LEARNING MODULE

IN
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
(HUM 01)

Prepared by: Mrs. Rowena Veron Quizon

Table of Contents

Module 1 ( Week 1)

Philosophical Perspectives on Understanding the Self

Module 2 ( Week 2)

The Self as a Social Construct

Module 3 ( Week 3 )

The Physical Self

Module 4 ( Week 4 )

The Gendered Self

Module 5 ( Week 5 )

The Spiritual Self

Module 6 ( Week 6 )

The Political Self

Module 7 ( Week 7 )

The Digital Self

Module 8 ( Week 8 )

The Intellectual Self

Module 9 ( Week 9 )

The Emotional Self

Understanding the Self
Introduction
One of the most difficult mysteries of life is the unfolding of the real essence of
the human self. Understanding yourself fully in the midst of this ever- changing world
with too pressing problems and complexities may be very taxing on your very existence.
There is a continuing enigma that puzzles the human mind—Who am I? What makes
me, me and you… you. You might wonder about the importance of understanding
yourself when you can just live and survive unaffectedly by all these intriguing queries
on self. Well, as a college student who wants to prepare yourself to be a functional and
competent career person someday, thriving as opposed to simply surviving is a
necessity. You have to understand yourself primarily to establish an empathy and
rapport with the people around you as well as become an adaptive, contributive and
moral member of the society you are in. Discovering the person you truly are is vital in
order to succeed in your endeavors.

What Will You Learn From This Module?

This module is designed to keep the student-teacher interaction going despite
the absence of the usual classroom situation. Through this module the student can
learn the subject Understanding the Self and keep pace with the lessons albeit outside
the school premises-- distant from the teacher and the textbooks.

MODULE I ( week1)
Study Guide:
• Who exactly is your “Self”?
• What differentiates your “Self” from all the other “Self”?
• In what ways has your “Self” changed during the course of your life?
• In what ways has it remained the same?
• How would you describe the relation of your Self to your body?
• What happens to the “Self” when the body dies?
 • In what ways might you not fully know your Self?
• What does someone mean when she says “I don’t feel like myself today” or when
one encourages someone else to “Just be yourself!”

A Philosophical Journey to
Discovering the Self

Humans have always been drawn to discover further truth about himself. Even
people from the past periods in history have spent their lives trying to unravel the
mysteries of human existence. Consider the likes of Socrates. Plato, Aristotle, St.
Augustine, Rene Descartes, John Locke, David Hume. Immanuel Kant, Sigmund Freud,
Gilbert Ryle, Paul Churchland and Maurice Merleau-Ponty who painstakingly
deliberated and divulged their respective philosophies on the human self.
 Socrates and Plato: The Soul Is Immortal
Socrates ( 469–399 B.C.E.)
For Socrates, reality is dualistic, comprised of two dichotomous realms. One realm is
changeable, transient, and imperfect, whereas the other realm is unchanging, eternal, immortal.

For Socrates, our bodies belong to the physical realm: they change, they’re imperfect,
they die. Our souls, however, belong to the ideal realm: they are unchanging and immortal, sur-
viving the death of the body. And although a close relationship exists between our souls and our
bodies, they are radically different entities. Our souls strive for wisdom and perfection, and
reason is the soul’s tool to achieve this exalted state. Reason is a powerful tool, enabling the soul
to free itself from the corrupting imperfection of the physical realm and achieve “communion
with the unchanging.”

Socrates never wrote anything down but was committed to living simply and to
interrogating the everyday views and popular opinions of those in his home city of Athens. At
the age of 70, he was put to death at the hands of his fellow citizens on charges of impiety and
corruption of the youth.

He is best known for his association with the Socratic method of question and answer,
his claim that he was ignorant (or aware of his own absence of knowledge), and his claim that
the unexamined life is not worth living, for human beings. The purpose of the examined life is
to reflect upon our everyday motivations and values and to subsequently inquire into what real
worth, if any, they have.

Socrates characterizes himself as a gadfly and the city as a sluggish horse in need of
stirring up (Apology 30e). Without philosophical inquiry, the democracy becomes stagnant and
complacent, in danger of harming itself and others. Just as the gadfly is an irritant to the horse
but rouses it to action, so Socrates supposes that his purpose is to agitate those around him so
that they begin to examine themselves. Socrates employed inductive reasoning.

Ideas of Socrates: 1. Care for thy soul (inner self)

2. Knowledge + Virtue = Happiness (Eudamonia)
 3. All evil acts are committed out of ignorance and therefore involuntary.
4. Committing an injustice is far worse than suffering an injustice.

Plato (427-347 BCE) Know thy self

Plato is a dualist; there is both immaterial mind (soul) and material body. Needless to say, we
should care about our soul rather than our body.

Plato elaborates his concept of the soul (the Greek word is psyche) in his later dialogues
such as the monumental Republic and the Phaedrus. In particular, he introduces the idea of a
three-part soul / self constituted by:
• Reason—our divine essence that enables us to think deeply, make wise choices,
and achieve a true understanding of eternal truths.
• Physical Appetite—our basic biological needs such as hunger, thirst, and sexual
desire.
• Spirit or Passion—our basic emotions such as love, anger, ambition,
aggressiveness, empathy.
Plato illustrates his view of the soul / self in Phaedrus with a vivid metaphor: the soul is
likened to a winged chariot drawn by two powerful horses: a white horse, representing Spirit,
and a black horse, embodying Appetite. The charioteer is Reason, whose task is to guide the
chariot to the eternal realm by controlling the two independent-minded horses.

Real beauty has characteristics which merely beautiful things cannot have; real beauty is
an everlasting loveliness which neither comes nor goes, only the soul can know real Beauty.

One of the first to argue that the systematic use of our reason can show us the best way to
live. Platonic thinking is part of this rise of reason in ancient Greece—often called the Greek
miracle. Plato argues that if we truly understand human nature we can find “individual happiness
and social stability.”

Plato also emphasized the social aspect of human nature. We are not self-sufficient, we
need others, and we benefit from our social interactions, from other person’s talents, aptitudes,
and friendship. Plato founded an institution of higher learning : the Academy of Athens. Most of
Plato’s philosophical works took literary form of dialogues.
 ARISTOTLE (384 BCE) “The soul is the essence of the
self”.
He made pioneering contributions to all fields of philosophy and science, he invented the
field of formal logic, and he identified the various scientific disciplines and explored their
relationships to each other. Aristotle was also a teacher and founded his own school in Athens,
known as the Lyceum.

The soul is the form of the body. As such the soul refers to the total person. Accordingly,
Aristotle said that the soul has two parts, the irrational and the rational. For him, the body and
soul are not two separate elements but is one thing. The soul is the essence of the self but it can’t
exist without the body. In addition, he stated that we are a rational animal or through reason we
became human.

The basic principle of the golden mean, laid down by Aristotle 2,500 years ago is
moderation, or striving for a balance between extremes.

Aristotle used the word eudamonia as a broad concept to describe the highest good
humans could strive toward – or a life 'well lived'.

St. Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354 - 430) was an Algerian-Roman

philosopher and theologian of the late Roman / early Medieval period. He is one of the
most important early figures in the development of Western Christianity, and was a
major figure in bringing Christianity to dominance in the previously pagan Roman
Empire. He criticized the Romans for their love for earthly happiness. St. Augustine was
a Manichean for some years .His Confessions tells the story of his own conversion from
Manicheanism to Christianity. His three-volume City of God remains a classic of
Christian apologetics. Augustine distinguished between two cities: the city of men, a
pervasively flawed society and the city of God, a heavenly paradise where the good
would finally dominate.
He was the proponent of the idea of original sin or what is called Augustinian
pessimism which describes the imperfect nature of whatever we do or are.
 In The Confessions, Augustine plays the lead role in the story of his own life. By
telling this tale he transforms himself into a metaphor of the struggle of both body and
soul to find happiness, which exists only in God’s love. He reads his life as an allegory
to arrive at a larger truth. Augustine presents it to teach a very pertinent lesson: only in
the presence of the Omnipotent and the Omniscient can the self attain happiness and
completeness. In his own life, he shows the merging of the pagan past with the
Christian present. He chooses the soul over the body, the intellect over desire, faith
over questioning, and reason over uncertainty.

Rene Descartes
French philosopher René Descartes* is widely considered the “founder of
modern philosophy.”

With his ties to dualism, Descartes believed the mind is the seat of our
consciousness. Because it houses our drives, intellect, and passions, it gives us our
identity and our sense of self.

Descartes thought that the self is a thinking thing distinct from the body. His first
famous principle was " Cogito, ergo sum", which means I think, therefore I am."
Although the mind and body are physically together as a whole, the mind and body are
mentally independent and serve their own function. He was convinced that we must use
our own mind and thinking abilities to investigate, analyze, experiment and develop our
own well- reasoned conclusions. It is also important “to doubt” as far as possible all
things in order to become a real seeker for the truth. Skepticism is given high
importance by René Descartes. (Cartesian Skepticism)

The central claim of what is often called Cartesian dualism, in honor of

Descartes, is that the immaterial mind and the material body, while being ontologically
distinct substances, causally interact.

Descartes is a rationalist because he believes we cannot trust our senses. He

identified six fundamental passions: wonder, love, hatred, desire, joy and sadness . He
called a discipline of virtue which contains a manual of advice on how we can
understand and control our passions and enjoy a virtuous life.
 From 1649 until his death, Descartes was invited to be a teacher for this
European ruler: Queen Christina of Sweden. Unfortunately, the Queen turned out to be
an early riser, depriving Descartes of his beloved sleep. That, combined with the cold
and damp climate of Stockholm, led to pneumonia and his premature death at the age
of fifty-three, providing him with a first-hand opportunity to test his theory of an immortal
soul.

JOHN LOCKE (1632–1704) “The Self Is Consciousness”

British philosopher. In his Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) Locke lays
the groundwork for empiricist philosophy. His theory that the mind is a tabula rasa, a blank
slate, on which experience writes, challenges the rationalist philosophy that preceded him.
Descartes, our reasoning ability provides the origin of knowledge and final court of
judgment in evaluating the accuracy and value of the ideas produced. For Locke, all knowledge
originates in our direct sense experience, which acts as the final court of judgment in evaluating
the accuracy and value of ideas.
Locke explains: “When we see, hear, smell, taste, feel, meditate, or will anything, we
know that we do so. Thus it is always as to our present sensations and perceptions: and by this
everyone is to himself that which he calls self.
In Locke’s mind, conscious awareness and memory of previous experiences are the keys
to understanding the self. In other words, you have a coherent concept of your self as a personal
identity because you are aware of your self when you are thinking, feeling, and willing. And, you
have memories of times when you were aware of yourself in the past, in other situations—for
example, at the party two weeks ago, or your high school graduation several years ago.
David Hume (1711–1776) “ There is no self”

The Bundle theory created by 18th century Scottish philosopher David Hume in
which he claims that an object consists only of a collection (bundle) of properties and nothing
more.

Hume ends up with an even more startling conclusion—if we carefully examine our
sense experience through the process of introspection, we discover that there is no self! In his
book titled “A Treatise of Human Nature”, he puts forth the argument that the self is nothing but
a bundle of perceptions, which succeed each other with an inconceivable rapidity.
 David Hume went radically further than Locke to speculate that there is no “self ” at
all. Our memories and experiences, Hume argued, are made up of impressions and ideas with no
one “constant and invariable,” unified identity. When we are not actively perceiving, or
conscious of ourselves perceiving, Hume notes, there is no basis for the belief that there is any
“self” at all. In a further rupture with earlier philosophy and doctrine, Hume concludes that if
there is no “self ” while the body is living, then there can certainly be no immortal “self ” or
“soul” that goes on after the death of the physical body.

According to David Hume, a person is simply a collection of mental states at a particular

time; there is no separate subject of these mental states over and above the states themselves.
When the states subside, this theory implies, and are replaced with other states, so too the person
subsides and is replaced with another.

Hume's Copy Principle therefore states that all our ideas are products of impressions.
His notion that the mind consists of its mental perceptions, or the mental objects which are
present to it, and which divide into two categories: impressions and ideas. Hume to mean the
distinction between feeling and thinking. According to Hume, impressions are meant to be the
original form of all our ideas,

IMMANUEL KANT (1724–1804) German Philosopher

“We construct the self”
From Kant’s standpoint, it’s our self that makes experiencing an intelligible world
possible because it’s the self that is responsible for synthesizing the discreet data of sense
experience into a meaningful whole. Metaphorically, our self is the weaver who, using the loom
of the mind, weaves together the fabric of experience into a unified whole so that it becomes my
experience, my world, my universe. Without our self to perform this synthesizing function, our
experience would be unknowable, a chaotic collection of sensations without coherence or
significance.

The unity of consciousness is a phrase invented by Kant to describe the fact that the
thoughts and perceptions of any given mind are bound together in a unity by being all contained
in one consciousness—my consciousness. That’s precisely what makes your world intelligible to
you: it’s yourself that is actively organizing all of your sensations and thoughts into a picture that
makes sense to you. This picture is uniquely your picture. You are at the center of your world,
and you view everything in the world from your perspective.

According to him, we all have an inner and an outer self which together form our
consciousness. The inner self is comprised of our psychological state and our rational intellect.
The outer self includes our sense and the physical world. For Kant, the self is endowed with
freedom but the self has to choose to do what is moral. It is one’s duty to be true to
himself/herself by respecting one’s self and by so doing we also respect humanity. According
to Kant, we have this godlike self that has the duty to be morally perfect by obeying the
categorical imperative.

Kant’s moral theory is often referred to as the “respect for persons” theory of morality.
Kant calls his fundamental moral principle the Categorical Imperative. The ultimate goal of
Kant’s moral theory is for humans to achieve moral perfection.

Here are two formulation of Kant’s Categorical Imperative:

CIa: Always treat persons (including yourself) ends in themselves, never merely as a
means to your own ends.

CIb: Act only on that maxim that you can consistently will to be a universal law.

Hypothetical imperative tells us what must be accomplished if we desire a specific end

result. "if we want to be healthy, then we must exercise."

SIGMUND FREUD (1856–1939) There Are Two Selves:

One Conscious, One Unconscious

Austrian Psychologist. Freud founded the school of psychoanalysis which became one of
the most influential theories of psychology and therapy in the twentieth century.

Freud delineated the mind in the distinct levels, each with their own roles and functions.

The preconscious consists of anything that could potentially be brought into the
conscious mind.
 The conscious mind contains all of the thoughts, memories, feelings, and wishes of which
we are aware at any given moment. This is the aspect of our mental processing that we can think
and talk about rationally. This also includes our memory, which is not always part of
consciousness but can be retrieved easily and brought into awareness.

The unconscious mind is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that are
outside of our conscious awareness. The unconscious contains contents that are unacceptable or
unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety, or conflict. The unconscious contains basic
instinctual drives including sexuality, aggressiveness, and self-destruction; traumatic memories;
unfulfilled wishes and childhood fantasies; thoughts and feelings that would be considered
socially taboo.

Freud believed that while the unconscious mind is largely inaccessible, the contents can
sometimes bubble up unexpectedly, such as in dreams or slips of the tongue. (Freudian Slip)

The id, ego, and superego are names for the three parts of the human personality which
are part of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic personality theory. According to Freud, these three
parts combine to create the complex behavior of human beings. According to Freud's
psychoanalytic theory, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual
and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and
the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.

Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies that are unconsciously used to protect a
person from anxiety arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings.
 Gilbert Ryle: The Self Is How You Behave
Gilbert Ryle (19 August 1900 – 6 October 1976) was a British philosopher, principally
known for his critique of Cartesian dualism, for which he coined the phrase "ghost in the
machine” ( Concept of the Mind ). “The self is the way people behave”. The self is basically our
behavior. This concept provided the philosophical principle, “I act therefore I am”. In short, the
self is the same as bodily behavior.

The behaviorist approach to the self holds that the “self” is best observed and defined
through individual behavior. The great advantage of behavior—unlike an invisible “soul” or
transcendent consciousness—is that it can be controlled, observed, collected, and analyzed. How
you behave is “who” you are. The behaviorist Gilbert Ryle (1900–1976) attempted to finally
discredit what he called “Descartes’ myth”—that the soul is independent from the body, a belief
Ryle classifies as a “category mistake”—by seeing the self as a “pattern of behavior,” not some
abstraction caught up in a false spatial metaphor.
 We encounter others, experience the totality of their behavior, and believe that this
behavior reveals directly “who” they are and what they’re thinking. Ryle goes on to analyze how
this apparent conflict between the theory of Cartesian dualism (“the ghost in the machine”) and
our everyday experience of others is actually the result of confused conceptual thinking, a logical
error that he terms a “category mistake.”

PAUL CHURCHLAND The Self Is the Brain (Materialism)

■ Materialism holds that the “self ” is inseparable from the substance of the brain
and the physiology of the body. Contemporary advances in neurophysiology allow scientists to
observe the living brain as it works to process information, create ideas, and move through
dream states. Philosopher Paul Churchland has worked to resolve the complexities of the
relationship between mind and brain through the theory of “eliminative materialism.”
Churchland argues that “folk psychology,” or more traditional “commonsense” ways of
understanding psychology, will not find neat and obvious parallels through the discoveries of
contemporary neuroscience. In fact, he claims, that “older framework will simply be eliminated”
by advances in neuroscience. This new, accurate, objective, and scientifically based understand-
ing of our “selves” will, in Churchland’s view, “contribute substantially toward a more peaceful
and humane society.”

Rather than dualism, Churchland holds to materialism, the belief that nothing but matter
exists. When discussing the mind, this means that the physical brain, and not the mind, exists.
Adding to this, the physical brain is where we get our sense of self

Maurice Merleau-Ponty “The self is embodied Subjectivity”.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty's work is commonly associated with the philosophical

movement called existentialism and its intention to begin with an analysis of the concrete
experiences, perceptions, and difficulties, of human existence.

In Phenomenology of Perception, Merleau-Ponty wrote that self and perception are

encompassed in a physical body ; therefore, the physical body is a part of self.
 Maurice Merleau-Ponty believed the physical body to be an important part of what
makes up the subjective self.

This concept explained that all the knowledge of ourselves and our world is based on subjective
experiences. It is more on how we view and give perceptions. The self can never be truly
objectified.

French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty expounds his own interpretation of

phenomenology, a branch of philosophy that concerns itself with direct experiences. Through his
own analysis, Merleau-Ponty arrives at the conclusion that sense perception is “living
communication with the world that makes it present to us as the familiar place of our life.” In his
view, there is a dynamic relationship between the self and the world. We imbue the world with
our own value and meaning, which is crucial to how we subjectively experience the world.

Module 2 (week 2)
The Self as a Social Construct
Study Guide:

What is the so called “self” according to the theories of socialization?

Socialization is the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group (or society)
and behave in a manner approved by the group (or society).

Benefits of Socialization:

• Better mental health – it can lighten your mood and make you feel happier
• Lower your risk of dementia – social interaction is good for your brain health
• Promotes a sense of safety, belonging and security
• Allows you to confide in others and let them confide in you
The Johari Window is a framework for understanding conscious and unconscious bias that
can help increase self-awareness and our understanding of others. It is the creation of two
psychologists, Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham, who named the model by combining their
first names. The window consists of four segments (or panes) of human interaction: open,
hidden, blind and unknown.

William James was an American philosopher, historian, and psychologist, and the
first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States. He argued that in order to
thoroughly study a person's optimal functioning, one has to take in how they personally
experience something, otherwise known as their subjective experience.

James described two aspects of the self that he termed the “I Self” and “Me Self.” The I
Self reflects what people see or perceive themselves doing in the physical world (e.g.,
recognizing that one is walking, eating, writing), whereas the Me Self is a more
subjective and psychological phenomenon, referring to individuals’ reflections about
themselves (e.g. characterizing oneself as athletic, smart, cooperative).

The material self, according to William James, pertains to the objects, places, or even
people which have the label “mine”. Such possessions are viewed as extensions of
individuals' identities. For instance, your clothes reflect certain aspects of your
personality and you designate them as “my wardrobe”.
Charles Horton Cooley (August 17, 1864 – May 8, 1929) was an American
sociologist. Cooley believed the human beings are essentially social in nature, and that a
significant source of information about the world comes through human interaction with
others, including the concept of one’s self. He is most famous for the concept of the
"looking glass self," the idea of how people appear to others, which he regarded as an
essential component of the development of self-image.

The looking-glass self describes the process wherein individuals base their sense of self
on how they believe others view them. Using social interaction as a type of “mirror,”
people use the judgments they receive from others to measure their own worth, values,
and behavior. According to Self, Symbols, & Society, Cooley’s theory is notable because
it suggests that self-concept is built not in solitude, but rather within social settings. In
this way, society and individuals are not separate, but rather two complementary aspects
of the same phenomenon.

This concept of self, created by others, is unique to human beings. It begins at an early
age and continues throughout the entirety of a person's lifespan. A person will never stop
modifying their "self" unless they become removed from society and cease social
interactions.

American Sociologist George Herbert Mead believed that people develop self-
images through interactions with other people. He argued that the self, which is the part
of a person's personality consisting of self-awareness and self-image, is a product of
social experience.

Mead believed that this understanding lead to the development of the "I" and the "me,"
where the "me" is our social self and the "I" is our response to the "me." The "me" is how
we believe the generalized other sees us. It is what we learn through interactions with
others. The "I" thinks about what those things mean. Based on Mead’s model, the actual
self is the congruence between “I” and “Me”.
 Donald Winnicott, an English pediatrician and psychoanalyst and his wife used
the term “holding” to refer to the supportive environment. The concept can be likened to
the nurturing and caring behavior a mother engages in with her child that results in a
sense of trust and safety. Winnicott also believed that antisocial behaviors developed
from a person’s having been deprived of a holding environment in childhood and from
feelings of insecurity.

Winnicot developed the concept of the transitional object. Transitional objects include
items like security blankets, special dolls or toys, and other sentimental items. A
transitional object can help a child feel safe and secure, for example, while gaining
independence.

True self (also known as real self, authentic self, original self and vulnerable self) and
false self (also known as fake self, idealized self, superficial self and pseudo self) are
psychological concepts, originally introduced into psychoanalysis in 1960 by Donald
Winnicott. Winnicott used true self to describe a sense of self based on spontaneous
authentic experience and a feeling of being alive, having a real self. The false self, by
contrast, Winnicott saw as a defensive façade, which in extreme cases could leave its
holders lacking spontaneity and feeling dead and empty, behind a mere appearance of
being real.

More Definition of Terms on Social Self (Thomas Heinzen)

Self-concept is a personal summary of who we believe we are, including our qualities (both
good and bad), our relationships, beliefs, values, and so on.

Social comparison theory, which says that we define subjective traits (such as whether we are
“good looking” or “shy”) by comparing our self to others.

*Upward social comparisons are when we compare ourselves to people who are better than us.

*Downward social comparisons are when we compare ourselves to people who aren’t as good
as we are on any given trait.
Our *actual self is our perception of who we are right now; our *ideal self is the person we’d
like to be and our *ought self is the self-concept we have that reflects what we think other
people in our social world expect of us.

Self-promotion is an impression management technique that makes us appear more successful

or more significant that we really are.

Self-esteem is our subjective, personal evaluation of our self-concept. We experience the

positive feelings of high self-esteem when we believe that we are good and worthy and that
others view us positively. We experience the negative feelings of low self-esteem when we
believe that we are inadequate and less worthy than others.

Self-compassion, an orientation to care for oneself.

Narcissism, an excessive self-love based on unwarranted belief in one’s specialness relative to

others.

Self-efficacy is the degree to which you believe that you are capable of completing a specific
task or achieving a particular goal.

Chapter 3 ( week 3) The Physical Self

Physical Self refers to the body, this marvelous container and complex, finely tuned,
machine with which we interface with our environment and fellow beings. The Physical Self is
the concrete dimension, the tangible aspect of the person that can be directly observed and
examined.
 Physical self-concept is the individual's perception of themselves in areas of physical
ability and appearance. Physical ability includes concepts such as physical strength and
endurance, while appearance refers to attractiveness.

You don’t want to look in the mirror, you’re afraid of taking pictures, and you even edit pictures
of yourself on the computer to fix the “ugly” parts of your body. Fashion, social pressure, and
comparison are all enemies that cause a lot of harm and take away the love you have for your
body.

The body, understood as the physical entity that allows you to act in the external world, is an
extremely important part of yourself. Your body, your emotions, and your thought form a whole
that differentiates you from everyone else. Today’s standards of beauty and erroneous
perceptions of health have led you to hate the shell that houses you.

Body image is a person's perception of their physical self. Body image is a person's thoughts,
feelings and perception of the aesthetics or sexual attractiveness of their own body.

Self, Me

Body
efficacy

Picture 1: The Scheme of Self’s Components of Fialová (2001)

American psychologist William James considered body as the initial source of sensation and
necessary for the origin and maintenance of personality.

Sigmund Freud's construction of self and personality makes the physical body the core of
human experience. Freud was of the view that the ego is first and foremost a body ego (Freud,
1937).

For Erik Erikson, experience is anchored in the ground-plan of body (Erikson, 1963).
According to him the role of bodily organs is especially important in early developmental stages
of a persons life.

Carl Gustav Jung argued that physical processes are relevant to us only to the extent they are
represented in the psyche. The physical body and the external world can be known only as
psychological experiences.

B. F. Skinner was a staunch behaviorist and for him the role of body is of primary importance.
For Skinner the terms personality and self are mere explanatory fictions and all there is, is the
body.

Chapter 4 (week 4)
The Gendered Self
Study Guide:
Why is important for young people to discuss gender and sexuality?

People tend to use the terms “sex” and “gender” interchangeably. But, while connected,
the two terms are not equivalent. Generally, we assign a newborn’s sex as either male or
female based on the baby’s genitals. Once a sex is assigned, we presume the child’s
gender.
 Gender identity is defined as a personal conception of oneself as male or
female (or rarely, both or neither). This concept is intimately related to the
concept of gender role, which is defined as the outward manifestations of
personality that reflect the gender identity. Gender identity, in nearly all
instances, is self-identified, as a result of a combination of inherent and extrinsic
or environmental factors; gender role, on the other hand, is manifested within
society by observable factors such as behavior and appearance. For example, if
a person considers himself a male and is most comfortable referring to his
personal gender in masculine terms, then his gender identity is male. However,
his gender role is male only if he demonstrates typically male characteristics in
behavior, dress, and/or mannerisms.
Gender expression is how a person outwardly shows their gender
identity. It includes physical expressions such as person's clothing, hairstyle,
makeup, and social expressions such as name and pronoun choice. Some
examples of gender expression are masculine, feminine, and androgynous.
Some common gender definitions include:
Transsexual: transsexual individuals identify as the opposite gender to
their biological sex. Physical transformations, e.g. genital reassignment surgery
or hormone therapy, may be undertaken to change sex.
Transgender: is most often used to describe non-traditional gender
behaviours or identities.
Intersex: intersex refers to a range of conditions where a person’s sex is
not strictly male or female. This may be due to the presence of male and female
sex characteristics, or the underdevelopment of primary sex characteristics.
Sexuality can be complicated and is not fixed for everyone. There are
many kinds of sexualities that people identify as having – and it is now accepted
that same-sex attraction is a normal part of human sexuality.
Some of the common terminology associated with sexuality/sexual
orientation includes:
Heterosexual or straight: heterosexual refers to when people tend to be
attracted to the opposite sex or gender.
 Gay: gay refers to same-sex attraction and is most often used to in
reference to men.
Lesbian: lesbian refers to women who are mostly attracted to other
women, or people identifying as women.
Bisexual: bisexual refers to individuals who are attracted to both sexes
and genders.
Pansexual or pan is also often to indicate a diverse sexuality, and
attraction to people regardless of their gender.
Asexual: asexual refers to individuals who do not or have not yet
experienced sexual attraction to anyone.

Gender congruence is the feeling of harmony in our gender:

• experiencing comfort in our body as it relates to our gender

• naming of our gender that adequately corresponds with our internal
sense of who we are
• expressing ourselves through clothing, mannerisms, interests and
activities
• being seen consistently by others as we see ourselves

A person can seek harmony in many ways:

Social congruence measures: changes of social identifiers such as

clothing, hairstyle, gender identity, name and/or pronouns;
Hormonal congruence measures: the use of medical approaches such
as hormone “blockers” or hormone therapy to promote physical, mental, and/or
emotional alignment;
Surgical congruence measures: the addition, removal, or modification of
gender-related physical traits; and
Legal congruence measures: changing identification documents such as
one’s birth certificate, driver’s license, or passport.

Module 5 (Week 5)
The Spiritual Self

Study Guide:

What is a spiritual self?

How does religion promote spirituality?

“The spiritual self is the most intimate, inner subjective part of the self.”

-William James (The Principles of Psychology, 1890)

The simplest way to describe the spiritual self is the unseen part of who we are that provides our
physical self with insights, intuitions and other ways of knowing. It is being beyond with our five
senses experience in the physical world.

Spirituality is typically conceptualized in more subjective, individualistic terms. The quality of

being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.
Spiritual Self is an intimate version of the self which is comprised of one’s moral sensibility,
conscience and beliefs. Spiritual self can be expressed through one’s religion. Practices, rituals
and ceremonies are manifestations of what people believe in.
Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal
God or gods. An individual lives in a society where there are many practices of religion. The
choice of a religious belief lies within the spiritual self; although, the choice maybe influenced
by the society and its culture.
Primary Functions of Religion
1. Religion provides meaning, reasons, and purpose to man’s existence.
2. Religion fosters unity among believers by sharing common rituals, practices, and values.
3. Religion offers guidelines on how to live a moral life based on the written doctrines and
teachings.
The Major Religions of the World are : 1. Buddhism 2. Christianity 3. Hinduism 4. Islam 5.
Judaism
1. Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development. It is the fourth largest
religion in the world. Buddhists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life and do not
worship gods or deities. Buddhism originated in ancient Northeast India. Buddhists seek to reach
a state of nirvana, following the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who went on a quest
for Enlightenment. Nirvana has commonly been interpreted as the extinction of the "three fires"]
or "three poisons", namely : greed (raga), aversion (dvesha) and ignorance (moha).
Buddhism’s Sacred text is the Tripitaka which contains the teachings of Buddhism, the words of
the Buddha and the basis for the teachings of the monks.

Buddhism Practices:
Parinirvana Day - an annual Buddhist festival that remembers the death of the Buddha when he
reached Nirvana at the age of 80.
Wesak day - celebrating the life and death of Gautama Buddha.
2. Christianity is the world's biggest religion whose beliefs are based on the teaching of Jesus
Christ. The sacred text: The Bible (Old and New testaments). The cross is the main symbol. It
reminds Christians that Jesus died on the cross to save them.
Christian Practices :
• Sacrament of Baptism – symbolizes the birth in Christian world.
• Sacrament of Communion – an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ sacrificial love. The
primary purpose of communion is a symbolic reminder of Christ's death
• Christmas – usually December 25, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
 • Easter – celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death.
3. Hinduism is the world's third largest religion and the oldest living world religion. It is also
the most difficult to understand as Hindus may be atheists, monotheists or polytheists .
Originated in Northern India about 4000 years ago. Hinduism’s sacred text is Vedas and
Upanishads. Aum/Om is the main symbol of Hinduism. It is the sound heard in deepest
meditation and is said to be the name most suited for God. The belief in one true God, Brahman,
is at the core of the Hinduism religion. Three of the most significant forms of Brahman are
Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver and Shiva is the destroyer.
Hinduism Practices :
Divali symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge
over ignorance.
Navratri - is a nine nights Hindu festival. It is observed for triumph of good over evil.

4. Islam a monotheistic religion teaching that there is only one God—“Allah”, and that
Muhammad is the messenger of God. The Arabic word 'Islam' means submission and
obedience, and derives from a word meaning 'peace'. It is the world's second-largest religion,
with its members most commonly known as Muslims. It originated in Saudi Arabia and its
Sacred text is The Qur’an
Islam Practices
Salat/Salah – The most well-known, and an obligatory, act in Islam is the performance of the
five daily prayers.
Haji – the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca.. it forbids to engage in sexual activity, argue, engage in
violence and cut hair and nails.
Sawm – the fasting from food, drinks, and sexual acts during the Ramadan. The fasting is from
dawn to sunset. Muslims are required to fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic
calendar.
Eidul-Fitr – “festival of breaking the fast.” Eid al-Fitr is celebrated during the tenth month in the
Muslim (lunar) calendar.
5. Judaism is the oldest of the world's four biggest monotheistic religions. It's also the smallest ,
among the 5 major religions of the world. Judaism believes that there is a single God (YHWH)
who not only created the universe, but with whom every Jew can have an individual and personal
relationship. It originated in Israel. Its sacred text is Torah. The symbol or emblem of the Jewish
people is the Magen David (Shield of David), also known as the Star of David.

The seven lamps allude to the branches of human knowledge, represented by the six lamps
inclined inwards towards, and symbolically guided by, the light of God represented by the
central lamp. The menorah also symbolizes the creation in seven days, with the center light
representing the Sabbath.
Judaism Practices
Rosh Hashanah – the new year, held on the first day of september.
Yom Kippur – the day of Atonement
25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer.
Module 6 (Week 6)

The Political Self

Study Guide:
Who are you in relation to your national identity?
What are the values, traits, customs and traditions of your country that
authenticates your national identity and nurtures you as a Filipino citizen?

Governments provide the parameters for everyday behavior for citizens, protect them
from outside interference, and often provide for their well-being and happiness.
Governments are necessary to maintain law and order. Laws are essential for society to
function. The government provides safety and security for its people. Government is
responsible for providing infrastructure like build and maintain roads, run hospitals and
schools.
Every government has its own constitution or the basic principles and laws of a nation,
state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and
guarantee certain rights to the people in it.
According to Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, scientist, and historian,
governments are created to protect people from their own selfishness and evil. The best
government is one that has the great power of a Leviathan or sea monster. Hobbes
believed in the rule of a King because he felt that the country needs an authority figure to
provide direction and leadership. Because the people are only interested in promoting
their own self -interests, Hobbs believes democracy-- allowing citizens to vote for
government leaders would never work. Hobbes wrote, “All mankind is in a perpetual and
restless desire for power that stops only in death.” Consequently, giving power to the
individual would create a dangerous situation that would start a war of every man against
every man and make life solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.
According to John Locke, an English philosopher and political theorist (1632), among
the fundamental natural rights of men are "life, liberty, and property." Locke believed
that the most basic human law of nature is the preservation of mankind. To serve that
purpose, he reasoned, individuals have both a right and a duty to preserve their own lives.
He developed his Social Contract Theory in his famous book “Two Treatises on Civil
Government (1690). John Locke argued that sovereignty resided in the people for whom
governments were trustees and that such government could be legitimately overthrown if
they failed to discharge their functions to the people.
Communism calls for the government to take control of all the capital and industry in the
country in an effort to get rid of economic inequality. On the other hand, a democracy
respects individuals' right to own property and means of production. Monarchy is a
political system in which supreme authority is vested in the monarch (king/queen), an
individual ruler who functions as head of state.
The Philippines is a republic with a presidential form of government wherein power
is equally divided among its three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The
government seeks to act in the best interests of its citizens through this system of check
and balance.
The Checks and Balances system provides each branch of government with individual
powers to check the other branches and prevent any one branch from becoming too
powerful.
Legislative—Makes laws (Congress, comprised of the House of Representatives and
Senate)
Executive—Carries out laws (president, vice president, Cabinet, most federal agencies)
Judicial—Evaluates laws (Supreme Court and other courts)
What makes you a genuine Filipino? You and your contemporaries belong to a
country with diverse looks, ways of living and ways of thinking. Then, what
constitutes a real Filipino?
It is by your patriotism and your willingness to serve and perform your duties as
a Filipino that make you a genuine citizen of this country.
As a Filipino, you should be aware of the historical background of your country
and the legacy of your forefathers. You must be cognizant of the struggles and
the long painful process that the country and its people had borne before the
dawn of independence that you enjoy today has finally embraced your beloved
archipelago.
Do you possess the inherent traits of a Filipino? We, Filipinos, have outstanding
traits that set us apart from other citizens of the world. We have commendable
Filipino values that we cling to and adhere to for as long as we live. We are a
proud race who can valiantly compete with the rest of people in the globe.
The unique traits of the Filipinos are the following:
1. Hospitality 6. Collective pride
2. Optimism 7. Strong work ethic
3. Resourcefulness 8. Industriousness
4. Respect for elders 9. Helpfulness
5. Strong family ties 10. Gratefulness

Section 1, Article 4 of the 1987 Constitution enumerates who are the citizens of
the Philippines as follows:
Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the adoption of this Constitution
Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines
Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine
citizenship upon reaching the age of majority, and
Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.

Module 7 (Week 7)

The Digital Self

Study Guide:
 How do you take care of your digital self?
Is the digital self-advantageous or detrimental to the development of a person?

In this modern technological age, the digital self has become a basic component of most people’s
social self. Today's world is a digital world (cyberworld/cyberspace). Everything is online.
Customers look online for the products they need, they go online to get more information about
almost anything, and they go online to talk to friends. Technology and internet play a big role in
shaping a person’s social self with emphasis on the use of social media platform and membership
in virtual communities. The internet is a crucial part in the formation of the so called self of
millennial learners.

"Cyber Literacy" can best be defined as knowing where to go to find reliable and accurate
resources on the Internet. This title focuses on helping students find these resources and avoid
incorrect information.

The digital self/digital persona is the persona you use when you’re online.

Social media is any digital tool that allows users to quickly create and share content with the
public. Social media encompasses a wide range of websites and apps.

Through the use of social media, people may act differently since interaction in social media do
not happen face-to-face and there is no physical presence required. This is called online
disembodiment. With this, people are less likely to display their real “selves” to others,
especially to strangers.
When people adopt fake identities, they are likely to engage in behaviors that they would not do
in real life interactions, known as online disinhibition.

There are 2 main categories of behaviors that fall under online disinhibition:

Benign disinhibition occurs when people tend to self-disclose more on the internet than they
would in real life or go out of their way to help someone or show kindness.

Toxic disinhibition occurs when people use rude language, bully or threaten others on online
platforms, and go to websites with contents of violence, crime, and pornography.

How can one behave responsibly online? The following are some suggestions:

Do not post or send anything that will embarrass you.

Avoid posting statements when you are experiencing strong emotions.

Do not hang out with the “wrong crowd” online.

Be careful with oversharing, especially confidential information that may be used irresponsibly.

Respect other people in the online community.

Digital self-care is when we make a conscious effort to reduce our use of smartphones and
social media, to improve our mental health.

Module 8 (Week 8)

The Mental Self

The brain is a complex organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills,
vision, breathing, temperature, hunger and every process that regulates our body. Together, the
brain and spinal cord that extends from it make up the central nervous system, or CNS.

Your brain contains billions of nerve cells arranged in patterns that coordinate thought, emotion,
behavior, movement and sensation. A complicated highway system of nerves connects your
brain to the rest of your body, so communication can occur in split seconds.

“There is no health without mental health”, -W.H.O.

According to the World Health Organization, mental wellness is defined as “a state of well-
being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses
of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her
community.”

In her book, "Mindset," renowned Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck says that it's not
intelligence, talent or education that sets successful people apart. It's their mindset, or the way
that they approach life's challenges.

According to Dweck, people either have a fixed or a growth mindset, and the one that you
adopt can affect every aspect of your life.

A fixed mindset is the belief that your intelligence, talents and other abilities are set in stone.
You believe that you're born with a particular set of skills and that you can't change them. If you
have a fixed mindset, you will likely fear that you may not be smart or talented enough to
achieve your goals.

If you have a growth mindset, you believe that, with effort, perseverance and drive, you can
develop your natural qualities.

Neuroscientist Gilbert Gottlieb asserted that intelligence is determined by a combination of

genes and environment, and that your environment influences the activation of genes during
your lifetime. Whether your personality is determined by nature or nurture is still heavily
debated, but, according to Dweck, you can develop your own skills , abilities, talents, and even
intelligence through your experiences, training and effort. And she emphasizes that a growth
mindset goes further than being positive and open-minded. It also requires focused effort, and
should have a measurable impact on learning.

MODULE 9 ( WEEK 9)

THE EMOTIONAL SELF

“Feelings, nothing more than feelings….” Albert Morris song. Nothing more than
feelings? That’s like saying nothing more than life. Life is feeling – feeling alive. Some
people can’t even describe how they feel. I’ve heard others say, “I am dead inside, I
feel numb.”

Emotional intelligence (otherwise known as emotional quotient or EQ) is the ability

to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress,
communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse
conflict.

FIVE ELEMENTS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Psychologist Daniel Goleman identified the key personal and interpersonal skills
involved in emotional intelligence – and why EQ is just as important as IQ when it
comes to success.

1. Self-awareness

Self-awareness is about recognizing and understanding your emotions – what you’re

feeling and why – as well as appreciating how they affect those around you. Self-
awareness is also about knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and what is
important to you – your values or moral compass.

2. Self-regulation

The next step is managing those emotions – particularly the negative ones –
effectively. Always treat others with respect and try to stay in control. If you have a
tendency to emotional outbursts, practice being calm: step back and take a deep
breath.

3. Motivation

The third ‘personal’ element, motivation is about your drive to improve and achieve:
setting high standards for yourself and working consistently towards your goals.

4. Empathy

A key interpersonal skill, empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes
and see a situation from their perspective.

5. Social skills

Often described as a ‘people person’, those who are socially skilled are adept at dealing
with others. They are trustworthy team players and confident communicators: as good
at listening to other people as they are at speaking themselves.

References:
Erland De Vera Palean et al. (2018) Introspection: Understanding the Self. Books
Atbp. Publishing Corp. Mandaluyong City, Philippines.

Khanacademymedicine. January 22, 2015. Charles Cooley- Looking glass self |

Individuals and Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU0BQUa11ek

Khanacademymedicine. January 22, 2015. George Herbert Mead. The I and the
Me | Individuals and Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMNaQjtXSGc

Paluumimi. June 10, 2017.Developing a positive body image

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ7rVSu0qDM

Luke Relox. September 14, 2018. The Philosophical Perspective of the Self.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybCAXqkzPhw
Paluumimi. June 10, 2017. Developing a positive body image
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ7rVSu0qDM

AMAZE Org. Decemner 20, 2018. Gender Roles and Stereotypes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ulh0DnFUGsk

AMAZE Org. December 20, 2018Expressing Myself. My Way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITRdvGnplLU

Reachout.com. Gender and sexuality

https://schools.au.reachout.com/articles/gender-and-sexuality

Course Hero. Spiritual Self

https://www.coursehero.com/file/57342126/Spiritual-Self-UTSpptx/

MODULE CREATOR:
MS. ROWENA VERON-QUIZON