The Physical Self

EMMANUEL R. SANTOS, LPT, MBA

TEACHER
At the end of the lesson, you will be
able to:

 Describe the Physical Self

 Examine the self as impacted by the body

 Explain how one’s culture influences body-image and self-esteem

 Recognize the true meaning of beauty

PETA 9

 You are a talent scout for the

country’s new franchise, the
Philippine’s Next Top Model. Write
down (as many as you can)
descriptions of the ideal beauty
standards that would guide you in
your search of a male and female
model.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines%27_Next_Top_Model_(season_2)
Activity 9
1. As a modeling scout, why do you think these
characteristics are ideal? Does the list reflect your
personal ideas about beauty, or just what you
think people want to t see in advertising?
2. What has influenced your ideas of what an ideal
female/male model looks like? How does it make
you feel about your own body?
3. What thoughts would be going through your mind
if you were one of the potential boy/girl waiting
to be evaluated for the Philippines’s Next Top
Model?
4. What will be your reaction if the scouts criticized
https://www.lionheartv.net/2017/05/philippines-next-top-model-high-street-finale/ you in front of other aspiring models that you are
not likeable for the franchise? How would you
handle such criticisms and rejection?
The Physical Self
 Among the many aspects of
yourself that make up who you are
and who you believe yourself to
be is the Physical Self, which
denotes the tangible aspect of
the person that can be directly
observed and examined as we
interact with our environment and
fellow beings.

 In other words, the Physical self

https://www.wheninmanila.com/20-filipino-comedy-youtubers-who-will-make-you-lol/ refers to one’s physical body
(Haugen, et. Al., 2011)
The Physical Self
 Just as the ‘self’ has been
described in a variety of ways,
many psychologists define the
‘body’ or the physical self in
different approaches as well
(Baumesiter, et. Al., 2003)

 More than the physical attributes

that an individual possesses, others
also consider the person’s physical
competencies such as his or her
self-worth and perception of
beauty as critical aspects of
physical self since a healthy one
leads to a dynamic functioning of
the ‘self’ towards self-realization.
(Annesi, 2007; Schmidt, 2013)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41709437-true-beauty
The Physical Self

 Fernandez (2009), in her study

about physical self-concept and
psychological well-
being/unwellness during
adolescence, defined self-
concept as the totality of
perception that each person has
of themselves.

 The result of the study show that

the more an individual feels happy
with his or her physique, the higher
his or her self-esteem becomes.

https://www.loveisallcolors.com/high-self-esteem-good-thing-look-for-in-partner/
The Physical Self

 Fernandez (2009) also

found out that the more
psychological well-being
one has, the less likely that
he or she will experience
anxiety and depression,
and eating disorder.

https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/world-health-day-2019-common-myths-
misunderstandings-about-eating-disorders-6185341.html
The Physical Self Esteem

 Self-esteem is how you feel about

who you are as a person. It is often
referred to as confidence in
yourself. (Mruk, 2006)

 It is also called physical self-

esteem or physical self-worth,
which means, “a person’s
evaluation of their physical self
which includes evaluations of both
the physical appearance and
physical competencies. (Livingstone, 2008) https://gethair.co.uk/blog/hairloss-self-esteem/
Kenneth Fox (1997)

Developed a measurement tool for
assessing the Physical Self called the
Physical Self-Perception Profile
(PSSPP) which includes the following
subscales. (excerpt from Gill, et. Al 2017)
 In other words, a person’s physical self is not
only limited to what can be seen by the naked
eye because our physical appearance are
biological and chemical processes that trigger
one’s transformation and development as
embodied in the concept of heredity.

 Sports Competence (sport)

 Physical condition (condition)
 Body attractiveness (body)
 Physical strength (strength)
 Physical self-worth (PSW)

https://blogs.psychcentral.com/nlp/files/2018/04/activi
ties-that-boost-self-esteem.jpg
Heredity

 Refers to the transmission of traits

like eye color, hair color or skin
color from parents to offspring
(Charlesworth & Charlesworth, 2009)

 Inside every cell in the body is a

secret code that determines
everything about you.

https://www.brainpop.com/health/geneticsgrowthanddevelopment/heredity/
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

 Is the material that determines all

your traits, and it is found inside the
nucleus of all of your cells.

 Also called the blueprint of an

individual’s physical features.

 The DNA triggers the physical

growth and maturation that our
bodies go through from birth to
adulthood. https://business-iq.net/articles/4960-EN-the-cloud-from-dna?v=cloudtech
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

 MATURATION is the unfolding of a

person’s inherent traits. It is the
completion of growth of genetic
characters within an organism.

 The traits that are made up of

specific information are
embedded within one’s basic unit
of heredity known as GENE.

https://www.teenbook.in/How-genes-decide-our-looks-and-traits/
Gene
 These are short pieces of DNA that
determine a specific trait, like eye
color or hair color. You have about
20-25 thousand genes total, each
one responsible for a different
characteristic (Griffiths, et. Al. 2012; Rhodes, 2006)
 The genes in your cells are
different from your parents’ genes
because you inherit one copy of
each gene from your father and
one from your mother.
 As a result, the particular
combination of genes in your cells
is different from everyone else in
the world.
 This recombination of genetic
material not only determines
visible traits like your eye and hair
color, but also can cause you to
be more (or less) susceptible to
certain diseases. (Pearson, 2006)
 Other factors…
 It is important to note also that there are
other factors that influence the
development of our physical self aside
from the genetic information that
determines our physical features.
 As we grow and begin to explore the
world around us, we get to interact with
different environmental factors that
shape our physical self: our social
interaction with our family, in school, in
the church, or in a bigger social group,
our community and the entire society.
 We are exposed to various practices
and cultural norms which make us more
conscious of our physical self.
http://www.theprovince.com/health/your+best+physical+self
(Concepcion, 2007) /9372639/story.html
 NATURE VS NURTURE

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-nature-versus-nurture-2795392

Suggested Readings:

1. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-
nature-versus-nurture-2795392
2. https://www.slideshare.net/srgeorgi/geneti
cs-nature-vs-nurture
https://www.slideshare.net/srgeorgi/genetics-nature-vs-nurture
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 What seems beautiful for you,

may not be beautiful for others.
As the saying goes, “beauty is
the eye of the beholder.”

 This is because different cultures

define beauty much differently.

 The following slide is an excerpt

written by Smith for Total Beauty.
http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/slideshows/global-beauty-standards-
141201

https://medium.com/@neffertittis/is-beauty-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder-3f951a874b8a
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 In the US, beautiful girls mean

having long, flowy hair, bronzed
skin and a wrinkle-free face.

 In Ethiopia, body scars are

adored. While we want our scars
erased, the Kata tribe in Ethiopia
creates scars onto the women’s
stomachs at childhood, which
are meant to attract men who
are husband-material.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/435090014002574061/ https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/04/15/10/3F3C6787000
00578-4413954-image-a-35_1492248634232.jpg
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 The Masal Tribe of Kenya define

beautiful as having long, stretched ear
lobes and shaved heads. Women use
everything from elephant tusks to twigs
to pierce and stretch their lobes to
become more attractive.

 Long, giraffe-like necks are the ultimate

sign of beauty and female elegance to
Kayan tribe in Burma. At 5 years old,
Kayan women start priming their necks
https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/359373245262499253/
with heavy brass rings which can weigh
up to 22 pounds, since more coils are
added each year, pushing down their
shoulders and creating effect of a
longer neck.
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 In various parts of Asia, pale white skin is

a sign of affluence and attractiveness. In
Japan, women avoid the sun at all costs
while whitening agents are normal in
China and Thailand.

 To the Maori people of New Zealand,

tattoos are sacred rituals wherein a chisel
is used to carve grooves into the skin,
creating swirling tattoos called Ta-moko.
Women with tattooed lips and chins, and
full blue lips are considered the most
beautiful.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ce/30/e8/ce30e86ebabf4d120 https://sites.google.com/site/ihimaera7/home/whak
c01f67c0e3b6143.jpg anui/rangatira/ta-moko
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 While many cultures are dieting and

striving to be thin, Western African
cultures find women who are overweight
to be the most beautiful. For them, the
more stretch marks, the better.

 In the past, families in Mauritania send

their children to “fat farms” camps that
force-feed girls 16,000 calories a day to
help them reach their ideal weight to
achieve a fuller figure. They even prefer
fattening camel’s and cow’s milk.

https://www.businessinsider.com/women-force-feeding-in-mauritania-2013-5#obesity-has-long-been-the-standard-
of-beauty-in-mauritania-being-fat-is-considered-a-sign-of-wealth-where-being-thin-is-a-sign-of-poverty-4
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 Nose job seems like a staple in the

image-conscious US but Iran is actually
the rhinoplasty capital of the world. Both
men and women are proud to show off
their procedures, which is considered as
a sign of their social status and their path
on the route to beauty. In fact, they
often wear their bandages much longer
than needed. Some even buy surgical
tape to wear even if they have not gone
under a surgery.
https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-d8736e10418bff13e136b545bbdb455e
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 Women in India turn to nose rings, bindis

and henna to make themselves more
attractive for festivals and celebrations.
Brides often wear a dot of red powder on
the face known as kumkum to look more
beautiful.

https://co.pinterest.com/pin/645703665300224195/ https://www.pikist.com/free-photo-slywp
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 In Japan, stick straight hair is

the norm, and therefore the
most beautiful hair texture.
Japanese women have
turned into pros at the
thermal conditioning and
flat-ironing to straighten hair.

https://www.byrdie.com/japanese-hair-straightening-the-pros-and-cons-345958
CULTURAL CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY

 Indeed, physical beauty has been

regarded as an essential part of one’s
self across all cultures.
 Although defined in a different way, it
has become a primary part of an
individual’s physical self.
 No matter how various cultures define
it, the most important thing to
remember is that we feel beautiful
because we have a healthy
perception our physical worth– that is
https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/group-men-women-posing-illustration-colorful-smartly-dressed-standing-close- why we feel good about ourselves.
together-as-white-background-59544895.jpg
PETA 10
Activity Never Seldom Most of Always
the time
I drink at least 8 glasses of water
 Let us do some self-check. everyday.
Below are common
I usually sleep beyond 10:00 pm.
activities that you might
have been doing that I prefer to use the elevator than take
greatly affect your body. the stairs.
Answer each item as I exercise at least three times a week.
honestly as possible by
putting a check mark on I usually skip breakfast.
how frequent you do the
following activities. I eat fruits and vegetables.

 What do you realize about I lie on the couch while watching TV.
your daily activities? Can
you say that you have a I take a walk after dinner.
healthy physical self?
I drink soft drinks with my meal.
Explain your conclusion.
I take time to dress-up everyday.
 Reference List:
1. Alata EJP, Caslib BN, Serafica JPJ & Pawilen, RA. Understanding the Self. Manila: Rex Publishing.

2. Annesi, J (2007). Relations of age with changes in self-efficacy and physical concept in pre-adolescents participating in a physical activity
intervention during afterschool care. SAGE Journals on Perceptual and Motor Skills 105:221-226.

3. Charlesworth, B. & Charlesworth, D. (2009). Darwin and Genetics. Doi:10.1534/genetics.109.109991.PMC2778973.

4. Cherry, K. (03 June 2020). The Age Old Debate of Nature vs. Nurture. Retrieved on 20 September 2020 from:

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-nature-versus-nurture-2795392

5. Concepcion, R. (2007). Weight stigma consciousness and perceived physical appearance: their key precursors and relationships to health
behaviors. Retrieved from:

http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertation/9593tx673.

6. Cruz, B.L. (2018). Understanding the Self, First Edition. Paranaque: JTCA Publishing.

7. Fernandez A. (2009). Self-concept and psychological well-being/unwellness during adolescence. Retrieved on 02 February 2017 from:

https://www.news-medical.net/news/2009/02/03/45499.aspx

8. Gill, D., Williams, L., and Reifsteck, E.(No Year). Psychological Dynamics of Sport and Exercise, 4th ed. Retrieved on 03 November 2017 from:

www.HumanKinetics.com/PyschologicalDynamics OfSportAndExercise

9. Georgi, S. (08 Feb 2017). Genetics & Nature vs Nurture. Retrieved on 20 September 2020 from:

https://www.slideshare.net/srgeorgi/genetics-nature-vs-nurture

10. Griffiths, A., Wessler, J., Carroll, S., & Doebley, J. (2012). Introduction to Genetic Analysis (10th ed.). New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.
 Reference List:

11. Haugen, T., Safvenbom, R. & Ommundsen, Y. (2011). Physical Activity and Global Self-worth: The role of self-esteem indices and gender. Mental
Health and Physical Activity. Vol. 4 (2), 49-56. Retrieved from:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa2011.07.001

12. Livingstone, C. (2008). Dictionary of Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine. Amsterdam: Elsevier Limited.

13. Pearson, H. (2006). “Genetics: what is gene?. Nature.4411(70902): 398401. doi: 10.1038/441398a.PMID 167244031.

14. Rhodes, G. (2006). “The evolutionary psychology of facial beauty”. Annual Review of Psychology. 57:199-226.
doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190208. PMID 16318594.

15. Schmidt, M. Valkanover, S., Roebers, C & Conzelmann, A. (2013). Promoting a functional physical self-concept in physical education: Evaluation of
a 10-week intervention. European Physical Education Review.

16. Smith, E. (No year). How Beauty is Define Around the World. Retrieved on 12 July , 2017 from:

www.totalbeauty.com/content/slideshows/global-beauty-standards-141201.