your present perceived stress level? how do you feel with the result?
3. How these identified life events are affecting your life now?
4. What is your reflection after the sharing time with the classmate?
5. What is your perception about stress and self-care?

ABSTRACTION

Stress and Human Response

The American Institute of Stress has distinguished different types
of stress and the human response to it. (AIS 2017):
Hans Selye defined stress as the body's nonspecific response to
any demand, whether it is caused by or results in pleasant or
unpleasant stimuli. It is essential to differentiate between the
unpleasant or harmful variety of stress termed distress, which
often connotes disease, and eustress, which often connotes euphoria.
Eustress is stress in daily life that has positive connotations such as marriage, promotion, baby,
winning money, new friends, and graduation. While distress is stress in daily life that has negative
connotations such as divorce, punishment, injury, negative feelings, financial problems, and work
difficulties.

During both eustress and distress, the body undergoes virtually the same non-specific responses to
the various positive or negative stimuli acting upon it. However, eustress causes much less damage
than distress. This demonstrates conclusively how an individual accepts stress that determines
ultimately whether the person can adapt successfully to change.

Selye hypothesized a General Adaptation or Stress Syndrome; this General Stress Syndrome affects
the whole body. Stress always manifests itself by a syndrome, a sum of changes, not by simply one
change.

There are three components to the General Stress Syndrome:

1. The alarm stage - represents a mobilization of the body's defensive forces. The body is preparing
for the "fight or flight" syndrome. This involves a number of hormones and chemical excreted at
high levels, as well as an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration, respiration rate, etc.

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. Just as any machine wears out even if it has
been properly maintained, so do living organisms that sooner or later become the victim of this
constant wear and tear. The acquired adaptation is lost if the individual is subject to still greater
exposure to the stressor. The organism enters into the third and final stage.

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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Stress diseases are maladies caused principally by

errors in the body's general adaptation process. They
will not occur when all the body's regulatory processes
are properly checked and balanced. They will not
develop when adaptation is facilitated by improved
perception and interpretation. The biggest problems
with derailing the General Stress Syndrome and
causing disease is an absolute excess, deficiency, or
disequilibrium in the amount of adaptive hormones-
for example, corticoid, ACTH, and growth hormones produced during stress. Unfortunately, if stress
is induced chronically, our defense response lowers its resistance since fewer antibodies are
produced and an inflammatory response dwindles.

In the article "Understanding Stress Response" of the Health Harvard Journal (Health Harvard
2017) it further discussed chronic stress and human body response:

Chronic stress is unpleasant, even when it is transient. A stressful situation-whether something

environmental, such as a looming work deadline, or psychological, such as persistent worry about
losing a job-can trigger a cascade of stress hormones that produce well-orchestrated physiological
changes. A stressful incident can make the heart pound and breathing quicken. Muscles tense and
beads of sweat appear.

This combination of reactions to stress is also known as the "fight-or-flight" response because it
evolved as a survival mechanism, enabling people and other mammals to react quickly to life-
threatening situations. The carefully orchestrated yet near-instantaneous sequence of hormonal
changes and physiological responses helps someone to fight the threat off or flee to safety.
Unfortunately, the body can also overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening, such as traffic
jams, work pressure, and family difficulties.
Over time, repeated activation of the stress response takes a toll on the body. Research suggests
that chronic stress contributes to high blood pressure, promotes the formation of artery-clogging
deposits, and causes brain changes that may contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction. More
preliminary research suggests that chronic stress rnay also contribute to obesity, both through
direct mechanisms (causing people to eat more) or
indirectly (decreasing sleep and exercise)

The stress response begins in the brain. When someone

confronts an oncoming car or other danger, the eyes or
ears (or both) send the information to the amygdala, an
area of the brain that contributes to emotional
processing. The amygdala interprets the images and
sounds. When it perceives danger, it instantly sends a
distress signal to the hypothalamus.

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The hypothalamus is a bit like a command center. This area of the brain communicates with the rest of
the body through the autonomic nervous system, which controls such involuntary body functions as
breathing, blood pressure, heartbeat, and the dilation or constriction of key blood vessels and small
airways in the lungs called bronchioles. The autonomic nervous system has two components, the
sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous
system. The sympathetic nervous system functions like a gas
pedal in a car. It triggers the fight or-flight response, providing
the body with a burst of energy so that it can respond to
perceived dangers. The parasympathetic nervous system acts
like a brake. It promotes the "rest and digest' response that
calms the body down after the danger has passed. After the
amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates
the sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through the
autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands. These glands respond
by pumping the hormone epinephrine (also known as
adrenaline) into the bloodstream. As epinephrine circulates through the body, it brings on a number of
physiological changes. The heart beats faster than normal, pushing blood to the muscles, heart, and other
vital organs. Pulse rate and blood pressure go up. The person undergoing these changes also starts to
breathe more rapidly. Small airways in the lungs open wide. This way, the lungs can take in as much
oxygen as possible with each breath. Extra oxygen is sent to the brain, increasing alertness. Sight,
hearing, and other senses become sharper. Meanwhile, epinephrine triggers the release of blood sugar
(glucOse) and tats from temporary storage sites in the body. These nutrients flood into the bloodstream,
supplying energy to all parts of the body.
All of these changes happen so quickly that people are not aware of them. In fact, the wiring is so
efficient that the amygdala and hypothalamus start this cascade even before the brain's visual centers have
had a chance to fully process what is happening. That is why people are able to jump out of the path of an
oncoming car even before they think about what they are doing.
As the initial surge of epinephrine subsides, the hypothalamus activates the second component of the
stress response system-known as the HPA axis.
This network consists of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands.
The HPA axis relies on a series of hormonal signals to keep the sympathetic nervous system-the "gas
pedal"-pressed down. If the brain continues to perceive something as dangerous, the hypothalamus
releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which travels to the pituitary gland, triggering the
release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This hormone travels to the adrenal glands, prompting
them to release cortisol. The body thus stays revved up and on high alert. When the threat passes, cortisol
levels fall. The parasympathetic nervous system--the "brake"--then dampens the stress response.
Persistent epinephrine surges can damage blood vessels and arteries, increasing blood pressure and raising
risk of heart attacks or strokes. Elevated cortisol levels create physiological changes that help to replenish
the body's energy stores that are depleted during the stress response. However, they inadvertently
contribute to the buildup of fat tissue and to weight gain. For example, cortisol increases appetite, so that
people will want to eat more to obtain extra energy. It also increases storage of unused nutrients as fat.
Chronic low-level stress keeps the HPA axis activated, much like a motor that is idling too high for too
long. After a while, this has an effect on the body that contributes to the health problems associated with
chronic stress.

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Techniques to Counter Chronic Stress

Several techniques to counter chronic stress were presented in
the same article (Health Harvard 2017). 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. These include
deep abdominal breathing, focus on a soothing word (such as peace or calm), visualization of tranquil
scenes, repetitive prayer, yoga, and tai chi.
Most of the research using objective measures to evaluate how effective the relaxation response is at
countering chronic stress have been conducted in people with hypertension and other forms of heart
disease. Those results suggest the technique may be worth trying-although for most people it is not a
Cure-all.
For example, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital conducted a double-blind, randomized
controlled trial of 122 patients with hypertension, ages 55 and older, in which half were assigned to
relaxation response training and the other half to a control group that received information about blood
pressure control. After eight weeks, 34 of the people who practiced the relaxation response-a little more
than half-had achieved a systolic blood pressure reduction of more than 5 mm Hg, and were therefore
eligible for the next phase of the study, in which they could reduce levels of blood pressure medication
they were taking. During that second phase, 50% were able to eliminate at least one blood pressure
medication-significantly more than in the control group, where only 19% eliminated their medication.
Physical activity. People can use exercise to stifle the buildup of stress
in several ways. Exercise, such as taking a brisk walk shortly after
feeling stressed, not only deepens breathing but also helps relieve
muscle tension. Movement therapies such as yoga, tai chi, and qi gong
combine fluid movements with deep breathing and mental focus, all of
which can induce calm.

Social support. Confidants, friends, acquaintances, co-workers,

relatives, spouses, and companions all provide a life-enhancing
social net-and may increase longevity. It's not clear why, but the
buffering theory holds that people who enjoy close relationships
with family and friends receive emotional support that indirectly
helps to sustain them at times of chronic stress and crisis.

The Cultural Dimension of Stress and Coping

Ben Kuo (2010) reviews studies on cultural dimensions of stress a Coping. His
study, Culture's Consequences on Coping: Theories, Evidences, and
Dimensionalities, published in Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology had the
following findings:

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Stress and coping research constitute one of the most intensively studied areas within health, social, and
psychological research, because of its broad implications for understanding human well-being and
adaptation. Early thesis on stress and coping implicated that there is an interwoven relationship of culture
and stress. The thesis postulated that a person's internalized cultural values, beliefs, and norms affect the
appraisal process of stressors and the perceived appropriateness of coping responses. Accordingly, these
cultural factors delimit the coping options available to an individual in the face of stress. As follows,
stress and coping are universal experiences faced by individuals regardless of culture, ethnicity, and race,
but members of different cultures might consider and respond to stressors differently with respect to
coping goals, strategies, and outcomes.
Kuos study identified and revealed compelling evidence for cultural variations and specificities on
coping, based on theoretical and empirical findings generated over the last two decades' cultural coping
research.
Based on the problem-focused and emotion-focused coping are terms of Coping mechanism repeated
studies have pointed to the prevalence of "emotion focused," "indirect," "passive," or "covert," "internally
target," or "secondary"
Control coping among individuals of Asian backgrounds, as well as, to a lesser extent, among individuals
of African and Latino backgrounds. Specifically, the avoidance, withdrawal, and forbearance coping
methods are common among Asians, while spiritual, religious, and ritual-based coping are common
among African Americans and African Canadians. Additionally, spiritual and religious coping and coping
through family support are common among individuals of Latino/Latina backgrounds.
Furthermore, emotion-focused coping has been shown to be beneficial (e.g., reducing distress) for Asian
Americans and Asian Canadians in dealing with various stressors, including family conflicts and racial
discrimination.
Problem-focused coping also has been found to be effective for Asian Americans and Asian Canadians in
responding to male gender conflicts, racial discrimination, and cross-cultural adjustment. For non-Asians,
emotion-focused coping was shown to be negative in increasing stress for African American adult
caregivers but problem-focused coping was shown to be negative in exacerbating stress for Hispanic
American college students in facing family conflict.
As evident, the existing knowledge on the adaptive quality of different coping strategies is currently
incomplete and inconclusive and necessitates further research.
The current review also highlights the salience of "collective coping" approaches among culturally
diverse individuals, including Asians, African-Americans, and Latino Americans, based on more recent
research. This distinctive domain of coping represents the collective and interdependent characteristics of
many ethnic minorities which is a critical aspect of coping overlooked by both the extant coping and the
cultural coping literature until recently. As has already been demonstrated in a number of recent,
published studies, to fully represent and account for the coping system of ethnic minority individuals, an
integrated approach incorporating conventional and culture-based collective coping measures is
imperative.
Finally, this review also points to coping's link to (a) broad societal climate, such as collectivism-
individualism and interdependent-interdependent cultural norms; (b)individuals ‘acculturation and ethnic
identity; (c) primary/internally versus secondary/externally controlled orientations; (d) accessibility and
attitudes toward seeking social and family support; and (e) degrees of religious/spiritual beliefs and
identifications. 1ogether, these findings further underscore the significance of person-cultural

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environment interaction in the coping process and provide corroborating evidence in support of the
contextual and transactional theories of Coping.
However, the above syntheses need to be interpreted with caution in view of several limitations. First, it
should be noted that the way in which types of coping were defined, categorized, and measured varied
quite significantly from study to study and would likely have skewed the findings and the conclusions
drawn and reduced the comparability across studies.
Second, the relationship between coping methods and coping outcomes is not straight forward but is
moderated Dy a constellation of contextual and personal factors as suggested by the theoretical models
reviewed earlier. Empirical data in fact have evidenced the effects of a person's perceived "intensity" and
"controllability" of the stressor and cultural orientations (i.e., acculturation, self-construal’s, etc.) on
coping. Lastly, it should be recognized that an on, individual's self-behaviors. For instance, Chinese
Canadian adolescents were found o to engage coping actual coping
system often comprises a complex and diverse range of coping behaviors.
For instance, Chinese Canadian adolescents were found to engage in
collectivistically based coping in conjunction with individualistically
based coping in dealing with interpersonal conflict, adjustment stress, and
gender role-related stress. That is, qualitatively opposite coping strategies
should not automatically be construed as mutually exclusive within
culturally diverse individuals.

SELF-CARE THERAPHY
A positive way to counter stress in 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 1 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.
Identify the steps you need to take first, write them down, and focus on each step
one at a time. If you look at everything you have to do, you will become
overwhelmed. Remember you can only do 1 thing at time and focus exclusively on
that 1 thing.
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. You can then find
a comfortable place to express your feelings. During periods of extreme stress and grief, it is very hard to
hold back your feelings, particularly your tears and anger. This is normal so describe this as grieving or
sadness or anger. You are not falling apart, you are grieving or feeling angry-sadness. It is important during
this time of intense feelings to own your feelings and NOT hurt yourself or lash out at someone else.
3. Find someone who listens and is accepting. You do not need advice. You need to be heard. Sharing
our story is how we begin to accept whatever happened and integrate it into our new reality. It may be that
you just need to let go of your expectations of how things should be and talking about your feelings and
beliefs is the beginning of that process.
4. Maintain your normal routine as much as possible. Making everyday decisions, deciding to get
dressed, do the dishes, or go to work, for example, gives you a sese of control and feels comforting as it is
a familiar activity. Be realistic with what you can do and remember everything right now will take you
longer to do. Avoid making major decisions based on the stress you feel right now.

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5. Allow plenty of time for a task. You will not be as productive as you normally are. Accept how much
you are able to do right now and recognize it will not be this way forever. During periods of extreme stress,
prolonged stress or after crisis, your ability to concentrate and focus on tasks is diminished and it will take
time for your concentration to return so give yourself extra time and be gentle and accepting of yourself
and what you can do.
6. Take good care of yourself. Remember to:

• Get enough rest and sleep. Sleep at least 6 hours and nit more that 9 hours. If you are having
difficulty sleeping listening to peaceful, slow music and/or do progressive relaxation just before
you go to sleep. Sleep is how our body heals and strengthens our immune system.
• Eat regularly and make healthy choices. Skipping meals, particularly breakfast, contributes to
fatigue, mood swings, and poor concentration. Healthy choices (foods not high in simple sugars)
maintain your blood sugars and therefore your energy and concentration.
• 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. Resist the urge to fix the unfixable
or try to control the uncontrollable. Sometimes a mantra helps… “It is what it is, I just need to
accept it.” For things within your control, remember change takes time. If you are holding on and
need to let go, write it in a journal.
• Identify or create a nurturing place in your home. A rocking chair, a nice view, and soothing
music are important components to a nurturing place. Twenty minutes of rocking in a rocking chair
reduces both your physical pain and anxiety. It is like giving yourself a hug. Music and nature
sounds nurture our being and lifts our spirits.
• Practice relaxation or meditation. Go to your nurturing place and listen to guided relaxation
tapes. Time spent in meditation or prayer allows your mind and body to slow down and let go of
the stress. Take a mental vacation in the midst of stress by relaxing your body, shutting your eyes
and visualizing yourself in your favorite vacation spot or quiet haven.
• Escape for a while through mediation, a book, a movie, or taking a short trip.

Self-compassion Therapy
Self-compassion is another way to counter Stress. Kristin Nett (2012) has discussed self-compassion in
her article, The Science of Self-Compassion Self-compassion entails being warm and understanding
toward ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than flagellating ourselves with self-
criticism. It recognizes that being imperfect and experiencing life difficulties is inevitable, so we soothe
and nurture ourselves when confronting our pain rather than geting angry when life falls short of our
ideals.
We clearly acknowledge our problems and shortcomings without judgment, so we can do what is
necessary to help ourselves. We cannot always get what we want. We cannot always be who we want to
be. When this reality is denied or resisted, suffering arises in the form of stress, frustration, and self-
criticism. When this reality is accepted with benevolence, however, we generate positive emotions of
kindness and care that help us cope.
Self-compassion recognizes that life challenges and personal failures are part of being human, an
experience we all share. In this way, it helps us to feel less desolate and isolated when we are in pain.

Self-Compassion Phrases

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When you're feeling stress or emotional pain-perhaps you are caugnt in a traffic jam, are arguing with a
loved one, or are feeling inadequate in some way-it is helpful to have a set of phrases memorized to help
you remember to be more compassionate to yourself in the moment. You can take a deep breath, put your
hand over your heart, or gently hug yourself (if you feel comfortable doing so), and repeat the ollowing
phrases:
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

These phrases capture the essence of the three components of self-compassion. The first phrase helps to
mindfully open to the sting of emotional pain. (You can also just say "this is really hard right now" or
"this hurts:") The second phrase reminds us that suffering unites all living beings and reduces the
tendency to feel ashamed and isolated when things go wrong in our lives. The third phrase begins the
process of responding with self-kindness rather than self-criticism. The final phrase reinforces the idea
that you both need and deserve compassion in difficult moments. Be experimental with the phrases. Other
phrases that may feel more authentic in a given situation are "May I accept myself as I am, "May I forgive
myself," or "May I learn to accept what I cannot change."

Self-Compassion and Emotional Well-Being

One of the most consistent findings in the research literature is that greater self-compassion is linked to
less anxiety and depression. Of course, a key feature of self-compassion is the lack of self-criticism, and
self-criticism is known to be an important predictor of anxiety and depression. However, self-compassion
still offers protection against anxiety and depression when controlling for self-criticism and negative
affect. Thus, self-compassion is not merely a matter of looking on the bright side of things or avoiding
negative feelings. Self-compassionate people recognize when they are suffering, but are kind toward
themselves in these moments, acknowledging their connectedness with the rest of humanity.
Self-compassion is associated with greater wisdom and emotional intelligence, suggesting that self-
compassion represents a wise way of dealing with difficult emotions. For instance, self-compassionate
people engage in rumination and thought suppression less often than those with low self-compassion.
They also report greater emotional coping skills, including more clarity about their feelings and greater
ability to repair negative emotional states. Self-compassion appears to bolster positive states of being as
well. By wrapping one's pain in the warm embrace of self-compassion, positive feelings are generated
that help balance the negative ones.

Self-Compassion, Motivation, and Health

Research supports the idea that self-compassion enhances motivation rather than self-indulgence. For
instance, while self-compassion is negatively related to perfectionism, it has no association with the level
of performance standards adopted for the self. Self-compassionate people aim just as high, but also
recognize and accept that they cannot always reach their goals. Self-compassion is also linked to greater
personal initiative; the desire to reach one's full potential. Self-compassionate people have been found to
have less motivational anxiety and engage in fewer self-handicapping behaviors such as procrastination
than those who lack self-compassion. In addition, self-compassion was positively associated with mastery
goals-the intrinsic motivation to learn and grow-and negatively associated with performance goals -the
desire to enhance one's self-image found on the study of Dweck in 1986. This relationship was mediated
by the lesser fear of failure and perceived self-efficacy of self-compassionate individuals. Thus, self-

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compassionate people are motivated to achieve, but for intrinsic reasons, not because they want to garner
social approval.

Self-Compassion versus Self-Esteem

Research indicates that self-compassion is moderately associated with trait levels of self-esteem (Neff
2012) as one would expect given that both represent positive attitudes toward the self. However, self-
compassion still predicts greater happiness and optimism as well as less depression and anxiety when
controlling for self-esteem. Moreover, the two constructs differ in terms of their impact on well-being.
Also, self-esteem had a robust association with narcissism while self-compassion had no association with
narcissism. In contrast to those with high self-esteem, self-compassionate people are less focused on
evaluating themselves, feeling superior to others, worrying about whether or not others are evaluating
them, defending their viewpoints, or angrily reacting against those who disagree with them. Self-esteem is
thought to be an evaluation of superiority/inferiority that helps to establish social rank stability and is
related to alerting, energizing impulses and dopamine activation.
While self-compassion enhances feelings of safety and interconnectedness, self-esteem positions the self
in competition with others and amplifies feelings of distinctness and separation.

Self-Compassionate Letter
An example of a self-compassion exercise is the Self-compassionate letter. This exercise has been used to
therapeutic programs. Below is the mechanics of Self-compassionate Letter Exercise:
1. Candidly describe a problem that tends to make you feel bad about yourself, such as a physical flaw, a
relationship problem, or failure at work or school. Note what emotions come up-shame, anger, sadness,
fear-as you write.
2. Next, think of an imaginary friend who is unconditionally accepting and compassionate; someone who
knows all your strengths and weaknesses, understands your life history, your current circumstances, and
understands the limits of human nature.
3. Finally, write a letter to yourself from that perspective. What would your friend say about your
perceived problem? What words would he or she use to convey deep compassion? How would your
friend remind you that you are only human? If your friend were to make any suggestions, how would they
reflect unconditional understanding?
4. When you are done writing, put the letter down for a while and come back to it later.
Then read the letter again, letting the words sink in, allowing yourself to be soothed and comforted.

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

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Reaction Paper. Make a reaction paper on the article, "Stress and Filipino" by Michael L. Tan in the
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. September 2006. http://pcij.org/stories/stress-and-the
Filipino. Use the lesson on the social and cultural dimension of stress.

SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES (SAA) SHEET

ACTIVITY

ANALYSIS
1.___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2.___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3..___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4..___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5.___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

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END OF MODULE ASSESSMENT

Now that you are about to finish the whole module. Here come now the “End of Module Assessment.”
Using the answer sheet provided at the end of this module, make the following:
1. Self-care plan. Design for your self-care plan for the whole school year.
2. reflection paper. Make the self-compassionate letter and make a reflection paper about it.

LOOKING AHEAD
Congratulations for making it till the end of this module! If you aced the assessments, I am happy for you.
If you have not reached your desired level of competence, just keep going! Remember that an expert was
once a beginner. The next topic will deal on the Connection of the Macro Skills with Vocabulary!
Happy learning!

END OF MODULE ASSESSMENT ANSWER SHEET

Name: _____________________________________________________ Course & Year: _________________________

Module No. and Title: _______________________________________________________________________________
Contact No and Email (If Any): ________________________________________________________________________
Date Accomplished): ________________________________________________________________________________

1. Self-care plan. Design for your self-care plan for the whole school year. (write it in a separate short bond-
paper)
2. Reflection paper. Make the self-compassionate letter and make a reflection paper about it. (write it in a
separate short bond-paper)

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SELF AND MODULE EVALUATION

This part requires the students to rate the quality of the module to help continuously improve the
development of this learning module. This also asks the students to rate their learning experience for each
of the modules.
ex.
Rate the module using the following:
1- Strongly disagree
2- Disagree
3- Agree
4- Strongly agree

The learning module: 1 2 3 4

Please check appropriate column

was engaging
allowed for self-checking (SAAs)
developed in gradual, manageable steps
provided independent, self-paced learning
contained relevant information I needed

SELF-EVALUATION
Rate the extent of your learning in this module using the scale blow. Check the column corresponding to
your rating in the space provided. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need further assistance.
4- I’m an expert. I understand and can teach a friend about it.
3-I’m a Practioner. I understand and can cite examples on the topics given.
2- I’m an apprentice. I understand if I get help or look at more examples.
1- I’m a novice. I do not understand the topic.

My learning: 1 2 3 4
I can now
(substitute your learning outcomes) Please check appropriate column
Explain the effects of stress to one’s health
Examine cultural dimension of stress and coping
Design a self-care plan

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