Understanding the Self Reviewer PDF

**Chapter 1** **Understanding the Self** *Unpacking the Self* - Physical Self - Sexual Self - Material/Economic Self - Spiritual Self - Political Self - Digital Self *Understanding the Self* - "Know thyself" - The self is the main companion in living in this world - Who...

**Chapter 1** **Understanding the Self** *Unpacking the Self* - Physical Self - Sexual Self - Material/Economic Self - Spiritual Self - Political Self - Digital Self *Understanding the Self* - "Know thyself" - The self is the main companion in living in this world - Who you are, Who you want to be, Who society wants you to be, and Who you can be are some of the ideas we explore - The self is freaking complex **The Self from Various Philosopical Perspectives** *Philosophy* - Philia -- love; Sophia -- wisdom - Philosophy employs the inquisitive mind to discover the ultimate causes, reasons, and priciples of everything - The nature of self is a topic of interest among philosophers - The philosophical framework for USELF was heavily explored by Ancient Greek -- Socrates & Plato [SOCRATES] - Concerned with the problem of the self - Dualistic -- every man is composed of body & soul - Once the soul comes into the material world, he forgot everything - Brought by Socratic Approach - ["An unexamined life is not worth living"] - ["One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing"] - ["There is a soul before the body, existing in the realm of ideas"] [PLATO] - Founded the Academy; considered as prototype of today's universities - Dichotomy between ideal (World of forms) and material world - 3 components of the soul: Rational, Spirited, Appetitive [ARISTOTLE] - The body & soul are not two separate elements but are one thing - Soul is simply the Form of the body and is not capable of existing without the body - Soul is that which makes a person a person. It is the essence of the self - Without the body the soul can't exist. The soul dies along the body [ST. AUGUSTINE] - Man is made of a bifurcated nature - Two aspects: Imperfect (earthly) Capable of reaching immortality - Goal of a person: to attain communion with the divine [ST. THOMAS AQUINAS] - Man is composed of matter and form - Matter (hyle) -- common stuff that makes up everything - Form (morpe) -- essence of the living [RENE DESCARTES] - ["I think, Therefore I Am"] - Father of Modern Philosophy - Doubts the existence of his own physical body - Hyperbolical doubt [JOHN LOCKE] - Our identity is not locked in the mind, soul or body only - He included the concept of person's memory - Identity is explained in terms of psychological connection between life stages - Tabula Rasa [DAVID HUME] - ["All knowledge is derived from human senses"] - Influenced by Empiricism - Bundle Theory -- collection of impressions - Impressions -- vivid; products of direct experience - Ideas -- copies of impressions; imagination [SIGMUND FREUD] - ["The ego is not master in its own house"] - Man is governed by 2 drives: Eros & Thanatos - 3 provinces of minds: Id, Ego, Superego [GILBERT RYLE] - Denies the existence of internal non-physical self - The self is NOT an entity one can locate. It is a name we use to refer to all behavior. [MERLEAU-PONTY] - Denies the dualistic ideas - The mind & body cannot be separated **Chapter 2** [KAPWA] The core value of the Filipino according to Filipino Psycology. *2 types of Kapwa:* - Ibang Tao -- (someone who pass by in your life, like conductors, drivers, etc.) - Hindi Ibang Tao -- (family, friends, etc.) The self as a product of Modern Society among other constructions. Sociologist are connected about the ff. questions: - How does the society influence you? - How do you affect the society? - Who are you as a person in the community? Sociology posits that socially formed norms, beliefs, and values come to exist within the person, thus developing the person identity. Some Filipino Values according to Sikolohiyang Pilipino: - Hiya - Utang na loob - Pakiramdam - Pakikisama - Kagandahang-loob - Kapwa o Pakikipagkapwa Modernization has significantly changed society, and this influences how the individual develops his or her self -- identity. Key Characteristics of Modernity: - Industrialism -- extensive use of material power and machinery. - Capitalism -- competitive product markets and labor power. - Institutions of Surveillance -- massive increase in power and reach by institutions - Dynamism -- having vigorous activity and progress Social Groups and Social Network - Social Group -- characterized by having two or more people interacting with one another, sharing similar characteristics, and whose member identify themselves as a group. - Social network -- ties that connect you to the social group. - Organic -- naturally occurring and highly influenced by one's family; gives feeling of rootedness; implies less freedom and greater conformity. - Rational -- made up of diff people coming from diff places; formed as a matter of shared self interest. The self is a product of internalizing the view of other people. [DEVELOPING THE SELF] *3 stages of Self-Development according to Mead:* 1. Language -- allows us to express ourselves and to comprehend 2. Play -- role playing and assuming the role of others 3. Game -- taking into account of societal rules *2 sides of the Self:* Mead sees the person as an active process, not just a reflection of the society. "I" -- How the person sees himself "Me" -- How others sees us **Chapter 3** **The Anthropological Conceptualization of the Self:** **The Self as Embedded in Culture** [ANTHROPOLOGY] - Holds a holistic view of human nature. - Concerned with how cultural and biological processes interact to shape the self. - Considers human experience as an interplay of the "**nature**" -- referring to genetic inheritance which sets the individual's potentials "**nurture**" -- refers to sociocultural environment - Both biological & cultural factors have significant influence in dev of the self. *Antrophological Perspective:* - Egocentric -- capable of acting independently. - Autonomous and distinct individual with inherent characteristics - Americans are egocentric. They believe that they should be assertive & independent - Sociopcentric -- dependent to others on the situation or social setting. *Identity toolbox* -- refers to the features of a person's identity that he or she chooses to emphasize in constructing a social self. *Self -- Identification* may be attained by: **kinship, family membership, gender, age, language, religion, ethnicity, personal appearance, and socioeconomic status**. *Almost Universal Characteristics*: **kinship, gender, and age** *Family* -- the most significant feature to determine the person's social identity. *Language --* essential for the maintenance of a group identity. *Religion Affiliation* -- is an important marker of group identity. *Personal Naming* - a universal practice with numerous cross-cultural variations establishes a birthright and social identity. - A name is an important device to individualize a person and to have an identity. - One's identity is not inborn. It is something people continuously develop in life. - Changes in one's identity usually involve rites of passage that prepares individuals for new roles from one stage of life to another. Changes in one's status and identity are marked by a 3 phased rite passage: - **Separation Phase** -- people detach from their former identity to another (ex. In wedding, to be given away the bride by the parents) - **Liminality Phase** -- a person transitions from one identity to another. (ex. Wedding ceremony itself) - **Incorporation Phase** -- the change in one's status is officially incorporated. (ex. Wedding reception and parties) **Chapter 4** **The Self from Sociological Perspectives** "[Not only the self is entwined in society; it owes society its existence in the most literal sense"] - *Theodor Adorno* [PSYCHOLOGY] -- the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. *Concerned with:* - How individuals develop and mature at different life stages - Concepts such as consciousness, memory, and reasoning. - How the individual and his environment shape his personality - How we think, behave, and feel in certain situations - Mental health and mental illness - Character strenths, coping, happiness, and well-being. *Four goals of Psychology:* - Describe -- what is the person doing - Explain -- why is he/she doing that? - Predict -- what is he going to do? - Modify -- how can we change the behavior? [THEORY OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT] - Deals with the nature of knowledge itself and how humans come to acquire it. **Jean Piaget** - Observed how children processed and made sense of the world around them and eventually developed 4 stage model of how the mind processes the information encountered. *Three Basic Components of Piaget's theory:* 1. **Schema** -- the building blocks of knowledge; mental org that individuals use to understand their environments 2. **Adaptation** -- how a child's learning process meets the situational demands. 3. **Stages of Cognitive Dev** - reflects the increasing sophistication of the child's thought processes. *Assimilation* -- the application of previous concepts to new concepts *Accomodation* -- when existing ideas are challenges **Object permanence** -- the ability to realize that obj still exists when they are not being sensed. **Animistic Thinking** -- believing that inanimate obj are alive. **Egocentrism** -- not being capable of seeing things from another persons perspectives. *Conservation* -- recognition that when some properties (such as shape) of an obj change, other properties (such as volume) remain constant. [HARTER'S SELF -- DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT] 1. **Early childhood** -- the child describes himself in terms of concrete, observable characteristics, material possessions, behaviors, and preferences. 2. **Middle to later childhood** -- the self is described with the use of trait like constructs (eg. shy, behaved, kind, smart) 3. **Adolescence** -- emergence of a more abstract self -- def such as inner thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and motives. 4. **Emerging Adults** -- characterized by having a vision of a "possible self". [WILLIAM JAMES AND THE ME-SELF AND I-SELF] James is known as the Father of American Psychology. *2 sides of the Self:* **I self --** is subj self that is aware of its own actions - a sense of being the agents or initiator of behavior - a sense of being unique - a sense of continuity - a sense of awareness **Me self --** is the self that is an obj or the self you can describe. Three dimensions: - Material -- physical appearance - Social -- social skills - Spiritual -- personality, character, defining values [CARL ROGERS AND HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY] - Humanism emphasized the active role of the individual in shaping their internal and their external worlds. - Rogers believed that the person is an active being who lives in the present. - Rogers coined the term actualizing tendency or one's capability to reach his/her highest potential. [CARL ROGER'S PERSON-CENTERED THEORY] - **Ideal Self** -- who or what you want to be - **Real Self** -- who you actually are - **Congruence** -- the alignment of the real and ideal self - **Incongruence** -- happens when there is inconsistency between the real and ideal self. [GORDON ALLPORT AND PERSONALITY TRAITS] - **Functional Autonomy** -- human motives are functionally independent from the original motive responsible for the behavior. - **Traits** -- are enduring characteristics that manifest itself almost all of the time [FREUD'S PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES] **Oral Stage:** Birth to 1 year Erogenous Zone -- Mouth **Anal Stage:** 1 to 3 year Erogenous Zone -- Bowel & Bladder Control **Phallic Stage:** 3 to 6 year Erogenous Zone -- Genitals **Latent Stage:** 6 to Puberty Libido Inactive **Genital Stage:** Puberty to Death Maturing Sexual Interests [ERIC BERNE'S EGO STATES] - Parent Ego state -- the voice of authority - Adult Ego state -- the rational system - Child Ego state -- can be spontaneous but can also be impulsive [THE SELF AS PROACTIVE AND AGENTIC -- ALBERT BANDURA] Proactive -- taking initiative and actively working towards goals Agentic -- believing in one's ability to control their own life and influence outcomes (involves -- forethought, selft reactiveness, self reflectiveness) [WINNICOT'S TRUE VS FALSE SELF] **False Self** - A product of early experiences; a defensive organization formed because of inadequate parenting. - The self that is obedient to parents\' wishes and demands. - The *healthy false* self is still connected to the true self. - The *unhealthy false* self makes one continually adjust his behavior to fit in. **True Self** - Emerges if the mother is responsive to the needs of the child. - Creative, spontaneous and real. NEXT PAGE **Chapter 5** **The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts** *WESTERN THOUGHTS* - Conducted scientific investigations to understand the self - Developed theories and concepts to account the similarities & differences - Emphasized the importance of scientific methods of investigation to provide satisfactory answers to understanding the self - The emphasis is individualistic rather than relational *EASTERN THOUGHTS* - Raised questions about the ultimate meaning of human life - Have developed theories of self as they have investigated what it means to be a human being - Aim at transformations in consciousness, feelings, emotions, and one's relation to other people and the world. - Emphasis is relational rather than individual - Eastern theories are highly practical - They do not utilize scientific investigations  [BUDDHISM ] Root word: Budh -- awake - Siddharta Gautama known as Buddha -- Founder of Buddhism - Eyes open -- lead to understanding of self and world - Every person has a seed of enlightment, but the seed shud be nurtured - In B Philosophy, man is just a title for the summation of five parts -- (**matter, sensation, perception, mental constructs, and consciousness**) not man - There is no self (no soul) - Only one thing, and all else is an illusion - Nothing permanent, but change - Annica (impermanence) means everything in life is always changing, nothing lasts forever [HINDUISM] - ["The goal of man is to have knowledge of the true reality"] -- **Brahman** - Most important doctrine in Hindu is -- Law of Karma - All actions are subj to karma - Individ actions will lead to good or bad outcomes in life - Atman being an immortal soul continues to be reincarnated from lifetime to lifetime until it is freed from the cycle of rebirth and reach the state of Nirvana -- non birth - Karma does not end with a body's death, its influence extend thru incarnation of the soul [CONFUCIANISM] - Core of Confucian thought is the Golden Rule or the Principle of Reciprocity: - Important feature: Individuals greatest mission of attaining self-realization wherein self cultivation is instrumental - Self culti -- accomplished by knowing one's role in society and act accordingly - Moral charact -continuously taking every opportunity to improve oneself in tot and action [CONFUCIANISM -EASTERN CONCEPT OF THE SELF] The self is something that is formed through upbringing and the environment. Personality is achieved through moral excellence. *Four beginnings of the self:* **Jen - heart of compassion** **Yi - heart of righteousness** **Li - heart of propriety** **Chih - heart of wisdom** [TAOISM] - The perfect man has no self. - The selfless person leads to a balanced life, in harmony with both nature and society. - Taoists believe that simplicity, spontaneity, and harmony with nature should govern one\'s life - There should be unity and harmony among opposing elements: the Yin and Yang. **Self** -- an extension of cosmos, not social rs -- described as one of limitless forms of the Tao **Tao** - commonly regarded as Nature that is the foundation of all exist - not bounded by time & space - ideal is to identify with the Tao [NAIKAN THERAPY -- EASTERN PHILOSOPHY IN PSYCHOLOGY] views self-centeredness as a problem that many people need to overcome. *Three guide questions:* 1\. What did I receive from this person? 2\. What did I return to this person? 3\. What troubles and worries did I cause this person?