Reviewer Understanding the Self PDF

Reviewer Understanding the Self THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES -SOCIOLOGY sees the self as a product of social interactions, developed overtime through social activities and experiences. -ANTHROPOLOGY views the self as a culturally shaped constructor idea. -PSYCHOLOGY sees the self as having...

Reviewer Understanding the Self THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES -SOCIOLOGY sees the self as a product of social interactions, developed overtime through social activities and experiences. -ANTHROPOLOGY views the self as a culturally shaped constructor idea. -PSYCHOLOGY sees the self as having characteristics or properties that can be used to describe it. SOCRATES Greek philosopher/ shaped western thought Known for his method of inquiry in testing an idea Believed that philosophy had a very important role to play in lives of people “The unexamined life is not worth living” Self-knowledge would open your eyes to your true nature Real self is not even your body. Goal of life is to be happy IDEA OF SOCRATES The soul is important The care of the soul is the task of philosophy Virtue is necessary to attain happiness EXISTENCE IS OF TWO KINDS The visible The invisible PLATO Wrote the socratic dialogue where socrates was the main character and speaker “collection and division” Theory of forms – physical world is not the real world. Soul is the most divine aspect of the human being Self/soul/mind – forms are known THREE PARTS OF THE SOUL Appetitive (sensual) - The element that enjoys sensual experiences, such as food, drink, and sex. Rational (reasoning)- The elements that forbids the person to enjoy the sensual experiences; the part that loves truth, hence, should rule over the other parts of the soul through the use of reason. Spirited (feeling) - The element that is inclined toward reason but understands the demands of passion; the part that loves honor and victory.  ST. AUGUSTINE also called Saint Augustine of Hippo, is one of the Latin Fathers of the Church, one of the Doctors of the Church, and one of the most significant Christian thinkers. written works are among the foundations of medieval and modern Christian thought. adopted Plato's view that the "self" is an immaterial (but rational) soul. asserted that Forms were concepts existing within the perfect and eternal God where the soul belonged concept of the "self" was an inner, immaterial "I" that had self-knowledge and selfawareness. believed that the human being was both a soul and body. believed that the human being who is both soul and body is meant to tend to higher, divine, and heavenly matters because of his/her capacity to ascend and comprehend truths through the mind. pointed out that a person is similar to God as regards to the mind and its ability; that by ignoring to use his/her mind he/she would lose his/her responsibility to reach real and lasting happiness. THE ASPECTS OF THE SOUL It is able to be aware of itself. It recognizes itself as a holistic one. It is aware of its unity. RENE’ DESCARTES a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. father of modern Western philosophy. proposed that doubt was a principal tool of disciplined inquiry. method was called hyperbolical/metaphysical doubt, also sometimes referred to as methodological skepticism. famous line "Cogito ergo sum" translated as "I think, therefore I am" became a fundamental element of Western philosophy as it secured the foundation for knowledge in the face of radical doubt. DESCARTES’ CLAIMS ABOUT THE SELF ARE It is constant; it is not prone to change; and it is not affected by time. Only the immaterial soul remains the same throughout time. The immaterial soul is the source of our identity. THE SOUL It is a conscious, thinking substance that is unaffected by time. It is known only to itself It is not made up of parts. It views the entirety of itself with no hidden or separate compartments. It is both conscious and aware of itself at the same time. THE BODY It is a material substance that changes through time. It can be doubted; the public can correct claims about the body. It is made up of physical, quantifiable, divisible parts.  JOHN LOCKE a philosopher and physician and was one of the most influential enlightenment thinkers. If Descartes described the "self" as a thinking thing, Locke expanded this definition of "self" to include the memories of that thinking thing. believed that the "self" is identified with consciousness and this "self" consists of sameness of consciousness. a person's memories provide a continuity of experience that allows him/her to identify himself/ herself as the same person over time. This theory of personal identity allows Locke to justify a defense of accountability. DAVID HUME Scottish philosopher, economist, and historian during the Age of Enlightenment. was one of the three main figureheads of the influential British Empiricism movement. Is identified with the bundle theory wherein he described the "self" or person as a bundle or a collection of different perceptions that are moving in a very fast and successive manner; therefore, it is in a "perpetual flux." asserted that the notion of the "self" could not be verified through observation. believed there is no logical justification for the existence of anything other than what your senses experienced. compared the "self" to a nation; whereby a nation retains its "being a nation" not by some single core or identity but by being composed of different, constantly changing elements, such as people, systems, culture and beliefs. MIND'S PERCEPTIONS INTO TWO GROUPS Impressions– These are the perceptions that are the most strong. They enter the senses with most force. These are directly experienced; they result from inward and outward sentiments. Ideas– These are the less forcible and less lively counterparts of impressions. These are mechanisms that copy and reproduce sense data formulated based upon previously perceived impressions. IMMANUEL KANT Immanuel Kant is a central figure in modern philosophy. Among other ideas that Kant proposed was that, the human mind creates the structure of human experience. view of the "self" is transcendental, which means the "self" is related to a spiritual or nonphysical realm. He proposed that it is knowledge that bridges the "self" and the material things together. Kant's point is that what truly exist are your ideas and your knowledge of your ideas; that you perceive the outside world through the self with your ideas. defended the diverse quality or state of the body and soul (self) presenting that "bodies are objects of outer sense; souls are objects of inner sense." Kant's self has a unified point of self-reference. You are conscious of yourself as the subject, and you are conscious of yourself as a common subject of different representations.  TWO KINDS OF CONSCIOUSNESS OF SELF (RATIONALITY) Consciousness of oneself and one's psychological states in inner sense (passive awareness of our thoughts and feelings) Consciousness of oneself and one's states by performing acts of apperception (active, reflective awareness of our own experiences and states) TWO COMPONENTS OF THE SELF Inner self– The "self" by which you are aware of alterations in your own state. Outer self– It includes your senses and the physical world. PROPOSED THAT THE SELF ORGANIZES INFORMATION IN THREE WAYS Raw perceptual input Recognizing the concept Reproducing in the imagination SIGMUND FREUD His most important contribution in psychology, was psychoanalysis, a practice devised to treat those who are mentally ill through dialogue. Freud did not accept the existence of any single entity that could be put forward as the notion of "self." His work in the field of psychoanalysis was groundbreaking because it answered questions about the human psyche in a way that no one else had before him. THREE LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS Conscious– which deals with awareness of present perceptions, feelings, thoughts, memories, and fantasies at any particular moment Preconscious/subconscious– which is related to data that can readily be brought to consciousness Unconscious– which refers to data retained but not easily available to the individual's conscious awareness or scrutiny. STRUCTURED THE PSYCHE/MIND INTO THREE PARTS Id– It operates on the pleasure principle. Every wishful impulse should be satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences. Ego– It operates according to the reality principle. It works out realistic ways of satisfying the id's demands. Superego– It incorporates the values and morals of society. The superego's function is to control the id's impulses. - Conscience– if the ego gives in to the id's demands, the superego may make the person feel bad through guilt. - Ideal self– It is an imaginary picture of how you ought to be.It represents career aspirations; how to treat other people; and how to behave as a member of society.  GILBERT RYLE wrote The Concept of Mind (1949) where he rejected the notion that mental states are separable from physical states. called the distinction between mind and matter a "category-mistake" because of its attempt to analyze the relation between "mind" and "body" as if the two were terms of the same categories. Ryle's points against Descartes' theory are: The relation between mind and body are not isolated processes. Mental processes are intelligent acts, and are not distinct from each other. The operation of the mind is itself an intelligent act. the rationalist view that mental acts are distinct from physical acts and that there is a mental world distinct from the physical world is a misconception. described this distinction between mind and body as "the dogma of the ghost in the machine." criticized the theory that the mind is a place where mental images are apprehended, perceived, or remembered. If Ryle believed that the concept of a distinct "self" is not real, where do we get our sense of self? PAUL CHURCHLAND Philosopher and professor Paul Churchland is known for his studies in neurophilosophy and the philosophy of mind His philosophy stands on a materialistic view or the belief that nothing but matter exists. Churchland's idea is called eliminative materialism or the claim that people's common-sense understanding of the mind is false, and that certain classes of mental states which most people believe in do not exist. "The physical brain and NOT the imaginary mind gives us our sense of self”. MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY philosopher and author who emphasized the body as the primary site of knowing the world. idea of "self" is an embodied subjectivity. The term "embodied" is a verb that means to give a body to. Subjectivity, in philosophy, is the state of being a subject. A subject acts upon or affects some other entity, which in philosophy is called the object. He rejected the Cartesian mind-body dualism and insisted that the mind and body are intrinsically connected. By emphasizing the primacy of the body in an experience, he also veered away from the established notion that the center of consciousness is the mind. He asserted that human beings are embodied subjectivities, and that the understanding of the "self" should begin from this fundamental fact. Merleau-Ponty argued that the body is part of the mind, and the mind is part of the body. The Self as a Product of Modern Society Among Other Constructions Sociology - Posits that socially formed norms, beliefs, and values come to exist within the person to a degree where these become natural and normal. Modernization - Has improved people's living conditions, a person in the modern society is free to choose where to live, what to do, and who to be with. Pre-modernization - Centered on survival, People behaved according to social rules and traditions while the family and the immediate environment provided supervision on how to get through life, Choosing where to live, what line of work to do, and even who to marry was very limited Key Characteristics of Modernity (Giddens, 1991) Industrialism- the social relations implied in the extensive use of material power and machinery in all processes of production. Capitalism- a production system involving both competitive product markets and the commodification of labor power. Institutions of surveillance- the massive increase of power and reach by institutions, especially in government Dynamism- characterized as having vigorous activity and progress Social Groups and Social Network Social Group- described as having two or more people interacting with one another, sharing similar characteristics, and whose members identify themselves as part of the group Social Network- refers to the ties or connections that link you to your social group Organic Group- naturally occurring, and it is highly influenced by your family. Organic motivation- you join these groups because your family is also a part of it, in the first place. - Positive effect- rootedness; the foundation of the social network runs deep, giving the person a sense of belongingness. - Downside- imply less freedom and greater social conformity Rational Group- occur in modern societies; formed as a matter of shared self-interests; Rational motivation- people join these groups out of their own free will Mead and the Social Self George Herbert Mead was a sociologist from the late 1800s. He is well known for his "theory of the Social Self." His theory is based on the perspective that the self is a product of social interactions and internalizing the external views along with one's personal view about oneself. Mead believed the "self" is not present at birth; rather it develops over time through social experiences and activities.  Different Stages of Self-development Preparatory Stage (Imitation Stage) - Typically occurs in infancy and early childhood (around 0-2 years old). Children are learning through observation and mimicking others, such as parents and caregivers. Play Stage - Usually occurs in early childhood (around 2-6 years old). Children begin to take on roles and act them out in play. They understand specific roles and start to use language to communicate. Game Stage - Generally occurs in later childhood (around 7 years old and up). Children start to understand and take on multiple roles simultaneously, as seen in organized games. They learn to follow rules and understand the expectations of various roles within a group The Self and the Person in Contemporary Anthropology Anthropology - The study of people, past and present. Focuses on understanding the human condition in its cultural aspect Concerned with understanding how humans evolved and how they differ from one another. A Unit but Unitary Katherine Ewing (1990), described the self as encompassing the "physical organism, possessing psychological functioning and social attributes. Joseph LeDoux (2002) conceptualized the implicit and explicit aspects of the self. – explicit self: the aspect of the self that you are consciously aware of – implicit seft: the one that is not immediately available to the consciousness. According to LeDoux (2002), "the self is not static; it is added to and subtracted from by genetic maturation, learning, forgetting, stress, ageing, and disease." Self as Representation Ewing (1989) asserted that a "self" is illusory. "People construct a series of self-representations that are based on selected cultural concepts of person and selected chains of personal memories. Each self-concept is experienced as whole and continuous, with its own history and memories that emerge in a specific context to be replaced by another self-representation when the context changes." According to Ewing (1990), people from all cultures have been observed to be able to rapidly project different self-representations, depending on the context of the situation. The Self Embedded in Culture How individuals see themselves, how they relate to other people, and how they relate to the environment are deeply defined by culture. Cultural anthropologists have argued that the self is culturally shaped and infinitely variable. Two Ways of How the Self is Constructed The independent construct is characteristic of individualistic culture, such as North America and Europe. Individualistic culture represents the self as separate, distinct, with emphasis on internal attributes or traits, skills, and values. The interdependent construct is typical of the collectivist culture in East Asia. Stressing the essential connection between the individual to other people.  Developmental psychologist Catherine Raeff (2010) believed that culture can influence how you view: relationships, personality traits, achievement, and expressing emotions. Relationships - Culture influences how you enter into and maintain relationships. For example, relationships may be seen as voluntary or as duty-based. In Western societies, it is essential for a person to choose whom to marry while some Eastern societies still practiced arranged marriage. Personality Traits - Culture influences whether (and how) you value traits, like humility, selfesteem, politeness, assertiveness, and so on, as well as how you perceived hardship or how you feel about relying on others. Achievement - Culture influences how you define success and whether you value certain types of individual and group achievements. Expressing Emotions - Culture influences what will affect you emotionally, as well as how you express yourself, such as showing your feelings in public or keeping it private. THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION What is Psychology? The scientific study of how people behave, think, and feel. It includes topics, such as how the brain works, how our memory is organized, how people interact in groups, and how children learn about the world. In fact, everything that concerns the human being is a concern of psychology. Self-theorists argue that it is natural for humans to form theories about themselves, both as a single entity and as a group, to make meaning of one's existence and experience. William James and The Me-Self; I-Self I-SELF - The pure ego, the subjective self. It is the self that is aware of its own actions. -A sense of being the agent or initiator of behavior- I believe my actions have an impact: that I cause an effect in my environment. -A sense of continuity- I am the same person from day to day. -A sense of being unique - This is how I am different from everything in my environment; I perceive there is only one Me. -A sense of awareness about being aware- I understand what is going on in me and around me and I know I understand it ME-SELF - The self that is the object. The self that you can describe. James called it the empirical self. -Material– physical appearance and extensions of it such as clothing, immediate family, and home -Social– Social skills and significant interpersonal relationships -Spiritual– Personality, character, defining values. Global vs Differentiated Models Gestalt- the whole is more than the sum of its parts.  Phenomenological/Realistic (Humanistic)- the person is a total person and cannot be reduced into parts. Psychoanalysis- the psyche is divided into id, ego, and superego. Self as personality divided into traits (Trait Theory)- (e.g. Big Five Factors) Self as divided into domains- (physical-biological, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, moral) Real and Ideal Selfconcepts Carl Ransom Rogers was an American psychologist and among the founders of the humanistic approach to psychology. Humanistic psychology emphasized the active role of the individual in shaping their internal and external worlds. He coined the term actualizing tendency, which refers to a person's basic instinct to succeed at his or her highest possible capacity Personality Development and The Self-Concept Rogers based his theories of personality development on humanistic psychology and theories of subjective experience. According to Rogers, all behavior is motivated by selfactualizing tendencies and these tendencies drive you to reach your full potential. He believes that the world a person exists in is the center of constant changes, and the person reacts to these changes. Ideal Self vs. Real Self Ideal Self - The person that you would like yourself to be; it is your concept of the "best me" who is worthy of admiration. It is an idealized image of self that the individual has developed based on what you have learned and experienced. Real Self- The person you actually are. It is how you behave right at the moment of a situation. It is who you are in reality–how you think, feel, or act at present. The Importance of Alignment According to Rogers, "If the way that I am (the real self) is aligned with the way that I want to be (the ideal self), then I will feel a sense of mental well-being or peace of mind. In other words, when your real self and ideal self are very similar you experience congruence. High congruence leads to a greater sense of self-worth and a healthy, productive life" Multiple vs. Unified Self The multiple self concept recognizes that our identity can vary across different contexts and roles, suggesting a fluid and context-dependent understanding of self. The unified self concept posits that there is a central, cohesive identity that integrates all aspects of a person's experiences, providing consistency and continuity. What does the self consist of? Domains of the Self - University professor and author Gregg Henriques proposed that the human self has three related, but separable, domains. These domains are: - Experiential Self- the theater of consciousness because it is the first to experience its beingness. This is tied very closely to memory. - Private Self-conscious/Private Self- the portion of your being that verbally narrates what is happening and tries to make sense of what is going on. Also called the "autobiographical self."  - Public Self/Persona- the public image that you attempt to project to others which in turn interacts with how people actually see you. True vs False Self Winnicott suggests that the self is composed of the true self and the false self. The function of the false self is to hide and protect the true self. People tend to display a false self to impress others. The self can change depending on situations. The Self as Proactive and Agentic Albert Bandura suggests that humans have the ability to act and make things happen. In his theory of the self, people are viewed as proactive agents of experiences. Agency embodies the endowments, belief systems, selfregulatory capabilities, and structures and functions through which personal influence is exercised, rather than residing as a distinct entity. The Self as Proactive and Agentic The main agentic features of human agency are: intentionality, forethought, self-reactiveness, and self-reflectiveness. -Intentionality- refers to acts done intentionally. You make plans and set goals for what you want to do. -Forethought- enables the person to anticipate the likely consequences of prospective actions. You think ahead and anticipate the outcomes of your actions. -Self-reactiveness- enables the person to make choices and choose appropriate courses of action, as well as motivate and regulate their execution. You monitor your own behavior and make adjustments to stay on track with your goals -Self-reflectiveness- gives the person the ability to reflect upon oneself and the adequacy of one's thoughts and actions. People are not only agents of action but self-examiners of their own functioning. You think about your own actions, decisions, and the impact they have.