UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Lesson 2: The Self as the Product of Society

Objective:
After completing the module, the students are expected to:
1. Recognize what sociology tells about understanding the self and others.
2. Understand how culture and Self are complementary concepts.
3. Explain how the concept of the Self influence behavior, thinking and emotion. 
4. Apply concepts of self in one’s life to develop self-awareness and broaden
understanding.

Duration: 3 hours

Learning Contents: 
The Sociological Perspective of the self is based on the assumption that
human behavior is influenced by society. 
Sociology as a science, study social groups and human relationships which help
shed new insight into the interconnectedness between the self and other people.
Hence, sociologists offer theories to explain how the self emerges as a product of social
experience. 
Sociolgoy kasi as a Science is a study of social groups and relationships. So
dahil social groups nga at human relationships yung inaaral, natutulungan tayo nito na
makita ang relasyon ng self at other people. So ang mga sociologists, ang debates nila
and speculations, kung naaalala niyo sa Philosophical perspective, sinasabi nila na
“body and mind”, “body and soul”, dito mag stick tayo sa term na “body and mind” kasi
yun ang ginamit ng mga Sociologists natin. Instead ng pagdedebate kung alin talaga
ang meron kung body and mind nga ba, ang naisip nila “Wag na muna natin
problemahin yan. Ang importante alam natin na may self”.
The Self in the External World
Feral child or Wild child is a human child who has lived isolated from human
contact from a young age with little no experience of human care, behavior, or human
language. They are typically portrayed at being raised by animals. Lack basic social
skills, complete lack of interest in human activities, impaired ability in learning
human language. 
Ano nga ba ang relasyon ng self and the external world? Unahin natin ang
example that will help us understand kung paano nag move forward ang Sociology
when it comes to discovering the self. For example, si Tarzan.Bakit si Tarzan? Diba nga
ang topic is self and external world? Si Tarzan ang kasama lang niya ay self and
external world. Try to remember. He was raised by animals. Ang condition kasi niya
hindi tinawag na “Tarzan” or “Taong Bundok”. He became a Feral Child.Isa pa na
example is si “Marcos Rodriguez Pantoja”. Noong bata siya binenta siya sa isang nag-
aalaga ng kambing sa Sierra Madre to serve as a slave pero naabandon din siya kasi
namatay ang bagong “may-ari” sakanya. Dahil mag isa lang siya sa kabundukan
eventually, may mga predator which is yung mga wolf. Nung uamtake na yung mga
wolf para kainin ang mga kambing, si Marcos nalang ang natira pero nung nakita siya,
tulog or hinimatay na siya. Nung nagising si Marcos, katabi na niya ang mga puppy ng
mga wolf and for some reason, sumama siya sa mga wolf and eventually nagging part
siya ng pack. Since nagging part na siya ng part or tinanggap na siya ng mga wolf,
growing up Nawala na ang pagiging human niya at nag start na siyang “maging Wolf”
talaga. Alam na niya kung ano ang mga pwedeng kainin sa hindi, naglalakad or
tumatakbo on all fours. nangangagat at tumatahol. Kaya natin alam ang kwento niya
kasi nahuli siya ng mga guard malapit sa bundok. Tinali siya at “ginag” siya o nilagyan
ng tela sa bibig kas inga tumatahol at nangangagat. Binigay siya sa mga madre dahil
sa panahon na yon, may social work na. Yung mga madre. In turn, inalagaan siya, tinry
iintroduce ulit sa human society. Tinuruan ulit siya kung paano magbasa, paano
magbihis, paano mag salita, paano tumayo at gumamit ng kutsara at tinidor. Dahil don,
matagal ang proseso. It took them almost 10 years to introduce him to society. Bakit
ganon? Ang mga feral child kasi kapag nagging “feral” na, mag lack sila ng basic social
skills at nawawalan ng interest sa human activities and nahihirapan sila na matutunan
ang human knowledge. So bakit sila nahihirapan? Kasi iba na ang kanilang natutunan
at ang mga natutunan nila is via instinct at sa paggaya sa kung sino/ano man ang nasa
palinig nila or external world.
So, bakit importante ang mga Feral Children? Chinallenge kasi nila yung long
standing notion na “special” ang mga humans. Napatunayan na ang kaluluwa or mind
ay hindi dahilan kung bakit special tayo. Matalino nga at rational tayo pero at the end of
the day, ang development natin according to Sociolgy, product lang siya ng interaction
with external reality.
The different qualities of the self is that the self is self-contained and
independent. In itself it can exist. This means we have our own thoughts,
characteristics, and volition. Our self does not require any other self to exist. Our self is
consistent because it has a personality that is enduring and therefore expected to
persist.
According to Sociology meron daw iba’t ibang quality ang self.Kaya nila iniba iba
or binigyan ng qualities ay para mas maexplain lalo ang self at mas madaling intindihin.
Pag sinabing self-contained/separate, ang self is always unique and has its own
identity. One person cannot be another person. Yung mga kambal nga magkaiba diba?
Hindi lang pangalan kundi pati mga ugali at self nila.
It is also consistent which allows it to be studied, described, and measured.
Also means that a particular set of traits, characteristics, tendencies, and potentiality are
more or less the same.
Hindi lang ito para sa researchers. Ang ibig sabihin din nito ay may particular
sets of traits, characteristics, tendencies.
 The self is private, self-sorts out information, feelings, emotions, and thought
processes within the self. The process is never accessible to anyone but the self.
Bakit importante ang pagiging private ng self? Medyo common knowledge narin
kasi na ang self natin is hindi accessible to anyone but the self. Oh baka masabi mo
yung kaibigan mo kilala ka niiya? Oo kasi in-allow mo siya na malaman niya yon.
Basically, sayo parin yon pero binigyan mo siya ng permission. Hindi naman pwede na
basta nalang niya alam kung sino ka talaga.
The Self is isolated from external world. Because of this, the clash of self and
external reality is the reason for the self to have a clear understanding on what it might
be, what it can be, what it will be. From this perspective we see that the self is always
at the mercy of external circumstances that it humps/collides with. The self is ever-
changing and dynamic allowing external influences to take part in its shaping.
The Self is unitary because it is the center of all experiences and thoughts that
run through a certain person. Basically the command center or an individual where all
processes, emotions, and thoughts converge.
Sa perspective na to makikita natin na ang self natin is always at the mercy of
external circumstances na nakakabangga niya. Dito makikita natin na ang self natin ay
palaging nagbabago. Ikaw ba yung ugali mo ngayon ay katulad parin nung bata ka?
Diba hindi? Iba iba kasi ang naeexperience natin sa buhay.
The self should not be seen as static. Rather, should be seen or something
that is in unceasing flux, in constant struggle with external reality and is
malleable in its dealings with society. The self is always in participation with social
life and its identity subjected to influences.
Ang self kasi natin, dahil sa social life natin, ang identity natin ay always
subjected sa influences. Example is yung mga mannerisms mo, meron kang mga hilig
sabihin at gawin na nakita/nakuha molang sa iba.
Marcel Mauss, a French sociologist, believes that the self has two faces; the
personneand moi. The Moi is the person’s sense of who he is, his body, basic identity,
biological givenness. The Personne is a social concept of what it means to be who he
is. What it means to live in a particular institution, family, religion, nationality, or how to
behave in given expectations/influences.
This first part of the discussion basically explains the malleability of the self. Ex:
OFWs jaywalking in Philippines but respect traffic when in another country. Or guys that
are sweet while courting a girl and once the girl says “yes” or agrees to be her boyfriend
they turn back to the way they usually are.
According to Mauss yung Moi(Mwa), magadang example dito is some OFWs.
Some of OFWs pag nasa Philippines, nag mag jaywalk mga yan pero pag nasa ibang
bansa na, sinusundan ang traffic rules. Isa pa na example natin para sa girls marami
makakarelate at pati guys na rin. Ang mga lalake sweet at mabait kapag nanliligaw pero
kapag “Umoo” ka na or kapag syota na, hindi na nagiging sweet or bumabalik na sa
dating ugali. Kapag sinabing Personne (social concept) yan yung mukha or maskara ng
self na ipinapakita mo sa mga tao. Kapag sinabing Moi(Mwa) yan yung kung sino ka
talaga deep inside. Imposibleng hindi gumagana ang dalawa kasi they are present at
the same time pero pinipili mo lang kung ano ang ipapakita sa iba para makapag adapt
sa social situations. Alam natin kung sino tayo pero at some point kailangan natin
maging professional. Maganda rin na example is yung mga teachers na naging tropa
niyo na. Sigurado may teachers kayo na “barkada” pero kapag nag didiscuss siya hindi
mo lolokohin diba kasi kailangan niya maging professional at kailangan niya mag turo.
The Self and the Development of the Social World
George Herbert Mead, aphilosopher, psychologist and sociologist, supports the
view that a person develops a sense of self through social interaction. Mead’s theory of
the social self explained that the self has two divisions: the “I” and the “Me”.
The “Me” or the social self, is what is learned in interaction with others and with
the environment: other people's attitudes, once internalized in the self, all form the  Me.
The “me” is how we believe the society or the generalized other sees us. It is what we
learned through interaction with others. The "Me" disciplines the "I" by holding it back
from breaking the law of the community.
Kung ikukumpara ang Me sa ibang concepts, siya ang social self, learned
interaction with others, at internalized self. Kung icocompare natin kay Mauss, Ang “Me”
concept ni Mead ay ang “Personne” kasi nag aadjust siya at ang beliefs niya ay beliefs
ng society. Si “Me” kasi is how we believe the society believes us at siya ay ang part
mo sa society.
While the “I” is response to the “me” and to the attitude of others. This means
that the “I” is when the individual identity and one’s unique trait is stepping in on our
personal responses to what society thinks. Mead also called I as the “novel or creative
reply” as “I” constructs a reply based on what we have learned.
Ang “I” naman ay ang response to the “Me” or and attitude towards others
(“Me”). . Kung icocompare natin kay Mauss, Ang “I” concept ni Mead ay ang “Moi” kasi
nga kapag sinabing “I” siya na yung individual identity mo or unique traits and biological
givenness. Si “I” ang tinawag ni Mead na “creative/novel reply” kasi gumagawa siya ng
mga reply base sa mga natutunan or mga gusto niya.
Ano pa nga ba ang similarities nila?Pareho at sabay din sila gumagana.Si “Me”
kasi dinidisiplina niya si “I”. Ano ba ginagawa ni “I”? Kasi ang individual identity natin or
si “I” minsan may desires na hindi acceptable sa society. So si “Me” babawalan niya si
“I” so maghahanap sila ng solusyon na parehong gusto ni “I” at “Me” na acceptable sa
society.
Magandang example dito ay ang breakup ng magsyota. Si “Me” or ang Society
naiintindihan na ang pag “walwal” or flirting with other women is acceptable after
breakup para mag move on. Kaya lang si “I” di naman talaga mahilig uminom at
makipag flirt. Ang hilig niya is “travelling”. So sasabihin niya kay “Me” yon so si “Me”
tatanggapin niya ang sinabi ni “I” kasi nga dinidisiplina niya si “I” para hindi gumawa ng
masama. Eh hindi naman masama ang travelling diba? So tatanggapin niya yon kasi
nga kesa magwalwal bat di nalang mag travel diba?
The full development of the self is not present at birth but develops only with
social experience in which language, gestures, and objects are used to communicate
meaningfully. Since there is meaning in gestures or human actions, a person may
conclude another person’s intention which may lead him or her to understand the world
from the view of others – a process that Mead labels are role-taking in which he details
the development of the self in a three-stage process:

Role-Taking Theory
1. The Preparatory stage (birth – 3 years old) - This stage is also called as the
imitation stage. In this stage, we see children mimic/imitate those around them and this
is why parents of young children do not want you to use foul language around kids.
They do not have any idea or understanding of what they are saying or doing
Ang other term ni Mead dito is “Imitation stage” kasi nga ginagaya lang nila tayo
for the sake of paggaya lang at development nila. Eto ang dahilan kung bakit kapag
may kasama na bata binabawalan ka mag mura at gumawa ng masama kasi
gagayahin ka ng bata kasi wala pa siyang idea at hindi pa developed ang self.
2. The Play stage (3 years old – 5 years old) - Children are believed to learn self-
development and interaction through pretend play in this stage. They start to view
themselves in relation to others as they learn to communicate through language and
other symbols. Children also start to play more formalized games because they begin to
understand the perspective of others or the perspective of their significant others. In this
stage they are focused on role taking and act based on their perceived point of view.
Here, the self is developing.
Tinatawag din ni Mead ito bilang “Role playing stage” kasi dito naglalaro na sila
at nag-sstart na nilang maintindihan ang perspectives ng iba at significant others nila.
Tinatry nilang iview yung sarili nila in relation to others kasi natututo na sila makipag
communicate using language and symbols. Sa stage na ito ang focus nila is role
playing/taking nila na naka base sa perceived point of view. Dito nag dedevelop na ang
self.
3. The Game stage (6 years old – 9 years old) – The final stage where begin to
understand and adhere to the rules of the game. This is the stage where the child
realizes how his/her attitudes and viewpoints are taken into account by the expectations
of society as a whole. At this stage, children become concerned about and take into
account in their behavior the generalized others or how they are viewed. In response,
children become influenced by the expectations or perceptions of the society and they
become concerned about the reactions of others by what they say or do. However, they
mainly focus on the perceptions of “significant others”. Here, the self is now present
 ● The Significant others are all of the people who have important relationships
with the individual. Parents, family, teachers, peers.
● The Generalized other refers to the viewpoint of the social group at large. Is
loosely Sigmund Freud’s concept, Superego which is the ethical component of
the personality and provides the moral standards by which the ego operates. The
superego’s criticisms, prohibitions, and inhibitions form a person’s conscience.
Ang concern nila dito ay ang mga sinasabi o kung pano sila nakikita ng “Game
stage” kasi ito na ang final stage at nag sstart na silang makaintindi or sumunod sa
batas ng laro. Sa stage na to present na ang self. Sino ng aba ang generalized others?
Para mas simple tawagin din natin na society. Kahit pa na nag aadjust sila dahil sa
generalized others, ang focus nila is yung mga significant others. Hindi po syota. Ang
significant others is family, parents, peers.
The Social Development Theory
There are 3 major themes regarding Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory:
social interaction, the more knowledgeable other, and the zone of proximal
development.
Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, argues that social interaction comes
before development; consciousness and cognition are the end product of socialization
and social behavior. He also believed that the community plays a central role in the
process of "making meaning."
Social Interaction plays a fundamental role in the process of cognitive
development. In contrast to Jean Piaget’s understanding of child development (in which
development necessarily precedes learning), Vygotsky felt social learning precedes
development. Vygotsky stated that every function in the child’s cultural development
appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level: (1) Social level
l(Interpsychological) This is where social learning takes place because in this stage,
they interact, connect and reach out to other people. (2) In Individual
level(Intrapsychological), after acquiring social learnings,the functions will appear a
second time and, this time, more developed and thus, leading to cognitive
development(self-reflection).
We interact in two ways. Una is social level. Learning takes place dito kasi daw
we reach out to other people or nagpapaturo. Pangalawa is yung Individual level. Dito,
ang mga natutunan ay iniinternalize nalang or nag seself reflect nalang. Dito makikita
natin na fundamental ang Social Interaction sa process ng development natin sa
cognitive level or ng ating learning/development. Sabi niya na dalawang beses nag
function ang mga ito. Social to Individual. Kapag na self reflect na kasi, magpapaturo
nanaman siya. Parang cycle.Social to Individual to Social ulit.
According to Vygotsky, without learning, an individual won’t function and develop
fully but that does not mean that people are born with absolutely zero abilities. He
claimed that infants are born with the basic materials/abilities for intellectual
development that are called the elementary mental functions.
 ● Sensation - hot, cold, sweet, or bitter are delivered automatically to the brain by
the senses.
● Hunger - bodily processes. An infant doesn’t need to be told that he is hungry
since hunger will manifest the fact.
● Memory -Young children commit things to memory in a natural manner. A baby
will instantly recognize the sound of his mother’s voice, or the taste of baby food
BUT he won’t be able to associate or recognize any association like the sound of
the mother’s voice to those times that she sung him a lullaby to sleep, and he
isn’t likely to identify that baby food to be the one that he really likes to eat.
As social learning is being increased through more social interactions, his
elementary mental functions will evolve to higher mental functions. Compared to
elementary, they are stimulated or are taught, and they are learned in social settings or
environments and they often come with social meanings
● Language - As a child develops, their need to communicate to others is
increasing. As we grow older and undergo a multitude of other social processes,
language learning will also advance, as well as our thought processes.
● Memory - Memory can be cultivated and controlled by this time and they know
how to make relevant associations and memorized stuff they think is necessary.
● Attention – Because of social learnings, the ability of focus and concentration,
and the ability to figure out what to do with whatever are learned. They are now
able to decide which objects, actions or thoughts to focus on.
● Perception – Sensing is when a child is able to recognize a sensory stimulus.
Their lack of perception skills will make them unable to interpret the meaning or
significance behind it. Social interactions help the child’s level of perception,
increasing his awareness and capacity to understand why things are as they are.
Ang mga mental functions natin nag wowork together. Kasi si Perception is ang
nag eenable satin to interpret the meaning or significance behind things. Example is
nagluluto ka ng Pancit canton sa kusina tapos nakita ka ng kapatid mo na bata. Hindi
pa niya mapercept yung kung ano man na nangyayari sa kusina. So hinawakan niya
yung niluluto mo. Napaso siya at umiyak. Ngayon dahil sa sensation, memory, at
perception, alam na niya na kapag may nagluluto sa kusina, pwede siyang mapaso
kapag hinawakan niya ang mga niluluto. Nag start na siya mag evolve kasi mapercept
na niya ang mga bagay bagay dahil sa memory na din.
The More Knowledgeable Other (MKO)
Anyone who has a better understanding, considerably higher or superior level of
ability, skill or knowledge about a particular subject, task or process, than the person
who is attempting to learn. Normally thought of as being a teacher, coach, or older
adult, but could also be peers, a younger person, and even a computer. While learning
and discovery that is self-initiated is effective, learning becomes more productive and
contributory to cognitive development when acquired from the More Knowledgeable
Other.
Simpleng concept lang to kasi ang MKO ay anyone na may better understanding
or knowledge ng subject. Example na din dito ay ang teacher mo sa Understanding the
Self kas inga kayo ang tinuturuan naming at kayo ay matututo palang. Pwede rin ang
mga computer at mga libro or any learning material.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
This is where the child will be given the most sensitive instruction or guidance
with a lot of encouragement, just the right amount of guidance, and then allow the child
to learn and develop his skills. By letting them do it independently, the MKO will help the
child develop his higher mental functions faster.
The learning process is a social interaction which could be done directly or
indirectly (with the use of technology), between the learner and the MKO, who can be a
teacher, professor, coach, mentor, or any older adult, or a peer or even someone
younger, who happens to be more skillful, experienced, or knowledgeable in the area,
subject or discipline that is being learned.
Kapag sinabing Zone of Proximal Development, eto yung area kung saan ka
bibigyan ng opportunity and guidance ng MKO na turuan ka. Example is yung E-class
natin. Ang zone of proximal development niyo is yung Subject at ang more
knowledgeable other niyo is yung teacher. If by yourselves, mahihirapan kayo intindihin
ang understanding the self. Kailangan niyo si Teacher pero with little guidance and
encouragement lang at hindi pwede ang spoon feeding kasi dito kailangan saktuhan
lang ang pagtuturo, Hindi pwedeng binibigay lahat sa student at hindi rin pwede ang
kulang ang binibigay na materials. Aid lang. Ang Zone ay ang area kung saan ka
matututo or yung subject at MKO ay ang magtuturo. Example ulit.Sa Calculus.
Magpapaturo ka ba sa kaklase mon a bumabagsak sa subject? Hindi diba?
Magpapaturo ka sap asado or perfect ang score kasi siya ang makakapag guide sayo
towards learning the subject.