GEC 1 – UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Module 2 : Content

Module 2: THE SELF FROM VARIOUS SOCIOLOGICAL AND

ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
I. Starting AccUrAtely (Introduction)
A. Lesson Introduction
You are a social being. The social aspect of your “self” can be explored in many ways,
in which social situations influence your view of self. Your “self” is not created in isolation
(Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
In anthropology, the self comes to be understood as a process that orchestrates an
individual’s personal experience following which he or she becomes self-aware and self-
reflective about his or her place in society (Taylor, 1989).
Across time and history, the self has been debated, discussed, and fruitfully or otherwise
conceptualized by different thinkers in philosophy. Eventually, with the advent of the social
sciences, it became possible for new ways and paradigms to re-examine the true nature of the
self. What is the relationship between the external reality and the self? In the famous story of
Tarzan, the little boy named Tarzan was left in the middle of the forest after surviving a plane
crash that killed both his parents. The apes found him and decided to take care of him as their
own. Growing up, he never had an interaction with any other human being but apes and other
animals. Tarzan grew up acting (walking, eating, communicating, etc.) like an ape, though he
is not an ape but due to his constant and only social interaction with them. He became one of
them. In this sense, our growth and development, and consequentially, our “selves” are truly
products of our interaction with the external reality (Alata, et al., 2018).
In this lesson, you are going to examine your “self” based on the sociological and
anthropological perspectives by looking at the relationship between the self and the external
world.

B. Intended Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to be able to:
1. compare and contrast the different sociological views of the self;
2. describe and analyze the different ways by which society and culture shape the self;
and
3. explain the relationship between and among the self, society, and culture.

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II. StimUlating LeArning (Motivation)

Note:
Log on to LMS/ FB Group to download the activity sheet (Module 2 – Activity 1). Instructions are
provided there as to how to conduct the activity and how to submit your outputs.

III. IncUlcAting Concepts (Inputs/Lesson Proper)

A. What is the Self?
1. The self is seen as separate, self-contained, independent, consistent, unitary, and
private (Stevens, 1996 as cited by Villafuerte, et al., 2018). Now, let us discuss each
characteristic of the self by looking at the table below.

Characteristics of
the Self Description
(Stevens, 1996)
Each self is distinct or different from other selves. The self is
Separate unique and has its own identity; one cannot be another person.
“There is only one YOU in this world.”

One’s own thoughts, characteristics, and ability to make

Self-contained
decisions are all unknown to other selves.

The self can exist on its own. It does require any other self for it
Independent to exist. The self can also make choices and decisions on its
own.

Each self has its own personality that is long-lasting. Its

consistency allows it to be studied, described, and measured.
Consistent The consistency of the self also means that the traits,
characteristics, tendencies, and potentialities are more or less
the same.

The self is the center of all experiences and thoughts that run
through a certain person. It is like the chief command post in an
Unitary
individual where all processes, emotions, and thoughts
converge.

Each person sorts-out information, feelings and emotions, and

thought processes within the self. The whole process is not
Private
accessible to anyone but the self. The self is isolated from the
external world.

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The last characteristic of the self, its being private, suggests that the self is
isolated from the external world. It lives within its own world. However, there is this
potential clash between the self and the external reality (social situations). These social
situations somehow influence and predict what the self might be, what it can be, and
what it will be. From this standpoint, you may see that the self is at the mercy of external
circumstances that bump and collide with it. Hence, the self is ever changing and
dynamic, allowing external influences to take part in its shaping. The concern of this
lesson is in understanding this vibrant relationship between the self and external
reality and this is known as the social constructionist perspective (Stevens, 1996
as cited by Villafuerte, et al., 2018).

Note: The social constructionist perspective will be discussed further on the later part of
this lesson.

2. The Self as a Product of Modern Society

Before examining the self as a product of modern society, take a look at the
differences between the modern society and the traditional society (Clifford Geertz, 1973
as cited by Villafuerte, et al., (2018) :

In a traditional society: In a modern society:

Social order is based on
traditional beliefs that provide
people with clearly defined roles.
Decisions are based on religio-
theological traditions.
Relationships are in intimate
personal affiliations (being close
and open to one another).
There is freedom from traditional
practices.
Judgments are based on rational
and scientific calculations.
Prominent is a lifestyle of
exceedingly impersonal
associations (not deep and open
relationships) brought about by
urbanized way of life.

 The self is a product of social expectation.

 Since the self has meaning only within the social context and the social situation
defines our self-concept and our self-esteem. We rely on others to provide a “social
reality”—to help us determine what to think, feel, and do (Hardin & Higgins, 1996 as
cited by Villafuerte, et al, 2018).
 Modernity is being post-traditional which means, being free from the traditional way
of living.
 With modernization, the self becomes a “delocalized” self (the self that is free to
seek its own identity, define religion/theological traditions; free from customary
constraints, hence deviating from the traditional way of life).

Delocalization is defined as the process by which the restrictions of our environment

are removed. It is described as the sense of freedom from the traditions, belief systems,
and culture that once restricted us. We now have the freedom to choose what we want.
One example is the change from the traditional conservative clothing styles, to the
modern shorter clothing styles.

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Modernization or the destruction of the traditional way of life “delocalizes” the self.
Can you now identify the differences between these two societies? Can you see and
analyze the type of society that shaped your “self” and the type of society that shaped
the “selves” of your parents?

3. The Self as Necessary Fiction

Self for Nietzsche, is the sum of individual’s actions, thoughts and feelings. Self
is nothing more than a metaphor (a symbol or image), a representation of something
abstract. Self is symbolic. It is possible for us to remember something even if we have
not experienced it. Self has continuity even if it is only in memory. A true given self is not
what unites these experiences, but it is the presumed unity of these experiences that
gave rise to a concept of the self (Villafuerte, et al., 2018, p. 19).
For you, is self real or is it a necessary fiction?
.
4. Post-Modern View of the Self
Self is a narrative, a text written and rewritten. Self is a story. It is dynamic. It is a
product of modern discourse that is historically and socially imprisoned by what is
acceptable in the society. The self in post modernity is even more complicated by
electronic mediated virtual interaction of cyber self such as change in appearance (in the
cyberspace). This gave rise to the digital self.
According to N. Green, the self becomes digitalized in cyber space or in virtual
reality, so we have a virtual version of who we are. Our “digital self” is the self that is
seen in websites or social media—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
The following are the manifestations:

 The self is “digitalized” in cyber space.

 Global migration produces multicultural identities

 Post-modern selves are “pluralized” selves (having several versions of your

“self”)
Is self a story? Is self a drama? How about you? What is your story and what is your
drama?
With the self becoming pluralized due to the influences of post-modernization and
virtual reality, how do you form your sense of self?

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B. Theories of the Social Self

There are several theories formulated to explain the sociological perspectives of the
self. Take a look at the concepts and learn how these can help you realize how you have
become as you are because of your social reality and what you can do to help you define
your “self”.
1. Mead’s Theory of the Self
George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) is the founder of American pragmatism, a
pioneer of symbolic interaction theory, and one of the founders of social psychology. His
theory of self maintains that the person’s knowledge about himself/herself emerges from
his/her social interaction with others—constructed and reconstructed in the process of
social experience and activity.

According to Mead, the self has two components: “I” and “me”.

Components of “I” Components of “Me”

o It is the response of an individual to o It represents the expectation and

“me” (the expectations of other people) attitudes of others (the “generalized
other”) organized into a social self.

o It is the person’s individuality. o The generalized (internalized in the

“me”) other is the major instrument of
social control.

o It is the self as subject (Crossman, o It is the self as object.

2017 as cited by Villafuerte, et. al,
2018).

o It is the response of an individual to o “Me” is the organized set of attitudes

the attitudes of others. of others which an individual
assumes.

o It is the knower. o It is the known.

Note: When the individual can view himself or herself from the standpoint of the
generalized other, self-consciousness is attained.

Your mind or your stream of thought is the internalized dialogue or interaction

between the “I” and the “me”.
For Mead, existence in a community comes before individual consciousness.
One must first participate in the different social positions within society and only
subsequently can one use that experience to take the perspective of others and
become self-conscious (Boundless, 2016 as cited by Villafuerte, et. al, 2018)

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Take time to consider looking at your “me”. For example, are some things in your
“me” telling you that you are not good enough in singing because you were told that you
sing like a frog? But deep inside, your “I” is telling you that you can sing well. You may
focus on your own situation and see if there are conflicts in the interaction or dialog
inside you between your “I” and “me”.

2. The Looking-Glass Self: Our sense of self is influenced by other’s views of us

The concept of looking-glass self states that part of how we see ourselves comes
from our perception of how others see us (Cooley, 1902 as cited by Villafuerte, et. al,
2018).
 How we see ourselves does not come from who we really are, but from
how we believe others see us (Isaksen, 2013). Meaning, the degree of
personal insecurity you display in social situations is determined by what
you believe other people think of you.
 The person’s self grows out of a person’s social interactions with others.
 It is internalizing other people’s appraisals of ourselves.

Sometimes, the influence of other people’s appraisal of ourselves on our self-

concept may be so strong that we end up internalizing them.

 Labeling bias occurs when we are labelled by other people, and these
labels affect how other people perceive us (Foxx & Stinnett, 1996). For
example, if a person is diagnosed with depression, the way we look at the
person is affected by the label.
o When those expectations/labels start to become self-fulfilling
prophesies, self-concept and even behaviors start to align with
them.

 Self-labeling may occur if there is repeated labeling and evaluation by

others.
o Happens when we adopt other’s labels explicitly into the self-
concept.
o For example, when we are labelled as the class mathematician,
we tend to embody that identity.

 Internalized prejudice occurs when individuals turn prejudice directed

toward them by others onto themselves. This may be experienced by
those who self-label.
o Found to predict more negative self-concept and poorer
psychological adjustments in members of various groups,

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including sexual minorities (Carter, 2012) and racial minorities

(Szymanski & Obiri, 2011).
o Labels used by wider society to describe people negatively can be
positively reclaimed by those being labeled. These results indicate
that individuals who incorporate a formerly negative label into their
self-concept in order to reclaim it can sometimes undermine the
stigma attached to the label.
 So, how can one stand against negative labelling?

How do you see yourself? Try to examine your perception of your “self”. Examine
if there are some labels assigned to you which had become part of how you see yourself
but later on, you have discovered them as unreasonable.

3. Social Comparison Theory: Our Sense of Self is influenced by Comparisons

with Others

Self-concept and self-esteem are also heavily influenced by the process of social
comparison (Buunk & Gibbons, 2007; Van Lange, 2008 as cited by Villafuerte, et. al,
2018).

 According to Festinger (1954) as cited by Villafuerte, et. al. (2018), social

comparison;
o occurs when we learn about our abilities and skills, about the
appropriateness and validity of our opinions, and our social status by
comparing our own beliefs and behaviors with those of others
o These comparisons can be with people who we know and interact
with, with those whom we read about or see on TV, or with anyone
else we view as important.
o However, the most meaningful comparisons we make tend to be with
those who we see as similar to ourselves.
 For example, a woman compares herself with another
woman, or an engineering student with an engineering
student, or a singer with another singer.
Social comparison occurs primarily on dimensions on which there are no correct
answers or objective benchmarks (standards) (Villafuerte, et. al., 2018).

 In social dimensions where there are no standards or bases on what are

socially acceptable or correct, we rely only on the beliefs of others for
information.
o Answers to questions such as “What should I wear to the interview?”
or “What kind of music should I have at my wedding?” are frequently
determined at least in part by using the behavior of others as a basis
of comparison.
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 We also use social comparison to help us determine our skills or abilities—

how good we are at performing a task or doing a job, for example.
o When you and your classmates ask your teacher for the passing
score or the class average on an exam, you are also seeking to use
social comparison to evaluate each of your own performances.

C. Social Construction of the Self

“The social constructionists argue for a merge view of ‘the person’ and their
‘social context’ where the boundaries of one cannot be easily separated from the boundaries
of the other” (Stevens 1996, p. 222 as cited by Alata, et al, 2018).

1.a. The following are the concepts of social constructivism about the self:
 The self is not static. It undergoes constant change.
 The self is in constant struggle with external reality and is easily influenced in its
dealings with society.
 The self is always in participation with social life and its identity subjected to
influences from here and there.
 The self is made though the socialization process.
 The individuals are not just unfortunate victims of socialization. Rather, the
individual is an active agent that negotiates for the definition of himself.
 Self is acquired through language, like symbols.
 We construct ourselves through socializations agents (e.g., home).
 Language is another aspect of social constructionism.
o Filipino is a very interesting language. Let us take for example
“I love you” and the Filipino translation which is “Mahal kita”.
What makes the Filipino version interesting is the layers of
meaning that our words carry. The term “I love you” is very
explicit; the speaker wants to express his/her love to the
receiver “you”. Likewise, in “Mahal Kita”, the receiver is
obviously “kita” but the meaning of “mahal” in the Filipino
language may mean “expensive”, “valuable”, “precious” which
suggests that love is something that is valuable and precious.
o Language is the salient part of culture. The unending terrain of
metamorphosis of the self is mediated by language.
o For Mead and Vygotsky, human persons develop with the use
of language acquisition and interaction with others.

 Another concept of social constructionism is the behavior of people such as

Japanese humility and Filipino hospitality. Japanese are known for being very
humble people, just like how Filipinos are known to be very hospitable and
welcoming people (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
So how do children grow up and become social beings? How can a boy turn out
to be just like an ape? How do twins coming out from the same mother turn out to be
terribly different when given out for adoption?
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1.b. According to Nietzsche, the unity of the self if not pre-given but accomplished through
conscious effort of transforming the self as a beautiful work of art (Villafuerte, et al.,
2018).
IMPORTANT POINTS TO PONDER (From Nietzsche):
We must fashion, cultivate, and care for ourselves.
We can recreate ourselves to get hold of the present, forgive the past, and plan for the future.

1.c. On the other hand, according to Rorty, there are contingencies of selfhood that we
need to work on (Villafuerte, et al., 2018):
 Conceal the “ugly” part of the self by reinterpreting the overall aesthetic
contours of the self. It means writing again the description of one’s self.
 Redescribing one’s self is just a way of interpreting and describing again
the past.

1.d. Self-creation and collective identity:

 Memories (photographs, videos) play significant role on creating the self
and identity.
 Memory and forgetting are most important powers in recreating a
person’s identity. Such memories include pain, triumph, etc.
 Experiences of the past can be linked with social transformation.
 Self-creation is formed within “imagined communities”. Selves obtain their
nature from cultural traditions embodied in various social institutions.
 As the person is involved in self-creation, there must be maximum cultural
recognition of differences among and between individuals and cultural
groups.

1.e. Self-creation and the struggle for cultural recognition

 This is a challenge of self-identity amidst recognition of racial and ethnic
identities.
 Self-creation is necessarily grounded on collective (shared or group)
solidarities.
 We create ourselves by struggling with cultural hassles and then owning
the created self.
 We hide the ugly part of our cultural nature.
 We learn to adjust.
Important: More than a person’s givenness (personality, tendencies,
propensities, etc.), one is believed to be in active participation of shaping the self.
Recent studies indicate that men and women in their growth and development
engage actively in the shaping of the self (Alata, et al., 2018).

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2. The Socialization Process

 Humans learn the expectations of society through socialization and interaction with
others.
 Agents of Socialization
The sociological basis for the relationship between the self and the social
world focus on the different institutions and powers at play in the society (Alata, et
al., 2018).

a. Family
 The most prominent institution
 The impact of family life is still deemed as a given in understanding the self.
 In trying to achieve the goal of becoming a fully realized human, a child enters
a system of relationships, most important of which is the family.
 Human persons learn the ways of living and therefore their selfhood by being
in a family.
 It is what a family initiates a person to become that serves as the basis for this
person’s progress.
 Without a family, biologically and sociologically, a person may not even survive
or become a human person.

Implications:
A newborn baby will always depend on his or her parents for sustenance. In
discovering the true self, the child will enter his/her first set of relationships in the
family context.
Living and surviving can be learned from the family. Skills such as cooking,
cleaning, and taking care of oneself are some of the things learned in the interaction
of a child with his or her parents, siblings and other family members. A person learns
how to live life and even form his or her selfhood by being in a family. The basis for a
person’s progress is what the family initiates by providing models that a child
imitates.
Kids raised in a respectful environment grow up being respectful; religious
families raise religious children as well. Learning can be conscious such as being
taught proper table manners and ways of speaking to elders, and can be taught
through reward and punishment system. If a person is not aware of simple manners
or good manners and right conduct, he or she failed to internalize as a child due to
parental failure or poor parenthood.
Without a family, sociologically and biologically, a person may not survive or
become a human person. Just like Tarzan who grew up ape-like because he was
raised by apes.
The common plot in Filipino teleseryes is the swapping of children in
hospitals where the good child went to the bad parents and vice versa. The good
child becomes bad because of the bad environment that the child is growing-up in.

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b. School
 Teachers and other students are the source of expectations that encourage
children to think and behave in particular ways.

c. Religion
 Children tend to develop the same religious beliefs as their parents.

d. Peers
 For children, peer culture is an important source of identity. Through
interaction with peers, children learn concepts of self, gain social skills, and
form values and attitudes.

e. Media
 Television, social media and other digital social platforms become the source
of standards that shape the way of life of the present generation.

3. The Self and Culture

a. According to Marcel Mauss, it is natural for a person to have his or her own self-identity,
while at the same time project different behaviors when the situation calls for it.
The two faces of every self are:
a.1. Personne- different versions of our self that changes depending on our
environment or the situation.

a.2. Moi- the basic identity or the real essence of the person. These are the
permanent characteristics of the person

b. Social Roles
 Social roles specify the part or position of a person in a society. It also specifies
behavior expected to be exhibited by an individual in practicing his or her role.
 The self is multifaceted.
 Consider a man named John:
- As a Social Science Professor in the University of Antique, John behaves in a way
that the students respect him
- As a father and a husband, John behaves in a way that his children will follow what
he says and his wife will treat him as her lover
- As a church lector, John uses the appropriate language and dresses formally so
that his fellow church-goers will treat him with respect and acknowledge his
authority

The example of John explains that each person needs to adjust according to the
environment that the person is in. He or she has to dress, speak, and behave

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accordingly. This constant change in behavior is natural, acceptable, and expected of

us. We are expected to adapt and adjust if our environment changes.

c. Gender and the Self

Gender is an aspect of the self that is subject to change and development.
Others may take this negatively, but the social sciences argue that it is important to give
leeway or chance to find, express, and live his or her identity.
Gender is part of the selfhood that one cannot just dismiss. A person maneuvers
through society and identifies him/herself by taking note of gender identities.
The gendered self is also shaped with the particular context of time and space.
The sense of self conforms to what is socially acceptable which is dangerous and
detrimental to the goal of finding your true self because gender has to be personally
discovered and asserted, not dictated by culture and society.

IV. Using/Applying Knowledge (Application/Integration)

Note:
Log on to LMS/ FB Group to download the activity sheet (Module 2 – Activity 2).
Instructions are provided there as to the conduct of the activity and the submission of
outputs.

V. EvalUAting Understanding (Assessment)

Note:

Instructions in the taking the test/quiz will be posted by the instructor via social
media/learning platforms. Contact your instructor via messenger/LMS chat for
clarifications.

VI. UpgrAding Competence and Expanding Insights (Enrichment Phase)

Note:

Instructions will be posted by the instructor via LMS or other social learning/media
platforms.

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References:
Alata, E., Caslib, B., Serafica, J. & Pawilen, R,A. (2018). Understanding the self (1st
edition). Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.

Geertz, Clifford. (1960). The Religion of Java. The Free Press of Glencoe, London. pp.
309-352.

Havilland, Willam, Harald, Prince, Walrath, Dana, McBride, Bunny. (2014). Anthropology:
The human challenge. Wadsworth, Thompson Learning Inc., 14th Edition, United
States of America.

Kottak, Conrad Philipp. (2009). Cultural anthropology, 13th Ed. McGraw Hill Higher
Education. New York, USA.

Stevens, Richard. (1966). Understanding the self. California: SAGE Publications

Villafuerte, S., Quillope, A., Tunac, R., & Borja, E. (2018). Understanding the self.
Quezon City: Nieme Publishing House Co.
- = END OF LESSON 2 = -

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