UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

PRELIMS
THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES

Philosophical View, Sociological View

& Anthropological View

Love of Wisdom

• Philosophy came from the Greek word “Philo” that means love and “Sophia”
means wisdom.

What is Philosophy?

• Finding answers to serious questions about ourselves and about the world we
live in.
• What is a good life?
• What is morally right and wrong? And why?
• Does God exist?
• It simply means we question our existing knowledge and intuitions to get closer
to the truth.

WHAT WILL YOU GET OUT OF PHILOSOPHY?

There are number of skills that you can have within yourself:

• Reasoning
• Critical Thinking
• Argument Skills
• Analysis
• Problem Solving

WHAT WILL YOU GET OUT OF PHILOSOPHY?

It allows us to:

• Spot a bad argument no matter what will be the topic

• Justify your opinion
• Explain to people why they are wrong, and you are right
• And Philosophy teaches us to think twice

PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS
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Socrates, Plato, St. Augustine
Different Perspectives in the explanation of Self

1. Socrates
• “Know Thyself”
• Philosophers agree that self-knowledge is a prerequisite to a happy and
meaningful life.
• “An unexamined life is not worth living” - Socrates

He believed that:

✓ Every man is DUALISTIC. For we are composed with our BODY and SOUL.

✓ A person can have a meaningful and happy life only if he becomes virtuous and
knows the value of himself that can be achieved through constant soul-
searching.

2. Plato
• “The Soul/Psyche is Immortal”
• Student of Socrates
• According to him, “A person who is a follower of truth and wisdom will not be
tempted by vices and will always be just”
• He believed that:
✓ He believed that the existence of the mind and soul was given in perfection with
God.

As to Plato, one’s soul is divided into three (3) different parts:

• APPETITIVE SOUL- we are driven by our desires and needs to satisfy ourselves.

ex. Basic needs

• SPIRITED SOUL- are very competitive and active. It results to positive results
and winning.

• RATIONAL SOUL- the “driver of our lives”. We think and plan for our future.

3. St. Augustine of Hippo

• “Human is both body & soul”
• Latin Father of the Church
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• St. Augustine believed the idea that God encompasses us all. Everything will be
better if we are with God.
• Theory of Forms (Christian Perspective)- These forms were concepts existing
within the perfect and eternal God where the soul belonged.
• Self- inner and immaterial “I” that had self- knowledge and self-awareness
• To St. Augustine, man’s end goal is happiness.

SOCIOLOGICAL VIEW

Mead’s Theory of Social Self

What is sociology?

• Sociology - It is the study of how human society is established, its structure and
how it works, the people’s interaction with each other and the effects they have
to one another is an aspect in which we have to consider with regards to the
development of a person.

GEORGE HERBERT MEAD

• He is an American Sociologist

• Considered as the Father of American Pragmatism

• Mead rejected the idea of biological determination of the self which proposes
that an individual already has an established self from the moment he is born.

• Mead proposes that there are two components of the self which the person has
these components are the “I” and the “Me”.

The “I” and the “ME”

• The “Me” are the characteristics, behavior, and or actions done by a person that
follows the “generalized others” that person interacts with.

• The “I” is the reaction of the individual to the attitude of others.

MEAD: THE STAGES OF THE SELF

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❑ Preparatory Stage (Birth-2 years old)- According to Mead, during this stage the
infant simply imitates the actions and behaviors of the people that the infant
interacts with.

❑ Play Stage (2-6 years old)- children “play pretend” as the significant other.

MEAD: THE STAGES OF THE SELF

❑ Game Stage (6-9 years old)- children has the ability to understand the rules of
the game.

• According to Mead, the sense of self is a lifetime endeavor and who the people
interacts with will change throughout a person’s life.

ANTHROPOLOGICAL VIEW

The Self Embedded in Culture

What is Anthropology?

• Anthropology - It is the study of all the aspects of human condition. This

includes human history, the present human condition and even the future
possibilities.

What is the Anthropological concept of the self?

• Traditional Anthropological view - The self is an animal species which underwent

the process of biological evolution.

The self is a living animal but superior to other animals due to some factors:

• Physical aspects
• Social aspects

TWO CONCEPTS IN ANTHROPOLOGY

• Culture - It is traditionally defined as the systems of human behavior and

thought.
• Enculturation - It is the transmission of culture from one generation to the next.

What will happen if people do not recognize their culture?

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• Cultural Degradation - It means loss of a particular culture due to assimilation or
loss of interest.

Example: Attitude of some Indigenous People (IP) especially enrolled in big universities
where

they do not want to be recognized as IP.

THE SELF EMBEDDED IN THE CULTURE

• The claim of the self as embedded the culture can only be embraced when the
self recognizes its relation to everything else.

The self is recognized as:

• Biologically attuned to respond to his or her environment

• Variably self-aware of the mechanisms of the elements of culture working within
the self
• Self-reflexive of the uniqueness and differences of all other selves and everything
else around.

THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES

Psychological View

PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SELF

• It focuses on the representation of an individual based on his/her experiences.

These experiences are either from the home, school and other groups,
organizations or affiliations he/she is engaged in.
• “Self is the sense of personal identity and of who we are as individuals” –
Jhangiani and Tarry (2014)
1. WILLIAM JAMES
• “I-SELF” and “ME-SELF” or CONCEPT OF SELF
• Father of American Psychology

He believed that:

• Self as having two (2) aspects:

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• “I-SELF”
• refers to the self that knows who he or she is
• he referred it as the pure ego and suggested that this component of self is
consciousness itself.
• thinking, acting and feeling self

Self as having two (2) aspects:

“ME-SELF”

✓ the empirical self

✓ refers to describing the person’s personal experiences

THREE COMPONENTS

• MATERIAL SELF - It consists of things that belong to us or that we belong to.

• SOCIAL SELF - It is our social selves are who we are in a given social situation.
• SPIRITUAL SELF - It is our subjective and most intimate self
2. KENNETH GERGEN
• “MULTIPLE versus UNIFIED Selves”
• American Social Psychologist
• He argued that having a flexible sense of self in different context is more socially
adaptable than force oneself to stick to one self-concept.

According to Gergen:

• Multiple Selves- capacities we carry within us from multiple relationships.

• Unified Selves- It is understood that a person is essentially connected with
selfhood and identity.

MULTIPLE VS. UNIFIED SELF

• Coping with different selves constitutes a formidable task among adolescents.

• These challenges contribute heavily to the young person’s struggle for a unified
self.
3. DONALD WINNICOTT
• “TRUE versus FALSE SELF”
• English Pediatrician and Psychoanalyst
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He believed that:

• The self is composed of “True” and “False” self.

• According to Winnicott: The function of the false self is to hide and protect the
true self.

People tend to display a false self to impress others.

4. CARL ROGERS
• “IDEAL SELF & REAL SELF” Self Theory
• SELF CONCEPT
• It refers to the image of oneself.
• Self develops from the interactions with significant people and self-awareness

Person-Centered Theory

• He established a conception of self, involving the Real Self (a.k.a Self-concept)

and Ideal Self.
• Real Self includes all those aspect of one’s being and one’s experiences that are
perceived in awareness (though not always accurately) by the individual (Feist,
Feist & Roberts, 2013)
• Ideal Self revolves around goals and ambitions in life are dynamic, the idealized
image that we have developed overtime.
• He said: If the way that I am (the real self) is aligned with the way that I want to
be (the ideal self, then I will feel a sense of mental well-being or peace of mind.
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5. KAREN HORNEY
• “IDEAL SELF, ACTUAL SELF & REAL SELF”
• Feminine Psychology

She believed that:

• Everyone experiences basic anxiety through which we experience conflict and

strive to cope and employ tension reduction approaches.
• The person has the ideal self, actual self and the real self.

She believed that:

• Idealized Self- Image- an imaginary picture of the self.

• Actual Self- the person one is in everyday life.
• Real Self- a force that impels growth and self-realization.
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THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES

Psychological View

1. SIGMUND FREUD
• THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UNCONSCIOUS
• He said “The mind is like an iceberg it floats with 1/7 of its bulk above water”.

SIGMUND FREUD’s CONSTRUCTION OF SELF AND PERSONALITY

THREE (3) STRUCTURES OF PERSONALITY

• ID- pleasure-seeking, immature, impulsive, child-like and cannot delay

gratification.

• EGO- “I” works on the reality principle, controls the id and can delay pleasure.

• SUPEREGO- the “conscience” and moral judge of conduct

FREUD’S FIVE (5) PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

❑ Oral Stage- Birth – 2 years old

• The infant achieves gratification through oral activities such as feeding, thumb
sucking and babbling.

❑ Anal Stage- 2-3 years old

• The child learns to respond to some of the demands of the society such as
bowel and bladder control.

❑ Phallic Stage – 3-7 years old

• The child learns to realize the differences between males and females and
becomes aware of sexuality.

❑ Latency Stage- 7-11 years old

• The child continues his or her development but sexual urges are relatively quiet.
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❑ Genital Stage- 11-Adult

• The growing adolescent shakes off old dependencies and learns to deal
maturely with the opposite sex.

FREUD’S PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENSE MECHANISM

DEFENSE MECHANISM

• Ways to behave or think to protect or defend ourselves from our anxieties.

• How we distance ourselves from a full awareness of unpleasant thoughts,
feelings and behavior.

10 PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENSE MECHANISMS

1. DENIAL

✓ refusal to recognize threatening situation.

2. REPRESSION

✓ pushing threatening situations out of conscious memory.

3. RATIONALIZATION

✓ making up acceptable excuses for unacceptable behavior.

4. PROJECTION

✓ placing one’s own unacceptable thoughts onto others.

5. REACTION FORMATION

✓ condemns something that has an unconscious appeal.

6. DISPLACEMENT

✓ transfer of emotions or behaviors to another less threatening.

7. REGRESSION

✓ falling back on childlike patterns as a way of coping with stressful situations.

8. IDENTIFICATION
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✓ trying to become like someone else to deal with one’s anxiety.

9. COMPENSATION

✓ trying to make up for areas in which a lack is perceived by becoming superior in

some area.

10. SUBLIMATION

✓ turning socially unacceptable urges into socially acceptable behavior.

2. ERIK ERIKSON
• STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

ERIKSON’S STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

TRUST vs. MISTRUST

❑ During this stage, the infant is uncertain about the world in which they live, and
looks towards their primary caregiver for stability and consistency of care.

❑ Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of hope.

❑ On the other hand, failing to acquire the virtue of hope will lead to the
development of fear.

AUTONOMY vs. SHAME AND DOUBT

❑ The child is developing physically and becoming more mobile, and discovering
that he or she has many skills and abilities.

❑ Erikson states it is critical that parents allow their children to explore the limits
of their abilities within an encouraging environment which is tolerant of failure.

INITIATIVE VS. GUILT

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❑ During this stage, children assert themselves more frequently through directing
play and other social interaction.

❑ It is at this stage that the child will begin to ask many questions as his thirst for
knowledge grows.

❑ Too much guilt can make the child slow to interact with others and may inhibit
their creativity.

❑ Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of purpose, while failure results in a
sense of guilt.

INDUSTRY vs. INFERIORITY

❑ It is at this stage that the child’s peer group will gain greater significance and will
become a major source of the child’s self-esteem.

❑ If children are encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they begin to feel
industrious (competent) and feel confident in their ability to achieve goals.

❑ If the child cannot develop the specific skill they feel society is demanding then
they may develop a sense of Inferiority.

IDENTITY vs. ROLE CONFUSION

❑ This is a major stage of development where the child has to learn the roles he
will occupy as an adult. It is during this stage that the adolescent will re-examine
his identity and try to find out exactly who he or she is.

❑ During this period, they explore possibilities and begin to form their own identity
based upon the outcome of their explorations. Failure to establish a sense of
identity within society ("I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up") can lead
to role confusion.

INTIMACY vs. ISOLATION

❑ During this stage, the major conflict centers on forming intimate, loving
relationships with other people.

❑ Successful completion of this stage can result in happy relationships and a

sense of commitment, safety, and care within a relationship.
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❑ Avoiding intimacy, fearing commitment and relationships can lead to isolation,
loneliness, and sometimes depression. Success in this stage will lead to the
virtue of love.

GENERATIVITY vs. STAGNATION

❑ Psychologically, generativity refers to "making your mark" on the world through

creating or nurturing things that will outlast an individual.

❑ Success leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure

results in shallow involvement in the world.

EGO INTEGRITY vs. DESPAIR

❑ The final stage of Erik Erikson’s stage theory of psychosocial development.

❑ It is during this time that we contemplate our accomplishments and can develop
integrity if we see ourselves as leading a successful life.

❑ Individuals who reflect on their life and regret not achieving their goals will
experience feelings of bitterness and despair.

QUIZ:

Question 1
_____ is the study of all the aspects of the human condition. This includes human
history, the present human condition, and even future possibilities.

Response: Anthropology

Correct answer: Anthropology

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 2
Mead proposes that there are two components of the self which the person has these
components are the “You” and the “Me”.

Response: False

Correct answer: False

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

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Question 3
Philosophy came from the Greek word “Philo” which means wisdom and “Sophia”
which means love.

Response: False

Correct answer: False

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 4
He said that "the sense of self is a lifetime endeavor and who the people interact with
will change throughout a person’s life".

Response: George Herbert Mead

Correct answer: George Herbert Mead

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 5
_____ means the loss of a particular culture due to assimilation or loss of interest.

Response: Cultural Degradation

Correct answer: Cultural Degradation

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 6
_____ believed that "Every man is DUALISTIC. For we are composed with our BODY and
SOUL." Who is he?

Response: Socrates

Correct answer: Socrates

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 7
Socrates believed that “A person who is a follower of truth and wisdom will not be
tempted by vices and will always be just”.

Response: False

Correct answer: False

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Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 8
_____ believed that the existence of the mind and soul was given in perfection with God.

Response: Plato

Correct answer: Plato

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 9
_____ is the transmission of culture from one generation to the next.

Response: Enculturation

Correct answer: Enculturation

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 10
Plato believed that "the existence of the mind and soul was given in perfection with
God".

Response: True

Correct answer: True

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 11
This philosopher once said, "An unexamined life is not worth living". Who is he?

Response: Socrates

Correct answer: Socrates

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 12
It results in positive results and winning.

Response: Spirited Soul

Correct answer: Spirited Soul

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

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Question 13
There are a number of skills that we will get out of Philosophy namely: Reasoning,
Critical Thinking, Argument Skills, _____ and Problem Solving.

Response: Analysis

Correct answer: Analysis

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 14
_____ is the study of how human society is established, its structure and how it works,
the people’s interaction with each other, and the effects they have on one another.

Response: Sociology

Correct answer: Sociology

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 15
_____ is finding answers to serious questions about ourselves and about the world we
live in.

Response: Philosophy

Correct answer: Philosophy

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 16
Sophia means _____.

Response: wisdom

Correct answer: Wisdom

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 17
Our rational soul is the "driver of our lives".

Response: True

Correct answer: True

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Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 18
Philo means _____.

Response: love

Correct answer: Love

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 19
It is the “driver of our lives”.

Response: Rational Soul

Correct answer: Rational Soul

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes

Question 20
In this stage, children “play pretend” as the significant other.

Response: Play Stage

Correct answer: Play Stage

Score: 1 out of 1 Yes