Name________________________________Program & Year__________________Score____________

Subject: Understanding the Self Teacher: Louella May V. Plaza Date: Nov. 11, 2020

Type of Activity:
⎕ Concept
MODULE 1 LESSON 2 Notes ⎕ Laboratory ⎕ Individual ⎕ Quiz ⎕ Formative ⎕ Summative
⎕ Exercise/Drill ⎕ Art/Drawing ⎕ Pair/Group ⎕ Others, specify_____________________________

MODULE 6: THE PHYSICAL SELF

Lesson 8 & 9 : What Philosophers think about beauty?

What did Psychology discover about beauty?

Learning Outcomes : At the end of the learning module, the student is expected to:
(1.) Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from
various disciplinal perspectives;
(2.) Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different
disciplines and perspectives;
(3.) Examine the different influences, factors, and forces that shape the self; and;
(4.) Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one’s
self and identity by developing a theory of the self.

Reference(s) : Otig V.S., Gallinero, W. B., Bataga, N. U., Salado, F. B. (2018). A

holitic approach in understanding The Self. Mutya Publishing House, Inc.

Concept/Digest : ( Read and study the concept, you can even add more
information. Just search in the Google Website for each topic)

We are living in a world where the material and immaterial self are both represented. How is that
possible? Thanks to the advances in technology, we do not only live in a physical world, we also have virtual
reality. How do you view yourself in both worlds?
Society shapes us in many ways, possibly more than we realize it. This involves:

● How we perceive our bodies visually;

● How we feel about our physical appearance;
● How we think and talk to ourselves about our bodies; and
● Our sense of how the other people view our bodies.

The current embedded idea of what is attractive, beautiful, or handsome is an unrealistic image, which is
generally impossible for many of us to emulate. This unrealistic image is continually driven into our minds by the
media through ads, movies, and tv shows. The media is a very powerful tool in reinforcing cultural beliefs and
values. Although it is not fully responsible for determining the standards for physical attractiveness, it makes
escaping the barrage of images and attitudes almost impossible to escape.
A positive view of “self” involves understanding that healthy, attractive bodies come in many shapes and
sizes, and that physical appearance says very little about our character or value as a person.
We have to strive to know ourselves beyond our preconceived ideas of who we are.

ACTIVITY
YY
Instructions 1: Make the best presentation of yourself through a moviemaker/powerpoint presentation
emphasizing what your physical body can do to enhancing and maintaining your beauty and good health.

Instructions 2: Submit the self-presentation video attached in Module #6. The presentation must be not less than 1
minute and not more than 4 minutes.
 ANALYSIS

Focus Activity: “Think-Pair-Share”

Instructions 1: You are tasked to pair with a chatmate, and share your thoughts on:
1. What is beauty?
2. How is beauty appreciated through time and culture? Cite an example.

Instructions 2: Write your reflection on the space provided in bullet forms. (5 phrases)

1. __________________________
2. __________________________
3. __________________________
4. __________________________
5. __________________________

Every person is unique. Our individual experiences and memories tie together to form our versions of beauty. We
have different sizes, shapes, colors, heritage, and roles. Hence, our body is simply a shell that allows us to radiate our
experiences where beauty gets to shine through. No culture, no company, or concept could ever truly define beauty. As what
Helen Keller said “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with
the heart.”

ABSTRACTION

WHAT PHILOSOPHERS THINK ABOUT BEAUTY?

The nature of beauty is one of the most enduring and controversial themes in western philosophy. Beauty,
traditionally, was among the ultimate values along with goodness, truth, and justice. It was a primary theme among
ancient Greek, Hellenistic, and medieval philosophers; it was central to the eighteenth and nineteenth century
thought. By the beginning of the twentieth century, beauty was in decline as a subject of philosophical inquiry.
However, there were signs of revived interest by the early 2000s.

The two most-debated views about beauty are:

1. Beauty is objective.
2. Beauty is subjective.

Before the 18th century, most Western philosophical views on beauty treated it as an objective quality. For
example:
● St. Augustine asked whether things where beautiful because it gave delight, or whether it gave
delight because it was beautiful. He believed it to be the latter.
● Plato connected beauty as a response to love and desire. He asserted that beauty exists in the realm
of Forms, and that objects are found beautiful because they are a reflection of the idea of beauty that
already exist in the realm of Forms.
● Aristotle asserted that the chief forms of beauty are order, symmetry, and definiteness that can be
demonstrated by mathematical sciences.

By the eighteenth century, however, beauty was associated with pleasure as a personal preference. Some
philosophers who hold this view are:
● David Hume – “Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which
contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty. One person may even perceive
deformity, where another is sensible of beauty; and every individual ought to acquiesce in his own
sentiment, without pretending to regulate those of others” (Hume 1757, 136).
 ● Immanuel Kant – “The judgment of taste is therefore not a judgment of cognition, and is
consequently not logical but aesthetical, by which we understand that whose determining ground
can be no other than subjective” (Kant 1790, section).
● Francis Hutcheson – “The perception of beauty does depend on the external sense of sight;
however, the internal sense of beauty operates as an internal or reflex sense. The same is the case
with hearing: hearing music does not necessarily give the perception of harmony as it is distinct
from the hearing” (Inquiry I. I. X.).

WHAT DID PSYCHOLOGY DISCOVER ABOUT BEAUTY?

Research found that a person who is perceived as attractive makes more money than a person of below-
average looks. In politics, voters who are not actively engaged in social and political issues choose candidates
based on “looks” 90% of the time.

These study results can be attributed to a cognitive bias called the “halo effect.” A cognitive bias is an
error in reasoning, evaluating, remembering, or any other mental process that is often a result of holding on to
one’s preferences and beliefs regardless of contrary information. The halo effect (also known as the physical
attractiveness stereotype and the “what is beautiful is good” principle) refers to the tendency of people to rate
attractive individuals more favorably for their personality traits or characteristics as compared to those who are
less attractive.

Meanwhile, evolutionary psychology found that faces hold certain fundamental and important
characteristics that could indicate a person’s quality as a romantic partner and as a mate. Among the most
important and consistent factors in facial attractiveness are structural qualities of the face. These structural
qualities are also sex-typical. For example, in the eyes of the female experimental participants, an attractive man is
generally one with relatively prominent cheekbones and eyebrow ridges and a relatively long lower face.
Meanwhile, male raters generally found women to be attractive with prominent cheekbones, large eyes, small
nose, a taller forehead, smooth skin, and an overall young or even childlike appearance.

Our hormones sculpt our faces. These sex-typical facial features of adult men and women are the result of
the testosterone to estrogen ratio or estrogen to testosterone, respectively, acting on the individual during
development. We are programmed to be drawn to strong indicators of maleness (for women) and femaleness (for
men) partly because they reflect an individual’s health (Fink & Penton-Voak, 2002).

HOW CULTURAL TRADITIONS SHAPE BODY IMAGE

Culture has a significant impact on how a person feels about himself or herself, as well as his or her body
image. Cultural traditions can either be a positive or a negative influence on body image and on self-esteem. Body
image is generally defined as how one thinks and feels toward one’s body (Yam, 2013; Cash & Smolak, 2011).

People see cultural group membership as an integral part of who they are. Hence, they are more likely to
engage in events and behaviors that are related to their culture – choose friends, media, and even marital partners
from their culture (Yam, 2013; Yeh & Huang, 1996). When “culture” is experienced as a personally meaningful
activity, it is difficult for a person to resist the conscious and unconscious ways that culture influences a person’s
life.
For example, ideal standards of body sizes are culturally specific. Since the 1960’s, ideal body sizes for
American women have emphasized thinness (Yam, 2013; Fallon, 1990; Wiseman, Gray, Mosimann, & Ahrens,
1992). The Philippines is undoubtedly influenced by Western culture, particularly American culture; a culture that
generally tends to hyper-focus on dieting and body appearance. Digitally retouched photos are the norm, and this
mentality can negatively influence a person’s body image. A study reported that young Filipino women were
dissatisfied with their bodies that possibly stemmed from unreasonable weight concerns and extreme drive for
thinness (Torres, 2012).

DOES YOUR BODY IMAGE HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOUR SELF-ESTEEM?

The term self-esteem was coined by William James in 1800. James presented self-esteem as the number of
successes a person achieves in the domains of life that are important to him or her, divided by the number of
failures that occurred in those areas (The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science, 2002). In
the 1960s, behavioral scientists defined self-esteem in terms of an attitude concerning one’s worth as a person
(Rosenberg, 1965). Self-esteem is important because it can affect your mental health as well as how you behave.
 Body image is how you view your physical body, whether you feel you are attractive, and how you feel
some other people like your looks. For many people (especially teenagers) body image is closely linked to self-
esteem.

If you have a positive body image, you probably like and accept yourself the way you are, even if you do
not fit the popular notion of “beautiful” or “handsome”. This healthy attitude allows you to explore some other
aspects of growing up, such as developing good friendships, becoming more independent from your parents, and
challenging yourself physically and mentally. Developing these parts of yourself can help boost your self-esteem.

HOW IMPORTANT IS PHYSICAL BEAUTY?

Physical beauty is extremely important. You must also understand that you need to know the correct
definition of physical beauty so that your self-esteem will not suffer. The dictionary’s definition of beauty is, “the
degree to which a person’s physical traits are considered pleasing or beautiful.” Take note that the definition did
not indicate “who” determines what type of physical traits is attractive and unattractive. Why? Because even
though physical beauty is extremely important, the good news is that physical beauty standards differ from one
person to another.

A self-image problem happens when your looks do not match your beauty standards. For example, if you
believe that being thin is sexy and attractive, yet you are not thin then you might believe you are unattractive.

The problem here is with your own beauty standards and not with your looks. To have a positive self-
image and a higher self-esteem you must fix your false beliefs about physical attractiveness first.

APPLICATION

Instructions 1: Match the descriptions in column A with the concepts/theorists in column B. Write only the letter
of your choice before each number.

COLUMN A
________ 1. It is an error in reasoning, evaluating, or remembering.
________ 2. It is about how you value yourself.
________ 3. It is generally defined as how one thinks and feels toward one’s body.
________ 4. This philosopher states that, “Beauty exists merely in the mind…”
________ 5. He asserted that forms of beauty are order, symmetry, and definiteness that can be demonstrated by
mathematical sciences.

COLUMN B
A. Aristotle
B. Body image
C. Cognitive bias
D. Hume
E. Kant
F. Self-esteem

Instructions 2: Essay. Answer as honestly as you can.

1. How do you personally define beauty?

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2. Do you think you are “beautiful”? What are your bases why you consider yourself as beautiful?

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RUBRIC FOR MAKING A SHORT ESSAY

Advance (5) Developing (3) Emerging (1) Score

Exceptionally well- Well-presented and Content is sound and

presented and argued; ideas are solid; ideas are present
Content argued; ideas are detailed, developed and but not particularly
detailed, well- supported with developed or supported;
developed. evidence and details, some evidence, but
mostly specific. usually of a generalized
nature.

Organization is Organization is Organization is confused

coherent, unified coherent and unified and fragmented in
Organization and effective in overall in support of the support of the essay’s
support of the paper’s purpose/ plan, purpose/ plan and
paper’s purpose but is ineffective at demonstrates a lack of
times and may structure or coherence
demonstrate abrupt or that negatively affects
weak transitions readability.
between ideas or
paragraphs.

Shows a pattern of errors

in spelling, grammar,
Mechanics Excellent grammar, A few errors in
and syntax. Could also
spelling, and syntax. grammar, spelling, and
be a sign of lack of
syntax but not many.
proof-reading.

PROCESS OF SUBMISSION:

1. The module after completion of answers must be submitted at the google classroom code of your course subject.
2. Filename of the submitted module must be in a (LAST NAME, FIRST NAME) format.
3. Deadline of submission is on November 18, 2020.