Bohol Northern Star College

College of Business and Accountancy

Summary:
Social, Environmental, and other Life Factors (S.E.L.F.)
An Overview of Self/Identity
The term self often refers to a warm sense or a warm feeling that something is “about me”
or “about us”. It requires that there is an “I” that can consider an object that is “me”. The
term self includes both the actor who thinks (“I am thinking”) and the onject of thinking
(“about me”). Moreover, the actor both is able to think and is aware of doing so. As the
Philosopher John Locke famously asserted, “I think, therefore I am”.
Nature vs. Nurture
Nature refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are—from our physical
appearance to our personality characteristics. Nurture refers to all the environmental variables that
impact who we are, including our early childhood experiences, how we were raised, our social
relationships, and our surrounding culture.
For example, when a person achieves tremendous academic success, did they do so because they are
genetically predisposed to be successful or is it a result of an enriched environment? If a man abuses his
wife and kids, is it because he was born with violent tendencies or is it something he learned by observing
his own parent's behavior?
A few examples of biologically determined characteristics (nature) include certain genetic diseases, eye
color, hair color, and skin color. Other things like life expectancy and height have a strong biological
component, but they are also influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle.
Identity vs. Self
Identity refers to the qualities, beliefs, etc.., that make a particular person or group different from others.
Identity distinguishes or compares one from another.
Self refers to the total characteristics or qualities of a person both known and unknown (but known to
oneself). Researchers believed that the self is both a product of situations and a shaper of behavior in
situations. Making sense of oneself – who one is, was, and may become, and therefore the path one
should take in the world.
Identities are the traits and characteristics, social relations, roles and social group membership that define
who one is. Identities can be focused on the past – what used to be true of one, the present – what is true
of one now, or the future – the person one expects or wishes to become. [Oyserman, Elmore, and Smith
(2012, p. 69)]
Self and Identity theories assume that people care about themselves, want to know who they are, and
can use this self-knowledge to make sense of the world. Self and Identity are predicted to influence what
people are motivated to do, how they think and make sense of themselves and other, the actions they
take, and their feelings and ability to control themselves.