UNDERSTADING THE SELF LESSON# 3

Psychological Perspective of the Self

 Psychology
- Derived from the Greek words psyche (soul) and logos (study).
- Scientific study of human behavior and mental processes.
- Goals are to describe, explain, predict and control behavior.
 Nature vs. Nurture Controversy
- Age-old debate on the determinant of a person’s behavior.
- Is it the genes (nature) which determine its trait and behavior, or is it the experiences (nurture)?
 Biophysical Approach
- An analysis of psychological traits and behavior by taking the account of biological, psychological
and societal factors and influences.

a. William James
- 1842-1910
- Father of American Psychology.
- He suggested his Theory of Self.
 Theory of Self
- A person’s picture of self is divided into two categories: Me Self and I Self.
- Me Self – part of a person responsible for describing its personal experiences.
- I Self – part of a person responsible for awareness and thoughts as well as totality of
identity.
 Components of Me Self
- Material Self – contains the things and entities that belong to a person.
- Social Self – contains adaptations of a person in various social contexts.
- Spiritual Self – contains personality, values and morals that are stable.
b. Murray Bowen
- He proposed that togetherness and individuality must be balanced for better development of self.
 Global and Differentiated Self
- Global Self – product of all experience the person had in the society which contributed to
its present identity.
- Differentiated Self – product of person’s uniqueness and sense of individuality.
c. Carl Rogers
- 1902-1987
- Proposed the Person – Centered Theory.
- Self – Concept – how a person thinks and perceives about itself.
 Real and Ideal Self – Concepts
- Real Self – Concept – all information and perception that the person has about itself.
- Ideal Self – Concept – model version of the person itself.
- These two should be congruent for the person to be happy.
- Higgin’s Self – Discrepancy Theory – people use internalized standards (self – guides) to
which they compare themselves; if they deviate, self – discrepancy will be experienced.
 Multiple Selves Theory
- The self is composed of different and multiple selves that display depending on the
situation.
- Psychologically healthy individuals can make sense of these conflicting selves and
integrate into a unified self.
d. D.W. Winnicott
- 1896-1971
- English Pediatrician and psychoanalyst who studied child development.
- Proposed the true and false selves.
 True and False Selves
- True Self – spontaneous and authentic; high level of self – awareness; accepts failures.
- False Self – lacks spontaneity and fake; fearful of mistake and rejections; arises when
person is forced to comply to society.
 - Both are present and must function advantageously for self and society.
e. Albert Bandura
- 1925 – present
- Personality theorist.
- He proposed the Social Cognitive Theory.
 Social Cognitive Theory
- A person learns behaviors through modelling – observing other people’s actions.
- Triadic Reciprocal Causation – a person is affected by the interaction of environmental,
personal and behavioral factors.
- The person has the capacity to exercise control over his life (proactive and agentic).
- Human Agency is the essence of being a human.
 Features of Human Agency
- Intentionality – person’s goal and awareness of behavior.
- Forethought – person’s anticipation of likely outcomes of his behavior.
- Self – Reactiveness – process of regulating behavior as it observes its progress in
achievement.
- Self – Reflectiveness – process of looking inward and evaluation of motivations, values,
life goals, and other people’s effect on it.
- Self-efficacy – person’s belief that it can achieve its goals.
 Self – Regulation
- People reactively attempt to reduce the discrepancies between their accomplishments and
their goal.
- After they close those discrepancies, they proactively set newer and higher goals for
themselves.
The Self in Western and Eastern Thought
 Individualistic and Collective Self
- Individualistic Self – the person sees that it is capable of living its own life, doing things that it loves
to do, making mistakes and learning from experiences; encourage in Western cultures.
- Collective Self – the person is controlled by the society on how it thinks, acts and conducts itself in
the society.
- Ecological Self – the self is an ongoing process of development and is affected by biological and
environmental characteristics.
 The Self in Confucian Thought
- Confucius – known as Master Kong and Great Sage and Teacher.
- Humanistic Social Philosophy – society is viewed as the source of values.
- Ren – human goodness and signifies heart as the most important part of humanity.
 Manifestation of Ren
- Li (propriety) – adherence to culture of the community.
- Xiao (filiality) – respect and honor for family.
- Yi (rightness) – right way of behaving.
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