UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Unit 2 – Unpacking the Self

THE MATERIAL AND ECONOMICAL SELF

Learning Outcomes Introduction

At the end of this lesson, the In economics, there is the notion of what is a
student should be able to:
need or a want. Every one of us is a consumer. For
everyday life, we need things that help us in dealing
1. Explore the different aspects of self
with our self and with other people. Those things can
and identity;
become a treasure to us depending on their importance
2. Demonstrate critical, reflective as well as the benefits they give us.
thought in integrating various
This part of the lesson will tackle how things
aspects of self and identity;
can become mere factors in identifying and
3. Identify the different forces and understanding one self. To discuss here also are the
institutions that impact the implications of our material possessions on the
development of various aspects of upbringing of our selves.
self and identity;

4. Examine one’s self against the

different aspects of the self
 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
Unit 2 – Unpacking the Self

Material Self

William James (American Philosopher and Psychologist, 1842-1910) had the idea that our
material self refers to the aspects of our personality that are tied to our body (physical presence
and its attributes), possessions (tangible things that we own), and social identity (our social status
and the perception of others toward us). The interconnectedness of our identity and materiality
significantly contributes to our self-conception and sense of belonging thus, shaping our emotions
and experiences. As we link our sense of self to the tangible aspects of our lives, this defines our
interaction with the world and the people around us.

The core of material self is our body; individually, we have preferred attachments to it that
has personal value. Clothing is vital as well in our material self for it importantly plays in our self-
expression that eventually impacts in our attitudes and behavior. The successes, failures, and life
events of our immediate family make a remarkable impact in our [material] self; defining what
could we have or not in life. Lastly, we should not forget that our home, as our earliest nest, is
considered as an extension of our self. Our home not just serves as the place of our major
experiences in life, what our home (house perhaps and the material things inside of it) might
somehow describes who we are.

Four Dimensions of Material Self

In 2020, Bagozzi, Ruviom and Xie identified material self-projection, materialistic

evaluation of others, emotional self-assurance, and self-deservingness as dimensions that provides
understanding to our material self.

 Material self-projection
This refers to the motivation to use material possessions to construct and project
one self. We keep up our appearances hence our desire for image management is more
important than that of the personal meanings we have in our possessions. Our fear of
negative evaluations from others leads us to materialistic mind-set and high levels of self-
presentational concerns
 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
Unit 2 – Unpacking the Self
 Materialistic evaluation of others
Our material possessions are being used by other people to assess us. From here,
our definition of self is being influenced by the information we get from our comparison
to others that reflects in our self-affirmation as well. The comparison of our possessions to
the other’s leads to the self-concept of what is the standard of living that might result to
less satisfaction with one’s life.

 Emotional self-assurance
It is the hedonic dimension of material goods that brings feelings of positive affect
and avoiding negative emotions. Materialistic people experience positive emotions,
particularly happiness, thru the material purchasing. We can feel joyful, proud and fun
avoiding sadness, anxiety, and frustration when we tend to buy our needs and wants.

 Self-deservingness
Basically the same with the concept of entitlement, ownership or possession of
material things brings light to one’s abilities, character, and other personal values. As they
say, “everyone deserves good things in life”; thus, self-gifting plays a vital role on one’s
appraisal of personal hardships or striving. However, it may somehow bring self-
centeredness and narcissism to one.

The Role of Material Possessions on the Sense of Self and Identity

1. Material possessions are symbolic of one’s social status.

2. People tend to measure success through the amount of their material possessions.
3. Material possessions contribute to a feeling of well-being, including a sense of personal
growth and purpose or meaning in life.
4. The lack or loss of material possessions can be disruptive to one’s mental health.
5. Material possessions serve as a measure on one will be accepted and regarded well by
other people.
 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
Unit 2 – Unpacking the Self
Material Possessions as Extended Self

Collections, money, pets, body parts, and other people are regarded as [material]
possessions of the self-extension concept. As defined in consumer behavior, self-extension
implicates self formulation – an important attribute in identity and personality construction.

Humans then collect things for necessities and security; but today, collections serve as
distinction and self-definition. Thru gifts and even intended acquisitions, collections have the
purpose of defining one’s character and values. Studies said that there are number of introvert
collectors making their collections as security blankets of the personality. Also from a study,
collections have been regarded as weapons against low self-esteem; providing sense of purpose
and worth. However, obsessive collecting may be unhealthy and dangerous to self-enhancement.

Some people think money as “sacred”; money as an end rather than a mean to doing and
having things. Primarily, we use money to buy tangible and visible possessions. But as a part of
our self-extension, we may regard that those with higher income are persons with subjective
happiness, satisfaction in life, better adjustments, happier, and even healthier. In contrast, there is
miserliness which is the attempt to substitute money for love and happiness. Another issue if
money is more than enough is compulsive gambling.

Fundamentally, other have dogs or cats; but others have reptiles. The way we treat our pet
is the way we also treat our self and loved ones, thus, a description of self-extension. Pets as
representations of self entail attempts to infer one’s traits; we groom them the way we want and
we raise them the way we were. Suggested as therapeutic in some instances, we use our pets as
expanded treatments not just to our self but even with our children, hospital patients, and the
elderly. Nonetheless, pets can also be harmful fetishes if too much of one’s self is invested in them.

Husband or wife, children, ancestors, and our friends are symbolic extensions of our self.
Not as material possessions, but they are our possessions. Because other people are regarded as
part of our extended self, losing them in whatever way is a picture of losing one self. In the long
history of our world, the people surrounding us have been focal points of both positive and negative
situations; a mere example is that women were treated as men’s property until the 19th century.

Body parts are said to be the most central part of the extended self. Using cathexis,
psychoanalytic term that is the investment of emotional significance in an activity, object, or idea,
studies have found out that women tend to cathect their body greater than men do. It is seen as we
use grooming products to care more for a particular part of our body; as we are more attached to
our body parts, it is more expected to cathect it. Lastly, the loss of body parts is tantamount to
losing one’s identity and very being.
 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
Unit 2 – Unpacking the Self
References

Bagozzi, R., Ruviom A., & Xie, C. (2020). The material self. International Journal of
Research in Marketing, 37(4), 661-667.

Belk, R. (2014). Possessions and the Extended Self. Journal of Consumer Research,
15(2), 139-168.

Go-Monilla, M. J. and Ramirez , N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C & E Publishing,

Inc. Manila, Philippines

Villafuerte, S. et. al. (2018). Understanding the Self. Nieme Publishing House Co. Ltd.
Quezon City, Philippines