Understanding The Self PDF

GEC 1: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF ❖ Identity vs Self MOD 1: Self from Various Perspective Chap 1: The Philosophical Self (Basics of Self) IDENTITY SELF ❖ I and Me...

GEC 1: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF ❖ Identity vs Self MOD 1: Self from Various Perspective Chap 1: The Philosophical Self (Basics of Self) IDENTITY SELF ❖ I and Me Qualities, Beliefs, etc. Refers to the person that makes a that someone I ME particular person or normally or truly is group different from I will go to school. Tell me about it others I hang out with my Give me something The distinguishing The entire person of friends. character or an individual I like to eat a burger. It makes me feel personality of an awesome! individual The SELF is The term “Me” as a Known to others Only known to oneself highlighted as the PRONOUN is usually Distinguishes or Refers to the total ACTOR. used as the OBJECT. compares one from characteristics or Therefore, the SELF composes both the “I” another qualities of a person as an ACTOR and the “ME” as the OBJECT both known and unknown to others (but known to ❖ Nature vs Nurture oneself). SELF = NATURE A comprehensive definition that underscores the The SELF is predominantly a product of distinctions and overlap between SELF and natural processes to which people are IDENTITY inherently predisposed. Indentites are the: The natural basis of the SELF is anchored in BIOLOGY and explains that human traits are passed on from one generation to another Social Group Membership Identities can be focused on the Past - what used to be true of love Present - what is true of now Future - the person one expert or wishes The SELF is studied structurally and to become; the person one feels obligated functionally from the molecular level to the to try to become; the person one fears one entirety of human physiological systems may become SELF = NURTURE Identities make up one’s self-concept The SELF should be principally viewed as variously described as what comes to an outcome of various nurturing factors in mind when one thinks of oneself. the context of one’s life. DIMENSIONALITIES OF THE SELF/IDENTITY GROUP LIFE ❖ Personality Factor ○ Affecrs an individual act of l’s The characteristics that were acquired from behavior and attitude the influences of the social groups during ○ Emphasizes the impact of various the formative years are integrated to form social institutions on the one’s identity or uniqueness and similarities self-construal of a person with others While the issue about the predominance of either This factor has been referred to by NATURE or NURTURE is still unresolved, one Psychologists as the process of character can safely assume that the SELF is the product of and traits integration (or FORMING OF NATURE and NURTURE IDENTITY) as the information of personality  This is the individual patterns of thinking, This emanates from within the mentality of feeling, and behaving. an individual, brought about the aggregated ❖ Environmental Factor (The NATURAL social life experiences. FORCE) Being one is not necessarily negative, in broadly includes the physical and fact, some of the people of this type communal elements present in everyday become TREND SETTERS, surroundings, and are invariably dealt with REVOLUTIONARIES, DISCOVERERS, by individuals in a specific geographical and INVENTORS. region or area. IDENTITY is a product of a complex process This factor covers not only the physical of combinations and integrations of traits and properties of the surroundings (climate and characteristics from various possible sources. temperature, forms of the land, etc.) but Some of the traits are acquired consciously also the larger society or community, as and voluntarily while others are obtained well as the expectations and norms unconsciously and involuntarily. operating in that particular locality or place ❖ Social Factor This refers to the influences of significant MOD 2: The Self From Various Philosophical people in one’s life Perspectives Most of the basic attitudinal and behavioral What Philosophy Says about the Self. attributes of individuals are shaped Referred to by many social scientists as the Philosophy Is often called the MOTHER OF nursery of human nature ALL DISCIPLINES simply because In this social group (family), an individual all fields of study began as does not only acquire biological philosophical discourses characteristics (through heredity) by at also learn, both directly and indirectly certain Ancient philosophers attempted to explain natural and social behaviors and characters. phenomena, coming up with their Similarities in manners and attitudes are own definitions of how the world found in the members of the family. works and what factors contribute ❖ Hereditary Factor to such phenomena. Factors that significantly contribute to one’s identity or being and already operating at The SELF has been UNIFIED BEING, essentially connected to the time of conception (in the mother’s consciousness, awareness and womb) with the faculty of natural choice A biological process by which certain traits and characteristics are passed on from one - Involves lots of fields/studies generation ti another. CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY This factor is also referred to as the 3 Great “Folden Age” Greek Philosophers NON-NEGOTIABLE ★ Socrates FACTOR:RELATIVELY FIXED and ★ Plato PERMANENT ★ Aristotle It really dictates one’s physical attributes: HEIGHT, COMPLEXION, HAIR, etc. I. SOCRATES (469 - 399 B.C.) Cognitive traits: IQ The ancient philosophy of the self can be traced Personal characteristics: EMOTIONALITY, back from one of the 147 GREEK APHORISMS TENDENCIES, etc. upon birth prominently inscribed in the temples of Apollo and ❖ Person-Volition Factor Delphi. This refers to the inclination of the person - Aphorisms (a concise statement of a scientific to form or construct a SPECIFIC that will principle, typically by an ancient classical author) SET HIM APART FROM OTHERS As a “GURU”, Socrates preferred to Social scientits like sociologists may refer engage students in endless discussions. to a person-volition factr as DEVIANT or NON-CONFORMISTS  It is said that , he had never written down 3 components of soul any of his ideas but instead entirely 1. Rational Soul articulated concepts and principles with - The THINKING, REASONING, and his students. JUDGING aspects. It must be Believe that the REAL SELF is not the well-developed and in-charge. physical body but rather the PSYCHE 2. The Appetitive Soul (SOUL). - This is responsible for the desires Further posited that the appearance of the and cravings of a person. Desires body is inferior to its function must be controlled and focused to he believed that it is the duty of the those that give life like eating, philosopher to “KNOW ONESELF” drinking, and sleeping. (FAMOUS ADVICE). - Physical desires - eating, sleeping, He saw a person as DUALISTIC every and drinking person is composed of BODY and SOUL. 3. The Spirited Soul - Socratic method - This is accountable for emotions BODY - imperfect and impermanent aspect, and also makes sure that the rules nabubulok(when we die the body/physical stays) of reason is followed in order to SOUL - perfect and permanent attain victory and/or honor. Socrates was also known for his DICTUM (a Emotions are checked short statement that expresses a general - Accountable for emotions truth or principle) “IGNORANCE IS THE - “Tama ba ang iyong iniisip?” BEGINNING OF WISDOM” - To see that the two components of ○ What is accepting our ignorance that the souls is always in check prods us to know ourselves , our In his work, THE REPUBLIC, Plato power and limitations. emphasized that all 3 parts of the soul ○ to know ourselves means to acquire must work harmoniously to attain TRUE KNOWLEDGE of ourselves - PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE JUSTICE and VIRTUE in a person. ○ to improve ourselves by capitalizing The SOUL is the "GIVER OF LIFE TO on our powers to fight our limitations THE BODY" ○ knowing what kind of men and BODY - CHANGING, TRANSITORY and women we are PERISHABLE Socrates is also known for this famous SOUL - PERMANENT, CHANGELESS quote: "THE UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT and DIVINE ELEMENTS WORTH LIVING." The BODY is the SHELL for the SOUL. ○ To live without knowing who you are The co-existence of the immaterial mind and what virtues you can attain is and the material body. the worst that can happen to a "Our life is a continuous ascent towards person. the world of ideas." (Our life's journey is a ○ An EXAMINING, a THINKING, and continuous striving to free our soul from its an INVESTIGATING self is what is imprisonment in the body.) essentially the SELF. Plato believed that the soul precedes birth II. PLATO and succeeds death. For Plato, the SELF is an “IMPORTANT It is the soul or mind that attains SOUL IN A MORTAL PERISHABLE knowledge, not the senses. BODY” He emphasized the social aspect of He is Socrates' prized student, who human nature. thoroughly expounded on Socrates' ideas Humans are not self-sufficient; they need of the self. other people and benefit from social further expounded on the idea of the soul interactions. by stating it has 3 parts or components. - Also believes in dualistic (body and soul) but focuses on the 3 components of soul  III. ARISTOTLE (384 - 322 B.C.) Like Aristotle, St. Augustine also taught Aristotle was one of the most renowned virtue which is "the ORDER OF LOVE". pupils of Plato. Plato called him "THE To love God means it is necessarily INTELLIGENCE OF THE SCHOOL". to love one's fellowmen. (Never to do The SELF is composed of BODY and any harm to another as you would SOUL, MIND and MATTER, SENSE and not want others do unto you - This is INTELLECT, PASSION and REASON. Aristotle's GOLDEN MEAN). REASON is the emphasis of Aristotle. It is St. Augustine taught AGAINST the SUPREME in a human person and so HEDONISM: Man craves for should govern all of life's activities. something perfect, immutable and Reason is the development of a human enduring. - person's, physical, economic and social Possession of the goods of this world such powers. as HEALTH, BEAUTY, POWER, HONOR, Human happiness comes from the FAME can never give to a human person harmonious development of the whole what he / she is truly looking for, as these self. goods are finite, unstable and ephemeral. Perfection and happiness come from ❖ St. Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274) WISDOM and virtue (True knowledge and like Aristotle, Aquinas, proclaimed the doing what is best for you). supremacy of REASON in a human GOLDEN MEAN - is a theory taught by person. Aristotle which means MODERATION A human person can know the truth with (avoiding EXTREMES: too much or too certainty by the use of his reason. little). stressed that there are some truths which "Living a life of MODERATION is doing cannot be known by human reason alone things in consonance with REASON. and which can be perceived only with the aid of the light of DIVINE REVELATION. MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHERS TRUTHS known through REASON, ❖ St. Augustine of Hippo (354-340 A.D) TRUTHS known from Divine Revelation: He was a North African Christian can never contradict each other because Theologian and Philosopher who influenced they emanate from the same source, GOD, the development of Western Christianity and WHO IS TRUTH ITSELF. Philosophy. combined Greek philosophy and Like Aristotle, Aquinas taught man's longing truths contained in the Scriptures. for happiness on earth comes with the full The SELF is made up of BODY and SOUL, development of man's powers. "A SOUL IN POSSESSION OF A A higher form of human perfection beyond BODY" which "does not constitute this life because of the immortality of the two persons but one man. human soul can be found in GOD alone. His concept of self is in the context of his St. Thomas was like St. Augustine who RELATION TO GOD. taught about the human soul that is Every human person is created in restless and imperfect until it rests in the image and likeness of God. God. Every human person is made for “Our emotions gets on our way” God. MODERN DAY PHILOSOPHERS It is only upon his / her recognition of ★ RENE DESCARTES (1596 - 1650) God's love and his / her response to the ○ THE FATHER OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY invitation to love that he/she finds inner ○ The SELF is an IMMATERIAL MIND and a peace. MATERIAL BODY = DUALISM. Happiness is the END-ALL and the BE-ALL ○ He believed that the mind is the SEAT OF of human living and this happiness can be CONSCIOUSNESS. (BODY - human senses, found in God alone. unreliable and should not be trusted.) At his conversion, St. Augustine remarked: ○ One can have ideas prior to experience. "You have made our hearts for Thee, O God and so they will find rest only in Thee.  ○known for his "I THINK, THEREFORE I AM" - ○ The SELF is a combination of experiences of The rationality and activity of the mind are at the a person. center of man's being. ○ Our experiences and emotions plays a vital - Also believes in dualism role sa identity ng isang human person. - What you think is what you will become EXPERIENCES - The more we focus on our emotional 1. IMPRESSIONS - real or actual state it will affect our objectives experiences or sensations ★ JOHN LOCKE (1631 - 1704) Rough stone ○ In his ESSAY: CONCERNING HUMAN 2. IDEAS - copies of impressions or UNDERSTANDING, he explained that at birth representations of the world and the (human) mind is a TABULA RASA which sensations. means "BLANK SLATE" (the mind is empty at Sweet ice cream birth.) - - MEMORY is necessary condition for ★ IMMANUEL KANT (1724-1804) personal identity. ○ One of the most influential philosophers of ○ Impressions during infancy have very Western Philosophy. important and lasting consequences. ○ contributed to the fields of metaphysics, ○ He argued that the "ASSOCIATION OF ethics, and aesthetics among others. IDEAS" that individuals make when young are ○ He believes that there must necessarily be more important than those made later something in us that organizes these because they are the foundation of the self. sensations to create knowledge and ideas. ○ While impressions during infancy serve as the ○ REASON, not mere experience, is the foundation of the development of the self, this foundation of knowledge. does not mean that individuals can no longer ○ For him, it is the self that organizes and unmake the negative effect of not-so-good synthesizes our experiences into something earlier experience. meaningful to us. It is something that ○ He emphasized the "FREEDOM OF transcends or is above our consciousness. INDIVIDUALS TO AUTHOR THEIR OWN ★ GILBERT RYLE (1900 - 1976) SOUL". ○ British philosopher mainly associated with the Individuals are free to define the Ordinary Language Philosophy Movement. content of their character except for ○ proposed that we should instead focus on the their basic identity as a member of the observable behavior of a person in defining human species. the "SELF". ○ Like St. Augustine and St. Thomas, Locke DUALITY APPROACH: believes that "God created man and we are in 1. There can be a private, unobservable effect, God's property". aspect of a person. ○ SURVIVAL - CHIEF END and set by our 2. A different public and observable trait. CREATOR. Every human person has the right Meaning: One can describe one's to LIFE, LIBERTY, HEALTH and self as good but do otherwise in real life. PROSPERITY. He sees SELF as an entirety of thoughts, emotions, and actions of a ★ DAVID HUME (1711-1776) person that relates to observable ○ Scottish philosopher and an empiricist who behavior. believes that all concepts as well as We get to know others by observing knowledge come from the SENSES and their behavior and inferring about their EXPERIENCES. "selves". We can apply the same ○ He argued that there is no self beyond what observation and reflection on can be experienced. ourselves. ○ The SELF is a "BUNDLE OF COLLECTION of different perceptions. ○ Man has the power to rewrite the content, each man has the freedom to rewrite their own soul ○ We are God’s property  CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHERS ❖ MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY (1908 - 1961) ❖ BIOLOGICAL / PHYSIOLOGICAL SCIENCE The SELF is a manifestation of subjectivity, Science has made a great advances in wherein a subject can act and cause explaining human beings. effects, thus implying its existence. He believed that the physical body is a part of self-identity. The perceptions of the mind and the actions of the body are interconnected. Everything that we experience in this world - joy, sadness, love, remorse - happens with our bodies. The mind thinks in an embodied way. ❖ PAUL CHURCHLAND (1942 - ) Paul Churchland adheres to MATERIALISM (ELIMINATIVE) - the belief that nothing except matter exists. ❖ BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES He argued that the mind does not exist Scientists and doctors explain how because it cannot be experienced by one's GENES from both parents contribute to senses. the characteristics of their offspring believed that it is the physical brain that through genetics. gives our sense of self not the imaginary DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID (DNA): a mind. self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms. MOD 3: THE SELF FROM DIFFERENT DNA is a unique identifying part of SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES every individual. It is the main What Science Says About The Self constituent of chromosomes and the ★ Scientific perspectives of the self: carrier of genetic information. NO ○ has invested much of its efforts in TWO INDIVIDUALS SHARE THE understanding world phenomena EXACT SAME DNA. regarded as a ○ explains how basic life forms have crucial evidence in the resolution of a evolved to more complex organisms such crime. In MEDICINES, it has been as HUMAN BEINGS used to determine ○ is defined as the intellectual and practical the paternity and maternity of an activity encompassing the systematic individual as well as make way for the structure and behavior of the PHYSICAL intervention and treatment of and NATURAL world through diseases. OBSERVATION and EXPERIMENT. ❖ PHYSICAL PERSPECTIVES SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF This study of the human body paved the SELF way for a fuller understanding of the self, as CONSCIOUSNESS, a fundamental core of the self, is influenced by inner PHYSICAL SCIENCES SOCIAL SCIENCES Focus on BIOLOGICAL Are concerned with: dynamics and environment. FACTOR: ❖ NEUROPHILOSOPHY This is attributed to PAUL and PATRICIA HUMAN BODY INSTITUTIONS CHURCHLAND. UNDERLYING CULTURES GROWTH INTERPERSONAL It is concerned with the association of the MATURATIONAL RELATIONS of BRAIN and the MIND. In order to MECHANISMS people living within understand the human mind, people must ENVIRONMENTAL society. first understand the BRAIN. INFLUENCES SELF IS THE CENTRAL Philosophical notions of FREE WILL, FOCUS COMMON SENSE, and CONSCIENTIOUSNESS must be  explained in the context of The journey to self understanding will not NEUROSCIENCE as advances in this be complete without examining the effect field seemingly converge with how people of social factors in development. THINK, FEEL and BEHAVE. ❖ SOCIAL SCIENCES HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS, WORLD While physical science tries to VIEWS, BELIEFS, and other attributes -> understand the physical nature of people, are distinctively connected to brain SOCIAL SCIENCES are concerned with physiology and functioning. human functioning in the context of How member of the millennial generation society and social institutions. process information, imbibe beliefs and PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, values, manifests behaviors in their ANTHROPOLOGY, POLITICS and specific contexts have a neurological ECONOMICS are some of the social basis sciences that have contributed to the RELATED STANDPOINTS: MAURICE study of the SELF. MERLEAU-PONTY ★ PSYCHOLOGY aimed to unite IDEALISM with ○ defined as the STUDY OF HUMAN EMPIRICISM. BEHAVIOR also used empirical studies and ○ It sees the SELF as the theoretical research to supplement what construct. philosophy failed to cover. ○ The development of the so called SPECIFIC THEOREM: "WE ARE "SCIENCE OF SELF" roots from various OUR BODIES". theories and principles Maurice attempted to ○ OBJECTS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL incorporate the physical and CONSTRUCTS: the psychological aspects of SELF-AWARENESS - describes the the self. consciousness of individuals about Understanding of the world should not their strengths, weaknesses, be UNIDIMENSIONAL: THE SELF is potentials as well as the underlying product of both IDEALIST and the factors that contribute to such aspects REALIST standpoints. of the self. ❖ PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY SELF-CONSTRUAL -refers to the describes the shaping of the self as grounds of self-definition and the similar to how the human immune system extent to which the self is defined functions. independently of other or The human body is made up of interdependently with others. nucleotides, the composition of which SELF-EFFICACY - an individual's makes up the DNA. belief in their capacity to act in the In the context of the immune system, the ways necessary to reach goals. human bodies "REJECT" harmful, foreign SELF-CONCEPT - It is a description matter and builds up on the existing of how one LOOKS LIKE, SOUNDS molecules, leading to a healthy bodily LIKE, and BEHAVES LIKE. It is an system. implicit personality theory that one In discovering oneself, a person is likely holds towards oneself. to imbibe external experience that are ★ SOCIOLOGY seen to be helpful and reject those that ○ It is the study of the collective behavior he or she does not like or derive pleasure of people within society and focuses on from. social problems encountered by ❖ NATURAL SCIENCE individuals. is a fountain of information in ○ It does not see a person on his or her understanding oneself, especially in the own, but rather the impact of social fields of BIOLOGY, MEDICINE, institutions and relationships within COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE and even society on one's thoughts, feelings, and CHEMISTRY. behavior.  ○ It provides tools for understanding the STATE OF FINANCES human experience and society. PURCHASING POWER ○ FAMILY, CRIME, RELIGION, POVERTY, EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION and the like are specific SOCIETY domain of study within SOCIOLOGY SUMMARY ★ ANTHROPOLOGY - This topic outlined the contribution of the ○ The study of human beings and their sciences in self understanding and self ancestors through time and space and in discovery. relation to physical character, - PHYSICAL SCIENCES focus on the environmental and social relations and influence of one's biological make up while culture. SOCIAL SCIENCES highlight the role of ○ is focused on present societal concerns community and society to oneself. and factors that shape human behavior collectively. ○ Focuses on: MOD 4: The SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES EVOLUTION OF INDIVIDUALS & OF THE SELF THEIR SOCIETIES The Self, Society, and Culture SPECIFIC CULTURAL TOOLS ★ Cultural Acquisition of a Specific Learned EMBEDDED WITHIN Response among Rhesus Monkey An GENERATIONS experiment conducted by G.R. PROGRESSION OF HUMAN Stephenson in 1967. GROUPS ❖ GEORGE MEAD: The Social Self CULTURAL "The self is born of society. The self is EVOLUTIONS EVOLUTIONARY inseparable from society and bound up with BEHAVIOR communication. It builds on social experience. ADVANCEMENT OF CULTURAL This is largely a matter of taking the role of TOOLS other with increasing sophistication, ○ In studying the SELF: Anthropology broadening out from significant others to examines the DEVELOPMENT greater complexity.” ADVANCEMENTS society has made THE SOCIAL SELF and how they have impacted people created through social interaction who existed within that society. process started in childhood with children beginning to develop a sense ★ POLITICAL SCIENCE of self at about the same time that they ○ This is concerned with the participation began to learn language. of individuals in establishing a The SELF is the HUMAN CAPACITY to be government and making a political REFLECTIVE and take the role of others. choice. The self emerges from SOCIAL ○ Factors involved in how one arrives at EXPERIENCE. It is not part of the body his or her political choices and behavior. and it does not exists at birth. ○ In studying the self, one's participation in Social experience involves government, ideologies and advocacies COMMUNICATION and the exchange are seen as significant contributors to of symbols. People create meaning. his or her childhood. To understand intention, you must ★ ECONOMICS imagine the situation from another ○ This describes and analyzes the person's point of view. By taking the production, distribution and consumption role of the other: THE SELF IS of goods and services. REFLECTIVE AND REFLEXIVE. ○ Economic activities affect people's value system and sense of self. MANUFACTURE CONSUMPTION OF GOODS  STAGES IN MEAD’S THEORY ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE SELF IN DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF EVERYDAY LIFE I. Preparatory Stage believed that meaning is constructed Children mimic or imitate others. through interaction II. Play Stage: INTERACTION ORDER is what we do Children pretend to play the role of a in the immediate presence of others. particular or a significant other. DRAMATURGY: focuses on individuals take Particular or significant other are the on roles and act them out to present a perspectives and particular role that a favorable impression to their audience. child learns and internalizes. Goffman argues that people are concerned III. Game Stage with controlling how others view them, a Children play organized games and take process he called IMPRESSION on the perspectives of the generalized MANAGEMENT. other. "All the world is a STAGE, and all the men and IV. Generalize Other women merely players: They have their EXITS The perspectives and expectations of a and their ENTRANCES; and one man in his network of others (or a society in general) time plays many parts. " -William Shakespeare that a child learns and then takes into FRONT STAGE account when shaping his / her own People play different roles throughout behavior. their daily lives and display different V. Dual Nature of the Self kinds of behavior depending on where The belief that we experience the self as they are and the time of day. both subject and object, the "I" and "ME". BACK STAGE When people engage in back stage ❖ CHARLES COOLEY: The Looking-Glass Self behavior, they are free of the “One's sense of self depends on seeing one's expectations and norms that dictate self reflected in interactions with others.” front stage behavior. THE LOOKING-GLASS SELF ERVING GOFFMAN: Charles Cooley was George Mead's Each definition of a situation lends itself colleague. to a different approach, and the The LOOKING-GLASS SELF refers to consequences are real. the notion that the self develops The self is a SOCIAL construction through our perception of other's dependent of the situation. EVALUATION and APPRAISAL of us. The image people have of themselves is based on how they believe others MOD 5: THE SELF FROM AN perceive them. ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE We imagine how we appar to other people. ANTHROPOLOGY We imagine how other people judge Anthropology comes from the two Greek the appearance that we think we words, "anthropos" , meaning "human" and present. "logos", meaning "thought" or "reason". Thus, it If we think the evaluation is refers to the study of humans and their favorable, our self-concept is ancestors through time. enhanced. Anthropology covers the physical characters, ❖ ERVING GOFFMAN: Constructing Situations environment, social relations and culture of and Drama humans in their specific context. People routinely behave like ACTORS on a stage. Everyday social life becomes THEATRICAL. There are roles, scripts and actions. Daily life as a series of stagecraft rules.  4 SUBDISCIPLINES OF ANTHROPOLOGY ❖ ARCHEOLOGY refers to the interpretation of human behavior based on material remains through time. ❖ CULTURAL explores the diversity of past and present cultures and aspects of human society based on research conducted in the field. ❖ BIOLOGICAL or PHYSICAL Anthropology seeks to discover the studies the biological and behavioral interrelationships between various scientific aspects of humans and their ancestors, as models of the human being. well as nonhuman primates. ❖ LINGUISTIC is concerned with human languages, their aspects, and social and cultural contexts across time. ANTHROPOLOGY of the SELF ➔ The anthropological perspective of the self states that the self is a "physical organism possessing psychological functioning and social attributes" (Ewing, 1990). ➔ It is not static. It is added and subtracted HALLMARKS OF ANTHROPOLOGY from genetic maturation, learning, ❖ THE UNIVERSALS AND VARIETY forgetting, stress, aging, and disease In their attempt to arrive at a holistic (Ledonx, 2002). This implies that the self concept of the self, anthropologists look at undergoes multiple transformations the full range of human persons by resulting from varied experiences and studying people in all parts of the world, at engagements in their environment different times and at different levels of ➔ The culture of oneself is believed to be society. shared, adaptive and maladaptive, ❖ STRATIGRAPHIC APPROACH AND symbolic, encompassing, integrated, REDUCTIONISM natural, and learned. Thus people are Anthropologists advise us to avoid two shaped by their environment, and at the common pitfalls that must be avoided in our same time, they can represent that same study of the self. environment they were exposed to. STRATIGRAPHIC APPROACH CULTURE STRATIGRAPHIC STRATIGRAPHIC ➔ refers to the "customary behavior and beliefs APPROACH APPROACH EQUA. that are passed on through enculturation - It is simply - UNDERSTANDING (Kottak, 2008). Cultural psychologists state stacking OF THE SELF independent - + PHYSICAL that humans have the capacity to interpret the models one after MODELS meaning of things. Each culture can have - + BIOLOGICAL the other without independent and interdependent constructs. MODELS interrelating them. - +PSYCHOLOGICAL ➔ INDEPENDENT CONSTRUCT - refers to MODELS certain characteristics of an individualistic - The self is divided - +SOCIAL culture. and fragmented in ➔ INTERDEPENDENT CONSTRUCT - refers to the physical self, the collectivist culture specifically exemplified the biological self, in East Asia. the psychological self and the social ➔ CULTURE AND THE SELF: IMPLICATIONS self. FOR COGNITION, EMOTION, AND MOTIVATION (KITAYAMA, 1990)  CULTURE RELATIVISM - There is no integration of the - is the idea that a person's beliefs, values different selves. and practices should be understood based The self is a mere on that person's own culture, rather than collection of bits be judged against the criteria of another. and pieces which - A person's beliefs, values and practices should not be. are relative to the individual within his own REDUCTIONISM context. - We commit the second error I. ETHNOCENTRISM REDUCTIONISM when we attempt to ➔ is the belief that one's culture is superior interpret all observations by reducing them to that of others. to a single level of analysis. II. XENOCENTRISM - Example: "Ideas are explained purely in ➔ is the thinking that other's culture is terms of electron equations; and human superior to one's culture. culture is described only by biological SUMMARY needs and instincts Anthropology studies humans and their culture. In ❖ UNDERSTANDING THE SELF AND CULTURE relation to understanding the self, Anthropology Understanding of the self from the focuses on the physical organism that has anthropological point of view necessarily psychological and social attributes. The self is not includes a study of culture. static. Independent and interdependent Culture is the integrated system of learned constructs shape an individual. It is through patterns of behavior, ideas and products Anthropology that one can observe that the characteristics of a society. search of oneself is an extensive journey People are remarkably imaginative in connected to one's culture and environment. molding their bodies A person's culture influences his or her physical being. to fit their tastes. TWO CONTRASTING MODELS OF THE SELF I. EGOCENTRIC ➔ a natural tendency to view everything within the world in relation to oneself. ➔ lives by the maxim "BE TRUE TO YOURSELF" II. SOCIOCENTRIC ➔ a natural tendency to view everything within the world in relation to one's group (group-centered). abides by the group and so is highly accepted by and is popular in the group.