Chapter 1 Defining The Self: Personal and Developmental Perspectives On Self and Identity

CHAPTER 1 DEFINING THE SELF: PERSONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL
PERSPECTIVES ON SELF AND IDENTITY
LESSON 1: THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Explain why it is essential to understand the self;

2. Describe and discuss the different notions of the self from points-of-view of the various philosophers across
time and place;
3. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented in different philosophical schools; and
4. Examine one’s self against the different views of the self that were discussed in class.
INTRODUCTION
Before we even had to be in any formal institution of learning, among the many things that we first
taught as kids is to articulate and write our names. Growing up, we were told to refer back to this name when
talking about ourselves. Our parents painstakingly thought about our names. Should we be named after a famous
celebrity, a respected politician or historical personality, or even a saint? Were you named after one? Our names
represent who we are. It has not been a custom to just randomly pick a combination of letters and numbers to
symbolize our being. Human beings attach names that are meaningful to birthed progenies because names are
supposed to designate us in the world. Thus, some people get baptized with names such as “precious”, “beauty”,
or “lovely”. Likewise, when our parents call our names, we were taught to respond to them because our names
represent who we are. As a student, we are told to always write our names on our papers, projects, or any output
for that matter. Our names signify us. Death cannot even stop this bond between the person and her name,
names are inscribed even into one’s gravestone.
A name is not the person itself no matter how intimately bound it is with the bearer. It is only a
signifier. A person who was named after a saint most probably will not become an actual saint. He may not even
turn out to be saintly. The self is thought to be something else than the name. The self is something that a person
perennially molds, shapes, and develops. The self is not a static thing that one is simply born with like a mole on
one’s face or is just assigned by one’s parents just like a name. Everyone is tasked to discover one’s self. Have
you truly discovered yours?
ACTIVITY
Do You Truly Know Yourself?
Answer the following questions about yourself as fully and precisely as you can.
1. How would you characterize yourself?

2. What makes you stand out from the rest? What makes yourself special?
3. How has your self-transformed itself?
4. How is yourself connected to your body?
5. How is yourself related to other selves?
ANALYSIS
Were you able to answer the questions above with ease? Why? Which questions did you find easiest to answer?
Which ones are difficult? Why?
QUESTIONS EASY OR DIFFICULT TO WHY?
ANSWER
Can one truly know the self? Do you want to know about self?
ABSTRACTATION
The history of philosophy is replete with men and women who inquired into the fundamental nature of the self.
Along with the question of the primary substratum that defines the multiplicity of things in the world, the
inquiry on the self has preoccupied the earliest thinkers in the history of philosophy: the Greeks. They are the
ones who seriously questioned myths and moved away from them in attempting to understand reality and
respond to perennial questions of curiosity, including the question of the self. The different perspectives and
views on the self can be best seen and understood by revisiting its prime movers and identify the most important
conjectures made by philosophers from the ancient times to the contemporary period.
PHILOSOPHY
 The original meaning of the word philosophy comes from the Greek roots philo meaning "love" and -sophos,
or "wisdom."
 study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially in an academic discipline.
 a particular theory that someone has about how to live or how to deal with a particular situation.
 academic discipline concerned with investigating the nature of significance of ordinary and scientific beliefs -
investigates the legitimacy of concepts by rational argument concerning their implications, relationships as well
as reality, knowledge, moral judgment, etc.
PLATO & SCORATES
Socrates & Plato After a series of thinkers from all across the ancient Greek world who were disturbed by the
same issue, a man came out to question something else. This man was Socrates. Unlike the Presocratic, Socrates
was more concerned with another subject, the problem of the self. He was the first philosopher who ever
engaged in a systematic questioning about the self. To Socrates, and this has become his life-long mission, the
true task of the philosopher is to know oneself. Plato claimed in his dialogs that Socrates affirmed that the
unexamined life is not worth living. During his trial for allegedly corrupting the minds of the youth and for
impiety, Socrates declared without regret that his being indicted was brought about by his going around Athens
engaging men, young and adult, to question their presuppositions about themselves and about the world,
particularly about who they are. Socrates took it upon himself to serve as a “gadfly” that disturbed Athenian
men from their slumber and shook them off in order to reach the truth and wisdom. Most men, in his reckoning,
were really not fully aware of who they were ang the virtues that they were supposed to attain in order to
preserve their souls for the afterlife. Socrates thought that this is the worst that can happen to anyone: to live but
die inside. For Socrates, every man is composed of body and soul. This means that every human person is
dualistic, that is, he is composed of two important aspects of his personhood. For Socrates, this means all
individuals have an imperfect, impermanent aspect to him, and the body, while maintaining that there is also a
soul that is perfect and permanent. Plato, Socrates’s student, basically took off from his master and supported
the idea that man is a dual nature of body and soul.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine’s view of the human person reflects the entire spirit
of the medieval world when it comes to man. Following the ancient
view of Plato and infusing it with the newfound doctrine of
Christianity, Augustine agreed that man is a bifurcated nature. An
aspect of man dwells in the world and is imperfect and
continuously yearns to be with the Divine and the other is capable
of reaching immortality. The body is bound to die on earth and the
soul is to anticipate living eternally in a realm of spiritual bliss in
communion with God. This is because the body can only thrive in the imperfect, physical reality that is
the world, whereas the soul can also stay after death in an eternal realm with the all-transcendent God.
The goal of every human person is to attain this communion and bliss with the Divine by living his life
on earth in virtue.
Rene Descartes
Father of Modern Philosophy, conceived of the human person as having a body and
a mind. In his famous treatise, The Meditations of First Philosophy, he claims that
there is so much that we should doubt. In fact, he says that since much of what we
think and believe are not infallible, they may turn out to be false. One should only
believe that since which can pass the test of doubt. If something is so clear and
lucid as not to be even doubted, then that is the only time when one should actually
buy a proposition. In the end, Descartes thought that the only thing that one cannot
doubt is the existence of the self, for even if one doubts oneself, that only proves
that there is doubting self, a thing that thinks and therefore, that cannot be doubted.
Thus, his famous, cogito ergo sum, “I think therefore I am”. The fact that one
thinks should lead one to conclude without a trace of doubt that he exists. The self
then for Descartes is also a combination of two distinct entities, the cogito, the
thing that thinks, which is the mind, and the extenza or extension of the mind,
which is the body. In Descartes’s view, the body is nothing else but a machine that
is attached to the mind. The human person has it but it is not what makes a man a
man.
David Hume
A Scottish philosopher, has a very unique way of looking at man. As an

empiricist who believes that one can know only what comes from the
senses and experiences, Hume argues that the self is nothing like what his
predecessors thought of it. The self is not an entity over and beyond the
physical body. One can rightly see here the empiricism that runs through
his veins. Empiricism is the school of thought that supports the idea that
knowledge can only be possible if it is sensed and experienced. Men can
only attain knowledge by experiencing
Immanuel Kant
Thinking of the “self” as a mere combination of impressions was

problematic for Immanuel Kant. He recognizes the veracity of Hume’s
account that everything starts with perception and sensation of
impressions. However, Kant thinks that the things that men perceive
around them are not just randomly infused into the human person
without an organizing principle that regulates the relationship of all
these impressions. To Kant, there is necessarily a mind that organizes
the impressions that men get from the external world. Time and space,
for example, are ideas that one cannot find in the world, but is built in
our minds. Kant calls these the apparatuses of the mind.
Gilbert Ryle
He solves the mind-body dichotomy that has been running for a long time in the history of thought by
blatantly denying the concept of an internal, non-physical self. For him, what truly matters is the
behavior that a person manifests in his day-today life. Ryle suggests that the “self” is not an entity one
can locate and analyze but simply the convenient name that people use to refer to all the behaviors that
people make.
APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT
In your own words, state what “self” is for each of the following philosophers. After doing so, explain how your
concept of “self” is compatible with how they conceived of the “self”.
1. SOCRATES
2. PLATO
3. AUGUSTINE
4. DESCARTES
5. HUME
6. KANT
7. RYLE

LESSON 2: THE SELF, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE

Lesson Objectives:
1. Explain the relationship between and among the self, society, and culture;
2. Describe and discuss the different ways by which society and culture shape the self;
3. Compare and contrast how the self can be influenced by the different institutions in the society; and
4. Examine one’s self against the different views of the self that were discussed in class.
INTRODUCTION
Across time and history, the self has been debated, discussed, and fruitfully or otherwise conceptualized by
different thinkers in philosophy. Eventually, with the advent of the social sciences, it became possible for new
ways and paradigms to reexamine the true nature of the self. People put a halt on speculative debates on the
relationship between the body and soul, eventually renamed body and the mind. Thinkers just eventually got
tired of focusing on the longstanding debate in the past sixth century BC between the relationship of these two
components of the human person. Thinkers just settled on the idea that there are two components of the human
person and whatever relationship these two have is less important than the fact that there is a self. The debate
shifted into another locus of discussion. Given the new ways of knowing and the growth of the social sciences,
it became possible for new approaches to the examination of the self to come to the fore. One of the loci, if not
the most important axis of analysis is the relationship between the self and the external world. “
“What is the relationship between external reality and the self?”
In the famous Tarzan story, the little boy named Tarzan was
left in the middle of the forest. Growing up, he never had an interaction
with any other human being but apes and other animals. Tarzan grew up
acting strangely like apes and unlike human persons. Tarzan became an
animal, in effect. His sole interaction with them made him just like one of
them. Disappointedly, human persons will not develop as human persons
without intervention. This story, which was supposed to be based on real
life, challenges the long-standing notion of human persons being special
and being a particular kind of being in the spectrum of living entities. After
all, our selves are not special because of the soul infused into us. We may
be gifted with intellect and the capacity to rationalize things but at the end
of the day, our growth and development and consequentially, our selves
are truly products of our interaction with external reality.
How much of you are essential? How much of you are now a product of
your society, community, and family? Has your choice of school affected yourself now? Had you been born into
a different family and schooled in different college, how much of you are now would change?
ACTIVITY
MY SELF THROUGH THE YEARS
MY ELEMENTARY SELF MY HIGH SCHOOL SELF MY COLLEGE SELF

ANALYSIS
After having examined your “self” in its different stages, fill out the table below:
SIMILARITIES IN ALL STAGES DIFFERENCES IN MY “SELF” POSSIBLE REASONS FOR

OF MY “SELF” ACROSS THE THREE STAGES OF THE DIFFERENCES IN ME
MY LIFE
ABSTRACTATION
What is the Self?
The self, in contemporary literature and even common sense, is commonly defined by the following
characteristics:
SEPARATE
It is meant that the self is distinct from other selves. It is always unique and has its own identity.
Self-contained and Independent
Its distinctness allows it to be self-contained with its own thoughts, characteristics, and volition.
CONSISTENT
Its consistency allows it to be studied, described, and measured.
UNITARY
It is the center of all experiences and thoughts that run through a certain person.
PRIVATE
Each person sorts out information, feelings and emotions, and the thought processes within the self. This whole
process is never accessible to anyone but the self.
The self is isolated from the external world.
Social constructivists argue that the self should not be seen as a static entity that stays constant through
and through. Rather, the self has to be seen as something that is in unceasing flux, in a constant struggle with
external reality and is malleable in its dealings with society. The self is always in participation with social life
and its identity subjected to influences here and there. Having these perspectives considered should draw one
into concluding that the self is truly multifaceted.
Consider a boy named Jon. Jon is a math professor at a Catholic

university for more than a decade now. Jon has a beautiful wife
whom he met in college, Joan. Joan was Jon’s first and last
girlfriend. Apart from being a husband, Jon is also blessed with
two kids, a son and a daughter. He also sometimes serves in the
church too as a lector and a commentator. As a man of different
roles, one expects Jon to change and adjust his behaviors, ways,
and even language depending on his social situation. When Jon
is in the university, he conducts himself in a matter that benefits
his title as a professor. As a husband, Jon can be intimate and
touchy. Joan considers him sweet, something that his students
will never conceive him to be. His kids fear him. As a father,
Jon can be stern. As a lector and commentator, on the other hand, his church mates knew him as a guy who is
calm, all-smiles, and always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.
This short story is not new to most of us. We ourselves play

different roles, act in different ways depending on our circumstances.
Are we being hypocritical in doing so? Are we even conscious of our
shifting selves? According to what we have so far, this is not only
normal but it is also acceptable and expected. The self is capable of
morphing and fitting itself into any circumstances it finds itself in.
THE SELF AND CULTURE
Remaining the same person and turning chameleon by adapting to one’s context seems paradoxical.
However, the French Anthropologist Marcel Mauss has an explanation for this phenomenon. According to
Mauss, every self has two faces: personne and moi. Moi refers to a person’s sense of who he is, his body, and
his biological givenness. Moi is a person’s basic identity. Personne, on the other hand, is composed of the social
concepts of what it means to be who he is. Personne has much to do with what it means to live in a particular
institution, a particular family, a particular religion, a particular nationality, and how to behave given
expectations and influences from others.
In the story above, Jon might have a moi but certainly, he has to shift personne from time to time to
adapt to his social situation. He knows who he is and more or less, he is confident that he is unified, coherent
self. However, at some point, he has to sport his stern professional look. Another day, he has to be the doting but
strict father that he is. Inside his bedroom, he can play goofy with his wife, Joan. In all times and more, Jon
retains who he is, his being Jon -his moi - that part of him that is stable and static all throughout.
This dynamics and capacity for different personne can be illustrated better cross-culturally. An
overseas Filipino worker (OFW) adjusting to life in another country is a very good study. In the Philippines,
many people unabashedly violate jaywalking rules. A common Filipino treats road, even national ones, as
basically his and so he just merely acrosses whenever and wherever. When the same Filipino visits another
country with strict traffic rules, say Singapore, you will notice how suddenly law-abiding the said Filipino
becomes. A lot of Filipinos have anecdotally confirmed this observation.
The same malleability can be seen in how some men easily transform into sweet, docile guys when
trying to woe and court a particular woman and suddenly just change rapidly after hearing a sweet “yes”. This
cannot be considered a conscious change on the part of the guy, or on the part of the law-abiding Filipino in the
first example. The self simply morped according to the circumstances and contexts.
In the Philippines, Filipinos tend to consider their territory as a part of who they
are. This includes considering their immediate surrounding as a part of them, thus
the perennial “tapat ko, linis ko”. Filipinos most probably do not consider national
roads as something external to who they are. It is a part of them and they are part of
it, thus crossing the road whenever and wherever becomes a no-brainer. In another
country, however, the Filipino recognizes that he is in a foreign territory where
nothing technically belongs to him. He has to follow the rules or else he will be
apprehended.
Language is another interesting aspect of this social constructivism. The Filipino language is incredibly
interesting to talk about. The way by which we articulate our love is denoted by the phrase, “Mahal kita”. This,
of course, is the Filipino translation of “I love you”. The Filipino brand of this articulation of love, unlike in
English, does not specify the subject and the object of love; there is no specification of who loves and who is
loved. There is simply a word for love, mahal, and the pronoun kita, which is a second person pronoun that
refers to the speaker and the one being talked to. In the Filipino language, unlike in English, there is no
distinction between the lover and the beloved. They are one.
Interesting too is the word “mahal”. In Filipino, the word can mean both “love” and “expensive”. In
our language, love is intimately bound with value, with being expensive, being precious. Something expensive
is valuable. Someone whom we love is valuable to us. The Sanskrit origin of the word love is “lubh”, which
means desire. Technically, love is a desire. The Filipino word for it has another intonation apart from mere
desire, valuable.
Another interesting facet of our language is its being gender-neutral. In English, Spanish, and other
languages, the distinction is clear between a third person male and third person female pronoun. He and she; el
and elle. In Filipino, it is plain “siya”. There is no specification of gender. Our language does not specify
between male and female. We both call it “siya”.
In these varied examples, we have seen how language has something to do with our culture. It is a
salient part of culture and ultimately, has a tremendous effect in our crafting of the self. This might also be one
of the reasons why cultural divide spells out differences in how one regards oneself. In one research, it was
found that North Americans are more likely to attribute being unique to themselves and claim that they are
better than most people in doing what they love doing. Japanese people, on the other hand, have been seen to
display a degree of modesty. If one finds himself born and reared in a particular culture, one definitely tries to fit
in a particular mold. If a self is born into a particular society or culture, the self will have to adjust according to
its exposure.
THE SELF IN FAMILIES
While every child is born with certain givenness, disposition coming from his parents’ genes and
general condition of life, the impact of one’s family is still deemed as a given in understanding the self. The
kind of family that we are born in, the resources available to us, and the kind of development that we will have
certainly affect us as we go through life. As a matter of evolutionary fact, human persons are one of those beings
whose importance of family cannot be denied. Human beings are born virtually helpless and the dependency
period of a human baby to its parents for nurturing is relatively longer than most other animals. Learning
therefore is critical in our capacity to actualize our potential of becoming humans. In trying to achieve the goal
of becoming a fully realized human, a child enters a system of relationships, most important of which is the
family.
Human persons learn the ways of living and therefore their selfhood by being in a family. It is what a
family initiates a person to become that serves as the basis for this person’s progress. Babies internalize ways
and styles that they observe from their family. By imitating, for example, the language of its primary agents of
rearing its family, babies learn the language. The same is true for ways of behaving. Notice how kids reared in a
respectful environment becomes respectful as well and the converse if raised in a converse family. Internalizing
behavior may either be conscious or unconscious. Table manners or ways of speaking to elders are things that
are possible to teach and therefore, are consciously learned by kids. Some behaviors and attitudes, on the other
hand, may be indirectly taught through rewards and punishments.
Without a family, biologically and sociologically, a person may not even survive or become a human
person. Go back to the Tarzan example. In more ways than one, the survival of Tarzan in the midst of the forest
is already a miracle. His being a fully human person with a sense of selfhood is a different story though. The
usual teleserye plot of kids getting swapped in the hospital and getting reared by a different family gives an
obvious manifestation of the point being made in this section. One is who is because of his family for the most
part.
GENDER AND THE SELF
Another important aspect of the self is gender. Gender is one of

those loci of the self that is subject to alteration, change and
development. We have seen in the past years how people fought
hard for the right to express, validate, and assert their gender
expression. Many conservatives may frown upon this and insist
on the biological. However, from the point-of-view of the social
science and the self, it is important to give one the leeway to find,
express, and live his identity. This forms part of selfhood that one
cannot just dismiss. One maneuvers into the society and identifies himself as who he is by also taking note of
gender identities.
The gendered self is then shaped within a particular context of time and space. The sense of self that is
being taught makes sure that an individual fits in a particular environment. This is dangerous and detrimental in
the goal of truly finding one’s self, self-determination, and growth of the self. Gender has to be personally
discovered and asserted and not dictated by culture and the society.
Answer the following questions cogently but honesty. Write your answers in the space provided.
1. How would you describe yourself?

2. What are the influences of family in your development as an individual?
3. Think of a time when you felt you were your “true self”. What made you think you were truly who you
are during this time of your life?
4. 4. Following the question above, can you provide a time when you felt you were not living your “true
self”? Why did you have to live a life like that? What did you do about it?
5. What social pressures help shape yourself? Would you have wanted it otherwise?
6. What aspects of your self do you think may be changed or you would like to change?

LESSON 3: THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCT

Lesson Objectives:
1. Identify the different ideas in psychology about the “self”;

2. Create your own definition of the “self” based on the definitions from psychology; and
3. Analyze the effects of various factors identified in psychology in the formation of the “self”
INTRODUCTION
As discussed in the previous lessons, every field of study, at least in the social sciences, have their own research,
definition, and conceptualization of self and identity. Some are similar while some specific only in their field.
Each field also has thousands of researches on the self and identity as well as related or synonymous terms. The
trend of the lessons also seems to define the concept of the “self” from a larger context (i.e., culture and society)
down to the individual. However, it must be pointed out that modern researches acknowledge the contributions
of each field and this is not some sort of a nurture vs. nature, society/culture vs. individual/brain, and other
social sciences vs. psychology debate. Psychology may focus on the individual and the cognitive functions, but
it does not discount the context and other possible factors that affect the individual.
For students who take up psychology, discussions on theories, and development, among others actually take at
least one semester and there are still more to be learned about the concept of the “self”. This lesson provides an
overview of the themes of psychology regarding the said concept.
ACTIVITY
“YOU” THROUGH OTHERS’ EYES

This activity has two parts that try to compare how we look at ourselves against how people perceive us
depending on how we present ourselves to them. For the first part, list 10-15 qualities or things that you think
define who you are around the human figure representing you.
For the second part, in the space below, write “I am ____________________________ (your name). Who do
you think I am based on what you see me do or hear me say?” Pass your paper around for 2-3 minutes without
looking who writes on it. As you fill out the paper of your classmates, write briefly and only those that you
observe about the person. Do not use any bad words and do not write your name. After the allotted period, pass
all the paper to your teacher who will distribute them to the respective owners.
ANALYSIS
Compare what you wrote about yourself to those written by your classmates. What aspects are similar and
which are not? What aspects are always true to you? What aspects are sometimes true or circumstantial? What
aspects do you think are not really part of your personality? Write your answers below.
ABSTRACTATION
In confidence or in an attempt to avoid further analytical discussions, a lot of people say, “I am who I
am”. Yet, this statement still begs the question “if you are who you are, then who are you that makes you who
you are?”
As mentioned earlier, there are various definitions of the “self” and other similar or interchangeable
concepts in psychology. Simply put, “self” is “the sense of personal identity and of who we are as individuals”.
William James (1890) was one of the earliest psychologists to study the self and conceptualized the self
as having two aspects - the “I” and “me”. The “I” is the thinking, acting, and feeling self. The “me” on the other
hand, is the physical characteristics as well as the psychological capabilities that makes who you are. Carl
Rogers’s (1959) theory of personality also used the same terms, the “I” as the one who acts and decides while
the “me” is what you think or feel about yourself as an object.
Other concepts similar to self are identity and self-concept. Identity is composed of personal
characteristics, social roles, and responsibilities, as well as affiliations that we define who one is. Self-concept is
what basically comes to your mind when you are asked about who you are. Self, identity, and self-concept are
not fixed in one time frame. For example, when you are asked about who you are, you can say “I was a varsity
player in 5th grade” which pertains to the past, “a college student” which may be present, and “a future
politician” which is the future. They are not also fixed for life nor are they ever-changing at every moment.
Think of a malleable metal, strong and hard but can be bent and molded in other shapes. Think about water. It
can take any shape of the container, but at its core, it is still the same element. Carl Rogers captured this idea in
his concept of self-schema or our organized system or collection of knowledge about who we are. Imagine an
organized list or a diagram similar to the new one below.
The schema is not limited to the example. It may also

HOBBIES
include your interests, work, course, age, name, and physical
characteristics, among others. As you grow and adapt to the
changes around you, they also change. But they are not
FAMILY
SEL RELIGIO
passive receivers, they actively shape and affect how you see,
F N
think, and feel about things (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg;

Jhangiani and Tarry 2014).
NATIONA
LITY
For example, when someone states your first name
even if they are not talking about you, your attention is drawn
to them. If you have a provincial language and you hear someone using it, it catches your attention. If you
consider yourself a book-lover, a bookstore may always entice you out of all the stores in a mall.
Theories generally see the self and identity as mental constructs, created and recreated in memory
(Oyserman, Elmore, and Smith 2012). Current researches point to the frontal lobe of the brain as the specific
area in the brain associated with the processes concerning the self (Oyserman, Elmore, and Smith 2012).
Several psychologists, especially during the field’s earlier development. Followed this trend of thought,
looking deeper into the mind of the person to theorize about the self, identity, selfconcept, and in turn, one’s
personality. The most influencial of them is Sigmund Freud. Basically, Freud saw the self, its mental processes,
and one’s behavior as the results of the interaction between the Id, the Ego, and the Superego.
However, as mentioned earlier, one cannot fully discount the effects of society and culture on the
formation of the self, identity, and self-concept. Even as Freud and other theories and researchers try to
understand the person by digging deeper in the mind, they cannot fully discount the huge and important effects
of the environment. As in the abovementioned definitions of the self, social interaction always has a part to play
in who we think we are. This is not nature vs. nurture but instead a nature-and-nurture perspective.
Under the theory of symbolic interactionism, G.H. Mead (1934) argued that the self is created and
developed through human interaction (Hogg and Vaughan 2010). Basically, there are three reasons why the self
and identity are social products (Oyserman, Elmore, and Smith 2012):
1. We do not create ourselves out of nothing. Society helped in creating the foundations of who we
are and even if we make our choices, we will still operate in our social and historical contexts in
one way or the other. You may, of course, transfer from one culture to another, but parts of who
you were will still affect you and you will also have to adapt to the new social context. Try looking
at your definition of who you are and see where society had affected you.
2. Whether we like to admit it or not, we actually need others to affirm and reinforce who we think
we are. We also need them as reference points about our identity. One interesting example is the
social media interactions we have. In the case of Facebook, there are those who will consciously or
unconsciously try to garner more “likes” and/or positive “reactions” and that can and will reinforce
their self-concept. It is almost like a battle between who got more friends, more views, and
trending topics. If one says he is a good singer but his performance and the evaluation of his
audience says otherwise, that will have an effect on that person’s idea of himself, one way or
another.
3. What we think is important to us may also have been influenced by what is important in our social
or historical context. Education might be an important thing to your self-concept because you grew
up in a family that valued education. Money might be important to some because they have grown
in a low-income family and realized how important money is in addressing certain needs like
medical emergencies. Being a nurse or a lawyer can be priority in your self-schema because it is
the indemand course during your time.
Social interaction and group affiliation, therefore, are vital factors in creating our self-concept
especially in the aspect of providing us with our social identity or our perception of who we are based on our
membership to certain groups (Jhanggiani and Tarry 2014). It is also inevitable that we can have several social
identities, that those identities can overlap, and that we automatically play the roles as we interact with our
groups. For example, you are a student who is also part of a certain group of friends. You study because it is
your role as a student but you prefer to study with your friends and your study pattern changes when you are
with your friends than when you do it alone.
There are times, however, when we are aware of our self-concepts; this is also called selfawareness.
Carver and Scheier (1981) identified two types of self that we can be aware of: (1) the private self or your
internal standards and private thoughts and feelings, and (2) the public self or your public image commonly
geared toward having a good presentation of yourself to others (Hogg and Vaughan 2010).
Self-awareness also presents us with at least three other self-schema: the actual, ideal, and ought self.
The “actual self” is who you are at the moment, the “ideal self” is who you like to be, and the “ought self” is
who you think you should be.
Self-awareness may be positive or negative depending on the circumstances and our next course action.
Self-awareness can keep you from doing something dangerous; it can help remind you that there is an exam
tomorrow in one of your subjects when you are about to spend time playing computer games with your cousins,
among others. In other instances, self-awareness can be too much that we are concerned about being observed
and criticized by others, also known as self-consciousness. At other times, especially with large crowds, we may
experience deindividuation or “the loss of individual self-awareness and individual accountability in groups”. A
lot of people will attune themselves with the emotions of their group and because the large crowd also provides
some kind of anonymity, we may lessen our self-control and act in ways that we will not do when we are alone.
A common example is a mass demonstration erupting into a riot.
Our group identity and self-awareness also have a great impact on our self-esteem, one of the common
concepts associated with the “self”. It is defined as our own positive or negative perception or evaluation of
ourselves.
One of the ways in which our social relationship affects our self-esteem is through social comparison.
According to the social comparison theory, we learn about ourselves, the appropriateness of our behaviors, as
well as our social status by comparing aspects of ourselves with other people.
The downward social comparison is the more common type of compairing ourselves with others. As
the name implies, we create a positive self-concept by comparing ourselves with those who are worse off than
us. By having the advantage, we can raise our self-esteem. Another comparison is the upward social comparison
which is comparing ourselves with those who are better off than us. While it can be a form of motivation for
some, a lot of those who do this actually felt lower self-esteem as they highlight more of their weakness or
inequities.
Social comparison also entails what is called self-evaluation maintenance theory, which states that we
can feel threatened when someone out-performs us, especially when that person is close to us (i.e., a friend or
family). In this case we usually react in three ways. (1) we distance ourselves from that person or redefine our
relationship with them, (2) we may also reconsider the importance of the aspect or skill in which you were
outperformed, and (3) we may also strengthen our resolve to improve that certain aspect of ourselves. Achieving
your goal through hard work may increase your self-esteem too.
However, in the attempt to increase or maintain self-esteem, some people become narcissistic.
Narcissim is a “trait characterized by overly high self-esteem, self-admiration, and self-awareness”. They are
often charismatic because of how they take care of their image. Taking care of that image includes their
interpersonal relationships thus they will try to look for better partners, better acquaintances, as well as people
who will appreciate them a lot. This makes them a bad romantic partner or friend since they engage in
relationships only to serve themselves.
Sometimes, there is a thin line between high self-esteem and narcissism and there are a lot of tests and
measurements for self-esteem like the Rosenberg scale but the issue is that the result can be affected by the
desire of the person to portray herself in a positive or dangerous way.
People with high self-esteem are commonly described as outgoing, adventurous, and adaptable in a lot
of situations. They also initiate activities and building relationship with people. However, they may also dismiss
other activities that do not conform to their self-concept or boost their self-esteem. They may also be bullies and
experiment on abusive behaviors with drugs, alcohol, and sex.

A. Answer the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale
https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/RSE.php
B. List at least 10 things to boost your self-esteem or improve your self-concept. Explain your
answers.
CHAPTER 2: UNPACKING THE SELF
LESSON 1: THE PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL SELF

Lesson Objectives:
1. Discuss the developmental aspect of the reproductive system;

2. Describe the erogenous zones;
3. Explain human sexual behavior;
4. Characterize the diversity of sexual behavior;
5. Describe sexually transmitted diseases; and
6. Differentiate natural and artificial methods of contraception.
INTRODUCTION
It has been believed that the sex chromosomes of humans define the sex (male or female) and their
secondary characteristics. From childhood, we are controlled by our genetic makeup. It influences the way we
treat ourselves and others. However, there are individuals who do not accept their innate sexual characteristics
and they tend to change their sexual organs through medications and surgery. Aside from our genes, our society
or the external environment helps shape our selves. This lesson helps us better understand ourselves through a
discussion on the development of our sexual characteristics and behavior.
ACTIVITY
Defining Beauty. Complete the sentences below.
1. For me, beauty means…
2. A beautiful person is…
3. I am beautiful because…
4. List down names of people you know who are beautiful…
Fill out the table below by listing the common secondary sexual male and female characteristics.
MALE SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS FEMALE SECONDARY SEXUAL
CHARACTERISTICS
ANALYSIS
1. When do we usually observe the changes listed above for males and females?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Were you able to experience the same changes? When?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. If you were not able to experience the above listed changes, what might have caused such difference?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. How does the society shape the sexual behavior of an individual?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Can we really change our natural or innate sexual organ and sexual response?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACTATION
Puberty is the period of life, generally between the ages of 10 and 15 years old, when the
reproductive organs grow to their adult size and become functional under the influence of rising levels of
gonadal hormones (testosterone in males and estrogen in females). After this time, reproductive capability
continues until old age in males and menopause in females.
The changes that occur during puberty is similar in sequence in all individuals but the age which
they occur differs among individuals. In males, as they reach the age of 13, puberty is characterized by the
increase in the size of the reproductive organs followed by the appearance of hair in the pubic area, axillary, and
face. The reproductive organs continue to grow for two years until sexual maturation marked by the presence of
mature semen in the testes.
In females, the building of their breasts usually occurring at the age of 11 signals their puberty stage.
Menarche is the first menstrual period of females which happens two years after the start of puberty. Hormones
play an important role in the regulation of ovulation and fertility of females.
EROGENOUS ZONES
Erogenous zones refer to parts of the body that are primarily receptive and increase sexual arousal
when touched in a sexual manner. Some of the commonly known erogenous zones are the mouth, breasts,
genitals, and, anus. Erogenous zones may vary from one person to another. Some people may enjoy being
touched in a certain area more than the other areas. Other common areas of the body that can be aroused easily
may include the neck, thighs, abdomen, and feet.
HUMAN SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
Human sexual behavior is defined as any activity solitary between two persons or in a group that
induces sexual arousal (Gebhard, P.H., 2017). There are two major factors that determine human sexual
behavior: the inherited sexual response patterns that have evolved as a means of ensuring reproduction and that
become part of each individual’s genetic inheritance, and the degree of restraint or other types of influence
exerted on the individual by society in the expression of his sexuality.
TYPES OF BEHAVIOR
The various types of human sexual behavior are usually classified according to the gender and the
number of participants. There is solitary behavior involving only one individual, and there is sociosexual
behavior involving more than one person. Sociosexual behavior is generally divided into heterosexual behavior
(male with female) homosexual behavior (male with male or female with female). If three or more individuals
are involved, it is possible to have hetero and homosexual activity simultaneously (Gebhard, P.H., 2017).
1. Solitary Behavior
Self-gratification means self-stimulation that leads to sexual arousal and generally, sexual climax.
Usually, most self-gratification takes place in private as an end in itself. But can also be done in a
sociosexual relationship.
Self-gratification, generally beginning at or before puberty is very common among young males, but
becomes less frequent or is abandoned when sociosexual activity is available. Consequently, self-
gratification is most frequent among the unmarried. There are more males who perform acts of self-
gratification than females. The frequency greatly varies among individuals and it usually decreases as
soon as they develop sociosexual relationships.
Majority of males and females have fantasies of some sociosexual activity while they gratify
themselves. The fantasy frequently involves idealized sexual partners and activities that the individual
has not experienced and even might avoid in real life.
Nowadays, humans are frequently being exposed to sexual stimuli especially from advertising and
social media. Some adolescents become aggressive when they respond to such stimuli. The rate of
teenage pregnancy is increasing in our time. The challenge is to develop self-control in order to balance
suppression and free expression. Adolescents need to control their sexual response in order to prevent
premarital sex and acquire sexually transmitted diseases.
2. Sociosexual Behavior
Heterosexual behavior is the greatest amount of sociosexual behavior that occurs between only one
male and one female. It usually begins in childhood and may be motivated by curiosity, such as
showing or examining genitalia. There is varying degree of sexual impulse and responsiveness among
children. Physical contact involving necking or petting is considered as an ingredient of the learning
process and eventually of courtship and the selection of a marriage partner.
Petting differs from hugging, kissing, and generalized caresses of the clothed body to practice
involving stimulation of the genitals. Petting may be done as an expression of affection and a source of
pleasure, preliminary to coitus. Petting has been regarded by others as a near-universal human
experience and is important not only in selecting the partner but as a way of learning how to interact
with another person sexually.
Coitus, the insertion of the male reproductive structure into the female reproductive organ, is viewed
by society quite differently depending upon the marital status of the individuals. Majority of human
societies allow premarital coitus, at least under certain circumstances. In modern Western society,
premarital coitus is more likely to be tolerated but not encouraged if the individuals intend marriage.
Moreover, in most societies, marital coitus is considered as an obligation. Extramarital coitus involving
wives is generally condemned and, if permitted, is allowed only under exceptional conditions or with
specified persons. Societies are becoming more considerate toward males than females who engaged in
extramarital coitus. This double standard of morality is also evident in premarital life. Postmarital
coitus (i.e., coitus by separated, divorced or widowed persons) is almost always ignored. There is a
difficulty in enforcing abstinence among sexually experienced and usually older people for societies
that try to confine coitus in married couples.
A behavior may be interpreted by society or the individual as erotic (i.e., capable of engendering
sexual response) depending on the context in which the behavior occurs. For instance, a kiss may be
interpreted as a gesture of expression or intimacy between couples while others may interpret is as a
form of respect or reverence, like when kissing the hand of an elder or someone in authority.
Examination and touching someone’s genitalia is not interpreted as a sexual act especially when done
for medical purposes. Consequently, the apparent motivation of the behavior greatly determines its
interpretation.
PHYSIOLOGY OF HUMAN
Sexual Response follows a pattern of sequential stages or phases when sexual activity is continued.
1. Excited phase – it is caused by increase in pulse and blood pressure; a sudden rise in blood supply to
the surface of the body resulting in increased skin temperature, flushing, and swelling of all distensible
body parts (particularly noticeable in the male reproductive structure and female breasts), more rapid
breathing, the secretion of genital fluids, vaginal expansion, and a general increase in muscle tension.
These symptoms of arousal eventually increase to a near maximal physiological level that leads to the
next stage.
2. Plateau phase – it is generally of brief duration. If stimulation is continued, orgasm usually occurs.
3. Sexual climax – it is marked by a feeling of abrupt, intense pleasure, a rapid increase in pulse rate and
blood pressure, and spasms of the pelvic muscles causing contractions of the female reproductive organ
and ejaculation by the male. It is also characterized by involuntary vocalizations. Sexual climax may
last for a few seconds (normally not over ten), after which the individual enters the resolution phase.
4. Resolution phase – it is the last stage that refers to the return to a normal or subnormal physiologic
state. Males and females are similar in their response sequence. Whereas males return to normal even if
stimulation continues, but continued stimulation can produce additional orgasms in females. Females
are physically capable of repeated orgasms without the intervening “rest period” required by males.
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections transmitted from an

infected person to an uninfected person through sexual contact. STDs can be
caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. STDs are a significant global health priority because of their
overwhelming impact on women and infants and their inter-relationships with HIV and AIDS. STDs and HIV
are associated with biological interactions because both infections may occur in the same populations. Infection
with certain STDs can increase the risk of getting and transmitting HIV as well as modify the way the diseases
develop. Moreover, STDs can lead to long-term health problems, usually in women and infants. Aside from
HIV and AIDS, there are other sexually transmitted diseases in humans. The following list of diseases is based
on Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2016 of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1. CHLAMYDIA
Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. It
affects mostly young women, but it can occur in both men and women and in all age groups. It's not
difficult to treat, but if left untreated it can lead to more serious health problems.
CAUSES
The Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium is most commonly spread through vaginal, oral and anal sex.
It's also possible for pregnant women to spread chlamydia to their children during delivery, causing
pneumonia or a serious eye infection in the newborns.
RISK FACTORS
FACTORS THAT INCREASE YOUR RISK OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS INCLUDE:
 Being sexually active before age 25
 Having multiple sex partners
 Not using a condom consistently
 History of sexually transmitted infection
2. Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is an infection caused by a sexually
transmitted bacterium that infects both males and
females. Gonorrhea most often affects the urethra,
rectum or throat. In females, gonorrhea can also infect
the cervix. It is most commonly spread during vaginal,
oral or anal sex. But babies of infected mothers can be
infected during childbirth. In babies, gonorrhea most
commonly affects the eyes.
CAUSES
Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The gonorrhea bacteria are most often
passed from one person to another during sexual contact, including oral, anal or vaginal intercourse.
RISK FACTORS
Sexually active women younger than 25 and men who have sex with men are at increased risk of
getting gonorrhea.
OTHER FACTORS THAT CAN INCREASE YOUR RISK INCLUDE:

 Having a new sex partner
 Having a sex partner who has other partners
 Having more than one sex partner
 Having had gonorrhea or another sexually transmitted infection
3. Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection usually spread by sexual contact. The disease starts as a painless sore
- typically on your genitals, rectum or mouth. Syphilis spreads from person to person via skin or
mucous membrane contact with these sores. After the initial infection, the syphilis bacteria can remain
inactive (dormant) in your body for decades before becoming active again. Early syphilis can be cured,
sometimes with a single shot (injection) of penicillin. Without treatment, syphilis can severely damage
your heart, brain or other organs, and can be life-threatening. Syphilis can also be passed from mothers
to unborn children.
Causes
The cause of syphilis is a bacterium called Treponema pallidum. The most common route of
transmission is through contact with an infected person's sore during sexual activity. The bacteria enter
your body through minor cuts or abrasions in your skin or mucous membranes. Syphilis is contagious
during its primary and secondary stages, and sometimes in the early latent period.
Less commonly, syphilis may spread through direct unprotected close contact with an active lesion
(such as during kissing) or through infected mothers to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth
(congenital syphilis).
Syphilis can't be spread by using the same toilet, bathtub, clothing or eating utensils, or from
doorknobs, swimming pools or hot tubs. Once cured, syphilis doesn't recur on its own. However, you
can become reinfected if you have contact with someone's syphilis sore.
RISK FACTORS
You face an increased risk of acquiring syphilis if you:
 Engage in unprotected sex

 Have sex with multiple partners
 Are a man who has sex with men
 Are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS
4. CHANCROID
Chancroid is a bacterial infection that causes open sores on or around the genitals of men and
women. It’s a type of sexually transmitted disease (STD), which means it’s transmitted through sexual
contact.
RISK FACTORS
The number one risk factor for contracting chancroid is through contact with the open sores of a
person who has chancroid.
ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS FOR CONTRACTING CHANCROID INCLUDE:

 Unprotected sexual contact or intercourse
 Multiple sexual partners
 Sexual contact or intercourse with a sex worker
 Substance abuse
 Rough intercourse
 Anal intercourse
 Being sexually active
5. Pubic Lice/Crab Lice
Pubic lice, commonly called crabs, are tiny
insects found in your genital area. They are a
different type of louse from head lice and body
lice. Measuring 1/16 inch (1.6 millimeters) or
less, pubic lice received their nickname because
their bodies resemble tiny crabs.
The most common way to acquire pubic lice is

through sexual intercourse. In children, pubic
lice may be found in their eyebrows or eyelashes
and can be a sign of sexual abuse. However, it
may be possible to catch pubic lice after sharing clothing, bed linens or towels with an infected person.
Pubic lice feed on your blood, and their bites can cause severe itching. Treatment includes applying
over-the-counter creams and lotions that kill the parasites and their eggs.
CAUSES
Pubic lice are most commonly transmitted during sexual activity. You may also acquire pubic lice
from contaminated sheets, blankets, towels or clothes.
RISK FACTORS
People who have other sexually transmitted infections are more likely to also have pubic lice.
NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION
 Natural Method The natural family planning methods do not involve any chemical or foreign body
introduction into the human body. People who are very conscious of their religious beliefs are more
inclined to use the natural way of birth control and others follow such natural methods because they are
more cost-effective (www.nurselabs.com, 2016).
A. Abstinence. This natural method involves refraining from sexual intercourse and is the most
effective natural birth control method with ideally 0% fail rate. It is considered to be the most
effective way to avoid STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections). However, most people find it
difficult to comply with abstinence, so only a few uses this method.
B. Calendar Method. This method is also called as the rhythm method. It entails withholding
from coitus during the days that the woman is fertile. The woman needs to record her menstrual
cycle for six months in order to calculate the woman’s safe days to prevent conception.
C. Basal Body Temperature (BBT). The basal body temperature method - a fertility awareness-
based method - is a type of natural family planning. Your basal body temperature is your
temperature when you're fully at rest. Ovulation may cause a slight increase in basal body
temperature.
D. Cervical Mucus Method. The cervical mucus method, also called the Billings
Ovulation Method, is a type of natural family planning also known as fertility awareness-based
methods. The cervical mucus method is based on careful observation of mucus patterns during the
course of your menstrual cycle.
E. Withdrawal Method (Coitus Interruptus). The withdrawal method of contraception (coitus
interruptus) is the practice of withdrawing the penis from the vagina and away from a woman's
external genitals before ejaculation to prevent pregnancy. The goal of the withdrawal method -
also called "pulling out" - is to prevent sperm from entering the vagina.
Artificial Methods
A. ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES. The Pill is a tablet you take once a day - there are a few different types
of pills. The combined pill contains estrogen and progestin, which stop the ovaries from releasing eggs.
It also thickens the cervical mucus, which keeps the sperm from getting to the egg. The so-called mini
pill contains only one hormone, a progestin, which offers an alternative to those affected by the
hormone estrogen.
B. VAGINAL RING. A vaginal ring is a contraceptive ring which sits inside the vagina. It contains two
hormones, estrogen and progestogen and stops ovaries from releasing an egg each month. It is inserted
for 3 out of 4 weeks each month or it can be used continuously.
C. CERVICAL CAP. The cervical cap is a birth control (contraceptive) device that prevents sperm from
entering the uterus. The cervical cap is a reusable, deep silicone cup that is inserted into the vagina and
fits tightly over the cervix. The cervical cap is held in place by suction and has a strap to help with
removal. The cervical cap is effective at preventing pregnancy only when used with spermicide.
D. CONDOMS. Condoms are thin pouches that keep sperm from getting into the vagina. There are male
condoms and female condoms: A male condom is worn on the penis. It is usually made of latex, a type
of rubber. But some are made of materials that are safe for people with latex allergies, such as
polyurethane or polyisoprene. A female condom is inserted into the vagina. It has a flexible ring at
either end. One end is closed and goes into the vagina; the other end is open and the ring sits outside
the opening of the vagina.
E. Surgical Methods
E.1. Vasectomy. Vasectomy is a form of male birth control that cuts the supply of sperm to your
semen. It's done by cutting and sealing the tubes that carry sperm. Vasectomy has a low risk of
problems and can usually be performed in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. Vasectomy
offers no protection from sexually transmitted infections.
E.2. Tubal Ligation. Tubal ligation - also known as having your tubes tied or tubal sterilization - is a
type of permanent birth control. During tubal ligation, the fallopian tubes are cut, tied or blocked to
permanently prevent pregnancy.
1. Creative Work. Propose a program in school or community that will raise the awareness of the
students and to help eliminate sexually transmitted diseases especially among the youth.
2. Agree or Disagree. Are you in favor of legalizing marriage among homosexuals and transgenders?
Why?
LESSON 2: TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY? THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Lesson Objectives:

1. Explain the association of self and possessions;
2. Identify the role of consumer culture to self and identity; and
3. Appraise one’s self based on the description of material self.
INTRODUCTION
We are living in a world of sale and shopping spree. We are given a wide array of products to purchase from a
single set of spoon and fork to owning a restaurant. Almost everywhere, including the digital space, we can find
promotions of product purchase. Product advertisements are suggestive of making us feel better or look good.
Part of us wants to have that product. What makes us want to have those products are connected with who we
are. What we want to have and already possess is related to our self.
Belk (1998) stated that “we regard our possessions as parts of our selves. We are what we have and what we
possess.” There is a direct link between self-identity with what we have and possess. Our wanting to have and
possess has a connection with another aspect of the self, the material self.
ACTIVITY
DEBIT CARD CHALLENGE

A very wealthy person gave you a debit card and told you to use it as much as you want to make
yourself happy. What are you going to do with it? Make a list of what you want to have. Write as many
as you want.
ANALYSIS
Answer the following questions:
1. How do you feel as you do the Debit Card Challenge?
2. Which among the items in your list you like the most? Why?
3. If ever you were given the chance in real life to have one among the list, which would you choose?
Why?
4. Does your choice different from what you answer in question number 2? Why or why not?
ABSTRACTATION
A Harvard psychologist in the late nineteenth century, William James wrote in his book “The
Principles of Psychology” in 1980 that understanding the self can be examined through its different components.
He described these components as: (1) its constituents; (2) the feelings and emotions they arouse – self-feeling;
(3) the actions to which they prompt – self-seeking and self-preservation. The constituents of self are composed
of the material self, the social self, the spiritual self and the pure ego.
The material self, according to James primarily is about our bodies, clothes, immediate family, and
home. We are deeply affected by these things because we have put much investment of our self to them.
The innermost part of our material self is our body. Intentionally, we are investing in our body. We
directly attached to this commodity that we cannot live without. We strive hard to make sure that this body
functions well and good. Any ailment or disorder directly affects us. We do have certain preferential attachment
on intimate closeness to certain body parts because of its value to us.
There were people who get their certain body parts insured. Celebrities like Mariah Carey who was
reported to have placed a huge amount for the insurance of her vocal cords and legs (Sukman, 2016).
Next to our body are the clothes we use. Influenced by the “Philosophy of Dress” by Herman Lotze,
James believed that clothing is an essential part of the material self. The fabric and style of the clothes we wear
bring sensations to the body to which directly affect our attitudes and behavior. Thus, clothes are placed in the
second hierarchy of material self. Clothing is a form of self-expression. We choose and wear clothes that reflect
our self (Watson, 2014).
Third in the hierarchy is our immediate family. Our parents and siblings hold another great important
part of our self. What they do or become affects us. When an immediate family dies, part of our self-dies, too.
When their lives are in success, we feel their victories as if we are the one holding the trophy. In their failures,
we are put to shame or guilt. When they are in disadvantage situation, there is an urgent urge to help like a
voluntary instinct of saving one’s self from danger. We place huge investment in our immediate family when we
see them as nearest replica of our self.
The fourth component of material self is our home. Home is where our heart is. It is the earliest nest of
our selfhood. Our experiences inside the home were recorded and marked on particular parts and things in our
home. There was on cliché about rooms: “if only walls can speak.” The home thus is an extension of self,
because in it, we can directly connect our self.
Having investment of self to things, made us attached to those things. The more investment of self-
given to the particular thing, the more we identify ourselves to it. We also tended to collect and possess
properties. The collections in different degree of investment of self, becomes part of the self. As James (1980)
described self: “a man’s self is the sum total of all what he CAN call his.” Possessions then become a part or an
extension of the self.
WE ARE WHAT WE HAVE
Russel Belk (1988) posits that “…we regard our possessions as part of ourselves. We are what we have
and what we possess.” The identification of the self to things started in our infancy stage when we make a
distinction among self and environment and others who may desire our possessions. As we grow older, putting
the importance to material possession decreases. However, material possession gains higher value in our
lifetime if we use material possession to find happiness, associate these things with significant events,
accomplishments, and people in our lives. There are even times, when material possession of a person that is
closely identified to the person, gains acknowledgement with high regard even if the person already passed
away. Examples of these are the chair in the dining room on which the person is always seated, the chair will be
the constant reminder of the person seated there; a well-loved and kept vehicle of the person, which some of the
bereaved family members have a difficulty to sell or let go of because that vehicle is very much identified with
the owner who passed away; the favorite pet or book, among others that the owner placed a high value, these
favorite things are symbols of the owner.
The possessions that we dearly have tell something about who we are, our self-concept, our past, and
even our future.
Debit Card Challenge List
1. Go back to your Debit Card Challenge List. Put a mark on the left side of each item with the
following categories:
B - if the item is related with your body
C - if the item is related with clothes
F - if the item is related or intended to your family
H - if the item is related with home
2. Answer the following questions:
Which among the categories you have the most in your list?
What do you think these things tell you about yourself?
3. Make a reflection paper about material self.
Collage Making.
Create a collage of your treasured possessions including your current clothing style. You may use
symbols or pictures of your treasured possessions. Put a short note, why you treasure each item.
LESSON 3: SUPERNATURALS: BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
Lesson Objectives:
1. Identify various religious practices and beliefs;

2. Understand the self in relation with religious beliefs; and
3. Explain ways of finding the meaning of life.
INTRODUCTION
Spiritual self is one of the four constituents of the “self” according to William James in his book,
The Principles of Psychology in 1980. The spiritual self is the most intimate, inner subjective part of the self. It
is the most intimate version of the self because of the satisfaction experienced when thinking of one’s ability to
argue and discriminate of one’s moral sensibility and conscience, and of our unconquerable will (James 1980) is
purer than all other sentiments of satisfaction (Green 1997). The ability to use moral sensibility and conscience
may be seen through the expressions of religion, its beliefs and practices. In the same manner, cultural rituals
and ceremonies are some manifestations what people believe in. Moreover, seeking the meaning of life is a
journey that the spiritual self is on.
ACTIVITY
Art Recall
Recall: When was the first time you realized that there is a higher being than yourself? How old were you then?
What made you believe that there is a higher being?
Draw: Make a poster about the instance or situation that made you believe in the existence of higher being.
Show: Have a classroom Gallery Walk showcasing the posters you and your classmates have made. Observe
similarities and differences in each other’s experiences, expressed in the artworks. Initiate discussions about
beliefs on higher being based on the showcased posters.
ANALYSIS
Buzz Group Sharing In groups of three or five, answer the following questions:
1. From the posters you see, what commonalities and differences did you observe?
2. How these experiences affect your belief on higher being?
Big Group Sharing

1. Share the summary of your discussion from the buzz group.
2. Discuss the following questions:
How is the belief on higher being related to yourself?

Do you consider having a spiritual self? Why? Or Why not?
ABSTRACTION
Religion - Rebecca Stein defined religion as a set of cultural beliefs and practices that usually includes some or
all the basic characteristics. These characteristics are:
1. A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being: Spirits and Gods.

2. A focus on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling of reverence and awe.
3. The presence of supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural beings as well as physical beings
and objects.
4. The performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of sacred object to communicate to
supernatural beings.
5. The articulation of worldview and moral codes through narratives and other means
6. Provide the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanism of social control within the community:
provide explanation for unknown and a sense of control for individuals.
An individual lives in a society where there are many practices of religion. The choice of religious
belief lies within the spiritual self. Although the choice maybe influenced by the society and its culture.
RITUAL - Ritual is the performance of ceremonial acts prescribed by a tradition or sacred law (Britannica
2017). Ritual is a specific, observable mode of behavior exhibited by all known societies. It is thus possible to
view ritual as a way of defining or describing humans.
There are three fundamental characteristics of rituals according to Penner (Britannica 2017). Ritual
has the characteristics of:
1. A feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in relation to the sacred.

2. Dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the language of myth.
3. Is symbolic in relation to its reference.
The self can be described as a ritual being who exhibits a striking parallel between their ritual and
verbal behavior. Just as language is a system of symbols that is based upon arbitrary rules, ritual may be viewed
as a system of symbolic acts that is based upon arbitrary rules. Participation to rituals is expressions of religious
beliefs.
SOME WORLD RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

There are different religions with different beliefs and practices. Some of the major world religions
are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.
A. BUDDHISM
Beliefs Buddhism believes that life is not a bed of roses.
Instead, there are suffering, pain, and frustrations. When
people suffer, they want to experience the goodness of life
and avoid disappointments. It becomes a habit known as the
reactive cycle of wanting and hating, like and dislike, and
craving and hatred. This reactive cycle can be broken through
the practice of meditation, acquiring more wisdom and deeper
understanding, and acceptance of things they are.
CUSTOMS AND PRACTICES
Two types of meditation practices:

1. Samantha is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving-kindness (Metta Bhavana).
2. Vipassana practices aim at developing insight into reality.
3. Acquiring wisdom is by studying Buddha’s teaching, the Dharma. Through the reflection of Dharma,
Buddhists can achieve a deeper understanding of life. Buddhists believe in non-violence principle.
The eightfold path, although referred to as steps on a path, is not meant as a sequential learning
process, but as eight aspects of life, all of which are to be integrated in everyday life. Thus, the environment is
created to move closer to the Buddhist path.
The eightfold path is at the heart of the middle way, which turns from extremes, and encourages us
to seek the simple approach.
The eightfold path is Right Understanding, Right Intent, Right Speech, Right Action, Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
No doubt all of you are aware of the moral codes in other religious groups such as Christianity, the
Jews, and Muslims. While there is a degree of correspondence across these groups, the interpretation of the code
in each philosophy is different. In the example of the Ten Commandments, there is an authoritarian feeling of
decree, of a direct order that these be fulfilled.
In Buddhism, the eightfold path is meant as a guideline, to be considered, to be contemplated, and to

be taken on when, and only when each step is fully accepted as part of the life you seek. Buddhism never asks
for blind faith; it seeks to promote learning and a process of self-discovery.
The meaning of Right has several aspects, and includes an ethical, and a balanced, or middle way.
When things go "right", we often experience a special feeling inside which confirms that this is the correct
decision or action. The meaning of Right has several aspects, and includes an ethical, and a balanced, or middle
way. When things go "right", we often experience a special feeling inside which confirms that this is the correct
decision or action. The meaning of Right has several aspects, and includes an ethical, and a balanced, or middle
way. When things go "right", we often experience a special feeling inside which confirms that this is the correct
decision or action.
1. Right Understanding. The first step of the eightfold path is Right Understanding or Right View. This is a
significant step on the path as it relates to seeing the world and everything in it as it really is, not as we believe it
to be or want it to be. Just as you may read the directions on a map, and then make the journey, studying,
reading and examining the information is important, but only the preparation for the journey. At a deeper level,
direct personal experience will then lead us to Right Understanding. Knowing reality is of very little value if we
don’t put it to personal use in our lives.
2. Right Intent. The second step on the Eightfold Path is Right Intent. This is the step where we become
committed to the path. Right Understanding shows us what life really is and what life’s problems are composed
of, Right Intent urges us to decide what our heart wants. Right Intent must come from the heart and involves
recognizing the equality of all life and compassion for all that life, beginning with yourself.
3. Right Speech. Right Speech is the next step of the Path. We tend to underestimate the power of the spoken
word, and often regret words said in haste. Each of us has experienced the disappointment associated with harsh
criticism, whether justified or not, and we also are likely to have felt good when kind words encouraged us.
Right speech involves recognition of the truth, and also an awareness of the impact of idle gossip and of
repeating rumors. Communicating thoughtfully helps to unite others, and can heal dissention. By resolving
never to speak unkindly, or in anger, a spirit of consideration evolves which moves us closer to everyday
compassionate living.
4. Right Action. Right Action recognizes the need to take the ethical approach in life, to consider others and the
world we live in. This includes not taking what is not given to us, and having respect for the agreements we
make both in our private and business lives. Right Action also encompasses the five precepts which were given
by the Buddha, not to kill, steal, and lie, to avoid sexual misconduct, and not to take drugs or other intoxicants.
This step on the path also includes a whole approach to the environment, with Right Action being taken
whenever possible to safeguard the world for future generations.
5. Right Livelihood. The next on the Eightfold Path follows on from Right Action, and this is Right Livelihood.
If your work has a lack of respect for life, then it will be a barrier to progress on the spiritual path. Buddhism
promotes the principle of equality of all living beings and respect for all life.
6. Right Effort. Right Effort means cultivating an enthusiasm, a positive attitude in a balanced way. Like the
strings of a musical instrument, the amount of effort should not be too tense or too impatient, as well as not too
slack or too laid back. Right Effort should produce an attitude of steady and cheerful determination. In order to
produce Right Effort, clear and honest thoughts should be welcomed, and feelings of jealousy and anger left
behind. Right Effort equates to positive thinking, followed by focused action.
7. Right Mindfulness. While Right Effort is a very easy concept for most of us, Right Mindfulness is somewhat
trickier to grasp, and may involve quite a change of thinking. Right Mindfulness means being aware of the
moment, and being focused in that moment. When we travel somewhere, we are hearing noises, seeing
buildings, trees, advertising, feeling the movement, thinking of those we left behind, thinking of our destination.
So, it is with most moments of our lives.
8. Right Concentration. Once the mind is uncluttered, it may then be concentrated to achieve whatever is
desired. Right Concentration is turning the mind to focus on an object, such as a flower, or a lit candle, or a
concept such as loving compassion. This forms the next part of the meditation process. The benefits of Right
Mindfulness and Right Concentration are significant as they teach the mind to see things, not as we are
conditioned to seeing them, but as they really are. At the same time, they also lead to a feeling of calm and
peace with the world. By being in the moment and being able to concentrate effectively, a sense of joy in the
moment is felt. Release from the control of past pains and future mind games takes us closer to freedom from
suffering.
SOME OF THE MAJOR BUDDHIST’S CELEBRATIONS ARE:
• Paninirvana Day (February) - Nirvana Day is an annual Buddhist festival that remembers the death of the
Buddha when he reached Nirvana at the age of 80.
• Buddha Day “Wesak” (May) - It is sometimes referred to as Buddha's Birthday, Buddha Day or Buddha
Purnima.
• Dharma Day (July) - This is one of Buddhism's most important festivals, celebrating the Buddha's first sermon
in which he revealed the key things he learned when he attained enlightenment.
• Padmasambhava Day (October)
• Sangha Day (November) - Is the second most important Buddhist festival. It is a celebration in honour of the
Sangha or the Buddhist community. For some Buddhists Sangha refers only to monks and nuns.
B. CHRISTIANITY
Christians believe in Trinitarian God. One God in three

personas: God the Father (Creator), God the Son (Savior),
and God the Holy Spirit (Sustainer). Eternal life after death
will be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ
is, God the Son, who came into flesh, to spread the Good
News of Salvation. He died on the Cross for the sin of the
humanity but resurrected from the death, so that anyone
who believes in Him will be saved and have eternal life. The
Holy Bible is a selection of books, which is divided into
two, the Old Testament and New Testament.
Sacrament
The word sacrament means “a sign of the sacred,” which is fitting as they are all outwards signs
from God to us. They’re also celebrations of a continued journey and relationship with God, teachings to help
live out His word and ceremonies to show devotion to Him. The seven sacraments are baptism, confirmation,
Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, marriage and holy orders. They are divided into three categories:
sacraments of initiation, sacraments of healing and sacraments of service.
A. The Sacraments of Initiation. The three sacraments of initiation are baptism, confirmation and Eucharist.
Each is meant to strengthen your faith and forge a deeper relationship with God. Baptism frees you from
original sin, confirmation strengthens your faith and Eucharist allows you to taste the body and blood of eternal
life and be reminded of Christ’s love and sacrifice.
1. BAPTISM. Baptism is the first sacrament where you become united with Christ and the Church – no
other sacrament can be received without it. A priest performs this rite by immersing the baptismal
candidate into water, therefore cleansing their original sin through water and the word.
The candidate traditionally wears white garments, a candle is lit and they are anointed with sacred
chrism. This is the first step in your relationship with God and Christ. Usually this takes place when the
candidate is a baby, however, it’s never too late and you’re never too old to begin your journey with
God. It’s common to have a baptism celebration with friends and family afterwards and give the child
baptism keepsakes that will help them grow in their faith.
2. CONFIRMATION. This is the sacrament that follows Baptism as part of the initiation process with
God and the Church, where the candidate receives the gift of the Holy Spirit and continues their
journey with Christ. During Confirmation, the candidate is anointed on the forehead with chrism by a
bishop. Since baptism typically happens when the candidate is a baby, confirmation is a great way for
an older child to acknowledge that they still want to continue their journey with God and grow their
relationship with Him. Celebrate your child’s confirmation by giving them a Bible with meaningful
verses highlighted or cross as a daily reminder of God’s love.
3. EUCHARIST. Eucharist means thanksgiving. This is when Christ’s body and blood are offered and
then received by the parishioner in the form of bread and wine. Christ during the Last Supper broke
bread, ate it, gave it to his disciples and told them to eat it. Now the priest, through the words of
consecration, blesses and administers the Holy Communion during every mass to remind followers that
they are one with Christ. Food and drink nourish our bodies ‒- Christ’s blood and body nourishes us
spiritually.
B. The Sacraments of Healing. The two sacraments of healing are penance and anointing the sick. Penance
allows for spiritual healing and absolution for people who have distanced themselves from God through sin.
Anointing the sick allows for both physical and spiritual healing. When one falls seriously ill, a minister anoints
them and prays over them, calling on Christ to strengthen and heal.
4. Penance. During the sacrament of Penance, one confesses their sins to God through a priest who
forgives their sins by God’s mercy, and orders them to live a more faithful life through absolution.
Confession is essential to cultivating and fruitfully living out the word of God. We’re not perfect
people, even if we try to be. It feels so much better to confess some of those things you have done
wrong and receive forgiveness. This helps us have a stronger relationship with God.
5. Anointing the Sick. This sacrament is only bestowed upon those who are seriously ill or suffering,
which then unites the inflicted with Christ’s passion. Anointing the forehand and hands of the person
with chrism while a priest administers a special blessing is how this sacrament is received. This special
blessing is one way to make the ill feel strengthened and more connected with God in both mind and
body.
C. The Sacraments of Service. Through marriage and the holy orders, couples and the clergy promise to
serve and build up the church community.
6. Marriage. Marriage isn’t just a union between man and wife. The devotion husband and wife have to
each other, and to Christ, mirrors Christ’s love and service to the church. Through marriage, a couple
promises to help build each other up in faith, serve each other and the church and be faithful to each
other until death.
7. Holy Orders. This sacrament is for those who choose to become a priest, bishop or deacon. Through
ordination, they are able to perform sacred duties and serve the church community. This is not a
sacrament that everyone partakes in, rather it’s one that people feel called to by God.
• Christmas – December 25, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.

• Resurrection Sunday (Easter) - depends on the lunar calendar, sometime in March or April) celebrates
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death.
TEN COMMANDMENTS. According to Exodus in the Old Testament, God issued his own set of laws (the Ten
Commandments) to Moses on Mount Sinai. In Catholicism, the Ten Commandments are considered divine law
because God himself revealed them.
1. “I AM THE LORD THY GOD, THOU SHALT NOT HAVE OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.” This
commandment forbids idolatry, the worship of false gods and goddesses, and it excludes polytheism, the belief
in many Gods, insisting instead on monotheism, the belief in one God. This commandment forbids making
golden calves, building temples to Isis, and worshipping statues of Caesar.
2. “THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN”. The faithful are
required to honor the name of God. It makes sense that if you’re to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and
strength, then you’re naturally to respect the name of God with equal passion and vigor.
3. “REMEMBER TO KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY.” The Jewish celebration of Sabbath (Shabbat)
begins at sundown on Friday evening and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox
Christians go to church on Sunday, treating it as the Lord’s Day instead of Saturday to honor the day Christ rose
from the dead.
4. “HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER.” This commandment obliges the faithful to show respect for
their parents — as children and adults. Children must obey their parents, and adults must respect and see to the
care of their parents, when they become old and infirm.
5. “THOU SHALT NOT KILL.” The better translation from the Hebrew would be “Thou shalt not murder”
— a subtle distinction but an important one to the Church. Killing an innocent person is considered murder.
Killing an unjust aggressor to preserve your own life is still killing, but it isn’t considered murder or immoral.
6. “THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.” The sixth and ninth commandments honor human
sexuality. This commandment forbids the actual, physical act of having immoral sexual activity, specifically
adultery, which is sex with someone else’s spouse or a spouse cheating on their partner. This commandment
also includes fornication, which is sex between unmarried people, prostitution, pornography, homosexual
activity, masturbation, group sex, rape, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, and necrophilia.
7. “THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.” The seventh and tenth commandments focus on respecting and honoring
the possessions of others. This commandment forbids the act of taking someone else’s property. The Catholic
Church believes that this commandment also denounces cheating people of their money or property, depriving
workers of their just wage, or not giving employers a full day’s work for a full day’s pay. Stealing, fraud, tax
evasion, and vandalism are all considered extensions of violations of the Seventh Commandment.
8. “THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR.” The Eighth
Commandment condemns lying. Because God is regarded as the author of all truth, the Church believes that
humans are obligated to honor the truth. The most obvious way to fulfill this commandment is not to lie —
intentionally deceive another by speaking a falsehood. So, a good Catholic is who you want to buy a used car
from.
9. “THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S WIFE.” The Ninth Commandment forbids the
intentional desire and longing for immoral sexuality. To sin in the heart, Jesus says, is to lust after a woman or a
man in your heart with the desire and will to have immoral sex with them. Just as human life is a gift from God
and needs to be respected, defended, and protected, so, too, is human sexuality. Catholicism regards human
sexuality as a divine gift, so it’s considered sacred in the proper context — marriage.
10. “THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S GOODS.” The Tenth Commandment forbids the
wanting to or taking someone else’s property. Along with the Seventh Commandment, this commandment
condemns theft and the feelings of envy, greed, and jealousy in reaction to what other people have.
C. HINDUISM
Hinduism covers a wide range of traditional beliefs and

religious groups; thus, there is no single founder or leader.
Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death and
rebirth, governed by Karma. Karma is a concept where the
reincarnated life will depend on how the past life was spent.
Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of
successive lives and its next incarnation is always dependent
on how the previous life was lived.
Diwali and Navrati are most celebrated festivals of the Hindus. Diwali refers to the festival of
lights. Navrati refers to the festival of nine nights, which celebrate the triumph of good over evil.
D. ISLAM
Beliefs Muslims believe in Allah, who is

their “One God”. They believe in the unity
and universality of God. Muslims also have
a strong sense of community or “ummah”
and an awareness of their solidarity with all
Muslims worldwide. Islam means “willing
to submission to God”.
Muslims believe that Mohammed is the last

and final prophet sent by God. The Holy
Book of Islam is called Quran, which was
taught to be recited in Arabic because any translation is seen as inadequate.
Customs and Practices
Muslims believe in the five pillars of Islam (Foundation of Muslim Life):
1. Shahadah – is a statement of faith: “There is no God but the one true God and Mohammed is his
messenger”.
2. Salat – the prayer that is practices five times a day.
3. Zakat – the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It compromises the 2.5% of a
Muslim’s assets.
4. Hajj – the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can afford are asked to do the pilgrimage
at least once in their lifetime.
5. Sawm – the fasting. Muslims do fasting, from food, drink, and sexual act during the celebration
of Ramadan.
Ramadan – is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
E. JUDAISM
The Jews believe in the God of Abraham, the same

God that liberated the Hebrew slaves from Egypt to
Canaan, the promised Land through the leadership of
Moses and later, Joshua. The Jews believe in the
coming of Messiah, the Savior. The sacred scripture of
the Jews is called the Torah or the Law. The Torah is
the guide of the Jewish living. The study and
interpretation of Torah is part of the Jewish culture.
There are five major festivals observed by the Jews:

1. Rosh Hashanah – The “New Year”
2. Yom Kippur – The “Day of Atonement”
3. Pesach – Passover
4. Shavuot – Pentecost
5. Sukkot – Tabernacles
Religious beliefs, rituals, practices, and customs are all part of the expression of the spiritual
self. What to believe and how to manifest the belief is entirely dependent on the individual, to the self.
A person might believe that there is a higher being, a supernatural being, usually termed as God, but
not necessarily wants to be affiliated or identified with a certain religious group. Others may have
religious practices which are perceived to be contrary to the practices of other groups. Religious beliefs
and practices therefore are formed relative to its context and culture.
FINDING AND CREATING MEANING OF LIFE
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)
Viktor Frankl was a 20th century psychiatrist who founded the field
of logotherapy. A Holocaust survivor, he wrote the best-selling book,
Man's Search for Meaning. He thought that during extreme physical
circumstances, a person could escape through his or her spiritual self
as a means to survive seemingly unbearable conditions. He believed the spiritual self could not be
affected by external forces.
LOGOTHERAPY
Frankl believed that humans are motivated by something called a "will to meaning," which equates
to a desire to find meaning in life. He argued that life can have meaning even in the most miserable of
circumstances, and that the motivation for living comes from finding that meaning. Taking it a step
further, Frankl wrote: Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human
freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances. This opinion was based on his
experiences of suffering, and his attitude of finding meaning through the suffering. In this way, Frankl
believed that when we can no longer change a situation, we are forced to change ourselves.
LOGOTHERAPY ASSUMPTIONS
Logotherapy consists of six basic assumptions that overlap with the fundamental constructs and
ways of seeking meaning listed above:
1. BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT. The human being is an entity that consists of a body (soma), mind
(psyche), and spirit (noos). Frankl argued that we have a body and mind, but the spirit is what we are,
or our essence. Note that Frankl's theory was not based on religion or theology, but often had parallels
to these.
2. LIFE HAS MEANING IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. Frankl believed that life has meaning in all
circumstances, even the most miserable ones. This means that even when situations seem objectively
terrible, there is a higher level of order that involves meaning.
3. HUMANS HAVE A WILL TO MEANING. Logotherapy proposes that humans have a will to
meaning, which means that meaning is our primary motivation for living and acting, and allows us to
endure pain and suffering. This is viewed as differing from the will to achieve power and pleasure.
4. FREEDOM TO FIND MEANING. Frankl argues that in all circumstances, individuals have the
freedom to access that will to find meaning. This is based on his experiences of pain and suffering and
choosing his attitude in a situation that he could not change.
5. MEANING OF THE MOMENT. The fifth assumption argues that for decisions to be meaningful,
individuals must respond to the demands of daily life in ways that match the values of society or their
own conscience.
6. INDIVIDUALS ARE UNIQUE. Frankl believed that every individual is unique and irreplaceable.
LOGOTHERAPY IN EVERYDAY LIFE

How might you apply the principles of logotherapy to improve your everyday life?
 Create something. Just as Frankl suggested, creating something (e.g., art) gives you a sense of purpose, which
can add meaning to your life.
 Develop relationships. The supportive nature of spending time with others will help you to develop more of a
sense of meaning in your life.
 Find purpose in pain. If you are going through something bad, try to find a purpose in it. Even if this is a bit of
mental trickery, it will help to see you through. For example, if a family member is going through medical
treatments for a disease, view your purpose as being there to support that person.
 Understand that life is not fair. There is nobody keeping score, and you will not necessarily be dealt a fair
deck. However, life can always have meaning, even in the worst of situations.
 Freedom to find meaning. Remember that you are always free to make meaning out of your life situation.
Nobody can take that away from you.
 Focus on others. Try to focus outside of yourself to get through feeling stuck about a situation.  Accept the
worst. When you go out seeking the worse, it reduces the power that it has over you.
Reflection Paper. Reflect on Viktor Frankl’s sources of the meaning of life.
LESSON 4: THE POLITICAL SELF AND BEING FILIPINO

Lesson Objectives:
1. Develop a Filipino identity;
2. Identify different Filipino values and traits; and
3. Reflect on your selfhood in relation to your national identity
ACTIVITY
WHO IS A FILIPINO?
Cut out pictures or illustrations from magazines and newspapers that show what being a Filipino is
about. Paste them in a short bond paper.
ANALYSIS
Answer the questions below in relation to what you have posted in the previous activity.
1. How do the pictures remind you of being a Filipino?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Are you proud of being a Filipino? Why and why not?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Imagine were of a different nationality. What would change in you aside from your citizenship and origin?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. How extensive are the effects of being Filipino in your selfhood?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACTION
What makes a Filipino a genuine Filipino? Do physical characteristics such as having dark hair, flat
nose, and dark complexion make one a Filipino? Or is it a person’s language, birthplace, and ethnicity? If you
were to introduce yourself as a Filipino to a person of another nationality and he or she asks, “Who are
Filipinos?” what will you reply?
The Philippines as we know it today has only emerged in the 1890’s after over three centuries of
colonization of the Spaniards. Meanwhile, liberation from the last colonizers, the Japanese, only occurred in
1946. Foreign culture, beliefs, language, and religion have made a huge dent on our own by setting a foundation
to the contemporary Filipino identity and culture. To date, colonial mentality remains an issue. Given the wide
discrepancy between the liberation period and today’s time, would it be safe to say that Filipinos have truly
developed an identity of their own? Or are we still living in the shadow of our colonial friends?
In this chapter, you will learn that an individual’s race, ethnicity, and physical characteristics are not
the only factors that make a person’s national identity. Values and traits are also important indicators that set
apart one nationality from the other. These values and traits may not always be a positive thing, but being able
to identify one’s self apart from other nationalities and point out weaknesses and mistakes, paired with unity and
commitment, make progress a possibility. Through common goals, principles, and values of its people, a nation
empowers itself.
WHO IS A FILIPINO?
Filipinos are often referenced to globally renowned personalities like Manny Pacquiao, Lea Salonga,
and Michael Cinco who have made Filipinos recognized around the world through their expertise. However,
being a Filipino is far more than just being related to these notable figures. Independence Day and Buwan ng
Wika celebrations prompt us to go back to our roots and reflect on the question: Who is a Filipino?
Technically, according to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Filipino citizens are “…those whose fathers or
mothers are citizens of the Philippines, those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect
Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority, and those who are naturalized in accordance with law.”
However, citizenship is not the only marker of being a Filipino. Culture and history have greatly influenced the
manner Filipinos learn, live, and behave to date. People who were born and grew up in the same culture develop
and share common personality traits and values. Generations after generations, common traits and values have
been passed on that the Filipinos of today still embody.
FILIPINO VALUES AND TRAITS.
The Philippines is a lush island paradise famous for its grandiose mountain views, pristine beaches,
and rich and diverse culture changing from province to province. While the Philippines may be well known for
its awe-inspiring beauty, perhaps the Filipinos’ unique traits, reputable values, and laudable talents make the
country a place to be.
Tourists who have visited the Philippines can never forget the big and bright smiles that greeted
them, the colorful and loud jeepneys, the common Filipino phrases such as “Mabuhay!” and “Salamat!” and
habits such as saying “po” and “opo” to the elders, leaving shoes or slippers at the front door before entering a
house, and the importunate asking of “Kumain ka na ba?” meaning “Have you eaten yet?” Indeed, it is a marvel
to experience these unique traits of the Filipinos firsthand. Few of these traits are as follows.
THE FILIPINO HOSPITALITY. A Filipino trait that is known everywhere is the Filipino’s brand of
hospitality. Filipinos welcome their guests and tourists as if they are their own brothers and sisters; they
always make their guests feel at home, offering them something to eat, or even a place to stay. They
will bring out their best sets of plates and chinaware for their honored guests and would even go as far
as spending a lot of money and going into debt just so they can satisfy them. In most local shops,
Filipino salespersons will greet their customers with warm welcome and say thank you when they leave
even without buying anything. Filipinos also anticipate giving tours to friends who will visit their
hometown and treating them to the best restaurants and delicacies for free. During festivals or fiestas,
Filipinos serve heaps of festive food and invite the whole barangay over. They are also fond of giving
pasalubong or tokens from their travels and pabaon or farewell gifts to their visitors.
RESPECT FOR ELDERS. Filipinos greet their elders by kissing their hand while saying “Mano po!”
and constantly using “po” and “opo” in conversations. Forgetting to address older people properly will
regard them as rude and impolite. There is also a wide array of references to elder people such as ate
for older sister; kuya for older brother; Tito and Tita for uncle and aunt, respectively; Lolo and Lola for
grandfather and grandmother; and Manong and Aling for older people outside the family.
CLOSE FAMILY TIES. Filipinos maintain a tight relationship with their families regardless if the
children are old enough and already have families of their own. They are also fond of family reunions
during birthdays, holidays, or fiestas year-round. Some Filipino families even opt to live in a big house
where everyone can stay together. Nursing homes are almost always not an option for family members
and choose to take care of their elders themselves.
CHEERFUL PERSONALITY. Filipinos have a habit of smiling and laughing a lot. They smile when
they are happy, or sometimes even when they are sad or angry. Smiling has been a coping strategy for
many Filipinos especially during trying times and calamities. For instance, Filipinos smile and wave at
the camera while being interviewed even after a fire or flooding incident. They always try to maintain a
positive outlook in life in which makes them resilient and able to manage almost everything with a
simple smile.
SELF-SACRIFICE. The self-sacrificing attitude of Filipinos can be seen as an extension of the

Filipino hospitality. Filipinos go out of their way to extend help to their friends, families, and loved
ones. They wish comfort and better lives for their loved ones and would even go to the extent of
working abroad hundreds of miles away to earn more money and save up for them. Overseas Filipino
Workers (OFWs) sacrifice a lot; that is why they are regarded as the modern day Filipino heroes. There
are also times when the eldest among the children of the family would give up school to work and
provide for the rest of the family and educate his or her siblings.
BAYANIHAN. Bayanihan is the spirit of communal unity and cooperation of Filipinos. It is also about
giving without expecting something in return. Filipinos are always ready to share and help their friends
and loved ones who are in need. It may not always be in monetary form, but the time and effort they
give also count as a form of help for them. This trait is particularly manifested in how Filipinos rally
themselves to send aid to those who are severely affected by natural calamities.
BAHALA NA ATTITUDE. “Bahala na” is a Filipino version of the famous line “Hakuna Matata”,
meaning no worries. The phrase is said to have originated from “Bathala na”, where Bathala means
God, and the phrase meaning leaving everything into God’s hands. It can also be viewed as something
similar to the cheerful and positive attitude of Filipinos and allowing situations take care of themselves
instead of worrying about them.
COLONIAL MENTALITY. Colonial mentality is regarded as the lack of patriotism and the attitude
where Filipinos favor foreign products more than their own. This does not only concern goods, but also
the desire to look more foreign than local and keep up with foreign beauty trends. It is attributed to the
centuries of colonization Filipinos has experienced under the Spanish, American, and Japanese rule.
MAÑANA HABIT. This is a Filipino term for procrastination. It was derived from a longer Filipino
called “Mamaya na” meaning dawdling things, which could have been done at an earlier time. It is a
poor habit of laziness that results in heavier workloads.
NINGAS KUGON. “Ningas” is a Filipino term for flame ang “kugon” is a Filipino term for Cogon
grass that easily burns out after it is put into flames. Ningas kugon refers to the attitude of eagerly
starting things but quickly losing eagerness soon after experiencing difficulty, just like how fast the fire
of a Cogon grass burns out moments after being ignited. Laziness is a common problem among
Filipinos; that is why Filipinos are regarded as “Juan Tamad” or Lazy Juan.
PRIDE. Most Filipinos hold on to their pride as if they are more precious than keeping a good
relationship with family and loved ones. When two parties are not in good terms, they find it so hard to
apologize and wait until the other party asks for an apology first.
CRAB MENTALITY. This is a toxic trait among Filipinos where one resents the achievement of
another, instead of feeling happy for that person. Just like crabs in a container, they pull each other
down and ruin each other’s reputation rather than bringing them up, resulting to no progress. Filipinos
should change this troublesome attitude and focus more on their own inadequacies to improve one’s
self.
FILIPINO TIME. Filipinos have this common attitude of arriving late at commitments, dinner, or
parties especially if they are meeting someone close to them. They tend to not observe punctuality
altogether. The 7:00 PM call time becomes adjusted to 7:30 PM, and almost everyone arrives at the
same time because everyone is using Filipino time.
FILIPINO MARKERS
What then are the hallmarks of our being a Filipino? What makes us truly relish in our being a
Filipino? The following are constant reminders of our nationality.
1. PROVERBS OR SALAWIKAIN. Filipino proverbs, just like any other proverbs, are sayings that convey
lessons and reflections on Filipino practices, beliefs, and traditions. Damiana Eugenio, regarded as the Mother
of Philippine Folklore, classified proverbs into six categories (Eugenio, 2000):
a. Proverbs expressing a general attitude toward life and the laws that govern life;
b. Ethical proverbs recommending certain virtues and condemning certain vices;
c. Proverbs expressing a system of values;
d. Proverbs expressing general truths and observations about life and human nature;
e. Humorous proverbs; and
f. Miscellaneous proverbs.
An example of a Filipino proverb is the saying “Kung may tiyaga, may nilaga”, which means that
hard work will be rewarded if one is persistent.
2. SUPERSTITIONS. Filipinos also subscribe to their own set of superstitions passed down from generation to
generation. Some of these may be influenced by beliefs from other cultures, but Filipinos have retold these
superstitions according to their own experiences and they sometimes end up even more interesting. According to
a Filipino superstition, a woman singing while cooking will end up a spinster so parents remind their daughters
to avoid singing while preparing their meals. Filipinos also avoid taking picture in threes as the one in the center
is said to be die, according to another superstition.
4. Myths and Legends. Due to the Philippines rich culture and history, numerous myths and legends have
sprung about things that are beyond one’s imagination. These stories are aimed to explain the origin of
things, at the same time, teach a valuable lesson. Some of these stories stemmed in pre-Christian period, but
have evolved to the stories we know today.
A famous Filipino legend is about the origin of the pineapple fruit. It is about a story of a young girl and
lazy girl named Pina who always asked where her mother kept the things she needed without looking them
first. When Pina’s mother got tired of being asked where she hid her things, her mother wished that eyes be
planted on Pina’s face so she would start using them. To her mother’s surprise next morning, Pina was gone
and a fruit sprung in the yard, implanted with “eyes” all around its body which was later called “pinya”, the
Filipino term for “pineapple”.
5. Heroes and Icons. Heroes serve as a reminder of true patriotism and nationalism as they have sacrificed
their lives for the sake of their country’s freedom and progress. Every year, we lend a whole day to
celebrate our heroes, usually the last Monday of August, to remember their greatness, bravery, and
resilience that has led to the freedom we know today.
Famous Filipino icons such as Lea Salonga, Manny Pacquiao, and our own national hero, Jose Rizal, also
serve as important Filipino markers as they have made the Filipino name more pronounced worldwide
through their own expertise.
How To Be A Good Filipino

Now you know that your traits and values are important indicators of being a Filipino. The problem
now is how to truly become one and how you can be useful to the development and progress of our country. The
following are a few ways on how to be a good Filipino:
1. Be an active Filipino citizen. A good Filipino citizen is aware of the current events and participates in
government programs that aim for the country’s progression and development. By simply exercising
your right to vote, you also become an active citizen. When it comes to voting, the rich and the poor
have equal voting rights – every Filipino citizen of legal age have a chance in choosing the right
leaders for the Philippines who are genuine in helping and caring for the Filipino people.
2. Study the Philippine History. The road of the Philippine history is long and bloody, and by learning and
fully understanding the events of the Philippines history, you will learn so much as to why it is so
important for you to love your country with your life, extend help to your fellow Filipinos in need, and
recognize abuse of political power.
3. Support local products. When you buy local products, you do not only support local manufacturers and
businessmen, but you also help strengthen the local economy. How is this so? There will be more
demand of local products, thus, local businesses will be in need for more employees, which will open
new job opportunities. The business owners will also invest within the country and are less likely to
leave. Supporting our local products also displays our creativity, innovativeness, and resourcefulness.
4. Speak the Filipino language. The history of the Filipino language was as long and hard as the
Philippine history. Jose Rizal highlighted the importance of speaking a national language as a way of
displaying the love for one’s country. Speaking Filipino also serves as a unique identifier of being a
Filipino. It has been a decade-long debate whether to use Filipino as the instructional language in the
school and translate into Filipino, however, this is still not strictly imposed.
5. Do not spread fake news and be democratic in engaging with dissent. This period in the history of the
Philippines has seen how the Internet has spawned tons possibilities for people, both good and bad. For
instance, it is easier for Filipinos working abroad to communicate with their loved ones left in the
Philippines through the internet. Despite this, the internet has also made the spread of fake news very
common. Likewise, the internet has also made us engage in intense arguments with people across the
globe about our political positions, for example. It is a part of being a good Filipino to understand and
verify what you read online, especially ik,….n social media, before actually believing in it and
spreading it like wildfire. It is also the responsibility of every Filipino to recognize disagreement in
political views, be tolerant, and argue intelligently without having to resort into name-calling people.
1. Make an acrostic below which will describe you, in relation to your being a Filipino:
F-
I-
L-
I-
P-
I-
N-
O-
2. Discuss how being a Filipino affects your “self”. How can becoming a better Filipino influence your
duty to becoming a better version of yourself?
You have reached the end of the lesson.
Congratulations!

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CHAPTER 1 DEFINING THE SELF: PERSONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL

PERSPECTIVES ON SELF AND IDENTITY

LESSON 1: THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Explain why it is essential to understand the self;

1. How would you characterize yourself?

PLATO & SCORATES

A Scottish philosopher, has a very unique way of looking at man. As an

Thinking of the “self” as a mere combination of impressions was

APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT