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Physical Self

Introduction

What are some of the questions that you asked yourself as an adolescent?
Did you ever ask yourself about your physical appearance and how people
see you?

Case of Maria: Vignette of an Insecure Adolescent

When Maria was in her early adolescent stage, she asked herself a lot of
questions regarding her physical appearance every time she was in front of a
mirror. Questions like….”Why am I not pretty? Why is my complexion not
fair? Why am I short? Why is my nose flat? Why is my skin rough and without
glow? She felt lacking in many aspects and compared to other girls her age,
she looked inferior. Maria is really short about 4'11 and weigh about 87
pounds She has brown complexion thin flat chested thus unattractive
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pounds. She has brown complexion, thin, flat chested, thus, unattractive.
She thought no one would notice her specially around girls who are
endowed with many physical characteristics that to her, are very attractive.

Her negative perception about her appearance led to the development of

ineffective personality characteristics such as low self-esteem, lack of self-
confidence and self-trust. She became so timid and hid herself inside a shell
oftentimes. Her timidity hindered her from participating in many school
events until it became a vicious cycle. She became a silent follower, a less
active member during group works. Conversely, this contributed to her
failure to discover her potential. She felt all the more incompetent in many
ways. She portrayed a picture of a confused adolescent, not knowing where
to go and what she wants to do. In fact, choosing what course she will take
in college was difficult too.

She was uncertain about what interests her despite the career counseling
that was conducted by their school counselor. The shell that she used to
hide due to negative perception of her physical appearance deprived her
from discovering her strength. Nonetheless, Maria managed to enroll in a
university in Manila just as school is about to begin. Still very uncertain of
what her course (Psychology) is, she attended her class on the first day of
school. The rest is a history. Now, Maria can proudly say, she is confident of
who she is and what she has become. The many years she spent in school
helped her to discover what is good in her, apart from her physical
appearance.

What happened to Maria before may be happening to others, who, like her
may be preoccupied with the way they look, and how others see them. I
think that it is not wrong to attend to how you look (presentability) but
becoming obsessed by it, may become harmful to your growth and
development.

As an example of how obsession with one’s physical appearance is

detrimental, is the case of Michael Jackson. He was the King of Pop in the
80s, considered most successful as he received multiple awards and has
sold million records worldwide. He became obsessed with his appearance
and underwent numerous cosmetic surgeries in different parts of his body,
his nose specifically. This has made him look sickly and as a consequence
was labelled as freak (De Mello, 2014). Why would a very talented and
successful singer like Jackson undergo such medical process? Is it because
of the said repeated insult that he received from his father regarding his big
nose? How important is his physical appearance that he had brought such
damage to himself?

This module presents essential topics that will help you understand the
physical-self. Specifically, the influence of culture to beauty, importance of
beauty and how it may be obtained, and its impact to one’s self-esteem will
be discussed.

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Formative Assessment

Instructions:

•Reflect about your physical body.

•Pretend that you are in front of a mirror and answer the question..........What
does your body tell you about yourself?

1. Refer to your mirror and evaluate your statements ab

self.

2. Are there positive statements about the physical self

Are there negative statements about the self?

Which has more?

3. What are your statements trying to tell about your ph

4. Do you have a positive perspective about your physic

or do you see any concerns/issues that you need to

your perspective about your physical self?

What are these?

5. Read the lecture that follows to help you understand

is.

Physical Self Defined

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When a person is asked to describe someone, most often, the description

relates to the person’s physical characteristics. Although there are several
aspects that make up a person, it is usually the physical look that first
receives the most attention. Why is this so? Physical self in many books and
articles pertains to our body composed of many different parts and organs
put together, that make up for what people get to see and touch as we meet
them in our everyday life. This may explain the reason why when a person is
asked to describe someone, words that define the person’s physical
attributes always come out.

Physical self refers to the body which is a wonderful and complex

container.

…is a responsive machine with which we interface with our environment

and fellow beings.

…is a concrete dimension; tangible aspect of the person that can be

directly observed and examined

(Singh, 2018)

The body is one of the objects that most people would enhance to change
one’s appearance to appear beautiful.

Different Views About

Physical Self

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William James considered body as the initial source of sensation and

necessary for the origin and maintenance of personality. However, James
considered body subservient to the mind, for e.g., mental concentration can
be so tightly focused as not only to banish ordinary sensations, but even the
severest pain? (James, 1890, Vol. 1, p.49).

A simple example could be the numerous reports of soldiers in the battle or

a boxer in the ring who suffer severe wounds but do not notice them until
the intensity of the fighting abates. For James the body is an expressive tool
of indwelling consciousness and good physical health is something that
wells up from every part of the body of a muscularly well trained human
being, and soaks the indwelling soul in him with satisfaction?. It is an
element of spiritual hygiene of supreme significance. (James, 1899. p. 103).

For Erik Erikson, experience is anchored in the ground-plan of body

(Erikson, 1963). according to him the role of bodily organs is especially
important in early developmental stages of a persons life. later in life, the
development of physical as well as intellectual skills help determine whether
the individual will achieve a sense of competence and ability to choose
demanding roles in a complex society. For example, healthy children derive a
sense of competence as their bodies become larger, stronger, faster and
more capable of learning complex skills. however, as a stage theorist,
Erikson is aware of the constant interaction of the body, psychological
processes and social forces. he acknowledges the classical Freudian view of
fundamental biological drives but insists that these drives are socially
modifiable.

Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, the two most prominent figures of the
Humanist tradition, have not discussed in detail the role of body in the
process of self- actualization. According to Maslow's Need-Hierarchy theory
once the physiological needs of a person are met, the individual becomes
more concerned with the higher order needs. However, he writes that the
body be given its due. Asceticism, self-denial, deliberate rejection of the
demands of the organism, at least in the West, tend to produce a
diminished, stunted or crippled organism, and even in the East, brings self-
actualization to only a very few, exceptionally strong individuals (Maslow,
1968). On the other hand, Carl Rogers, in spite of some evidence that his
person-centered work is focused on the physical feelings (fernald, 2000),
has not given special attention to the role of body."

Influence of Culture to Beauty

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What does it mean to be beautiful? What do psychologists say about it? De

Mello (2014)) noted that for evolutionary psychologists, beauty is universal
if all cultures appear to have the same notion of what beautiful is.

Evolutionary perspective explains that both men and women have

considered certain physical features that are believed to be indicators of
beauty: health and good gene.

Fitness and BEAUTY is characterized by a clean and unblemished skin,

thick shiny hair, and symmetrical face. That is, individuals with unusual
facial features are seen as more beautiful since they are more noticeable
than those with average facial features.

Swami and Harris (2012) further added that for the evolutionary
psychological approach, a person’s inclination for physical attractiveness
and choice of a mate is dependent on the latter’s capability for
reproduction.

Female beauty is also defined by youthfulness and fer

as high cheekbones, full lips, narrow jaws and large
testosterone and high estrogen, which are indicators of

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Male beauty on the other hand is said to be associated w

that are predominantly determined by their hormone (t
good gene such as strong jaws, big muscles, heavy b
structure, and broad cheekbones.

HOWEVER, a woman who is thinking of a long-term or short-term

relationship with a man would have varied preferences. It is mentioned that
for women who intend to have a long-term relationship, men with
capabilities to raise their family on the basis of financial means are said to
be more attractive than those who possess physical masculinity and fertility.

Beauty is cultural as well.

De Mello (2014) notes that in India, beauty comprise c

use of clothing, how a woman carries herself, if her ski
the forehead are well cared for.

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Africans in the past claim that only a woman with face

scarification is considered beautiful; a woman with larg
into the lower and sometimes upper lip is beautiful and

Long nose for European implies beauty.

Few Asian countries like Malaysia, Philippines and Ind

noses as beautiful before colonization.

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In Japan, beauty is symbolized by the geisha (a Japan

to entertain men with conversation, dance, and song.)

In South Korea, standards of beauty include round ey

nose and long legs although in reality, these features ar
them.

In the Philippines, our preference for beauty is highly in

much love for movie and television actors and actresses
Thus, standards of beauty are characterized by fair ski
black hair, tall nose, and slanted eyes.

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For scientists, a face is attractive when ideal measureme

the space between the eyes, the length of the chin, the
the length and width of the nose, and the width and the
mouth.

Importance of Beauty

Even if beauty is universal, innate or culturally created, it is said to be

important. Its importance is derived in the premise that it is the face that we
become aware of when we encounter people

What we observe (see) makes a difference in the way we perceive them.

Both men and women, although women appear to be more conscious of

their beauty, take extra effort, time and money to engage in activities that
enhance their appearance just to meet the beauty standards that modern
society seem to promote.

Reasons why some people adapt to the seemingly unrealistic and

unattainable standards of beauty

* The harsh treatment from various media (e.g. magazines and

advertisements) received by women who do not meet the society’s
standards of beauty.

This kind of treatment has psychological implication as it affects women at

its core. The latter leads to the development of low self-esteem, negative

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body image, eating disorders, stress, and anxiety.

Britton (2012) mentioned that by putting photo-shopped and computer-

enhanced models in advertisements, society has built up impossible
standards of beauty, which has led to feelings of inadequacy among
women.

Despite the costs (financial and psychological), some still risk undergoing
procedures to compensate for the negative feelings they have about their
body image.

Why is it that women and men alike feel bad when their physical
appearance is put in bad light?

Good looks seem to be one of the sources of esteem. But this is not a
good source of esteem since beauty fades as one gets older, still a lot of
women and men conform to the society’s standards of beauty to maintain
their youthful look. Ultimately, looking young despite old age, increases
one’s self-esteem.

De Mello (2014) also noted the significant role that beauty plays in possible
success-- career and relationship wise push women to conform to beauty
standards. According to psychologists, the overwhelming emphasis on
beauty results to difficulty in obtaining gratification in their relationship
for both men and women, as well as, women being forced to subscribe to
costly beauty products and risky cosmetic surgeries.

Others go to extreme measures as body modification to meet the society’s

standards of beauty. Body modification refers to the physical alteration of
the body through the use of surgery, tattooing, piercing, scarification,
branding, genital mutilation, implants, and others (De Mello,2014).

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In contrast to health-risky procedures that unsatisfied men and women go

through with their physical appearance in most societies, some practices are
promoted for body preservation. These are usually observed in some
religious practices like are fasting, abstinence, and self-mortification.

SELF-MORTIFICATION comprises avoidance of activities that gives

pleasure to the body like sex and eating meat to the extent of assuming a
modest living condition.

While FASTING is said to be an act of refuting oneself which may take in

the form of refraining from consuming meat during the Lenten season as
practiced by the Christians, the purpose of which is to attain oneness with
Christ.

Another practice which promote the latter is part-taking in the

EUCHARIST. The mentioned religious practices have been an important
part of Christian life which for many years provided guidance in terms of
what to do with the body.

In conclusion:

BEAUTY or BEING BEAUTIFUL is a concept that we automatically attached

to the body. The society’s standards of beauty sometimes contribute to
the development of a person’s unhealthy body image or incapacitating
beliefs.

Therefore, beauty should not be used as a measure of a person’s worth.

Nonetheless, the physical aspect is one of the areas that a person may
improve on so that he can achieve a healthy self-image.

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References:

Britton, A.M. (2012). The Beauty Industry’s Influence on Women in Society.

Retrieved from http://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1085&context=honors

Swami, V. and Harris, AS. (2012). Evolutionary Perspectives on Physical

Appearance in Cash, F. (2012). Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human
Experience.

De Mello, M. (2014). Beautiful Bodies. Pp.173-188. Fat and Thin Bodies.

189-205. Modified Bodies. 209-243. In Body Studies: An Introduction.
Routledge.

Singh, S. (2018). All about psychology. Retrieved from www.all-about-

psychology.com: https://www.all-about-psychology.com/the-concept-of-
physical-self-in-psychology.html

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