Filipino Indigenous Psychology

The value of family and community in a person's growth and well-being is another key theme in Filipino psychology.
This viewpoint is based on the idea of "pakikipagkapwa," or shared identity or the capacity to connect with and sympathize with
others. Also, it refers to the social manifestations of kapwa .

Virgilio Enriquez’s Kapwa Psychology - point as a vital concept in the field of Filipino Psychology.

“Kapwa”/“others”- is the core of Filipino Psychology.

- the idea of “unity of the one-of-us-and-the-other,” Virgilio Enriquez ( 1994). He upheld that kapwa implied moral and
normative aspects that obliged a person to treat one another as fellow human being and therefore as equal—a position “definitely
inconsistent with exploitative human interactions.”

Pe-Pua & Marcelino (2000) provide a comprehensive discussion of Filipino values as studied by various Filipino psychologists in their
article about the contributions of Virgilio Enriquez to the field.

Enriquez categorizes Filipino values as in accordance with both interpersonal values and socio-personal values.

Interpersonal values- manifested in the personal relations of Filipinos with others.

-colonial or accommodative surface values, confrontative surface values, and pivotal interpersonal value.

Societal values- manifested on a more macro level in society

-linking socio-personal value and associated societal values.

Hiya or “shame”- Filipino psychologists emphasize the

Interpersonal values: importance of understanding hiya in terms of affixations in the
word. The meaning of the word can change depending on
affixations like nakakahiya (“embarrassing” is different from
accommodative -hiya ikinahiya or “to be embarrassed for someone”). Meanwhile
surface values - utang na loob Salazar focused on the internal and external dimensions of the
-pakikisama term hiya, which he translated as a “sense of propriety”

Utang na loob as “debt of gratitude” or “principle of

reciprocity”.Psychologist Enriquez defined utang na loob as
“gratitude/solidarity”, meaning it is something that is not
obligatory, since there will always be an opportunity in the
future to show utang na loob.
Filipinos are expected by their neighbors to return favors—
whether these were asked for or not—when it is needed or
wanted.

Pakikisama or a “smooth interpersonal relations”which is

primarily guided by conformity with the majority.
But later, Enriquez defined it as “being along with,” and
“companionship.

‘Shared inner perceptions”. Filipinos use damdam, or the inner

pivotal interpersonal perception of others' emotions, as a basic tool to guide their
value. Pakiramdam dealings with other people.

Bahala na or as “fatalism” by foreign scholars. However for

confrontative surface
values
Pe-pua & Marcelino (2000)
- Bahala na Lagmay he defined it as “determination and risk-taking”. It is
- Lakas ng loob risk-taking in the face of uncertainty, and the possibility of
- Pakikibaka failure. It also refers to a demonstration of acceptance of one's
own inherent limitations as well as the nature of things.

being courageous in the midst of problems and uncertainties.

Concurrent clashes. It refers to the ability of the Filipino to

undertake revolutions and uprisings against a common enemy.
Societal values:
Shared humanity. This refers to being
able to help other people in dire need
due to a perception of being together as
Linking socio-personal value a part of one Filipino humanity.
Kagandahang-Loob

” dignity”- refers to what other people see in a

person and how they use that information to
-Karangalan make a stand or judge about his/her worth.
Societal values
- Puri
-Dangal the external aspect of dignity. May refer to
-Katarungan how other people judge a person of his/her
-Kalayaan worth. This compels a common Filipino to
conform to social norms, regardless how
obsolete they are.

the internal aspect of dignity. May refer to

how a person judges his own worth.

loosely translated to justice, this actually

refers to equity in giving rewards to a person.

Freedom and mobility

These Filipino values are majority introduced by Enriquez can be seen in the relationships of Filipinos across different contexts, most
especially with their families.