The Physical

Self
Self-Understanding

• Refers to the individual’s cognitive

representation of the self (Santrock, 2016)
• Understanding of the self differs as time
pass by
Physical Self

• Concrete dimensions of the self

• Tangible aspects of the person which can be observed and
examined
• Erik Erikson deemed the importance of the body as it
defines one’s capabilities to overcome life’s complexities as
well as for achievement
• William James also stressed out its importance as it serves as
the initial source of sensation and development of
personality
Puberty

• The most essential marker of the beginning of adolescence

(Santrock, 2016)
• Period where the physical aspect of the self is developing based
on the assigned sex
• Girls reach it earlier and experience menarche (first menstrual
flow)
• Boys experience spermarche or semenarche (first ejaculation or
nocturnal emission)
Puberty

• Brain-neuroendocrine process that involves pituitary

gland and ovaries or testes
• Estrogen is produced in girls
• Androgen and testosterone are produced in boys
• Primary Sexual Changes – refers to changes in
reproductive organs
• Secondary Sexual Changes – physical changes
• Stage where adolescences develop body image
Body Image

• Refers to the way how one sees itself or the way it

imagines how it looks (either positively or negatively)
• Adolescents with most positive body images tend to
engage in health-enhancing behaviors
• Throughout puberty, girls are less happy with their
body images
• At the end of puberty, both sexes feel positive
Body Image

• Body image can either be real or imaginary

• Imaginary Audience – state in which the person
imagines and believes that many people are actively
observing it
• Spotlight Effect – same with imaginary audience, it is a
concept in social psychology which refers to belief
that others are paying more attention to one‘s
appearance and behavior that they really are
Personal Factors that Affect Body
Image

• Introspection and Self-Reflection – process of observing

and examining one‘s feeling after behaving in a certain
way
• Self-Perception Theory – people infer their attitudes
through their behavior as an outside observer
• Self-Concept – knowledge and perception about
ourselves
• Personal Identity – aspects of one‘s life such as family,
hobbies, and physical traits
Social Factors that Affect Body
Image

• Attachment Process and Social Appraisal – suggest

that people learn their worth based on how well their
caregivers provide their needs
• Maintaining, Regulating, and Expanding the Self in
Social Relationships – the self is developing as it
interacts with others
• Looking-Glass Self Theory – people see their selves by
how others see them
Social Factors that Affect Body
Image

• Social Comparison – suggested by Leon Festinger;

process of comparing oneself to others in order to
evaluate own abilities and traits
• Upward Social Comparison – comparing self to
other people who are better
• Downward Social Comparison – comparing self to
others who are worse
Social Factors that Affect Body
Image

• Social Identity Theory – proposed by Tajfel and Turner;

people achieve understanding about their selves by
being a member of a group.
• Includes in-group and out-group
Cultural Factor that
Affect Body Image

• People are forced

to adhere to their
culture’s definition of
beauty
Cultural Factor that
Affect Body Image

• People are forced

to adhere to their
culture’s definition
of beauty
Cultural Factor that
Affect Body Image

• People are forced

to adhere to their
culture’s definition of
beauty
The Filipino Concept of Beauty

• Eurocentrism – tendency to interpret the world in terms

of European or Anglo-American values
• Colorism – treatment of people solely based on the
color of their skin
• Filipinos define beauty as having fair skin and tall noses
• The “tisoy/tisay” beauty standard is strongly promoted
in media
The
Filipino
Concept of
Beauty
The
Filipino
Concept of
Beauty
Self-Esteem and The Ideal Body Image

• Self-Esteem – measure of self-worth based on personal

and social standard
• People with positive body image will have high self-
esteem and will take more time in caring for
appearance
• People with negative body image will have low self-
esteem and may resort to extreme behaviors to meet
the ideal body image
Negative Effects of Society in
Beauty

• Society dictates what is the standard of beauty and is

strongly reinforced by mass media
• Anyone who deviates the standard is labeled as
“ugly”
• Societies’ beauty standard is associated with positive
characteristics
Footnote for this Discussion

• Authentic beauty lies within the eyes of our own.

• It is unrealistic for people to look the same just to
achieve a common standard.
• Having a positive body image entails the
understanding that healthy attractive bodies come in
different shapes and sizes.
• Physical appearance has little to say about the overall
self.
Footnote for This Discussion

• And last but not the least…

Footnote for This Discussion

Learn to love and accept your physical self.

Activity