FILIPINO PSYCHOLOGY

At the end of the session, the student

will be able to:

• To understand the concept of kapwa

• Differentiate the domains of kapwa
• To know the different tenets of
filipino psychology.
• Know the different approaches or
lapit in kapwa psychology
Filipino Psychology
• (Sikolohiyang Pilipino or Kapwa
Psychology) Defined as psychology
rooted on the experience, ideas, and
cultural orientation of the Filipinos.
• It is formalized in 1975 by the
Pambansang Samahan sa
Sikolohiyang Pilipino.
 1. Ibang Tao ("outsider") 2. Hindi Ibang Tao ("one-of-us")
BASIC -There are 5 interaction levels under this -There are 3 interaction levels under
category:
TENETS: this category:

* Core value or • Pakikitungo: civility - right behavior • Pakikipagpalagayang-loob:

meant right manner towards authorities
Kapwa (shared inner (Parents, Elders, etc.).
act of mutual trust
• Pakikisalamuha: act of mixing - This is a
self) social value that is primarily
• Pakikisangkot: act of joining
others
communitarian. It espouses the ability
• Kapwa is the core construct of to adapt. • Pakikipagkaisa: being one
Filipino Psychology.  • Pakikilahok: act of joining - This
• Kapwa has two categories: with others
translates to participation of the entire
• Ibang Tao  community to help a person.
• Hindi Ibang Tao. • Pakikibagay: conformity - This runs into
. conflict with individuality which many .
Filipinos in fact willingly throw away in
favor of conformity with demands of
those who are in charge.
• Pakikisama: being united with the
group
.
*Pivotal interpersonal value
• Pakiramdam (Essential):
Shared inner perceptions.
Filipinos use damdam, or the
inner perception of others'
emotions, as a basic tool to
guide their dealings with
other people.
*Linking socio-personal
value
• Kagandahang-Loob: Shared
humanity. This refers to being
able to help other people in
dire need due to a perception
of being together as a part of
one Filipino humanity.
 *Accommodative surface values
• Hiya:
-Loosely translated as 'shyness' by most Western
psychologists, Hiya is actually 'sense of propriety'.
• Utang na loob:
-Norm of reciprocity. Filipinos are expected by their
neighbors to return favors—whether these were asked for or
not—when it is needed or wanted.
• Pakikisama and Pakikipagkapwa:
-Smooth Interpersonal Relationship, or SIR, as coined by Lynch
(1961 and 1973). This attitude is primarily guided by conformity
with the majority.
 *Confrontative surface values
• Bahala na:
-Translates literally as "leave it up to God (Bathala na)"
-It is used as an expression, almost universally among filipinos.
-Filipinos engage in the bahala na attitude as a culture-influenced adaptive coping
strategy when faced with challenging situations.
• Lakas ng loob:
-This attitude is characterized by being courageous in the midst of problems and
uncertainties.
• Pakikibaka:
-Literally in English, it means concurrent clashes.
-It refers to the ability of the Filipino to undertake revolutions and uprisings against a
common enemy.
 *Societal values
• Karangalan:
- Loosely translated to dignity, this actually refers to what other people see in a person
and how they use that information to make a stand or judge about his/her worth.
1. Puri: the external aspect of dignity. May refer to how other people judge a person
of his/her worth. This compels a common Filipino to conform to social norms,
regardless how obsolete they are.
2. Dangal: the internal aspect of dignity. May refer to how a person judges his own
worth.
• Katarungan:
-Loosely translated to justice, this actually refers to equity in giving rewards to a
person.
• Kalayaan:
-Freedom and mobility. Ironically, this may clash with the less important value of
pakikisama or pakikibagay (conformity).
Approaches and methods
Approaches, or lapit, and methods, or pamamaraan, in Filipino
Psychology are different from that of Western Psychology. In
Filipino Psychology, the subjects, or participants, called kalahok,
are considered as equal in status to the researcher.
- The participants are included in the research as a group, and not
as individuals - hence, an umpukan, or natural cluster, is required
to serve as the participants, per se.

- The researcher is introduced to a natural cluster by a tulay

(bridge), who is a part of the umpukan and is a well-respected
man in the community.

- Some of the approaches and methods used in Filipino

Psychology are the following:
1. Pakikipagkuwentuhan:

-In this method, the researcher engages in a story-telling with an umpukan.

-The researcher merely serves as the facilitator, while the kalahok or participants are the one who are to talk.

-Spanish word “cuento”, literally means 'to tell a story'.

2. Panunuluyan:

-In this method, the researcher stays in the home of his kalahok or participant while he conducts the research with

consent by the host family, whose head serves as the tulay to an umpukan.

-The term tuloy, which is the root word of the term panunuluyan, literally means 'to go in'.

3. Pagdadalaw-dalaw:

-In this method, the researcher occasionally visits the house of his host or tulay, as opposed to staying in the

house. The term dalaw literally means 'visit'.

4. Pagtatanung-tanong: (Literally means “question”)

- The researcher undergoes a kind of questioning session with his kalahok or participants.

- In this method, however, 'lead questions' (those questions which directly refer to the topic being studied) are not

supposed to be asked, instead the questions to be asked are supposed to have been derived from the kalahok's answers

themselves.

5. Pakikiramdam:

-In this approach, the researcher uses entirely his/her own feelings or emotions to justify if his participants or kalahok

are ready to be part of his research or not.

-The term damdam literally means 'inner perception of emotions'.

Filipino Psychotherapy &
Psychopathology
Filipino psychopathology (Sikopatolohiya)
Amok: “Malayan mood disorder” or "Austronesian Mood Disorder“
A person suddenly loses control of himself and goes into a killing
frenzy, after which he/she hallucinates and falls into a trance. After he/she
wakes up, he has absolutely no memory of the event.
Bangungot:
A person suddenly loses control of his respiration and digestion, and
falls into a coma and ultimately to death.
• This syndrome has been repeatedly linked to Thailand's Brugada
syndrome and to the ingestion of rice.
Manifestation of universal mental disorders

• Filipino psychopathology also refers to the

different manifestations of mental disorders in
Filipino people.
• One example of such is the manifestation of 
depression and schizophrenia in Filipinos, which
are, for the most part, less violent.
FILIPINO PSYCHOTHERAPY:

• Herbolarios (Albularyo) A person who utilize different herbs and

plants to cure illnesses.

• Most would even remember the old man in their barrio known as
‘Magtatawas’ who, through candles, can diagnose the malady
(Illness) of a person.
The Magic of Massage

• Hilot,  an ancient Filipino healing art, focuses on minor to severe

physical injuries like sprains, fractures and dislocations.
A Manghihilot is known to be a skilled masseur that can correct
bone alignment,  restoring it to its proper form. They also utilize
herbs and oils for their healing sessions.

• Besides this, they are also knowledgeable with the concept of Init
at Lamig (hot and cold) wherein they can distribute the neuro-
electricity in one’s body parts through pressure and thus helping it
function.
The Power of Words

• Words can hurt people more painfully than knives and guns,
but for a Manananawal, words can be as potent as your
trusted brand of medicine.

• Taken from the word “tawal”  (which pertains to a magic spell)

• Manananawal only needs a piece of paper, or often times his
or her voice to speak chants or orasyon to heal or cure
someone.

• These words are sometimes a mix of Latin/Spanish prayers and

their own dialect or language which is either spoken or
whispered.

• Sometimes, the orasyon is written on a piece of paper by the

Manananawal which will be kept by their patient until they
recover from their disease.
Dark Side of Folk Healers
• Healers are usually known as benevolent individuals responsible for
curing and restoring the health of their constituent.
• However, some of them can oppose their nature as preserver of
health and wellness for a serious reasons like revenge.
• This may also occur when someone hurts their loved one which may
cause them to resort to dark arts and sorcery.

The mambabarang 

• Bring pain to their victim by implanting or inserting materials like

nails, stones, or insects inside the body of their victim.
• There are two ways for them to conduct this:
• Barang de Manyka which similar to the use of Voodoo Dolls. 
• Barang De Calavera, is where the skull of a human represents
the soul of the Mambabarang’s target.
There are also instances where a mambabarang can switch to
contagious magic –  where they cast a spell or charm through the things
that are associated with their victim. An example of this is Bansol where
a mambabarang uses the soil from a foot print or the spot where the
target urinated.  La-ga utilizes something that belongs to the target of
the mambabarang  – like a piece of their dress, hair, or finger clippings
which will be mixed with seven scoops of sea water taken during high
tide and then boiled together.