FEU High School - Self-Development Reading 1 PDF

UNIT 1: SELF-DEVELOPMENT Lesson 1. Knowing Oneself LESSON OVERVIEW This lesson explores the concept of the self, breaking down its key components and how they shape individual identity. The distinction between personality and personality traits is clarified, focusing on the Five-...

UNIT 1: SELF-DEVELOPMENT Lesson 1. Knowing Oneself LESSON OVERVIEW This lesson explores the concept of the self, breaking down its key components and how they shape individual identity. The distinction between personality and personality traits is clarified, focusing on the Five-Factor Model as a framework for understanding personality dimensions. Additionally, the lesson introduces various self-assessment methods, empowering students to begin their journey of self-discovery and personal growth. OBJECTIVES At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to: a. Explore one’s sense of self; b. Conduct self-exploration and simple self-disclosure; c. Share one’s unique characteristics, habits, and experiences. I. The Self What is the Self? The concept of the "self" refers to the idea that each person is distinct, different, and unique from others (Stevens, 1996). This means everyone has their own identity, characteristics, and qualities that make them who they are. These unique traits set a person apart from others giving them their own identity. The concept of self can be understood by thinking of two parts: the "I" and the "me". Both are important in understanding how a person sees themselves and their place in the world. “I” – how one acts within the world while also being influenced by the world The "I" is the part that acts and decides. It is the side that interacts with the world, makes choices, and responds to different situations. However, this "I" is also influenced by the world around it, such as the opinions of others, the rules of society, or the experiences a person goes through. “Me” – reflections and evaluations of oneself The "me" is the part of a person that looks back at their actions and evaluates them. It is like a mirror that reflects on who someone is based on their past actions, choices, and experiences. Components of Self a. Self-awareness – involves the conscious recognition and understanding of one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, including an awareness of one's strengths, weaknesses, and values. It allows a person to recognize their actions and comprehend the reasons behind doing those actions (Davis, 2021). b. Self-concept – delves deeper and includes one’s beliefs, perceptions, and evaluation of oneself. This is a person’s answer to the question, “Who am I?” i. Self-concept can be both positive and negative. Positive self-concept - You feel good about yourself - You believe in your abilities and value yourself - You are comfortable with who you are, even if you are not perfect - You have a realistic view of your strengths and weaknesses Negative self-concept - You feel bad about yourself - You doubt your abilities and do not value yourself - You are often unhappy with who you are and wish you were different - You may focus too much on your weaknesses and ignore your strengths. ii. Self-concept consists of the following: Real self – this is how one sees oneself, which includes their physical appearance, personality traits, and social roles; “who you are right now” Ideal self – this is the person one aspires to be, including their goals, aspirations, and ideal characteristics; “who you want to be” Self-esteem – the person’s overall self-evaluation or sense of self-worth. The extent to which one believes in their worth and value Alignment between the Real Self and Ideal Self is important. Aligned Real Self and Ideal Self, make people happy and feel fulfilled. A big gap between the Real Self and the Ideal Self can lead to feelings of disappointment, frustration, and unhappiness.  iii. Factors that influence the development of one’s self-concept The roles we play – We all have various roles in life, such as being a student, sibling, friend, or team member in a sport. Each role has its expectations and behaviors, shaping how we understand ourselves and our place in the world. As we progress through different stages of life and adopt new roles, our self- concept evolves. The social identities we form – Social identities are the aspects of our self- concept derived from our membership in social groups, such as nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, and social class. These identities help you figure out where you fit in and give you a sense of belonging, which shapes how you see yourself. The comparisons we make with others – You often compare yourself to others to know how you are doing. When you compare your skills, looks, or achievements to others, it can affect how you feel about yourself. These comparisons impact our self-esteem and self-concept by influencing how we evaluate our abilities, appearance, and status relative to others. Our successes and failures – Our experiences of success and failure play a crucial role in shaping our self-concept. Achievements can boost our self- esteem and reinforce a positive self-concept, while failures can lead to self- doubt and a more negative self-concept. How other people judge us – The perceptions and evaluations of others can significantly influence our self-concept. Positive feedback and compliments can boost your self-esteem, while criticism or negative judgments can hurt it. How you think others see you can affect how you see yourself. c. Self-efficacy – refers to the competencies or ability to perform and complete a task (Ackerman, 2018). Imagine it as one’s confidence in handling tasks and challenges. It also emphasizes the ability to manage the functioning and events in one’s life. d. Self-presentation – defined as the behavioral expression of self. It focuses on the impressions one creates and the methods one uses to influence what others think of them (Gilette, 2022). II. Personality What is Personality? - An individual’s unique constellation of psychological traits that are relatively stable over time (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2018)  - A broad term that comprises traits, motives, thoughts, self-concept, and feelings (Feist & Feist, 2012) that makes a person unique. Think of it as the big picture of who a person is. What are Personality Traits? - These are the individual characteristics that makeup someone’s personality. - Any noticeable, relatively lasting way one person differs from another (Guildford, 1959). Imagine personality as a big puzzle, and each personality trait is a piece of that puzzle. Together, these traits create the full picture of one’s personality. Five-Factor Model (FFM) This model of Costa and McCrae (1992) states that there are five dimensions of personality. They believed that these factors tend to be bipolar, in which one may score either high or low only on that particular trait (Feist & Feist, 2008). Five-Factor Model (FFM) by Costa and McCrae (1992) The following factors are as follows: a. Openness to experience – refers to people’s imagination, feelings, actions, and ideas. Distinguishes people who prefer variety from people who prefer familiarity. b. Conscientiousness – refers to people’s competence and thoughtfulness. Distinguish people who are organized and achievement-focused from people who are careless and impulsive.  c. Extraversion – refers to people’s sociability, assertiveness, and emotional expression. Distinguish people who are outgoing, talkative, and outgoing from people who are quiet, reserved, and withdrawn. d. Agreeableness – refers to people’s tendency to be cooperative and trustworthy. Distinguish people who are soft-hearted and trusting from people who are ruthless and critical. e. Neuroticism – refers to people’s tendency toward unstable emotions. Distinguishes people who are anxious from people who are calm and even- tempered. III. Assessing Oneself People have different ways of knowing themselves better as self-assessment always depends on what suits a person and is doable for the person to achieve. Here are some of the common self-assessment tips (De Jesus & Monteclaro, 2024; Magalona, 2016): a. Introspection or Self-Analysis. An analysis of oneself can be initiated through asking questions about oneself. b. Keep a Self-Reflective Journal. A self-reflective journal can help one know more about oneself in the long run. Creating a self-reflective journal means getting a notebook to jot and record self-reflection. Positive and negative self-reflections must be included. c. Be Realistic. Identify the areas you are not good at or find challenging to accomplish. In this way, you become honest about your limitations as a person. d. Be Self-Aware. This is a skill where we tune in to our feelings, thoughts, and actions to understand how they affect us and the significant others in our lives. It is necessary to “see oneself” and not how others see us. e. Be Specific. When examining oneself, aim to break down broad statements into specific ones that accurately reflect the truth. f. Self-Affirmation. Create a mantra focusing on your inner strength and beauty. Be grateful that you are alive, normal, and productive and most importantly, love yourself. g. Acceptance of Strengths and Limitations. Once you know yourself, it is easier for you to accept your strengths and limitations. Acceptance is not compelling yourself that something is right when it is wrong. Acceptance is recognizing what reality is.