The

Physical
Self
Supervenus
A short film submitted to the Brussels
Short Film Festival by Frederic Doazan
and Vandy Roc starts the conversation
about body type demands placed on
women today. Beginning with a medical
diagram of a woman, the animated video
shows a systematic reworking of the
female form that brings our sickest
corporeal thoughts to life.
The Physical Self

• refers to the body and pertains

to the physical structure and
material substances of a
human being.

• is expressed through
behavioral patterns,
sensations, and movement.
The Physical Self

• refers to the body, this marvelous

container and complex, finely
tuned, machine with which we
interface with our environment
and fellow beings. The Physical
Self is the concrete dimension,
the tangible aspect of the person
that can be directly observed and
examined.
 The development of
Physical Self commences during
the prenatal period, divided into
three stages:
• the germinal stage,
• the embryonic stage, and
• the fetal stage.
 The Germinal Stage
• occurs during the first two
weeks of development.
The Embryonic Stage
The Fetal Stage
 8 PERIODS
OF
HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT
 Age Period Physical Developments

Prenatal Period • Conception

(Conception to • Basic body structures and organs form
Birth) • Physical growth is most rapid here
• Vulnerability is great
 Age Period Physical Developments

Infancy and • Brain grows

Toddlerhood • Rapid Physical Growth
(Birth to Age 3)
 Age Period Physical Developments

Early Childhood • Growth is steady

(Ages 3 to 6) • Appetite diminishes
• Handedness appears
 Age Period Physical Developments

Middle • Growth slows down

Childhood • Strength and athletic skills improve
(Ages 6 -11) • Respiratory illness but health is generally
better
 Age Period Physical Developments

Adolescence • Physical growth are rapid and profound

(Ages 11-20) • Reproductive maturity
• Major health risks arise from behavioral
issues
 Age Period Physical Developments

Emerging and • Physical conditions peaks, then slightly

Young declines
Adulthood • Lifestyle choices
(Ages 20-40)
 Age Period Physical Developments

Middle • Slow deterioration

Adulthood • Menopause; Climacteric
(Ages 40-65)
 Age Period Physical Developments

Late Adulthood • Health and physical abilities generally decline

(Ages 65 & over) • Slowing of reaction time
 Physical Self- Concept
represents a mental image of
one’s own body that is formed in
our minds(Schilder (1999) and
is not necessarily related to the
actual physical appearance of an
in dividual.
BODY IMAGE
 Body Image
• Involves two key elements: a
mental picture of one’s
physical body (including size,
shape, and appearance) and
one’s attitude towards the
physical self (such as
thoughts, feelings, and beliefs
about one’s body (Pruzinsky &
Cash, 1990; Grogan, 2008.
• May change and be influenced
by several social factors such
as culture, media, and
interactions with family and
friends.
• Culture plays an significant
role in one’s perception of
body image
• For instance, western
countries, specifically
America, emphasizes thinness
as an ideal body size for
women (Wiseman, Gray,
Mosimann & Ahrens, 1992).
• On the other hand, American
women who identify as black
perceive bigger, thicker, and
more voluptuous figures to be
more attractive (Craig, 2006).
• Meanwhile the eastern countries
specifically China, affirms extreme
thinness as an ideal body even
more so than White American
(Evans & McConnel, 2003).
– Starved themselves to stay thin
and to win the emperor’s favor
(Xu, 1994)
• The Chinese body ideal is trailness
and thinness, rather than
plumpness (Leung, Lam, & Sze,
2001).
• According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), there
are 1,995 active changes in
physical growth and
psychosocial development
cause several several body
image problem:
– Eating disorders
– Obesity
– Depression
– Low self-esteem
• Body image dissatisfaction is
also correlated with eating
disorders (Furnham, Badmin
& Sneade, 2002).
• Individuals experience
different degrees of positive
and negative feeling about
their bodies at different times.
 THE SELF AS
IMPACTED BY
THE BODY
• Without a clearly defined
sense of self, individuals might
seek out external sources to
provide coherence to their
identity. One such external
source is society’s standards of
attractiveness (i.e., thinness
for women, muscularity for
men).
• In the study of Vartanian
(2009), women’s self-concept
can play a role in the
development of body image
problems by making them
vulnerable to or by buffering
them against the
internalization of societal
standards of attractiveness.
• Women, but not men, who
have low self-concept clarity
are likely to be generally more
conformist, more concerned
with public impressions, and
more likely to base their self-
worth on their body weight,
and all of these factors are in
turn associated with
internalization of societal
standards of attractiveness.
THE IMPACT OF
CULTURE ON
BODY IMAGE
AND SELF-
ESTEEM
Cultural Traditions Can
Shape Body Image
• The Western culture in general
for example, is one that tends
to hyper-focus on dieting and
body appearance. Digitally
retouched photos are the
norm in which are society is
saturated in, and this mentality
can negatively influence an
individual’s body image.
Body Image and Self-
Esteem
• Body image has been defined
as a view of one’s own overall
physical appearance, and is
established as an important
aspect of self-worth and mental
health across the life span.
• The internal representation of
your own outer appearance;
your own unique perception of
your body.
• Body dissatisfaction, on
the other hand, is a
person’s negative
thoughts about his or her
feelings and these feelings
are largely determined by
social experiences, such
as media images.
• Although body image is
closely related to sexuality
and identity, it can be said to
be most closely related to
self-esteem.
• Self-esteem is a feeling of
satisfaction that someone has
in himself or herself and his or
her own abilities.
• It is the sum of self-
confidence and self-respect
The Media’s Portrayal of
women
• Media is the most widespread
form of mass communication.
• It has become a conveyor of
socio-cultural values regarding
ideal body shape and size, which
creates an understanding of the
ideal man and woman.
• Some of these types include
newspapers, books and
magazines, movies, radio,
television and the internet.
• More often than not, women are
portrayed as the ‘thin ideal’
without imperfections.
• Many theorists believe that
certain images in the media
have an impact on body image
and in turn, promote low self-
esteem.
• Idealized images in the media
are recognized as an important
external trigger of body
dissatisfaction.
Media influences and
gender differences
o Females
• The concept that the mass
media can affect the body
image and self esteem of girls
and women is not a new
phenomenon and has been
circling ever since celebrities,
such a pop stars, have become
famous, not for their talents, but
for their looks.
o These ideals are unrealistic,
and surveys show that more
than half of women are dieting
in order to attain a perfect
body image.
o Objectification Theory -
females are prone to
internalize an observer’s
perspective as a primary view
of their own physical bodies.
o This theory argues that girls
and women subject their body
to constant monitoring, which
in turn leads to body
dissatisfaction and
sometimes, even eating
disorders such as bulimia and
anorexia.
o Males
• The predominant focus of the
research between negative self-
images and media has been on
women but men can have just
as low body image as women.
• One study showed that
muscularity dissatisfaction in
turn was associated with lower
life satisfaction, and lower self-
esteem (Cafri, Strauss &
Thompson, 2002).
• Metrosexuality: The New
Urban Guy
• Metrosexual - a young, urban,
heterosexual male with liberal
political views, an interest in
fashion, and a refined sense
of taste
• Metrosexual is a combination
of metropolitan and sexual,
coined in 1994 describing a
man who is especially
meticulous about his
grooming and appearance,
typically spending a
significant amount of time and
money on shopping as part of
this.
Body image: pre-teens and
teenagers
• During adolescence, young
people often think a lot about how
their bodies look. They also
compare their bodies with others.
A positive teenage body image is
an important part of healthy self-
esteem, and adults can help
adolescents to think and feel
positively about his body.
• money on shopping as part of
this.
Effects of unhealthy
teenage body image
• Unhealthy teenage body image is
directly related to low self-esteem,
which can lead to negative moods
and mood swings.
• Young people who are feeling
down are more likely to focus on
the negative messages around
them and make negative
comparisons between their bodies
and what they see as ‘ideal’
bodies.
• Low self-esteem and poor
body image are risk factors
for the development of risky
weight loss strategies, eating
disorders and mental health
disorders like depression.
 THE
IMPORTANCE
OF BEAUTY
• Physical beauty is extremely
important and all studies have
shown that people judge each
other based on their physical
looks at least until they start
to know each other well.
10 Reasons Why Physical
Appearance Is So Important:
Why One Needs to Look Good?
1. To impress people in social
situations.

2. To look one’s best in work

place, where one deals with the
public.
For example, film stars have to
look gorgeous and handsome.
3. One feels good if one looks
good.

4. A physically attractive person

attracts a lot of people.

5. It helps in building up
relationships. A handsome boy
attracts a lot of girls. Similarly, even
girls, who are beautiful, are much
sought after.
6. Physical appearance does
matter in a relationship. In a
marriage, the partners need to
take care of themselves physically
in order to sustain their
relationship. Many women face
marital problems as they go out of
shape after having children.
Those women who take care of
their physical appearance have
better rapport with their partner.
7. It boosts self-confidence and
self-esteem. One feels very
reassured when other people
admire them and prefer to
associate with them as they find
them very attractive. In certain
professions looks make a lot of
difference. A model has to look
his or best. A good looking
salesperson can get noticed
quickly.
8. A pleasing face is nice to look
at. People like to relax in the
presence of beautiful things. A
pleasant face can relax the mind.
Those with an aesthetic sense
like to admire beautiful people and
things.

9. An attractive physical
appearance enhances
personality. It is an added
advantage.
10. A physically attractive person,
who is well-groomed, can impress
upon people. A handsome
politician can draw the attention of
the masses, although, of course,
he also has to be man of
substance. For example, former
president John F. Kennedy was
known for his looks, although he
was an astute politician as well.
Looks enhanced his public image
• Individuals
with Healthy
Body Image
– are aware of good
things about their
bodies;
– are comfortable with
their bodies; and
– accept that bodies
come in different
shapes
– and sizes
• Individuals with
unhealthy Body Image
– are uncomfortable with their
bodies;
– think a lot about how they see
themselves and are preoccupied
of what other people may say or
think about them;
– are fixated on perceived physical
imperfections; and
– Have unrealistic goals regarding
weight and size
• A healthy and positive
body image boosts self-
esteem and allows an
individual to reach
his/her highest
potential.

• Unhealthy and
negative body image
lowers self esteem and
confidence
 HOW TO
IMPROVE BODY
IMAGE
• One of the best way to feel good
about your body is to work hard
at keeping a healthy lifestyle by:
– exercising
– eating nutritious food
– maintaining a positive attitude
towards yourself
• Building a healthy body image
and positive self-esteem
entails perseverance because it
takes time to become
confident.
• Self-awareness and learning
new skills and talents will
ameliorate body image
10 Steps to Positive Body
Image

1. Appreciate all that your body

can do. Every day your body
carries you closer to your dreams.
Celebrate all of the amazing
things your body does for you—
running, dancing, breathing,
laughing, dreaming, etc.
2. Keep a top-ten list of things you
like about yourself—things that
aren’t related to how much you
weigh or what you look like. Read
your list often. Add to it as you
become aware of more things to
like about yourself.
3. Remind yourself that “true
beauty” is not simply skin deep.
When you feel good about
yourself and who you are, you
carry yourself with a sense of
confidence, self-acceptance, and
openness that makes you
beautiful regardless of whether
you physically look like a
supermodel. Beauty is a state of
mind, not a state of your body.
4. Look at yourself as a whole
person. When you see yourself in
a mirror or in your mind, choose not
to focus on specific body parts.
See yourself as you want others to
see you–as a whole person.
5. Surround yourself with positive
people. It is easier to feel good
about yourself and your body when
you are around others who are
supportive and who recognize the
importance of liking yourself just as
you naturally are.
6. Shut down those voices in your
head that tell you your body is not
“right” or that you are a “bad”
person. You can overpower
those negative thoughts with
positive ones. The next time you
start to tear yourself down, build
yourself back up with a few quick
affirmations that work for you.
7. Wear clothes that are
comfortable and that make you feel
good about your body. Work with
your body, not against it.

8. Become a critical viewer of social

and media messages. Pay
attention to images, slogans, or
attitudes that make you feel bad
about yourself or your body.
Protest these messages: write a
letter to the advertiser or talk back
to the image or message.
9. Do something nice for yourself--
something that lets your body know
you appreciate it. Take a bubble
bath, make time for a nap, find a
peaceful place outside to relax.
10. Use the time and energy that
you might have spent worrying
about food, calories, and your
weight to do something to help
others. Sometimes reaching out to
other people can help you feel
better about yourself and can make
a positive change in our world.
 SELF –
ESTEEM
Self Esteem
• Reflects and
individual’s overall
subjective
emotional
evaluation of his or
her own worth
• Attitude towards
self
• Encompasses
beliefs about
oneself
 FOUR MAJOR
FACTORS THAT
INLFUENCE
SELF - ESTEEM
1. The reaction of others
2. Comparison with others
3. Social Roles
4. Identification
 Why is Self Esteem
important?
A good self – esteem is
important because
– it helps us keep a positive
disposition on life
– allows us to be proud of who we are
– exudes confidence
– establishes better relationships with
people
– Finds life as gratifying and
meaningful