C1 - Understanding The Self PDF

Chapter 1: The Self from Various Perspectives ▪ Ask questions that raises an exception to the definition Philosophy (Love of Wisdom) ▪ Give a better definition Comes from...

Chapter 1: The Self from Various Perspectives ▪ Ask questions that raises an exception to the definition Philosophy (Love of Wisdom) ▪ Give a better definition Comes from the Greek words “Philos” means Socrates Teaching: love and “sofia” means wisdom “The unexamined life is not worth living” It is the study of wisdom, the acquisition of We can find our worth, value, and truthfulness, realness of individuals significance by the means of explorations or Objective: to acquire, to direct us towards experience. You need to have a purpose, and happiness. Truth  Happiness. you need to question the things around you. Pre- Socratics Duality of the Man Pre-occupied themselves with the question about Socrates’s Central Concern: The Soul = Immortal the arche that explains the multiplicity of the Man is composed of body and soul things in the world. Body – Imperfect and impermanent “Arche” talks about the cosmos, universe, the Soul – Perfect and permanent composition of things. Material Monism: the belief that the whole world o The goal of life is to be happy. and universe are made of just one material. Virtue – Moral Excellence Thales 2. PLATO He states that water is the one composing the Dualism: universe. Soul: permanent. Immortal, perfect Thales believed that the Earth floats on water Body: impermanent, imperfect and all things come to be from water. People have the capacity to think. He said that we experience earthquake because Theory of Forms the earth is floating. Forms exist in an abstract state but independent of minds in their own realm Anaximander True and reliable knowledge rests only with In his cosmogony, he held that everything those who can comprehend the true reality originated from the apeiron (the “infinite,” behind the world of everyday experience. “unlimited,” or “indefinite”) The realms are physical realm (Body, the Aperion: talks about boundless something. thing make a thing exist), and Ideal Realm We cannot see when things started and the (Soul, we cannot see things in the ideal ending of it. realm). – We think an idea in the ideal realm, and that idea, we can make it in the physical Anaximenes realm. Air is composing the universe, and the source of We can get the realness of things trough all things around us. comprehension ANCIENT PHILOSOPHERS 3 PARTS OF THE SOUL/SELF - Body and mind, comprehension of mind Rational: Loves logic, thought and rational thinking (using our minds and the controlling 1. SOCRATES part) He never wrote anything, but his followers wrote Appetitive: Enjoys sensual experiences his ideas and brought it in the academe. (eating, drinking, sleeping, having sex) He is more concerned with the problem of the Spirited: desires to do good and to be good, self. values, good and bad behaviors (the one that deprive the appetitive part) The true task of the Philosopher is to know The 3 must work together to achieve oneself. happiness. Socratic Method II. MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHERS is a way to seek truths by your own light (seek truth on your own). 1. ST. AUGUSTINE Socrates urged people to question what they Integrates Platonic ideas (Socrates and Plato’s are being told, as well as their beliefs. perspectives) with the tenets of Christianity By questioning we can seek truth. Steps: Platonism and Christianity are natural ▪ Give an initial definition partners.  The truthfulness of things cannot be obtained just Rationalism – emphasize the reason as the with the body and mind, they should be primary source of knowledge. associated with faith/ Christianity. Empiricism – asserts that knowledge comes Soul is immortal = Association of the primarily from sense experience. Our knowledge Transcendent God (The body and mind should comes from experience be connected to the transcendent God.) Transcendent God – Faith and Reason 1. RENE DESCARTES Physical Realm – proving ground for eternal Founder of Modern Philosophy destinies Penetrates the nature of reasoning process and Body - inferior understand its relations to the human self. Soul - superior The ability to think is what defines the self— He describes the body as a "snare" and a hence his famous conclusion, "I think, therefore I "cage" for the soul. He considers the body a am" (Cogito, ergo sum). "slave" to the soul and sees their relation as contentious: "The soul makes war with the METHODOLOGICAL body." SKEPTICISM/HYPERBOLICAL DOUBT Contentious- conflicting, contradicting The soul makes war to the body. The soul Perceptual illusion: can’t do what it wants because the body cages it. ▪ Descartes recognized that our senses could deceive/fool us—what we see or Body is the "spouse" of the soul, with both hear might not always be true. attached to one another by a "natural ▪ Everything can be doubt. appetite. ▪ Example: Manifestation of Expectation vs The body and soul have a union or attached by reality. the natural appetite (situations/experiences) Dream Problem: "Si fallor sum"- if I am deceived, I am ▪ It is the initial doubt about our awareness Because of the negative experiences, we can ▪ And reams, imaginations, and ideals can find answers and truth, and to get better. By make us doubt. being deceived, we question, we doubts and ▪ Déjà vu and carrying the dream into that’s how we find answers. awareness ▪ Descartes questioned whether we can Christianity (Faith) - God is the creator of all truly distinguish between being awake things and the supreme ruler of the universe and dreaming since dreams often feel real. He wondered if our waking Reason + Faith = Happiness experiences might also just be another We can achieve faith by Imago Dei (the type of dream. image of God) relationship. We need to act based on the image of God which is to be good, Deceiving God kind, have justice/right behaviors, in order to ▪ There will be a person, experiences, manifest fate. objects that can make you doubt 2. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS "Cogito, ergo sum" - I think, therefore I am. He introduced the mind. "If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is Man is composed of two parts: necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, Matter / hyle – common stuff that makes up as far as possible, all things." everything in the universe. Form / morphe – essence of a substance or COGITO - the thing that thinks (mind) thing (characteristics and qualities of people) EXTENZA - extension of the mind (body) We tend to doubt because of “”Cogito, ergo sum” What makes a human person  essence/soul We doubt – reason – we use mind Our essence should be good in the relationship with God. If we carry the image of God, it should Distinction of Cogito and Extenza be seen in our essence and manifested in our Cogito can exist without the body, body/physical form. Extenza can’t exist without Cogito. MODERN PHILOSOPHERS 2. DAVID HUME  Scottish Philosopher and Economist  Knowledge helps you navigate and interact Opposed Descartes' Rationalism: reason is with the world the foundation of all knowledge Empiricism: origin of all knowledge is sense 4. GILBERT RYLE experience Philosopher and professor who produced a The idea that all knowledge comes from sense critique on Descartes' idea that the mind is experience. According to this view, we can only distinct from the Body. know things that we can perceive directly or Wrote "The Concept of Mind (1949)" = rejected indirectly through our senses. the notion that mental states are separable from physical states. Bundle Theory Solves the mind-body dichotomy - behavior self as a bundle or a collection of different matters perceptions that are moving in a "perpetual He utilizes Behaviorism flux" Self- concept can be acquired through actions/ Our self is made up of different perceptions behaviors (like thoughts, feelings, and sensory experiences) that we have over time. And Distinction between mind and matter these perceptions changes as times go by.  "category-mistake": analyze the relation between mind and body were in the same Mind's perceptions divided into two groups: categories. ▪ Impressions: These are the direct, vivid Ryle's points against Descartes' theory are: sensory experiences we have, like The relation between mind and body are not seeing a bright color or feeling pain. isolated processes. (more important) – have a strong impact The operation of the mind is itself an to self intelligent act. ▪ Ideas: These are less vivid and are the mental representations or copies of He described the distinction between mind and impressions. body as the "dogma of the ghost in the machine" ▪ There is no hidden identity or ghost called The notion of the "self" could not be verified "soul" inside a machine called "body" through observation => he believed there is no logical justification for the existence of anything The sense of self is from our behaviors and other than what your senses experienced. actions. Your actions define your own concept of "self"  Our self can’t developed, if we are just ideas. 5. MAURICE MERLEAU – PONTY  if you can no longer sense yourself Emphasized the body as the primary site of then you also cease to exist (end knowing the world. point) His idea of "self" is an embodied subjectivity  if you are not perceiving or experiencing "embodied" = verb that means to give a yourself, you might as well cease to exist body to an immaterial substance like a soul (you are dead). "subjectivity" = state of being a subject; an 3. IMMANUEL KANT entity that possesses conscious experiences He merges the Rationalism and Empiricism (thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and desires.) The human mind creates the structure of human A subject act upon or affects some other entity, experience. which in philosophy is called the object. Your mind shapes how you experience and He insisted that the mind and body are understand the world. intrinsically connected. Apparatuses of the mind → synthesize all The understanding of the "self" should begin knowledge and experience from this fundamental fact. For example, when you learn about a The body acts what the mind perceives as a new topic, your mind combines this new unified one. information with what you already know to build a complete understanding. CHAPTER 2: SOCIOLOGICAL Knowledge bridges the self and the material PERSPECTIVES things together. People – Society Philosophy Individualism soul-body; mind – body. philosophical nature of reasoning process KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERNITY According to Giddens (1991) Social Sciences 1. Industrialism Focus on reexamine the true nature of the self - The extensive use of material power and Deals with the elaboration or finding out what machinery could be the root cause of our being or sense of - Innovation and Technology – makes our lives being; what we are expecting around us or to the easier; communicates easier/faster society 2. Capitalism  Relationships between the self and the external - the production system involving both competitive world product markets and the commodification of labor power “WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE - In modern society, the economic system/status is SELF AND THE EXTERNAL WORLD” important, it needs to be sustained or improved, Tarzan Story by means of production of goods and services – Human beings: Rational/Logical supply and demand Animals: Irrational 3. Institutions of Surveillance Interaction with external reality - increase of power and reach by institutions, = Growth and Development especially in government The society, parents, friends, experiences and 4. Dynamism interactions with others effects our growth and - having vigorous activity and progress. development - In modernity, change is constant. - In modern society, we experience a lot of WHAT IS SELF? activities and choices that hep to move forward. Separate: distinct from other selves (individuality) - We want our life to be changed or changed to Self-contained: independent achieved happiness and fulfillment Consistent: enduring (means there’s aspects that SELF can last long for a lifetime like our personalities, - Something that is in unceasing flux (Continuous principles) the flow of things in our life and society) Unitary: chief command post (we are the - Constant struggle with external reality (There are chief/boss of our own self – we are the one who things we can’t have due to hindrances) decides an choose in our life) - Malleable in its dealings with society (we have the capacity is cope of what is happening around THE SELF AS A PRODUCT OF MEDORN SOCIETY us and adjust to solve problems) AMONG OTHER CONSTRUCTIONS Sociology – norms (standards of society, accepted behavior in society), beliefs (practices that we believe) SELF IS TRULY MULTIFACETED ,values come too exist within the person to a degree - Human beings are dynamic, we tend to cope by where these become natural and normal changing our behavior and by thinking what = Developing the person self-identity possible actions we should do to solve problems People are the Products of Society SOCIAL GROUP AND SOCIAL NETWORK Pre-Modern Society George Simmel Centered on survival - People create social networks by joining social Social rules and traditions groups - We have the nature to connect ourselves with Individuals experienced or living with the pre-modern other people or we have the capacity to involve societal way, focus on how they conformed the social ourselves with others rules and traditions because it’s a way of surviving. – this are change due to Modernization. Social Group - two or more people interacting with one another (family, friends, peer group or Modernization classmates) Significantly changed society Improved people’s living conditions  Organic Group - naturally occurring  ▪ Organic Motivation: because your family is teaches us how to act properly to cope with part of it people around us and feel belonginess o “Good Boy/Good Girl”  Rational Group – occur in modern societies; - “I” involving the people in society/outside that have same o Unsocialized and spontaneous interest o Impulses and drives (we have our own ▪ Rational motivation – own free will freewill) o Individualism and Creativity Positive and Negative Impact of Organic and Rational o Does not blindly follow rules Group Original Group Rational Group Rootedness (make you Implies Freedom (gives feel belongingness and the freedom to do what CHAPTER 3: ANTHROPOLOGICAL make strong you want) PERSPECTIVE relationship) Less Freedom (you can’t Rel’p is tenuous (The THE SELF AND THE PERSON IN CONTEMPORARY enjoy what you want to relationships can fade or ANTHROPOLOGY do) disappear) - Sociology – society Social Network – Ties or connections that link you to - Anthropology – culture your social group. (interest that is similar to others) o The understanding of human condition in its cultural aspects MEAD AND THE SOCIAL SELF - “SELF IN MODERN ANTHROPOLOGY” George Herbert Mead - Sociologist (late 1800s) A UNIT BUT UNITARY - Theory of the Social Self o How the “self” is developed Katherine Ewing (1990) o Self is not present at birth - Self: encompassing the “physical organism, - The development of the self, he emphasizes that possessing psychological functioning and social self is not present at birth, and we can only attributes” develop our self or sense of identity as we live or  the implicitly and explicitly existing of the as we grow up and experience things arounds mind us. We can different attributes as a person, physically, emotionally, socially or mentally, DEVELOPING THE SELF (How the self is developed) and these attributes are the implicitly and Stages of Self-development: explicitly existing in our mind - Language - symbols, gestures, sound that we create in order to communicate, initiate Joseph LeDoux, 2002 (Neuroscientist) development and stimulates learning - “Aspects of the Self” - Play – role-play or assume the perspectives of o Explicit Self – consciously aware of others (3-7 years old act like who they idolize) (awareness of the things around you) - Game – adheres to societal rules; they learn o Implicit Self – Unconscious (Things that what are the rule in the society that they need to you attended to forget or deny – the follow memories, thoughts that you want to forget because of different reasons; tend to bury TWO SIDES OF THE SELF: “I ” AND “ME” the emotions and experiences that you want - A person is an active process to forget because they are painful or - “I” and “ME” problematic) o Didactic relationship (have the capacity to - His view on how the “Self” was developed mediate each other’s desires and behaviors) asserted that it is framed, maintained, and o Check and balance system (they correct affected biologically, mentally, and socially the stimulate reaction or emotion of each - “The self is not static; it is added to and side to have a harmonious system ) subtracted from by genetic maturation, learning, forgetting, stress, ageing and disease. - “ME” - (Pagbago-bago or the change of self is constant) o The product of what the person has learned o Learned behaviors, attitudes and SELF AS REPRESENTATION expectations, good and bad behaviors that  4. Expressing Emotions – The cultural views Ewing (1989) and perceptions of a society can dictate how - Self is Illusory (not real) positive and negative emotions should be o People construct a series of self- displayed and how it affects other people. representations that are based on cultural They guide how to regulate or control emotions concepts of person and selected chains of (facial expression and verbal cues) to not personal memories…. offend other people. - The self-representations that we make based on the cultural concepts of the people around us. We tend to change the way we represent our CHAPTER 4: PSYCHOLOGICAL selves time to time based on beliefs of the PERSPECTIVES society. We changed the way we talk, dress for us to be accepted and also to respect other people and their culture. The Self – Psychology - Psychology is the scientific study of how people SELF AS REPRESENTATION behave, think, and feel (personality, how to deal - It is the mental entities that are supposed to emotions) represent the self (Schilchtet, 2009) - Topics: - People from all cultures have been observed to o how the brain works be rapidly project different self-representations o how our memory is organized (Ewing, 1990) o how people interact in groups o how children learn about the world THE SELF EMBEDDED IN CULTURE - How it is to be “you”. The way how the self is developed are bound to cultural differences I. WILLIAM JAMES “I SELF” and “ME SELF” - Self is culturally shaped and infinitely variable (We are shaped by cultural traditions, values and  I - SELF beliefs, and variables within the society because we - So called the “Pure Ego” or awareness of people are able to change or to be changed) in the real world - Characteristics: Cultural Psychologist distinguished 2 ways of the o A sense of being the agent or initiator of self is constructed behavior; the part that makes actions to be Constructs: taken by an individual - Independent: Individualistic Culture (The o A sense of being unique behaviors, principles that we form individually o A sense of continuity; We can’t remove and these are not only influenced by the cultural our past and future self in our present self. views of our community, these are the principles We are dynamic. influenced by our own free will) o A sense of awareness about being aware; - Interdependent: Collectivist Culture (the beliefs/ the capacity of I-self to understand what is pinaniniwalaan based on the influence of the going on in all within the self or within a culture of society that we live in) person, or the environment. Awareness of (The self- construct are embedded in culture) its own actions. Construal – interpretation of the meaning of  ME – SELF: OBJECT something; the meaning of self - Pins more the subjective aspect of the self - Reflection in our life or experiences Development Psychologist Catherine Raeff (2010): - Why it is an Object: It is being explain that this 1. Relationship – Culture influences us on how to aspect that describes our experiences, take care or even enter in a certain kind of appearance, physical attributes, personality, relationships (Courtships) social roles and relationships towards people, 2. Personality Traits – We based our behavior, thoughts and feelings traits, or actions based on what is acceptable in - Definition of our outer and inner self, the external reality, society, or culture, Gender - Dimensions: Equality. 1. Material 3. Achievement -Influenced in how an individual - Physical appearance and extensions of it is raised including the environment where they such as clothing, immediate family and grew home. 2. Social  - Social skills and significant interpersonal o Projection: You think someone else has your relationships; how to we manage in thought or feeling interacting with other people o Sublimation: Positive coping mechanism; 3. Spiritual you redirect the feeling into a socially Personality, character and values productive activity II. SIGMUND FREUD III. CARL RANSOM ROGERS - the father of Psychoanalysis - American Psychologist - the founder of Psychodynamic approach = - One of the founders of Humanistic Approach to Psychoanalytic Theory Psychology - The 3 Levels of Consciousness 1. Conscious: thoughts and perception. the A. CLIENT-CENTERED THEORY awareness of a persons including what we are Humanistic Psychology: mid-20th century thinking right now - Individuals innate drive towards self-actualization 2. Pre- Conscious: memories and stored - The process of realizing and expressing one’s own knowledge. the part that is floating, capabilities and creativity subconscious level, mga nakaligtaan - Active role of the individual in shaping their internal 3. Unconscious: contains thoughts and and external worlds memories. Buried thoughts, behaviors and - A person is an active, creative, experiencing being feelings. Fears, unacceptable things who lives in the present - Free will and great reservoir of human potential for Childhood Experiences + goodness (individuality) Unconscious Desires (things we tend to bury) Assumptions: = Behavior 1. Formative Tendency: An individual tends to move or tends to be transform from simpler to a more complex form. Child: Simple needs and Provinces of the Mind wants  Adult: Complex needs and wants. 1. ID: primary principle or pleasure principle that 2. Actualizing Tendency: move towards needed immediate gratification. Insist not to completion. Drive towards SELF- delay satisfaction or pleasure. What we want , ACTUALIZATION what we get. (e.g. babies) 2. EGO: reality principle or secondary principle. SELF CONCEPT Give satisfaction to the needs and desires of - Organized, fluid, conceptual pattern of concepts ID and superego. and values related to the self; pagkakakilala sa 3. SUPEREGO: moral principles; deals with the sarili norms and moral standards; perception of good and bad. SELF AWARENESS: 2 distinct aspects that can be - Understanding the ideal and real self developed in the superego: conscious and Ideal Self: The person that you would like yourself ego ideal. to be; the “best me” (ambitions, dreams) Real Self: the person that you actually are. DEFENSE MECHANISM - Operate to protect the ego against pain of anxiety. B. IMPORTANCE OF ALIGNMENT - Types of Defense Mechanism: - Congruence  balance/equal and you can o Reaction Formation: You turn the feelings integrate your ideal self to your real self == If the into its opposite. way that I am is aligned with the way that I want to o Repression: You tend to bury your feelings be, then I will feel a sense of mental well-being or to unconscious peace of mind. o Denial: You completely reject the thought or - Incongruence: When there is a great feeling inconsistency between your ideal and rea selves o Rationalization: You come up with or if the way you are is not aligned with what you explanations to justify the situation whether it want to be. is right or wrong o Displacement: you redirect your feelings to C. CONDITIONS OF WORTH another target - The beliefs that we are worthy of approval only o Regression: You revert to an old, usually when we express desirable behavior and attitudes immature behavior to ventilate your feeling and refrain from expressing those that bring (childish behavior; tantrums) disapproval from others. - We do things to be accept by other people. Healthy False Self: Stimulates adjustments Unhealthy False Self: We are cage in a D. INCONGRUENCE problematic situation Anxiety  Defenses  Denial Perceptual Distortion 3. TRUE SELF Solution for incongruence: The healthy core. The self that is being Relationship with another person: nurtured or nourished by positive childhood or C – Congruent (being genuine to other good experiences people) Based on “spontaneous authentic experience’ U – Unconditional Positive Regard Sense of being alive and real in one’s mind and (acceptance to other people) body E – Empathy (understanding for other people) To be genuinely close to others and to be creative IV. GORDON ALLPORT - Psychologist; talks about multiple selves PERSONALITY TRAIT THEORY 1. Trait - The essential characteristics that is stable, constant or that never, ever changes and sticks with you all your life - Traits that shape who you are 2. Common Traits - General characteristics held in common people 3. Personal Dispositions - The individual traits - Levels of Personal Dispositions: 1. Cardinal o Obvious, ruling characteristics. 2. Central o Ones that make up the personality. Person 5-10 CD’s 3. Secondary o Less conspicuous but far greater than in number than central dispositions (mood swings) D.W. WINNICOTT - English pediatrician and psychoanalyst A. TRUE VS. FALSE SELVES 1. SELF The person who is me The healthy core of a heathy person’s self is hidden from the outside world, uninfluenced by the external world The false self is put up to defend the core from these realities and prevent it from any changes 2. FALSE SELF Product of early experiences. “the MASK” The defensive organization formed by the infant because of inadequate mothering or failure in empathy Based on being completely obedient to the parent’s whishes