Bulacan State University

City of Malolos. Bulacan

Understanding the Self

(UTS 101)

Module 2
PART I. THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES

D. The Self as Cognitive Construction

E. The Self in Western and Oriental/Eastern Thought

Writer: Lalaine V. Lopez

Faculty, Meneses Campus
Content Editor: Ma. Adora C. Tigno

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 Table of Contents

Lesson 4 – THE SELF AS COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION

Introduction……………...............…………………………………………….. 3

Pre-Test………………………………………….……………………………. 4

William James: The Me-Self;/The I-Self.…………………………………….. 6

Carl Roger’s Self Theory: Real and Ideal Self………..…………………….. 7

Multiple VS Unified Self; True VS False Self ……….....…………………… 8

The Self as Proactive and Agentic…………………….…………….…...….. 9

Summary……........……………………………………………………………. 10

Assessment…..……………….………………………………………………. 11

References….,……...………………………………………………………… 12

Lesson 5 – THE SELF AS WESTERN AND ORIENTAL/EASTERN THOUGHT

Pre-Test…………...………………………………………………………….. 14

Individualistic and Collectivistic Self………………………………..……… 16

The Construction of the Self in Western Thought……………………..…. 16

The Self as Embedded in Relationships and through Spiritual Development in

Confucian Thought……………………………………………….. 18

Summary……………………………………………………………………… 19

Assessment..………………………………………………………………… 20

References.………………………………………………………………….. 21

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D. PSYCHOLOGY

Duration/Time Frame: 3 weeks

Introduction

This topic outlines the psychological theories that influence the way people
understand the self. As the following views illustrate, adolescents construct their own
understanding of themselves well by integrating the information into their lives.
Understanding the self is highest when different parts of the self become integrative
(Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018). Similar to the study of Carl Rogers that infants will have
their concept of self when their experiences become personalized in awareness as "I"
or "me" experience. Thus, a person should personally evaluate his experience to
become aware and be able to understand himself.
The following paragraph will give us a concept about ourselves and how we
construct ourselves. Diverse theories will be tackled by the different proponents:
William James, Carl Rogers, Dr. Donald Winnicot, and Albert Bandura.

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Identify the different concepts of self;
2. Differentiate the various concepts of the self and identity;
3. Explain how the concepts of self influence behavior;

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Pre-test:

Name: __________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: ___________________ Date: ______________

Learning Checkpoint.
Do you AGREE or DISAGREE?
________ 1. “Self” can be defined using a personality test only.

________ 2. Real-self and ideal-self are all the same ideas.

________ 3. Your self-concept is your real self.

________ 4. All of us have so-called false-self.

________ 5. We do not have multiple-self, only unified-self.

________ 6. We could also be the pro agentic of our experiences.

________ 7. People cannot decide on their own.

________ 8. Self-concept develops from the view of other people.

________ 9. I-Self and Me-Self are the definitions of the true self.

________10. Man has the capability to predict consequences.

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 ACTIVITY – THIS IS ME!

Name: __________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: ___________________ Date: ______________

List 5 things that others say about yourself now {A} and List 5 things
that you want to be {B}.
Try to reflect on the similarities and differences of you today and you in
the future.

A. Yourself Now

1. _________________________________

2. _________________________________

3. _________________________________

4. _________________________________

5. _________________________________

B. You Want to be

1. _________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

4. ________________________________

5. ________________________________

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 In the previous test, we tried to see the common notion and definition of self
about ourselves. We always say that we know ourselves better than others. We must
understand one’s self and we must be aware of how people construct themselves. The
activity presented also shows how they certainly understand and are aware of
themselves. The following sections will help us to understand how different
personalities define self and understand the self.

THE SELF AS COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION

It is almost a sin for a young person, or at least a danger, to be too preoccupied with
himself, but for the aging person, it is a duty and a necessity to devote serious
attention to himself.
-Carl Jung

WILLIAM JAMES: THE ME-SELF; THE I-SELF

William James suggests that the self is divided into two categories: the I-Self
and the Me-Self. The I-Self refers to the self that knows who he or she is, which is also
called the thinking self. This is how we interpret the things around us. The I-Self reflects
the soul of a person or the mind, which is also called the pure ego. The Me-Self, on
the other hand, is the empirical self, which refers to the person's personal experiences
and is further divided into subcategories: the material self (clothes, foods, and other
things), social self (relationship with other people), and spiritual self (cannot be seen
in our physical self that needs a depth understanding of our self and relationship with
God). The material self is attributed to an individual's physical attributes and material
possessions, contributing to their self-image. James believes that the path to
understanding the spiritual self requires introspection (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018).
According to Mead, the “I” is himself or herself doing things without the opinion of other
people. On the other hand, the “Me” is the awareness of how people might be thinking
about you or the expectation of people around you. For instance, in a workplace, your
boss suggests something that you will definitely disagree with. Your I-self would like
to tell your boss just to leave the place or disappear, but your Me-self would show how
your boss and people around expect you to respond on that situation.

https://www.dreamstime.com/man-
having-split-personality-hiding-real-
emotions-young-upset-frowning-
looking-camera-holding-happy-clown-
mask-image1062277

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 Analysis A
Self-Discovery: Which is which?
Write your responses in your Notebook.
Which self you think dominates you, your I-Self or ME-Self? And how does it
shape you?

CARL ROGERS’ SELF THEORY: REAL AND IDEAL SELF

Carl Roger’s personality theory is one of the essential contributions to the notion
of self-concept. The self-concept is defined in a broad way as the individual's tendency
to act in ways which actualize himself, the belief about himself, how he evaluates
himself, and a mental picture of who he is. Our self-concept begins to develop in early
childhood throughout the lifespan—the self-concept of how someone thinks about
himself.

http://perceptionofthecustomer.blogspot.com/2010/04/personality-and-self-concept.html

Rogers suggests two components of self-concept: the real self and the ideal
self. The real self consists of all the ideas, how we see ourselves, how a person feels
and thinks. On the other hand, the ideal self is the person’s conception of what one
should be or what one aspires to be, striving for the attainment of what he wants to be.
In Rogers’ theory, the closer the ideal self to the real self, the more consistent and the
higher person’s self-worth. Contrary, when the ideal self is far from the real self, the
person becomes unhappy and dissatisfied (Ismail&Tekke, 2015).
Figure A shows that when a person's ideal-self is not consistent or matched
with what happens in our life, we experience incongruence. For instance, our ideal-
self is to finish college and be a successful engineer, but our real-self is we do not
make an effort to study our lessons. The more gap between the real-self and ideal-
self, incongruence occurs. Then, anxiety and depression may arise.
Figure B. shows that when a person's ideal-self is consistent or matched with
what happens in our life, we experience congruence. For instance, our ideal-self is to
become a famous volleyball player, and our real-self is giving more practice discipline
ourselves; then, congruence occurs. If the real-self and ideal-self closely matched, our
self-esteem, trust, and self-worth developed.

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 Figure A Figure B

Analysis B
Self-Discovery: Who’s real?
Write your responses in your Notebook.
Can you describe yourself in the next ten years? And what are the plans that you
are taking now to pursue those goals?

MULTIPLE VS UNIFIED SELF, TRUE VS FALSE SELF

For an adolescent's understanding self is
conceptualized as multiple or unified and
true or false. The mind is made of a
multiplicity of selves, as stated most clearly
by Andras Angyal and there are notions that
humans have a single self. Some theorists
argue that this is always the case, while
others argue that integrating the various
components of the mind into a single self is
a task for the second half of life (Lester,
2012). The construction of multiple selves
varies across different interpersonal and
intrapersonal roles and relationships.
Coping with different selves constitutes a
https://learn.zoner.com/turn-4-pictures-1-multiple-
exposure-technique/
formidable task among adolescents. These
challenges heavily reflect the young
person's struggle for a unified self. The task of integrating one's multiple selves
naturally causes concern. Given the enormous challenges self-integration, it is
important that adolescents are supported in their effort to create a consistent,
coherent, or unified theory of the self (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018).
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 Dr. Donald Winnicot, a pediatrician and a psychoanalyst, explains his theory
about the true self and the false self. He expounded the idea that the function of the
false self is to hide and protect the true self. Winnicott highlighted the importance of
the mother as the caregiver and the child as spontaneous, meaning they just do
whatever they want without thinking. The child needs reassurance and help, which
mother does her best to gratify the needs. This strengthens and grows up feeling
confident that will help us to show our true self in the real world. Sometimes a child
has spontaneous needs, and parents cannot respond immediately, the child will think
that their desire is not manageable and acceptable. In this case, the child will adjust
his behavior to protect them from depression and disappointments.
(https://depthcounseling.org/blog/winnicott-true-false-self).
People decided to take out his false self to protect his
true self from pain. For instance, some people
may experience loneliness or be alone, and we do not
want other people to see them in that situation and see
how depressed they are. They will pretend that they
are happy, even deep inside; they need someone to
hold on to. Some of them will say, "I do not need
anyone, I am happy with my life" instead of saying "I
https://www.pinterest.ph/docps need someone to be with" or "someone who will listen
ych/false-vs-true-self/ to me".

Analysis C
Self-Discovery: Show your true color
Write your responses in your Notebook.
Cite instances or experiences where you hide your true self and why? How this
experience helps you to improve yourself.

THE SELF AS PROACTIVE AND AGENTIC

Albert Bandura (2001) posits that humans, through their agency, are perceived
as proactive agents of experiences. There were four core properties of human
agencies that are described. They are intentional, forethought, self-reactiveness, and
self-reflection. Intentional includes action plans and strategies where we humans plan
and do things intentionally. Forethought forming goals and anticipating future events,
where we expect the consequences of our actions. Self-reactiveness processes of
self-management, self-regulation, and self-motivation, where we make choices and
decide after we think about the consequence. Self-reflection refers to self-examining
and reflecting on our decisions. Bandura defined that a human has the capability to
influence one's functioning and actions (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018).
Bandura believed that a person could do and make things happen. People can
make it intentional, and anticipate the consequences that might occur after the

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decision, enable him to make choices after seeing the possible consequences and
eventually, evaluate the decision he made.

https://ruelabacolod.home.blog/2018/10/31/reflection-on-the-self-as-proactive-and-agentic

Analysis D
Self-Discovery: I am an Agent
Write your responses in your Notebook.
Think about a big decision you have made. List down how you arrived in that decision
and what was your realization in the results/consequences.

SUMMARY
The understanding and definition of self were outlined in different psychological
theories of different personalities. In contrast, William James posited that the self is
divided into two categories: the I-SELF and the ME-SELF. I-Self refers to the self that
knows who he is or she is. The Me-Self refers to a person's personal experiences.
Another important contribution in giving a definition of self is the theory of Carl Rogers's
Self-Concept. He defined self-concept in a broad way as the individual's tendency to
evaluate himself and deliver a mental picture of who he is. Rogers suggests two
components of self-concept: the real self and the ideal self. The real self consists of
all the ideas, how we see, feels, and thinks ourselves.
On the other hand, the ideal self is the person's conception of what they should
be or what they want to be. In Rogers' theory, the closer the ideal self to the real self,
the more consistent and the higher person's self-worth. Also, Dr. Donald Winnicott
explains his theory about the true self and the false self. He postulated that the function
of the false self is to protect the true self from pain. Albert Bandura drew that people
are viewed as proactive agents of society wherein humans can decide intentionally
and eventually evaluate their decision.

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Assessment

Name: __________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: ___________________ Date: ______________

Fill in the blanks.

________ 1. It refers to the image of oneself.

________ 2. The two categories of self, according to William James.

________ 3.

________4. It consists of all the ideas, how we see ourselves, how a person feels
and thinks.

________5. It is the person’s conception of what one should be or what one aspires
to be, striving for the attainment of what he wants to be.

________6. A psychoanalyst explains his theory about the true self and the false self.

________7. He believed that a person has the capability to do and make things
happen.

________ 8. When a person's ideal-self is consistent or matched with what happens

in our life, we experience congruence.

________ 9. It includes action plans and strategies, human plans and does things
intentionally

________10. It refers to the self-examining and reflecting on our decisions.

Source: Go-Monilla, J., & Ramirez N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C&E Publishing Inc., Quezon City

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REFERENCES:

PDF) Rediscovering Roger's Self Theory and Personality. Available from:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286456614_Rediscovering_Rogers%27s_
Self_Theory_and_Personality [accessed Aug 14 2020].

https://depthcounseling.org/blog/winnicott-true-false-self

Macayan J., Pinugu J., Castillo JC., (2018). Understanding the Self: Outcome-based
Module. C&E Publishing Inc., Quezon City
Go-Monilla, J., & Ramirez N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C&E Publishing Inc.,
Quezon City
Heine, S. (2016). Cultural Psychology (Third Edition). British Columbia, W. W. Norton
& Company, Inc.
Lester, D. (2012) A multiple self - theory of the mind. Comprehensive Psychology, 1,
5.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mustafa_Tekke2/publication/286456614_Redisc
overing_Rogers's_Self_Theory_and_Personality/links/566aeb1708ae430ab4f9344c/
Rediscovering-Rogerss-Self-Theory-and-
Personality.pdf?_sg%5B0%5D=MsneHmvJXWBvD5P_e8cVLbBnJRMG9Y0w2z5SJ
5tcKPwve55l6oy4-
7maX88CfJnbuNEu5tfvhJT0CoHUMJgvSw.ecBiOKTgLsUXj6wJysE4-
B3uLiXF0TXniYH9BduBfy2QpXoh9XiI6gFyU-
BCpTzsqq_cB2shFy69X6LYDFMkPg&_sg%5B1%5D=HfXHRqoGkaCnekejSdBZw3
Furk6DxQpBg4kLVyzui1bQ6rxVquibmNRAvLzD5e8nijSyRWLEOYrksDfS4-
dGmndeT_MqxVkgn1TiIk2irU38.ecBiOKTgLsUXj6wJysE4-
B3uLiXF0TXniYH9BduBfy2QpXoh9XiI6gFyU-
BCpTzsqq_cB2shFy69X6LYDFMkPg&_iepl=

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.2466/02.09.28.CP.1.5
"Self as Person in Asian Theory and Practice", edited by Roger T. Ames, 1994, State
University of New York Press, 1994

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LESSON 5
D. THE SELF IN WESTERN AND ORIENTAL/EASTERN THOUGHT
Duration/Time Frame: 1 week
Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

1. Explain the Western concept of self;
2. Differentiate Eastern and Western views of the self; and
3. Identify people participating in a collectivistic and individualistic culture.

Pre-test:

Name: __________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: ___________________ Date: ______________

Learning Checkpoint.
Do you AGREE or DISAGREE?
________ 1. Western and Eastern concepts of self varied and agree on a certain
viewpoint.
________ 2. We have traits rooted from Western and Eastern virtues.

________ 3. In Confucian, a good relationship with other people is a virtue.

________4. People participating in an individualistic culture are fostering

independence.
________ 5. People participating in a collectivistic culture tends to be an out-going
person.
________ 6. The self-construction is based on the people you live with and not from
the norms.
________ 7. Eastern concept of self is better than western concepts of self.

________ 8. Western people participate in an individualistic culture.

________ 9. Eastern concepts of self rooted from Western concepts of self.

________10. There is no self in Confucian thought.

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 ACTIVITY – I or We?
Name: __________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: ___________________ Date: ______________

Directions. Below is a list of things you may love to do. Place a check { / } whether
you need somebody for the task to be done or you can do it alone. Reflect on the
reason why.

Need somebody Alone

1. Read a novel. _________ __________

2. Watch a movie at the mall. _________ __________

3. Eat ice cream. _________ __________

4. Listen to love songs. _________ __________

5. Exercise. _________ __________

6. Walk at the park. _________ __________

7. Buy a pair of shoes. _________ __________

8. Attend church service. _________ __________

9. Review for a quiz. _________ __________

1O. Go to the bank. _________ __________

11. Fly a kite. _________ __________

12. Ride a bike. _________ __________

13. Visit Mayon Volcano _________ __________

14. Clean the house. _________ __________

15. Wash the dishes _________ __________

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 In the previous test, we tried to see how people accomplished one task. We
also discovered the similarities and differences of one another. The following sections
will help us to understand why we respond differently in one question.
THE SELF IN WESTERN AND ORIENTAL/EASTERN THOUGHT
Western and Eastern concepts of self varied and agree on a certain viewpoint.
The Western conceptualization of the self is defined in terms of Western Self as
Analytic, Western Self as Monotheistic, Western Self as Individualistic and Western
Self as Materialistic and Rationalistic.
Western Self as Analytic is an analytic – deductive with emphasis on the causal
links (part-to-whole relationships). They give importance to the relationship that exists
among parts rather than the whole. The soul or self cannot exist by itself or apart from
other parts. For instance, removing one battery of a machine will cause a malfunction
of the machine. Removing one tire from a car will
In the Western view, the monotheistic self believes in one Supreme Being
coexisting with the universe, condenses the supernatural and human into bipolarity of
both qualities of existence. They believed that there is only one God who created the
world without depending upon any other beings.
Western individualism exhibits the coexistence of favorable and unfavorable
conditions inherent in personal freedom. Hence, a Western Self as Individualistic is a
person that promotes one's desire and independence over a group. For instance, an
individualistic person believed that his achievement results from his effort and skills
and not because of anyone else.
A person who focused on material things over immaterial things is described in
Western Self as materialistic and rationalistic. (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018).
On the other hand, Eastern concepts of the self are presented based on the
four great systems of Eastern thought: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and
Taoism. In Hinduism, Brahman is an absolute reality, and Atman (soul or spirit) is the
true knowledge of self. Vedanta characterizes human suffering as the result of failure
to realize the distinction between the true self (permanent and unchanging) and the
non-true self (impermanent and changes continually). The goal of the person is to have
a knowledge of the true reality-Brahman. The Law of karma is the most important
doctrine of Hinduism. Individual actions will lead to either good or bad outcomes in
one’s life (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018). Thus good actions will reward good things
and bad actions will reap bad things. For Buddhists, there is no ātman, no eternal Self,
that could accompany or exist behind the rebirth process of individual consciousness.
They deny all kinds of eternal beings or non-beings. Thus, the impression of a sharp
conflict emerges, be-tween Brahmanism or Hinduism on the one hand and Buddhism
on the other (Ule, 2016). There are four Noble truths that express the orientation of
Buddhism: Life ultimately leads to suffering; suffering is caused by attachment to
desires; suffering can be eliminated; and the elimination of suffering. The Confucian
doctrines are anchored in the golden rule of “Do not do to others what you would not
want others do to you”. A good relationship with other people is a virtue.

15
 Similarly, we treat them the way we want them to treat us. Taoist believe that
simplicity, spontaneity, and harmony with nature should govern one's life. An individual
should live in his heart, accept himself, fully understand himself, accept himself, live
at peace, and follow his instincts (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018).

Analysis E
Self-Discovery: Your Thought
Write your responses in your Notebook.
Cite your Western and Eastern Characteristics. How these characteristics helped you in
dealing with other people and says about you.

INDIVIDUALISTIC VS. COLLECTIVE SELF

In a cultural context, people participating in individualistic cultures believe that

they are the center of thought, action, and they come to feel distinct from others. For
example, someone who supports himself and does not depend on others or does not
need other people's support can achieve his goal by himself. Likewise, people
participating in a collectivistic culture are more likely to attend interdependent aspects
such as close relationships and group memberships. They tend to value social
relationships and harmony. For instance, someone can change his plan in an
emergency for his family and friends. (Heine, 2016).

An individualistic self… collectivistic self…

*Prefer to work *Prefer working in group
*Goals for oneself *Sense of belonging
*Fostering independence * Fostering interdepence

https://borgenproject.org/cultural-opinions-on-poverty/
https://sites.google.com/site/sa4confucius/home/collectivist-and-individualist-societies

Analysis F
Self-Discovery: Where am I?
Write your responses in your Notebook.
Are you individualistic or collectivistic? How do these affect the way you see yourself and
treat other people?

16
THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE SELF IN WESTERN THOUGHT

The social construction of self can roughly be divided into three categories. The
first is The Self in Historical and Cultural Context, which is primarily concerned with
establishing the self as a social construction; the second is the Self as Social
Accomplishment, which focused on specific social processes in which the conception
of self is embedded; and the third is Critical Reflection on the Psychological Self
involves critical assessments of the cultural and political outcomes of traditional beliefs
in the self (Gergen, 2011).
The Self in Historical and Cultural Context. History and culture play a role in
understanding and construction of the self. Numerous accounts emerge within
historical periods. The evaluation of an individual and independent view of the self is
shared within Western culture, and more likely, the embedded vision of the self may
be found in many other cultures of the world. (Gergen, 2011). Our self and lives are
shaped by our cultural context. For instance, Filipinos are known for being so
respectful because parents raised and encouraged their children to respect elders.
This kind of behavior is a norm and, eventually, our culture.
The Self as Social Accomplishment. Inquiry into the social achievement of the
self has taken two major forms: the structure of language and the demands by
linguistic convention; and conversational practices. In the case of language has
centered on narrative structure, whereas conversational practices have been
concerned with ongoing interaction. (Gergen, 2011). It is stressed out that
conversational practices and the structure of language are major contributors to social
accomplishment.
Critical Reflection on the Psychological Self. Many critics see a dark side in
constructing a self-contained self. For an alienated individual, to be dependent is a
sign of weakness. To construct a world of separation in this way is also to court
distrust, and given distrust, it becomes reasonable to "take care of number one." Self-
gain becomes an unquestionable motive, both within the sciences (such as economics
and social psychology) and the culture. In this context, loyalty, commitment, and
community are all thrown into question, as all may interfere with "self-realization."
(Gergen, 2011).

Analysis J
Self-Discovery: Self Builder
Write your responses in your Notebook.
What is your reflection on the social construction of self? Do you agree or disagree that
we are shaped by culture?

17
THE SELF AS EMBEDDED IN RELATIONSHIPS AND THROUGH SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT
Self or No-Self
Westerners often understood that there is no self in Confucian thought
(because in Confucianism, one does talk of the concept of "no-self"). This concept
may be misunderstood when taken into western paradigms of thinking.

But what is really meant by the idea of "no self", is this: "If one had no selfish
motives, but only the supreme virtues, there would be no self. … If he serves selflessly,
he does not know what service is [does not recognize it as service]. If he knows what
service is, he has a self… [to think] only of parents but not of yourself… is what I call
no self." (Zoku Kyuo Dowa [Kyuo's Moral discourses continued], 1835)

Hiroshi Minami, another writer on Confucian thought, notes that "[the concept
of no-self] …is identical with the spirit of service-above-self, where every spontaneous
impulse is rejected as selfishness."

In Confucianism, the quest for the human self, the search for what it is to be
human in terms of substance or no-substance, in terms of spirit or body, does not exist.
The form which that question takes in Confucius' writings is one of personality.
Personality, as such, is not seen as inherently existing, but as something that is being
formed through upbringing and environment. In that, the human being is seen as a
social being. (Some have even used the term: Social animal). Accordingly, every
person is born with four beginnings, which do not encapsulate a concept of self as yet,
but which together, if put in the western framework of thinking, maybe called 'pre-self,'
or 'potential-self':

Heart of righteousness – leads to Yi.

Yi symbolizes the best way of doing things. In Confucius' time, one should have an
interpersonal relationship with other people, and to do so, one must always do right
and fair things. For instance, treating people equally regardless they belong in the low-
income class or high-income class.

Heart of compassion – leads to Jen.

Jen is goodwill, a willingness to do what is best for all concerned. In Confucianism,
having good social relations, one must act in relation to others as others act. It is
almost the same with the golden rule of “Do unto others as you would have them do
unto to you”. Jen involves mutual interest or having social cooperation, for instance,
love yourself, and also, you should love others as you love yourself.

Heart of propriety – leads to Li.

Li is the principle of order. This is another rule for good human relationships. It included
good manners approved by the family. It consists of the elderly's norms such as
respect for elder brother and sister in the community and even to our lawmakers. Li

18
upheld faith, righteousness, and loyalty. Things should be done orderly and positively
to have successful social relationships.

Heart of wisdom – leads to Chih.

Chih is moral wisdom. People are born good, and they know the difference between
right and good. People with understanding tend to follow these concepts of
Confucianism. A righteous, fair and has a sense of order, and the meaning has a heart
of wisdom.

In this, Jen, Yi, Li, and Chih, are the perfection of the virtues that exist in the
human heart from the beginning as potentials. A self, as such, would develop out of
these, and develop a rough practice of the corresponding virtues. Personality, in the
Confucian perception, is an achieved state of moral excellence rather than a given
human condition. However, such an acquired personality, or self, is not to be
understood as primarily an individual entity, as would be the tendency in western
thinking. As with the Maori, the Confucian concept of self also is deeply embedded
within the family and society, and it is only in that context that the self comes to be
what it is.

Analysis K
Self-Discovery: My Confucian Virtues
Write your responses in your Notebook.
List down traits or virtues that you think have been rooted in Confucian thought. How
these traits helped you in shaping yourself and improving your behavior?

SUMMARY
The Western and Eastern thought about self has a great influence on the development
of defining self and self-construction. The Western conceptualization of the self is
defined in terms as follows Western Self as Analytic, Western Self as Monotheistic,
Western Self as Individualistic and Western Self as Materialistic and Rationalistic. On
the other hand, Eastern concepts of the self are presented based on the four great
systems of Eastern thought: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. In a
cultural context, people might participate either in a collectivistic or individualistic
culture. A person fostering interdependence participates in a collectivistic culture;
likewise, a person promoting independence participates in an individualistic culture.
Moreover, it is also cited that we are constructed by our society. Confucian thought's
central concept is the Five Virtues: Yi – the heart of righteousness; Jen – the heart of
compassion; Li – the heart of proper order and; Chih – the heart of wisdom. In
Confucian thought, the self developed out of these.

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Assessment

Name: __________________________________________________

Course/Year/Section: ___________________ Date: ______________

Identify the following:

________ 1. Heart of righteousness

________ 2. Heart of compassion

________ 3. Heart of propriety

________4. Heart of wisdom

________5. It emphasizes in eastern thought.

True or False

________6. Eastern thought gives highlight on individualism.

________7. The eastern way of thinking is analytic-deductive.

________8.The construction of self in Western thought divided into three categories.

________ 9. Individualism are from Eastern thought while;

________10. Collectivism are from Western thought

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REFERENCES:
(PDF) The Self as Social Construction. Available from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225113163_The_Self_as_Social_Construct
ion [accessed Aug 14 2020].

(PDF) The Concept of Self in Buddhism and Brahmanism: Some Remarks. Available
from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297755589_The_Concept_of_Self_in_Bud
dhism_and_Brahmanism_Some_Remarks [accessed Aug 14 2020].

Macayan J., Pinugu J., Castillo JC., (2018). Understanding the Self: Outcome-based
Module. C&E Publishing Inc., Quezon City
Go-Monilla, J., & Ramirez N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C&E Publishing Inc.,
Quezon City
Heine, S. (2016). Cultural Psychology (Third Edition). British Columbia, W. W. Norton
& Company, Inc.
The Concept of "Self" in Confucian Thought
Klemme Barrytown, NY August 1999 Unification News for August 1999
http://www.tparents.org/UNews/unws9908/Klemme_confucian.htm

Suggested Readings:

Individualism and Collectivism

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dharm_Bhawuk/publication/275714450_Individualism_and_Collectivism/links/5d3fc52645
85153e592d05b5/Individualism-and-
Collectivism.pdf?_sg%5B0%5D=D32luuBG_9svWmgOQ2SS1Qcwi34Mfu6HMzQ1AaEyaZqLVTuWalmwIhpTMGaOuevWtPfSd
OkzjFqzMukadiVQHA._xkdbdsghflDvIBH5ejXSnsndBlYqNwXUDy2JzH_1-
2rRM8UxnlGFyoZDXfOfsilOxk05gQ86jZMXqTL5kE3WA&_sg%5B1%5D=7iXnT3NFFEQMCs0bEv65HcfCSPKi881tqcM7bzSX
dnyB_ZqrdEI6GgcY78_k5ukLsu4W6Od1aacgNhX1jOEkeA573MCDSwuo50JSDtG_thBy._xkdbdsghflDvIBH5ejXSnsndBlYqNw
XUDy2JzH_1-2rRM8UxnlGFyoZDXfOfsilOxk05gQ86jZMXqTL5kE3WA&_iepl=

The Self as Social Construction

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kenneth_Gergen/publication/225113163_The_Self_as_Social_Construction/links/5703d0e
e08ae74a08e245763/The-Self-as-Social-
Construction.pdf?_sg%5B0%5D=v_q95V5Z6ui7N0BpF6iv6X6pXnIucWREFcjnIxrsR1kP8555LKh_ZHouUjkvQtjZ7pF66Ofc7TZy
WM1i-
ApBQQ.DQrWAOYlgRruJWgGPd7gwd2S1wUezauMem9yy10BMV3ktRhr2ozBSrjiAmKrdrKN1IFX04xZJwb5QyjP0M4Gkg&_sg
%5B1%5D=17H9hStRjQYSB846gez0pEdbNVwZuZWug_lH4OhxYKgXG7hmmXNoLR-QK9bXN-
dDdEvOpCrJNO3YIn1LiF_UXxUiofaKvOX4ZxJm8KtlXN6s.DQrWAOYlgRruJWgGPd7gwd2S1wUezauMem9yy10BMV3ktRhr2o
zBSrjiAmKrdrKN1IFX04xZJwb5QyjP0M4Gkg&_iepl=

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