Anthropology employs a holistic approach to the study of the self.

Quinn refers to
the self as the “totality of what an organism is physically, biologically, psychologically,
socially, and culturally.” Ewing (1990) likewise says, “self” encompasses the physical
organism, all aspects of psychological functioning and social attributes. Anthropology
employs a holistic approach to the study of the self by integrating various models into a
broader framework by considering what each model brings and by showing the
interactions among them. (See Figure 1) 
 
The physical characteristics of people affect their culture, their way of life. For
instance, because they have two legs and two feet they walk upright. They don’t crawl
nor move like the quadrupedals (four-legged animals). Their locomotion is not crawling
like the snake but of walking upright on two feet. On the other hand, people’s culture
affects the physical characteristics of people. Think of the tattoo that the Kalingas of the
Cordillera Administrative Region have even before this has become wide spread among
the present generation who have tattoos on their legs and arms and in other parts of the
body for varied cultural reasons. 
 The Universals and Variety: Hallmarks of Anthropology 
 
In their attempt to arrive at a holistic concept of the self, anthropologists look at
the full range of human persons by studying people in all parts of the world, at different
times and at different levels of society. Anthropologists are likewise mindful that any
general theory of humanity must at the same time account for the variety. They are
concerned with human universals as well as human variety. This is the hallmark of
anthropology. 
 
Stratigraphic Approach and Reductionism 
 
Anthropologists advise us to avoid two common pitfalls that must be avoided in
our study of the self. These errors are the stratigraphic approach and reductionism.
The erroneous stratigraphic approach is simply stacking independent models one after
the other without interrelating them. The self is divided and fragmented into the physical
self, the biological self, the psychological self and the social self. There is no integration
of the different selves. The self is a mere collection of bits and pieces which should not
be. This is expressed in the equation below: 
 
 
Understanding                   Physical         Biological 
                                  ≠                      +                        +  Psychological   +   Social 
of the person                      models            models 
 
We commit the second error “reductionism” when we attempt to interpret all
observations by reducing them to a single level of analysis. For example, reductionism
as an error is committed when “ideas are explained purely in terms of electron flows in
the brain, life is defined only in terms of chemical equations, and human culture is
described only by biological needs and instincts. “(Hiebert, Paul. A Reading for Cultural
Anthropology. hculbert@snu.edu).” 
 
Understanding the Self and Culture 
 
Understanding of the Self from the anthropological point of view
necessarily includes a study of culture. Culture is the integrated system of
learned patterns of behavior; ideas and products characteristic of a society. A
person’s culture influences his/her physical being. 
People are remarkably imaginative in molding their bodies to fit their
tastes. They drill holes into their ears, lips, cheeks and teeth to support
ornaments. They bind heads and feet to change their shapes. They put on
glasses and hearing aids to improve their perceptions; and they ingest chemicals
of all sorts to alter their minds. Even diets are influenced in part ideals of health
and beauty. In the West, where slim figures thought to be attractive, women diet
to stay slender; in Togo in the South Pacific, where beauty is measured by bulk,
a woman eats to maintain her shape, (Hiebert, P.) 
On the other hand, people’s physical being also affects the kind of culture
they build and the ways in which they relate to fellow human beings. 
…you need only imagine what the world would be like if even slight
changes were made in the body. What types of buildings, furniture, cars and
cities would people build if they were ten feet tall, had a tail, or reached sexual
maturation at twenty-four instead of twelve? What would social relationships be
like if there were three sexes? (Hiebert, P. Anthropological points of view-
https://home.snu.edu/-hculbert/points.htm) 
 
 
Two Contrasting Models of the Self: Egocentric and Sociocentric 
 
Culture exerts an influence on the development of an egocentric and sociocentric self.
From the point of view of an anthropologist, every society works with both egocentric
and sociocentric aspects of selfhood. Identity is always in part unique and internal to an
individual (egocentrism) but always within a larger cultural context of complex
interpersonal relations (sociocentrism). Egocentrism is the “natural tendency to view
everything within the world in relation to one’s group and group-centered (Webster New
World Dictionary) See Figure 2. 
   Figure 2: Egocentric and Sociocentric views of Self 
 
Where people are raised to value the sociocentric aspects to selfhood, self-
centered and egoistic behavior are devalued. On the other hand, where people are
raised to value the egocentric aspects of selfhood, other-centered behaviors are
devalued. Pursuit of individualism at the expense of others is considered inappropriate
in a sociocentric group but appropriate in an egocentric group. 
 
The egocentric person lives by the maxim “be true to yourself” at the expense of
being unpopular with the group. The sociocentric person abides by the group and so is
highly accepted by and is popular in the group. 
 
 It is said that the Japanese are sociocentric. Interdependence between the
person and the group is more valued than independence, (Keifer, Christie). Like the
Japanese, the Chinese are also sociocentric. For the Chinese, the very essence of
interpersonal relations is mutual dependence (Francis Hsu). In contrast, Americans are
egocentric. They believe that they should be assertive and independent. What about the
Filipino? 
 
Cultural Relativism, Ethnocentrism and Xenocentrism  
 
Cultural relativism is the idea that a person’s beliefs, values and practices
should be understood based on that person’s own culture, rather than be judged
against the criteria another. A person’s beliefs, values and practices are relative to the
individual within his own social context. What is considered moral in one society may be
considered immoral in another. There is no universal standard of morality so no one has
the right to judge customs of another. The belief and practice of a person should be
understood based on that person’s own culture and not that of another. 
 
Neither ethnocentrism no xenocentrism has a place in cultural relativism.
Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s culture is superior to that of others while
xenocentrism is the thinking that others’ culture is superior to one’s culture. No culture is
perfect for each culture has its own plus and minus points. The proper thing to do then
is to put into practice cultural relativism, i.e., never to judge others’ culture based on
one’s own culture but rather to see others’ cultural practice and belief in the light of their
culture. 

 
Read Lesson 5 again then use the appropriate metacognitive marks given below
on any part of the lesson given. (It is not necessary to use all marks). 
 !

2. Explain why you use those metacognitive markers in those parts of the

lesson. 
 I gave surprising or new, exciting to this part of the lesson
 because it is exciting and new for me on how they refers the self is ,
especially on how Quinn refers the self.
B.   1. Anthropology is concerned with how cultural and biological
processes interact to shape the self. Both biological and cultural factors
have significant influence in the development of the self. Illustrate this with
an example from your own personal life. Which is a biological influence
and which is a cultural influence in you?). Share this with your group. 

 
2. Distinguish between egocentric and socio-centric self. What is your dominant
behavior with your socio-centric self? With your egocentric self?  
  
3. From the eyes of an anthropologist, should you have either egocentric or
socio-centric self or both egocentric and socio-centric self? Explain your answer. 
 
4. Create your own story board to illustrate egocentrism and sociocentrism.
Research for examples in the Internet before you do yours. 
 
5. Give concrete proofs of ethnocentric and xenocentric behaviors. On which
concept are these behaviors rooted? 
 
6. Someone said that even when the child grows into an adult, the adult cannot
totally do away with egocentrism. The only difference from that of the egocentric
child is that the adult is AWARE that he/she is egocentric (in contrast to the child
who is NOT aware that he/she is egocentric given his/her developmental stage)
and therefore has a choice to remain egocentric in thought or in action. Do you
agree? 
 
7. Complete this statement. If cultural relativism is true, then I look at other
cultures ______________________. 
 
           8. a) Kung-fu-tsu once said: All men are pretty much alike: it is by culture that
they 
                  are set apart.” Do you agree? Why or why not? 
               b) How does the statement of Kung-fu-tsu affect your attitude towards people  
                   from various cultures? 
           9. Cite some implications of the concepts learned about the anthropological self
to  
               personal development.