Sikolohiyang Pilipino: Papaloob o Papalabas?

Robert E. Javier Jr., PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Psychology
De La Salle University- Manila

Halos tatlong dekada na ang pagpupunyagi ng mga nagtataguyod ng Sikolohiyang Pilipino

(Enriquez, 1994). Nagsimula noong unang bahagi ng dekada sitenta ang pagsusumikap na maitatag ang
mga simulain ng sikolohiyang nakaugat sa karanasang Pilipino (Pe-Pua, 1989). Lalo pang naging
malinaw ang tinatahak nitong landasin nang halos sabay-sabay na pagkilos ng iba pang mga larangan sa
agham panlipunan pati na rin sa mga disiplinang pang-agham na makapagpaunlad ng kani-kaniyang
identidad na sumasalamin sa tunay na pagka-Pilipino (Aganon at David, 1985). Hindi nga nag-iisa ang
sikolohiya sa pagsusumakit nito na maging tapat at totoo sa Kapilipinuhan, nariyan at masigasig ang mga
agham panlipunan gaya ng historyograpiya, antropolohiya, sosyolohiya, pati na rin ang pilosopiya at iba
pa (Bautista at Pe-Pua, 1991). Naging masigla at masigasig ang kilusang nagpapalaganap ng
Sikolohiyang Pilipino sa kanilang mga kumperensiya na nakatuon ang pansin sa paghagilap at muling
pagtuklas sa mga likas na pagpapahalagang Pilipino na matatagpuan sa kultura at wika. Pinatunayan sa
mga pagpapalitan ng kuru-kuro at ideya ang kaangkupan ng mga pagpoproseso sa mga karanasang
Pilipino bilang makabuluhang batayan ng paglilinaw ng mga konseptong Pilipino. Gayundin naman ang
paggamit ng F/Pilipino, ang wikang tinutukoy na siyang mag-uugnay sa mga kaalaman, ay minsan pang
naging salamin ng gayong kaangkupan ng paglilinaw. Walang bahid ng pagkukunwari sa pagkilala sa
kakanyahan ng lahi ang sinasalamin ng mga panulat na nalathala sa sariling wika sa loob ng bansa. Ito
ang mga kaganapang saksi sa pag-unlad ng kamaJayang Pilipino noong dekada sitenta hanggang sa
kalagitnaan ng dekada otsenta, subalit tila lumihis sa pagpasok ng dekada nobenta, kung bakit ay hindi ko
pa lubos na nauunawaan.

Ang kaisipan na ito na inilathala ni R. Javier ay patungkol sa paggamit ng wikang Pilipino sa

pananaliksik at pasulat at ibapang sikolohiyang bunga ng karanasan, kaisipan at oryentasyon ng Pilipino
batay sa kabuuang paggamit ng kultura at wikang Pilipino. May mga sikolohiyang Pilipino (SP) na
iskolar na nabanggit na ang paggamit na katutubong wika ay mahahalagang mapagkukunan sa pagtatayo
ng mga katutubong konstruksyon dahil maabot nito ang isang mas malawak na madla at maaaring
magbigay ng kontribusyon sa pag-unlad ng pambansang pagkakakilanlan. Ipinapakita rin ng pananaliksik
na ang wika na ginamit sa koleksyon ng data ay sumasalamin sa pagkakakilanlan at kalidad ng datus. Ang
pananaliksik na ito ay lalo pang nagging makabuluhan sapagkat sumabay na din ang ibat ibang pag-aaral
sa agham at sa iba pang larangan. Sa pagsusuri ng iba’t ibang pananaliksik ng iba’t ibang iskolar ay
nagpapatunay sa likas na pagpapahalaga sa kultura at wika sa konseptong Pilipino sa paggamit nito.
Ngunit ayon kay Javier ay nag iba ang agkilala sa kakanyahan ng lahi ng sariling wika sa ating bansa.

Sa pagbanggit ng pag aaral ni Enriquez 1994, dito nakapaloob ang kaisipan na ang Indigenization
mula sa loob at indigenization mula sa wala. Ang indigenization mula sa loob ay nagsasangkot ng pag-
unlad ng mga pamamaraan, konsepto, at teorya sa loob ng Pilipinas habang ang indigenization mula nang
walang kasangkot sa paglipat ng mga western psychological pamamaraan, konsepto, at teorya at baguhin
ito upang magkasya sa lokal na kultura. Ang mga ganitong uri ng sikolohiya ay naglalayong maunawaan
kung paano kumikilos ang mga tao nang natural at kapag nakikipag-ugnay sila sa totoong mundo.

Ayon kay Hannerz (1992) angpagsasalamin ay isang pagtatangka upang maisulat ang
pandaigdigan at lokal. Ang isang pinakamahusay na halimbawa ay ang micromarketing kung saan ang
mga pandaigdigang tatak ay pinasadya ang kanilang mga produkto upang magkasya sa lokal na merkado
sa pamamagitan ng mga patalastas, Upang ibenta ang kanilang mga produkto, dapat nilang isama ang
lokalidad. Halimbawa, sa pagbebenta ng isang shampoo brand sa Pilipinas, ang mga international tatak ay
dapat magkaroon ng isang sachet na bersyon nito dahil gustung-gusto ng mga Pilipino na gumamit ng
maliliit na bersyon ng mga produkto dahil ginagawa itong makatipid ng mas maraming pera. Ang
pangatlong hamon ay ang pagiging kumplikado ng kultura kung saan muling tinatalakay ang pagkakaiba-
iba ng mga pamamaraan na itinuturo at naunawaan ng kultura. Malaki ang naitulong ng teknolohiya sa
mga ito. Tinatawag bilang "mga makinarya ng kahulugan", pinapagana nila ang personal na
komunikasyon kahit na walang pagkakaroon ng isa't isa. Samakatawid ang sikolohiyang Pilipino ay
naging papaloob ba o papalabas? Sa iba’t ibang pananaliksik at patuloy na pananaliksikay nagging isang
makabuluhan ito kung paano maitaguyod Sikolohiyang Pilipino at ang paggamit ng kultura at wikang
Pilipino.

A characteristic that defines Sikolihiyang Pilipino is the use of Filipino language for research and writing.
SP scholars have noted that the use of native languages are important sources in the construction of native
constructs as it can reach a wider audience and can contribute to the development of national identity
(Enriquez, 1994b; Enriquez & Marcelino, 1984; Javier, 1996; Rood, 1985; Salazar, 1982b, 1991;
Sibayan, 1994). Research also shows that the language used in data collection reflects the identity and
quality of the data (Church, Katigbak, & Castaneda, 1988; see Church, 1986, pp. 106–113, for a review).

Two types of indigenous psychologies were identified by Enriquez (1993). Indigenization from
within and indigenization from without. Indigenization from within involves the development of methods,
concepts, and theories within the Philippines while indigenization from without involves the transfer of
western psychological methods, concepts, and theories and modify it to fit local culture. These types of
psychologies aim to understand how people behave naturally and when they interact with the real world.

Several challenges have been encountered in the indigenization of psychology in the Philippines.
One example is hybridization. Hybridization can be seen as a result of intercultural marriages as it results
to the combination of existing beliefs and practices forming into new forms creating new identities. In
other words, it is a transformation of existing culture into new ones (Pieterse, 1995; Rowe & Schelling,
1991). The stronger the hybridization, the greater the influence it has to the person and this has both
negative and positive effects.
 Another challenge is the one according to Wilkinson (1995). He states that is there is only on
civilization and those who interact intensely, continuously, and significantly belong to one civilization
even if it is a hostile interaction and their cultures are very dissimilar. These criterion were made by
Wilkinson because according to him warfare, conflict, and even hostility when frequent creates a system
for socialization composed by the antagonists and protagonists who cannot live in isolation.

Glocalization is an attempt to fuse the global and the local. One best example is micromarketing
in which global brands are tailoring their products to fit in the local market through advertisements, In
order for their products to sell, they should incorporate locality. For example, in selling a shampoo brand
in the Philippines, international brands should have a sachet version of it because Filipinos love to use
small versions of products as it make them save more money. The third challenge is cultural complexity
in which again discusses the diversity of methods that culture is taught and understood. Technology had a
big help with these. Dubbed as “machineries of meanings”, they enable personal communication even
without the presence of one another (Hannerz,1992).

If I were to study Filipino culture in a psychological lens, I would take into view social class as
culture. Social class divides the society into elements such as schools, forms of recreation, the
neighbourhood they choose to live, and the choice of food to eat (Domhoff, 1998). A person’s everyday
life is controlled by his or her social class and it is already becoming a cultural identity. Objective social
class refers to wealth, social behaviours, and preferences and these signals other people on how to
perceive us. Social class can also be seen in non- verbal behaviour such as head- nods and eye contact for
the lower- class individuals and less eye contact and head- nods for upper- class individuals. When a
person identifies himself into a social class, he or she also identifies himself into a hierarchy and
hierarchies provide individuals access to privilege and resources.

A person’s social rank also affects his or her social cognition. For example, lower- class
individual’s decisions are influenced by external factors such as their bosses, government policies etc. as
compared to upper- class individuals where their lives are more individualistic in which they decide
whatever decision they would like to make on their own. In other words, lower- class people just tend to
follow what upper- class people tell them because they think that upper- class individuals know-it-all and
they would not question that. A perfect example for me is our household helper. I noticed that whenever
my mom tells her to do some errands, she just always say yes without having any questions. I later on
concluded that maybe because she thinks that my mom is knowledgeable enough and that no further
question should be asked.

Research has shown that individuals with low income blame educational opportunity as the
reason for their poverty and wealth problems as opposed to upper- class individuals where they attribute
their situation with their disposition.

Emotional empathy also differs with your social class. Kraus & Keltner (2009) noted that lower-
class individuals are more engaged and reliant with others. Also, research indicates that having less makes
a person more sensitive to others, interacts more, and is more emphatic leading to the theory that lower-
class individuals are more prosocial. A study by Piff et al., (2010) found that individuals with lower
socio- economic status gave more to charity than upper- class individuals.