St. Louis Anne Colleges of San Pedro, Laguna Inc.

San Pedro, Laguna

Since 1986
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________
Year & Section: _____________________ Contact No: _____________

MIDTERM MODULE: UNPACKING THE SELF

Unit 1: PHYSICAL SELF: THE BEAUTIFUL ME

From childhood, we are controlled by our genetic makeup, i. e, sex

chromosomes. It also influences the way we treat ourselves and others. On the
contrary, there are individuals who DO NOT ACCEPTS their INNATE SEXUAL
characteristics and they actually tend to change their sexual organs through
medications and surgery. In addition, external environment helps shapes us. In this
lesson, we are going to explore the development of our sexual characteristics and
behavior.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Determine the condition of your physical self

2. Classify the physiological needs of the self in each stage of life
3. Identify the forces and institutions that impact the development of the
various aspects of identity and the self
4. Explain the importance of a good health

LESSON PROPER
Marieb, E.N. (2001) explains that the gonads begin to form until about the eight
week of embryonic development. The embryonic structures of males and females
during the early stages of human development are alike and are said to be in indifferent
stage. When the reproductive structures are formed development of the accessory
structures and external genitalia begins. [See the miracles of life - video clip]

Beginning of life

Life begins at fertilization. It refers to the meeting of the female sex cell and the
male sex cell. These sex cells are developed in the reproductive organs called
GONADS. The male sex cell called spermatozoa [sing. –zoon] are produced in the
male gonads called testes. On the other hand, the female sex cells called ova are
produced in the female gonads known ovaries. The fertilized egg cell known as zygote
contains all the hereditary potentials from the parents. This zygote goes to the uterus
and continues to grow during the gestation period of about 280 days or 36 weeks or 9
calendar months.

Both male and female chromosomes contain several thousands of genes –

called deoxyribonucleic acid which is the code of heredity. Maturation is the unfolding of
the inherent traits.

Human Development

The formation of male or female structures depends on the presence of

testosterone (A substance called hormone that occurs naturally in men and male
animals). The embryonic testes release testosterone once formed and the formation of
the duct system and external genitalia follows. The same with female embryos that form
ovaries, it will cause the development of the female ducts and external genitalia since
testosterone hormone is not produce.

Pseudo hermaphrodites are formed who is an individual having accessory

reproductive structures that do not “match” their gonads while true Hermaphrodites are
individuals who possess both ovarian and testicular tissues but this condition is rare in
nature. Nowadays, many pseudo hermaphrodites undergo sex change operation to
have their outer selves fit with their inner serves (gonads).

Human anatomy
 Puberty is the period of life when the reproductive organs grow to their adult size
and become functional under the influence of rising levels of gonadal hormones
[testosterone in male and estrogen in female] and generally between the age of 10-15
years old.

At the age of 13, male puberty is characterized by the increase in the size of the
reproductive organs followed by the appearance of hair in the pubic area, axillary and
face. The reproductive organs continue to grow for two years until sexual maturation
marked by the presence of mature semen in the testes.

For the female, the budding of their breasts usually occurring at the age of 11 as
a sign of their puberty stage. Menarche is the first menstrual period of females which
happens two years after the start of puberty. Hormones play an important role in the
regulation of ovulation and fertility of females.
Factors in development of the physical self

The development of the individual is caused by two interacting forces: heredity

and environment. Heredity [nature] is the transmission of traits from parents to offspring
it provides the raw materials of which the individual is made up. While the environment
[nurture] is the sum total of the forces or experiences that a person undergoes from
conception to old age. It includes family, friends, school, nutrition and other agencies
one is in contact with.

Diseases associated with the reproductive systems

 Infections are the most common problems associated with the reproductive
system in adults.

Vaginal infections are more common in young and elderly women and those
whose resistance to diseases is low, like, Escherichia coli which spread through the
digestive tract, the sexually transmitted microorganisms such as syphilis, gonorrhea and
herpes virus and yeast fungus.

Pelvic inflammatory disease and sterility are also the effect of vaginal infections.
For males, the most common inflammatory conditions are prostatitis, urethritis, and
epididymitis, STD, Orchiditis.

Major treat to reproductive organs are Neoplasms, tumor of the breast and cervix
cancers in adult females and prostates cancer in adult males.

Most women hit the highest point of their reproductive abilities in their late 20‟s,
i.e. irregular ovulation and shorter menstrual periods – menopausal period.

The production of estrogen may continue after menopause but the ovaries finally
stop functioning as endocrine organs. The reproductive organ and breast begin to
atrophy or shrink if estrogen is no longer released from the body. With this case, the
vaginal becomes dry that causes intercourse to become painful if frequent and the
vaginal infections become increasingly common.

Signs of estrogen deficiency: irritability and mood changes [depression in some];

intense vasodilation of the skin‟s blood vessels, gradual thinning of skin and loss of
bone mass, slowing rising high blood levels etc..

Note: there is no counterpart for menopause in males. Although aging men show
a steady decline in testosterone section, their reproductive capability seems unending.
Healthy men are still able to father offspring well into their 80‟ and beyond.

Erogenous zones

It refers to part of the body that are primarily receptive and increase sexual
arousal when touched in a sexual manner. Examples: mouth, breast, genitals, anus.
However, erogenous zones may vary from one person to another. Some people may
desire and enjoy being touched in certain area more than the other area, like, neck,
thighs, abdomen and feet.

Human Sexual Behavior

It defined as any activity – solitary, between two persons, or in a group – that

induces/ brings sexual arousal [Gebhard, P.H. 2017]. This behavior is classified
according to gender and number of participants.

Types of behavior: Solitary behavior [involving one individual]; and Socio-sexual

behavior [more than one individual]

Solitary behavior

Self – gratification [begins at or b4 puberty] means self –stimulation that leads to

sexual arousal and generally, sexual climax. This takes place in personal and private as
an end in itself, but can also be done in a socio-sexual relationship.

This is common for males but becomes less frequent or is abandoned when
socio-sexual activity is available.

Therefore, self-gratification is most frequent among the unmarried. However this

self-gratification usually decreases as soon as an individual develop socio-sexual
relationship.

Nowadays, human are frequently being exposed to sexual stimuli esp. from
advertising and social media. Some adolescents become so much aggressive when
they respond to such stimuli.

The rate of teenage pregnancy is recently increasing. The challenge is to

develop self-control so that to balance suppression and free expression. Why? To
prevent premarital sex and acquire STD.

Socio-sexual behavior

It is the greatest amount of socio-sexual behavior that occurs b/w only one male
and one female. This usually begins in childhood and may be motivated by curiosity,
such as showing or examining genitalia.
 Physical contact involving necking and petting is considered as an ingredient of
the learning process and eventually of courtship and selection of a marriage partner.

Petting differs from hugging, kissing and generalized caresses of the clothed
body to produce stimulation of the genitals. This is done due to affection as source of
pleasure, preliminary to coitus [this is an insertion of male reproductive organ into
female organ]. This is regarded as an important aspect in selecting partner but also a
way of learning how to interact with another person sexually.

A behavior may be interpreted by society or individual as erotic depending on the

context in which the behavior occurs. Example, kissing as a gesture of intimacy b/w
couples while other sees this as respect and reverence.

Physiology of human sexual response

Sexual response follows a pattern of sequential stages or phases when sexual

activity is continued.

1. Excitement phase = it is caused by increase in pulse and blood pressure; a sudden

rise in blood supply to the surface of the body resulting in increased skin temperature,
flushing, and swelling of all distensible body parts particularly noticeable in the male and
female reproductive system, rapid breathing, secretion of genital fluids, vaginal
expansion, and a general increase in muscle tension.

2. Plateau phase = it is generally of brief duration. If stimulation is continued, orgasm

usually occurs.

3. Sexual climax = a feeling of abrupt, intense pleasure, and rapid increase in pulse rate
and blood pressure, and spasms of the pelvic muscles causing contractions of the
female reproductive organ and ejaculation by the male that last only for few seconds
normally not over ten.

4. Resolution phase = it refers to the return to a normal or subnormal physiological

state. Whereas males return to normal even if stimulation continues, but continued
stimulations can produce additional orgasms in females. Females are physically
capable of repeated orgasms without the intervening “rest period” required by males.
Nervous system factors

The nervous system plays a significant role during sexual response. The
autonomic system is involved in controlling the involuntary responses.

The efferent cerebrospinal nerves transmit the sensory messages to the brain to
create stimulus and later initiating a sexual response. The brain will interpret the
sensory message and dictate what will be the immediate and appropriate response of
the body. The muscles contract in response to the signal coming from the motor nerve
fibers while glad secretes their respective product. So, sexual response is dependent
the activity of the nervous System.

Hypothalamus and limbic system are part of the brain believed to be responsible
for regulating the sexual response, but there is no specialized “sex center” that has
been located in the human brain.

Apart from brain-controlled sexual responses is the reflex. This reflex is mediated
by the lower spinal cord that leads to erection and ejaculation for male, vaginal
discharges and lubricant for female when the genital areas are stimulated. But still, the
brain can overrule and suppress such reflex activity, when sexual response is socially
inappropriate.
Sexual problems

These may be classified as physiological, psychological and social in origin.

Physiological problems are the least among the three categories. Small number of
people suffering from diseases due to abnormal development of the genitalia or that
part of the neurophysiology controlling sexual response. Example: vaginal infection,
retroverted uteri, prostatitis, adrenal tumors, diabetes, senile changes of the vagina and
cardiovascular problems.

Medication: Through surgery

Psychological problems: usually caused by socially induced inhibitions,

maladaptive attitudes, ignorance and sexual myths held by society. Example: mature
sex must involve rapid erection, prolonged coitus and simultaneous orgasm. Methods:
magazines, married books and general sexual folklore often strengthen these
demanding ideals which are not always achieved; therefore, can give rise to feeling of
inadequacy anxiety and guilt. Hence, resulting negative emotions can definitely affect
the behavior of an individual.

Premature emission of semen is a common problem for young males. Why?

Because of the natural result of excessive tension in a male who has been sexually
deprived. Erectile impotence is almost always a psychological problem in males under
40; in other cases, the impotence may be the result of disinterest in the sexual partner,
fatigue, and distraction because of nonsexual worries, intoxication and other causes
such as occasional impotency is common and requires no therapy.

Ejaculatory impotence [inability to ejaculate in coitus] is uncommon and usually

of psychogenic origin. Why? It is due to the past traumatic experiences. Warning!
Occasional ejaculatory inability can be possibly expected in older men or in any male
who has exceeding his sexual capacity.

Lastly, vaginismus is a strong spasm [contraction] of the pelvic musculature

constricting the female reproductive organ so that penetration is painful or impossible. It
can be due to anti-sexual conditioning or psychological trauma as an unconscious
defense against coitus.

Medication: through psychotherapy and by gradually dilating/widening the female

organ with increasing large cylinders.

Sexual Reproductive diseases are the following:

1. Chlamydia

2. Gonorrhea

3. Syphilis

4. Chancroid

5. Human Papillomavirus

6. Herpes simplex virus

7. Trichomonas vaginalis

Natural and artificial methods are the following:

1. Abstinence

2. Calendar method

3. Basal body temperature

4. Cervical mucus method

5. Symptothermal method

6. Ovulation detection

7. Coitus interruptus

Artificial methods are the following:

1. Oral contraceptive

2. Transdermal patch

3. Vaginal ring

4. Subdermal implants

5. Hormonal injections

6. Intrauterine device

7. Chemical barriers

8. Diaphragm

9. Cervical cap

10. Male condoms

11. Female condoms

12. Surgical methods (vasectomy and ligation)

ACTIVITY 1
1. Make a slogan that will raise the awareness of the college students and to
help eliminate sexually transmitted diseases especially among the youth.

2. Agree or Disagree. Are you in favor of legalizing marriage

among LGBTQ+? Why?
 St. Louis Anne Colleges of San Pedro, Laguna Inc.
San Pedro, Laguna
Since 1986
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________
Year & Section: _____________________ Contact No: _____________

MODULE 2: MATERIAL SELF: TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY?

We are living in a world of sale and shopping spree. We are given a wide array of
products to purchase from a simple set of spoon and fork to owning a restaurant.
Almost everywhere, including the digital space, we can find promotions of product
purchase. Product advertisements are suggestive of making us feel better or look
good. Part of us wants to have that product. What makes us want to have those
products are connected with who we are. What we have and already possess is
related to our self.

Belk stated that “we regard our possessions as part of our selves. What we have
and what we possess.” There is a direct link b/w self-identity with what we have and
possess.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Explain the association of self and possessions;

2. Identify the role of consumer culture to self and identity; and
3. Appraise one‟s self based on the description of material self.

LESSON PROPER
Material self

A Harvard psychology in the late nineteenth century, William James, wrote in the
book, the principles of psychology in 1890 that understanding the self can be examined
through its different components namely: 1] its constituents; 2] the feelings and
emotions they aroused self-feelings; 3] the actions for which they prompt the seeking
and self-preservation. The constituents of self are composed of material self, the social
self, the spiritual self, and the pure ego.
 The material self, according to William James primarily is about: our bodies;
clothes; immediate family; home.

HOME

Immediate Family

Clothes

Body

MATERIAL SELF:

1. Body is the innermost part of material self. You are directly attached to this
commodity that you cannot live without. You strive hard to make sure that this body
functions well and good. Example is Mariah Carey, she was reported to have placed a
huge amount for the insurance of his vocal cords and legs.

2. Clothes is next to the body that was being influenced by the “the philosophy of
dress” by Herman Lotze. William James believed that an essential part of the material
self is clothing. Lotze stipulated in his book that any time you bring an abject into the
surface of your body, you invest that object into any consciousness of your personal
existence taking in its contours to be your own and making it part of the self.

3. Immediate Family is the third in the hierarchy. Your parents and siblings hold
another great important part of yourself. What they do or became affects you. When an
immediate family member dies, part of you dies, too. When their lives are in success,
you feel their victories as if you are the one holding the bacon. In their failures, you are
put to chance or guilt. When they are disadvantage situation, there is an urgent urge to
help like a voluntary instinct of saving one‟s self from danger.

4. Home is the fourth component of material self. Home is where your heart is. It
is the earliest nest of your selfhood. Your experience inside the home were recorded
and marked on particular parts and things in your home. There was an old cliché about
rooms: “if only walls can speak”. The home thus is an extension of self, because in it,
you can directly connect yourself.
We are what we have

Russel Belk (1988) posits that “… we regard our possessions as part of our
selves. We are what we have and what we possess.” The identification of the self to
things stared in our infancy stage when we make a distinction among self and
environment and others who may desire our possessions.

The possessions that we dearly have tell something about who we are, our self-
concept, our past, and even our future.

ACTIVITY 1

1. Create a collage of your treasured possessions including your current clothing

style. You may use symbols or pictures of your treasured possessions. Put a
short note why you treasure each item.
 St. Louis Anne Colleges of San Pedro, Laguna Inc.
San Pedro, Laguna
Since 1986
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________
Year & Section: _____________________ Contact No: _____________

MODULE 3: SPIRITUAL SELF: BELIEVE IT OR NOT!

Spiritual self is one of the four (4) constituents of the “self” according to William
James in his book, The Principles of Psychology in 1890. The spiritual self is the most
intimate, inner subjective part of self – the most intimate version of the self because of
the satisfaction experienced when thinking of one‟s ability to argue and discriminate, of
one‟s moral sensibility and conscience, and our unconquerable will is purer than all
other sentiments of satisfaction.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Identify various religious practices and beliefs;

2. Understand the self in relation with religious beliefs; and
3. Explain ways of finding the meaning of life.

LESSON PROPER
Religion

Rebecca Stein (Stein 2011) works on the definition of religion "as a set of beliefs
and practices that usually includes some or all of basic characteristics.
These characteristics are:

1) A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirit and gods

2) A focus on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling of reverence
and awe
3) The presence of supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural
beings as well as physical beings and objects
 4) The performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of sacred
object to communicate to supernatural beings and/or to influence or control
events
5) The articulation of worldview and moral codes through narratives and other
means
6) Provide the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanism of social
control within a community; provide explanation for unknown and a sense of
control for individuals.

An individual lives in a society where there are many practices of religion. The
choice of religious belief lies within the spiritual self although the choice may be
influenced by the society and its culture.

Ritual

It is the performance of ceremonial acts prescribed by a tradition or sacred law

(Britannica 2017). Ritual is a specific, observable mode of behavior exhibited by all
known societies. It is thus possible to view ritual as a way of defining or describing
humans.

There are three fundamental characteristics of rituals according to Penner

(Britannica 2017). Ritual has the characteristics of:

1) A feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in relation to

the sacred
2) Dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the language
of myth
3) Is symbolic in relation to its reference

The self can be described as a ritual being who exhibits a striking parallel between
their ritual and verbal behavior. Just as language is a system of symbols that is based
upon arbitrary rules, ritual may be viewed as a system of symbolic acts that is based
upon arbitrary rules. Participation to rituals is expressions of religious beliefs.

Some World Religious Beliefs and Practices

 There are different religious with different beliefs and practices. Some of the
major world religions are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Excerpt
of some religious beliefs and practices are found in the University of London's Religion
and Belief Guide 2017.

Core beliefs

Buddhism believes that life is not a bed of roses. Instead, there are suffering,
pain, and frustrations. When people suffer, they want to experience the goodness of life
and avoid disappointments. It becomes a habit known as the reactive cycle of wanting
and hating, like and dislike, band craving and aversion. This reactive cycle can be
broken through the practice of mediation, acquiring more wisdom and deeper
understanding, and acceptance of things as they are.

Customs and Practices

There are two types of meditation practices: samatha and vipassana. The
Samatha is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving kindness
(Metta Bhavana). Vipassana practices aim developing insight into reality. Acquiring
wisdom is by studying Buddha's teaching, the Dharma. Through the reflection of
Dharma, Buddhist can achieve a deeper understanding of life. Buddhists believe in non-
violence principle.

Some of the major Buddhist celebrations are Parinirvana Day in February;

Buddha Day (Wesak) in May; Dharma Day in July; Padmasambhava Day in October;
and Sangha Day in November.

Christianity

Core beliefs

Christians believe in Trinitarian God. One God in three personas: God the Father
(Creator), God the Son( Savior),and God the Holy Spirit Sustainer). Eternal after death
will be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is, God the Son, who came
into flesh, to spread the good news of salvation. He died on the cross for the sins of the
humanity but resurrected from the death, so that anyone who believes in him will be
saved in have eternal life. The holy bible is a selection of books, which is divided in to
two, the Old Testament and New Testament.

Customs and Practices

Sacrament of Baptism and Sacrament of Communion are practiced by Christian

churches. The sacrament of Baptism symbolizes the birth in Christian world, while the
sacrament of communion is an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ 's sacrificial love.
Jesus Christ teaching in unconditional love that is expressed in loving the poor,
oppressed, and outcast of the society

Christmas and Resurrection (Easter) are the two major celebrations in

Christianity. Christmas, usually on December 25, commemorates the birth of Jesus
Christ while Resurrection Sunday (depends on the lunar calendar, sometime in March
or April) celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death.

Hinduism

Core beliefs

Hinduism covers a wide range of traditional beliefs and religious groups; thus,
there is no single founder or leader. Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth,
death and rebirth, governed by Karma. Karma is a concept where the reincarnated life
will depend on how the past life was spent. Hindus believe that the soul passes through
a cycle of successive lives and it's next in carnation is always dependent on how the
previous life was lived. Vedas are sacred Scriptures of Hindus. Mahabharata and
Ramayana are two other important texts of the Hindus.

Custom and practices

Diwali and Navrati are the most celebrated festivals of the Hindus. Diwali is the
festival of lights while Navrati is the festival of nine nights, which celebrate the triumph
of good over evil. Hindus have set dates to honor particular manifestations of God.

Islam
Core beliefs

Muslims believe in Allah, who is their "One God" They believe in the unity and
universality of God. Muslims also have a strong sense of community or "ummah" and
an awareness of their solidarity with all Muslims worldwide. Islam means "willing
submission to God ".

Muslims believe that Mohammed is the last and final prophet sent by God.
Mohammed was born in Mecca in 570 CE and received revelations from God through
the Angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years. The Holy Bible of Islam is called the Quran,
which was taught to be recited in Arabic because any translation is seen as inadequate.

Customs and practices

Muslims believe in the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of Muslim
life:

1) Shahadah - statement of faith: "There is no God but the one true God and
Mohammed is his messenger".
2) Salat - the prayer that is practiced five times a day.
3) Zakat - the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It comprises the 2.5% of
a Muslim's assets.
4) Haji – the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can afford are asked to do
the pilgrimage at last once in their lifetime.
5) Sawm – the fasting. Muslims do fasting from food, drink, and sexual act during
the celebration of Ramadan s the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The
fast is from dawn to sunset.

Two of the major festivals in Islam are Eidul-Fitr and Eidul-Adha. The first one refers
to the celebration at the end of Ramadan, while Eidul-Adha is the celebration within the
completion of the Pilgrimage, the Haji.

Judaism

Core beliefs
 The Jews believe in the God of Abraham ,the same God that liberated the
Hebrew slaves from Egypt to Canaan, the promised land through the leadership of
Moses and later, Joshua.

The Jews believe in the coming of Messiah, the Savior. The sacred scripture of
the Jews is called the Torah or the Law. The Torah is the guide of the Jewish living. The
study and interpretation of Torah is part of the Jewish culture.

Customs and Practices: There are five major festivals observed by the Jews:

1. Rosh Hashanah - the New Year

2. Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement

3. Pesach - Passover

4. Shavuot - Pentecost

5. Sukkot - Tabernacles. The Jewish Sabbath begins on Friday evening at sunset and
is an important time when families gather for the Shabbat meal.

Finding and Creating Meaning of Life

Another extensive study of self can be found in the works of Dr. Viktor E. Frankl.
[The following are the excerpts from the website:
http://www.victorfranklinstitute.org/About_Viktor_Frankl.html

He was born on March 26, 1905 in Vienna, Austria, where famous psychiatrists
Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler lived. He graduated with medical degree from the
University of Vienna in 1930. He was assigned in Vienna Hospital suicide ward and
headed thee Rothschild Hospital.

A survivor of the holocaust, he published a book about logotherapy. In 1959, the

book was translated to English and was revised in 1963 as The doctor and the Soul: An
Introduction to Logotherapy. His book, Man‟s search for meaning has been used as a
textbook in high school and college courses. He died in 1997.

Logotherapy
 It is a psychotherapy introduced by V. Frankl, who is considered the father of
logotherapy. The main belief of logotherapy is that “man‟s primary motivational force is
search for meaning.” Logotherapy aids individuals to find personal meaning of life,
whatever life situation they may be.

In logotherapy, meaning can be discovered by creating a work or doing deed,

experiencing something or encountering someone and the attitude toward unavoidable
suffering. According to V. Frankl institute of logotherapy, it uses the philosophy of
optimism in the face of tragedy, where people are capable of turning suffering into
human achievement and accomplishment deriving from guilt the opportunity to change
oneself for the better; and deriving from life‟s transitoriness an incentive to take
responsible action.

Basic concept of Franklian Psychology

There are three basic concepts using Franklian Psychology:

1) Life has meaning under all circumstances.

2) Main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.
3) Freedom to find meaning.

Furthermore, his psychology aims to: 1] become aware of spiritual resources; 2]

make conscious spiritual resources; and 3] use defiant power of the human spirit and
stand up against adversity.

Logotherapy assumptions (that cannot be proven w/

certainty) These include the following:

1. The human being is an entity consisting of body [soma], mind [psyche] and spirit
[noos]. i.e. according to him, the body and mind are what we have and the spirit is what
we are.

2. Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable. Ie. it‟s hard to
grasp but it is something everyone experiences and it represents an order in a world w/
laws that go beyond human laws.
3. People have a will to meaning. When we see meaning, we are ready for any type of
suffering. This is considered to be different than our will to achieve power and pleasure.

4. People have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to find meaning.
This deals with change of attitudes about unavoidable fate.

5. Life has a demand quality to w/c people must respond if decisions are to be
meaningful. The meaning of the moment is more practical in daily living than ultimate
meaning. Unlike ultimate meaning this meaning can be found and fulfilled.

6. The individual is unique. This enhanced by the realization that we are irreplaceable.

In essence, all human are unique w/ an entity of body, mind and spirit. We all go
through unique situations and are constantly looking to find meaning.

Frankl’s Sources of Meaning

There are three possible sources of meaning of life: 1] purposeful work –

meaning of life is unique to every individual; 2] courage in the face of difficulty – a
meaningful life is a life with suffering. Suffering is part of life; and 3] love – is the only
way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. The ultimate
factor to find meaning of life is love.

Costello captured V. Frankl‟s message: “The ultimate secret on the spiritual

foundation of life is that love is salvation and joy eternity.” The ultimate factor to find
meaning of life is love.
ACTIVITY 1

Reflection paper: Reflect on V. Frankl‟s sources of the meaning of life.

Make a documentary report about Filipino rituals and commentaries covering the
municipality of MUNTINLUPA CITY OR LAGUNA with reaction paper.
 St. Louis Anne Colleges of San Pedro, Laguna Inc.
San Pedro, Laguna
Since 1986
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________
Year & Section: _____________________ Contact No: _____________

MODULE 4: MORAL SELF: LIVING WITH PURPOSE

This lesson primarily defined moral and morality as having to do with right and
wrong in the context of societal norms and expectations. The lesson went on to say that
one‟s level of morality is tested especially when one is placed in a dilemma in w/c s/he
has to make a decision on what best course of action to take while taking into account
that his/her decision does not disturb, offend or hurt other people.

It will be pointed out that the process of moral development is in sync w/

intellectual development. It implies that moral development has cognitive or intellectual
foundations. As one goes through each stage of moral development [Kohlberg], s/he
also experiences the corresponding stage of intellectual development [Piaget].

The importance of teaching the children the ability and skill to determine what is
right or wrong was likewise emphasized. Parenting styles are considered a significant
factor in developing moral reasoning. The four styles or parenting were also described
in this lesson.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Explain the basic concepts related to morality and moral self

2. Identify behaviors characteristic of the different stages of moral development
3. Relate the development of personal values to the development of a philosophy
of life
4. State the different influences or factors related to moral self
5. Evaluate practices that lead to the development of desirable moral values and
6. Apply concepts on morality in particular situations to develop a philosophy of life.
LESSON PROPER

Every day, people are confronted with various dilemmas. Solving them requires
one to decide on what kind of action or response to make. In some instances, it is easy
for one to respond to a difficult situation, while in some cases, choosing the best
response is difficult.

A dilemma is a problematic/complex situation in which a difficult choice must be

made. The kind of responses taken or made when one is in a quandary/ predicament
serves as a good test of a person‟s level of moral development.

Moral is related to a sense or standard that determines what is right and what is
wrong. It distinguishes correct/ right/ good from incorrect/ wrong/ evil from inappropriate.
Morality refers to system of beliefs and values that ensures that individuals will keep
their obligations to others in the society and behaves in ways that do not interfere with
the right and interests others.

Decision-making is understandably difficult, the degree of w/c depending on the

situation. An individual who has a good sense of what is right and wrong will be an
honest and upright member of the community possessing a better moral self.

Moral reasoning

It refers to the judgment people make about what courses of action are correct or
incorrect in particular situations. Reasoning is a cognitive skill, but influences moral
development

Lawrence Kohlberg came up with the Theory of Moral Development by studying

the concept of moral reasoning. This theory is shaped by and tied up to Piaget‟s Stages
of Intellectual Development. Piaget asserts that intellectual development proceeds in
stages or levels. The 1st is the sensorimotor stage in w/c the child learns and develops
knowledge about his/her environment by relating sensory experiences to motor action.
2nd is the preoperational stage in w/c the child learns to use symbols like words or
mental images to solve simple problems. 3rd is the concrete operations stage in w/c the
child develops the ability to perform a number of logical operations on concrete objects
that are present. And lastly, formal operations stage in w/c the individual acquires the
ability to solve abstract problems in a logical manner.

This progression is related to the development of moral resoning. Thus the

evolution of one‟s sense of right and wrong in making decisions depends on his/her
level of intellectual development. This connection implies that advanced levels of
intellectual development are associated with higher stages of moral development. With
this situation, a child cannot exhibit advanced level of moral development if s/he is still
at an early stage of intellectual development.

Early in life, at the lowest level of development, self-preservation and self-interest

are the main reasons for one‟s actions and decisions. From there, moral development
proceeds to the next level guided by a more social or other oriented motivation, like
avoidance of criticism or censure from others, or simply for reasons of gaining social
acceptance. At this level, the child conforms w/ then gradually starts to conform with the
laws of society. The highest level of moral development goes much beyond the self and
social reasons. At this point, decision making considers social justice and the good of
the society at large. Moral reasoning tries to strike a balance b/w individual rights and
laws of society.

At times, you might be placed in a dilemma w/c requires you to make a decision.
You 1st have to harness your intellectual capacity and reasoning ability in choosing
what “best” decision to take.

When you are at the crossroads of making a decision, always go back to your
goals and your philosophy of life as your guide.

Parenting styles and practices

The physiological or biological basis of moral and intellectual development has

been discussed earlier. One other factor w/c affect the individual‟s development is
environmental influence. This is the external forces outside of the individual person.

Parenting styles
 It is known as the parent‟s strategies. According to Diana Baumrind, there are
three parenting styles, namely authoritarian [parents attempt to shape, control and
evaluate the behaviors and attitudes of their children in accordance w/ an absolute or
respected authorities, thus, obedience becomes a virtue]; authoritative [parents direct
their children‟s activities in a rational and intelligent way. They are supportive, loving
and committed; support a give-and-take relationship; discuss their rules and policies w/
children and encourage children to present their viewpoints] and permissive [parents
are less controlling and behave with an accepting and non-punishing attitude towards
their children‟s desires, actions and impulses.]

The fourth style was introduced by Maccoby and Martin in 1983. They coined the
term uninvolved or neglectful [parents who take on a hands-off stand in the affairs of
their children.]

However, most parents combine different styles in child –rearing.

Effects of Parenting Styles

Parenting styles influence the development of children‟s personality.

1. Authoritarian parents are demanding and their children have less behavioral
problems w/c are easily prevented. However, studies show that children reared under
autocratic parents tends to become withdrawn, fearful, and dependent. Children may
suffer from low self-esteem.

2. Authoritative parents have children who are independent, reliable, rational and
confident. These children generally feel good about themselves.

3. Permissive parents rarely impose rules and are non-punishing. Thus, they tend
to have children who do not put structure and order in things that they do. For these
children, anything goes.

4. Uninvolved parents are detached and indifferent to the needs of their children.
As such, children grow up feeling unloved and cannot follow instructions. Some fall prey
or sort to substance abuse as a form of distraction or a way to get attention.
 It must be noted that the kinds of parenting styles represent the dominant
practices applied by parents in dealing with their children. it is important that when
children misbehave, they are made to realized the consequences of their behavior. On
the other hand, if they behave well, the corresponding reward or motivation should be
given.

ACTIVITY 1
Write your philosophy of life in your journal notebook by considering the following points
and share your output in the class:

a. Goal in life

b. What you expect to happen in your life in about 10 years

c. What ways, mechanisms, or strategies you should do to achieve your goal

 St. Louis Anne Colleges of San Pedro, Laguna Inc.
San Pedro, Laguna
Since 1986
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________
Year & Section: _____________________ Contact No: _____________

MODULE 5: POLITICAL SELF: BEING FILIPINO

What makes a Filipino a genuine Filipino? Do physical characteristics make one

a Filipino? Or is it a person‟s language, birthplace, and ethnicity? If you were to
introduce yourself as a Filipino to another nationality and s/he asks, “Who are
Filipinos?” what will you reply?

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Develop a Filipino identity;

2. Identify different Filipino values and traits; and
3. Reflect on your selfhood in relation to your national identity

LESSON PROPER
The Philippines has only emerged in the 1890‟s after over three centuries of
colonization of the Spaniards. Liberation from the last colonizers, the Japanese, only
occurred in 1946. Foreign culture, beliefs, language, and religion have made a huge
dent on our own by setting a foundation to the contemporary Filipino identity and
culture.

An individual‟s race, ethnicity, and physical characteristics are not the only
factors that make a person‟s national identity. Values and traits also important indicator
that set apart one nationality.

Through common goals, principles, and values of its people a nation empowers.

Who is a Filipino?

Filipinos globally renowned personalities; Manny Pacquiao; Lea Salonga; Michael Cinco
who have made the Filipinos recognized around the world through their expertise.
 Buwan ng Wika and Independence Day celebrations prompt us to go back to our
roots and reflect on the question: Who is a Filipino? According to the 1973, of Philippine
Constitution, Filipino citizens are;

a. Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines.

b. Those born before January 17, 1973,of Filipino mother.
c. Who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority.
d. Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.

Citizenship is not only a marker of being a Filipino. Culture and history greatly
influenced the manner that Filipinos learn, live and behave to date.

Filipino Values and Traits

Philippines is a lush island paradise famous for its grandiose mountain views,
pristine beaches, and rich and diverse culture changing from province to province.
Philippines well known for its awe-inspiring beauty, perhaps the Filipinos unique traits,
reputable values, and laudable talents make the country a place to be.

“Mabuhay!” and “Salamat" the common Filipino phrases. “Po” and “Opo” habits
saying to the elders. “Kumain ka na ba?” meaning “Have you eaten yet?” and
importunate asking of a Filipino.

The Filipino Hospitality

Filipino‟s brand of hospitality is known everywhere. Filipinos welcome their

guests and tourists as if they are their own brothers and sisters.

They always make their guests feel at home, offering them something to eat, and
or even a place to stay. They are also fond of giving pasalubong or tokens and pabaon
or farewell gifts to their visitors.

Respect for Elders

Filipinos greet their elders by kissing their hand while saying “Mano Po!”
constantly using “Po" and “opo” in conversation. There is also a wide array of
references to elder people such as ate for elder sister; kuya for older brother; Tito and
Tita for uncle and aunt ;Lolo and Lola for grandparents ;and Manong and Aling for older
people outside the family.

Close Family Ties

Filipino maintains a tight relationship with their families regardless if the children
are old enough and already have a family of their own.

Cheerful Personality

Filipinos have a habit of smiling and laughing a lot. Smiling is a coping strategy
for many Filipinos especially during trying Times and calamities. Filipino always tries to
maintain a positive outlook in life which makes them resilient and able to manage
almost everything with a simple smile.

Self-sacrifice

The self-sacrificing attitude of Filipinos can be seen as an extension of the

Filipino hospitality. Filipinos go out of their way to extend help to their friends, families,
and loved ones.

Bayanihan

Is the spirit of communal unity and cooperation of Filipinos. Giving without

expecting something in return. Filipinos are always ready to share and help their friends
and loved ones who are in need.

“Bahala na” Attitude

“Bahala na” is a Filipino version of the famous line “Hakuna Matata,” meaning no
worries. The phrase said originated from the “Bathala na,” where Bathala means God,
and the phrase meaning leaving everything into God's hands. It can also view as
cheerful and positive attitude of Filipinos and allowing situations take care of
themselves instead of worrying about them.

Colonial Mentality
 It is regarded as the lack of patriotism and the attitude where Filipinos favor
foreign products more than their own. It does not only concern goods, but also the
desire to look more foreign than local and keep up with foreign beauty trends. It is
attributed to the centuries of colonization Filipinos had experienced under the Spanish,
American and Japanese rule.

“Mañana” Habit

Filipino term for procrastination. It was derived from a longer Filipino phrase
called “Mamaya na” means dawdling things, which could have been done at an earlier
time. It was a poor habit of laziness that results in heavier workloads.

“Ningas Kugon"

“Ningas" is a Filipino term for flame and “Kugon" is a Filipino term for Cogon
grass that easily burns out after it is put into flames. It is refers to the attitude of eagerly
starting things but quickly losing eagerness soon after experiencing difficulty. Filipinos
are regarded as “Juan Tamad” or Lazy Juan because of laziness.

Pride

When two parties are not in good terms, they find it so hard to apologize and wait
until the other party asks for an apology first.

Crab Mentality

Where one resents the achievement of another, instead of feeling happy for that
person. They pull each other down and ruin each other reputation rather than bringing
them up, resulting to no progress.

Filipino Time

Filipinos have this common attitude of arriving late at commitments, dinner, or

parties especially if they are meeting someone close to them. They tend to not observe
punctuality altogether.

Filipino Markers
1. Proverbs or Salawikain - Damiana Eugenio, regarded as the mother of
Philippine Folklore, classified proverbs into six categories (Eugenio,2000);
a. Proverbs expressing a general attitude toward life and the laws
that govern life;
b. Ethical proverbs recommending certain virtues and condemning
certain vices;
c. Proverbs expressing a system of values;
d. Proverbs expressing general truths and observations about life
and human nature;
e. Humorous proverbs; and
f. Miscellaneous proverbs.
2. Superstitions – Filipinos subscribe to their own set of superstitious passed down
from generation to generation. Some of the superstitious influenced by beliefs
from other cultures, but Filipinos have retold according to their own experiences
and they sometimes end up even more interesting.
3. Myths and legends
4. Heroes and Icons – Heroes serve as a reminder of true patriotism and
nationalism as they have sacrificed their lives for the sake of their country’s
freedom and progress. The last Monday of August we lend to celebrate our
heroes to remember their greatness, bravery, and resilience that has led to the
freedom we know today. Lea Salonga, Manny Pacquiao, and our national hero
Jose Rizal, serve as important Filipino markers as they have made the Filipino
name pronounced worldwide through their own expertise.

How to be a Good Filipino

The following are a few ways on how to be a good Filipino;

1. Be an active Filipino citizen.

2. Study the Philippine history.
3. Support local products.
4. Speak the Filipino language.
5. Do not spread fake news and be democratic in engaging with dissent.
ACTIVITY 1
Make an acrostic below w/c will describe you, in relation to your being a Filipino:

O
 St. Louis Anne Colleges of San Pedro, Laguna Inc.
San Pedro, Laguna
Since 1986
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________
Year & Section: _____________________ Contact No: _____________

MODULE 6: DIGITAL SELF: WHO I AM IN THE CYBER WORLD?

These days, more people are becoming active in using the internet for research,
pleasure, business, communication, and other purposes. On the other hand, people
assume different identities while in the cyberspace. People act differently when they
are online and offline. We have a real identity and online identity.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Define online identity

2. Compare real identity versus online identity
3. Describe the influence of internet on sexuality and gender
4. Discuss the proper way of demonstrating values and attitudes online

LESSON PROPER
It has only been 25 years since Tim Berners - Lee made the World Wide Web
available to the public, but in that time, the internet has already become an integral part
of everyday life for the most of the world's population.
Almost two-thirds of the world's population now has a mobile phone. More than
half of the world's web traffic now comes from mobile phones. More than half of all
mobile connections around the world are now "broad band." More than one in five of the
world's population online in the past 30 days.

Media users in the Philippines grew by 12 million or 25% while the number of
mobile social users increased by 13 million or 32%. Those growth figures are still higher
compared to the previous year. More than half the world now uses a smartphone.
 Based on Figure, the number of digital users worldwide increases. More people
are becoming interested and devoted in using the Internet for various activities. In
Philippines, adolescents are among the most avid users of the internet.
ONLINE IDENTITY is actually the sum of our characteristics and our interaction.
PARTIAL IDENTITY is a subset of characteristics that make up our identity. Meanwhile
persona is the partial identity we create that represents ourselves in a specific situation.

Selective Self-Presentation and Impression Management

According to Goffman (1959) and Leary (1995), self-presentation is the "Process
of Controlling how one is Perceived by other people" and is the key to relationship
inception and development. To construct positive images, individuals selectively provide
information about them and carefully cater this information in response to other's
feedback.
Anything posted online should be considered "Public" no matter what our
"Privacy" setting are. PERSONAL IDENTIT is the interpersonal level of self which
differentiates the individual as unique from others. SOCIAL IDENTITY is the level of self
whereby the individual is identified by his or her group membership.
BELK (2013) explained that sharing ourselves is no longer new and has been
practiced as soon as human being formed. Digital devices help us share information
broadly, now than ever before. In older Family albums, the photographer was not often
represented in the album (Mendelson and Papacharissi 2011), whereas with arm's-
length photos, they are necessarily included.
As Schwarz (2012) mentioned, we have entered an extraordinary era of self-
portraiture. Blogs and web pages have been continually used for greater self-reflection
and self-presentation facebook and other social media application are now a key part of
self-presentation for one sixth of humanity. As a result, researchers and participants
become concerned with activity managing identity and reputation and to warn against
the phenomenon of "over sharing".
Many teenagers, as well as adults, share even more intimate details with their
partners like their passwords (Gershon 2010). This could be an ultimate act of intimacy
and trust or the ultimate expression of paranoia and distrust with partners. This
condition has been called "Fear of Missing Out". People would like to remain updated
and they keep on sharing themselves online because it adds a sense of confidence at
their end especially if others like and share their post.
One of the reason for so much sharing and self-disclosure online is the so called
"Disinhibition Effect” (Ridley 2012: Suler 2004.) the lack of face-to-face gaze-meeting,
together with feelings of anonymity and invisibility, gives people the freedom for self-
disclosure but can also “flame” others and may cause conflict sometimes. The resulting
disinhibition causes people to believe that they are able to express their “true self” better
online than they ever could in face-to-face context [Taylor 2002]. However, it does not
mean that there is a fixed “true self.” The self is still a work in progress and we keep on
improving and developing ourselves every single day. Seemingly self-revelation can be
therapeutic to others especially if it goes together with self-reflection (Morris et al. 2010.)
But it does appear that we now do a large amount of our identity work online.
When the Internet constantly asks us “Who are you” and “What do you have to
share?”, it is up to us if we are going to provide answers to such questions/ queries
every time we use the internet and do what extent are going to share details ourselves
to others.
Many of us share the bad, embarrassing and lustful things we experience. We
also react and comment on the negative experiences of others. Sometimes we
empathize with people. We also argue w/ others online. Relationships may be made
stronger or broken through posts online. Blogs and Social Media are the primary digital
for a on which such confessions, occur, but they can also be found in photo- and video
sharing sites where blunders and bad moments are also preserved and shared
( Strangelove 2011). According to M. Foucault, confessing our secret truths feels
freeing, even as it binds us in a guilt-motivated self-governance born of a long history.
According to Foucault`s (1998) Confession along with contemplation, self-
examination, learning, reading, and writing self- critical letters to friends, are a part of
the “ technologies of the self” through which we seek to purge and cleanse ourselves.
Despite the veil of invisibility, writers on the internet write for an unseen
audience (Serfaty 2004). Both the number and feedback of readers provide self
validation for the writer and a certain celebrity (O` Regan 2009). Confessional blogs
may also be therapeutic for the audience to read; allowing both. Sincere empathy and
the voyeuristic appeal of witnessing a public confession (Kitzmann 2003).
Thus, we should have a filtering system to whatever information we share online,
as well as to what information we believe in, w/c are being shared or posted by others
online. In the same way, we should also think before we post or share in order to
prevent conflict, arguments, and cyber bullying and to preserve our relationships w/
others.
Gender and Sexuality Online
According to Marwick (2013), the term “sex”, “gender” and “sexuality” are often
thought of as synonymous, they are actually quite distinct. The differences b/w the
common understandings of these terms and how researchers think about them yield
insights about the social functioning of gender.
SEX is the biological state that corresponds to what we might call a “man” or a
“woman”. While “sex” is often explained as biological, fixed, and immutable, it is actually
socially constructed (West and Zimmerman 1987). Gender- is the social understanding
of how sex should be experienced and how sex manifests in behavior, personality,
preferences, capabilities and so forth. A person with male sex organs is expected to
embody a muscular gender. While sex and gender are presumed to be biologically
connected, we can understand a socio culturally specific set of norms that are mapped
onto a category of “sex” (Kessler and Mc Kenna 1978, Lorber 1994). Gender is
historical. It is produced by media and popular culture. It is taught by families, schools,
peer groups, and nations states (Goffman 1977). It is reinforced through songs,
sayings, admonition, slang, language, fashion, and discourse (Cameron 1998; Cameron
and Kulick 2003), and it is deeply ingrained.
Sexuality is an individual expression and understanding of desire. While like
gender, this is often viewed as binary (homosexual or heterosexual), in reality, sexuality
is often experienced as fluid.
Performing Gender Online
Theorist Judith Butler (1990) conceptualized gender as a performance.
She argued that gender was performative in that it is produced through millions
of individual actions rather than something that comes naturally to men and women.
According to the disembodiment hypothesis, Internet users are free to actively choose
which gender or sexuality they are going to portray with the possibility of creating
alternate identities (Wynn and Katz 1997).
Social Media sites like Twitter and YouTube have led to the emergence of a
“free culture” where individuals are empowered to engage to engage in cultural
production using raw materials, ranging from homemade videos to mainstream
television characters to create new culture of memes, mash-ups, and creative political
activism allows for civic engagement and fun creative acts. While Digg, 4chan, and
Reddit are used mostly by men, most social network site users are women; this is
true in Facebook, Flickr, Live Journal, Tumblr, Twitter, and Youtube (Chappell 2011;
Lenhart 2009; Lenhart et al.2010)
Setting Boundaries to your Online Self: Smart Sharing
The ff. guidelines will help you share information online in a smart way that will
protect yourself and not harm others. Before posting or sharing anything online,
consider the ff.
1. Is this post / story necessary
 2. Is there a real benefit to this post? Is it funny, warm- hearted, teachable-or
am I just making noise online without purpose?
3. Have we (as a family or parent/ child) resolved this issue? An issue that is still
being worked out at home, or one that is either vulnerable or highly emotional,
should not be made public.
4. Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the boundaries of our family values?
5. Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, 15 yrs.? Or is this post better suited for
sharing with a small group of family members? Or maybe not at all?
Rules to Follow
Here are additional guidelines for proper sharing of information and ethical use of
the Internet according to New (2014)
 Stick to safer sites
 Guard your passwords
 Limit what you share
 Remember that anything you put online post on a site is there forever, even
if you try to delete it.
 Do not be mean or embarrass other people online.
 Always tell if you see strange or bad behavior online.
 Be choosy about your online friends.
 Be patient

ACTIVITY 1
Make a slogan or poster about becoming responsible internet user. Use coloring
materials to improve your output. Then, present it to the class.
 MODULE 7: SOCIAL SELF: RELATING WITH OTHERS

This lesson tacked the field of social psychology. It particularly discussed the
central of social relationships. The different conditions and factors related to social
relationships, namely perceptions, social norms, attitudes, stereotypes, group effort,
and cooperation, were also prevented. It was showed that these factors affect a
person‟s relationship w/ others. This instructional module defines love and
differentiated the kinds of love. Finally, it emphasized the importance of maintaining
good social relationships, as well as the guidelines and rules on how to go about it
so that people can live harmoniously w/ one another.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Explain the basic concepts of social relationship

2. Discuss how relationships w/ others could be enhanced and improved
by applying the ideas on social relationships
3. Identify and evaluate critical factors for meaningful social relationships from
those behaviors that are not acceptable
4. Analyze your behaviors to achieve harmonious relationships w/ others

LESSON PROPER
Social psychology

Many things may come to mind when you hear the word social. Generally, the
term has something to do w/ relating well or interacting w/ others. The study of
relationships or interactions is called social psychology. Lahey [2007] defines social
psychology as the branch of psychology that studies individuals as they interact with
others. Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian [2014] state that it is a broad field whose goal is to
understand and explain how thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors are
influenced by the presence or, o interactions w/, others. Additionally, for Gerrig and
Zimbardo [2002] it is the study of the effect of social factors on individual behavior,
attitudes, perceptions, and motives. Thus, social psychology is the study of group
and intergroup phenomena.

The key words are interactions and relationships. Interaction refers to the mutual
and reciprocal exchange of communication or action b/w two or more persons or
groups. Relationships refers to a particular way in w/c two or more individuals,
groups or even countries talk to behave toward or deal with each other. These two
terms imply two-way exchanges.

There is fine line b/w interaction and relationship. Interaction is always a

component of a relationship. On the other hand, relationship includes not only the
kind f interaction b/w the members but also the intellectual, psychological or even
emotional investment made by the parties to develop and maintain the relationship.

One a relationship w/ other people or groups is established, it is important to

maintain and nurture that association.

Person perception

In psychology, person perception refers to forming impressions and making

judgment about another person‟s likability after seeing or meeting him/her. The
assessment involves as well what kind of person one is, including his/her intentions,
traits, and behaviors. First impressions, w/c are formed w/n a very short time w/ little
conscious thought and biased by past experiences, are part of person perception
[Macrae and Quadflieg, 2010].

Another factor that influence one‟ judgment or perception is physical appearance.

People usually use external appearance as immediate basis for assessing, judging
or evaluating others. But, it is wrong to judge the character of a person on the basis
of first impressions because biases and errors may occur. It is advisable to validate
perception through observations, gathering of feedback and reports and interaction
among others, before making judgment.

Social norms
 Norms are patterns or traits characterized as typical or usual for a group. Other
terms associated w/ norms are “average” and normal.

Norms change over time. Social norms refer to spoken and unspoken rules for
behaving in particular situations. Norms in social behavior serve to guide or regulate
the manner in w/c people conduct themselves. Behaviors have to be controlled or
regulated because of social consequences.

Together as a group

On many occasions, people work in groups. In social situations, where people

work and do things together for a purpose, two things may happen. 1st, the
performance of each individual member of the group is improved. This is also
referred to as social facilitation. For example two groups w/ 3 members each in a
javelin throw competition. The rule is to add the individual distances traveled by the
javelin for each group. In this case, each member will exert tier best to throw the
javelin to the farthest point possible.

2nd, working with group may also reduce individual effort, a phenomenon known
as social loafing. Example, if a group may no longer try their best to contribute to the
solution because they feel that there are others who can do it better.

One must bear in mind that in a group work, it is important that each member
exerts his/ her best effort to facilitate the attainment of the objectives of the group as
a whole.

Conformity

It refers to yielding to group pressure to act as everyone does, even when no

direct request has been made. It is the tendency to behave like others in the group
do. This is brought about by two motivations: to gain reward [approval] or avoid
punishment [disapproval]; and to gain information.

Some factors make conformity more likely to exist in a group: 1] size of the
group; 2] unanimous group; 3] culture; and 4] gender.
 In social groups, likelihood of conformity among members is very high. However,
individual members are not expected to always yield to the pressure to conform. An
individual member can decide for himself whether or not to conform and to what
extent.

As a member of a social group, one has to subscribe to basic and established rules,
policies, or guidelines for him to truly belong. If all members of the group live by
these institutionalized requirements, then, order, discipline, system, peace and
harmony will be sustained.

Social roles and Social Norms

Man is a social animal. Being in a group can be advantageous or vice versa. As

member of the society, each person has a role to play; w/c may support or
complement the roles of other people s/he interacts with.

Social roles specify the part or position of a person in society. It specifies

behavior expected to be exhibited by an individual in practicing his role. So, when a
mother is at home, she plays the role of a parent; if she is in office as the manager,
then she plays the role of a boss.

It is important to note that social role play a positive role in society. W/o these
delineated roles, a student, for example, will not know to expect from his teacher.

A sociogram indicates the social structure of a group and the relationship of

people w/n the group. It shows who are popular, isolates, islands, and mutual
friends.

Nature and Depth or relationships

Relationships are among the most important aspects of our lives. They can be
positive or conflicted, but the lack of relationship could be the worst of all, as it
creates loneliness.

Familiarity
 It refers to being comfortable w/ another person and is necessary condition for a
close relationship to develop. Research has shown that people like to associate w/
others who are similar to them in terms of the following: attitudes, behavior patterns,
personal characteristics, taste in fashion, intelligence, personality and the like.

Attraction

Attraction may lead to deeper relationship.

Love

It is a special attachment one has for himself/herself or for somebody else. It is

an intense felling of deep affection and welfare of the other. 3 of the most common
kinds of love are as follows:

1. Romantic love – called as passionate love, it includes an intermingling of

different emotions: fear, anger, sexual desire, joy and jealousy among others.

2. Affectionate love – referred to as compassionate love, it is a type of love that

occurs when someone has deep and caring affection for a person and desires to
have her near constantly.

3. Consummate love – the strongest and fullest type of love. This ideal form of love
involves passion, intimacy and commitment.

Triangular theory of Love

In 1985, Robert Sternberg postulated that love is made of 3 components

passion, intimacy, and commitment. Passion has something to do w/ physical and
sexual attraction to another. Intimacy is characterized by emotional feelings of warmth,
closeness, and sharing of the relationship. Lastly, commitment is the cognitive appraisal
of the relationship and the intent to maintain it even in the face of problems.

Interpretations on the illustration are as follows:

1. If passion is the only ingredient present, the feeling is infatuation, as in a fling or

an affair.
2. Intimacy and commitment w/o passion show affectionate love.

3. The combination of passion and commitment w/o intimacy results in fatuous love.

4. Consummate love is achieved if all three components are present.

Every person is capable of loving. W/o love, people become lonely and social
relationships suffer. People who freely share and give love and are loved in return,
are happy people.

Attitudes

Attitudes are beliefs that predispose people to act and feel in certain ways
towards people, objects or ideas. It can either be positive or negative. A positive
attitude reflects a happy, pleasant and optimistic disposition. On the contrary, a
negative attitude associates with pessimism or general feeling of dislike. 3 distinct
features of an attitude include belief, feelings, and disposition.

For instance, the negative attitude of a person towards sidewalk vendors can be
described by:

a. A belief that sidewalk vendors are dishonest

b. A strong dislike for sidewalk vendors and

c. A refusal to buy from sidewalk vendors.

How attitudes originate?

Generally, attitudes of a person develop over time and have emotional

components. However, they are normally acquired from 2 sources – 1st hand
experience and accounts by others.

People develop positive or negative attitude towards certain an object because of

a direct experience with it. Attitudes are learned from others through modeling and
reinforcement.

Persuasion and attitude change

 Attitudes are not permanent. It can be changed or modified even after they have
been formed. Persuasive communication plays a big part in this process. The extent
of change in the attitude depends on the speaker, the message, and the listener. If a
speaker is a credible source of information, s/he is more likely persuaded to change.
The more credible the speaker is, the more persuasive the message becomes. An
attractive speaker is more effective in changing opinions.

Stereotypes

It is a generalization in which the same traits or characteristics are assumed to

be possessed by all members of a group. Some stereotypes are based on an
outsiders experience w/ a number of people in a group, w/c were concluded as
encompassing of all members of the group and oftentimes proven inaccurate.

Negative stereotypes are accompanied by prejudice and discrimination.

Prejudice s an unfair, biased, intolerant attitude or opinion towards members of a
group. Discrimination is an unfair behavior or treatment towards the members of a
group. Discrimination against people based on their skin, color or race or ethnic
heritage is called racism, while discrimination against people because of their
gender is referred to as sexism.
ACTIVITY 1

A. Two different pictures of teachers inside the classroom are presented.

Answer the questions that follows.

1. Which picture do you like better? Justify your answer.

2. What are your initial thoughts about the teacher on the left or on the right?

3. If you were the teacher in the pictures, how would you want to be
dressed? Describe it and explain your reason for your choice.

B. Create your own poem with love as the theme. Read and share it with your
classmates.
C. Watching “inspiring video on positive attitude towards others by AKPStudio
on youtube.