Psychological Views On The Self PDF

PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEWS ON THE SELF By Clemuel B. Cruz, RPm PSYCHE: soul or spirit PSYCHOLOGY LOGOS: study Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes such as thinking and em...

PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEWS ON THE SELF By Clemuel B. Cruz, RPm PSYCHE: soul or spirit PSYCHOLOGY LOGOS: study Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes such as thinking and emotions. Three Topics in Psychology Central to Our “Self” Personality Intelligence Love PERSONALITY Words associated with “personality” Traits Characteristics Ugali (Attitude) Katangian PAGKATAO Personality is defined as a person’s consistent pattern of thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. Your personality is the entire you. Traits It is generally how we describe people. Traits are the building blocks of personality. Traits are considered to be relatively consistent. “Traits” of traits Traits exist as a continuum or dimension, which means each person has a “level” of a particular trait. A person may be high, low, or average in a particular trait. Traits are not categories (e.g., extraverts vs introverts). Traits are relatively consistent over time. Traits tend to stabilize by age 30, but changes may still occur. Traits are highly genetic and biological. Variations in traits are produced by situational factors. Traits are amoral. Every trait, regardless of level, has an evolutionary function. Psychologists in the 20th century wanted to see which traits can explain all traits. If we can find the traits that can explain all traits, then these traits are the traits that can describe all people regardless of culture.  Raymond Cattell’s Research In the 1930s, Gordon Allport identified 18,000 adjectives used to describe people in the Oxford Dictionary. To see the commonalities of these adjectives (or traits), Raymond Cattell used a statistical technique called as factor analysis to reduce a large number of data based on their common features. Cattell yielded 4500 traits. Further analysis reduced the traits from 4500 into 171, then into 36. The final analysis yielded 16 traits. Big 5 Traits While the 16 traits of Cattell became famous in the 1950s, other psychologists advocated for 5 basic traits. In decades of research, these 5 basic traits were confirmed to be the basic structure of personality. These are known today as the Big Five traits. Big 5 Traits Openness to Experience Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism Extraversion Extraverts are those who enjoy socializing with others. They prefer being in the presence of other people and are often energetic. An introvert is a person who prefers being alone or with smaller groups of people. They are not usually expressive when it comes to being energetic. Extraversion (facets) Warmth towards others Gregariousness Assertiveness Energetic Excitement-seeking Positive emotions Openness to experience This trait describes people who are thrill-seekers, open-minded, and unconventional. They prefer thinking outside of the box and not on traditional ideas. People low in this trait prefer routines. They may also highly conform to tradition and express dissatisfaction with liberal ideas. Openness to experience The tendency to fantasize and daydream Aesthetic appreciation Intellectual curiosity Having unconventional values Thrill-seeking Conscientiousness This describes people who are very organized, hardworking, detail-oriented. People who score low on conscientiousness prefer careless and impulsive decision- making and are disorganized. Conscientiousness Confidence in one’s ability Being organized Dutiful Achievement-striving Self-discipline Careful Agreeableness Agreeable people are those that are described as good-natured, helpful, trusting, but also gullible. People who are on the opposite spectrum of this trait are antagonistic, critical, and uncooperative. Agreeableness Trustfulness Compliant and obedient Modest/humble Caring and altruistic Neuroticism Neurotic people are often described as worriers, anxious, unhappy, and easily get annoyed. Those who score low on neuroticism are emotionally stable, resilient, and are usually calm. Neuroticism Anxious Anger hostility Propensity for sadness Emotionally vulnerable MAPA NG LOOB Developed by UP professor Gregorio del Pilar, this measures the Big Five traits using the Filipino language, both in its items and facets of each Big Five trait.  FACETS OF THE BIG FIVE IN THE MAPA Openness to Hilig sa bagong Experience Kakaibang pag-iisip Pagkamasining Pagkamaharaya kaalaman Conscientiousness Pagkamasikap Pagkamapagplano Pagkaresponsable Pagkamaingat Extraversion Pagkamasayahin Pagkapalakaibigan Pagkamasigla Pagkamadaldal Agreeableness Pagkadi-mayabang Pagkamapagtiwala Pagkamaunawain Pagkamapagparaya Neuroticism/ emotional Hina ng loob Pagkamaramdamin Pagkamapag-alala Pagkamasumpungin stability INTELLIGENCE Intelligence is defined as… The capacity to learn from experience, and; The ability to adapt to the surrounding environment. Related concepts to intelligence: Aptitude: the readiness and potential of a person to learn Achievement: the accumulated knowledge and skills of a person  Intelligence is the global capacity of a person to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment. –David Wechsler Charles Spearman One of the first to study intelligence. He claimed that intelligence has two forms: a general form and a specific form. This general form is made up of the overall capacity of the person when looking at all of his/her specific intelligences. Intelligence can be represented by a score. This score known today called as the IQ. Everything that reflects your adaptation, skills, abilities, can be represented by your overall IQ. Advantages of IQ It is a reliable and valid measure of intelligence. It is currently the only available numerical representation for intelligence. Disadvantages of IQ It ignores specific forms of intelligences. It is dependent on the standards and cultural background of the test developer. Examples of IQ Test: The Wechsler Scales Overall IQ (General) Verbal Non-verbal (Specific) (Specific) Specific Tests Specific Tests Howard Gardner He believed that each of us has different strengths and weaknesses. He listed different forms of intelligence. Each of us has a preferable mode of showing our intelligence, which he called as multiple intelligences. Photo from: https://www.verywellmind.com/gardners-theory-of-multiple-intelligences-2795161 Advantages of multiple intelligences It acknowledges the diversity in human capacity. It is inclusive. Disadvantages of multiple intelligences There is a scarcity in tests that can measure multiple intelligences, most of which only measure a person’s interest or preference, rather than actual ability. LOVE The Biology of Love Love has biological mechanisms. Certain chemicals in our nerve cells are active when we are in love. These chemicals are called as neurotransmitters. The Neurotransmitters/Hormones of Love Dopamine: Involved in feelings of the pleasurable feeling when in love. It is also involved in being motivated towards another person. Serotonin: Involved in feelings of happiness, enjoyment, and sadness when in love. Norepinephrine: Involved in feelings of alertness and arousal. Oxytocin (hormone): Involved in feelings of attachment and intimacy. Endorphin: Involved in feelings of pain reduction. Acetylcholine: Involved in memory formation. But what really is love? According to psychologist Rollo May, love is a feeling of delight in the presence of another person. But is love just purely delight and happiness?  According to Erich Fromm, another psychologist, love is not a feeling. It is a decision. It is a judgment.  Love is a decision, it is a judgment, it is a promise. If love were only a feeling, there would be no basis for the promise to love each other forever. A feeling comes and it may go. How can I judge that it will stay forever, when my act does not involve judgment and decision. –Erich Fromm In love, the paradox occurs that two beings become one yet remain two. –Erich Fromm Four Requirements of Love According to Erich Fromm Knowledge: knowing the person in their most intimate level Care: showing active concern for the welfare of another person Respect: acknowledging the individuality and rights of the person Responsibility: being accountable for the other person  Robert Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love Sternberg stated that love has three requirements: Passion Intimacy Commitment  Passion A strong sexual, romantic, and enthusiastic feeling towards someone. Intimacy The closeness and attachment towards another person. It indicates the bond between two or more people. Commitment It is a conscious decision to stick with each other.