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GED-101-Understanding-the-Self - 2023-10-10 10-24-25
GED-101-Understanding-the-Self - 2023-10-10 10-24-25
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2. Self-Directed Learning. The study and activity guide will be placed on Google Classroom and/or
group chat via FB Messenger to facilitate individualized and self-paced learning activities. This
will allow students to work at a convenient time and pace to search and utilize vast resources. The
Discussion Group. Students will be asked to reflect on a subject under discussion and present their
views through Stream post (Google Classroom) and/or group cat (FB Messenger).
Assessment Strategies
1. Activity/Exercises/Quizzes Activities/exercises will be given to students to discover by questions or
practical activities or reflection assignments, what the students know about the lesson or what they
can do or like.
2. Projects/Outputs. Group and/or individual projects including concept papers, and plan development
and implementation, will be required for the students to pursue special interests, write or create and
publish or present their outputs via the internet.
3. Major Examinations. There will be two (2) written major examinations including Midterm and Final
exams, to be conducted to evaluate the students' progress in the course. The test questions will be sent
via Google Classroom (Classwork) and/or FB Messenger (Group Chat) on the scheduled date of
examination.
COURSE POLICIES
Grading System
The grading system adopted by this course is as follows:
Excellent 1.00 98 - 100
Superior 1.25 94 - 97
Very Good 1.50 90 - 93
Good 1.75 88 - 89
Meritorious 2.00 85 - 87
Very Satisfactory 2.25 83 - 84
Satisfactory 2.50 80 - 82
Fairly Satisfactory 2.75 78 - 79
Passing 3.00 75 - 77
Failure 5.00 Below 70
Incomplete INC
*Students who got a computed grade of 70-74 will be given an appropriate remedial activity in which the
final grade should be either passing (3.0) or failure (5.0).
Class Policy
Prompt and regular attendance of students is required. Total unexcused absences shall not exceed ten (10)
percent of the maximum number of hours required per course per semester (or per summer term). A
semester has 18 weeks.
Missed Examinations
Students who failed to take the exam during the scheduled date can be given a special exam provided
he/she has a valid reason. If it is a health reason, he/she should provide the faculty with the medical
certificate signed by the attending Physician. Other reasons shall be assessed first by the faculty to
determine its validity.
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty includes acts such as cheating during examinations or plagiarism in connection with
any academic work. Such acts are considered major offenses and will be dealt with according to the
University’s Student Norms of Conduct.
Dropping
Dropping must be made official by accomplishing a dropping form and submitting it at the Registrar’s
Office before the midterm examination. Students who officially drop out of class shall be marked
“Dropped” whether he took the preliminary examination or not and irrespective of their preliminary
grades.
A student who unofficially drops out of class shall be given a mark of “5.0” by the instructor.
2. Do the work! To succeed in this class, you must choose to do your very best work in studying for
each class session and on all your assignments and activities. See “Course Schedule”, for additional
information on completing assignments.
3. Respect. You will be exposed to a variety of viewpoints, values and opinions in college that will
differ from your own. All students in this class should feel comfortable expressing their viewpoints
and concerns in class. You are an important part of creating an atmosphere that makes this possible.
4. Flex Days/Late Work. Due dates for every assignment/activities are provided on the Study and
activity guide (and posted in Google Classroom and GED 101 group chat via FB messenger). Unless
otherwise stated, assignments/activities are due on those days.
However, I recognize that sometimes “life happens.” In these instances, you may use your allotted
two flex days. These days allow you to submit an assignment up to two days late without penalty.
You can use these days for any assignment and for any reason. You do not need to provide me with
the reason: simply message me and tell me how many of your flex days you would like to use.
Once you’ve exhausted your flex days, then point deductions will occur for any assignment submitted
after the deadline.
● An assignment submitted 24 hours after the due date will only be eligible for 80% of the
maximum number of points allotted.
● Assignments submitted more than 24 hours after the due date will not be accepted.
5. Take care of yourself. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well,
exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep, and taking time to relax.
Activity #2: SELF IN ONE LINE Assess understanding of The activity guide will be
the topics covered in sent via Google Classroom
Week 2 (Classwork) and/or FB
Messenger (Group Chat)
3 THE SELF ACCORDING TO Examine various Self Directed Learning,
SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY sociological and Lecture, and Group
The Self as a product of modern society anthropological Discussion (via Google
among other constructions perspectives that shapes Classroom and/or FB
Mead and the Social Self the self. messenger (Group chat))
The Self and person in contemporary
anthropology
The Self embedded in culture
Reading List: 8, 11, 13
ACTIVITY #3: COMPARE ME UP! Assess understanding of The activity guide will be
the topics covered in sent via Google Classroom
Week 3 (Classwork) and/or FB
Messenger (Group Chat)
4 THE SELF ACCORDING TO Analyze the psychological Self Directed Learning,
PSYCHOLOGY underpinnings that Lecture, and Group
The Self as a Cognitive Construction describe the self. Discussion (via Google
William James and the Me-Self and I-Self Classroom and/or FB
messenger (Group chat))
Real and Ideal Self
Multiple versus Unified Self
True versus False Self
The Self as Proactive and Agentic
Reading List: 8, 11, 13
ACTIVITY # 4: THE VERSUSES! Assess understanding of The activity guide will be
the topics covered in sent via Google Classroom
Week 4 (Classwork) and/or FB
Messenger (Group Chat)
5 THE SELF IN THE WESTERN AND Examine the western, Self Directed Learning,
ORIENTAL/EASTERN THOUGHT oriental, and eastern Lecture, and Group
Individualistic versus Collective Self perspectives on the Discussion (via Google
The Social Construction of the Self in formation of self. Classroom and/or FB
Western Thought messenger (Group chat))
The Self as embedded in relationships and
through spiritual development in Confucian
thought
Reading List: 8, 11, 13
ACTIVITY # 5: MY SELF: AN Assess understanding of The activity guide will be
INDIVIDUALISTIC OR the topics covered in sent via Google Classroom
COLLECTIVE? Week 5 (Classwork) and/or FB
Messenger (Group Chat)
6 to 7 UNPACKING THE SELF
The impact of culture on body image and Assess how culture affects
Self-esteem their own body image and
self-esteem
Reading List: 8,13-17
6 ACTIVITY #6: MY BODY, MY LIFE Reinforce understanding The activity guide will be
7 ACTIVITY #7: BIRTH OF A BEAUTY of the topics covered in sent via Google Classroom
Week 6 and 7 (Classwork) and/or FB
ACTIVITY #8: HOW IT AFFECTS Messenger (Group Chat)
ME?
STUDY SECTION
In the study section you are tasked to look at closely in order to read the articles.
You are expected to devote time and attention to acquiring knowledge on the topic
in each lesson.
ACTIVITY SECTION
Activity section aims to discover by questions or practical activities, what you
know about the lesson or what can you do or like.
This module will introduce you to the basic concepts of self and
personality, and how they are related with each other. Self and personality
characterized the way we define our existence, also these refers on how we organized
our experiences that are reflected to our behavior. On the other hand, people have different ideas about
themselves. These ideas represent the self of the person. Moreover, we behave in different ways in a given
situation, but people also behave fairly stable in different circumstances. The relatively permanent pattern
of behavior represents personality of the person. In details,
Personality
The etymological derivative of personality comes from the word “persona”, the theatrical masks
worn by Romans in Greek and Latin drama. Personality also comes from the two Latin words “per”
and “sonare”, which literally means “to sound through”.
Personality have no single definition since different personality theories have different views on
how to define it. However, the commonly accepted definition of personality is that it is a relatively
permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a
person’s behavior (Roberts & Mroczek, 2008).
Personality plays a key role in affecting how people shape their lives. It involves the complex
relationship of people with their environment, how they cope and adjust through life, and how they
respond to demands of physical and social challenges.
Personality is the overall pattern or integration of a person’s structure, modes of behavior, attitudes,
aptitudes, interests, intellectual abilities, and many other distinguishable personality traits.
Personality is the conglomeration of the following components: physical self, intelligence,
character traits, attitudes, habits, interest, personal discipline, moral values, principles and
philosophies of life.
Determinants of Personality
Personality refers to the total person in his/her overt and covert behavior. The determinants of factors
of personality are as follows:
Situational Factors of Personality. Although these factors do not literally create and shape up an
individual’s personality, situational factors do alter a person’s behavior and response from time to
time. The situational factors can be commonly observed when a person behaves contrastingly and
exhibits different traits and characteristics.
Personality Traits
Personality traits reflect people’s characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Personality traits imply consistency and stability—someone who scores high on a specific trait like
Extraversion is expected to be sociable in different situations and over time. Thus, trait psychology rests on
the idea that people differ from one another in terms of where they stand on a set of basic trait dimensions
that persist over time and across situations.
The most widely used system of traits is called the Five-Factor Model. This system includes five
broad traits that can be remembered with the acronym OCEAN: Openness, Conscientiousness,
Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Each of the major traits from the Big Five can be divided
into facets to give a more fine-grained analysis of someone's personality. In addition, some trait theorists
argue that there are other traits that cannot be completely captured by the Five-Factor Model. Critics of the
trait concept argue that people do not act consistently from one situation to the next and that people are very
influenced by situational forces. Thus, one major debate in the field concerns the relative power of people’s
traits versus the situations in which they find themselves as predictors of their behavior.
Research that used the lexical approach showed that many of the personality descriptors found in
the dictionary do indeed overlap. In other words, many of the words that we use to describe people are
synonyms. Thus, if we want to know what a person is like, we do not necessarily need to ask how sociable
they are, how friendly they are, and how gregarious they are. Instead, because sociable people tend to be
friendly and gregarious, we can summarize this personality dimension with a single term. Someone who is
sociable, friendly, and gregarious would typically be described as an “Extravert.” Once we know she is an
extravert, we can assume that she is sociable, friendly, and gregarious.
The most widely accepted system to emerge from this approach was “The Big Five” or “Five-
Factor Model” (Goldberg, 1990; McCrae & John, 1992; McCrae & Costa, 1987). The Big Five comprises
five major traits shown in the Figure 2 below. A way to remember these five is with the acronym OCEAN
(O is for Openness; C is for Conscientiousness; E is for Extraversion; A is for Agreeableness; N is for
Neuroticism). The table below provides descriptions of people who would score high and low on each of
these traits.
Table 2. Example behaviors for those scoring low and high for the big 5 traits
Big 5 Trait Example Behavior for LOW Example Behavior for HIGH Scorers
Scorers
Openness Prefers not to be exposed to Enjoys seeing people with new types
alternative moral systems; narrow of haircuts and body piercing;
interest; inartistic; not analystica; curious; imaginative; untraditional
down-to-earth
Conscientiousness Prefers spur-of-the-moment action Never late for a date; organized;
to planning; unrealiable; hardworking; neat, persevering;
hedonistic; careless; lax punctual; self-disciplined
Extraversion Preferring a quiet evening reading Being the life of the party’ active;
to a loud party; sober; aloof; optimistic; fun-loving; affectionate
unenthusiastic
Agreeableness Quickly and confidently asserts Agrees with other about political
own rights; irritable; opinions; good-natured; forgiving;
manipulative; uncooperative; rude gullible; helpful; forgiving
Neurotism Not getting irritated by sall Constantly worrying about little
annoyances; calm, unemotional; things; insecure; hypochondrical;
hardy; secure; self-satisfied feeling inadequate
Scores on the Big Five traits are mostly independent. That means that a person’s standing on one
trait tells very little about their standing on the other traits of the Big Five. For example, a person can be
extremely high in Extraversion and be either high or low on Neuroticism. Similarly, a person can be low in
Agreeableness and be either high or low in Conscientiousness. Thus, in the Five-Factor Model, you need
five scores to describe most of an individual’s personality. In the exercises part of this module there is a
short scale to assess the Five-Factor Model of personality (Donnellan, Oswald, Baird, & Lucas, 2006). You
can take this test to see where you stand in terms of your Big Five scores.
Traits are important and interesting because they describe stable patterns of behavior that persist
for long periods of time (Caspi, Roberts, & Shiner, 2005). Importantly, these stable patterns can have broad-
ranging consequences for many areas of our life (Roberts, Kuncel, Shiner, Caspi, & Goldberg, 2007). For
instance, think about the factors that determine success in college. If you were asked to guess what factors
predict good grades in college, you might guess something like intelligence. This guess would be correct,
but we know much more about who is likely to do well. Specifically, personality researchers have also
found the personality traits like Conscientiousness play an important role in college and beyond, probably
because highly conscientious individuals study hard, get their work done on time, and are less distracted by
nonessential activities that take time away from school work. In addition, highly conscientious people are
often healthier than people low in conscientiousness because they are more likely to maintain healthy diets,
to exercise, and to follow basic safety procedures like wearing seat belts or bicycle helmets. Over the long
term, this consistent pattern of behaviors can add up to meaningful differences in health and longevity.
Thus, personality traits are not just a useful way to describe people you know; they actually help
psychologists predict how good a worker someone will be, how long he or she will live, and the types of
jobs and activities the person will enjoy.
Who Am I?
Have you ever ask yourself the question, “Who am I?”? Answering the question 'Who am I?' can
lead to a solid self-concept and self-understanding. For many people, answering this question isn't very
easy. For others, a solid understanding of who they are is a big part of their lives. Understanding of who
you are as a person is called self-concept and understanding what your motives are when you act is
called self-understanding.
Self-concept tends to be more malleable when people are younger and still going through the
process of self-discovery and identity formation. As people age, self-perceptions become much more
detailed and organized as people form a better idea of who they are and what is important to them.
According to the book Essential Social Psychology by Richard Crisp and Rhiannon Turner:
The individual self consists of attributes and personality traits that differentiate us from other
individuals. Examples include introversion or extroversion.
The relational self is defined by our relationships with significant others. Examples include siblings,
friends, and spouses.
The collective self reflects our membership in social groups. Examples include British, Republican,
African-American, or gay.
At its most basic, self-concept is a collection of beliefs one holds about oneself and the responses
of others. It embodies the answer to the question "Who am I?". The lesson to follow will facilitate learning
about the self, and self concept.
ACTIVITY # 1: The Mini-IPIP (International Personality Item Pool Representation of the NEO PI-
R) Scale (20 points)
This section aims to reinforce your understanding of the topics covered in
Week 1 through the activity below.
Instructions: Below are phrases describing people’s behaviors. Please use the
rating scale below to describe how accurately each statement describes you.
Describe yourself as you generally are now, not as you wish to be in the
future. Describe yourself as you honestly see yourself, in relation to other
people you know of the same sex as you are, and roughly your same age.
Please read each statement carefully and put a number from 1 to 5 next to it to
describe how accurately the statement describes you. Answer the guide questions at the end of the
activity.
1 = Very inaccurate
2 = Moderately inaccurate
4 = Moderately accurate
5 = Very accurate
8. _______ Often forget to put things back in their proper place (C)
Scoring: The first thing you must do is to reverse the items that are worded in the opposite direction. In
order to do this, subtract the number you put for that item from 6. So if you put a 4, for instance, it will
become a 2. Cross out the score you put when you took the scale, and put the new number in representing
your score subtracted from the number 6.
Items to be reversed in this way: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Next, you need to add up the scores for each of the five OCEAN scales (including the reversed numbers
where relevant). Each OCEAN score will be the sum of four items. Place the sum next to each scale
below.
Compare your scores to the norms below to see where you stand on each scale. If you are low on a trait, it
means you are the opposite of the trait label. For example, low on Extraversion is Introversion, low on
Openness is Conventional, and low on Agreeableness is Assertive.
1. How do you describe your scores on Mini IPIP Scale? Do you think the results are accurate? Why?
2. Do you think personality changes through time? How?
3. Discuss how we develop our personality.
4. Differentiate personality from self.
5. How will you answer the question, “Who am I?”?
References/Sources:
Personality Traits. Edward Diener and Richard E. Lucas. Accessed July 25, 2020.
https://nobaproject.com/modules/personality-traits#discussion-questions
Self-Understanding & Self-Concept: How We Perceive Ourselves. Natalie Boyd. Accessed July 25, 2020.
https://study.com/academy/lesson/self-understanding-and-self-concept.html
Personality. Accessed July 25, 2020.
https://sg.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/148426/12/12_chapter%205.pdf
4 Reasons Why Self-understanding is Essential. Kee’s Blog. Accessed July 25, 2020.
https://intuitivehaven.com/4-reasons-why-self-understanding-is-essential/
Self and Personality. National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Accessed July
25, 2020. http://www.ncert.nic.in/NCERTS/l/lepy102.pdf
What Is Self-Concept? The Psychological Exploration of "Who Am I?". Kendra Cherry. Accessed July
25, 2020. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-concept-2795865
END OF WEEK 1
Well done on finishing Week 1!
Philosophy
Philosophy is defined as the study of knowledge or wisdom from its Latin roots,
philo (love) and sophia (wisdom). This field is also considered as “The Queen
of All Sciences” because every scientific discipline has philosophical
foundations.
Various thinkers for centuries tried to explain the natural causes of everything
that exist specifically the inquiry on the self preoccupied these philosophers in
the history. The Greek philosophers were the ones who seriously questioned myths
and moved away from them in attempting to understand reality by exercising the art of questioning that
satisfies their curiosity, including the questions about self. The following lecture will present the different
philosophical perspectives and views about self.
Socrates
Plato
St. Augustine
He is considered as the last of the great ancient
philosophers whose ideas were greatly Platonic. In melding
philosophy and religious beliefs together, Augustine has been
characterized as Christianity’s first theologian.
Like Plato, Augustine believed that the physical body is
different from the immortal soul. Early in his philosophical
development he described body as “snare” or “cage” of the soul
and said that the body is a “slave” of the soul he even characterized
that “the soul makes war with the body”. Later on he came to view
the body as “spouse” of the soul, with both attached to one another
by a “natural appetite.” He concluded, “That the body is united
with the soul, so that man may be entire and complete, is a fact we
recognize on the evidence of our own nature.”
Image Source: http://lexchristianorum.blogspot.com/
According to St. Augustine, the human nature is
composed of two realms:
David Hume
He was a Scottish philosopher and also an empiricist.
His claim about self is quite controversial because he
assumed that there is no self! In his essay entitled, “On Personal
Identity” (1739) he said that, if we carefully examine the
contents of [our] experience, we find that there are only two
distinct entities, "impressions" and "ideas".
Impressions are the basic sensations of our experience, the
elemental data of our minds: pain, pleasure, heat, cold,
happiness, grief, fear, exhilaration, and so on.
On the other hand, ideas are copies of impressions that
include thoughts and images that are built up from our primary
impressions through a variety of relationships, but because they
are derivative copies of impressions, they are once removed
from reality.
Image Source: https://www.britannica.com/
Hume considered that the self does not exist because all
of the experiences that a person may have are just perceptions
and this includes the perception of self. None of these perceptions resemble a unified and
permanent self-identity that exists over time.
Sigmund Freud
A well-known Australian psychologist and considered as
the Father and Founder of Psychoanalysis. His influence in
Psychology and therapy is dominant and popular in the 20th to
21st century.
The dualistic view of self by Freud involves the conscious
self and unconscious self.
The conscious self is governed by reality principle. Here,
the self is rational, practical, and appropriate to the social
environment. The conscious self has the task of controlling the
constant pressures of the unconscious self, as its primitive
impulses continually seek for immediate discharge.
The unconscious self is governed by pleasure principle. It
Image Source: https://www.researchgate.net/
Gilbert Ryle
A British analytical philosopher. He was an important
figure in the field of Linguistic Analysis which focused on the
solving of philosophical puzzles through an analysis of
language.
According to Ryle, the self is best understood as a pattern
of behavior, the tendency or disposition for a person to behave
in a certain way in certain circumstances.
He opposed the notable ideas of the previous
philosophers and even claimed that those were results of
confused conceptual thinking he termed, category mistake.
The category mistake happens when we speak about the
self as something independent of the physical body: a purely
Image Source: https://www.jstor.org/
mental entity existing in time but not space
Immanuel Kant
A German Philosopher who made great contribution to
the fields of metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Kant is
widely regarded as the greatest philosopher of the modern
period.
Kant maintained that an individual self makes the
experience of the world comprehensible because it is
responsible for synthesizing the discreet data of sense
experience into a meaningful whole.
It is the self that makes consciousness for the person to
make sense of everything. It is the one that help every individual
gain insight and knowledge. If the self failed to do this
synthesizing function, there would be a chaotic and insignificant
collection of sensations.
Image Source: https://mediaethicsmorning.wordpress.com/
Additionally, the self is the product of reason, a regulative
principle because the self regulates experience by making
unified experience possible and unlike Hume, Kant’s self is not the object of consciousness, but it
makes the consciousness understandable and unique.
Transcendental apperception happens when people do not experience self directly, instead as a
unity of all impressions that are organized by the mind through perceptions. Kant concluded that
becoming.
Phenomenology provides a direct description of the human experience which serves to guide man’s
conscious actions. He further added that, the world is a field of perception, and human
consciousness assigns meaning to the world. Thus man cannot separate himself from his
perceptions of the world.
Perception is not purely the result of sensations nor it is purely interpretations. Rather consciousness
is a process that includes sensing as well as interpreting/reasoning.
References/Sources:
Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self. Malabon
City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.
Alata, E.J.P., Caslib, B.N., Serafica, J.P.J., Pawilen, R.A. (2018). Unsertanding the Self. Rex Book Store
Inc., Sta Mesa Heights, Quezon City, Philippines
This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered
in Week 2 through the activity below.
Plato
St. Augustine
Descartes
Locke
Hume
Kant
Freud
Ryle
Churchland
Merleau-Ponty
their self.
The social emergence of self is developed due to the three forms of inter-subjective activity, the
language, play, and the game.
He proposed the stages of self formation:
1. Preparatory Stage. Mead believed that the self did not exist at birth. Instead, the self
develops over time. Its development is dependent on social interaction and social
experience. At this stage, children’s behaviors are primarily based on imitation. It was
observed that children imitate the behaviors of those around them. At this stage, knowing
and understanding the symbols are important for this will constitute their way of
communicating with others throughout their lives.
2. The Play Stage. Skills at knowing and understanding the symbols of communication is
important for this constitutes the basis of socialization. Through communication, social
relationship are formed. Now children begin to role play and pretend to be other people.
Role-taking in the play stage is the process of mentally assuming the process of another
as separate objects.
This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered
in Week 3 through the activity below.
Sociology Anthropology
END OF WEEK 3
Psychology
The cognitive aspect of the self is known as self-concept. Self-concept is defined as self-knowledge,
a cognitive structure that includes beliefs about personality traits, physical characteristics, abilities,
values, goals, and roles, as well as the knowledge that an individual exist as individuals. As humans
grow and develop, self-concept becomes abstract and more complex.
According to the psychologist Dr. Bruce A. Bracken in 1992, there are six specific domains that
are related to self-concept these are:
1) the social domain or the ability of the person to interact with others;
2) the competence domain or the ability to meet the basic needs;
3) the affect domain or the awareness of the emotional states;
4) the physical domain or the feelings about looks, health, physical condition, and overall
appearance;
5) academic domain or the success or failure in the school; and
6) family domain or how well one function within the family unit.
According to Multiple Selves Theory, there are different aspects of the self exist in an individual. From
here, we can say that self is a whole consist of parts, and these parts manifest themselves when need
arise.
Gregg Henriques proposed the Tripartite Model of Human Consciousness, wherein he described that
self is consist of three related, but also separable domains these are the experimental self, private self,
and public self.
Me-Self I-Self
END OF WEEK 4
Understanding individualism and collectivism could help in the understanding of the cross-cultural
values of a person. Not every culture is at one end or the other of the spectrum, but the majority tend to
favor one over the other in everyday life.
Individualistic Self
Individualism is not the idea that individuals should live like isolated entity, nor the idea that they
should never get or give help from others, nor the idea that an individual never owes anything to other
people.
Individualism is the idea that the fundamental unit of the human species that thinks, lives, and acts
toward goals is the individual. This means that we can form our own independent judgments, act on
our own thoughts, and disagree with others.
Each adult individual can consider what is in his own best interests. Each can act on his own private
motivations and values and can judge other people as good people to form relationships with, or as bad
people to be avoided. Each can decide whether to cooperate with others to solve problems. Each can
choose to think for himself about the conclusions that the majority of others in a group come to,
accepting or rejecting their conclusions as indicated by his own thought.
Example of the description would include an individual identifies primarily with self, with the needs of
the individual being satisfied before those of the group. Looking after and taking care of ourselves,
being self-sufficient, guarantees the well-being of the group. Independence and self-reliance are greatly
stressed and valued.
In general, people tend to distance themselves psychologically and emotionally from each other. One
may choose to join groups, but group membership is not essential to one’s identity or success.
Individualist characteristics are often associated with men and people in urban settings.
Western cultures are known to be individualistic.
Collectivism is the idea that the fundamental unit of the human species that thinks, lives, and acts
toward goals is not the individual, but some group. In different variants, this group may be the
family, the city, the economic class, the society, the nation, the race, or the whole human species.
The group exists as a super-organism separate from individuals: A group may make its own
decisions, acts apart from the actions of individuals, and has its own interests apart from those of
the individuals that compose it.
Under collectivism, individuals are analogous to ants in the protection of their queen ant. The
individual ant doesn’t have minds of their own, and generally cannot disagree with the hive. Any
ant that acts in a way contrary to the interests of the group is a malfunctioning ant. If an ant does
not follow the certain pattern of how they protect their queen, it will be entirely unable to support
itself, find other ants that support other queen ant and will surely die in short order. If the
malfunctioning ant stays within the group, it will be a threat to the line appropriate to protecting
the queen ant.
Examples of the collectivist thinking is when our identity is in large part, a function of our
membership and role in a group, e.g., the family or work team. The survival and success of the
group ensures the well-being of the individual, so that by considering the needs and feelings of
others, one protects oneself. Harmony and the interdependence of group members are stressed and
valued. Group members are relatively close psychologically and emotionally, but distant toward
non-group members. Collectivist characteristics are often associated with women and people in
rural settings.
Asian countries are known to be collective in nature.
Self has been an area of interest by French and English philosophers, and evident in the ideas of
Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato.
Descartes in 17th century emphasized the self in his dictum “I think therefore I am” which claims
that cognitive basis of the person’s thoughts is proof for the existence of the self.
Kant believed that the self is capable of actions that entitles it to have rights as an autonomous
agent.
Here are some qualities imparted to the Western subjective self. It sketches some features on
subjectivity and ways of thinking of western persons. This provides an impressionistic profile
through the use of a few strokes characterizing some ways of being and thinking of many western
persons.
o Western self as analytic. Since analytic and inductive modes of thinking were
prominent for person in western cultures, to see objects as divisible combinations of
yet smaller objects. Real things are not only visualized but immaterial things like
thoughts, ideas and memories would be given emphasis.
o Western self as monotheistic. Monotheism can be known as the rigid consequence of
the doctrine of normal human being. It is like forcing the concentration of supernatural
capabilities.
The Self as Embedded in Relationships and through Spiritual Development in Confucian Thought
Confucius was born in the period of the Zhou Dynasty in 551 BCE
in the state of Lu. He grew up poor although he was descended from
scholarly family.
Confucius philosophy is known as humanistic social philosophy
which focusses on human beings and the society in general.
Confucianism is centered on ren which can be manifested through
the li (propriety), xiao (filiality), and yi (rightness). For Confucius,
ren reflects the person’s own understanding of humanity. It is found
within each person and can be realized in one’s personal life and
relationship. Ren guides human actions that makes life worth living
which can be realized through li, xiao, and yi:
This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered
in Week 5 through the activity below.
Name:
Section:
My Self: an Individualistic or Collective?
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References/Sources:
Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self. Malabon
City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.
Alata, E.J.P., Caslib, B.N., Serafica, J.P.J., Pawilen, R.A. (2018). Unsertanding the Self. Rex Book Store
Inc., Sta Mesa Heights, Quezon City, Philippines
● The understanding of the Physical self is shaped by biological and environmental factors.
● The Biological blueprint involves Heredity and its important factors. Heredity is defined as the
transmission of traits from parents to offspring. The traits are made up of specific information embedded
within one’s gene. Genotype refers to the specific information embedded within one’s genes; not all
genotypes translate to an observed physical characteristic. Phenotype is the physical expression of a
particular trait. Each individual carries 23 pairs of chromosomes, which are threadlike bodies in the
nucleus of the cell and the storage unit of genes. The 23rd pair, also known as sex
chromosomes, determines the sex of an individual. Within each chromosome is the deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA), which is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions specifying the biological
development of every individual.
● Maturation is known as the completion of growth of a genetic character within an organism or the
unfolding of an individual’s inherent traits or potential.
● As you grow up, you are exposed to environmental influences that shape your physical self, including
those from your social networks, societal expectations, and cultural practices that will lead a person to
understand themselves.
● As children advance in age, their interests change and with these come changes in their bodies. The
changes are rapid and before parents notice it, they are no longer babies but teenagers. An obvious change
in teenagers are the changes in Physical Self. The Physical Self refers to the concrete dimensions of the
body, it is the tangible aspect of the person which can be directly observed and examined.
● Physical Characteristics are the defining traits or features of a person’s body. This is also the first thing
people see when they look at another person that could include facial features, hairstyle, clothes, or
figure. They encompass everything that one can describe about a person or group of people, by just
looking.
● Erik Erikson believed in the importance of the body from early development because the physical as
well as intellectual skills will somehow serve as a basis to whether a person has achieved a sense of
● A period of rapid physical changes is in Puberty. According to Santrock (2016), puberty is not the same
as adolescence because puberty ends prior to the end of the adolescent period. But the recognized puberty
as the most essential marker of the beginning of adolescence. The changes experienced during puberty
are different from girls and boys. Girls reach puberty earlier than boys and experience menarche which
is her first menstrual flow. Boys, two or three years later, experience spermarche or semenarche which
is his first ejaculation or nocturnal emission (wet dreams).
● Puberty is a brain neuroendocrine process occurring primarily in early adolescence that triggers the rapid
physical changes. The Pituitary gland is the master endocrine gland that controls growth and regulates
functions of all the other endocrine glands including gonads. The chemical substances secreted by the
gonads promotes physical changes such as height, widening of the hips and increase in fatty tissues in
the breast of girls and responsible for boy’s growth of facial and body hair, muscles, and changes in
voice.
● Different levels of connectedness characterize the relationship between self and body. These
connectedness may be in a positive or negative ways, or in helpful or destructive ways.
Nevertheless, it is between individuals as well as across situations. The potential of the physical
body to be regarded as an object introduces the possibility of trait and state body as well as the state
of the self.
Theory suggests that Physical body both has objective and subjective components.
Individual’s conception and acknowledgment of their physical bodies substantiate their
assessment of the sense of totality which is an integral to his/her experience of the physical
world. Moreover, one’s experience of one’s physical body may be a key predictor of a variety
of behaviors.
2. Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective
Focuses on perceptual, cognitive, and affective aspects which is a multidimensional
experience that can aid a more precise understanding of the body . The cognitive-behavioral
perspective makes multiple distinctions to facilitate precise conceptual and operational
definitions of body-image related variables.
3. Feminist Perspective
Relies on the social construction in which there is a possibility of individuals to
experience their bodies in distorted ways (especially, women). women’s dissatisfaction with
their bodies as a systematic social phenomenon rather than a result of individual pathology
(McKinley, 2002).
Specifically, the duality established between the mind and body in Western societies
and the pairing of men with the “mind” and women with the “body” contribute to women
experiencing their bodies differently than men.
1. Personal Factors
a. Introspection and Self-reflection. Looking inward is one of the simplest
ways to achieve self-knowledge. According to Hewstone, et al., (2015)
Introspection is the process is the process by which one observes and
examines one’s internal state (mental and emotional) after behaving in a
certain way.
d. Personal Identity. This is the concept a person has about himself that
develops over the years. This includes aspects of his life that he was born
into like family, nationality, gender, physical traits as well as the choices
he makes, such as what he does for living, who his friends are and what he
believes in.
2. Social Factors
a. Attachment Process and Social Appraisal. According to Bowlby (1969),
people learn about their value and lovability when they experience how
their mothers or caregivers care for them and respond to their needs.
References:
Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self. Malabon
City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.
Hewstone, et.al. (2015). An Introduction to Social Psychology. UK: British Psychological Society and John
Wiley and Sons Ltd.
Krueger, D.W. 2002 Integrating body self and psychological self: Creating a new story in psychoanalysis
and psychotherapy. Accessed date: July 24, 2020. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2003-06051-000
Santrock, J (2014) Adolescence. New York, USA: McGraw Hill International edition
Santrock, M (2016) Essentials of Life Span Development 4th ed. New York, USA: McGraw Hill
International Edition
This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered in Week
6 through the activity below.
A. Reflect on the presented article “The Physical Self” in Week 6, answer the question. Express your
thoughts in 5-10 sentences.
QUESTION:
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2. Which of factors that affect perception of the Physical Self would you say is mostly
used by teenagers in your age nowadays?
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Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using Google Classroom (GED
101Class) GED 101 group chat via FB messenger.
Week 7: PHYSICAL SELF” The impact of culture on body image and self-esteem
Understanding the self includes understanding the surroundings and what influences
our outlook in our beauty. Culture may seem to have an effect also on how people view
themselves and how they construct their images and boost their self-esteem. Physical
aspect of the self may also provide understanding and the importance of beauty.
The Impact of Culture on Body Image and Self-Esteem: The Importance of Beauty
● After going through all the concepts and theories that may affect the person’s view of his physical
self, there’s another factor that strongly impacts this perception, his cultural milieu. Culture is
defined as a social system that is characterized by the shared meanings that are attributed to people
and events by its members.
● There are a lot of movies in the past that are about the body. One of the most successful horror
movies of the 1950s entitled Invasion of the Body Snatcher, wherein human beings were replaced
with new bodies and devoid human emotions. Another is the The Stepford Wives that took the idea
of body replacement. In this movie husbands were killing their wives and replacing them with
robots who look exactly like them, but perfectly submissive. Some other movies about the body
include Shallow Hal (2001), Huge (2010), 200 pound Beauty (2010) and Imperfect (2019).
● The makeup of a body is a collection of cells, combined into organs, which themselves operate in
systems. In humans, that body typically takes on a form with two arms, two legs, a torso, and a
head. But the question is, is there such a thing as a universal decontextualized body? The answer is
no. bodies are shaped in countless ways by culture, by society, and by the experiences that are
shared with a social and cultural context. Since it is also shaped by history, there are always
changing ideas about it. It can be assumed that the body is contingent – meaning molded by factors
outside the body, and internalized into the physical being itself.
● These meanings occur within a set of culturally constructed power relations which suggest that, for
example, women must be attractive in order to be valuable. But this process does not just happen
after we enter culture. How those features will be interpreted will then be shaped by culture, but
the features themselves will already be present. Meaning what occurs is that once something comes
to take on cultural meaning, it becomes naturalized: people think that things are the way that they
are because they have always been that way. These meanings have been created, and that they can
change, and that there’s nothing natural at all. Even something that seems to be rooted in the body
as disability is partially socially constructed.
● This differs from what might be called an essentialist view of the body. Essentialism means that
bodies are defined entirely by their biological make-up – bones, muscles, hormones, and the like.
Much of human behavior can also be reduced to many of those biological functions, it is referred
to by social scientists call a reductionist idea that complex human behaviors can be reduced to
something as simple as, for example, hormones. This simply means that we cannot understand the
biological organism without first understanding social, cultural, and historical context in which it
exists.
● Another example of how norms of masculinity and femininity shape not just behavior, but public
perceptions are those people who did activities of the other gender. They were praised at the same
time and criticized just by doing what is not expected to their gender. With this, the idea that the
body is marked with culture and society is the term social skin to refer to the ways in which social
categories become inscribed onto physical body. Through the social skin, the body becomes the
symbolic stage on which dramas of society are enacted. This idea is from the anthropologist
Terence Turner (1980).
● A woman is what she wears – this statement is from the work of Janes Gaines on fashion (1990)
which implies that women are often defined completely by their clothing –. In this study, it suggests
that people have body images. Body image can be described as a representation of how individuals
think and feel about their own physical attributes. Body image is both internal (personal) and
external (society).
● This includes (1) how a person perceives his body, (2) how a person feels about their physical
appearance, (3) how a person thinks and talks to themselves about their bodies, and (4) a sense of
how other people view their bodies. Though sometimes how a person looks has possibly never held
as much as societal importance or reflected so significantly on our perceived self-worth.
● Body image is the mental representation one creates, but it may or may not bear close relation to
how others actually see you. Body image is subject to all kinds of distortion from internal elements
like our emotions, moods, early experiences, attitudes of our parents, and much more. The mass
media has increasingly become a platform that reinforce cultural beliefs and projects strong views
on how we should look, that we as individuals often unknowingly validate. With such strong
societal scrutiny, it is easy to see how the focus is on negative body image. Nevertheless, it strongly
influences behavior. Preoccupation with and distortions of body image are widespread among
American women (and to a lesser extent, among males), but they are driving forces in eating
disorders, feeding severe anxiety than can be assuaged only by dieting.
● Having a sense of understanding that healthy attractive bodies come in many shapes and sizes,
and that physical appearance says very little about the character or value of a person, a person can
have a positive body image. How to get to this point depends on the acceptance and esteem that a
● Self-esteem is the overall evaluation that a person has of himself which can be positive or negative,
high or low. Self esteem is a measure of the person’s self-worth based on some personal or social
standard. It is a global evaluative dimension of the self.
● Self-esteem is how valuable to himself and others he person perceives himself to be. Needless to
say, people with positive or high self-esteem are happier, have a sense of accomplishment and
purpose and relate well with others.
● Young people put so much pressure on themselves to attain unrealistic ideals to the point of risking
mental and physical health is unacceptable. The following are some aspects in culture that may
have led to some misconceptions:
1. Society’s ideal for the perfect physical form for men and women.
2. Images of perfection brought by all types of media i.e print, television, film, and
internet.
3. Since a standard has been set by society and reinforced by the media, any
characteristic that does not conform to the standard is labelled as ugly. Body
diversity in size and structure due to genetic heritability is not tolerated.
References:
Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.
This section aims to reinforce your understanding of some of the topics covered in
Week 7 through the two activities below.
Name:
Take a photo and turn it in using Google Classroom (GED 101Class) GED 101 group chat via FB
messenger.
Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using Google Classroom (GED
101Class) GED 101 group chat via FB messenger.
END OF WEEK 7
This section tackles one of the most crucial aspects of human development, the sexual self. It
highlights biological and environmental factors that shape sexual
development. Being a complex and amazing structure, the human body is a
source of strength, beauty, and wonder. Like a well-designed machine, a
healthy body has parts whose parts function smoothly together. Like a
harmonious orchestra that musicians play together, they produce beautiful
music, a healthy body that has parts whose operations are in harmony with
others.
Introduction
● Sexual selfhood is defined as how one thinks about himself or herself as a sexual individual. Human
sexuality is a topic that just like beauty is culturally diverse. This should be understood in varied
ways.
1. Historical.
● In the Middle Ages (476-1450), bore witness to the strong influence of church particularly in
matters of sexuality. The church decreed that all sexual acts that do not lead to procreation were
considered evil. Women were labelled as either temptress (like Eve) or a woman of virtue (like
Virgin Mary).
● In the protestant reformation of the 16th century (1483-1546) Martin Luther, John Calvin and other
Protestant leaders initiated a movement against the Roman Catholic Church. Protestantism believed
that sexuality is a natural part of life and that priests should be able to marry and have families.
Martin Luther King and John Calvin believed that the reason for sexual intimacy was to strengthen
the physical and emotional bond between husbands and wives and not just procreation.
● By the 17th and 18th century, the Puritans, a group of people who were discontented with the Church
of England rallied for religious, moral and societal reformation. They had positive view on marital
sex and did not tolerate sex outside marriage. Premarital sex, therefore, was considered immoral.
● Through the years and in the 20th century, interest in sexuality became more evident and accepted
in society. The separation of church and state reduced the influence the church had over sexual
mores. Also, the rise of feminism allowed for changes in employment, home life, and sexual
standards for women. Over time, cultural diversity and social norms offered varied views on what
today may be considered as sexually normal.
2. Biological.
● Knowing the structures and functions of the reproductive system is essential to the understanding
of sexuality. In the nervous system, it is the brain that initiates and organizes sexual behavior.
Through the process of sexual reproduction, the next generation of human beings are created by
the fusion of the egg cell and sperm cell. This will be discussed further in the next pages.
3. Sociobiological/Evolutionary.
● Although survival is the goal of the evolutionary perspective, physical attraction which ends in sex
does not mean that the attraction will be lasting. For what is really important in human sexual
relationships is the love, care, and responsibility each gender has for the other.
4. Psychological
● Rosenthal (2013) also explained that sexuality is not a mere physical response. Rather, it also
involves emotions, thoughts and beliefs.
● Sigmund Freud was one of the most prominent people to explain sexuality, through his theories.
According to him, human beings are faces with two forces – sex instinct and libido (pleasure) and
death or aggressive instinct (harm toward oneself or towards others).
● Freud also regarded personality as composed of three structures: the id, the Ego and the Superego.
The id is the part which always seeks for pleasure and aggression. It follows the pleasure principle
because it wants the person to attain gratification immediately. It is unconsciously saying “I want
it now!”. The Superego is the person’s sense of morality; it follows the moral principle whose role
is to restrict demands of the id. It is developed when children are taught the difference between
right and wrong. The ego follows the analytical principle. It analyses the need of the id and its
consequences as dictated by the superego and thinks of ways to satisfy the need in an acceptable
manner.
5. Religious
● Judaism holds a positive and natural outlook toward marital sex which they consider as blessed by
God and pleasurable for both men and women. Sexual connection provides an opportunity for
spirituality and transcendence.
● In Islam, family is considered of utmost importance, and celibacy within marriage is prohibited.
Muslim men are allowed to have up to four wives but Muslim women can only have one husband.
Sex is permitted only within marriage and extramarital sex is penalized.
● According to Taoism, which originated in China, sex is not only natural and healthy, but a sacred
union necessary to people’s physical, mental, and spiritual being. The sexual union is a way to
balance male and female energy.
● In Hinduism, sexuality is seen as spiritual force, and the act of ritual lovemaking is a means of both
celebrating and transcending the physical
● For the Roman Catholic Church, marriage is purely for intercourse and procreation. Pope John Paul
II confirmed the idea that married couples should engage in intercourse only for the purpose of
procreation. They further believed that homosexual orientation, in itself is not sinful, but
homosexual acts are immoral and sinful. The use of birth control is strongly opposed but they agree
to natural family planning and prohibit abortion.
● From a purely physical standpoint, our bodies are made mainly of water. We are also made of
many minerals, including calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine,
magnesium, and iron. In order of size, the elements of the body are organized into cells, tissues,
and organs. Related organs are combined into systems, including the musculoskeletal,
cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and reproductive systems
1. Asexual reproduction
The simplest form of reproduction that literally means without sex. A single celled animal
grows to a certain stage or size and divides into two identical organisms. Multi-celled asexual
organisms have developed several unique reproductive strategies. For example, the jellyfish
reproduces by budding, a process where a new individual begins to grow (bud) from the
original organism and is eventually released as a small, free swimming organism.
2. Sexual reproduction
In organisms that reproduce sexually, there are males and females and reproduction occurs
when partners come together. This also involves reproductive cells, including a female ovum
(egg) and a male’s sperm.
● Network of organs and signaling molecules happened in the process of the human reproductive
system. In which, interaction and communication make it possible to the human ability to
produce and bear live offspring. It is distinguished from all other organ systems of the human
body by the fact that it is composed of two anatomically different organ plans, one for the
female and one for the male. It is also a slow-developing system, with the reproductive organs
obtaining full maturity at some point during adolescence, the transitional phase of growth and
development between childhood and adulthood.
● In both male and female embryos, the tissues that will form the structures of the internal
genitalia that are destined to develop in only one way, either as structures in the female
reproductive system or structures in the male reproductive system, but not both.
● Provided all organs are present, normally constructed, and functioning properly, the seven
essential features of human reproduction are:
1. Penis – a male sexual organ consisting of the internal root and external shaft and glans.
2. Root – the portion of the penis that extends internally into the pelvic cavity.
3. Shaft – the length of the penis between the glans and the body.
4. Glans – the head of the penis; richly endowed with nerve endings.
5. Cavernous bodies – the structures in the shaft of the penis that engorge with blood during sexual
arousal.
6. Foreskin – a covering of skin over the penile glans.
1. Vulva – encompasses all female external genital structures – the hairs, fold of skin, and the urinary
and vaginal openings.
a. Mons Veneris – a triangular mound over the pubic bone above the vulva.
b. Labia majora – the outer lips of the vulva.
c. Labia minora – the inner lips of the vulva, one on each side of the vaginal opening.
d. Prepuce – the foreskin or fold of skin over the clitoris.
e. Clitoris – a highly sensitive structure of the female external genitals, the only function of which
is sexual pleasure.
f. Shaft – the length of the clitoris between the glans and the body.
g. Glans – the head of the clitoris; richly endowed with nerve endings.
h. Cruca – the innermost tips of the cavernous bodies that connect to the pubic bones.
i. Vestibule – the area of the vulva inside the labia minora.
j. Urethra – the tube through which urine passes from the bladder to outside the body.
2. Internal Structure
a. Vagina – a stretchable canal in the female that opens at the vulva and extends about four inches
into the pelvis.
b. Rugae – the folds of tissue in the vagina.
c. Cervix – the small end of the uterus, located at the back of the vagina.
d. Uterus – a pear shaped organ inside the female pelvis, within which the fetus develops.
e. Fallopian tubes – two tubes in which the egg and sperm travel, extending from the sides of
the uterus.
f. Ovaries – female gonads that produce ova and sex hormones.
● These are the parts of the reproductive organs that are considered to be important. The primary
and secondary characteristics refer to specific physical differentiate males and females in
sexually dimorphic species – species having two forms that are determined by their sex; that
is, species in which males and females look different from each other. Primary characteristics
are there from birth (for example, penises and vaginas). Secondary sexual characteristics
emerge at puberty (such as low voices and beards in men, and high voices and no facial hair in
women). Samples includes:
● These secondary sexual characteristics are not used in reproduction, but are apparent in most
dimorphic species. Hormones secreted through the hypothalamus initiate the development of
classically male or female secondary sexual traits.
● With girls, the menstrual cycle begins, it may be irregular, with some monthly cycles occurring
without ovulation. Since 1840, menstruation has been beginning a few months earlier every
decade, possibly due to better nutrition or to the consumption of meat that contains hormones.
In general, girls gain less height and weight than boys do during their teenage years.
● The list below shows some of these characteristic differences between human males and
females.
● Puberty is the stage of physical maturation in which an individual becomes physiologically capable
of sexual reproduction. The biological changes include: (1) neurosecretory factors and/or
hormones, (2) modulation of somatic growth, and (3) initiation of the development of the sex
glands. The physiology of puberty includes also the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary-
● The prepubertal uterus is tear-drop shaped, with the neck and isthmus accounting for up to two-
thirds of the uterine volume; then, with the production of estrogens, it becomes pear shaped, with
the uterine body increasing in length and thickness proportionately more than the cervix.
● The rising levels of plasma gonadotropins stimulate the ovary to produce increasing amounts of
estradiol. Estradiol is responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics, that is,
growth and development of the breasts and reproductive organs, fat redistribution (hips, breasts),
and bone maturation. The maturation of the ovary at adolescence correlates well with estradiol
secretion and the stages of puberty.
● During puberty, plasma estradiol levels fluctuate widely, probably reflecting successive waves of
follicular development that fail to reach the ovulatory stage. The uterine endometrium is affected
by these changes and undergoes cycles of proliferation and regression, until a point is reached when
substantial growth occurs so that withdrawal of estrogen results in the first menstruation
(menarche). Female secondary sexual characteristics include breast development, pubic and/or
axillary hair, and menses occur earlier than normal variations from the mean, the terms premature.
P1 Prepubertal
Testicular length less than 2.5 cm
● Secondary sexual development in boys includes growth kinetics are enhanced from early puberty
on, this is on maximal velocity of attaining it only around 14 to 15 years of age. Testis increases in
size, mainly at the expense of the seminiferous tubules. Also the interstitial (leydig) cells develop
and ensure synthesis and secretion of testosterone. A testicular volume of 4ml or a longitudinal
diameter greater than or equal to 2.5 cm and a slight progressive increase in scrotal folds and
pigmentation constitute the first signs of puberty. The increase in testicular size observed during
pre puberty and puberty results essentially from the development of the seminiferous tubules.
● The testicular volume increases throughout puberty up to Tanner stage P4 when a longitudinal
diameter of 5.0 + 0.5 cm or a volume of 17.6 + 4.0 ml is reached. A significant increase of plasma
testosterone is found only between Tanner pubertal stages P3 and P4. Dihydrotestosterone shows
a pattern similar to that of testosterone, and the proportion of dihydrotestosterone to testosterone
decreases gradually until adulthood, when dihydrotestosterone levels are approximately 10% of
those of testosterone.
● Remember, that at the start of puberty, changes that happen in the bodies of young males and
females are both secondary and primary sexual changes. Whereas, secondary sexual changes are
physical changes that distinguish males from females.
● Erogenous zones can be understood in a certain way we understand our body. These are areas of
the human body that have heightened sensitivity. The stimulation of these areas may result in the
foundation and production of sexual fantasies, sexual arousal, and orgasm. These are areas that are
more sensitive than others all over the body.
● Varieties of sexual excitement may be provoked that will classify the erogenous zones. Erogenous
zones vary from culture to culture and over time. Essentially, these parts have high concentration
of nerve endings, that the result is they are particularly sensitive to touch, pressure, or vibration.
1. Oral stage, the child erogenous zone is the mouth which receives gratification through
eating and sucking.
2. Anal stage, the erogenous zone is the anus in which sexual gratification is derived from
defecation
3. Phallic stage, erogenous zone is the genitals. Here the child experiences sexual attraction
towards the opposite sex parent. Oedipus complex (sexual attraction of the body child
toward the mother) and Electra complex (sexual attraction of the girl child towards the
father)
4. Latency stage, sexual impulses lie dormant as the child is occupied by social activities
such as going to school and playing.
5. Genital stage, where the erogenous zone is again the genitals. At this time, the sexual
attraction is directed towards others, usually one of opposite sex.
● According to his theory, each stage of psychosexual development must be met successfully for
proper development; if we lack proper nurturing and parenting during a stage, we may become
stuck in, or fixated on, that stage. Freud’s psychosexual theory has been seriously criticized for the
past few decades and is
now considered largely
outdated. However, the
erogenous zones were
discussed in each of the
stages of psychosexual
development, that if not
outgrown will have
fixations for that certain
stage.
● Erogenous zones is
different from sexual
fetishes. According to
Freud, a fetish is an
inappropriate object (a
shoe for example) that is
substituted for a woman
and used for sexual
gratification. An
erogenous zone is a body
part (a foot, for instance)
that arouses sexual
curiosity and draws a man's
attention to the whole
female body. Fetishism is
an individual personality
disorder, while erogenous
zones are sexual
preferences shared by most
men at a given time or
place. Fetishes belong to
● The phrase erogenous zones was coined near the end of the nineteenth century and used in the early
twentieth century by some psychologists to describe how simple pressure to these parts of the body
could arouse complete orgasm in what were defined as hysterical persons (generally understood to
be women).
● The second general meaning of the phrase, to be dealt with at some length here, refers to a visual
phenomenon associated with clothing and body adornment. For cultural anthropologists, erogenous
zones are those areas of the female body which men find sexually arousing and which women alter
or adorn to attract the male eye.
● Because of this understanding, it can be noted that culture determines their unique fixation for
erogenous zones. Examples are Asian men prize the nape of the neck while Europeans are fixated
with waist. In defiance of common sense, the genitals rarely become erogenous zones.
● Human increases their likeness through body paint, cosmetics, mutilation or other procedures like
Western women paint their lips red, enhancing resemblance to the labia; Aristocratic Chinese
women bound their feet so it would be tiny, curled feet more closely resembled the vulva. More
societies alter their erogenous zones to make them more beautiful or prominent.
● One of the great qualities of a human being is its ability to be modified by experiences. This process
is known as learning and conditioning, which most of the aspects of human behavior, even sexual
behavior appear to be a product of it. Like the preferences people have of type of individual as
partners – tall, short, younger, or varieties of partners like heterosexual/homosexual. The
classification of behavior as normal or away from normal represents culture based rather than
scientifically explained.
● As part of the transition from childhood to adulthood, all adolescents experience sexual feelings.
Some act upon these feelings by having sexual intercourse; others don’t have intercourse but
engage in behaviors stopping short of penile/vaginal intercourse; some engage in anal intercourse
or oral sex (Remez, 2000); and others deny their sexual feelings by focusing intensely on non-
sexual pursuits.
● Other adolescents are able to have socially acceptable intercourse through early, sometimes pre-
arranged, marriages. Sexual behavior among adolescents is not new – what is new is the delay in
marriage that attends increasing educational attainment, and non-agricultural and increasingly
technological free market societies.
● Individuals become erotically aroused when they observe other individuals engaging in sexual
activity. The human sexual response can be understood through a cycle. This is also called the
sexual response cycle. It refers to the sequence of physical and emotional changes that occur as a
person becomes sexually aroused and participates in sexually stimulating activities.
● Advantages can be known if a person would know how their bodies respond during each cycle.
Men and women experience sexual arousal very differently, not only physiologically but
psychologically. For many women, the excitement phase has much more of an emotional
● Master and Johnson categorized the human sexual response into four stages which they called the
Human Sexual Response Cycle (HSRC);
Stage Description
Excitement This is the body’s initial response to sexual arousal.
● Sexual response varies from person to person and sexual fulfillment can occur without the
completion of all phases described by Master and Johnson. Rosenthal (2013) has included the stage
of desire prior to excitement which is a drive or motivation to seek out sexual objects or to engage
in sexual activities.
References:
Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.
Master, A. and Johnson, T. Human Sexual Response. Accessed July 28, 2020.
https://canvas.du.edu/courses/24161/files/1152570
This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered in Week
8 through the two activities below.
A. Reflect on the presented article “The Sexual Self” in Week 8, answer the question. Limit your
answers in 5 sentences each only.
Questions:
Based on the presented topic of Sexual Self, make this case analysis output
Direction:
http://www.ashianasheffield.org/case_studies/case-study-3-female-genital-mutilation-fgm/
I was born in Sierra Leone and lived with my mother and sister. I was cut when I was 8 years old. I was
told that there will be a grand ceremony and they bought me a very pretty dress. They invited a lot of
other women and there was music and dance. Then the women took me into an empty room and one
came behind me and pinned me to the floor by pressing my shoulders hard. Another held my left leg and
a third held my right leg. At that point I started panicking and asked them to release me. They did not
listen. My mother has disappeared and the only familiar face was that of my auntie who kept on telling
me to lie down and be quiet. A very old lady came in sat in front of my opened legs and opened a piece
of cloth. She took out a blade and started cutting me. The pain was excruciating. I started screaming. I
tried with all my strength to free my legs but the two women holding me, held harder and harder and I
kept screaming. The woman kept on cutting. I think I fainted at that point.
I felt betrayed by my mother and did not want to talk to her. She told me that when I grew up I would be
able to have children safely and my husband would love me.
Since that day I had a lot of pain when I passed water and when I started having a period I would scream
from the pain sometimes. I never felt anything when my husband came to my bed at night. I cleaned his
house, cooked for him and he forced me to sleep with him all the time. It hurt a lot. I could not have
children; it might have been a result of the cutting. My husband left me because he had the right to take
another wife and because he said I brought him bad luck.
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referred to when necessary to analysis and support the referred when necessary to
END OF WEEK 8
This section will provide understanding on the developing a sexual self-concept that
is an important developmental task of adolescence; however, little empirical evidence
describes this development, nor how these changes are related to development in
sexual behavior. Highlight of this part is the understanding of the chemistry of love,
lust and attachment; The Psychological aspect; the sexually diverse behavior;
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STIs) and Contraception.
● According to anthropologist Helen Fisher (2016) there are three stages of falling in love. In
each stage, a different set of brain chemicals run the show. These stages are lust, attraction,
and love.
1. Lust
● Through reproduction,
organisms pass on their
genes, and contribute to the
perpetuation of their
species. The hypothalamus
of the brain plays a big role
in this, stimulating the production of the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen from the testes
and ovaries.
● While these chemicals are often stereotyped as being male and female, respectively, both play
a role in men and women. As it turns out, testosterone increases libido in just about everyone.
The effects are less pronounced with estrogen, but some women report being more sexually
motivated around the time they ovulate, when estrogen levels are highest.
● In this stage, a person may begin to be obsessed about their object of affection and crave for
his presence. A person may don’t feel like sleeping or eating. People can certainly lust for
someone they are attracted to, and vice versa, one can happen without the other.
● .Attraction has brain pathways that controls “reward” behavior, which explains the first few
months of a relationship. Dopamine is the main player in the brain’s reward pathway. When it
is released, people feel good. In this case, these things spending time with loved ones with high
levels of dopamine and related hormones (norepinephrine) are released.
● Brain scans of people in love have actually shown that the primary “reward” centers of the
brain. Finally, attraction seems to lead to a reduction in serotonin, a hormone that is involved
in appetite and mood. In the end, everyone is capable of defining love for themselves. And, for
better or for worse, if it’s all hormones, maybe each of us can have “chemistry” with just about
anyone.
3. Attachment
● This stage involves wanting to make a more lasting commitment to your loved one. All the
goals are dedicated to the object of affection being a part of a person’s life. dopamine decreases
and attraction goes down.
● If things are going well, it gets replaced by the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin, which
create the desire to bond, affiliate with, and nurture your partner. You want to cuddle and be
close and share your deepest secrets with her. You plan and dream together.
● Understanding the science of lust, attraction, and attachment can help a person develop more realistic
expectations of their relationships.
● Most romantic relationships begin with two individuals falling into love with each other. The singer
Robert Palmer compares love with an addiction. This was verified in a study in which 17 participants
who were madly in love were asked to go to the lab and bring a picture of their loved one. Participants
were placed in a brain scanner (fMRI functional magnetic resonance imaging) which measures the
● Thus, early passionate love is not an emotion in and if itself. Rather, it is best characterized as a
“motivation or goal oriented state that leads to various specific emotions, such as euphoria aor anxiety”.
Unlike many emotions, love is not associated with any specific facial expression, and I am focused on
a single reward. The emotions associated with love – elation, anxiety, joy, fear – may come and go. But
motivation to be with the beloved – remains.
● Love can be characterized by concern for other’s well-being, a desire for physical presence and
emotional support. In a study of Tennov in 1979, though sex is an important component of romantic
love, 95% of women and 91% of male respondents did not agree with the statement that “the best thing
about love is sex”.
1. Eros (EH-ros). Love is based on a strong sexual and emotional component. This type of love
creates initial excitement of a new relationship. A romantic and passionate love which emphasizes
physical attraction and sexual desire. The Eros lover dreams of the ideal characteristics of a partner
and usually experiences love at first sight. The relationship, however, seldom lasts forever because
they tend to be quick to fall in and out of love.
2. Agape (AH-gah-pay). This is altruistic and selfless love. The person shows his love without
expecting to receive the same in return. He considers the wishes of his partner as more important
5. Mania. This is characterized by an intense feeling which may lead to obsessive and possessive love
towards the loved one. Manic lovers always check the partner’s whereabouts. They easily get
jealous and their experience of love is out of control. They are easily taken advantage of by ludic
lovers.
6. Pragma. This is a practical and business-like love. Pragmatic lovers may plan the best time to get
married, have children, and other future plans. Love is based on what is appropriate. It is not intense
nor out of control.
● The Triangular Theory of Love by Robert Sternberg, According to him, love is made up of three
components:
1. Intimacy. This includes the desire to give and receive emotional closeness, support, caring and
sharing.
2. Passion. This is the hot component of love which can be described as intensely romantic or sexual
desire for another person usually accompanied by physical attraction and physiological arousal.
3. Commitment. This is the cold component of love. It is the decision to maintain the relationship
through good times and bad times.
● Sternberg also described several types of love based on the above components.
● The psychology of love shows that there are psychological theories that would explain why people
fall in love.
1. Behavioral Reinforcement Theory. When someone received a reward such as free ride or other
favors from another, a positive feeling may be experienced. The better the feeling associated with
the behavior of a person, the more likely it is for the behavior to be repeated.
3. Evolutionary Theories. This explains that love arose due to some sociobiological need. Males
tend to look for young, healthy females mates to carry their offspring. Females prefer males who
have the resources to support them and their offspring.
● Based on social psychological data from Rosenthal (2013), the factors that would determine
with whom people fall in love are:
o Physical attractiveness (though beauty is in the eye of the beholder)
o Reciprocity (people tend to like an individual who also like them)
o Proximity (being around anytime physically or virtually)
o Similarities (same age, religion, education, race, physical attractiveness, intelligence,
and socio-economic class)
The diversity of sexual behavior: solitary, heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual and transsexual
● Solitary behavior – A behavior with the intention of stimulating self that caused arousal
usually done in private. This behavior is more common to males. There is great individual
variation in frequency. Solitary behavior provides pleasure for self with emotional content with
sole control to the degree of pleasure.
● One of the necessary tasks of growing up is learning to cope with one’s sexual arousal and to
achieve some balance between suppression, which can be injurious, and free expression, which
can lead to social difficulties. There is great variation among individuals in the strength of sex
drive and responsiveness, so this necessary exercise of restraint is correspondingly difficult or
easy.
● On the other hand, Rosenthal (2013) defined sexual orientation as a person’s predisposition or
inclination regarding sexual behavior, emotional attachment or physical attraction to one or
both sexes.
● The phrase “sexual orientation” is preferred over “sexual preference” which implies a
conscious or deliberate choice of a sexual partner. The following are types of sexual
orientations:
2. Homosexuality – refers to a person whose sexual orientation is toward another of the same
sex. It is the attraction to members of the same sex.
a. Lesbian – is the term used to describe a woman whose sexual and romantic attraction
toward women.
b. Gay - is a man whose sexual and romantic attraction is towards other men.
3. Bisexual – is a person who may be sexually oriented to both men and women
4. Transsexual – these are people experience a gender identity that is inconsistent with, or
not culturally associated with, their assigned sex, and desire to permanently transition to
the gender with which they identify, usually seeking medical assistance.
● Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) are also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI),
together with venereal disease, these are infections that are commonly spread by sexual
intercourse. These are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual
contact, blood transfusion, breastfeeding, and a certain amount of saliva.
1. HIV/AIDS. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus with AIDS stands for
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Thus, HIV is a virus while AIDS is a condition or
syndrome. HIV can lead to infections that attack and destroy the CD4 (Tcells) of the
o The antiretroviral
therapy (ART) is a combination
of medications that are used to
prevent HIV from replicating to
protect the body against the virus
and infection. However, ART is
not a cure. It helps those with HIV
positive to live longer and happier
and lowers the risk of advancing
the condition into AIDS.
o In the statistics of Philippine Department of Health (DOH), in 2008), there is one (1)
newly diagnosed HIV case per day. In 2010, it increased to four (4) cases per day. In
2012, it became nine (9) per day. In 2014, it has blown to seventeen (17) cases per day
and in 2016, there are twenty-sex (26) reported daily cases of newly diagnosed HIV.
2. Genital Herpes. This is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a large family of viruses
of different strains. These strains produce other non-sexually transmitted diseases such as
chicken pox and mononucleosis.
o Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms. When signs do occur,
they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The
blisters break, leaving tender sores that may take two to four weeks to heal the first
time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first,
but it almost always is less severe and shorter.
o The virus remains in the body for life and the lesions may recur from time to time.
Severe or frequently recurrent genital herpes is treated with one of several antiviral
drugs that are available by prescription. These drugs help control the symptoms, but
do not eliminate the herpes virus from the body.
3. Genital Warts. Genital warts (also called venereal warts or Condylomata Acuminata) are
caused by the human papillomavirus, a virus related to the one that causes common skin
warts. Certain high-risk types of HPV can cause cervical cancer and other genital cancers,
but these are different from the types that cause genital warts.
o Most women who are infected have no symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms,
they can be so non-specific as to be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. The
most common symptoms of gonorrhea are a vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding
between periods. Untreated cases can lead to serious complications, including PID,
ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
o Symptoms for males are discharge from the penis and burning sensations during
urination.
6. Chlamydia. This is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, named for
Chlamydia trachomatis, an organism that spreads through sexual contact and infects the
genital organs of both sexes.
● There are a lot of reasons why people use contraceptives. Some purposes of birth control are
to prevent pregnancy, many women choose to use contraception because of certain health
advantages. For example, some hormonal birth control methods may help regulate your
period, reduce acne, and/or lower endometriosis-related pain.
● In general, with the exception of male and female sterilization, all methods that are appropriate
for healthy adults are also potentially appropriate for healthy, post-pubertal adolescents. Once
● Once a decision is made for protection, sexually active individual should be presented with
options that, if used consistently and correctly, will prevent pregnancy and, depending upon an
individual’s circumstances, prevent sexually transmissible diseases. When selecting a method,
a person should consider the nature of their sexual relationship, sexual behaviors engaged in,
frequency of intercourse, risk of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) or even HIV, ability to
comply with the use, ability to tolerate side effects, cost, convenience, religious beliefs and
other personal factors that may affect their decisions.
a. Oral Contraceptives (Pills) – These are daily oral contraceptives. Some contain estrogen and
progesterone; others are progestin only and are over 99% effective if used according to
instruction. Often reduces bleeding and period pain, and may help with premenstrual
symptoms. Missing pills, vomiting or severe diarrhea can make it less effective.
b. The Patch – It is a small patch you stick on the skin that releases estrogen and progestogen. It
stops ovulation. It can make
bleeds regular, lighter, and less
painful, however, may be seen and
can cause skin irritation.
e. Injectable - An injection of progestogen. Works for 8 or 13 weeks – you don’t have to think
about contraception during this time. Can’t be removed from the body so side effects may
continue while it works and for some time afterwards.
2. Barrier methods (methods that physically or chemically block the sperm from reaching an egg
and provide a barrier between direct skin to skin contacts)
a. Diaphragm - A flexible latex (rubber) or silicone device, used with spermicide, is put into the
vagina to cover the cervix. Can be put in any time before sex.
b. Cervical Caps – These are similar to the diaphragm, though they are generally always made of
silicone. They are put into the vagina to cover the cervix and are 92 to 96 percent effective
when used correctly.
c. Male and Female Condoms or spermicides - For Males: A very thin latex (rubber) polyurethane
(plastic) or synthetic sheath, put over the erect penis. For Females: Soft, thin polyurethane
sheath that loosely lines the vagina and covers the area just outside. Condoms are the best way
to help protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections
3. Behavioral Methods
a. Rhythm or Calendar Method – It is a way to determine a woman’s most fertile and interfile
times by charting the menstrual cycle. It is also known as natural family planning or fertility
awareness.
c. Outercourse – It is a sexual activity that does not include the insertion of the penis into the
vagina.
6. Emergency Contraception - It is a measure that protects against pregnancy after unprotected sex
has already occurred. It could be through IUD or higher dosage of pills.
References:
Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.
Master, A. and Johnson, T. Human Sexual Response. Accessed July 28, 2020.
https://canvas.du.edu/courses/24161/files/1152570
Rosenthal, M. (2013). Human Sexuality from Cells to Society. Asia: Cengage Learning
Seventeeth congress (First Regular session). Accessed July 20, 2020.
http://www.congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/first_17/CR00101.pdf
This section aims to reinforce your understanding of some of the topics covered in
Week 9 through the two activities below.
A. Reflect on the presented article “The Sexual Self” in Week 9, then express yourself by choosing a
song that you like about love.
Direction:
- Write the lyrics of your song choice about what true love is. (Make your song choices in any
genre of music but limit it in the year 2010 – present only)
- Highlight the line/phase that for you really expresses the meaning of true love.
- Answer the following questions:
a. Why this song is expresses True love for you?
b. If given a chance to dedicate this song, to whom will you dedicate the song and why?
Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using GED 101 group chat via FB
messenger.
Based on the presented topic of Sexual Self with the collaboration with the Batangas State
University Gender and Development Office, you will make a Photojournal
Direction:
● The theme for this year’s photo journal is “We Make Change Work for Women.” So you may
explore on different topics about women presented in the Sexual self.
● There should be 3 students for each group. And they must submit only one (1) photo entry.
● Entry must be the contestants’ original work.
● Only photos taken by digital cameras are allowed. There should be no professional editing done
for the picture, only for the brightness or colors.
● Photo must be in JPEG format
● Pictures must have a title and a 5 sentences explanation.
Storytelling All story elements Most of the story While some Few elements
relate compelling story elements evident elements of present which
Storytelling refers to the Essay's (setting, character, which still provide story evident, do not support a
ability to evoke imagination, create a plot, exposition, a compelling story. they do not coherent,
feeling, tell a story, or visually conflict, climax, support a compelling
illustrate an idea. The images should resolution) compelling story.
tell the story in a visual way creating story.
interest by capturing the moment.
Images can better illustrate the story
and keep the viewers interest with
variety, angles, lighting, color, etc
Photography content Lighting, angles, Lighting, angles, Either quality of Neither photo
composition, cropping composition, photos are not quality or story
Photography includes impact, and content in all cropping and consistent or support is
creativity, technical excellence, photos support story. content in all they do not evident in
composition, lighting, style, color and Variety of images. photos support support the images
story telling. The photos should story story. provided.
provide variety, interesting angles,
imagination, and properly illustrate
the story being told.
The test questions for the Midterm Examination will be send to you on the
scheduled date of examination via Google Classroom. Kindly check your
Classwork Folder in GED 101 Class.
● Our possessions are a major contributor to and reflection of our identities. A variety of evidence
is presented supporting this simple and compelling premise. The Material self suggest that the
environment surroundings affects what we think we need versus to what we really need. This
also develops on thinking alone or thinking and deciding with other people in terms of
purchasing.
● Identities can be reflected on the possessions that people have. Some research are identified
and drawn upon in developing this concept which the concept is from consumer behavior. To
be able to identify this consumer behavior, people need to gain some understanding of the
meanings that consumer attach to possessions. People should first recognize that possessions,
intentionally or unintentionally, regard their possessions as parts of themselves.
● People are likely to purchase products that can relate to their personality. Material possessions
signify some aspects of one’s sense of self and identity.
● Possessions, tell a lot about their owners. Thus, one’s sense of self and identity is influential
on how an individual chooses to purchase his/her wants and how he/she makes economic
decisions that will address his/her personal and social needs
● The decisions that go into the purchase of items and certain services is dependent on a number
of factors, including financial constraints, availability of items and services, and the influence
of family and friends.
● However, the most important factor is determining whether these items and services fall under:
o Wants. Synonymous with luxuries. People buy them for reasons that do not warrant
necessity.
o Needs. These are importants for survival. Food, clothing, and shelter are basic needs
so people purchase them out of necessity.
● In Semiotic analysis, objects function as signifiers in the production of meaning. For example,
clothes may have a simple functional meaning, to cover and protect the body but also double
up as a sign. They construct a meaning and carry a message, which as member of a culture one
can understand.
● According to him, a sign has two elements: signifier which refers to its physical form and
signified, the mental concepts it refers to. Hence, objects are not just things but are reflections
of the wider lives of communication and individuals. Not surprisingly, the clothes one wears,
the car one drives and the furnishing of one’s home, are all expressions of one self, even when
they act as disguises rather than reflections.
● As Tuan (1998) argues, “Our Fragile sense of self needs support, and this we get by having and
possessing things because, to a large degree, we are what we have and possess”. This premise
regarded possessions is a part of self of a person that is not a new concept. This is concluded
by William James who laid the foundations for modern conceptions of help, he said that “a
man’s self is the sum total of all the he can call his, not only his body and his psychic powers,
but this clothes and his house, his wife and children, his ancestors and friends, his reputation
and works, his lands, and yacht and bank-account.
● All these things give him the same emotions. If they wax and prosper, he feels triumphant; if
they dwindle and die away, he feels cast down,-not necessarily in the same degree for each
● Some of the evidence is found in the nature of self-perceptions, particularly found in the
diminished sense of self when possessions are unintentionally lost or stolen. Anthropologically,
the role of possessions are treated ritually and after death.
● In addition, the self-have areas that are not reviewed more on the relationship between
possessions and sense of self. Essentially, the having, doing, and being can be a focus on
understanding material self that is relevant to the question of how people define who they are.
● In addition, material self can be explained in understanding self-extension. That is, both good
and bad aspects of objects are seen to attach to people through their physical contact or
proximity. This can result in multiple levels of self. On the other hand, to give importance on
the number of categories of possessions that are commonly incorporated into the sense of self.
Categories may be collections, money, pets, other people, and body parts.
● The Theory of the meaning of material possession suggest that material goods can fulfil a range
of instrumental, social, symbolic and affective functions:
● Sartre suggests that there are three primary ways through which a person learns to regard an
object as part of self. One way is through appropriating or controlling an object for personal
use.
● A second way of having an object and incorporating it into self is by creating it; this view
echoes anthropological findings and Locke's (1690) political philosophy. Whether the thing
created is a material object or an abstract thought, the creator retains an identity in the object
for as long as it retains a mark or some other association with the person who brought it into
existence.
● This identity is codified through copyrights, patents, and scientific citations that preserve
associations between people and their mental creations. Sartre feels that buying an object is
merely another form of creating the object, and that even the latent buying power of money
contributes to a sense of self.
● The third way in which objects become a part of self is by knowing them. Whether the object
known is a person, place, or thing, Sartre maintains that the relationship in knowing the object
is inspired by a carnal and sexual desire to have the object.
2. Contamination
● Goffman (1971, pp. 44-47) suggests six modes of interpersonal contamination. An important
omission in this list of modes of interpersonal contamination is the acquisition of possessions
of another person that have been intimately associated with that person. The following are some
of the contamination a person may experience:
Violation of one's personal space
Touching and bodily contact;
Glancing, looking, and staring;
Noise pollution;
Talking to/addressing one
Bodily excreta. Corporeal excreta (spittle, snot, perspiration, food particles, blood,
semen, vomit, urine, and fecal matter-and stains of these); b. Odor (e.g., flatus, tainted
breath, body smells); c. Body heat (e.g., on toilet seats); d. Markings left by the body
(e.g., plate leavings-leftover food).
● As previously noted, some possessions are more central to self than are others. The possessions
central to self may be visualized in concentric layers around the core self, and will differ over
individuals, over time, and over cultures that create shared symbolic meanings for different
goods.
● However, there is another sense in which the individual has a hierarchical arrangement of levels
of self, because people exist not only as individuals, but also as collectivities. They often define
family, group, subculture, nation, and human selves through various consumption objects.
● The first is that the house is a symbolic body for the family. Just as clothing alters the
individual's body, furnishings and decorations alter the family's body. The second important
point is that the expressive imagery of the house that is definitional of the family is only fully
acquired during consumption. At the point of acquisition, only a portion of the ultimate
meaning of these objects is present
● In considering the functions of extended self, discussion was directed toward the relative roles
that having, doing, and being play in people’s lives and identities. Developmental evidence
suggests that this identification with things begins quite early in life as the infant learns to
distinguish self from the environment and then from others who may envy a person’s
possessions.
● Emphasis on material possessions tends to decrease with age, but remains high throughout life
as people seek to express themselves through possessions and use material possessions to seek
happiness, remind themselves
of experiences,
accomplishments, and other
people in their lives, and even
create a sense of immortality
after death. The accumulation
of possessions provides a
sense of past and tells people
who they are, where they came
from and where they are going.
● Consumers unconsciously (and sometimes consciously) know that their possessions are
intimately tied to their sense of the self. Product ownership and use help consumers define and
live out their identity. By implication, then, the current view construes a dichotomy between
what one is sans possessions and what one becomes due to or with possessions.
● Consumer Identity is the pattern of consumption that describes the consumer. People may no
longer consume goods and services primarily because of its functional satisfaction. This
develops the consumer culture. Consumption has become increasingly more meaning-based:
brands are often used as symbolic resources for the construction and maintenance of identity.
● Brands and products are now being used by many consumers to express their identities. People
may construct their social identities through the consumption of commercial brands or luxury
commodities. This is one of the basic features of people in the modern era, a behavior that leads
to consumerism.
● Consumerism is the preoccupation with an inclination towards the buying of consumer goods.
This is because of the availability of the pen market or technology based market. High class
consumption is attached to the identities of people in the society and it legitimizes consumer
culture in the daily lives of people.
● To fully explicate that view and tease out the underlying theory, it is first necessary to dissect
this sans possessions' self. Decomposing the sans possessions' self would help us place
possessions in a better context—how possessions fit into the consumer's self. The sans
possession' view of self is populated in the consumer behavior literature by two visibly
different discourses.
● The first is a 'personal identity' view, wherein self is seen as a multi-faceted, multi-layered,
social and psychological being, reflecting, deeply and continually, on itself. This conception
has blossomed richly in the post-modem, interpretivist consumer research literature where it is
referred to as the core self.
● The self-narrative conception of identity offers a rich literary view against which products and
brands may be appraised for potential fit. But it calls for intensive high-skilled ethnographic
research. The self-image view lends itself to easy, quantitative measurement. But as already
argued, this view is anchored and embedded entirely in personality-like dispositions and
surface characteristics and ignores other content' —described below.
● This view serves, if at all, to appraise consumers' superficial images of self, and to deploy this
brand of research in self-image brand-image congruence models (e.g., Malhotra, 1981; Todd,
2001). However, brand choices, particularly those made to primarily enact and advance one's
self concept, often go beyond such superficial image' congruence.
● Purchase can be the consumer's self-concept or self-identity. This includes both sans
possessions' self and the extended self, and is often the object of introspection among most
consumers at one time or the other. Although the concept of 'I' can include virtually everything
a person ever come to own and live with, a systematic list would include six components: (a)
their bodies; (b) their values and character; (c) their success and competence, (d) their social
roles, (e) their traits, and, finally (f) their possessions.
● Not all products a person consumes become possessions. Some are clearly consumables, not
possessions. And not all products that qualify to be called possessions become part of the
extended self. Even so, products (consumables and durables alike) can relate to one's self-
concept without becoming part of the self-concept. This would be the case when products are
instrumental in furthering some component of the self-concept.
● If a person had to invest a lot of resources (money, time, energy) finding and selecting a product
then to psychologically justify that kind of investment, people tend to view that product as part
of their extended self. For this reason, more expensive purchases and hard to find purchases,
and purchases for which they saved for a long time are more likely to become part of the
extended self.
● Products thus can relate to one's self in two ways: (a) by being instrumental to enhancing their
self sans possessions,' and (b) by becoming a valued possession. As to the second role, product
possessions become part of self (actually extended self by six mechanisms described above: by
self-based choice, by investment in acquisition, by investment in use, by bonding during use,
as collections, and as memory markers.
References:
Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Boorstin, D. J. (1973).The Americans: The democratic experience. New York: Random House.
Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.
Goffman, E. The presentation of Self in everyday life. Accessed July 29, 2020.
https://monoskop.org/images/1/19/Goffman_Erving_The_Presentation_of_Self_in_Everyday_Life.pdf
The Material/Economic Self. Steven C. Valerio's Blog. Accessed July 20, 2020.
https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-3-the-material-economic-self/
This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered in Week
10 through the two activities below.
A. Reflect on the presented article “The MATERIAL Self” in Week 10, Fill out the box below with
your answers.
Direction: Write your Signified to the following Signifier. Provide just brief details about
your significance.
Signifier Signified
Directions: Write I if the statement refers to Instrumental, S for Symbolic, and A if it connotes
affective function
1. _____ Buying the latest model of mobile phone to show others how cool you are.
2. _____ Walking the dog to the park because it allows you to meet other people
3. _____ Buying a condo unit will be cheaper than using the car to go to school
4. _____ Buying a laptop to make your classmates think that you are as well-off as they are.
5. _____ Taking the car on a road trip will make the journey to Bicol more enjoyable than taking
the plane.
6. _____ Getting a diploma because it can be a way to earn big
7. _____ Getting a diploma for recognition and sense of accomplishment.
8. _____ Buying a mobile phone to communicate with family anytime
9. _____ Buying expensive bag because it is an original Gucci
10. _____ Buying a car to show other people that you can afford to have one.
Take a photo of your answers and turn it in using Google Classroom (GED 101 Class) and/or GED 101
group chat via FB messenger.
This chapter discuss the different world religions, the beliefs of early
Filipinos on different gods and goddesses, superstitious beliefs, beliefs in faith
healer, soul and spirit and how those beliefs was changed since the Spanish and
American colonization. It also discuss the different rituals, ceremonies, the
practice of religion, magic and witchcraft and also finding and creating the
meaning of life.
● According to Giddens (2006), religion is a cultural system of commonly shared beliefs and rituals
that provide a sense of ultimate meaning by creating an idea of reality that is sacred, all-
encompassing and supernatural.
https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/08/22/understand-todays-world-more-
students-should-study-religion-essay
● Statistics indicate Christianity as the world’s largest religion with a 33% population. It is followed
by Islam with a 21% population, Hinduism with a 14% population, Buddhism with 6% population,
Chinese Traditionalism at around 6% and Judaism at only about 0.22%.
● Before the Spanish colonization, Filipinos believed in animism, a belief that all objects have
spirits. They also believed in supernatural being. According to McClenon (1991), the concept of
supernatural has been shaped by the Western notion of nature and causality and it is culturally
specific.
● Filipinos praised the trees, plants, sun, moon, stars and other living and non-living things. They
also praised the spirit of their ancestors, which is called “cult of the dead.” They believed on the
immortality of the soul. An evidence of this is the Manunungul Jar where the remains of the dead
were kept. This image shows the belief of life after death by early Filipinos.
● The memories of the dead are remained through carving their image using gold and stone. This is
called “larawan” or “likha” in Tagalog, “diwata” in Bisaya and “bul-ol” in Ifugao. They also
offered sacrifices and prayers for guidance, sympathy and beseech. Not all “anitos” are good, there
are few who are evil.
● The priestess which is also called as “baylan,” “babaylan,” or “katalona” does the ritual or offering.
Early Filipinos practiced polytheism, a belief in many gods, which was brought by the early
Chinese and Indian merchants. Some of their gods are Bathala, the Almighty God, Agni, God of
Fire, Mandarangan, God o War, Sidapa, God of Death, Lalahon, God of Harvest, and Siginarugan,
God of Hell. These beliefs are passed orally to the next generation.
https://www.silent-gardens.com/culture.php
● However, there were some changes on the beliefs of the early Filipinos when the Spaniards
brought Christianity in the archipelago. The changes were not immediate because early beliefs are
● According to the Holy Bible, they already existed before the creation of the world. God the Father
sent his son, Jesus Christ to save humanity, which whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have an eternal life. When Jesus Christ died and rose after three days, the holy spirit was left in
humanity which serves as the conscience that guides the human beings in doing right things and
avoiding committing sins.
● Common Superstitions:
o If a person bites their tongue, it means somebody is thinking of them;
o A girl with shite spots on her fingernails is inconstant in love;
o It is bad to sweep the floor at six o’clock in the evening for it means driving away good
fortune and graces
o One should not open an umbrella while inside a house; a centipede is likely to fall from
the ceiling;
o If a pregnant woman sews her dress while wearing it, her baby will born without hole in
the rectum;
o Appearance of a comet foretells war
https://www.shopback.ph/blog/tabi-tabi-po-top-10-pinoy-superstitions https://blog.rarejob.com.ph/archive/10-superstitious-beliefs-filipino-funerals/
● One of the influences of American colonization is the introduction of science in the day to day
lives of Filipinos especially on health and sanitation. Their influence taught the Filipinos that
believing in superstitious beliefs may be detrimental to health. Like do not throw the dusts outside
the house after sweeping the floor, because you may experience difficulty in money matters.
● The term animism is one of the oldest beliefs which is taken from the Latin word Anima meaning
breath or soul. Animism is the belief that everything in nature – living things like trees, plants, and
even non-living rocks or streams – have their own spirit or divinity. Animism beliefs are still
present, accepted and never entirely disappeared.
● The soul according to the indigenous Filipinos is known as Kaluluwa, Ikararuwa or kararuwa. It
is taken from the root word duwa which means two. The soul has two parts – one is the physical
part, where it is connected to the body and its life, and other spiritual, where it exists on its own.
● For Ibanags, the soul is the principle of life in man. Body is the matter; soul is the form. As long
as the body and soul are one unit, man is alive.
● Death is the separation of the soul from the body. The body cannot stay alive without the soul. But
the soul can live without the body. Freed from the body, it ceases to experience thirst and hunger,
cold and heat. As spirit, the soul is the opposite of the body which is matter.
● The Dungan may leave the body voluntarily while the person is asleep according to BIsayans.
Among the ancient Filipinos, when the person is asleep they should not be awakened quickly in
order to give ample time for the Dungan to return to the body.
● While the Dungan is travelling outside of the body it should be free from accidents because there
is a possibility that it might be trapped in a jar or be poured out with liquid from a vessel. When
the soul has safety returned home to the body of its owner, they could then be awakened.
● It is for this reason that the Dungan needs protection and nurture. Soul-nature, the folks believe,
means the performance of age-old spirit rituals many of which are still followed in the local
provinces today. Examples of these are birth, illness and death rituals consisting of trances,
● This is evident in some villages which perform rituals to restore the state of affairs when the
balance is lost. Human nature are innumerable reasons for causing a shift in this balance. There
are equally innumerable rituals that can be done to correct the imbalance. This is the reason for
having a broad range of ritual practices in the Philippines (Obusan, 2015).
● Rituals have several functions. There are rituals to have a good harvest, ask for the guidance and
protection from their ancestors and unseen forces, to heal the sick, to bring good luck and to
conceive.
● Like in the case of Ifugao. They have rituals for marriage. If the two couples are planning to tie
the knot, they will ask guidance from their ancestors. The butcher opens the body of a sacrificial
pig and they examine if the internal organs of the pig are healthy or not. If it is healthy, they have
the approval to tie the knot this year, if not, they may try again in the following year. The purpose
of this ritual is to study the carcass for omens that guides them in their decision like marriage.
● Dance and chants are a very essential part of their ritual. Rituals are usually accompanied by
dances. It is the higher symbolic form for the Filipino. It represents the distillation of collective
memory, affect, religious piety, humility, and purity of intention. Even a complex message can be
articulated or maybe understood through dance (Obusan 2015).
http://philippineslifestyle.com/punnuk-an-ancient-celebration-of-harvest-at-the-ifugao-rice-terraces/
● Magos (1997), discussed the mara-it or dangerous zone of Panay Island. According to her,
Panaynon believes in spirit beings in the sea like siokoy (half-man, half fish sea monster) and
the mangingilaw (half man, half monkey man eating monster) forest which are very harmful. They
also believe that the earth and the universe has a layered structure with spirit beings live in each
layer.
● Lupan-on are spirits beings who live on land, the idalmunon are spirit beings who live underneath
the surface of the earth and the tubignon are spirit beings who live in water. These folks remind
them that the earth is sacred, inhabited by the spirit and thus dangerous. If Panaynon uses the
earth's resources with discourtesy or greed, they will make the spirits angry. There are necessary
fishing and farming rites to be performed regularly to gain the favor from spirits such as daga
(bloodletting) and the samba (communal fishing rite).
● People of Zambales also conduct a ritual in building their house. According to the official website
of the Provincial Government of Zambales, residents of this province perform rituals before
building a house. The ritual starts with choosing which day is specified in the Pilaton as a good
day to start the project.
● According to Ms. Cristeta Acebes, principal of Uyugan Elementary School (2012), “pilaton,”
refers to a list of dates, including the phases of the moon, that would ensure the success of any
major undertaking or activity of residents in the province. The second step is burying coins in the
first hole during laying of foundation. Fresh animal blood is allowed to be dropped in the same
place. On the day set to roof the house, relatives, neighbours and friends usually come to help.
Those who cannot perform actual construction work normally offer akhad (anything that can be
served or cooked as food) or tudung (drinks, usually wine) (Provincial Government of Zambales).
http://www.batanes.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/rituals2.jpg
Religion
● Religion came from the
Latin word religio means
to respect or care for. It is
generally defined as;
“belief in, worship of, or
obedience to a
supernatural power or
powers considered to be
divine or to have control
of human destiny."
● According to Santrock
(2014), religion is an
organized set of beliefs,
practices, rituals and
symbols that increases an
individual’s connection to
a sacred or transcendent
other (God, higher power,
ultimate truth).
● It may also be referred to as an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, rules used to worship
god. Another description for religion is, an interest, a belief, or an activity deemed to be of utmost
importance to a person or group.
● However, there is no exact definition of religion. Religion is functional especially in the unification
of a certain place or country. It binds the people through its teachings, practices and the end goal
that everyone wants to attain. If there is no religion, what would be the content and priority of the
law making body in creating and proposing a bill in the congress? Probably, that would be the
earthly things in the world.
● Religiousness is the degree by which one is affiliated with an organized religion in terms of the
person’s participation in the prescribed rituals and practices, connection with its beliefs and
involvement with its community of believers.
● Spirituality, on the other hand, involves experiencing something beyond oneself in a transcendent
manner and living in a way that benefits others and society. It could be related to a search for the
sacred.
● The term “sacred” may signify a person, an object, a principle, or a concept that transcends the
self. The sacred can include a divine being or a divine object that is “set apart” and considered as
holy or beyond ordinary. The reference to what religion is, also refers to the dynamics of the
meaning attached to spirituality. It emerges as people relate to the developmental and existential
challenges of the search for the meaning of existence amidst the ambiguity of life.
● Spiritual identity is the persistent sense of self that addresses ultimate questions about the nature,
purpose and meaning of life. It results in behavior that are consonant with the individual’s core
Magic
● Magic is the power apparently
influencing the course of events by
using mysterious or supernatural
forces. It is the ability to use
supernatural forces to make
impossible things happen, such as
making people disappear or
controlling events in nature.
● A magician is usually a worker in the kind of magic that is on the whole public and good, whereas
a sorcerer is generally considered an evil figure, one who deals in matters that his or her clients
would rather keep secret and one whose work may be downright antisocial (Frankle and Stein,
2005).
● A sorcerer is translated from the Greek word pharmakos, and carries with it the idea of medicine,
magic potion, drugs, and poison. A wizard is one who is thought to be acquired with the secrets
of the nonmaterial or unseen world while a necromancer is one who is “seeking unto the dead”. It
is a term that includes all forms of attempt to make contact with departed spirits.
● Balang is the Filipino term for a sorcerer. It is used to describe malignant sorcery or familiar spirits
(usually a swarm of destructive insects, specially carnivorous beetles). In the Philippines, it
swarms small invisible insects residing in bamboos that enter the body through open space causing
the intestine, stomach, lungs, and liver to swell during high tides and shrink during low tides.
Mambabarang is a person who practices this specific type of sorcery or witchcraft. Binarang is
the target (usually a person) of sorcery or witchcraft.
● Kulam is the Tagalog word for “voodoo” or “witchcraft”. It is one of the most well-known aspects
of Philippine folklore. The fear of kulam usually has an effect on how a person conducts himself
in the community and on how people treat each other in a community. A mangkukulam is a person
who uses black magic or spells on a victim. After the spell is cast, the victim will experience a
form of illness which cannot be cured by modern medicine, misfortunes to himself and loved ones,
inability to concentrate, lack of sleep, loss of appetite, freak accidents, and other unexplained
events.
● Most Filipinos aside from being a superstitious people believe in the mythical creatures of local
folklore which includes the aswang, manananggal, kapre, dwende, sirena, syokoy, engkanto,
sigbin, tikbalang, tianak and many others. According to local folklore such creatures inhabit dark
● Everybody is experiencing different challenges and problems in life. Some have common
problems, but some do not. Some have different strategies in solving the same problems. There
are some who are good at hiding their problems or sufferings. Some people may think their
problems are bigger than the problems of others. However, when they ask some people or have an
open forum, they will realize that they are wrong. There are other people who have bigger and
more difficult problems than them.
http://pagehanify.com/7criteria/coaching/mans-search-for-meaning-dr-viktor-frankl/
1. Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable ones.
● Every occurrence in one’s life has meaning. People tend to find the meaning of that occurrence
especially if it is a good incident or circumstances. However, they tend to ask themselves or God
for the occurrence of bad happenings in their lives. Sometimes, they ask themselves and God,
“why did it happen to them?” “why did it happen to their love ones, despite that they are good
people, they do not deserve to experience that such sufferings, but why them?” There are things
beyond the control of humanity, cannot explain by their minds and intelligence, but Almighty God
can. Individuals must realize that whatever circumstances they have, even if it is good or not, they
must find that life has meaning. Those circumstances have purpose and meaning in their lives.
2. Our main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.
● People experience different sufferings in life in terms of relationship, love, studies, money, job,
etc. Finding meaning in life despite the sufferings should be the main motivation for living. An
example of this is, an individual who developed an inner hatred towards her family when she knew
that her mother tried many times to abort her due to poverty and her siblings bullied her that she
was an adopted child. She developed a thought that she is not part of the family and even at the
start, she is an unwanted child. This pushes her to be the black sheep of the family and be involved
in different vices. Time is a good healer. During her rebellious stage, she realized that she was
only destroying herself, it will not change the attitude and personality of her family. She also
realized that she only needs to accept her family as they are and forgive the family members who
caused her pain. Being a rebellious person will not make her family to change. The change will
start on one’s initiative and not by other people. Finally, she found the meaning of her life. The
feeling of rejection disappeared as times went by. She was alive when she was still an unborn child
because someday, she will serve as the light of other people living in a dark life and will be an
3. We have freedom to find meaning in what we do, and what we experience, or at least in the
stand we take when faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering.
● Problems and challenges are inevitable. These make individuals strong and hold their faith to their
God. These also make them to be flexible in a changing and dynamic society, to win in the battle
or to accept the defeat but with satisfactory adjustment. Everybody is entitled to have and practice
freedom in finding meaning in whatever they do or experience. They are not slaves to anyone and
are not manipulated by other people. Their actions should not be dictated by anyone, rather, it is
their will that will be done. It is the right of everybody to look for the meaning in their lives when
faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering. Situations with unchangeable suffering may
cause pain, but at the end of the day, individuals will find its purpose in their lives.
● According to Frankl, everybody can discover the meaning in their life in three different ways:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCpa0AFepoM
● Individuals will find meaning in their lives by having a positive attitude towards circumstances.
Failures in life, for example, is unavoidable suffering that gives pain to individuals. Facing those
failures in a positive way with a positive and right attitude will make individuals more mature,
more responsible, and think more ways to solve the problems. Having a positive attitude in facing
the problems will also help individuals to cope up with the problems like death of a love one. It
will make them cope up easily and move on with their lives without losing their cherished
memories.
References:
Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.
Santrock, J (2014) Adolescence. New York, USA: McGraw Hill International edition
This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered in Week
10 through the two activities below.
1. Reflect on the presented article “The SPITIRUAL Self” in Week 11, then answer the following:
Directions: This is an informal quick survey with analysis. The following questions will be answered
briefly as possible. Place a check mark on each box that applies to you below and answer the guide
questions:
Do you value your relationship with Do you set time for praying alone in the
God? church?
Do you always go to church or visit the DO you do volunteer in the church’s civic
chapel 2 or more times a week? programs?
Do you pray before going to school? Do you actively join church propagation?
Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using GED 101 group chat via FB
messenger.
Directions: write a good descriptive essay about MEANING of life, you should be able to describe some
key elements of your life like Mindset, Environment, Relationships, Everyday activities, Hobbies, or
Experiences and many other things that make up your life.
Guide Questions:
1. What is my attitude toward life?
2. How do I perceive my life?
3. Which life experiences influence the way I face today’s world?
4. What do I want from life?
5. Do I enjoy my life to the full or not?
Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using Google Classroom (GED
101 Class) and/or GED 101 group chat via FB messenger.
END OF WEEK 12
The brief primers on Politics, Citizenship and the Self and Active Citizenship were accessed July 27, 2020
from https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-1-the-political-self-developing-active-
citizenship/rio's
As members of the society, people are naturally obligated to participate in a political system as social
citizens. Politics refers to the actions or activities concerned with achieving and using power in a
nation or society. It is also defined as the ways that power is shared in an organization and the ways
it is affected by personal relationships between people who work together.
As Aristotle stated, “man is, by nature, a political animal.” This is because man is a social being and
that people naturally drawn to various political involvements in order to satisfy their social needs.
Politics as imbibed by man implies several things:
1. Politics is concerned with power. Power inequalities can be observed within societies. The one
who holds power holds influence.
2. Politics functions based on a particular social economic and cultural context. The nature of
politics and political systems is dependent on the culture of the state. Political claims made by
advocates are influenced by their geographical location and ideology.
3. The political is also personal. One’s personal choices reflect his/her personal politics; both are
indistinguishable.
4. Politics goes hand in hand with the society. Politics pervades the structure of society, and thus
influences inhabitants in their beliefs, ethics, and behavior.
However, the political self is not only shaped by one’s political affiliation or beliefs. One’s sense of
accountability should be manifested in promoting certain advocacies through healthy political
engagement. This is aligned with the concept of active citizenship.
Active citizenship refers to the structured forms of engagement with political processes and
everyday forms of participation in society. It is also defined as the process of sharing decisions which
affect one’s life and the life of a community in which one lives. Participation is the fundamental right
of citizenship.
Active citizenship is anchored on one’s cognitive and behavioral engagement to participate in
formal and informal political activities. Different people manifest different levels of active
citizenship; some they take a more active approach in making their voices heard.
Active citizenship is a practice of democracy. Democracy should not only be thought of as a form
of government. It is a communal system that allows volitional freedom of citizens to make
informed choices that allow them to be heard.
Active citizenship is a social construct. It fosters social relatedness and belongingness.
The most important goal of active citizenship is to instil change and influence society at large.
Active citizenship is also associated with the “sense of community.” People, including adolescents,
participate in communal activities because it gives a sense of belonging in a particular group. Active
citizenship may facilitate ethnic pride and provide a voice to the woes of their social group.
For the younger generation, active citizenship can contribute to their social development. Engaging
in such activities can also enhance efficacy and competence of the younger generation, as they are
considered to be the “future leaders” of the society. The participation of the youth in nation-building
activities enhances their value orientation and fosters integrity, compassion, and the sense of justice,
which are crucial to the holistic development of a citizen of a nation.
Active citizenship helps an individual embrace his/her individuality through the choices he/she
makes and the behavior he/she manifests. The political self is a result of various personal and
environmental factors that impact the individual. The participation of the youth in political discourse
and social activities can result in cultural and political paradigm shifts that may be felt even by future
generations. Thus, the future begins now.
SOURCE: The Political Self: Developing Active Citizenshp. Steven C. Valerio's Blog. Accessed July 19, 2020.
https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-1-the-political-self-developing-active-citizenship/rio's
QUESTIONS:
1. Identify three (3) COVID-19 public advisories and/or government
mandates that you observed.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. If you will be the president of the country will you implement those advisories and mandates?
Why or why not? Express your thoughts in 2-4 sentences.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using Google Classroom (GED
101 Class) GED 101 group chat via FB messenger.
END OF WEEK 13
The brief primer on The Self in the Digital World was accessed July 27,
2020 from https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-2-the-digital-
self-uncovering-digital-citizenship
The millennial generation is known to be the generation of digital natives because millennials were
born in an era of rapid technological advancement. As a result, daily life is almost always dependent
on the functions of technology, especially the internet which provides people with a venue of
presenting their identified through social media platforms.
The advent of technology comes with a corresponding challenge: to ensure that technology is used
properly. This is the essence of digital citizenship, which refers to the norms of appropriate and
responsible behaviour towards technology use. Digital citizenship is anchored in 3 general
principles: respecting, educating, and protecting oneself and others. Digital citizenship serves the
purpose or regulating human behaviour in a highly-technological and digital world.
A major concern of living in the digital era is how technology shapes one’s sense of self and identity.
One concept that is related to the concept of the digital self is online disinhibition. It is defined as
the lack of restraint one feels when communicating online in comparison to communicating in
person.
Some individuals lose their inhibition in social interactions because there is an aspect of being
present only in the virtual, a sort of anonymity. Anonymity may serve as an option for individuals
who are naturally shy and introverted to express their thoughts, without threat to their self-esteem.
Nowadays, however, people are more inclined to show their own personalities via online channels.
The internet becomes a multi-media venue for showcasing personal traits, qualities, and even
experiences. The values and beliefs he/she upholds are also expressed in his/her online behavior.
Thus, technology, through the development of virtual spaces and communities accessible through
the internet, can be a basis of evaluating the consistency of the self.
The permeating nature of technology has also influenced various technological and online behaviors
people manifest. Within the concept of digital citizenship, there are 9 themes that cover these
behaviors:
Source: The Digital Self: Uncovering Digital Citizenship. Steven C. Valerio's Blog. Accessed July 19,
2020. https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-2-the-digital-self-uncovering-digital-citizenship/
Nowadays however, it isn’t merely tangible belongings that researchers consider as part of our extended
self. Our digital possessions such as photos, videos, statuses, texts, and emails are now seen to be
significantly important to shaping our digital self.
We want to meet the expectation of others: research shows over 50% of women would edit their
social media photos to look better and meet the expectations that the media and magazines have set
We want to boost our self-esteem: people upload photos and statuses online that they feel will
receive ‘likes’ and positive feedback in which ultimately helps their egos
To feel a sense of belonging: Some of us want to fit in with the crowd and upload things that are
‘down with the trend’ - for instance, who notices the amount of people posting pictures of their
food increasing? It didn’t come from nowhere.
Bigger sense of freedom: Unlike real life, digital platforms allow us to express ourselves in any
way we want to without anyone there to physically judge us
Striving to be our ideal selves: Digital Apps, such as Facetune, that allow us to improve our
appearances on photos (through teeth whitening, skin smoothing and body shape editing) helps
consumers to express as their ‘ideal’ self online and inevitably feel better about themselves
In conclusion, the digital world has provided us with greater opportunities to express our identity in any
form we want to. But what we all need to remember is: how will we feel if we go so far to express ourselves
differently online that we forget what reality is, or worse, we end up resenting it?
Reflect on the presented article “The Digital Self” in Week 14, answer the question. Express your thoughts
in 3-5 sentences.
QUESTION:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Make sure you submit your own work. (i.e., not borrowed/copied from any other source, including our
assigned readings and your classmates).
Format:
INTERNET ETIQUETTE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
END OF WEEK 14
In this section you are expected to develop your own self-care routine plan to demonstrate your
understanding of managing and caring for one’s self. This section focuses on learning to be a better student,
goal setting for success and taking charge of one’s health.
There is no doubt that being the better student is advantageous. The better
student you are, the more you will learn, and that knowledge will serve you
well throughout your life.
To understand the way learning occurs in the brain, here’s a brief primer.
Learning is simply what the brain does. Whether you are studying Math, refining your dance
moves, remembering a conversation with a dear friend, or reading the lecture notes, it’s all about
learning.
Learning is a physical process in which new knowledge is represented by new brain cell
connections. The strength and formation of these connections are facilitated by chemicals in the
brain called growth factors.
Brain is an enormous network of neurons. Each tiny neuron is a pretty complicated little machine.
Each neuron connects with many other neurons. It “listens” for electrical and chemical signals from
other neurons and fires its own signal, an action potential, when it receives enough input from the
The article below presents evidence based explanation on how the brain learns.
The brain acts as a dense network of fiber pathways consisting of approximately 100 billion (1010)
neurons. The brain consists of three principle parts – stem, cerebellum and cerebrum – as shown in Figure
1 below. Of the three, the cerebrum is most important in learning, since this is where higher-ordered
functions like memory and reasoning occur. Each area of the cerebrum specializes in a function – sight,
hearing, speech, touch, short-term memory, long-term memory, language and reasoning abilities are the
most important for learning.
So how does learning happen? Through a network of neurons, sensory information is transmitted by
synapses (see Figure 2) along the neural pathway and stored temporarily in short-term memory, a volatile
region of the brain that acts like a receiving center for the flood of sensory information we encounter in our
daily lives.
Once processed in short-term memory, our brain’s neural pathways carry these memories to the structural
core, where they are compared with existing memories and stored in our
long-term memory, the vast repository of everything we have ever experienced in our lives. This process
occurs in an instant, but it is not always perfect. In fact, as information races across billions of neurons’
axons, which transmit signals to the next neuron via synapse, some degradation is common. That’s why
many of our memories are incomplete or include false portions that we make up to fill holes in the real
memory.
Neuroscientists have long believed that learning and memory formation are made by the strengthening and
weakening of connections among brain cells. Recently, researchers at the
University of California Irvine’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory proved it. In
experiments with mice, they were able to isolate and observe the actions of the brain while learning a new
task. Researchers found that when two neurons frequently interact, they form a bond that allows them to
transmit more easily and accurately. This leads to more complete memories and easier recall. Conversely,
when two neurons rarely interacted, the transmission was often incomplete, leading to either a faulty
memory or no memory at all.
As an example of this, consider your daily commute. You don’t really need to think consciously about how
to get to work, because it is a trip you have taken so many times that the memory of how to navigate is
ingrained. The neurons that control this memory have communicated so often, they have formed a tight
bond, like a group of old friends.
This research has important implications for learning, especially regarding how we acquire new knowledge,
store it in memory and retrieve it when needed. When learning new things, memory and recall are
strengthened by frequency and recency. The more we practice and rehearse something new and the more
recently we have practiced, the easier it is for our brain to transmit these experiences efficiently and store
them for ready access later. This process is called fluency.
Another recent study at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology,
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that the structural core of the brain
receives sensory information from different regions and then assembles bits of data into a complete picture
that becomes a memory of an event. This memory is strengthened by multiple sensory inputs. For example,
if we both see and hear something, we are more likely to remember it than if we only hear it.
If we experience an emotional reaction to something – fear, anger, laughter or love – that emotion becomes
part of the memory and strengthens it dramatically. In recalling memories, subjects who had experienced
an emotional reaction were far more likely to remember the event and with higher accuracy than those who
simply witnessed an event without any emotional attachment. That explains why highly emotional events
– birth, marriage, divorce and death – become unforgettable.
What does this neuroscience research suggest about learning? We need to ensure that learning engages all
the senses and taps the emotional side of the brain, through methods like humor, storytelling, group activities
and games. Emphasis on the rational and logical alone does not produce powerful memories.
A third recent discovery at the University of Michigan’s Biopsychology Program confirmed that the brain
behaves selectively about how it processes experiences that enter through our five
senses. The brain is programmed to pay special attention to any experience that is novel or unusual. It does
this by making comparisons between the new information brought through the senses and existing
information stored in our brain’s long-term memory. When the brain finds a match, it will quickly eliminate
the new memory as redundant.
When new information contradicts what’s already stored in memory, however, our brains go into overdrive,
working hard to explain the discrepancy. If the new information proves useful to us, it becomes a permanent
memory that can be retrieved later. If this new information does not seem useful or if we do not trust its
source, we are likely to forget it or even reject it altogether, preferring to stick with the information we
already possess.
On the other hand, past memories can be an impediment to future learning that contradicts previous
information. As we age and gain more experience, we tend to rely too much on our past knowledge. We
may miss or even reject novel information that does not agree with previous memories. Recent brain
research is unlocking many of the mysteries of learning. Learning professionals should stay abreast of these
developments and derive learning methods based upon the way the brain learns naturally.
The table below summarizes the three recent research findings and their implications for training.
Source: Ford, Donald J. How the Brain Learns. Accessed July 27, 2020 from
https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/how-the-brain-learns/
Source: Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
The brain serves as the control unit of the body. Human beings’ physiological, behavioral and cognitive
functions depend on it. The brain can perform many forms of complex and covert behaviors like thinking
and other higher order functions like metacognition.
Metacognition is often defined as “thinking about your own thinking.” In 1979, it was termed by American
developmental psychologist John H. Flavell. Cognition means thinking while Meta means beyond so the
phrase means beyond thinking. It is a person’s awareness of ones thoughts and one’s ability to control it.
Metacognition is a higher order thinking which control the cognitive process involved in the learning
process.
Metacognition consists of two components: the knowledge and regulation (Lai, 2011; Flavell, 1979). The
learner’s awareness of one’s ability to understand and learn concepts, and knowledge about one’s learning
strategies is called metacognitive knowledge while the learner’s ability to observe one’s method of
thinking, planning, evaluate the effectiveness of the own learning strategies and identifying the outcomes
is called metacognitive regulation.
Metacognitive knowledge has three types. First, the declarative knowledge (person knowledge) is the
understanding of ones capacities. It is one’s subjective assessment. For example Albert is aware that he has
above average mathematical ability and Diane assessed her knowledge in arts as excellent. Second is the
procedural knowledge (task knowledge) it is the person’s awareness of one’s knowledge and assessment
whether a task is easy or difficult. For example, Albert thinks that painting is a difficult task while Diane
considers the task as easy and stress-free. Last is the strategy knowledge (conditional knowledge) is the
person’s ability to use strategies to acquire information, learn new skills or understand concepts. It also
refers to one’s ability to cope or adapt other strategies to different situations. For example, Diane would
like to learn more about algebra and considered lecture as ineffective, so she tried other methods like
answering online algebra tests and participation in group studies.
Metacognitive regulation on the other hand is a person’s ability to monitor and assess their knowledge.
Monitoring involves observing one’s knowledge and assess whether one did well or not. A person may also
evaluate the outcome or output of one’s knowledge and distinguish whether such outcome is what the
person expected and whether it can be improved.
Metacognition has an important role in acquiring knowledge or skill therefore it is important to teach
learners metacognitive control. Metacognitive strategies can be taught and learned gradually. Teaching
students self-evaluation skills help facilitate learning. Below are some metacognitive study strategies that
students may use to learning effectively.
Being aware of one’s traits and capacity leads to a better understanding of ourselves. Assessment tools help
a person identify these traits.
Source: Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Students who are conscious of their strengths and weaknesses, and can induce themselves to undertake and
improve their learning are self- regulated learners. The ability to manage ones learning is definitely an
advantage for individuals.
Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using Google Classroom (GED
101 Class) and/or GED 101 group chat via FB messenger.
Source: Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.
A goal is the desired outcome anticipated by a person or organization. It may be a long term vision or a
short term outcome which can be achieved through careful planning, execution and evaluation. Goal setting
establishes a standard or objective to serve as target of one’s actions. It is involved in all the self-regulation
/metacognitive process. Whereas forefront is to goal setting; as performance control is to goal directed
action; as self-reflection is to evaluation of goal progress.
Goals help us to concentrate our energy, arrange strategies, consciously having a purpose-centered life, and
provide us a sense of accomplishment. Locke (1969) said that working toward a goal is also a major source
of motivation and improves performance and that clear goals and appropriate feedback motivates a person.
Based on reviews, 90% of laboratory and field studies on the effects of goal setting on performance showed
that specific and challenging goals led to higher performance. Goals influence performance by directing
attention, mobilizing effort, increasing determination, and encouraging plan development. Burton (1983)
claimed that people who use goal setting effectively suffer less from stress and anxiety, concentrate better,
perform better, confident and are satisfied.
Locke (2002) claimed that a person’s uppermost moral goal is the attainment of one's own happiness and
even coined the phrase 'pursuit of happiness,' in his book An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. In
setting goals for life and happiness, Locke’s writings focus on building the best qualities in life. In the
person level it focuses in positive personal traits (e.g. capacity for love, courage, interpersonal skill) while
group level focuses on civic virtues and actions leading to enhanced social responsibility (e.g. work ethic,
altruism, responsibility).
Read and reflect on the attached article - What is Goal-Setting Theory? The article comprehensively
discuss the technical definition of goal-setting theory; the five effective goal-setting principles; and the
practical application of effective goal-setting.
One of the most effective ways to stay motivated is to set goals for yourself.
However, the type and quality of goals you set affects how well they will work.
Imagine you are 30 pounds overweight and want to drop some extra weight. When setting your goal, you
have several options. You could say, “I want to lose weight within the next year. I will go on a diet to lose
the weight.” This goal is pretty vague and poorly defined; you haven’t specified how much weight you
want to lose or what concrete steps you will take to lose it.
Alternatively, you could say, “I want to lose two pounds a week for the next four months. I will exercise
for at least 30 minutes, five days per week. I will also change my diet to include three servings of fruits and
vegetables as well as whole-grain products. I will also limit myself to eating out just one day per week.”
This goal is much more specific and includes actionable steps.
The simple act of setting an effective goal gives you a better chance of realizing that goal. In fact, listed
below are several principles crucial to setting effective goals.
1. Clarity. A clear, measurable goal is more achievable than one that is poorly defined. In other words,
be specific! The most effective goals have a specific timeline for completion.
2. Challenge. The goal must have a decent level of difficulty in order to motivate you to strive toward
the goal.
3. Commitment. Put deliberate effort into meeting this goal. Share your goal with someone else in
order to increase your accountability to meet that goal.
4. Feedback. Set up a method to receive information on your progress toward a goal. If losing 30
pounds in four months turns out to be too hard, it is better to adjust the difficulty of your goal mid-
way through the timeline than to give up entirely.
Setting a goal is a great way to encourage achievement and stay motivated. However, many of us set goals
that are ineffective at pushing us to do our best. When you are helping your youthling with a project or
trying to improve an aspect of your daily life, think carefully about the goals you set. Ensure that each goal
accounts for some or all of the principles above: clarity, challenge, commitment, and feedback.
Work with your youthling to set goals that are appropriate and achievable given her abilities. Begin by
letting her set her own goal. Perhaps she wants to get 100% on her next Math test. This goal meets the
criteria of being clear, challenging, and is something she has committed to. Talk together about whether
that is an attainable goal. If she routinely gets C’s on math assignments, achieving a perfect score might be
a poor goal. Next, set a clear action plan for achieving the goal. Consider the complexity of the task and
how much time will be needed to be successful.
In the end, her goal might read something like this: “I want to get 100% on my next Math test. I will perform
5 algebra problems every night for the next two weeks. My mom will give me feedback on whether I am
getting the problems correct and how to fix my mistakes.” This clear, achievable goal provides motivation
and a specific plan for receiving feedback. Even if she does not reach 100% on her test, goal-setting theory
states that she will perform much better than had she made a non-specific, easy goal.
It’s one thing to know about goal setting, and how it can help you, but another entirely to know how to
actually set goals and stick with them. Goal setting tools are a great way to help you set goals, keep track
of, and stay focused on what you’re trying to achieve.
A handwritten diary or journal tracking your goals and smaller daily achievements
Using your mobile phone to set daily reminders or countdown apps for when you want to achieve
certain things by
Motivational notes and posters set around your home or work desk as friendly reminders
Telling friends and family what you’re working towards so they can offer support
Visualization activities including meditation, positive affirmations, and mindfulness
Regular meetings/reviews with your line manager at work to keep you accountable (if your goals
are work related)
Joining groups or meet-ups with individuals trying to achieve the same goals (such as weight loss,
or athletic groups/fitness classes)
Working with a peer coach or mentor to help motivate you to stay on track
Utilizing goal setting software tools and apps to help keep you on track (Milestone Planner and
Goal Scapeto name a few)
Which tool is right for you will depend on what you’re specific goals are, how long you want to take to
achieve them, and whether it is an individual or group goal.
Have you thought about what you want to be doing in five years' time? Are you clear about what your main
objective at work is at the moment? Do you know what you want to have achieved by the end of today?
If you want to succeed, you need to set goals. Without goals you lack focus and direction. Goal setting not
only allows you to take control of your life's direction; it also provides you a benchmark for determining
whether you are actually succeeding. Think about it: having a million dollars in the bank is only proof of
success if one of your goals is to amass riches. If your goal is to practice acts of charity, then keeping the
money for yourself is suddenly contrary to how you would define success.
To accomplish your goals, however, you need to know how to set them. You can't simply say, "I want" and
expect it to happen. Goal setting is a process that starts with careful consideration of what you want to
achieve, and ends with a lot of hard work to actually do it. In between, there are some very well-defined
steps that transcend the specifics of each goal. Knowing these steps will allow you to formulate goals that
you can accomplish.
Tip:
To make sure that your goal is motivating, write down why it's valuable and important to you. Ask yourself,
"If I were to share my goal with others, what would I tell them to convince them it was a worthwhile goal?"
You can use this motivating value statement to help you if you start to doubt yourself or lose confidence in
your ability to actually make the goal happen.
You have probably heard of SMART goals already. But do you always apply the rule? The simple fact is
that for goals to be powerful, they should be designed to be SMART. There are many variations of what
SMART stands for, but the essence is this – goals should be:
Specific.
Measurable.
Attainable.
Relevant.
Time Bound.
The physical act of writing down a goal makes it real and tangible. You have no excuse for forgetting about
it. As you write, use the word "will" instead of "would like to" or "might." For example, "I will reduce my
operating expenses by 10 percent this year," not "I would like to reduce my operating expenses by 10
percent this year." The first goal statement has power and you can "see" yourself reducing expenses, the
second lacks passion and gives you an excuse if you get side tracked.
Tip 1:
Frame your goal statement positively. If you want to improve your retention rates say, "I will hold on to all
existing employees for the next quarter" rather than "I will reduce employee turnover." The first one is
motivating; the second one still has a get-out clause "allowing" you to succeed even if some employees
leave.
Tip 2:
If you use a To-Do List , make yourself a To-Do List template that has your goals at the top of it. If you
use an Action Program , then your goals should be at the top of your Project Catalog.
Post your goals in visible places to remind yourself every day of what it is you intend to do. Put them on
your walls, desk, computer monitor, bathroom mirror or refrigerator as a constant reminder.
This step is often missed in the process of goal setting. You get so focused on the outcome that you forget
to plan all of the steps that are needed along the way. By writing out the individual steps, and then crossing
each one off as you complete it, you'll realize that you are making progress towards your ultimate goal.
This is especially important if your goal is big and demanding, or long-term.
Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity, not just a means to an end. Build in reminders to keep
yourself on track, and make regular time-slots available to review your goals. Your end destination may
remain quite similar over the long term, but the action plan you set for yourself along the way can change
significantly. Make sure the relevance, value, and necessity remain high.
Key Points
Goal setting is much more than simply saying you want something to happen. Unless you clearly define
exactly what you want and understand why you want it the first place, your odds of success are considerably
reduced. By following the Five Golden Rules of Goal Setting you can set goals with confidence and enjoy
the satisfaction that comes along with knowing you achieved what you set out to do.
Think about what is your best possible future self might look like. Set your goals
using the pre-built Goal Setting Sheet. In completing the worksheet you will have
a simple and easy to use guide for setting your goal and creating your plan of action.
WHO asserts that physical and mental well-being is a human right, enabling a life
without limitation or restriction. Taking charge of one’s health starts with living a
healthy lifestyle, managing stress, and taking care of one’s self and wellness.
A healthy lifestyle is a way of living that lowers the risk of being seriously ill or dying early. Not all diseases
are preventable, but a large proportion of deaths, particularly those from coronary heart disease and lung
cancer, can be avoided. Scientific studies have identified certain types of behaviour that contribute to the
development of non-communicable diseases and early death. Health is not only just about avoiding disease.
It is also about physical, mental and social wellbeing. When a healthy lifestyle is adopted, a more positive
role model is provided to other people in the family, particularly children
(https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/108180).
A general rule of thumb is to moderate your workload and avoid taking on too much. Learning from the
article Healthy Lifestyles for College Students can ensure you find and maintain a good balance in your
academic life.
If the management tips do not help, seek advice from the University’s Office of Guidance and Counseling
or other professionals.
2. LEARN TO SAY NO
College life usually means easy access to tasty foods, from the candy in the vending machines to the
doughnuts in the bakery across the street. If you’re now living on your own, you might feel emboldened to
partake of delicious treats at any hour. Learning when to say no is a good skill that will help you keep the
extra pounds off. Avoid eating when you’re not actually hungry, and stick to light snacks when you need a
little treat. Try to avoid eating too much late at night as well; this can cause heartburn and weight gain.
5. UP ON HEALTHY FOODS
Filling up your plate with healthy foods, including vegetables and fruits, can help you avoid eating too
much unhealthy junk food. Aim to build a colorful plate with a variety of fresh foods for each meal. A
simple meal of grilled chicken, brown rice and roasted vegetables will keep you full and be easy on your
waistline. If you want to indulge in the occasional calorie-rich meal, such as pizza, pair it with a nutritious
salad with a light dressing.
While you’re in college, maintaining your healthy habits may be a challenge. Including a little extra time
each day so that you can take care of your physical health is a good way to reduce stress and become
healthier.
6. STOP PROCRASTINATING
College students face tons of essays, courseworks and science papers during their years of study. And it’s
not a big deal when these works are just in the ordinary flow. But when it comes to a 90-page senior thesis,
you have to spend at least 1 year on it. This is where procrastination finds and catches you. A way too big
project presupposes planning an explicit strategy. Almost every student decides to start in the middle of a
year in order to meet the deadline. What happens next? Months pass by and dust covers your thesis.
B. MANAGING STRESS
Managing Stress
Accessed July 29, 2020 from https://campusmindworks.org/help-yourself/self-care/managing-stress/
Many students find that they need to develop new skills in order to balance academic demands with a
healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, the University of Michigan offers many resources to help students develop
these skills. Many students find that they can reduce their level of academic stress by improving skills such
as time management, stress management, and relaxation.
Stress is anything that alters your natural balance. When stress is present, your body and your mind must
attend to it in order to maintain balance. Your body reacts to stress by releasing hormones that help you
Stress is a part of everyday life. There are many instances when stress can be helpful. A fire alarm is
intended to cause the stress that alerts you to avoid danger. The stress created by a deadline to finish a paper
can motivate you to finish the assignment on time. But when experienced in excess, stress has the opposite
effect. It can harm our emotional and physical health, and limit our ability to function at home, in school,
and within our relationships. The good news is that, since we are responsible for bringing about much of
our own stress, we can also do much to manage stress by learning and practicing specific stress-reduction
strategies.
Difficulty concentrating
Increased worrying
Trouble completing assignments on time
Not going to class
Short temper or increased agitation
Tension
Headaches
Tight muscles
Changes in eating habits (e.g., “stress eating”)
Changes in sleeping habits
People with mental illness are more likely to notice that their specific symptoms re-emerge or grow worse
during stressful times. In many cases, stress can act as the “spark” that ignites a mental health episode. But
this does not mean that every time you are busy or face a difficult challenge you will have a mental health
episode. Not everyone responds the same way to potentially stressful circumstances. For example, during
final exams many students feel very overwhelmed and anxious, while others are able to keep their stress
under control. If you, like many others, struggle with managing stress during difficult times, there are some
helpful tips on this page that can help.
Practice time management skills to manage your academic schedule, social activities, and making
time for yourself.
Set and implement specific goals for yourself that will improve your mood and help you reduce
stress. Start by filling out a goal-setting worksheet.
Avoid procrastination. Procrastination can create more mental and physical stress. If you have
trouble staying on task, consider downloading apps that will help keep you off things that are
distracting. To learn more about procrastination, click here.
Exercise regularly. Physical activity can help you burn off the energy generated by stress.
Practice good sleep habits to ensure that you are well-rested. Sleep deprivation can cause many
physical and mental problems and can increase stress.
Relaxation Techniques
Research has shown that relaxation techniques are an effective way to reduce not only stress but many of
the symptoms associated with mental illnesses. Try one or more of the following techniques for relaxing
your mind and body and reducing the physical and psychological tension associated with stress. Take the
time to experiment with these techniques to find out which ones work best for you.
Breathing Exercise: Place one hand on your abdomen right beneath your rib cage. Inhale slowly
through your nose, drawing a deep breath into your lungs. Your chest should move only slightly,
while your stomach rises, pushing your hand up. As you exhale, just let yourself go and imagine
your entire body becoming loose and limp. It should take you twice as long to exhale as it does
to inhale. Practice three times per day for two to three minutes. For more information and
resources on this technique, click here.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Pay a “mental visit” to your muscles, stopping at each area of
the body from head to toe (or toe to head), paying attention to individual areas where tension
exists. As you pause at each area, tense and relax each muscle, trying to release unnecessary
tension. Spend a few more minutes on those areas that seem to be holding the most tension. For
more information and resources on this technique, click here.
Visual (Guided) Imagery: Imagine tension flowing out of your body from top to
bottom. Visualize tension draining down your shoulders and arms and out through your
fingertips into the air, down your thighs and legs, and out through the soles of your feet into the
ground. It’s also helpful to take a mental “vacation,” imagining yourself in a pleasant, relaxing
place such as on the beach or in the woods. This can be a place where you’ve been or a place
you’d like to be. Take time to imagine the specific details of what you see, hear and feel in this
place. For more information and resources on this technique, click here.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is about noticing our thoughts, feelings or bodily sensations without judgment.
It’s a helpful tool in managing stress for those with a mental illness.
➢ Being Mindful of Everyday Activities. As a student, your life and your mind are often so busy that
you forget to take notice of the everyday occurrences that keep your senses ‘awake’. For example, as you
walk across the Diag, you may be lost in thought while drinking a latte. You may not be aware of how you
arrived at your destination or of the steam of the latte as you take a sip. Rather than allowing yourself to
miss the moment, pause, take a breath and notice what you are experiencing. Your experiences may be
pleasant and worth savoring. But even if they are unpleasant, you will be better able to cope if you face
your experiences directly and strive to live “in the moment.”
The goal of mindfulness meditation is not to change your thoughts in any way, but simply to notice them
and as best you can, continuously returning to your breath. Learning mindfulness meditation is similar to
learning any new skill. There are an abundance of website and apps for guided meditations. Keep it simple.
Be patient and kind with yourself. Do not expect that you will be able to “empty” your mind of thoughts
and enter a state of deep relaxation. Try starting with ten minutes each day, setting a timer to see what
happens. Remember that each moment is a new opportunity to begin. With practice, meditation can allow
you to develop clarity in your thoughts and feelings, decrease your negative thoughts, and promote a sense
of peacefulness and centeredness.
Source: https://campusmindworks.org/help-yourself/self-care/managing-stress/
(13.2).
When asked the question: “Do you take care of yourself?” most of us will answer “yes” — we’d even
think, “What kind of question is this? Of course, I care about myself.”
When asked, “In what ways do you take care of yourself?” — well, that’s where the tricky part begins.
WHAT IS SELF-CARE?
Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical
health. Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we very often overlook. Good self-care is
key to improved mood and reduced anxiety. It’s also key to a good relationship with oneself and others.
Knowing what self-care is not might be even more important. It is not something that we force ourselves
to do, or something we don’t enjoy doing. As Agnes Wainman explained, self-care is “something that
refuels us, rather than takes from us.”
Self-care isn’t a selfish act either. It is not only about considering our needs; it is rather about knowing what
we need to do in order to take care of ourselves, being subsequently, able to take care of others as well.
That is, if I don’t take enough care of myself, I won’t be in the place to give to my loved ones either.
1. Stick to the basics. Over time you will find your own rhythm and routine. You will be able to implement
more and identify more particular forms of self-care that work for you.
Although self-care means different things to different people, there’s a basic checklist that can be followed
by all of us:
Create a “no” list, with things you know you don’t like or you no longer want to do. Examples might
include: Not checking emails at night, not attending gatherings you don’t like, not answering your
phone during lunch/dinner.
Promote a nutritious, healthy diet.
Get enough sleep. Adults usually need 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Exercise. In contrast to what many people think, exercise is as good for our emotional health as it is for
our physical health. It increases serotonin levels, leading to improved mood and energy. In line with
the self-care conditions, what’s important is that you choose a form of exercise that you like!
Follow-up with medical care. It is not unusual to put off check-ups or visits to the doctor.
Use relaxation exercises and/or practice meditation. You can do these exercises at any time of the day.
Spend enough time with your loved ones.
Do at least one relaxing activity every day, whether it’s taking a walk or spending 30 minutes
unwinding.
Do at least one pleasurable activity every day; from going to the cinema, to cooking or meeting with
friends.
Look for opportunities to laugh!
This brief primer on SELF-CARE AND WELLNESS is accessed July 28, 2020 from
https://www.ferris.edu/RSS/eccc/tools/wellness.htm
SELF-CARE
Self-care is a vital part of maintaining good health and a vibrant life. I
Self-care is a way of living that incorporates behaviors that help you to be refreshed, replenish
your personal motivation, and grow as a person.
WELLNESS
Wellness is an interactive process of becoming aware of and practicing healthy choices to create a
more successful and balanced lifestyle.
Wellness is:
A direction in which by its nature, moves us toward a more proactive, responsible and
healthier existence.
The integration of the body, mind, and spirit.
The loving acceptance of ourselves today and the exciting free search for who we choose
to become tomorrow.
1. Social Wellness involves developing friendships, healthy sexual behaviors, and the
ability to interact comfortably with others. Social wellness is important for maintaining
harmony in personal and community environments. The social dimension encourages
contributing to the common welfare of your community. It emphasizes the coexistence
of you, society, and the environment along with the pursuit of harmony in your life.
As you become socially well, your impact on society and nature becomes more
apparent. Throughout your journey, you’ll seek out ways to preserve balance around
you. You actively seek ways to enhance relationships through better communication
and encouraging a healthy living environment. You will learn it is better to live in
harmony than in conflict.
2. Intellectual Wellness involves the strong desire to learn from challenges and
experiences. Intellectual wellness is important for encouraging ongoing intellectual
growth and experiencing creative yet stimulating mental activities that will provide
you with the foundation to discover, process, and evaluate information effectively. An
intellectually well person uses the available resources, in and out of the classroom, to
expand their knowledge and skills for the betterment of society.
As you grow, you will continually seek issues relating to problem solving, creative
thinking and learning. You will actively seek the opportunity to expand and challenge
your mind through creative endeavors. Your natural instinct to remain abreast of
current issues will surface and become satisfied through reading books, magazines and
newspapers and pursuing other interests.
3. Spiritual Wellness involves the willingness to seek meaning and purpose in human
existence; regardless of your religious beliefs. Spiritual wellness is important for
allowing you to be open to diverse multi-cultural beliefs and backgrounds because of
your comfort level with yourself and with your belief structure. Spiritual wellness
coincides with the exploration of the meaning of life. It seeks the development of a
deep appreciation of all life and natural forces in existence.
The question "Who am I and why do I exist?" is the starting point of your journey into
spiritual wellness. Through your journey, you will observe and appreciate the beauty
of your surroundings and begin to learn the value of things you cannot understand. As
you grow spiritually, you seek a harmony between your emotions allowing for
avoidance of emotional peaks and valleys. You continually allow your actions to be
guided by your beliefs and values.
4. Emotional Wellness involves having the ability to acknowledge and accept a wide
range of feelings in oneself as well as in others. Emotional wellness is important in
order to be able to freely express and manage one's own feelings, to develop positive
self- esteem in order to arrive at personal decisions based upon the integration of one's
attitudes and behaviors. Emotional wellness centers on the acceptance of your
emotions and feelings. Included is the ability to realistically evaluate your limitations
and effectively cope with stress. An emotionally well individual maintains healthy and
satisfying relationships with others.
5. Physical Wellness involves regular physical activities, proper nutrition and health
care, such as exercise or sports, and personal hygiene. Cardiovascular strength and
endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility are all also part of physical
wellness. Physical wellness is important because activities leading to high levels of
wellness, including nutritional knowledge, exercise, and appropriate use of the medical
system are encouraged while detrimental activities, including the consumption of drugs
and excessive alcohol are discouraged.
Throughout your journey to physical wellness, you will strive to spend more attention
to building flexibility, cardiovascular, and muscular abilities. The relationship between
sound nutritional practices and your health becomes more apparent and appreciated.
You will understand your body’s warning signs and take responsibility by
appropriately adjusting your lifestyle.
Source: Self Care and Wellness: Taking Care of Yourself So You Can Be Your Best. Accessed July 28,
2020 from https://www.ferris.edu/RSS/eccc/tools/wellness.htm
As a clinician, I often refer to self- care as a huge part of what’s missing in the life of someone who’s busy
and stressed. So what is self -care? Self -care in essence is the mindful taking of time to pay attention to you,
not in a narcissistic way, but in a way that ensures that you are being cared for by you.
And I’m often asked, what does that look like, and how do you take care of yourself in order to
avoid burnout or compassion fatigue? Quitting your job or taking six months off to decompress is seldom
an option for most people. What concerns me is that all too often, I see strong, successful professionals
succumb to illness and get really, really sick and only then do they manage to get the much needed break
Here are 10 ways to exercise self-care and take better care of you.
1. Self- care means knowing who you are and your limits. Self -care means recognizing when
you are doing more than you are used to handling and trying to figure out what can be done to slow
down.
2. Self -care means getting the sleep you need and knowing how to rest. Are you getting enough
sleep for you? Do you know how much sleep you require everyday and are you sleeping at least
that much? Making a serious effort to make that happen as well as knowing how to rest your body
and your mind are essential.
3. Self- care means making sure that you're well fed. Does what you eat provide the energy you
need to function? Do you take time to eat meals at work and do you take time to have snacks when
your body requires intermittent food during the work day? Self -care means integrating favorite
healthy foods into your everyday eating routines and planning ahead to make sure you have
adequate nutrition throughout your day.
4. Self -care means finding a way to decompress throughout your day, not just when you leave
work. What is it you do to rest your mind during and after a work day? What helps you tune out
the noise? Most people tell me they don’t have the luxury of taking breaks during their work day,
but trying to integrate mini breaks throughout the day helps refresh your mind and body. For
example, try stretching or taking a brief walk even if it's only a few feet away, getting yourself a
drink of water, talking to a friend, getting in touch with a loved one even if it's just a text, or
purposely looking at photos that have special meaning. The brain needs those pauses.
5. Self- care means giving some thought to changing a difficult work situation. We know best
what we need and what we can deal with. Is there anything that can be done to make your work
somewhat less stressful? Think about whether changes can be made to your work environment. Are
you okay with where you sit and do your work? Are you working unsustainable hours and is there
some end in sight? It might be a matter of approaching a supervisor with things that you think may
make your work more pleasant, such as changing where you sit or changing whether you take
an earlier lunch or later start time.
Sometimes supervisors are not even aware of the reality of what the worker experiences in a work
day. A frank conversation delineating the things that are most stressful might precipitate the process
of improving your working conditions. People see the world through their own lenses and
supervisors have their own problems and a sometimes a simple conversation can provide the insight
they needed to rethink how things are done.
7. Self- care means identifying what you enjoy doing and what's fun for you and make a
serious effort to integrate it into your day or, at the very least, your week. Make it a habit to
plan something to look forward to everyday and that doesn't have to be complicated. It can be as
simple as planning to read a good book at night or planning to have dinner with someone whose
company you enjoy.
8. Self- care means knowing how to decompress after a day's work. That might mean walking
home from work to clear your head, driving in silence or listening to music to help transition from
work to home.
9. Self-care means feeding your spiritual self. That might take the form of meditating, praying, and
communing with nature by a walk in a park, observing a sunset or sunrise, attending a religious
service, practicing gratitude, reading or listening to something inspirational.
10. And finally, self- care means taking time to love yourself and appreciating that there's only
one you and you're the expert on that.
END OF WEEK 16
The activity is designed to assess your understanding of the topics covered in Week 16 and will serve
as your final output. Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using Google
Classroom (GED 101 Class) and/or GED 101 group chat via FB messenger.
OUTPUT#4 GET REFRESHED: A 15-DAY CHALLENGE PLAN TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOURSELF (60
points)
Prepare a 15-day self-care routine plan. In your plan state how you will be
able to take better care of yourself in 15 days considering the six aspects of
the self: physical, sexual, material, spiritual, political and digital self. Also,
indicate basic components such as timeframe and resources. Use the format
below.
FORMAT
Resources (materials, money, staff, and other assets necessary for effective implementation of the plan):
A book/ Php200.00 to buy a book; cleaning materials- broom, map, detergent, etc.; prayer book, rosary;
bother/sister to help clean the house; a friend who can lend a book
Provide here the details on how you plan to do it. You may present the what, where, with whom, and how
of the activity of the day. Express your thoughts in 2-3 sentences.
….
Day 15: Pray diligently for people I love
Provide here the details on how you plan to do it. You may present the what, where, with whom, and how
of the activity of the day. Express your thoughts in 2-3 sentences.
Rubric
Criterion Score
Completeness Complete in Complete in Incomplete Incomplete in
all respects; most respects; in many most
reflects all reflects most respects; respects; does
requirements requirements reflects few not reflect
requirements requirements
15 10 5 1
Content and Information is Information is Information Information
Organization relevant to the relevant to the is relevant to is irrelevant
topic; fluent topic; fluent the topic; to the topic;
expression; expression; vague vague
text is well text is expression; expression;
organized organized text is fairly text is not
organized organized
35 25 15 5
10 7 4 1
Total
And for the completion of GED 101, your progress in the course will be
evaluated with the final examination. The test questions will be send to you
on the scheduled date of examination via Google Classroom. Kindly check
your Classwork Folder in GED 101 Class.