UNDERSTANDING THE SELF II.
What Philosophers Think About Beauty
Finals Outline S.Y. 2022-2023
Note: DO NOT distribute or upload the copy on
public websites or online. This is intellectual
property.
References:
Otig, V., Gallinero, W., Bataga, N., Salado, F., Visande,
J., Vicente, M. (2022). Understanding the Self. 2022 ed.
Mutya Publishing House. Inc.
CHAPTER ll: Unpacking the Self
Lesson 1: The Physical Self
I. Introduction
We are living in a world where the material and
immaterial self are both represented. Thanks to advances
in technology, we not only live in a physical world, but
we also have virtual reality.
Society shapes us in many ways, possibly more than we
realize it. This involves:
● How we perceive our bodies visually;
● How we feel about our physical appearance;
● How we think and talk to ourselves about our
bodies; and
● Our sense of how other people view our bodies.
The current embedded idea of what is attractive,
beautiful, or handsome is an unrealistic image, which is
genetically impossible for many of us to emulate.
This unrealistic image is continually driven into our
minds by the media through ads, movies, and TV shows.
A positive view of “self” involves understanding that
healthy, attractive bodies come in many shapes and
sizes, and that physical appearance says very little about
our character or value as a person.
We have to strive to know ourselves beyond our
preconceived ideas of who we are.
Beauty is the most enduring and controversial theme in
Western philosophy.
It was a primary theme among ancient Greek,
Hellenistic, and medieval philosophers; it was central to
eighteenth- and nineteenth-century thought. By the
beginning of the twentieth century, beauty was in decline
as a subject of philosophical inquiry. However, there
were signs of revived interest by the early 2000s.
The two most-debated views about beauty are:
1.) Beauty is objective
2.) Beauty is subjective.
Before the 18th century, most Western philosophical
views on beauty treated it as an objective quality.
1.) St. Augustine of Hippo asked whether things
were beautiful because they gave delight, or
whether it gave delight because it was beautiful.
He believed it to be the latter.
2.) Plato connected beauty as a response to love
and desire. He asserted that beauty exists in the
realm of Forms and that objects are found
beautiful because they are a reflection of the
idea of beauty that already exists in the realm of
Forms.
3.) Aristotle asserted that the chief forms of beauty
are order, symmetry, and definiteness which can
be demonstrated by mathematical sciences.
By the 18th century, beauty was associated with pleasure
as a personal preference.
1.) David Hume: “Beauty is no quality in things
themselves: It exists merely in the mind which
contemplates them, and each mind perceives a
different beauty.”
One person may perceive deformity, whereas
another is sensible of beauty; and every
individual thought ought to acquiesce in his own
sentiment, without pretending to regulate others”
(Hume, 1757).
2.) Immanuel Kant: “The judgment of taste is
therefore not a judgment of cognition, and is
consequently not logical but aesthetical, by
which we understand that whose determining
 ground can be no other than subjective” (Kant,
1790).
3.) Francis Hutcheson: “The perception of beauty
does depend on the external or reflex of sight;
however, the internal sense of beauty operates
as an internal or reflex sense. The same is the
case with hearing: hearing music does not
necessarily give the perception of harmony as it
is distinct from the hearing”.
III.What did Psychology Discover About Beauty
Researchers found that:
1.) In beauty, a person who is perceived as
attractive makes more money than a person
with below-average looks
2.) In politics, voters who are not actively engaged
in social and political issues choose candidates
based on “looks” 90% of the time.
These studies are an example of cognitive bias
specifically the “halo effect”.
Cognitive Bias is an error in reasoning, evaluating,
remembering, or any other mental process that is often a
result of holding on to one’s preferences and beliefs
regardless of contrary information.
Halo Effect (also known as the physical attractiveness
stereotype and the “what is beautiful is good”
principle) refers to the tendency of people to rate
attractive individuals more favorably for their
personality traits or characteristics as compared to those
who are less attractive.
Evolutionary psychology found that faces hold certain
fundamental and important characteristics that could
indicate a person’s quality as a romantic partner and as a
mate.
The most important factors in facial attractiveness are
the structural qualities of the face. These qualities are
sex-typical.
1.) For female participants, an attractive man is
generally one with relatively prominent
cheekbones and eyebrow ridges and a relatively
long lower face.
2.) For male participants, an attractive woman is
attractive when she has prominent cheekbones,
large eyes, a small nose, a taller forehead,
smooth skin, and an overall young or even
childlike appearance.
Our hormones sculpt our faces. These sex-typical facial
features of adult men and women are the results of the
testosterone-to-estrogen ratio or estrogen-to-testosterone
acting on the individual during development.
We are usually drawn to strong indicators of maleness
(for women) and femaleness (for men) because they
reflect our individual health (Fink & Penton Voak,
2022).
III.1 How Cultural Traditions Shape Body Image?
Culture has a significant impact on how a person feels
about himself or herself, as well as his or her body
image. Cultural traditions can either be a positive or
negative influence on body image and self-esteem.
Body image is defined as how one thinks and feels
toward one’s body (Yam, 2013 & Cash & Smolak,
2011).
People see cultural group membership as an integral
part of who they are. Hence, they are more likely to
engage in events and behaviors that are related to their
culture- for example; choosing friends, media, and even
marital partners from their culture.
When “culture” is experienced as a personally
meaningful activity, it is difficult for a person to resist
the conscious and unconscious ways that culture
influences a person’s life.
Ideal standards of body sizes are culturally specific.
Example:
1.) In the 1960s ideal body size for white American
women emphasized thinness.
2.) The Philippines which is influenced by
American culture generally hyper-focus on
dieting and body appearance.
● Research found that young Filipino
women were dissatisfied with their
bodies which possibly stemmed from
unreasonable weight concerns and an
 extreme drive for thinness (Torres, judging people based on their looks during your
2012). initial encounters.

III.2 Does body image have an impact on your
self-esteem?
The term “self-esteem” was coined by William James
in 1800.
He presented self-esteem as “the number of successes a
person achieves in the domains of life that are
important to him/her, divided by the number of failures
that occurred in those areas” (The Corsini
Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science,
2022).
In the 1960s behavioral scientists defined self-esteem
in terms of an attitude concerning one’s worth as a
person (Rosenberg, 1965).
Self-esteem is about how you value yourself and how
you feel others value you. It is important because it can
affect your mental health as well as how you behave.
Physical beauty is extremely important. The
dictionary’s definition of beauty is “the degree to which
a person’s physical traits are considered pleasing or
beautiful”. Even if physical beauty is extremely
important, the good news is that physical beauty
standards differ from one person to another.
Self-image problems happen when your looks do not
match your beauty standards. For example, if you
believe that being thin is sexy and attractive, yet you are
not thin then you might believe that you are unattractive.
The problem here is with your beauty standards and not
with your looks. To have a positive self-image and
higher self-esteem you must fix your false beliefs about
physical attractiveness first.
_____________________________________________
Lesson 2: The Sexual Self

Body image is how you view your physical body, NOTE: Refer to the Powerpoint Slide posted in the
whether you feel you are attractive, and how you feel Google Classroom under the Class Resources Section
some other people like your looks.

Body image is closely linked to self-esteem.

1.) If you have a positive body image, you probably
like and accept yourself the way you are, even if
you do not fit the popular notion of beautiful or
handsome.
a.) This healthy attitude allows you to
explore some other aspects of growing
up, such as developing good
relationships, friendships, becoming
independent from your parents, and
challenging yourself physically and
mentally.
_____________________________________________
III.3 How important is your physical beauty?

“Do not judge the book by its cover”

● You have heard many people say this.
However, though it is a wise thought from the
conscious mind, your subconscious mind will
contradict you, and you will still find yourself
 Lesson 3: The Material-Economic Self
In this age of digital technology, everything in our
society is based upon the idea that consumption should
be as easy as possible.
Shopping has become a leisure and a way to pass the
time. Our homes are full of things, stuff, gadgets,
widgets, devices, and etc. Consequently, our
consumption also contributes to our garbage problems,
pollution, and depletion of natural resources.
I. I Shop Therefore I Am: I Have, Therefore I am?
● In the “I shop therefore I am” we are focusing
on the lens of consumer culture. Shopping has
turned into a lifestyle. People are slowly
realizing that the power of consumption is
stopping them from finding true and sincere
happiness. It becomes a substitute for something
that we are missing in life.
● As primary consumers, the issue is about what
we buy and what we choose to invest in.
II. Consumption and Production
● Consume is defined as “use up, to spend
wastefully, to destroy” (Gusdorf, 1978).
○ The definition shows that consumption
has a negative connotation. There is,
however, a positive side to consumption
that is often neglected.
● Behind consumption, there is production
defined as “the act of making or manufacturing
from components or raw materials, or the
process of being so manufactured.”
● Consumers keep companies alive. These
companies pay people whose earnings put food
on the table. Such is the pattern of consumption.
Thus, it cannot be denied that consumption is
important.
III. Conscious Consumption
● Consumers are often portrayed as “victims”,
exploited by greedy companies. However, you
should take note that every person has “free
will”. Therefore, choices are important.
● As a consumer, free will comes with
responsibility and obligation. Conscious
consumption is about practicing responsible
buying habits.
● “The conscious consumers are shoppers who
are increasingly choosing to make conscious
buying decisions, by purchasing local, ethical,
and environmentally friendly products” (TGM
Creative, n.d.).
● “Talking about awareness is talking about how
we can be effective in reducing our footprint
through our choices. Being conscious of which
companies you are consuming from and why
you are consuming from them. Conscious
consumption is linked to how your habits can
directly affect the health of our planet” (Moss,
2022).
IV. Psychological/ Sociological Consumption
● As mentioned, for many people these days (with
the younger generation as the vulnerable group)
happiness seems to be attached to buying
something. Consumption has become an
addiction.
● We forget that there are things in life that can
bring true and lasting happiness, such as
spending time with family or friends, having
“me” time, enjoying nature, reading, etc.
V. Identity and Consumer Culture
● Identity is a symbolic idea. It is an image we
build for ourselves through social interaction.
Thus, a person’s identity is dynamic and
context-dependent.
● It is improved through communication with
others and through different ways that a person
interacts within the cultural atmosphere and
social relations. (Mach, 1933).
Factors that affect identity:
1. Social relations of power and,
2. Symbolic image of the world.
“Identity” is mainly derived from the work of
psychologist Erik Erikson in the 1950s. Identity may
refer to:
1. A social category defined by membership rules,
characteristic attributes, or expected behaviors.
2. Socially distinguishing features that an
individual takes pride in having.
 ● Studies have observed that every waking
moment in a modern lifestyle has become a
cycle of “alternating time-space for work and
time-space for consumption”.
Slater (1977), outlined some main features and
characters in consumer culture.
1. Consumer culture is a culture of consumption
2. Consumer culture is the culture of market
society.
3. Consumer culture is universal and impersonal.
4. Consumer culture identifies freedom with
private choice and life.
5. Consumer needs are insatiable and unlimited,
6. Consumer culture is a privileged medium for
building personal identity and status.
Consumer culture
● Means a culture where what we consume, and
the way in which we consume goods and
services provided in markets has come to
represent our identities, mediate our interactions
with others, and even shape our policies.
Consumerism
● One of the strongest forces affecting modern
people’s lives. The term consumerism does not
simply mean the constant barrage and intrusion
of ads in our lives, but everything that is
connected to modern society’s idea that to be
happier and more successful, we have to buy,
buy, and buy.
● This is also what consumerism wants because it
makes people active consumers on a regular
basis. Thus, consumerism does not only affect
our behavior; it also affects our thinking process.
VI. The Problem with Consumerism
1. It is intrusive.
2. It is manipulative.
3. It cannot provide many of the things that are
important to us.
4. It restricts our choices and lives.
5. It affects our worldviews and characters.
6. It is unsustainable.
VII. Avoid the Trap
Consumerism is intrinsically woven into the fabric of
modern society. Society needs a cultural shift to move
away from the culture of consumerism. Therefore, it is
best to take immediate steps in your own life to release
yourself from the grip of consumerism.
1. Exercise intellectual independence. Be aware
of how consumerism controls your life. Try to
defend yourself from unwanted external
pressures. Ignore advertising. Think for yourself.
Question all information given to you, and start
looking for information yourself.
2. Consume less, live more. Stop and think about
the influences of consumerism in your life.
Then, think about what really matters to you and
how you want to live it. Strive for the life you
want, not how others think you ought to live.
_____________________________________________
Lesson 4: The Spiritual Self
When we talk about the “whole person”, we usually
think of human beings as having a physical and a
psychological aspect. The physical domain covers the
biological aspects of our development, including growth,
maturation, and other bodily changes. The psychological
aspect covers aspects of development focusing on
consciousness and attributes that are not directly
observable but manifested in behavior.
However, there is another aspect to being human that is
as vital and as important as the two precedents; this
refers to the spiritual aspect of ourselves.
Spirituality vs Religiosity
1. Spiritual is defined as “relating to or affecting
the human spirit or soul as opposed to material
or physical things”. A spiritual person places
little importance on beliefs and traditions and is
more concerned with growing and experiencing
the Divine.
a. The spiritual approach to God is through
the path of love where there is mercy
and acceptance.
 2. Religion is a formal attachment to the set of
beliefs, values, and practices of a particular
church. A religious person is someone who
believes in a god or group of gods and
consciously adheres to the beliefs of his/her
religion.
a. Religion takes the approach of fear. It
emphasizes sin, guilt, and the concept of
a punishing God.Often, religion talks of
God who is high up in the heavens. God
is depicted as separate from humanity,
who is impartial but impersonal.
Many religions feel their path is the only way to
salvation and that other religions are wrong.
Religious people strongly feel the need to convert others
to their faith. On the other hand, like the analogy,
“different paths that lead to the same destination”,
spirituality feels all faiths are valid.
Spirituality embraces all the world’s religions, but at the
same time, it is not constrained by any religious dogmas
or forms.
There are over 4,000 religions and spiritual traditions
around the world.
I. Why is spirituality important?
Sense of meaninglessness and lack of purpose in life can
be significant factors in causing anxiety, depression, and
phobias; however, there is a growing body of evidence
indicating that spiritual practices are associated with
better health and well-being.
Many spiritual traditions encourage participation in
a community.
1. Spiritual fellowship (such as attending church
or a meditation group) can be a source of social
support that may provide a sense of belonging,
security, and community. Strong relationships
have been proven to increase well-being and
bolster life expectancy, which is perhaps why
one study found a strong association between
church attendance and improved health, mood,
and well-being.
2. Contemplative practice can be broadly
understood as a method to develop
concentration, deepen understanding and insight,
and cultivate awareness and compassion. These
practices can have a profound impact on
students' experiences both in college and
beyond.
Examples of contemplative practices:
● Meditation - mental exercise (such as focusing
on one's breathing or repeating a mantra) for the
purpose of reaching a heightened level of
spiritual awareness.
○ It can induce feelings of calm and
clear-headedness, as well as improved
concentration and attention.
● Prayer - a spiritual communion with God (or an
object of worship) as in supplication,
thanksgiving, adoration, or confession.
○ Prayers may elicit a relaxation response,
along with feelings of hope, gratitude,
and compassion all of which have a
positive effect on overall well-being.
○ A recent study found out that clinically
depressed adults who believed their
prayers were heard by God (or a
concerned presence) responded much
better to treatment than those who did
not believe.
● Yoga - a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline.
In Hindu theistic philosophy, it teaches the
suppression of all mind and body activity. Yoga
is a system of physical postures, breathing
techniques, and sometimes its distinction from
the material world and attains liberation. In
Western culture, yoga is a system of physical
and emotional well-being.
● Journaling - is another (but often overlooked)
contemplative practice that can help you become
more aware of your inner life and feel more
connected to your experience and the world
around you.
○ Studies show that writing during
difficult times may help you find
meaning in life's challenges and help
you become more resilient in the face of
obstacles.
II. The Practice of Religion: Belief in Supernatural
Being and Power
● Defined as “the belief in and worship of a
superhuman controlling power, especially a
personal God or gods” (Oxford University
Press, 2017)
● A “particular system of faith and worship”
● Religion is an experience
● A systematic “attribution of human
characteristics or behavior to a god, animal or
object”
III. The Psychology Behind Religious Belief
Religion attracts so many followers because it satisfies
all 16 basic desires that humans share (Reiss, 1990).
peace, there are also religions that preach holy
wars.
● Reiss added that all religious beliefs and
practices are designed to meet these 16 desires.
Religious beliefs provide people with certain
ways of thinking to help them cope with
ultimate questions that cannot be explained in
any other way.
IV. The Four Dimensions of Religion
The incredible amount of variation between different
religions makes it challenging to decide upon a concrete
definition of religion that applies to all of them.
Sociologists noted four dimensions that seem to be
present in varying forms and intensities in all types of
religion (Dawson & Thiessen, 2014).

According to Reiss, the 16 basic desires that humans These are:

share are 1. Belief
1. Acceptance 2. Ritual
2. Curiosity 3. Spiritual experience
3. Eating 4. Unique social forms of community
4. Family
5. Honor ● Religious beliefs are a generalized system of
6. Idealism ideas and values that shape how members of a
7. Independence religious group come to understand the world
8. Order around them.
9. Physical activity ○ These beliefs are taught to followers by
10. Power religious authorities, such as priests,
11. Romance imams, or shamen, through formal
12. Saving creeds and doctrines, as well as more
13. Social contact informal lessons learned through stories,
14. Status songs, and myths.
15. Tranquility
16. Vengeance ● Rituals are the repeated physical gestures or
activities, such as prayers and mantras, used to
● Reiss claimed that we all share the same 16 reinforce religious teachings, elicit spiritual
goals, but what makes us different is how much feelings, and connect the worshipper's passage,
we value each one. which with a higher power (Little, 2016)
○ For example, in social contact, religion ○ A common type of ritual is a rite of
attracts both introverts and extroverts. passage, which marks a person's
For extroverts, religion offers fellowship transition from one stage of life to
with others. For introverts, religion another. Examples of rites of passage
encourages meditation, private retreats, include baptisms and weddings.
and solitude. ○ From a psychological perspective,
● Another example is that religion also finds ways rituals play an important role in
to deal with vengeance. According to Reiss, providing practitioners with access to
while some other religions preach a God of spiritual "powers" of various sorts. In
 relieving anxieties, religious rituals
provide a basis of psychological stability
when people face uncertainty or chance.
● Spiritual Experience or feeling of immediate
connection with a higher power. From this point
of view, religion is not so much about thinking a
certain way (i.e., a formal belief system) as
about feeling a certain way.
○ Saint Thomas Aquinas is often quoted to
have said, ‘To one who has faith, no
explanation is necessary. To one without
faith, no explanation is possible”.
● Unique Social Forms of Community
○ Emile Durkheim (1915-1964)
emphasized that religious beliefs and
practices “unite in one single
community called a Church, all those
who adhere to them”.
○ Religion gains credibility when agreed
upon and shared by a group. It is easier
to believe in something if others around
you (whom you respect) believe it as
well.
○ Religion provides an authority that deals
specifically with social or moral issues,
such as determining the best way to live
life.
○ Religion acts as a form of social control,
and it supports the development of
self-control, which are vital elements of
a functional society.
○ Places of religious worship function as
social hubs within communities,
providing a source of entertainment,
socialization, and support.
One-way scholars have categorized religions is by
classifying what or who they hold to be divine.
RELIGIOUS WHAT/WHO IS EXAMPLE
CLASSIFICATION DIVINE
Polytheism Multiple Gods Hinduism,
Ancient
Greeks and
Romans
Monotheism Single Gods Judaism,
Islam,
Christianity
Antheism No deities Atheism,
Buddhism,
Taoism
Animism Nonhuman beings Indigenous
(animals, plants, nature
natural world) worship,
Shinto
The Major Religions
1. Judaism
2. Christianity
3. Islam
4. Hinduism
5. Buddhism
Judaism encompasses the religion, philosophy, and
culture of the Jewish people. It is characterized by belief
in one transcendent God who has revealed himself to
Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a
religious life in accordance with the scriptures and
rabbinic traditions. Their sacred text is the Torah.
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion
based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who
serves as the focal point of the Christian faith. For
Christians, the word of God is written in the Bible
Islam is the religious faith of Muslims who worship
Allah as the sole deity and believe Muhammad is His
prophet. The holy scripture of Islam is the Quran.
Hinduism is considered the world’s oldest religion and
is still commonly practiced. Hinduism combines the
beliefs, philosophy, and cultural practices of India.
● Hindu practitioners are guided by Velic
scriptures and believe in righteousness, the laws
of cause and effect, and the cycle of birth and
death.
● Supreme God called Brahman who has multiple
manifestations as either a god or goddess. These
gods and goddesses can be spirits, trees,
animals, and even planets.
Buddhism refers to the teachings of Gautama Buddha
who experienced enlightenment while sitting under a
tree. Buddhism does not believe in a divine realm or God
as a supernatural being, but instead follows the wisdom
of their founder.
● Also known as “the enlightened one” or `` the
awakened one.”
V. The Soul According to some Ethnolinguistic
Groups of the Philippines
● Linnawa or “Soul of the Dead” by Ifugao.
● Kaduwa of the Isneg (an Igorot tribe native to
Apayao Province in the Philippines Cordillera
Administrative Region).
○ The Isneg believes that the dead exist in
a realm called the Aglalanwan.
■ The Kaduwa (soul) is believed
to cross a pond in a ferry piloted
by a Kutaw (spirit)
● The Kankanaey (another member of the Igorot
people) believes that the human person is
composed of the physical body and the ab-abiik
(soul).
○ When spirits summon a person’s
ab-abiik he or she becomes sick. A
ritual will be performed to appease the
spirit who summoned the ab-abiik so
that it will allow the ab-abiik to return to
its body, and the person recovers from
the illness
● Kaluluwa is the Tagalog people's concept of
soul. However, it refers more to the soul of the
deceased.
○ The soul of a living person is called
“kakambal”. The kakambal leaves the
physical body at night to roam, and any
bad encounter causes “bangungot
(nightmare).
● The Ilokano has a four-soul system:
○ The kararua, or the soul proper is
equivalent to a soul in the Christian
concept.
○ Karkarma stands for natural vigor,
mind, and reason. It can leave the
physical body when one is frightened. A
karkarma can also be stolen. If this soul
fails to return to the body, the person
becomes insane. Sacrificial ceremonies
may be performed to lure back a lost
karkarma.
○ Aniwaas can leave the body during
sleep and visit places familiar to the
body. If one wakes up while aniwaas is
visiting these places, he or she may lose
the aniwaas and become insane.
○ Araria is the liberated soul of the dead.
It visits relatives and friends in the
physical world to ask for prayers.
● Soul - the Old English for the soul was “sawol”
which meant the spiritual and emotional part of
a person.
○ Soul refers to the conscious, moral, and
thinking part of a person. It is immortal.
It will go to hell purgatory or heaven
after a person dies.
● Spirit - from the Latin word “spiritus” which
means a berthing breath, breath of god.
○ Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. It is the
force of God through which blessings
are bestowed.
VI. Rituals and Ceremonies
This is an action performed in a customary way.
Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a
community, including a religious community. Rituals
include not only the worship rites and sacraments of
organized religions and cults but also rites of passage,
atonement and purification rites, oaths of allegiance,
dedication ceremonies, presidential inaugurations,
marriages, and funerals- perhaps all of human activity.
Ceremonies refer to a formal act or ritual performed in
observation of an event or anniversary.
Classification of Rituals
1. Imitative
a. These are patterned after myths, and the
ritual repeats the myths or aspects of the
myth.
i. Example: Filipinos make noises
at the strike of twelve every
New Year.

Positive and Negative Rituals
● Negative rituals focus on the rules of
prohibition which cover an almost infinite
variety of rites and behavior. One characteristic
they all share, however, is that if the person
breaks the ritual, it will result in a dramatic
change that usually brings some misfortune.
● Positive rituals are mostly concerned with
giving blessings to an object or to an individual.
Sacrificial Rituals
● Are seen as the earliest form of religion. The
distinct feature of this type of ritual is the total
destruction of the sacrifice as an offering to a
“higher being”. The sacrifice can be a human
being, an animal, food crops, or objects.
Life Crisis Ritual
● The transition of one mode or stage of life into
another. This ritual usually defines the life of an
individual. For example, it is a Filipino tradition
to bury the placenta right after birth, and it is the
father who is tasked to do this. Moreover, for the
succeeding children, it is important to bury the
placenta of the siblings together so that they will
always love and care for one another.
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Lesson 5: The Political Self
When discussing national identity, the focus tends to be
on being a citizen of a country. The Filipino identity is
not static. A Filipino’s self-image can be varied with his/
her background. His consciousness of being a Filipino
psychologically defines him as one, no matter how he
sees and defines Filipino (Enriquez, 1977).
I. Developing a Filipino Identity: Values, Traits,
Community, and Institutional Factors
● The Filipino culture is a mix of both Eastern
and Western cultures. The beliefs and traditions
of pre-colonial Philippines were mainly an
indigenous Malay heritage (Balay, 2006).
● The Malays made a large contribution to
Philippine history. The Malay temperament is a
basic factor of a Filipino personality. It can best
be described as “being nice and pleasant to
others”.
● Additionally, the important role of the family in
Filipino culture stemmed from the strength of
the Malay family clan that served as a strong
security unit.
● When the Spaniards colonized the islands, the
Hispanic culture influenced the natives.
Christianity became the dominant religion, and
a Western-based social and political organization
was established.
● The Americans shaped the modern Filipino
culture, and this is primarily manifested in the
widespread use of the English language.
● The brief occupation of the British and the
Japanese, however, had no cultural influence in
the Philippines at all.
Psychologist, educator, and former chairperson of the
Commission on Higher Education, Dr, Patricia B.
Licuanan, wrote that the strengths and weaknesses of
the Filipino character are rooted in factors; such as:
1. Home Environment: Children are taught to
value family and give it primary importance.
2. The Social Environment: Depending on one
another to survive
3. Culture and Language: Openness to foreign
elements: language and culture
4. History: Colonial mentality is still continued
5. The Educational System: Early on, children are
praised and rewarded for being behaving and
obedient (passivity & conformity)
6. Religion: Taught us optimism and resilience; but
instilled a fatalistic attitude
7. The economic environment: The hard life
drove people to work hard and take risks,
leaving their families even.
8. The political environment: Sadly, our
government is still fraught with problems (eg.
corruption)
9. Mass Media: Ads reinforce our colonial
mentality
10. Leadership and role models: Filipinos highly
respect authority. When leaders violate the law,
there is a lack of accountability.
II. Strengths of the Filipino Character
The following are the most common Filipino traits:
1. Pakikipagkapwa-tao - demonstrated in the
Filipino’s openness, helpfulness, and generosity;
in the practice of bayanihan or mutual
assistance; and the famous Filipino hospitality.
2. Family orientation - we have a genuine love for
family. This love is shown through giving honor
and respect to parents, and elders, caring for the
children, generosity toward kin, and the personal
sacrifices that a Filipino endures for the welfare
of the family. This strong family orientation has
given us a sense of belonging and security.
3. Joy and Humor - cheerful and fun-loving. Our
various fiestas and social gatherings demonstrate
Filipino joy and humor. Even in the most trying
times, Filipinos will always find a reason to
smile or laugh.
4. Flexibility, adaptability, and creativity - we
can improvise and make use of whatever is at
hand to create and produce. Our flexibility,
adaptability, and creativity are the reasons many
Filipinos thrive in various parts of the world.
5. Hard work and industry - this trait is most
noticeable in our willingness to take risks and
work in other countries.
6. Faith and religiosity - This can be related to our
bahala na mindset. There is actually a positive
side to this fatalistic trait. The bahala na attitude
could serve as a “Kickstarter” or a Pampalakas
ng loob to move him/her into action.
7. Ability to survive - all of the mentioned
Filipino traits contribute to our ability to survive.
The proverb matutong mamaluktot habang
maikli ang kumot aptly depicts our survival
instinct. This trait is the reason why Filipinos
continue to carry on despite our harsh economic
and social circumstances.
Weaknesses of the Filipino Character
It is important to be aware of our weaknesses because it
enables us to identify the areas that need improvement to
grow and develop as a person. Generally, these
weaknesses are:
1. Extreme personalism - difficulty to separate
objective tasks from emotions. This is where the
”palakasan system” springs from. Filipinos
want to get special treatment and will always
look for “inside connections” in most (if not all)
of their transactions. (ex. Family and friends are
given preference in hiring). Extreme personalism
is another element that has led to the prevalence
of graft and corruption in the country.
2. Extreme family-centeredness - Family is
valued above anything and everyone else. Thus,
regard for the common good is less important.
(ex. Extreme family-centeredness is manifested
in our political system where political dynasties
lord over the elected government posts from
barangay to the national level).
3. Lack of discipline - ningas kugon & Filipino
time.
a. Ningas kugon is manifested when
projects start out with full enthusiasm
and interest, but no sooner has it started
than the enthusiasm and interest just as
soon die down.
b. Filipino Time is a characteristic of a
Filipino who is known to be always late.
Since global trends strictly follow
schedules, this trait that disregards the
importance of time is adversely
affecting Filipino productivity.
4. Passivity and lack of initiative - Filipinos have
high respect for authority. This has led to general
passivity and a lack of initiative. (ex. strong
reliance on leaders/others and the government
to solve the nation’s problems, but ordinarily,
Filipinos also do not feel the need to initiate or
contribute to the solution).
5. Colonial mentality - Foreign elements are
adapted and incorporated into our image, and in
 the process, we are losing our cultural identity.
This colonial mentality is connected to our
general feelings of inferiority, where we think
foreigners– especially Westerners, are superior.
6. Kanya-kanya Syndrome - is related to the
Filipino traits of extreme personalism and
extreme family-centeredness. This trait has
dampened our sense of community and
cooperation, and we trample on one another’s
rights as a result. (ex. crab mentality where we
tend to pull others down to climb up).
7. Lack of self-analysis and self-reflection- is the
expression that Filipinos are “madaling
makalimot” or have a short memory.
a. This means, as a nation, we easily forget
the mistakes we have; made hence, we
make the same mistakes again. (ex. This
trait is one reason traditional politicians
or “trapos” are always re-elected to
office).
Despite these weaknesses, however, there is still much
good in the Filipino character. What is important is that
we know our values as a nation because these help us
grow and develop. We need to understand our character
as a Filipinos because this is the first step toward
creating the future we want as an individual and as a
nation.
Establishing a Democratic Culture
Democracy is a government in which the supreme
power is vested in and exercised by the people directly
or indirectly through a system of representation, usually
involving periodically held free elections.
Although democracy has several flaws, it also uniquely
possesses a number of features that most people–
whatever their basic political beliefs – would consider
desirable;
1. Democracy helps prevent cruel and vicious
autocrats from ruling.
2. It fosters human development more than other
forms of government.
3. Democracy helps protect fundamental individual
rights and interests.
4. Democratic societies provide people the
maximum opportunity to take moral
responsibility for their choices and decisions
5. Democratic societies offer a relatively high
chance of political equality.
The adjustment of individual awareness to collective
awareness is achieved through formal and informal
ways.
1. The formal way - refers to a system of ideas
and models that are officially established.
2. The informal way - refers to the acceptance of
behaviors and thoughts that are not established
as the formal way of interpersonal relations. (ex,
culture is an informal way of shaping collective
awareness, as well as religion, science, morality,
and ideology)
Establishing democratic institutions, however, is not
enough for democracy to flourish. Democracy cannot be
sustained by political attitudes and political culture if the
citizens do not have a participative attitude.
Attitudes, such as having a sense of responsibility for
society and becoming concerned about human rights and
human development, are important in establishing a
democratic culture.
_____________________________________________
Lesson 6: The Digital Self
Sincerity and Authenticity
Sincerity refers to the exposure in public of what one
feels is private.
Authenticity is one who takes action based on some
internal standard and takes responsibility for this freely
chosen action.
Domains of our Social World
● Family
● School
● Neighborhood
● Online
People in these social domains exert different impacts on
the formation of self, depending on the stage of
development of the child. Research has shown that
parents have a dominant influence on their children’s
sense of self before they reach adolescence. As a child
grows older, the influence of peers/friends increases
(Rosenberg, 1986).
The emergence of the Internet, however, adds a fourth
domain- online life- to the social world. Online life has
definitely altered the dynamics of self-identity,
especially for adolescents.
I. Me, Myself, and my user ID online identity
The self that is constructed online is generally called the
Digital Self. Analyses of the experiences of online users
(especially teenagers) have shown that the characteristics
of the digital self are:
● Oriented inward- characteristic where
individuals are more likely to be “more oriented
toward one’s inner world” (Zhao, 2005) focusing
on other people’s feelings and personalities.
● Narrative in nature- Since we are required to
provide basic details of ourselves to our online
friends and we want to provide a description of
our best selves we are able “to craft a self in a
more careful, elaborate, and coherent manner”
● Retractable- this refers to the fact that our
created digital selves can be easily retracted if
we aren’t happy with them. Teenagers are able
to go through multiple digital selves on different
media platforms and if they don’t like one of
them, they can easily retract that digital self or
digital version of themselves.
● Multipliable- With multiple websites and
multiple selves that we project digitally, we can
“experiment with multiple versions of their self”
Self- Presentation
● Refers to the people being able to present
themselves online in the manner that they want
to.
● Research suggests that self-presentation tends to
be superficial (insincere). A study found that
students and nonstudents between 18 to 39 years
old were more likely to disclose their interests
online rather than their beliefs and feelings
(Attrill & Jalil, 2011).
3 Basic kinds of people you interact with online:
1. People you do not know at all
2. People you know both online and offline
3. People you only know online
In the online social domain, it is entirely acceptable to
contact and be contacted by complete strangers. For
example, you need not introduce yourself to talk to a
stranger in a chat room or to read and comment on a
blog, an FB post, or a tweet of someone you are not
personally acquainted with.
II. Selective Self-Presentation & Impression
Management
Self-presentation behavior is any behavior intended to
create, modify, or maintain an impression of ourselves in
the minds of others. Whenever we are attempting to lead
people to think of us in a particular way, we are
engaging in self-presentation.
III. Why do people engage in self-presentation?
Self-presentation:
● Helps facilitate social interaction
● Enables individuals to attain material and social
rewards
● Helps people privately construct desired
identities
Generally, social media platforms are used for:
● Social browsing
● Social searching
● Communication and
● Impression management
Impression Management
● The attempt to control or influence any other
people’s perceptions. This could be their
perception of a certain person, a material
possession, or an event.
● There are two motives for attempting to manage
the impression of others:
 1. Instrumental: this motive is to basically
gain rewards and increase one’s
self-esteem.
2. Expressive: attempting to be in control
of one’s personal behavior and identity.
It is a response to moral norms,
expectations, or restrictions, seeking to
show others that he/she as a person is
different.
Impression Management Strategies
● Self-promotion - a proactive process in which a
person actively says things or takes action to
show his/her competence to an audience,
especially to someone with a higher status.
● Ingratiation - when someone tries to win the
approval or acceptance of others.
● Exemplification - strategic self-sacrifice so that
observers may recognize the dedication
● Intimidation - showing off authority
● Supplication - when someone exploits his/her
weakness or shortcomings to receive the help of
benefits
IV. Impact of Online Interaction on the Self
In 1998, one of the first studies found that Internet use
in general significantly affected social relationships
and participation in offline community life (Kraut et
al., 1998).
The study indicated that more time spent online caused a
decline in communicating with family members.
A 2013 data also indicated that the use of social
networking sites (SNS) may possibly undermine
subjective perceptions of well-being and life satisfaction.
Negative effects of SNS (Social Networking Sites):
● Time spent on SNS may be associated with
depressive symptoms because
computer-mediated communication may lead
to the altered and often wrong impression of
the physical and personality traits of the
other users.
● This may lead to incorrect conclusions regarding
physical appearance, education level,
intelligence, moral integrity, as well as many
other characteristics of online friends (Chou,
2012).
● Facebook and other SNS have a negative
relationship with self-esteem. One indication of
this is that all social networking platforms cause
or at least promote narcissistic behavior
(Mehdizadeh, 2010).
Positive effects of SNS (Social Networking Sites):
● There is an indication that online
communication with friends and family is
actually associated with a decline in
depression (Bessiere et al., 2010).
● Another study suggested that Facebook use
may actually enhance self-esteem. This study
supported the interpersonal communication
theory called the Hyperpersonal model. This
theory suggested that the advantage of
computer-mediated communication is that a
person can edit his/her self-presentation, which
in turn positively impacts impressions on the
self.
Social networking was also found to be addictive. The
addictive nature of SNS is supported primarily by the
mental preoccupation of chronic SNS users who, as a
result, tend to neglect some other aspects of their
social functioning such as family and offline friends.
In addition, some chronic users who have suddenly
stopped online social networking have been observed to
display signs and symptoms that at least partially
resemble the ones seen during drug/alcohol/nicotine
abstinence syndrome (La Barbera et al., 2009).
Examples of these symptoms are:
● Anxiety
● Restlessness
● Irritability
● Insomnia
● Headaches
● Poor concentration
● Depression
● Social isolation
What makes us so addicted?
● Communication is necessary in our unending
search for sense and meaning in our world.
(Watzalawick & the Palo Alto School, 1967).
○ The social world is socially constructed
through interactions between people:
roles, rules, categorizations, stereotypes,
and so on. Social networks have the
power to amplify this human nature.
○ They have broken the barriers of
distance and time, of presence and
visibility.
● They fulfill the most deeply felt human need
of finding a psychological distinctiveness and
self-definition in a social context.
● Social validation is an important part of being
human.
○ Hence, a FB “like” or a Twitter
“favorite” is a social signal that makes
us feel good and makes us want to crave
more.
V. Boundaries of the Self Online: Private vs Public
Private Vs. Public
● Private: the “private” and mental events in a
person that are inherently unobservable by
others.
● Public: behaviors that are open to the
observations of other people.
Private Public
Phenomenological Observable behavior
experience
Acting only for self Acting as agent for others
Actor controls access to Information about self is
information not controlled
Acting in the interest of a Acting in the interest of
limited number of people the community
An important characteristic of the Internet age is the
phenomenon of “public identity”. It can be said that for
millennials and for the future generation, the notion of
privacy as an individual would probably be lost.
Even parents and the youth use “webcams” to capture
everyday behaviors. Millennials have been socialized to
do things in groups.
Understanding the difference between these concepts,
private and public, will help in our study of the self
(Baumeister, 2012).
Advantages of Making your Online Profile Public:
● It facilitates open communication that could lead
to better and faster information discovery and
delivery.
● It allows open discussion on ideas and the
posting of news, asking questions, and sharing
links.
● It provides an opportunity to widen business
contacts.
● It targets a wide audience, making it a useful and
effective tool to increase your friends.
● It helps expand market research, implement
marketing campaigns, etc.
Possible risks:
● It opens up the possibility for hackers.
● It increases the risk of people falling prey to
online scams.
● It potentially results in negative comments and
bashing.
Advantages of making your online profile private:
● You have control over viewers. You only
connect with those you want to communicate
with.
● Your online profile is protected from scammers
and bashers.
Disadvantages of making your online profile private:
● Your network is very limited, thus you close
your doors to opportunities that social
networking may bring.
● Your engagement is very low.
● You do not get to meet interesting people with
whom you can exchange ideas or learn..
● If you are an entrepreneur, a private profile will
not help you grow your business.
Individual vs. Social Identity

● Personal Individual Identity Stereotype

○ The concept you develop about yourself
that evolves over the course of your life.
This includes an aspect of your life that
you have NO control over (where you
grew up, the color of your skin, etc)
● A fixed, over-generalized belief about a
particular group or class of people.
● Assuming that the characteristics and abilities of
one person are also present in all members of the
group.

Characteristics of personal identity: Factors that affect an adolescent’s sexuality:

○ The emphasis is on the individual. 1. Hormones
○ It is created through differences in 2. Personality or temperament
personal characteristics when comparing 3. Social or environmental factors
the self with others 4. Media and the Internet

● Social Identity
○ A person’s sense of who he/she is based
on the group memberships. The groups
to which people belonged were an
important source of pride and
self-esteem.

Characteristics of Social Identity:

○ The emphasis is on what the person has
in common with the members of his/her
group.
○ It is created based on similarities with
others.

VI. Gender and Sexuality Online

The internet plays an essential role in shaping our

conceptions of the world, our opinions, and our
values.
● Children and young people who are in the
process of forming their opinions and attitudes
about norms and acceptable behavior, and also
about sexuality are most susceptible to the
Internet’s influence.
● The attitudes, conduct, and roles toward women,
men, and the LGBTQ+ community are being
strongly influenced by Internet content. By
creating a certain type of message, internet users
can manipulate people’s attitudes and opinions.
● Gender stereotypes existing in the offline
environment (which are the root of inequality
between men, women, and the LGBTQ+), and
the origin of gender violence) are also present in
the online world.