UNDERSTANDING

THE SELF
Course Material No. 4

Jigo Rafael
Catamio, MAEd, RGC
Course Instructor
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LEARNING OUTCOMES

Here’s what I will teach you in this course material:

LESSON OUTLINE
• To know various concept of self in the field of psychology
• Self in
• To understand the different stages of development
psychological
perspective • To distinguish various aspects of the self as perceived by the
Unit Outline
individual
• I and Me
• To appraise and appreciate the role of others in the
• Ideal and Real
perception of self by a person
Self

• Developmental
Stages RESOURCES NEEDED

• False and True For this lesson, you would need the following resources:
Self
• PowerPoint presentation
• Laptop and Internet Access
• Notebook or short bond paper for activities
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pretest 4 Pre-Activity Title

Before you start, try answering the following

questions.
5 Psychological
Perspectives of Self
1. What is Psychology and its role in understanding
Self?

_________________________________________ 11 Lesson Summary

2. What is Self Concept?

11 Key Terms
________________________________________

Posttest
3. What is the Diffrence between the I and Me Self? 12
________________________________________

4. What are the implications of various developmental

13 References

stages in ones life?

________________________________________

5. Why is it important to understand the relationship of

social support to the behavior and personality of a
person?.

________________________________________
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Role of UNDERSTANDING THE SELF • NU FAIRVIEW
Development to
Self

Key Point
To fully learn the value of
both nature and nature in
ones development, it is
important to consider the
roles of supports and
nourishment of the people
around us and our
capabilities and readiness
brought about by our
maturity on the
development of our
personality and overall
concept of self.

“My Ideal Self” Activity

Describe what you want to be or who you want to be in the next
10 years, include your goals. Things you want to do, objects you
want to have, and people you want to be with. Emphasize on
the traits that you currently have that will enable you to achieve
all those things, as well as, the things that you want to change
with yourself that you deem necessary in obtaining your goals.

I envision myself, or I see myself 10 years from now….

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Psychological Perspectives of Self

Psychology and Self

Psychology has various ways of understanding a person, through studying

peoples tendencies, behaviors, and motivations psychologists may be able to
understand and help improve peoples lives. Studying the concept of the Self
in Psychology focuses on the physical, cognitive and psychosocial aspects of
a person that may also be considered as representation of one's identity or the
subject of experience. We will be looking into various concepts about self as
explained in the field of Psychology.

“The Self and It Selves”

William James. A psychologist known as the father of American Psychology

has introduced has explained and provided various concepts explaining Self.
William James suggested that the self is divided into 2 categories, the “me-
self” and the “I-self’.

The “I-self” is the self-thought or the self-knower. James had claimed that
the understanding of Self could be separated into three categories: “1. Its
constituents;2. The feeling and emotions they arouse – Self-feelings; 3. The
actions to which they prompt – Self-seeking and self-preservation (James,
1890).”

The “me-self” is considered as the phenomenal self, the experienced self or

the self as known. It is the self that has experiences the phenomena and who
had known the situation.
Also, James emphasized on the sub-categories of the “me” self, which are the
material self, the social self, and the spiritual self.
Our bodies, clothes, immediate family and home constitute the Material
Self. It is in this that we attached more deeply into and therefore we are most
affected by because of the investment we give to these things. The Social
Self is based on our interactions with society and the reaction of people
towards us. It is our social self that supposed to have multiple divergence or
different version of ourselves. And lastly is the spiritual self, it is
characterized by a person having the ability to argue and discriminate one’s
moral sensibility, conscience and indomitable will characterizes it.
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Conception of Self

Carl Rogers, mostly known for his idea that people have various concepts
about themselves. He had believed in the idea that the self develops based
from ones understanding of his or her experiences, their interaction with the
significant people in their lives, and ones awareness of his/her characteristics
and abilities.

Rogers posited several components of Self-concept: the real self, and the
Ideal Self. The Real Self consists of all the perceptions, ideas of who a
person is and what one can do these observations and notions often comes
from realistic observations or understanding.

While the Ideal self is an aspect of the self which is comprised by the
individuals’ aspirations, goals and ambitions in life, collectively this are the
expectations of one to his or her self. And according to him, there should be a
congruence or agreement between the real self and ideal self of a person to
achieve happiness and satisfaction in life.
Sigmund Freud’s Development of Self and Personality

Aside from the concept of consciousness Freud also identified various

structures or concepts with which one’s personality is formed, these aspects
are the ID, EGO, and SUPER EGO. The “ID” which is considered as the
child aspect of a person, The ID is involved on the satisfaction of one’s needs
and self-gratification. It is driven by the pleasure principle. The
“SUPEREGO” is the conscience of the one’s personality, it is characterized
by the person’s inclination to uphold justice and do what is morally right and
socially acceptable behavior. The superego is involved in the notion of right
or wrong that is imparted to us by our parents or people that tool care for us
during childhood. While the “EGO” which is often considered as the Police
or the mediator between id and superego, is the aspect of personality that
operates within the boundaries of reality, with the primary function of
maintaining the impulses of the ID to an acceptable degree and settle the
expectations of the SUPEREGO.

Freud also conceptualized his psychosexual stages of development, he

explained that these stages helps develop the personality of an individual.
These concepts of development according to Freud is divided into five
distinct stages, these stages are the Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and the
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Genital Stages, Freud believed that people faces various conflicts, challenges
, and/or tasks that a person need to accomplish in order to move on to the
next stage without a problem. Failure to do so might lead to fixation on the
stage where one’s needs are dissatisfied or even overly indulged on a person,
which Freud said to have a lasting effect to ones personality.

Oral Phase-infant is primarily focused on satisfying ones needs or motivated

to receive pleasure through ones mouth (ex. sucking and biting). Preventing
children to explore through their mouths is the principal source of frustration
during this stage it could lead to overindulgence, which may promote oral
dependency (overeating, excessive nail biting, smoking, etc.), while
dissatisfaction could result to tactlessness or sarcastic behaviors.

Anal Phase- during the person’s second year of life, when toilet training is
the child's chief source of frustration. If parents use weren’t able to manage
the child’s training properly it may lead to fixation, a child may develop
excessive need for cleanliness, orderliness, stinginess, and obstinacy.
However, most children escape the detrimental effects of this stage.

Phallic Phase- the stage that happens during the third up to sixth year of life
this stage is characterized by curiosity of the child on the anatomy of mean
and women, their similarities and difference. Children tend to examine,
touch, display, or somehow play with their genitals and often ask questions
regarding physiological differences as well as reproduction. Parents need to
explain and guide their children to understand their questions, this in turn
will prevent them from having fixations to this stage which might result to
abnormal sexual behaviors later on in life.

Latency Period (5-puberty)-Freud believed that psychosexual development

goes through a latency stage—from about age 5 years until puberty—in
which the sexual instinct is partially suppressed as they are focused on school
and friends.

Genital Period (puberty-adulthood)-The genital period begins with puberty

when adolescents experience a reawakening of the genital aim of sexual
energies, and it continues throughout adulthood. (the desire for relationships
and make a family)

Erik Erikson’s Stages of Development

Erik Erikson, a Psychologist that is known for his concept that a person goes
through various stages in life while taking into consideration not only the
8 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF • NU FAIRVIEW

intrinsic challenges or dilemma, but also the role of environment to the

development of the self or ones personality. He divided the life stages of a
person into 8 stages where the individual will have to face certain life crises
that may determine ones reactions, behavior, perceptions, and personality
which can be considered as components of oneself.

Stage 1: Trust vs. Mistrust

Birth to One Year

The first stage of Erikson's theory of psychosocial development and is

considered as the most important stage in life. Because a child is can only be
dependent to others, a child develops trust based on the dependability and
quality of the child's relationship towards their caregivers. If a child
successfully develops trust, he or she will feel safe and have a positive view
of the world. Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or
rejecting and is generally neglectful towards the child contribute to feelings
of mistrust, which may lead to the development of fear and a belief that the
world is inconsistent and unpredictable.
Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
Ages One to Three

The second stage of Erikson's theory of psychosocial development takes

place during early childhood, which is said to be the emergence of the ability
of children to have a bit of control over themselves, and lives. Erikson agreed
with Freud that toilet training was a vital part of this process. However,
Erikson's reasoning was quite different then that of Freud's. Erikson believes
that learning to control one's bodily functions leads to a feeling of control and
a sense of independence. Other important events include gaining more
control over food choices, toy preferences, and clothing selection. Children
who were successful tends to feel more confident and sure about themselves,
while those who do not are left with a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt.
Erikson believed that achieving a balance between autonomy and shame and
doubt would lead to will, which is the belief that children can act with
intention, within reason and limits.

Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt

Ages Three to Five
During the preschool years, children begin to assert their power and control
over the world through playing and other social interactions, they manifest
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their creativity and personal touch to what they do. Children who are
successful at this stage may build leadership skills and be capable to do any
task in the future. Those who fail to acquire these skills are left with a sense
of guilt, responsibility, and doubt, which might affect their perspective of
what they can and cannot do.

Stage 4: Industry vs. Inferiority

Ages Five to Eleven

Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in

their accomplishments and abilities, they also begin to be conscious of
others’ abilities and compare themselves to other people. Children who are
encouraged and commended by parents and teachers develop a feeling of
competence and belief in their skills. Those who receive little or no
encouragement from parents, teachers, or peers will doubt their abilities to be
successful. Successfully finding a balance at this stage of psychosocial
development leads to the strength known as competence or a belief our own
abilities to handle the tasks set before us.

Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion

Ages Twelve to Eighteen
During adolescence, children explore their independence and establish a
more concrete concept of themselves. Those who receive proper
encouragement and reinforcement through personal exploration will emerge
from this stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence,
which will firmly be their foothold in their actions, roles and goals for the
future. While, those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will feel
insecure and confused about themselves and the future.
Stage 6: Intimacy and Isolation
Ages Nineteen to Thirty five

Erikson believed it was important for people to establish relationships with

other people, who are characterized by commitment and secure and trusting.
This ability of an individual may be rooted from the previous stages with
each step builds on skills learned. Erikson believed that a strong sense of
personal identity was important for developing intimate relationships. it is
said that those with a poor sense of self tend to have less committed
relationships and are more likely to suffer isolation, loneliness, and
depression.
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Stage 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation

Ages Thirty five to Fifty

During middle adulthood, people continue to build their lives whether it

maybe our career, family or both. Those who are successful during this phase
will feel that they are contributing to the world by being active in their home
and community. Those who fail to attain this stage might skill feel
unproductive and have stagnated in their lives. Being proud of your
accomplishments, watching your children grow, mentoring younger people is
one of the highlights of this stage.

Stage 8: Ego Integrity and Despair

Ages Fifty and Up

This phase occurs during old age and is considered as the time for reflection
on ones life. Those who feel that their life has been wasted and felt that they
have not done everything they can will experience many regrets. The
individual will be left with feelings of bitterness and sadness. Those who feel
proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity. Successfully
completing this phase means looking back with few regrets and a general
feeling of satisfaction.

True Self and Fake Self

True Self, as rooted from early infancy is called the simple being. The sense
of self based on spontaneous authentic experience and feeling of being alive,
it comprises the genuine behaviors, reactions and uninhibited interactions
with others.

Fake Self, is our defense or the façade, its purpose is to protect our true self.
Showing a contrary behavior to our true self, people tends to hide who they
really are in situations and people that we are inhibited or not very much
comfortable with. Problem would be we might build false set of relationship
through concealing who we are.
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LESSON SUMMARY

To summarize, it is important to understand that the self as manifested by

ones personality is not only dependent on ones understanding of who we are,
but also on our understanding, expectations, and interactions with others. As
we grow older and develop, we may face challenges that mark a transition in
our lives that we need to overcome in order to achieve what we want and
need.

The inevitability of growth and development of a person compels us to

understand that adjustment to our situations and improving ourselves is the
key in order to have a better life and maintain a certain wellbeing.

KEY TERMS

Self Stages of development I

ID Erikson ME
Psychosexual Rogers True
Psychosocial Freud Ideal
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POSTTEST

Matching Type: Fill in the answers to the space provided

_____1. Sigmund Freud

a. Psychosocial Stages of Development
_____2. Generativity vs. Stagnation
b. 35-50
_____3.the pleasure seeking side of personality
c. I Self
_____4.Erik Erikson
d. Me Self
_____5. Self Concept
e. refers to the image of oneself
_____6. Known by Self
f. ID
_____7. Fixation is manifested by excessive
smoking. g. Psychosexual Stages of Development

_____8. 8 stages of development h. 50-60

_____9. Known by Others i. Latency

____10. Focused on studying j.Oral Stage

k.Latency
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REFERENCES

Alata, E.J., Caslib Jr., B.N., Serafica, J.P., & Pawilen, R.A. (2018). Understanding the Self. [1st
ed.]. Quezon City: Rex Book Store, Inc.
Feist, J.,Feist, G., & Roberts, T. (2018) Theories of Personality [9th Ed.] : Mcgraw-Hill
International Editions.
Go-Monilla, M.J. & Ramirez, N. (2018). Understanding the Self. [1st ed.]. Quezon City: C & E
Pub.