PERDEV 10 STUDY GUIDE

CHAPTER 8: THE MATERIAL SELF

WHAT IS MATERIAL SELF?

According to William James (1980) the self is everything that an individual considers
to be his or her, not only his or her body and material possession but also his or her
reputation and beliefs.

There are basic components of the material-self including our body, our clothes, our
immediate family and our home.

- BODY one of the tasks of adolescence is to accept and appreciate the

physical characteristics of their body.
- The perception about what makes a body beautiful are usually influence by
media as shown in television and internet.

- CLOTHES represent the self. The style and the brand of clothes becomes a
symbolic significance.
- The clothes they tend to wear are greatly influenced by their peer groups to
find fashionable and attractive.

- IMMEDIATE FAMILY ones immediate and extended family members as well

as close friends with whom one feels psychologically connected.
- Meaning, these people are likely to shape and influence the development of
self-identity.

- HOME is thus an extension of self, because in it, we can directly connect

oneself.
- Just like the saying “if only walls can speak”.

THE ROLE OF MATERIAL POSSESSIONS ON THE SENSE OF SELF AND IDENTITY

- RUSSEL BELK (1988) in his work are we what we own? Suggest that
material possessions act as an objective manifestation of the self. Material
possessions can be a reflection of hard work and success.
- Defining the self by material possessions can also contribute to a feeling of
well-being, including a sense of personal growth and purpose or meaning in
life.
- The important point is that these components of the material-self become a
significant reference of one’s sense of self and identity.

NEGATIVE IMPACT:
- MATERIALISM refers to giving more importance to material possessions
than intangible values.

- COMPULSIVE BUYING DISORDER (CBD) cause by strong desire of

materials which characterized by an obsession with shopping and buying
behaviors that can cause adverse consequences (e g., debts).

- Development evidence suggests that identification with material things

begins quite early in life but remains high throughout life as people seek for
happiness (Belk, 1988).

- When a person is about to make a purchase, he or she should ask himself of

herself a very important question: do I really need this?

CONSUMER CULTURE
Denotes a social arrangement in which the relation between lived culture and social
resources, and between meaningful ways of life and material resources on which they
depend on, mediated through markets.
 - CONSUMERISM is consumption of material goods and services in excess of
one’s basic needs.

- A consumerist society is one in which people spend a great deal of time,

money, and energy to 'consume’ commercial products, goods and services.

CHAPTER 9: SPIRITUAL SELF

SPIRITUALITY
- Taken from the Latin word “spiritus”, meaning breath or life force.

- Spirituality can be understood as the search for the sacred, a process

through which people seek to discover, hold on to, and when necessary
transform whatever they hold sacred in their lives. (Hill & Pargament, 2003)

- Spirituality generally refers to meaning and purpose in one’s life, a search

for wholeness and a relationship with a transcendent being. (Hage, Hopson,
Siegel, Payton, & DeFanti, 2006)

- The term “spirituality” originally developed in early Christianity. Christians

use the term “Spirit” to describe the Holy Spirit.
- In Christian Ethics, Peschke (1994) describes that the experience of the self
is characterized by reverence, faith, fear, trust, love, and admiration which
are intimately connected to God.

- Worship is regarded as an essential act to realize the ultimate

meaning of transcendence and human life.

- Spirituality is connected with religion. Religion is an organized system of

ideas about the spiritual sphere or the supernatural along with
associated ceremonial practices by which people try to interpret and or
influence aspects of the universe otherwise beyond their control.

SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE

- Viktor Frankl’s personal experiences in the Nazi concentration camps
during World War II led him to develop the principle of logo therapy.

- Logo therapy is the pursuit of human existence as well as on man’s search

for such a meaning. According to logo therapy, the striving to find a meaning
in one's life is the primary motivational force in man. In logo therapy, one
can discover the meaning of life in three different ways: by doing a deed, by
experiencing a value, and by suffering.

THE PRACTICE OF ANIMISM

- Spirituality is also associated with animism. Beliefs about the sacred also
include the primitive concept about animism or the belief that creatures,
objects, and place possess certain spirits.
- Animism is also the belief that things and place possess certain spirit.
Animism is also the belief that things and place are alive and grounded by a
supernatural order.
CHAPTER 10: POLITICAL SELF
It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal .it is like a stone on
the field without becoming a part of any edifice. – JOSE RIZAL

WHAT IS POLITICS?
- The art and science of Governance.
- The process by which group of people make decisions.

- Kendall (1908) defines that politics as a social institution through

which powers is acquired and exercised by people and groups.

- Aristotle - Describes that the role of that politics and the political
community must play in bringing about the virtuous life in the citizenry.

CITIZENSHIP is the most basis identification on with the nation. The term
denotes the membership of a citizen in a political society.
The political self helps in defining the structure and functions of the
government, in telling and understanding the relationship between the state
and the citizens, and in describing their rights, freedom and obligation as
citizens.
- CITIZENSHIP becomes a salient basis for political self.

THE ORIGINS OF POLITICAL SELF

- Family has a hierarchical structure which requires each member to
perform his or her role. Each position carries a set of rights,
responsibilities, and expectations. Through the hierarchy of positions,
status and power are ascribed. From an early age, individuals are
taught to obey and treat parents with respect and conform to the
rules.

- Authority is necessary in the development of political self and

identity. Aristotle considers the state as a natural union of families,
established for the common good under a definite government.

- Philippine Constitution recognizes the vital role of schools in

inculcating among the youth the value of patriotism and nationalism.

- Church emphasizes moral behavior that shape the ideals of

citizenship.

- Mass media could also be a key source of information on politics.

THEORIES OF POLITICAL SELF

A. Social learning theory - a person can acquire learning through
observation and imitation.
B. Political socialization - process of observation and imitation
C. Cognitive theory - suggests that the mental activities of individuals
are important determinants of behavior.
D. Symbolic interaction theory - behaviors are products of
communication, meaning and symbols.
E. Political participation - citizen's actions or activities anchored in
politics.
1. Politics is a social institution through which power is acquired and
exercised by some people or groups.
2. Man is by nature a political animal.
3. The process of learning is imbued with political values and beliefs.
4. Politics is a central component of self.
5. In order for governance to work in any group or society, a covenant of
mutual trust and respect must exist.
6. According to the social learning theory, a person can acquire learning
through observation and imitation.
7. Political socialization is viewed as a lifelong process by which individuals
gain knowledge about politics.
8. The theory of symbolic interaction suggests that behaviors are products
of communication, meaning, and symbols.
9. Political participation can be defined as a citizen's actions or activities
anchored in politics. Any activity concerning the government or
governance of the state is an example of political participation.
CHAPTER 11: DIGITAL SELF
- Among the Filipino youth, the use of digital technology has now become part of
the self - the digital self.

- Digital self is an aspect of the self that is expressed or shared with others
through online interactions on the internet, specifically in social networking
sites.

- Users normally disclose personal information such as their names, age,

birthdate, address, and contact details.

SELF-PRESENTATION AND IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

- People try to present themselves in such a way to impress - that is, to create
positive impressions on the eyes of other people.
- Self-presentation refers to an individual's attempts, both conscious and
unconscious, to control how he or she projects himself or herself in social
interactions.
- The desire to impress other people on social media may lead to showing off
one's work, achievements, and material possessions in a virtual space.

EXPRESSION OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY ONLINE

- Sexuality as the quality or slate of being sexual while gender is the
psychological identification of a person as masculine or feminine.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

- Technology is the application of information in the design, production and
utilization of goods and services, and in the organizations of human activities.
- Technology has changed the social features of people's lives. It has altered the
way people view social dimension of relationships and dictated new ways for
people to relate with one another.

DATA PRIVACY ACT

- Data Privacy Act is a law that seeks to protect all forms of information, be it
private, personal, or sensitive.
- It is meant to cover both natural and juridical persons involved in the
processing of personal information
PART 3: MANAGING AND CARING FOR THE SELF
- Psychologist John Flavell suggest that students should develop awareness of
one's thinking and the strategies they used to learn. This kind of thinking is
called metacognition

Managing and Caring for the Self

- Learning to be a better student.
- Setting goals for success.
- Taking charge of one's health.

CHAPTER 12: LEARNING TO BE A BETTER STUDENT

- Behaviorist define Learning as a relatively permanent change in behavior as
a result of practice or experiences.

- Cognitive psychologists define Learning as a process that leads to change as

result of experience.

- In other words, Learning is the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and

attitudes through experience. It is a transformational process that leads
to personal growth and development.

- Learning helps an individual to adapt to the constantly changing environment.

It starts at birth and continues throughout life. It is a constant process that can
result from direct and indirect experiences.

- Individuals learn from one another through observation and imitation.

- Learning is important to the survival of human beings because it enables them

to discover new knowledge, technology, and interventions.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BRAIN DURING LEARNING?

- Humans have the capacity to learn new skills and adapt to new environments.
- Development and learning are powerful agents of change throughout one's life
that induce structural and functional plasticity in the neural systems of the
brain (Galvan, 2010).

- The process of neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change throughout

one's life. It involves the addition of new neurons, new interconnections between
neurons, and the reorganization of information processing areas.

- The ability of the brain to change happens in two ways; it could be through an
increase in the number of synapses between neurons or a change in the
function and structure of the neurons.

NEURONS
- Neurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system that transmit
impulses or messages.
- Every neuron is made up of a cell body (soma), dendrites, and an axon.
- Neurons vary according to their functions and locations.
- The impulses that travel along neurons are electrochemical in nature. A
neuron transmits impulses or messages to another neuron through a junction
called synapse.
- Neurotransmitters are the electrochemical that connect and allow the
transmission of impulses from one neuron to another. Several
neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, glutamate, dopamine, and
norepinephrine are associated with memory and learning.
- The cerebral cortex is packed with neurons and is responsible for the most
sophisticated information processing in the brain. The cortex is divided into
 four lobes: the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital. Each lobe is
responsible for processing the different types of sensory information.
- The cerebral cortex plays a key role in human learning, thought, memory, and
language (Rathus, 2017).

METACOGNITION AND SELF- REGULATED LEARNING

- Metacognition is the awareness of one's thinking and the strategies one uses
to learn. Metacognition is simply defined as cognition or thinking about
thinking. Psychologist John Flavell (Lai, 2011) identifies two components of
metacognition, the metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive regulation.
- Metacognitive Knowledge includes knowledge of one's own cognitive ability,
knowledge of cognitive tasks, and knowledge of the strategies to complete the
cognitive tasks. Metacognitive Regulation refers to how an individual
monitors and controls his or her cognitive processes.

- Self- Regulated Learning (SRL) defines by Zimmerman (2002) as the process

in which students systematically direct their thoughts, feelings, and actions
toward the attainment of their academic goals. It is a process of taking control
of and evaluating one's own learning and behavior.

CHAPTER 13: SETTING GOALS FOR SUCCESS

GOALS
- Motivation directs a person's behavior toward a particular goal.

- A goal is the object toward which the behavior is directed, usually within a
specified period of time.

- Within the context of industrial/organizational psychology, goal is defined

simply as what the individual is consciously trying to do.
- For Edwin Locke and Gary Latham (2006), goals direct attention, effort, and
actions.
- Accomplishing the goal can lead to satisfaction and higher motivation, or
frustration and lower motivation if the goal is now accomplished.

TWO CATEGORIES OF GOALS

 Short-term goals - are those that can be achieved in a day, week, or a year.
 Long-term goals - are usually achieved over a year or more.

FACTORS WHICH MAY INFLUENCE GOALS

- Values give direction to behavior. Values are those which the person
considers personally important and worthy. They could be the basis for what is
desirable, correct, and good. Individuals act in ways that allow them to express
their important values and attain the goals underlying them (Sagiv, Roccas,
Cieciuch, & Schwartz, 2017).

- Needs also activate and direct behavior. Motivation is usually aroused by a

need for or lack of something that may propel a person to act. According to
drive-reduction theory, humans are motivated to satisfy needs in order to
maintain homeostasis or internal equilibrium (Atkinson, Atkinson, Smith, Bem,
& Nolen-Hoeksema, 2000).Unmet needs will cause a state of bodily tension and,
consequently, homeostasis is disturbed.

TWO CLASSIFICATIONS OF NEEDS

 Physiological needs - are innate needs of the body such as food, water, air,
sleep, and sex.
 Psychological needs - arise from relationship with other people such as
affiliation, achievement, altruism, esteem, and status.

MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

The theory of psychologist Abraham Maslow suggests how needs motivate behavior.
It is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs,
often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid (McLeod, 2018).
  SELF- ACTUALIZATION - self-fulfillment or achievement of one's potentialities
 ESTEEM- accepted, respected, and valued by others
 LOVE/BELONGING - being able to achieve love and fulfill the need for
belonging
 SAFETY - the need to be safe from danger, illness, and threat
 PHYSIOLOGICAL - shelter, water, food, warmth, rest, and health

CHAPTER 14: TAKING CHARGE OF ONE’S HEALTH

STRESS
- Refers to events that are perceived as challenging, damaging, or threatening to
one’s physical or psychological wellbeing.
- Stress is experienced by all people but in different degrees, from mild to severe,
depending how people interpret the situation.

EVERY DAY PEOPLE ENCOUNTER STRESSORS:

 EUSTRESS - positive events but requires to adjust
 DISTRESS - negative events and makes a great deal of demands.

STRESSORS AND RESPONSES

- As referred to as STRESS has causes and these are the following:
 Major life events
 Negative events
 Natural disasters
 Frustrations
 conflict

FOUR TYPES OF CONFLICT:

 Approach - approach conflict- two options that are both attractive
 Avoidance - avoidance conflict- two option are both unpleasant
 Approach - avoidance conflict- options that have both positive and negative
consequences
 Multiple conflict - more than two options

STRESSORS AND RESPONSES

- In order to deal with frustrations, conflicts, and stress, people sometimes use
unconscious strategies called defense mechanism.

Examples of defense mechanism:

Reaction, Compensation, Denial, Identification, Intellectualization, Projection,
Rationalization, Reaction formation, Regression, Repression, Suicide

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE FACTORS OF STRESS

- The effects of stress are manifested in a model developed by a psychologist
Hans Selye who proposed the General Adaptation Syndrome.

The three stages of physiological reactions:

 Alarm - is the initial reaction to the stressful situation
 Resistance - the body adapts and fight off the harmful effects of stress
 Exhaustion - will be experienced if the stress will not properly dealt with

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE FACTORS OF STRESS

- Cognitive psychologist Richard Lazarus has developed a cognitive view of stress.

Lazarus believes that there is a two-step process in appraising the degree of threat or
harm of stressor and how one should react to that stressor:
 PRIMARY APPRAISAL – the individuals appraises the severity of the stressor
and classifies it as a challenge
 SECONDARY APPRAISAL - the individuals evaluate existing coping resources,
available options, and the possibilities we have for controlling our situations.
STRESS AND THE FILIPINO: THE SOCIOECONOMEC AND CULTURAL FACTORS OF
STRESS

SOCIOECONOMIC FACTOR OF STRESS TO THE FILIPINOS.

Poverty - causes stressors such as insecurity and uncertainty about food, housing,
and income.

CULTURAL FACTOR OF STRESS IN THE FILIPINOS.

Migration - encompasses difficulties adjusting to the new country, family separation,
language barriers, poverty, perception of the ethnic and racial discrimination

SOURCES OF COPING AND STRENGTH

 Strategies by which people use to cope with stress:
 Problem-focused coping- reduces the impact of the problem by looking for the
best solutions
 Emotion-focused coping- reduce the intensity of the negative emotion
 Social-support system- actually improve health and decrease their mortality
risk
 Behavioral techniques that may be used to cope up with stress:
 Biofeedback- recognize and control the symptoms of stress, such as tension
headache.
 Relaxation, Meditation, and Exercise technique- help cope with everyday stress
and control stress-related health problems

THE NEED FOR SELF-CARE AND COMPASSION

People who are high in self-compassion treat themselves with kindness, care, and
understanding when they experience stressful events or situation.

Here are some suggestions to manage stress and practice self-compassion:

 Do the breathing exercise.
 Pray and meditate
 Read spiritual materials
 Be mindful of your thoughts and feelings
 Keep a diary or journal
 Talk to people
 Develop good habits
 Develop sense of humor