Module 2

Unpacking the Self

Lesson 5: The Political Self
Objectives: This lesson enables the students to:
1. Describes the functions and origins of political self;
2. Discuss the factors in the development of political self; and
3. Identify the theoretical perspectives in the development of political self.
Timeframe: 1 week
Activity: Give 5 adverbs that describe your political self.

Cleverly Deceivingly

Freely
My Political Self

Seriously

Positively

Analysis: Write Agree in the box if you think the statement is correct, if not, write disagree.
disagree There is no political participation of the ordinary people in the society.
Agree Social experiences shape political identity.
Agree Politics is associated with the government.
disagree Active citizenship is only practiced by social activists.
Agree Everyone is responsible for his/her country.

Abstraction:
According to Kendall (1998), politics is a social institution by which power is acquired and
exercised by people and groups. It is also described in Aristotle’s work Politics the role that
politics and the political community must play in developing a virtuous life in the citizenry.
Aristotle observed that “man by nature a political animal”. Politics is important for human
development because it promotes ideology on democracy, citizenship, human rights, freedom,
family, health, and other social issues. It also exists in all human societies since it is the way
individual develops power and understand proper functioning of a democratic society as a
citizen. Citizenship is the basic identification with the nation. It denotes the membership of a
citizen in a political society. A citizen enjoys full civil and political rights, which include
protection within and outside the territory of the state. For Stevens, Anglin, and Jussim (2015),
some people, politics is a central component of their identity but others politics is just temporary
but becomes central concern in certain situation. The political community where they belong
offers opportunities to fulfill their needs for affiliations. The political self organizes one’s
beliefs, attitudes, and affiliation and helps in the processing of politically relevant information.
People use their political values and belief systems to define themselves as unique individuals of
society.
Political Self and Identity
As a significant aspect of self, the political self composes self-pertinent data about political
issues. It comprises information about the Constitution, government, and administration. The
political self helps in characterizing the structure and elements of the administration in telling
and understanding the connection between the state and the citizens, and in portraying their
privileges, opportunity, and commitments as citizens. The political self represents the goals and
desires of the individuals, typifies the standards and standards of the State, and decides the status
and power of the people.
Identity is one important component of political self, one’s understanding of who and what he or
she is. Citizenship is a salient basis for political self. Political self is defined by citizenship.
Diokno (1997), mentioned in her book Democracy and Citizenship that citizenship is the most
basic identification with the nation, with that, he or she is oriented towards the state and its
expressions in law and policy. From the social and psychological point of view, an individual’s
claim to citizenship means that he or she relates himself or herself to a group of others who also
considers himself as citizen of a larger polity. Family, church, school, media, government, and
non-governmental organizations influence the values of citizenship. With that, the political self is
also part by reference to other members in the political group or community where one belongs.
Diokno also states that the value component of identity construction is shaped by societal
agencies that has something to do with the life of the individual from childhood to adulthood.
Political self and identity are shaped through socialization in ways that people learn the
knowledge, norms, values, motives, and roles appropriate to their positions in a group or
community. Social affiliations significantly influence a person’s political action in the future.
Through social affiliations, people learn the status, duties, rights, and power necessary to interact
successfully with other people in the group or community. As time pass, individual internalize
the political attitudes, values, and views of others and be a part of their political self. Throughout
life, as individual meets new people and join new groups, the political self is developed and
changed by the opinions, comments, and suggestions of other people.
The Origins of Political Self
Authority is necessary in the development of political self and identity which is founded by the
father and the mother. Children must be ruled; for that, there must be some form of established
figure and power in the family. The ordered positions and ascribed roles in the family prepare the
children for a more complicated roles outside the family as a citizen of the country. According to
Aristotle, the state is a natural union of families, established for the common good under a
definite government. Therefore, family contribute most of the child’s development of political
self. Educating their children of basic values and beliefs is the foremost responsibility of the
parents. Morality anchored political values and beliefs. Directly and indirectly, family influences
a person’s political attitudes, views, and beliefs. Under the Constitution of the Philippines,
parents’ duty and responsibility to educate and train their children to become good, useful, and
worthy citizens of the country and to prepare them for future responsibilities are recognized.
The Philippine Constitution equally recognizes the vital role of schools in educating the youth
the value of patriotism and nationalism and in encouraging their involvement in public and civic
affairs of the country. Teaching moral, spiritual, and political values to students is one of the
responsibilities of the school.
Religious teachings, values, and traditions of the church also help in shaping the ideals of
citizenship and democracy. As a result of how the family, school and church emphasized moral
behaviors, it also influenced political behaviors and the political self. Peer groups and mass
media has equal role in shaping individual’s political values and beliefs.
Theories of Political Self
Based on social learning theory, learning can be acquired through observation and imitation. In
imitation, the learner watches the behaviors of another person (model) and then performs the
behavior in a similar way. Observation and imitation are important in a process known as
political socialization, a lifelong process by which individual gain knowledge about politics.
Being with other people everyday has great impact on person’s understanding of politics. Via the
process of identification, individuals (especially the children and adolescents) imbibe the
characteristics or traits, values, beliefs and motives of the models (parents or significant people)
they imitate.
Another theory is the theory of symbolic interaction emphasizing that behaviors are products of
communication, meaning, and symbols. People give meaning to symbols and they express the
meaning through language and communication. Example, people give meaning of politics,
human rights and freedom by formulating plans and actions like election, demonstrations, and
rallies. This recognizes the importance of the theory of political participation in political self.
Any activity related to government or governance of the state is an example of political
participation.
Application:
Exercise 1. Read the statements and write true beside the statements that apply to you.
1. I am always updated with current news. _true______
2. I have voted in the Sangguniang Kabataan elections. ______
3. I am actively involved in community organizations that are not academically required. __
4. I have posted a political statement, at least once on my social media account. _true_____
5. If there is an opportunity, I watch the State of the Nation Address (SONA). __true____
6. I hate issues on graft and corruption in the government. _______
7. I like engaging in discussions about politics with my peers. _true_____
8. I have attended a rally fighting for a specific advocacy. ______
9. I make it a point to follow the ordinances in our barangay, particularly about cleanliness
and curfew. _true____
10. When hearing political news, I carefully check facts before forming an opinion. _true___
11. I believe I have a personal responsibility to serve my country. _true____
12. After I graduate, I will use my skills to be a productive citizen of my country. __true__
13. I update myself on current events happening in my country. __true__
Exercise 2. Explain the origins of the political self in your own words. How the family, school,
church, peer groups, and mass media affect the development of the political self.
Answer: Political self has many origins, few of them are from friends, idols or models, family,
religion, media, and the society which influences and shapes the political self of a person. The
family, school, church, peer groups, and mass media affects the development of the political self
through educating the youth about the value of patriotism and nationalism and teaching them
moral, spiritual, and political values which influences their political behaviors and the political
self.
Exercise 3. Do you feel optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the country? Why?
Answer: I feel optimistic about the future of the country because I’m always positive that our
country will be safe and progressive in the future. Also, I’m positive that this country has a big
fortune that will be used for building a better future once the right person is in position who will
lead this country.
Exercise 4. Watch the movie Dekada ’70 (2002). Write an essay on the three most important
things you learned from the movie. What is your insights and how are you going to apply it in
understanding and developing your political self and identity as a Filipino?
My Reflection
After watching the movie “Dekada ’70 (2002)”, I learned three most important things.
First is, never join or take part in any activity done by activist or communist group. Second is,
always consider and listen to your family or friend’s advice. The third one is, obey the law and
show patriotism to your country. My insights regarding the movie is that it shows lack of
patriotism or support for one's country, since some or many of the characters are activists and it
shows defiance to the government. Also, the president must have a strong will and a good
leadership just like Ferdinand Marcos who impose martial law to stop terrorism, communist
groups and to bring peace to our country. Through these, I will apply it in understanding and
developing my political self and identity as a Filipino by learning the past and understanding the
truth.

Closure: You are now on your last lesson for the midterm, The Digital Self.
References:
Macayan, J., Pinugu, J. J., & C.C.D.astillo, J. (2018). Understanding the Self: Outcome-BAsed
Module. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.
Monilla, M., & Ramirez, N. (2018). Understanding the Self. Quezon City: C & E Publishing,
Inc.