CHAPTER 6:

THE PHYSICAL SELF

PA R T 2 :
U N PA C K I N G T H E S E L F
THE PHYSICAL
SELF
• This is the part of the self which is
interacting with the world and other
people. It is tangible and observable.
• Refers to the body (both extremities
and internal organs work together for
the body to perform many functions)
• Lifespan refers to the development
from conception to death
PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES ON
UNDERSTANDING THE PHYSICAL SELF
• William James – the body is the source of sensation and origin
of personality.
• Sigmund Freud – the body is the core of human experience.
• Wilhelm Reich – the mind and the body are one.
• Erik Erikson – the body is critical in the sense of self of a
person.
• Carl Jung – the physical body and external world can be known
as psychological experiences.
• B.F. Skinner – a behaviorist, stresses how the body can be
influenced by the environment and vice versa.
 THE DIFFERENT BEAUTY AROUND THE
WORLD
• The long necked women of Burma.
– Kayan long neck women begin wearing the rings as early as
four or five years old. The rings can weigh up to 25 pounds.
• Filipinos want people who have white complexion.
• Stretched earlobes and shaved head in Kenya and other parts of
Africa.
• Maori men and women in New Zealand sporting tattoo.
• Indian women accessorize themselves with henna during special
occasions.
• “Au naturel” for the French.
• The media has become increasingly a platform that reinforces
cultural beliefs and projects strong views on how we should
look that as individuals consciously and unconsciously
perpetuate. Celebrity’s facial features.
• The more we look at perfect images of others and then
compare it to us, we feel bad to ourselves.
• In some cases, some people develop negative body image.
– Extreme dieting
– Extreme exercise
– Eating disorders
– Extreme or unnecessary plastic surgery
– Steroids for muscle building
 SELF-ESTEEM
• Societies and culture around the world has always
kept different standards of physical attractiveness and
also certain obligations.
• Body ornaments are heavily used to improve the
appearance, to make one more pleasing. This includes
body painting, tattooing, jewelries, and also surgery.
• Our perception of our physical body could influence
our sense of self-esteem. There are three: inflated self-
esteem, high self-esteem, and low self-esteem.
STAGES IN THE
LIFESPAN BY
ELIZABETH B.
HURLOCK
2 FACTORS AFFECTING PHYSICAL
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
• Heredity – biological process of the inheritance of traits from
parents to offspring
• Environment – refers to the factors an individual is exposed to
throughout life which includes learning and experiences.
THEORIES OF THE SELF

• Theory of Physiognomy (German

physician Franz Joseph Gall and Johann
Spurzheim, 1800) suggests that a person’s
physical characteristics such as facial features
and expressions and body structures could
be related to a person’s character or
personality.
• In ancient Greece, Hippocrates developed a
theory based on the prominence of body
fluids (humors), which influences a person’s
personality, temperament, and well being:
– Sanguine (red bile) impulsive, cheerful, happy,
optimistic
– Melancholic ((black bile) depressed and
pessimistic
– Choleric (yellow bile) easily angered, jumpy,
temperamental
– Phlegmatic (excess phlegm) sluggish, dull, and
slow
• Body type theory based on
physical characteristics by William
Sheldon (1940s):
– Endomorphic (soft & plump) easy
going and sociable
– Mesomorphic (strong muscular)
energetic, adventurous, assertive,
& courageous
– Ectomorphic (tall & thin)
restrained, quiet, introverted, and
artistic
• Body Image - Refers to how individuals perceive, think, and feel
about their body and physical appearance
• Appearance – refers to everything about a person that others can
observe such as height, weight, skin color, clothes, and hairstyle.
• Self esteem- a person’s overall evaluation of his or her own worth
 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEAUTY
• Standards of beauty have changed overtime due to changing cultural values.
• Beauty has always been considered important throughout history because
these features indicate youth, health, good genes, and fertility.
• Cosmetic surgery is another form of body modification which includes
surgical and non-surgical procedures to restore, reconstruct, or alter body
parts.
• Whether beauty is biologically programmed or culturally constructed, it
remains important in all societies
• Different cultures have different definitions and perceptions of beauty
• People often say beauty is in the eye of the beholder
SOME WAYS TO IMPROVE BODY
IMAGE AND INNER SELF