Anthropology PDF

GROUP 1 ‘’TITLE’’ PRAYER LET’S RECALL SIMPLE ENERGIZER LEARNING OBJECTIVES a. Discuss the different representations and conc...

GROUP 1 ‘’TITLE’’ PRAYER LET’S RECALL SIMPLE ENERGIZER LEARNING OBJECTIVES a. Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various disciplinal perspectives. b. Examine the different influences, factors, and forces that shape the self. c. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across the different disciplines and perspectives. d. Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one's self and identity by developing a theory of the self. FIRST DISCUSSION ANTHROPOLOGY ‘’The Self and Person in Contemporary Anthropology’’ What is Anthropology? Came from the Greek word, anthropos meaning human being; logos meaning reason New Latin word anthropologia meaning the study of humanity. (Merriam-Webster, 2024) It is the study of people, past and present. It focuses on understanding the human condition in its cultural aspect. It is concerned with understanding how humans evolved and how they differ from one another.  Anthropology is basically "humans studying humans" What is Culture? It’s people's way of life. Although it may seem generic, it anticipates not only the processes and structures responsible for the development of this way of life but also the underlying systems that give it its self-sustaining nature. It is defined by E. B. Tylor (1884) as: "that complex whole, which encompasses beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and shares as a member of the society." Cultural Influences that Shape the Self The Material Component pertains to all tangible materials that are inherited from the previous generation. This is the most obvious component because of its physical nature. Cognitive Component are divided into ideas, knowledge and belief, values, and accounts. The Normative Component pertains to prescription or standards of behavior that govern the relationship of individuals in the society. This standard of behavior is popularly known as social norm. What is Social Norms? is the behavior we do in accordance on what the society has define as good, right, and important, and almost everyone that is part of that community follows this behavior or rule. For some, conflict arises when the certain rule or behavior is different from what they believe in. These are the Formal and Informal Social Norms. Formal Social Norms Are established written rules. It is made to maintain the balance and order amongst people. Informal Social Norms Are casual behaviors that are generally and widely conformed to. We learn this through observation, imitation and general socialization. Classified as Folkways and Mores Folkways They are direct appropriate behavior in day-to-day basis and any form of violation does not require reprimanding. Mores These are norms that embody the moral views and principles of society. That means violating them can lead to serious consequences. Mechanism of Cultural Change Cultural borrowing defined as the borrowing of one society's cultural trait. Culture Lag Time that elapses between the introduction of new item to the culture and the acceptance of it as part of the new culture. Xenocentrism We can borrow and adopt others traits, we can also be unaware that we are using it excessively. Culture Shock an experience a person may have when one moves to a cultural environment which is different from one's own Xenophobia Fear or hatred of people who are perceived as being different from oneself Ethnocentrism Belief that one’s own culture is relatively superior compared to the culture of another. Acculturation Transfer of values and customs from one group to another. Culture Change: Attribute and Characteristics Culture is learned Culture is shared  Culture is integrated Culture is dynamic The Self and Person in Contemporary Anthropology In contemporary anthropology, the concept of the self is recognized as being deeply embedded within cultural contexts, highlighting how personal identity is shaped, expressed, and understood through the lens of cultural norms, values, and social practices. This perspective builds on the traditional anthropological view of culture as a system of symbols, behaviors, beliefs, and practices that individuals share as members of society (White, 1959). THE SELF EMBEDDED IN CULTURE Cultural anthropologists have argued that the self is culturally shaped and infinitely variable. The basic idea is that the principles of how the mind works cannot be conceived of as universal, but that they are varied as the culture and traditions that people practice all over the world. Cultural psychologists distinguished two ways of how the self is constructed. These are independent and interdependent constructs. The independent construct is a characteristic of individualistic culture. (Internal attributes: values and skills) The interdependent construct is typical of the collectivist culture. (The essential connection between individuals to other people.) Development psychologist Catherine Raef (2010) believed that culture can influence how you view relationships, personality traits, achievement, and expressing emotions. Considers human experience as an interplay of ‘’nature’’ referring to genetic inheritance which sets the individuals potentials and ‘’nurture’’ which refers to social cultural environment. Both biological and cultural factors have significant influence in the development of self.  ACHIEVEMENT EXPRESSING RELATIONSHIPS PERSONALITY EMOTIONS TRAITS Culture influences Culture influences Culture influences Culture influences how you define what will affect you how you enter into whether and how you success and emotionally, as and maintain value traits like whether you value well as how you relationships. humility, self-esteem, certain types of express yourself, Relationships may politeness, individuals and such as showing be seen as assertiveness, and group your feelings in voluntary or as so on, as well as how achievements. public or keeping duty-based. you perceive them private. hardship or how you feel about relying on others. In the anthropological perspective, there are two ways in which the concept of self is viewed in different societies: egocentric and sociocentric Egocentric Concept suggests that each person is defined as a replica of all humanity but capable of acting independently from others Prioritizes the differences, uniqueness Sociocentric Concept of the Self the Self is viewed as dependent on the situation or social setting Prioritizes the similarities A UNIT BUT UNITARY Anthropologist and professor, Katherine Ewing (1990) described the self as encompassing the ‘’physical organism, possessing psychological functioning and social attributes.’’ Neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux (2002) conceptualized the implicit and explicit aspects of the self. Explicit is the aspect of the self that you are consciously aware of. Implicit is the one that is not immediately available to the consciousness. This concept can be traced to the famous psychologist Sigmund Freud’s level of consciousness. According to LeDoux (2002), ‘’the self is not static; it is added to and subtract from by genetic maturation, learning, forgetting, stress, aging, and disease.'' SELF AS REPRESENTATION Ewing (1989) asserted that a ‘’self’’ is illusory ‘’People construct a series of self-representations that are based on selected cultural concepts of person and selected ‘chains’ of personal memories. Each self-concept is experienced as whole and continuous, with its own history and memories that emerge in a specific context to be replaced by another self-representation when the context changes.’’ According to Ewing (1990), people from all cultures have been observed to be able to rapidly project different self-representation, depending on the context of the situation. The person is unaware of these shifts; however, he/she will still experience wholeness and continuity despite these shifts. SUMMARY (ANTHROPOLOGY) SHORT QUIZ BREAK TIME: 5 MINUTES