PHYSICAL SELF

Learning Objectives

Identify
• Identify aspects of the physical self

Describe
• Describe the impact of pubertal
changes to the physical self
Explain
• Explain the relationship between
body image and self- esteem
Describe
• Describe sociocultural influences
of the development of physical
self
Learning Checkpoint!!!
If you think the statement is correct,
say AGREE, otherwise say DISAGREE.

❑ The physical self goes through

changes in one’s lifetime.
❑ Our parents and relatives are the sole
sources of our genetic make-up.
❑ Adolescents’ physical
development vary.
❑ Each individual has unique DNA.

❑ There are relative standards

in beauty.
 Physical Self-Concept

It is the individual's It is how an individual sees

perception of themselves his body and his attitudes
in areas of physical ability (positive or negative)
and appearance. towards it.
 Physical Self-Concept

Physical Appearance Physical Ability

Speed Endurance Coordination Flexibility Coordination

The influence to have a
perfect body is used
and exploited by the
media and the
economy for
commercial aims.

Hence, most of us are

inclined to meet the
standards of “physically
perfect body”.

The body develops across the

life span and changes may be
a result of gender, age,
education, standard values
and physical activity.

(Filalová, 2001; Filalová, 2004, p. 51).

 Academic Self Non-academic Self
How an individual regards The perception of oneself in
one’s own academic the non-academic activities
achievement
“Body” is the main device of
self-realization and interaction
with world, and the key is to
perceive the total self, because
emotions and health despite our
ability to think and talk are also
expressed through our body
(Stackeová, 2007).
Fox (1997) and Maïano et al.
(2004), stressed out that
Physical Self occupies a
unique position in the self-
system because the body
provides substantive
interface between the
individual and the world.
Body can be perceived as
distinctive social, related
entity.
TWO FACTORS • Physical growth and
AFFECTING
PHYSICAL GROWTH development is the product of
AND DEVELOPMENT HEREDITY and ENVIRONMENT.
HEREDITY
Is biological process of transmission of traits from
1 parents to offspring

Genes are the basic carrier of hereditary trait and classifie

2 d as dominant (strong genes) and recessive genes (weak
genes).

Sex and other physical traits is determine by the combin

3 ation of chromosomes and genes during fertilization.

Chromosomes are thread like tissues that carries the genes.

Classified into trait chromosomes (22 pairs) and gonosome
4 or sex chromosomes (23rd). The sex of the offspring depend
s onto the gonosome from the father and the mother.
 ENVIRONMENT

Refers to the factors to which the individual is exposed a

1 fter conception to
death which includes learning and experiences.

2
Environmental factors such as diet, nutrition
2 and disease play an important role in physica
l development.
Two periods seem
crucially significant in
the development of
the Physical Self:

Early childhood

Adolescence
Since early childhood, boys express
a preference for the mesomorphic
type of male figure. When they
reach adolescence, they aspire
toward it and judge themselves
negatively if their physical
appearance falls short of this ideal.
At the onset of puberty, boys
gain muscle definition and their
shoulder width increases,
which moves the majority of
boys closer to society's ideal
body shape for a man
(McCabe & Ricciadelli, 2004).
However, it is different with girls
As a result, after the onset of
since some physical changes
puberty, many girls report higher
move girls further away from
levels of body dissatisfaction and
society's ideal body shape for a
a poorer self-esteem.
woman.
• As puberty nears, children become increasingly
focused on the appearance of their bodies.
• An adolescent may mature too quickly, too slowly,
in a way that is unattractive, or in a way that makes
the adolescent stand out in the crowd (Gale
Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence, 1998).
On the other hand,
early onset of the
physiological changes
may be linked to:

• involvement in
delinquent
behaviours (boys)
• emergence of
important
adjustment
problems (girls)
• Adolescents usually have an “ideal” of what is
considered to be attractive for a male and a female
and they strive towards that ideal.
Body change - these changes
includes weight, height, body
shape, etc.

Body Dissatisfaction –
happens when what we
aspire to be falls short of this
ideal which can lead to
maladaptive behavior such as
eating disorders (ex. body
preferences/shapes)
 ANOREXIA NERVOSA
EATING
DISORDERS
• Women try to change their
physical appearance
through cosmetic
surgery,dieting, and
excessive exercise.

• HIGHER BODY
DISSATISFACTION are
likely to experience
depression low self-esteem
BULIMIA
and eating disorders.
In conclusion, the
greater our
discontent with • Extreme dieting
how we measure • Extreme exercise
up when
compared to the compulsion
societal or media
supported • Eating disorders
norms/ideals, the • Extreme or
more negative
our body image, unnecessary plastic
and the greater surgery
risk for extreme
weight or body • Using steroids for
control
behaviours muscle building
occurs.
 What should we do?
Adaptation to the bodily changes of
puberty exerts a strong influence on
adolescents’ social adjustment,
psychological well-being, and health
behaviour.
Satisfaction with one’s own body may
have an effect on self-acceptance and
positive evaluation.

Individuals who do not conform to

the ideal standards of society are
not satisfied with their body
image and dissatisfaction with
body image affects self-esteem
negatively
Research shows:

Boys globally express Girls assess the changes

more satisfaction and in their body based on
pride in their changing whether they are
body than girls. becoming more or less
(Ferron,1997) physically attractive.
 Research shows:
• McCabe & Ricciardelli
(2004) admit that the
timing of puberty in
relation to adolescent
boys' and girls' peers
appears to have
important implications
for body image and
popularity.
 BODY IMAGE
Refers to how individual perceive, think, and feel about
their body and physical appearance.

• Skin
Appearance • Height • Weight • Clothes • Hairstyle
colour
BODY IMAGE
Body image can affect both adolescent's physical and psychological
well-being.
Younger women and girls - poor body image.

Adolescent boys - negative self-image.

However, girls are more concerned than boys about their physical
appearance and their overall self-image.
BODY
SELF-ESTEEM
IMAGE
Perception of
being too fat
or thought
that they are
not thin
enough or
vice versa.
 Body Image and Self-esteem
Body image lies at the It is involved in all
heart of adolescence developmental
and it is defined as
processes, and a very
mental representation
of your own body important aspect of
(Ferron, 1997). Identity

It serves as a sort of
organized for a thorough
reorganization of the
personality (Heuves, 1990).
 Body Image and Self-esteem

self-evaluation
Self-esteem is is attributed
understood as a through your Self-esteem, the
result of social own social evaluation one
relation position makes of
(Blatný, 2001) (Hartl and Hartlova, him/herself, is
2000). shaped by how
Hence, a person others perceive
is persuaded by him/her
other people as (Harter and
to his/her needs Monsour,1992;cited by
Wilbum, 2005).
(Blatný, 2001).
 Changes in self-esteem level are
often accompanied by strong
emotional responses as
emphasized by Baumeister (1990).
High self-esteem is also related to
active engagement in daily
activities, more optimistic attitude
and better psychological health.
Positive self-esteem enhances
one's ability to cope effectively
with stress because individuals
with poor coping mechanisms are
more vulnerable to environmental
stressors (Wilburn, 2005).
Positive self-esteem and a stable
sense of self are both important
protective factors against
psychopathology, including eating
disorders and other body image-
related problems (Bowker et al.,
2003).
The Physical Self: Achieving Physical Well-Being

Healthy Eating
– We need to have the right combination of food to
ensure our health and sustenance. Having the right
diet will result in healthy skin, ideal weight and better
stamina.
The Physical Self: Achieving Physical Well-Being

Embracing a Healthy
Lifestyle
– Not drinking alcohol,
smoking and other
unhealthy habits would
reduce the risk of illness
and diseases and make
your immune system
stronger.
- Physical activities such as
walking, running, going to
the gym and sports would
also contribute to a
healthier body.
 • Having the Right Hygiene
The Physical Self:
– Taking care of our body by
Achieving Physical
maintaining a hygiene regimen can
Well-Being
also help in making us feel good
about ourselves.
The Physical Self: Achieving Physical Well-Being

“Confidence in ourselves is our

best make-up”
– Being secured in ourselves,
embracing a positive outlook
towards various situations
and problems and loving and
accepting who we are will
surely result in an optimal
physical well-being.
“We are bound to our bodies like an
oyster is to its shell”
Plato