Anthropological-and-Psychological-Perspectives.docx

**Chapter 3: The Self from Anthropological Perspective** **Anthropology** employs a holistic approach to the study of the self. This views the self as the totality of organism's physical, biological, psychological, social, and cultural aspects according to Quinn. The physical characteristics of peo...

**Chapter 3: The Self from Anthropological Perspective** **Anthropology** employs a holistic approach to the study of the self. This views the self as the totality of organism's physical, biological, psychological, social, and cultural aspects according to Quinn. The physical characteristics of people affect their culture, their way of life. For instance, because they have two legs and two feet, they walk upright. On the other hand, people's culture affects the physical characteristics of people e.g. tattoo that the Kalingas of the Cordillera Administrative Region have even before this has become wide spread among the present generation for varied cultural reasons. **The Universals and Variety: Hallmarks of Anthropology** In an attempt to arrive at a holistic concept of the self, anthropologists look at the full range of human persons by studying people in all parts of the world at different times and at different levels of society. So, they are mindful that any general theory of humanity must at the same time account for the variety. **Stratigraphic Approach and Reductionism** Anthropologists say to avoid two common pitfalls such as the *stratigraphic approach* and *reductionism*. Stratigraphic approach is simply stacking independent models one after other without interrelating them. Understanding the self = Physical models + Biological models + Psychological models + Social models Reductionism happens when we attempt to interpret all observations by reducing them to a single level of analysis. Ex. Ideas are explained purely in terms of electron flows in the brain; life is defined only in terms of chemical equations; and human culture is described only by biological needs and instincts. **Understanding Self and Culture** **Culture** is the integrated system of learned patterns of behavior, ideas and products characteristic of a society. A person's culture influences his/her physical being. According to Hiebert, people are remarkably imaginative in molding their bodies to fir their taste. On the other hand, people's physical being also affects the kind of culture they build and the ways in which they relate to fellow beings. **Two Contrasting Models of the Self: Egocentric and Sociocentric** Identity is always a part unique and internal to an individual (egocentric) but always within a larger cultural context of complex interpersonal relations (sociocentrism). Egocentrism is the "natural tendency to view everything within the world in relation to oneself" while sociocentrism is the natural tendency to view everything within the world in relation to one's group and so be group-centered. When people are raised to value the sociocentric aspects of selfhood, self-centered and egoistic behavior are devalued. On the other hand, when people are raised to the value of egocentric aspects of selfhood, other-centered behaviors are devalued. Pursuit of individualism at the expense of others is considered as inappropriate in a sociocentric group but appropriate in an egocentric group. **Cultural Relativism, Ethnocentrism, and Xenocentrism** **Cultural relativism** is the idea that a person's beliefs, values, and practices should be understood based on that person's own culture. There is no universal standard of morality so, no one has the right to judge customs of another. **Ethnocentrism** is the belief that one's culture is superior to that of others while **Xenocentrism** is the thinking that others' culture is superior to one's culture. **Chapter 4: The Self from Psychological Perspective** In psychology, the **sense of self** is defined as *the way a person thinks about and views his or her traits, beliefs, and purpose within the world*. The self is said to be in constant change. As one grows up, his/her sense of self changes. **A. SIGMUND FREUD (1856-1939)** - Human psyche is divided into three: **id, ego, super-ego**. The **id** is completely unconscious, impulsive, child-like portion as it operates on the 'pleasure principle' and is the source of basic impulses and drives. The **ego** acts on the 'reality principle' it is the decision-making or the executive branch of the self while **super ego** acts on 'moralistic and idealistic principles' **B. WILLIAM JAMES (1842-1910)** - Theory of the Self. The Self is the totality of all that a person can call his or hers. The Self is divided into "I" and into "Me". The "I" is self as subject is "The thinker that does the thinking" and "Me" is self as the object. - The "I" is the pure ego, the thinking self and knows who he/she is and what he/she has done in his/her life. - The "Me" is the material, social, and spiritual self. It is a part of self which is "empirical me" - The self is an object that can be observed and a subject, an agent that does the observing. - The core of the **material self** is the body such examples are: clothes, family, home, material possessions. - The **social self** is who a person is in social situation. It is how one presents himself/herself in public. Every person has an innate desire to get him/herself noticed favorably by others. Social selves maybe contradictory, depending on how other persons view you. Your friend may not have same concept of you as your mother. That is their concept of you (social self) not your image of yourself. - The **spiritual self** is the person's subjective and most intimate self. It consists of personality, core values, and conscience. It dwells on introspection and asks, spiritual, moral, or intellectual questions. Achieving a high level of understanding of our spiritual selves is more rewarding than satisfying the needs of the social and material self.