Understanding The Self REVIEWER

Incongruence – No fair amount of overlap between

Topic: Psychological Perspective of Self the two.

CARL ROGER’s Component of Self Concept Internal Confusion/Cognitive Resonance- When

there is incongruency of Ideal Self and Self-Concept.
▪ The self-concept is general term used to refer
to how someone thinks about, evaluate or DEVELOPMENT of Self-Concept
perceives themselves.
▪ To be aware of oneself is to have a concept 2 Years Old
of oneself. ▪ Children begin to differentiate themselves from
▪ Self-concept is our personal knowledge of others.
who we are, encompassing all of our
thoughts and feelings about ourselves 3 – 4 Years Old
physically, personally, and socially. ▪ Children understand that they are separate and
unique selves.
Our self-concept develops most rapidly during early ▪ Child’s self-image is largely descriptive, based
childhood and adolescence, but self-concept mostly on physical characteristic or concrete
continues to form and change over time as we learn details.
more about ourselves.
About 6 Years Old
Three COMPONENTS of Self-Concept: ▪ Children can communicate what they want and
1. Self-Image – (The way we see ourselves) need.
Knowing ourself physically and our social ▪ Starting to define themselves in terms of social
roles. Can be affected by many factors; group.
Parental influence, media, friends, etc.
2. Self-Esteem or Self-Worth – (The value we 7 – 11 Years Old
place upon ourselves) ▪ Begin to make social comparison and consider
Individual levels the way we evaluate how they’re perceived by others.
ourselves. ▪ Begin to describe themselves in terms of abilities
3. Ideal Self (The Self we would like to be) and not just concrete details.
▪ They realize that their characteristics exist on a
Anorexia – People with this eating disorder have a continuum.
very low body weight, an intense fear of gaining
weight and a flawed way of seeing their body. 12 – 13 Years Old
▪ A key period for Self-concept.
Self-Image and Ideal Self can be Congruent and ▪ The self-concept established during adolescence
Incongruent. is usually the basis of self-concept for the
remainder of one’s life.
Congruence – There is a fair amount of overlap ▪ Self-concept is influenced by success in areas
between the two. It’s very difficult to achieve. they value and the responses of others valued to
them.
Self-Actualization – Able to fulfill all needs in life. ▪ Success and approval can contribute to greater
Achieved through Congruency of Ideal Self and Self- self-esteem and a stronger self-concept in
Image. adulthood.
WILLIAM JAMES Concept of Self ▪ It includes all the people, places, and things
that we regard as “ours”.
The ME-SELF and the I-SELF
How can we tell whether an entity is part of the Self?
The I – Self or a Thinking Self. ▪ If we respond in an emotional way when the
▪ It is cognitive. entity is praised or attacked, the entity is likely
Cognitive = connected with thinking or to be part of the self.
conscious mental processes. ▪ See how we act towards it.
▪ The I-self mirrors the soul and mind.
▪ The I-self is pure EGO. These possessions, are not simply valued for what
▪ It often captures our focus and takes us they provide, they are also prized because they
mentally to seemingly more interesting become part of us.
thoughts in a different time and place. “Not only the people but the places and the things I
know enlarge my Self in a sort of metaphoric way”
The Me – Self or the Empirical Self. - William James
Empirical- personal experience of a person.
▪ Me-Self is based on personal experience of a Relationship of Self and Material possession
person.
▪ It is simply accepting no matter if the ▪ Possession serves a symbolic function; they
experience is new, exciting, familiar, or help people define themselves.
unpleasant. ▪ Possessions also extend the self in time.
▪ It helps us connect with our reality in the ▪ People’s emotional responses to their
present moment. possessions also as attest to their importance to
the self.
Subdivided into Three CATEGORIES:
1. Material Self 2. The Social Self
▪ What we want is related to our self. We are ▪ The social self refers to how we are regarded
what we have. and recognized by others.
▪ It refers to all the tangible objects, people, or ▪ We affiliate (Connected), not simply because
places that carry the designation my or mine. we like the company, but because we crave for
❖ Your possessions recognition and status. Example: Joining a
❖ (money, car, gadgets, etc.) certain organization for you to be recognized.
❖ Your House/Home ▪ The “Rational Self” or the self-defined in terms
❖ Your Body of specific interpersonal relationships. (Includes
all of the individuals we regard as “ours”, such
SUBCLASS of Material Self as our parents, siblings, romantic partners,
a. Bodily Self close friends, and colleagues)
▪ Physical Entities (My arms, my body, or my ▪ Different Self in different relationship.
legs)
▪ (My Child, My hometown, My car, My 3. The Spiritual Self
painting, etc.) – Extension of our body. The Spiritual self is our inner self or our psychological
b. Extracorporeal (Beyond the body) self. It is comprised of our;
▪ Psychological Ownership (My favorite chair, ▪ Self-perceived abilities
favorite place, etc.) ▪ Attitudes
▪ Emotions
 ▪ Interests Three STRUCTURES OF PERSONALITY
▪ Values 1. ID
▪ Motives 2. EGO
▪ Opinions 3. SUPEREGO
▪ Traits
▪ Wishes The ID
Many aspects of the spiritual self are evaluative. ▪ The most primitive innate urges. The source
of all psychic energy hence the ID is the
primary component of personality.
▪ The only component of personality that is
SIGMUND FREUD’s Level of Consciousness present from birth.
▪ It is entirely unconscious and includes
Freud’s Personality Theory instinctive and primitive behavior.
▪ It is driven by “Pleasure Principle” which
strives for immediate gratification of desires,
Consciousness – “Awareness” of a person of what’s
wants, and needs.
happening in his/her surroundings.

People tend to have immediate attempt to satisfy

Part of the ICEBERG Associated to the
their cravings.
Consciousness.

Disruptive behavior and socially unacceptable.

▪ Surface/Seen
▪ Middle/can easily be seen if needed
Primary Process Thinking
▪ Bottom/Hidden
▪ A primary part of personality.
▪ A primary process is used instead of acting on
Conscious – Includes our current thoughts.
dangerous or unacceptable urges. The id
forms a mental image of desired object to
Pre/Sub Conscious – contains memories that are not
substitute for an urge in order to diffuse
part of the current thoughts but can readily be
tension and anxiety.
brought to mind if needed.
▪ This image can take the form of a dream,
hallucination, fantasy, or delusion.
Example: Asking birthday of parents.
- to satisfy your cravings, you’ll create images
- Data that not in our current thoughts but
on your mind.
able to retrain

Unconscious – includes thoughts, desire, impulses of

which we remain largely unaware.
Example: Painful, Anxiety experiences. THE EGO
▪ The ego develops from the ID and ensures
We can’t remember because we don’t want to that the impulses of the id can be expressed
remember it. It is called “Depressed Thoughts” in an acceptable manner.
▪ The ego functions in all level of
The unconscious mind is the primary source of our consciousness.
behaviors. It is the most important part of mind. ▪ It is the component of personality that is
Because past experiences influence our behavior. responsible for dealing with reality.
 Function of “EGO” Two PARTS of Superego
▪ Operates on “Reality Principle”
▪ Striving to satisfy Id’s desires in realistic and Conscience – Behaviors that are often forbidden in
appropriate ways. the society, tend guilt. Which is bad and which is
▪ Delayed Gratification – the ego eventually good.
allows the Id’s behavior only in the
appropriate time and place. EGO ideal – rules and standards for behaviors that
EGO aspire to.
Relationship of ID and EGO Associated to Rider and
a horse
Id – Desire
The horse (ID) provides the power and motion and Ego – Reality
rider (EGO) provides guidance. Superego – Idealistic

Secondary Process thinking – The ego tries to find an

object in the real world that matches the mental “EGO Strength”
image created by the ID’s primary process.
▪ The Ego’s Ability to function despite the
competing or dueling forces of Id, Ego, and
Superego.
THE SUPEREGO
▪ Emerge at around 5 years old. ▪ A person who has a good Ego Strength can
▪ Internalized Moral Standards. effectively manage the pressures.
Example: Saying po and opo, and
pagmamano, no lying, no cheating, etc. A person with too much or too little ego strength can
Dos and Don’ts of the society. be unyielding or disruptive.
▪ Composed of the ideals we acquire from
parents and society. BALANCE between the ID, Ego and Superego will lead
▪ Provides Guidelines for Judgement. to HEALTHY PERSONALITY.

IMBALANCE between the ID, Ego, and Superego will

▪ Superego tries to perfect and civilize our lead to MALADAPTIVE PERSONALITY.
behavior.
▪ It tries to suppress all unacceptable urges of
the Id. “Maladaptive behaviors”
▪ It struggles to make the Ego to act upon
idealistic standards rather than upon realistic Overly Dominant Id – impulsive, uncontrollable even
principles. criminal.
▪ It is present in the conscious, preconscious
and unconscious level. Overly Dominant Superego – Extremely moralistic
and judgmental.