PRELIM COVERAGE (12 hours)

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the completion of this coverage, the students shall be able
to:
Identify the different potentials of being a true human being
Examine the concept of human mind and how it affects the
behavior
Analyze the different types of norms analyze and decide when
facing a dilemma or problem
Discuss the concept of human behavior and the different
perspective of human behavior
Application of theories and concept.
List down the importance of theory and evaluate the
significance
Assess the stages of theory development
Human Mind and Behavior in Relation w/ the Social Norms & Ethics

How do we understand the human mind? What

makes a man truly human? According to some ideals of
humanism, to be considered truly human is to have these four
potentialities.
1. Physical potentiality- This is about having a
concrete body (one's bodily development) and
having the ability or skills to carry out physical
activities.
2. Mental ability- This is a person's capability to think critically, rationally, and logically
3. Communication skills- This is about a person's ability to read, write, and talk to others.
4. Social skills- This includes a person's abilities to engage and interact with and to contribute to
society (Moga, S.J..cited in Rola, 2008).

However, to be considered a true human being does not necessarily mean that a person excels in all
these four skills; it is enough one averagely possesses all the four potentialities.

Human beings could not essentially be considered human for two (2) reasons:
 First, it takes much time and effort for one to grow and reach full potential. Months after birth,
one's behavior, the same of a little animal, not yet fully developed, is manifested.
 Second, it is possible that some individuals will not reach full development since there are those
who fail to possess the basic qualities necessary for full humanness. Occasionally, the word
‘inhuman' may be used to describe such a person (Moga, 1995).

Moreover, a human is a conscious being. Therefore, being conscious, how does the human mind
think and behave?

Our Actions displayed in the society as observed by others are the products of the way we responded to a
stimulus. It is the outcome of how our brain processed that perceived information. For example, you
see your enemy, it is now the neurons that send messages to the amygdala, as the part of the brain
that processes fear, triggers anger, and motivates us to act; and the brain-amygdala will integrate
that information and will issue a command for a response (This is the reaction of either hhaving a fight
against your enemy or not). Fighting your enemy when you cannot control your emotion is normal,
but when it reaches the point where you would kill your enemy then that is not normal anymore,
aside from it being unethical, it will also violate the law and is contrary to the norms set by society.
CONCEPTS
According to Freud (1915), the human mind has three (3) levels of awareness. These are the
conscious (10%), subconscious (50-60%), and unconscious (30-40%). The combination of the
three makes up what we call reality.

1. The conscious level serves as the scanner that allows you to perceive an event, trigger need to
react, store it either in the unconscious area of the human mind where it remains available.
2. The subconscious is the storage point for any recent memories needed for quick recall, such as the
telephone number or the name of a person you just met. It also holds current information that you
useevery day, such as your current recurring thoughts, behavior patterns, habits, and feelings.
3. The unconscious mind is where all of your memories and past experiences reside. These
are those memories that have been repressed through trauma and those that have simply been
consciously forgotten and are no longer important to us. It is from these memories and experiences
that our beliefs, habits, and behaviors and formed (Journal Psyche, 1994).

In connection with the above-mentioned topic, what premise of human mind does not conduct
norms devised by Thorsten Sellin belongs? Of course, it belongs to the conscious level. Speaking of conduct
norms, it refers to the norms that are defined by the groups to which the individual belongs. Meaning these
are the norms in a specific society to which everyone must conform in order for him or her not to be
considered as deviant. For example, when you are along the beach especially in Boracay it’s alright if you
wear your two- piece swimsuit, but it is pleasing if you wear that kind of stuff inside the church?

NORMS

James Chris in his book Social Control (2007) defined norm as a rule for behavior and a guide
to conduct. In essence, norms are statements that regulate behavior.

Norm is a principle of right action binding upon the members of a group and serving to guide,
control or regulates proper and acceptable behavior (Merriam-Webster's Dictionary).

In connection with this, Thorsten Sellin (1938) posited the concept of conduct norm which
belongs under the conscious level. Conduct norms refer to the norms that are defined by the groups to
which the individual belongs. These are the norms in a specific society to which everyone must conform in
order for him or her not to be considered as deviant. For example, wearing a swimsuit is a norm in the
beach but not inside a church.

On the other hand, Lisa Roundy (2013) in her study stated that social norm is the accepted
behavior that an individual is expected to conform to in a particular group, community, or culture. When
you do not conform to the social norms that are accepted by your culture or group, it is considered as an
abnormal behavior.

An important theory on the emergence of social norms was developed by the early American
sociologist Willian Graham Sumner in his book Folkways published in 1906, and these are:
1. Folkways, sometimes known as “conventions” or “customs” which are standards of behavior that
are socially approved but not morally significant like whistling at night breaks the Filipino folkways;
 2. Mores which are norms of morality that have to be followed otherwise, people who share the
same culture will be offended, like attending a church wearing appropriate clothing and avoiding
intimate acts with.
3. Taboo which are prohibited or restricted by social custom like abortion in Philippine culture;
4. Law which is a formal body of rules enacted by the state and backed by the power of the state.
Virtually all taboos, like child abuse and rape are enacted into law. However, even some mores are
also enacted into law, like gossiping in some areas, not all mores are when you are not helping
elders while crossing the street.

ETHICS
A popular maxim that says, “Values cannot be taught but it can be caught”. It literally means
that no matter how serious you are in instilling values to a person, if that person rejects directly or
indirectly your teaching, it is useless. Maximo Torrento (2016) in his study cited that value is something
desirable, worth having, worth possessing, worth keeping, and worth doing. Value is identical with good.
Pollock (2010) defines values as unverifiable “elements of desirability, worth and importance”. That is why
when speaking of value, or values we cannot depart ourselves from dwelling about ethics.

According to Aristotle, each person has a natural obligation to achieve, become, and make
something of him by pursuing his true ends and goals in life. (http://www. quebecoislibre.org).

Peter Singer (1985) in his article Ethics Philosophy, defined ethics also called moral philosophy,
as the discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad, right and wrong. It is derived from the old
French term éthique, from Latin ethice, and from Greek ēthikë which all mean the science of morals.

Teacher’s Note:
Ethics, norms and values are the three things that
everyone should bear in mind at all times. Because these
could be our guiding principle in our daily living. Ethics help
us to how we can improve, how we live by being moral,
we enrich our lives and the lives of those around us. It’s
especially important to live a moral life when we are
young, as it is helpful to exercise and practice. ]A
person’s reputation is of key importance for a leader,
 Concept of human behavior: Philosophical, Psychological,
& Sociological Perspective

According to Natalie Boyd (2015) in her article entitled Human Behavior, human behavior is
defined as the term used to describe a person's actions and conduct. It also refers to the reaction to facts
of relationship between the individual and his environment. Human behavior is mainly influenced by both
heredity and environment, everything that we say and do is a reflection of our own being. It speaks of
who we are as a person. Man is a social being, he needs to interact and socialize with others. In the
process of socialization, he may act or interact with others. He may behave or misbehave depending on
the given circumstance.

According to the French Anthropologist Marcel Mauss as cited in the book of (Alata et al., 2018)
entitled Understanding the Self, every self has two (2) faces:

a. Moi refers to a person's sense of who he is, his body, and his basic identity, his biological
givenness.

b. Personne is composed of the social concepts of what it means to be who he is.

Example: Mrs. Reagana is a police officer; she is also a wife and a mother of two (2) kids. As
a police officer she needs to maintain a stern but calm personality in order to be respected. As a
mother, she may be sweet toward her husband and caring and loving toward her children. Mrs.
Reagana's self that shifts in order to blend and fit with the given situation is her personne but
herself that is static or constant is her moi.

Socrates believed that the best life and the life most suited to human involved reasoning. He also believed
that nobody willingly chooses to do wrong.

Plato, on the hand, believed that human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and
knowledge.

Edward W. Younkins (2003) entitled “Aristotle, Human Flourishing, and the Limited State", it is stated
that Aristotle heralds the role of reason in a proper human life. He examined the nature of man and his
functions and sees that man survives through purposeful conduct which result from the active exercise of
man's capacity for rational thought. The ability to reason separates man from all living organisms and
supplies him with his unique means of survival and flourishing. It is through purposive, rational conduct
that a person can achieve happiness. For Aristotle, a being of conceptual consciousness must focus on
reality and must discover the knowledge and actions required if he wants to fully develop human person.

As cited in (www. Open.edu.com), there is a tradition in philosophy, which includes the thought of
Rousseau and Kant, which holds that there is a normative aspect to personhood. This would mean that
specifying the nature of personhood would not simply be describing how we are in fact, but rather
describing how we ought to be.

According to this tradition, a person ought to be an autonomous being. What constitutes an

autonomous being is the subject of much debate.

According to one recent commentator, at a minimum, the agents must be able to act for reasons,
reflecting on facts and interest across time’ (Hill, 2000).

We can think of an autonomous being as one who is able to determine the ‘shape' of their life
through reason free choices.

Examples of a different sort are prisoners. Prisoners have freedom of thought, but not freedom of action.
Hence, they are autonomous in some ways but not in others. On the other hand, if another human being
is not acting autonomously, it might be appropriate not to treat them as person.

Another example is a situation when you are walking home with your friend, and you found a wallet.
Inside the wallet are fifty-thousand-peso bills. You have now the choice or freewill whether to forward it to
the police station so that it could be returned to the owner or spend it for shopping or a drinking spree.

In this case, if you’re acting based on your drink some alcoholic beverage or go for shopping and not for
the reason to return the money back to the owner, then you are not autonomous. You do not possess the
vital condition of personhood. Hence, the behavior is not for the real human being. Just like a crocodile
that has the desire to eat the chicken but not knowing the reason why it eats the chicken. It just eats it.

Psychological
People are considered as living machines who receives donation from the world, process it in
various ways, and then act on it. According to school of thought known as behaviorism, human behavior
was all about the way a certain stimulus produces an appropriate response.

Your behavior usually starts with sensory perception: the way your five main senses (vision,
hearing, smell, touch, and taste), plus other lesser-known sensory abilities such as proprioception (your
sense of where your limbs are and how your body is moving), feed information into your brain (Woodford,
2018).
 Example: When you see your
crush, it is your sense of sight through
your eyes that recognized the stimulus
(your crush). Then neurons send signal to
your limbic brain causing your
hypothalamus to release the
neurohormone known as dopamine. As a
result, you feel happy and inspired on the
outside. In short, all our behaviors
observed by others are the product of
how our physiological system inside our
body works.

Teacher’s Note:
No man is an island as we always say. Our character is being affected by how we socialize in our family, comm