GE 108: Understanding The Self PDF

GE 108: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF The self from various perspectives  I’m the silent architect of every dream, where abstract whispers turn to vivid schemes. I weave the fabric of fears and hopes, and with me, you navigate life’s winding slopes. I am both a puzzle and a key to your...

GE 108: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF The self from various perspectives  I’m the silent architect of every dream, where abstract whispers turn to vivid schemes. I weave the fabric of fears and hopes, and with me, you navigate life’s winding slopes. I am both a puzzle and a key to your soul, a realm where ideas make you whole. WHAT AM I? THE MIND  THE SELF FROM A Psychological 02. Perspective LEARNING OUTCOMES: 01. Discuss the different aspects of the self using the psychological framework 02. Identify the psychological factors that influenced the formation of the self  PSYCHOLOGY What is it? -Psyche means soul -Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behavior and mental processes (Spielman, 2017). SIGMUND FREUD THE PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH Developed by Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychoanalysis Believed that we are motivated primarily by our drives. Proposed 3 levels of mental life: 1. Conscious 2. Preconscious 3. Unconscious 1. Conscious The conscious refers to those ideas and sensations of which we are aware. It operates on the surface of personality, and only a small portion of our thoughts, sensations, and memories exists in conscious awareness at any time (Shultz & Shultz, 2012). 2. Preconscious The preconscious is the storehouse of memories, perceptions, and thoughts that we are not consciously aware at the moment but that we can easily summon into consciousness (Shultz & Shultz, 2012). 3. Unconscious The unconscious is the focus of the psychoanalytic theory. It contains all those drives, urges, or instincts beyond our awareness but that nevertheless motivate most of our words, feelings, and actions (Feist, Feist, & Roberts, 2017). Though we may be aware of our behaviors, our reasons for doing them may not be fully understood. The unconscious process remains out of awareness because making them conscious would create tremendous pain and anxiety. Understanding these levels is essential in psychodynamic therapy, as it aims to bring unconscious thoughts and feelings into conscious awareness to address psychological distress and promote healing.  Structure of Personality EGO ID Reality principle "Core of our being" Called upon to SUPEREGO Pleasure principle control the instinctual The id comprises Moralistic principle impulses of the self- primitive. instinctual drives Represents the indulgent id. (hunger, sex,aggression). moral and ideal aspects The ego says, "I The id says, "I want." of personality. think/l evaluate.". The superego says "I should/I ought."  SUPEREGO Moralistic principle Represents the moral and ideal aspects of personality. The superego says "I should/I ought."  In an healthy individual, the Id, Ego and Superego are integrated into a smooth functioning ego and operate in harmony and with a minimum of conflict. FREUD’S STAGES OF PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT  Oral Stage 1 (Birth-18 mos.) Anal Stage 2 (18 months to 3 years) Stages of Psychosexual 3 Phallic Stage (3-6 years) Development Latency Stage 4 (6- Puberty) 5 Genital Stage (Puberty onwards)  Oral Stage (Birth to 18 months) Erogenous Zone (pleasure area) - a specific area that becomes the focus of pleasure or needs. These maybe the arms, mouth and the genitals. Erogenous zone: mouth Oral Fixation or Oral Personality (too much or too little satisfaction) Oral Receptive: stronger tendencies to smoke, drink alcohol or overeat. Oral Aggressive: a tendency to bite nails, use curse words or gossip.  Anal Stage (18 months to 3 years) Erogenous zone: Anus The child needs to work on Toilet Training. Anal Retentive: Obsession with cleanliness, perfection and control Anal Expulsive: messy and disorganized  Phallic Stage (ages 3-6) Erogenous zone: Genitals During preschool age, children become interested in what makes boys and girls different. Preschoolers will sometimes be seen fondling their genitals Oedipus Complex -boys’ unconscious desires for their mother’s affection. Electra Complex- girls’ unconscious sexual attraction to their father.  Phallic Stage (ages 3-6) Out of fear of castration and due to strong competition of their father, boys eventually decide to identify with them rather than fight them. Boy develop masculine characteristics and repress sexual feelings to their mother. Fixation: sexual deviances and weak or confused sexual identity.  Latency Stage (age 6 to puberty) sexual urges remain repressed. child’s focus is on academic and physical skills boys relate more with boys, girls relate more with girls Genital Stage (puberty onwards) sexual urges are again awakened. adolescents focus sexual urges towards the opposite sex pleasure is centered on the genitals DEFENSE MECHANISMS Defense Mechanisms Description Example Repression Repression is an unconscious During the Oedipus complex mechanism employed by the ego to keep aggressive thoughts about the disturbing or threatening thoughts from same sex parents are repressed becoming conscious. Denial Denial involves blocking external events from awareness. If some For example, smokers may refuse to situation is just too much to handle, admit to themselves that smoking is the person just refuses to bad for their health. experience it. Projection This involves individuals You might hate someone, but your superego tells you that such attributing their own unacceptable hatred is unacceptable. You can thoughts, feeling and motives to 'solve the problem by believing another person that they hate you.  Defense Mechanisms Description Example Displacement Satisfying an impulse (eg. aggression) Someone who is frustrated by his with a or her boss at work may go home and kick the dog. substitute object. Regression This is a movement back in A child may begin to suck their psychological time thumb again or wet the bed when when one is faced with stress. they need to spend some time in the hospital. Sublimation Satisfying an impulse (e.g. aggression) with a Sport is an example of putting our substitute object. In a socially emotions (e.g. aggression) into something constructive. acceptable way. THE PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF ERIK ERIKSON 8 stages that involves a conflict that must be resolved for healthy psychological development. Syntonic: positive aspect of resolving a conflict Dystonic: The negative aspect of failing to resolve a conflict Maladaptation: too much of the syntonic aspect Malignancy: too much of the dystonic aspect CARL ROGERS’ CONCEPT OF THE SELF Carl Rogers posited that the self begins at infancy. He believed that we are always striving to fulfill our innate capabilities and capacities. This striving for fulfillment is called the self- actualizing tendency. Self-actualization – becoming a fully functional person as perceived in awareness  Self-Concept refers to the image of oneself. SELF - flexible and changing perception of personal identity. suggests that the self develops from interactions with others and awareness of one's own characteristics and level of functioning  2 Components of the Self 1.REAL SELF consists of all the ideas, including the self-awareness of “what I am” and “what I can do” 2. IDEAL SELF Perception of what one should be or would like to be. If a person has a real view of the real self and their goal is realistic and attainable (the ideal self), then there is harmony between the two selves, meaning, people feel competent and capable.  BECOMING A PERSON According to Rogers, to become a person, an individual must make contact with another person. However, most people are not unconditionally accepted. Instead, they receive conditions of worth.  BECOMING A PERSON Positive regard – warmth, affection, love, and respect. If we perceive that significant others care for, prize, or value us then we begin to prize and value ourselves. Unconditional positive regard, or love, affection, and respect with no strings attached is necessary for people to be able to explore fully all that they can achieve and become. THE SELF AS THE CENTRAL ARCHETYPE Carl Jung  ARCHETYPE - is the predisposition of individuals to respond to the world. The archetype represents the hidden potentialities of the psyche, or total personality.  To Ju n g , a rch e typ e s re si d e i n th e p e rso n a l u n co n sci o u s (fo rg o tte n e xp e ri e n ce s) co mmo n to a l l h u ma n b e i n g s, kn o w n a s th e C OLLEC TIVE U N C ON SC IOU S. 4 MA J OR A R C H ETYPES: 1. PER SON A 2. AN IMA/AN IMU S 3. SH AD OW 4. SEL F 4 Ma jor A r c he ty pe s : 1. PER SON A - r e fe r s to the s oc ia l r ole s tha t indiv idua ls pr e s e nt to othe r s. 2. SH A D OW - r e fe r s to the r e pr e s s e d thoughts tha t a r e una c c e pta ble. 3. A N IMA - the fe minine s ide of the ma le ps y c he ; 4. A N IMU S -the ma s c uline s ide of the fe ma le ps y c he. 5.SELF - the c e ntr a l a r c he ty pe tha t unite s a ll a r ts of the ps y c he. U n d e rsta n d i n g th e se l f fro m a p sych o l o g i ca l p e rsp e cti ve i s cru ci a l a s i t fo ste rs s e lf-a wa r e ne s s, w h i ch i s fo u n d a ti o n a l fo r p e rso n a l g ro w th a n d me n ta l h e a l th. It h e l p s i n d i vi d u a l s g a i n i n si g h t i n to th e i r th o u g h ts, e mo ti o n s, a n d b e h a vi o rs, l e a d i n g to b e tte r d e ci si o n -ma ki n g a n d i mp ro ve d i n te rp e rso n a l re l a ti o n sh i p s. By re co g n i zi n g o n e ’ s s tr e ngths , we a k ne s s e s , a nd motiv a tions , p e o p l e ca n ma n a g e p sych o l o g i ca l i ssu e s mo re e ffe cti ve l y, b u i l d re si l i e n ce , a n d p u rsu e l i fe g o a l s th a t a l i g n w i th th e i r tru e va l u e s. END Thank you very much