William James's Concept of the Self

William James's Concept of the Self

• William James defined the self as everything an individual considers to be theirs: body, possessions, reputation, beliefs.
• The Materialistic Self focuses on how people extend themselves through material possessions and lifestyles.
• Material Self includes everything a person owns: car, house, clothes, family, and friends.
• People purchase products related to their personality because material possessions reflect aspects of identity.
• Possessions tell a lot about their owners, affecting buying choices to address personal and social needs.
• Purchasing decisions are influenced by: financial constraints, available goods and services, and social influences.
• There are two aspects to acquiring material goods: utility (practical purpose) and significance (meaning assigned to an object)
• Objects can become powerful symbols or icons of habit and ritual, separate from their primary function.

The I-Self vs. The Me-Self

• The I-Self is the thinking self, reflecting the soul or mind (pure ego).
• The Me-Self is the empirical self, encompassing an individual's experiences and is divided into:
  • The Material Self: Composed of bodies, clothes, family, and home.
  • The Social Self: Reflects how we present ourselves to others and how we think they perceive us.
  • The Spiritual Self: Our inner thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about ourselves and the meaning of life.

The Material Self

• The material self is deeply affected by our investments in our bodies, clothes, families, and homes.
• The Bodily Self includes the body’s physical, emotional, psychological, and moral aspects.
• The Extended Self includes significant people (family), possessions (house, car, clothes), places, and products of labor.

The Body

• The body is the innermost part of the material self.
• We develop preferential attachments to certain body parts based on their value to us.

Clothes

• Clothing is essential to the material self, influenced by "The Philosophy of Dress" by Herman Lotze.
• Lotze’s “Microcosmus” states that objects incorporated into our body's surface become part of our personal existence.
• The fabric and style of clothes affect our sensations, which directly influence attitudes and behaviors.
• Clothing is a form of self-expression and exists in the second hierarchy of the material self.

Immediate Family

• Parents and siblings hold significant importance in our self.
• We invest heavily in our immediate family because they reflect ourselves.

Home

• Home is the origin of our selfhood.
• Our home experiences are recorded and imprinted on the objects within.
• The home is an extension of self because it allows us to directly connect with ourselves.

Material Possessions: Needs vs. Wants

• Material possessions reflect success or failure.
• Needs are essential for survival: home, basic clothes, food.
• Wants are desires that change over time, often considered splurges.
• A want can be a need, and vice versa, depending on lifestyle.
• Understanding needs and wants helps with efficient money management: tracking expenditures, investing savings.