Understanding the Self - Physical Self

Study Notes

Understanding the Self - Physical Self

Body image disturbance is linked to both perceptual and attitudinal components.
- Perceptual component refers to how we perceive our body size, known as body size estimation.
- Attitudinal component involves how we think and feel about our body size and shape.
Body dissatisfaction is linked to mental disorders, including depression and anxiety in adolescents.
Genetics play a significant role in our physical traits. Gregor Mendel, the Father of Genetics, discovered that genes are inherited as distinct units in pairs.
Heredity is the passing of traits from parents to offspring.
Our perception and understanding of beauty have evolved through history.
- St. Augustine believed beauty gives delight and is inherently beautiful.
- Plato associated beauty with love and desire.
- Aristotle defined beauty as order, symmetry, and definiteness.
- David Hume argued that beauty resides in the mind of the beholder, with individual perceptions varying.
- Immanuel Kant viewed beauty as a subjective aesthetic judgment, not a logical one.
- Francis Hutcherson emphasized the role of both external sight and internal sense in perceiving beauty.
Cultural standards and perceptions of beauty vary:
- In Taniti, Africa, fattening practices are common for both men and women, emphasizing a preference for larger bodies.
- In Nigeria, being fat was associated with prosperity, fertility, and beauty.
- In the Philippines, skin color plays a significant role in social status, with whiteness often being seen as desirable.
Research has shown a correlation between perceived attractiveness and earning potential, highlighting the “halo effect” where beauty is associated with positive traits.
The "halo effect" in cognitive bias indicates a tendency to rate attractive individuals more favorably for personality traits.

Celebrating Beauty in Diversity

Celebrates respect and gratitude for individual differences.
Encourages appreciation and understanding rather than judgment or criticism.
Helps break down stereotypes.

You Are Who You Look! Embracing Your Physical Self

Surround yourself with supportive people.
Focus on aspects of your appearance you like.
Avoid comparing yourself to others.
Take care of yourself physically.
Consider the impact of your clothing choices.

Material Self

Connected to the physical self, but focuses on possessions.
Represents the sum of everything considered "mine," including the body, clothes, house, family, and other valued possessions.
Material self hierarchy:
- Body: the innermost part of our material self
- Clothing: a form of self-expression, reflecting our identity
- Family: shapes and influences our self-identity
- House: our earliest nest of selfhood, an extension of self
- Other Properties: items we hold value and consider "ours"