UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

UST AB | Legal Management

Medieval Philosophy
The Self from Various (500 AD to 1350 AD)

Perspectives
Theo-centric
- From the scientific investigation on nature
Philosophy and search for happiness to the question
of life and salvation in another realm, in a
The self in a philosophical paradigm better world (i.e., the afterlife)
- There was an aim to merge philosophy
Ancient Triumvirate and religion (Christian, Jewish, Muslim)

Socrates
St. Augustine
- “Know thy self”
- Integrates Platonic ideas with the tenets of
- “An unexamined life is not worth
Christianity
living.”
- The self strives to achieve union with God
- Dualistic Reality: Body and Soul
through faith and reason
- “Our soul strives for wisdom and
perfection”
St. Thomas Aquinas
- Self-knowledge is dependent on our
Plato experience of the world around us (objects
- 3-Part Soul/self (Psyche) = Reason, Physical in our environment)
Appetite & Spirit/Passion - The labels we attribute to ourselves are
taken from the things we encounter in our
Aristotle environment
- The mind (self) is a tabula rasa (a blank - “The things that we love tell us what we
tablet). are”
- Self is composed of matter and form - Experiencing that something exists
- The Process of Completion is through doesn’t tell us what it is
experiences - Knowing and learning about a thing
requires a long process of understanding;
Post-Aristotelians same with the mind and the self – with
experience and reason
Stoicism
- Apathy or indifference to pleasure
- Embracing Adversity Modern Philosophy
- It’s a philosophy designed to make us (14th Century to the Early 20th Century)
more resilient, happier, more virtuous and
more wise–and as a result, better people, Anthropocentric
better parents and better professionals. - Thinkers began to reject the scholastics’
(medieval thinkers) excessive reliance on
Hedonism authority
- “Eat, drink, and be happy. For tomorrow, - Period of radical, social, political and
you will die.” intellectual developments
- They believe that pleasure is the only good
in life, and pain is the only evil, and our René Descartes
life's goal should be to maximize pleasure - The self is a thinking thing, distinct from
and minimize pain. the body
Epicureanism
- Moderate pleasure John Locke
- Being content with the simple things in - Personal identity is made possible by
life ensures that you will never be self-consciousness
disappointed.
David Hume
 - There is no “self,” only a bundle of
constantly changing perceptions passing
through the theater of our minds.
Immanuel Kant
- The self is a unifying subject, an organizing
consciousness that makes intelligible
experience possible.
Gilbert Ryle
- The self is the way people behave
Paul & Patricia Churchland
- The self is the brain. Mental states will be
superseded by brain states.
Contemporary Philosophy
(Late 19th Century)
Embodied Subjectivity
- Both Husserl and Merleau-Ponty agree
that our living body is a natural synthesis of
mind and biology.
Phenomenological Approach
- Describes the phenomena of the lived
experience (reducing biases) by describing
what your immediate responses are —
physically, emotionally, cognitively.
Edmund Husserl
- We experience our self as a unity which
the in mental and physical are seamlessly
woven together
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
- The self is embodied subjectivity
Sociology
The self as a product of modern society among
other constructions
The Self in the Sociological Perspective
- Classical Sociological Perspective - the
self is a relatively stable set of perceptions
of who we are in relation to ourselves,
others, and to social systems
- The self is socially constructed in the sense
that it is shaped through interaction with
other people
- As with socialization in general, the
individual is not a passive participant in
this process and have a powerful influence
over how this process and its
consequences develop
The Looking Glass Self
- Charles Horton Cooley
- A person’s self grows out of a person’s
social interactions with others
- The view of ourselves comes from the
contemplation of personal qualities and
impressions of how others perceive us
- Actually, how we see ourselves does not
come from who we really are, but rather
from how we believe others see us
Johari Window
- Joseph Luft & Harrington Ingham
- Technique used to enhance the
individual's perception of self and others.
Known to Self Not Known to Self
Known to Open/Arena Blindspot
Others
Not Known Hidden/Facade Unknown
to Others
Symbolic Interactionism
- George Herbert Mead
- The self is created and developed through
human interaction
“I and Me” Self
- Sociologist George Herbert Mead argued
that self-identity is formed from two parts:
the I and the me. Social expectations— the
generalized other—inform the
development of the me part.
- Two aspects of self awareness:
- The “me” is the socialized aspect of
the person
- The “I” is the active aspect of the
person
Psychology
The self based on psychoanalytic approach and
cognitive construction
The Self Based on Psychoanalytic
Approach
Sigmund Freud
- Father of Psychoanalysis
- The self is multi-tiered/multi-layered:
- Conscious – refers to those thoughts
and feelings that we are aware of
- Preconscious – experiences that are
unconscious but could become
conscious with little effort
- Unconscious – contains all drives,
urges or instincts that are beyond
 our awareness but motivate our
feelings, thoughts and behavior
Structures of the Self
Id (Biological Self)
- Pleasure Principle
- Natural part of the self
- Animalistic nature of man
- Pleasure seeking part of the personality
- Determined by the genetic code
- Providing the raw materials
- Setting the boundary conditions for
development
- The id represents the basic need of man. If
it is not satisfied, it could result in stress
and tension. If satisfied, it could give you
comfort and joy.
- If the id is properly controlled, it
could bring warmth and comfort
- If the id is angered or provoked, it
could destroy not only himself but
also his surrounding
Superego (Social Self)
- Idealistic Principle
- The superego incorporates the values and
morals of society which are learned from
one's parents and others
Ego (Psychological Self)
- Reality Principle
- The only region of the mind that is in
contact with reality; it operates to fulfill the
reality principle
- The ego constantly tries to reconciles the
irrational wants of the id and the superego
with the realistic demands of the world
Id, Superego & Ego
- The job of the EGO, or self, is to balance the
aggressive/pleasure-seeking drives of the
ID with the moral control of the
SUPEREGO
- When the scale is out of balance, it is the
responsibility of the EGO to mediate the
conflict between the ID and SUPEREGO
- Weak ego will lead to ANXIETY
- To protect the ego from anxiety, we use
DEFENSE MECHANISMS
Ego Defense Mechanisms
- Ways to behave or think to protect or
defend ourselves from anxieties
- How we distance ourselves from full
awareness of unpleasant thoughts,
feelings, and behaviors.
- Three group of defenses: Primitive, Less
primitive, Mature
Denial (Primitive)
- Refusal to accept reality or fact, acting as if
a painful event, thought, or feeling did not
exist while being apparent to others
- Considered as one of the most primitive
because it is characteristic of early
childhood development
- Ignores the existence of something
Regression (Primitive)
- The ego may revert back to an earlier stage
during times of stress or anxiety
- Reversion to an earlier stage of
development when faced with
unacceptable, fearful, threatening
thoughts or impulses
- Ex: An adult curling up in fetal position
when feeling threatened or afraid
Acting Out (Primitive)
- Performing an extreme behavior in order
to express thoughts or feelings the person
feels incapable of otherwise expressing
- Ex: self-injury is expression through
physical pain of what can’t be stood to feel
emotionally
Projection (Primitive)
- Attributing the unwanted impulse to
another person
- Misattribution of owns undesired
thoughts, feelings, or impulses onto
another person who does not have those
thoughts, feelings, or impulses
- To shift the problem outside of the self
- Ex: a spouse angry at significant other for
not listening, when in fact, it is he who is
not listening
Reaction Formation (Primitive)
- Converting unwanted or dangerous
thoughts, feelings, or impulses into their
opposites
 - Ex: Woman angry at boss and wanting to
quit becomes overly kind and generous
towards boss and express desire to keep
working there
Repression (Less Primitive, More Mature)
- When the ego is threatened, it
unconsciously forgets or block unpleasant
feelings
- Unconscious blocking / forgetting of
unacceptable and disturbing thoughts,
feelings, and impulses
- Done unconsciously, thus little control over
it
- Repressed memories – but never retrieved
the same
Displacement (Less Primitive, More Mature)
- Redirecting unacceptable urges to less
threatening people or objects
- Redirecting thoughts, feelings, and
impulses from one person or object to
another who poses less threat
- Ex: unable to express to the boss for fear of
being fired displaces anger into others:
spouse, pet, etc.
Intellectualization (Less Primitive, More
Mature)
- Dealing with emotional stressors by
excessive use of abstract thinking or
complex explanations to control or
minimize disturbing feelings
- React in a cold way focusing on the
intellectual aspect only
- Ex: husband constructing elaborate logical
explanations for wife’s recent paranoia
ideas
Rationalization (Less Primitive, More
Mature)
- Giving another interpretation to a situation
in the face of a changing reality
- Two types: Sweet Lemon – pretend to like
something you do not like | Sour grapes –
pretending to dislike what you really like
Undoing (Less Primitive, More Mature)
- An unconscious attempt to nullify / take
back, or undo a thought or action that had
resulted in guilt or anxiety
- Ex: a husband who showers his wife with
roses and chocolates on Valentine’s Day
may be unconsciously seeking to undo a
year of neglect
Sublimation (Mature)
- Suppression of unwanted impulses by
substituting it with a creative cultural
accomplishment
- Channeling of unacceptable and
potentially disruptive impulses, thoughts,
or emotions into socially accepted
behavior
- Dealing with emotional stressors by using
the energy in other, usually constructive
activities.
- Ex: punching bag to channel anger
impulses. Sports.
Compensation (Mature)
- Psychologically counterbalancing
perceived weaknesses by emphasizing
strength in other areas
- Ex: a physically unattractive adolescent
starts weightlifting. Or “I am not a fighter, I
am a lover.” Napoleonic Cmplx
Affiliation (Mature)
- Turning to others for help and support
- Sharing problems with others, but not
trying to make someone else responsible
for them
- Ex: going to therapy, a support group,
spiritual counsel
Self-Assertion (Mature)
- Being able to express your own opinions
and needs in a respectful and firm way.
Not aggressively, coercively, or
manipulatively.
- Striking a balance between
communicating passively or aggressively.
- Listening empathically and expressing self
in a balanced way.
Altruism (Mature)
- Dealing with stressors by dedicating
yourself to meeting the needs of others
- Volunteer work
Self Observation (Mature)
- Dealing with stress by reflection on one’s
feelings and then responding
appropriately
- Journaling, self exploration, therapy
Suppression (Mature)
- Dealing with stress by intentionally
avoiding thinking about disturbing
problems, wishes, feelings, or experiences.
Anticipation (Mature)
- Anticipating the consequences and
feelings associated with future events and
considering realistic solutions
The Self as a Cognitive Construction
Imaginary Audience
 - Adolescents are thought to believe that
others are always watching and evaluating
them, and that they are special and unique
Self Concept
- Mental representation
- What we look like
- How we feel in different types of
situation
- How we behave towards others
- What do we do at work
- What are the roles we have in the
family or society
- The self-concept is a knowledge
representation that contains knowledge
about us, including our beliefs about our
personality traits, physical characteristics,
abilities, values, goals, and roles, as well as
the knowledge that we exist as individuals
(Harter, 1999)
Self Esteem
- Used to describe a person's overall sense of
self-worth or personal value
- In other words, it refers to how much you
appreciate and like yourself
- Self-esteem is often seen as a personality
trait, which means that it tends to be
stable and enduring
Real and Ideal Self
- Carl Rogers
- A person's ideal self may not be consistent
with what actually happens in life and
experiences of the person
- Hence, a difference may exist between a
person's ideal self and actual experience
- Carl Rogers believed that for a person to
achieve self-actualization they must be in a
state of congruence
Self as defined by Social Comparison
- Leon Festinger
- Two types:
- Temporal Comparison:
Considering your present condition
in relation to how you were in the
past
- Social Comparison: Evaluating
yourself in comparison to others –
using others as a basis for
evaluating your attributes
- How does the social comparison process
work?
- Depending on the level of
someone’s motivation, he/she may
have the tendency to compare
himself/herself with others either in
an UPWARD or DOWNWARD kind
of comparison
Two Modes of Social Comparison
Upward Social Comparison
- When we compare ourselves with those
who we believe are better than us
- Often focus on the desire to improve our
current level of ability
- A highly motivated person tends to
engage in upward comparisons, and
usually assume himself/herself as better or
equal to the “best person”
- Studies have shown that if given a chance,
people choose to make upward
comparisons instead of downward ones
Downward Social Comparison
- When we compare themselves to others
who are worse off than ourselves
- Often centered on making ourselves feel
better about our abilities
- A person who is unhappy or is
unmotivated usually engages in this to feel
better about himself/herself
Two Modes of Downward Social
Comparison
Passive Downward Comparison
- Happens when a person takes into
consideration the previous condition in
making comparison
- Ex: A low performing student comparing
himself/herself with a worse off student
Active Downward Comparison
- Happens when a person compares
himself/herself with others by demeaning
or causing harm to them
- By derogating the target or causing harm
to him/her, this person generates a
situation in which the target is worse off
than him/her, therefore giving him/her the
chance to make a downward comparison
Self-Evaluation & Self Enhancement
- Motivation plays a role in this model and is
manifested by self- evaluation and
self-enhancement
- Self-evaluation occurs when someone
looks for positive traits in himself/herself
based on the best person he/she compares
himself/herself with
- Self-enhancement, on the other hand,
occurs when the person questions which
aspects of himself/herself need to be
improved to reach the level of goodness of
the person he/she is comparing
himself/herself with
 Reference Group
- A group to which an individual or another
group is compared
- According to sociologists, a reference
group is any group that individuals use as
a standard for evaluating themselves and
their own behavior.
The Creation of Identities
One’s identity must balance the need to be
similar to one’s reference group with the need to
be a unique individual
- Children become aware of the need for a
group identity and are often afraid or
acting differently
- Teens often seem torn between the need
to assert their own individual identity and
the need to conform to their reference
group
- New identities are forged in relation to
work, parenthood, economic status, and
ageing
Anthropology
The self and person in contemporary
anthropology & the self being embedded in
culture
Western Self vs. Non-Western Self
- Wolter (2013)
- Western Self: autonomous and egocentric
- Non-Western/Eastern Self: identity shared
with others and derived from a culture
instead of a “self”
Individualism-Collectivism Model
- Markus & Kitayama (1991)
Individualism
- A human being has an individualistic
nature and is an independent part of the
universe and the society
- Traits of Individualistic Cultures:
- Self-Sufficiency
- Uniqueness
- Independence
- Autonomy
Collectivism
- A human being is an integral part of the
universe and the society
- People are fundamentally connected
- Duty towards all others is a very important
matter
- Traits of Collectivistic Cultures:
- Social rules focus on promoting
selflessness
- Working as a group
- Doing what’s best for society
- Families and communities have a
central role
The Self in Oriental/Eastern
Thought
The self as embedded in relationships and
through spiritual development in Confucian
thought
Asian Schools of Thought
Buddhism
- Siddharta Gautama
- The self is the source of all sufferings. It is
our quest to forget about the self, forget
the cravings of the self, break the
attachments you have with the world, and
to renounce the self in order to attain the
state of Nirvana.
Hinduism
- Fusion of various Indian cultures and
traditions
- Hindus believe that an individual’s action
(karma) – the bad or good actions that the
individual performed in a previous life
determines his or her caste
Taoism
- Lao-Tzu
- Self does not exist without the existence of
the other.
- Self as a separate identity is supported by
the equal and opposite sensation of
otherness
Confucianism
- Confucius
- Filial piety is a foundational concept in the
thought of Confucius. It teaches how one
should properly act according to their
relationship with other people; focused on
having a harmonious social life.
Unpacking the Self
Physical Self
The self as impacted by the body
Physical Self
- The concrete dimension, the tangible
aspect of the person that can be directly
observed and examined.
 - “Physical Self/Body is an initial source of
sensation and necessary for the origin and
maintenance of personality” – William
James
Psychosexual Theory of Development
- Sigmund Freud
- In the Psychoanalytical school, Sigmund
Freud's construction of self and personality
makes the physical body the core of
human experience.
- Psychosexual Stages of Personality
Development:
- Oral Stage (Birth-1.5 years)
- Anal Stage (1.5-3 years)
- Phallic Stage (4-5 years)
- Latent Stage (5 years – puberty)
- Genital Stage (puberty)
Psychosocial Theory of Development
- Erik Erikson
- The role of bodily organs is especially
important in early developmental stages of
a person’s 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.
Somatic Society
- Bryan Turner
- The sociology of the body became an
established discipline in the 1990’s.
- Bryan Turner, coined the term “somatic
society” which means the newfound
importance of the body in contemporary
society.
- Ex/s: The obsession to have a
beautiful face & body; The demand
for Cosmetic Surgery and Skin
Whiteners
Body Shaming
- Criticizing your own appearance, through a
judgment or comparison to another
person.
- Criticizing another’s appearance in front of
them
- Criticizing another’s appearance without
their knowledge.
Physical Self Issues and Conflicts
Eating Disorders (DSM-5)
Anorexia Nervosa
- Characterized by loss of body weight and
refusal to eat. Appetite is usually intact.
Bulimia Nervosa
- Characterized by recurrent and frequent
binge eating with or without vomiting.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (DSM-5)
- Characterized by a distressing and
impairing preoccupation with an imagined
or slight defect in appearance.
Sexual Self
Understanding one’s identity and sexuality
Biological Perspective of One’s Sex
- At conception, egg and sperm unite to
create a new organism that incorporates
some characteristics of each parent.
- The first 22 pairs are called AUTOSOMES.
The last pair is known as the SEX
CHROMOSOMES.
- Genetic basis for Sex Determination:
- X Chromosome
- Y Chromosome
Secondary Sex Characteristics
Male Female
- Facial Hair - Mature Breasts
- Enlarged Adam’s - Broader Hips
Apple - Pubic Hair
- Broad Shoulders
- Increased Body Hair
- Pubic Hair
- Mature Genital Organs
- Body More Muscular
Erogenous Zones
- Where the libido is centered (according to
Freud)
- Parts of the body that experience
heightened sensitivity and/or signal sexual
arousal of some kind
- Needs stimulation by engaging the person
in gratifying activities
- Hot Spots: Erogenous zones are parts of
the body that are particularly responsive to
stimulation, resulting often in sexual
excitement.
The Sexual Response Cycle
- model that describes the physiological
responses that occur during sexual activity
Stage 1: Excitement
 - The beginning of sexual arousal, - Attraction involves the brain pathways that
preparation for intercourse control “reward” behavior, which partly
explains why the first few weeks or months
Stage 2: Plateau of a relationship can be so exhilarating and
- Physical arousal builds even all-consuming.
- High levels of dopamine
Stage 3: Orgasm and norepinephrine, are released during
- Third and shortest phase of the sexual attraction. These chemicals make us giddy,
response cycle energetic, and euphoric, even leading to
- Both men and women describe the decreased appetite and insomnia.
experience of orgasm in similar and - Chemistry: Dopamine, Norepinephrine &
positive terms Serotonin
- The vast majority of men experience one
intense orgasm, but many women are Attachment
capable of experiencing multiple orgasms - Attachment is the predominant factor in
- Males ejaculate while females experience long- term relationships. While lust and
vaginal contractions attraction are pretty much exclusive to
romantic entanglements, attachment
Stage 4: Resolution mediates friendships, parent-infant
- Arousal slowly subsides and returns to bonding, social cordiality, and many other
normal levels intimacies as well.
- Males experience a refractory period - Primary Hormones: Oxytocin &
during where they are incapable of having Vasopressin
another erection or orgasm - Oxytocin (cuddle hormone) is produced by
the hypothalamus and released in large
quantities during sex, breastfeeding, and
Love vs. Lust childbirth.
Love Lust
Sex vs. Gender
…is a DECISION (“making …is a FEELING, like
love” doesn’t make it love) infatuation Sex
- Sex (sometimes called biological sex,
…wants what’s best for the …tends to be more about anatomical sex, or physical sex)
other person “me”
- A person’s identity based on their physical
…protects others from …looks for what it can get, characteristics, genes and hormones.
harm, danger, or risk of not what it can give - Male: Penis
harm - Female: Vagina
- Intersex: chromosomes and
…is unconditional …is a “conditional love” (I hormones of a
love you if…)
female/male but external genital is
…shows “I will never do …says “Come on baby, isn’t like that of a male/female
anything to hurt you, and it time we showed each - Also refers to sexual acts, as in ‘having sex’
you will be a better person other how much we - Primary and Secondary Sex characteristics
because I loved you!” care?”
Gender
Chemistry of Lust, Attraction and - Refers to the attitudes, feelings and
behaviors that a given culture associates
Attachment
with a person's biological sex.
- Behavior that is compatible with cultural
Lust
expectations is referred to as gender -
- Lust and attraction shut off the prefrontal
normative
cortex of the brain, which includes rational
- Behaviors that are viewed as incompatible
behavior.
with these expectations constitute gender
- The hypothalamus regulates the function
non - conformity (APA, 2012).
of the pituitary gland to secrete hormones.
- The hypothalamus of the brain plays a big
role in stimulating the production of the Sexual Diversity
sex hormones testosterone and estrogen - Sex and gender are often thought of as
from the testes and ovaries. binary categories; that is, we can be either
- Sex Hormones: Testosterone & Estrogen male or female, or feminine or masculine.
However, this is a FALSE assumption.
Attraction
 - Although sex can be quantified by DNA
and genetic testing, sometimes the results
are difficult to make sense of with regard
to their social implications.
Gender Identity
- Who you think you are
- One's innermost concept of self as male,
female, a blend of both or neither – how
individuals perceive themselves and what
they call themselves which can be the
same or different from their sex assigned
at birth.
- Gender identity, in nearly all instances, is
self- identified, as a result of a combination
of inherent and extrinsic or environmental
factors.
- CISGENDER – A person whose gender
identity matches his or her assigned sex
- TRANSGENDER – A person whose lived
experiences do not match their assigned
sex
- Transwoman - person whose
assigned sex is male and identifies
as a woman
- Transman - person whose assigned
sex is female and identifies as a
man
Gender Expression
- How you demonstrate who you are
- Refers to the ways that humans choose to
display their gender identity to the world
usually expressed through: behavior,
clothing, haircut, or voice and which
may/may not conform to socially defined
behaviors and characteristics typically
associated with being either masculine or
feminine.
Sexual Orientation/Attraction
- Who you are romantically and sexually into
- Sexual orientation is all about who you are
physically, spiritually, and emotionally
attracted to (specifically into sexual and
romantic attraction), and the labels tend to
describe the relationships between your
gender and the gender types you’re
attracted to.
- Straight (Heterosexual) - Attracted
to people of the opposite gender
- Gay/Lesbian (Homosexual) -
Attracted to people of the same
gender
- Bisexual - Can be attracted to both
men and women
The Church and Sexuality
Sexual Intercourse
- the two primary purposes of sexual
intercourse are:
- “UNITIVE” (unite the couple) and
- “PROCREATIVE” (create more
people).
Pope Francis on Sexuality
- Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken about
the need for the Catholic Church to
welcome and love all people regardless of
sexual orientation.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
- 1984 First Case of HIV in the Philippines
- 1 million STI cases everyday worldwide
(WHO, 2016)
- Estimated 357 million each year are
infected by 1 of 4 STIs: Chlamydia,
Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis (WHO,
2016)
- Drug resistance is a challenge esp. for
Gonorrhea (WHO, 2018)
- Poor young females more vulnerable than
well-off counterparts (Abrigo, n.a.)
- The Philippines has the fastest growing
HIV epidemic in Asia and the Pacific
Region
- 237% increase in annual new HIV infections
from 2010 to 2020
- AIDS-related death have increased by 315%
from 2010 to 2020
- Total HIV prevalence in the Philippines is
less than 1%
- Total estimated number of Filipinos living
with HIV in 2020 has reached 115,100
- If rapid increase in new infections is
sustained, estimated number of Filipinos
living with HIV will triple by 2030 reaching
over 330,000.
HIV and AIDS
- TRANSMITTED THROUGH:
- Unprotected sex
- Drug addicts
- Blood transfusion
- Pregnancy
- Non-sterile instruments
- NOT TRANSMITTED THROUGH:
- Touching
- Food
- Kissing
- Insect bites
- Swimming in pools
HIV
- HIV is the virus that causes HIV infection
- HIV damages the immune system by
killing CD4 cells
AIDS
- AIDS is the last stage of HIV infection
- As HIV infection advances into AIDS, the
amount of HIV in the body increases and
the number of CD4 cells decreases
- HIV medicines can stop HIV infection from
advancing into AIDS
- Without HIV medicines, HIV advances to
AIDS in about 10 years
CD4 Cells
- CD4 cells are part of the immune system
- HIV attacks and kills CD4 cells
- Loss of CD4 cells makes it hard for the
body to fight off infections
Philippine Laws on HIV/AIDS
REPUBLIC ACT 8504 (RA 8504)
- Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control
Act of 1998
- Public awareness of HIV/AIDS through
comprehensive nationwide educational
and information campaigns
- Full protection of human rights and civil
liberties of every person suspected or
known to have HIV/AIDS
REPUBLIC ACT 11166 (RA 11166)
- This new law attempts to address
discrepancies of RA 8504
- It defines HIV and AIDS education as a
right, and also ensures free treatment
provided and stricter policies to enact
against discrimination
- Prohibits HIV-Related Discrimination such
as in the workplace and in learning
institutions
- Allows minor from 15-17 years old to
undergo HIV testing without parental
consent with assistance of licensed health
or social worker
How to Avoid STIs and AIDS
Abstinence
- The most reliable way to avoid infection is
to not have sex (i.e., anal, vaginal or oral).
Mutual Monogamy
- Mutual monogamy means that you agree
to be sexually active with only one person,
who has agreed to be sexually active only
with you.
Vaccination
- Vaccines are safe, effective, and
recommended ways to prevent hepatitis B
and HPV.
Material/Economic Self
The Self in association to his/her possessions
Spiritual Self
The practice of religion: belief in supernatural
being and power
Political Self
Developing a Filipino identity
Digital Self
Self and identity in the cyberspace
Cyberpsychology
- New field within applied psychology
- Branch of psychology that examines:
- how we interact with others using
technology
- how our behavior is influenced by
technology
- how technology can be developed
to best suit our needs
- how our psychological states can
be affected by technologies
- Mainly focused in the world wide web
specifically Social Media Other
technologies involved:
- Online and offline gaming such as
video games
- Mobile computing
- Artificial intelligence
- Virtual reality
- Augmented reality
Self and Identity in the Cyberspace
- Identity – development of one’s
self-concept, including one’s thought and
feelings about oneself
- Online Anonymity – gives people the
chance to present any of these three selves
and hence permits individuals to better
present aspects of their true selves than
they would feel capable of doing in a
face-to-face interaction
Responsible Use of Social Media
- Setting Boundaries to your online self:
Smart Sharing
- Guide Questions to consider before
posting:
- Is this post/story necessary?
- Is there a real benefit to this post –
is it funny, warm- hearted,
 teachable – or am I just making
noise online without purpose? Internet Gaming Disorder
- is a pattern of excessive and prolonged
Netiquette Internet gaming that results in a cluster of
cognitive and behavioral symptoms,
- Netiquette means the correct or including progressive loss of control over
acceptable way of communicating on the gaming, tolerance, and withdrawal
internet. symptoms, analogous to the symptoms of
- The ABCs of Online School Etiquette substance use disorders.
(Reiner, 2020) - Conditions for further study (DSM-5)
- A is for Avoid Acronyms
- B is for Brevity
- C is for Courtesy
- D is for Ditching Distractions
- E is for Early
- F is for Focus and Friendships
- G is for Good Intentions

Digital Citizenship
Being Online
- Information related to how we engage and
exist online, it comprises three digital
domains: access and inclusion, learning
and creativity and media and information
literacy.

Well-being Online
- Information related to how we feel online,
comprising another three digital domains:
ethics and empathy, health and
well-being, and e-presence and
communications.

Rights Online
- Information related to being accountable
online, comprising the final four digital
domains: active participation, rights and
responsibilities, privacy and security and
consumer awareness.

Digital World Issues and Conflicts

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO)
- exists when an individual is anxious of
being left out and feels the constant need
to know what the others are doing
- It is an anxiety that emanates from the
feeling that you are not up to date because
of the phase social media and news pass
very quickly

Screen Dependency Disorder

- Emerging problem (not yet included in
DSM-5 and/or ICD-10)
- Dependent, problematic behavior,
including withdrawal symptoms,
increasing tolerance (for screen use),
- Failure to reduce or stop screen activities,
lying about the extent of use, loss of
outside interests, and continuation of
screen use despite adverse consequences.