The Self as Impacted by the Body

• Through the years, the concept of physical self has gained a

considerable attention in the fields of Psychology, Sociology,
Anthropology, including religious and biological or health studies.
• These disciplines agree on the premise that the physical self is an
important component in the study of the person’s self and identity.
• As what William James said, “the self is the sum total of all that man
can call his, which includes his body, family and reputation, also his
clothes and his house…”
• Such body, family, clothes, and the like are also described by Russell
W. Belk as part of our extended self.
• William James – states that the body is the initial source of
sensation and necessary for the origin and maintenance of
personality.
• Erik Erikson – claims that experience is anchored in the
ground plan of the body.
• Sigmund Freud – states that the physical body is the core of
human experience.
• Maurice Merleau Ponty – placed the body at the center of
human existence, as a way of experiencing the world.
 • Such ideas make clear to us the fact that the body is the way
through which we make sense of the world and our environment.
• We experience life through our bodies and senses (sight, smell,
touch, etc), allowing us to interpret the world around us.
• However, the body is not merely an object in the world but we are
also our bodies in that the body is the vehicle for our expression in
the world.
• The body is the sight for the articulation of all our identifications of
gender, class, sexuality, race, ethnicity and religion.
…but what do we really mean by
Physical self?
 Physical Self- refers to the body.
This is the part of us that can be directly
seen or observed by everyone.
We all have different and unique physical
appearances and physical characteristics.
We all experience different changes in our
bodies.
 Puberty Stage - is when a child's
body begins to develop and change
as they become an adult. Girls
develop breasts and start their
periods. Boys develop a deeper
voice and facial hair will start to
appear. The average age for girls to
begin puberty is 11, while for boys
the average age is 12.
 Body Image – how you picture
yourself in your mind
Self-esteem- a person’s overall
sense of self-worth or personal
value.
- It is how much you appreciate
and like your self.
- It is often seen as a personality
trait which tends to be stable
and enduring.
…Why is self-esteem important?
 Importance of Self-Esteem
• Self-esteem can play a significant role in one’s motivation and success
throughout life.
• Low self-esteem can play a significant role in one’s motivation and success
throughout life.
• Low self-esteem may hold you back from succeeding at school or work because
you don’t believe yourself to be capable of success.
• In contrast, if you have a healthy self-esteem, you can help achieve because you
navigate life with a positive, assertive attitude and believe you can accomplish
your goals.
• Maslow suggested that people need both esteem from other people as well as
inner self-respect. Both of these needs must be fulfilled in order for an individual
to grow as a person and achieve self-actualization.
• Self-esteem is one of the basic human motivations.
Remember Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy
of Needs?
Factors that affect your perception of the
physical self?:
1. Personal Factors
2. Social Factors
3. Culture
 In the Philippines, how do we define
beauty? Someone who is maganda or
gwapo?
1. Tall nose
2. Fair skin
3. Unpimpled face
4. Eurocentric features or mixed filipino
and foreign blood.
Developing Self-Esteem
✔ To strike a balance between accurate self-knowledge and respect for who you are, you
need to develop a positive body image which involves:
• Understanding that healthy, attractive bodies come in many shapes and sizes
• Physical appearance says very little about our character or value as a person
• How we get to this point of acceptance often depends on our individual development
and self-acceptance.

✔ To get to that all important point of balance, there are a few steps we can take:
• Talk back to the media and speak our dissatisfaction with the focus on appearance
• De-emphasize numbers as pounds, kilograms or inches, feet and meters on the scale;
they don’t tell us anything meaningful about the body as a whole or our health
• Stop comparing ourselves with others and remember that each one is unique.
• We need to appreciate and enjoy our bodies in the uniqueness of what we have.
Developing Self-Esteem
• Spend time with people who have a healthy relationship with food, activity, and their
bodies.
• Question the degree to which self-esteem depends on our appearance because basing
our happiness on how we look is likely to lead us to failure and frustration, and may
therefore prevent us from finding true happiness.
• Broaden our perspective about health and beauty by reading about body image
cultural variances or media influence and check out a local art gallery paying
particular attention to fine art collections that show a variety of body types
throughout the ages and in different cultures.
• Keep in mind that the body, in whatever shape or size, is good and sacred, having
been created in the image and likeness of God. Such body deserves love and respect.
Remember:
• We will have a positive body image when we have a
realistic perception of our bodies, when we enjoy, accept
and celebrate who or what and how we are, and let go of
negative societal or media perpetuated conditioning.
• Dr. Ben Carson, a retired world renowned neurosurgeon,
and Republican presidential aspirant, once wrote: “If body
and fame bring ideal relationships, then celebrities should
have the best marriages. But for those who live simply,
walk humbly and love genuinely, all good will come back
to you! That’s life. Enjoy yours!”
Remember:
• We will have a positive body image when we have a realistic perception of our bodies,
when we enjoy, accept and celebrate who or what and how we are, and let go of
negative societal or media perpetuated conditioning.
• Dr. Ben Carson, a retired world renowned neurosurgeon, and Republican presidential
aspirant, once wrote: “If body and fame bring ideal relationships, then celebrities should
have the best marriages. But for those who live simply, walk humbly and love genuinely,
all good will come back to you! That’s life. Enjoy yours!”
Remember:
• We will have a positive body image when we have a realistic perception of our bodies,
when we enjoy, accept and celebrate who or what and how we are, and let go of
negative societal or media perpetuated conditioning.
• Dr. Ben Carson, a retired world renowned neurosurgeon, and Republican presidential
aspirant, once wrote: “If body and fame bring ideal relationships, then celebrities should
have the best marriages. But for those who live simply, walk humbly and love genuinely,
all good will come back to you! That’s life. Enjoy yours!”