MODULE 4: Unfolding the Mental Self

This module focuses on the intellectual aspects of the self. As intelligent beings, humans strive
and successfully cope with the demands of the environment across time. People’s intellectual
abilities mark the superiority of humans over other animals in the planet. Thus, a thorough
understanding of this gift to humanity warrants serious attention. This module also covers
discussion on how human beings learn, and how learning abilities develop one’s being.

Section 1: Cognition, Memory, and Intelligence

This section discusses the nature of cognition and metacognition, its underlying mechanisms, and
how it contributes to one’s sense of self. This further tackles the mechanism of human memory
and the different types of human intelligence.

 Cognition
 People are born with innate capabilities that empower them to manage themselves in
various settings and situations.
 Cognition is a crucial part of an individual’s development process which influences
behavior, just as how behavior also impacts it, assuming bi-directional connection. The
way information is taken in and how it is analyzed and processed is a function of human
cognition.
 Cognition is defined as 'the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and
understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. ... It is in essence, the ability to
perceive and react, process and understand, store and retrieve information, make decisions
and produce appropriate responses.

There are 6 main types of cognitive processes:

 Language. Language is a form of communication we use each day. ...
 Attention. Being able to concentrate on one thing/item/task at a time. ...
 Memory. The memory is a hub of stored knowledge. ...
 Perception. ...
 Learning. ...
 Higher Reasoning.

 Memory
 If cognition covers all higher-order thinking processes within an individual, a major focus
of its study is the function of memory. It is the faculty of the mind through which
information is acquired and retained for later use.
 Memory functions in 3 levels:
 Sensory memory is the level that allows information from the external environment to
be perceived by an individual through senses, usually in the form of chemical and
physical stimuli, often with focus and intent.
  Short-term, working memory is where information is temporarily stored, where
information is simultaneously remembered and is in a readily-available state, typically
from 10 to 15 seconds, up to one minute. It can store up to 5-9 items, after which
information is discarded if there is no conscious and deliberate effort to retain it.
 When there is a deliberate effort to store information and it is done consistently and with
practice, then this information is transferred to long-term memory. Information stored
in long-term memory is often permanent and allows for repeated retrievals across
situations.
 Intelligence
 The term is referred to as an individual’s capacity for understanding, learning, planning,
and problem solving with logic, creativity, and self-awareness.
 It is characterized as the application of knowledge to be able to adjust to the environment.
 It is the process of applying knowledge in the proper context whenever the need arises.
4. Characteristics of Intelligence:
 It is an ability to abstract thinking.
 It is a capacity to adjust in new situation.
 It is a general mental adaptability.
 It is an ability to relate diverse situations.
 It is the capacity to acquire capacities and origins.

Section 2: Human Learning

This section provides an overview of human learning, the factors that contribute to the learning
process, and how its shapes the individual self.

 Learning
 If cognition, memory, and intelligence are underlying mechanisms that allow people to
perceive, process, and apply information for daily adaptation, then learning is a natural
consequence of these mechanisms.
 Learning is defined as a relatively permanent change in a person’s knowledge or behavior
as a result of experience. This definition connote 3 things:
1. The change is long-term
2. The source of change comes from within the external structures of memory or
knowledge of the individual.
3. The change is attributed to the personal experiences of the learner in his/her
environment.
 People learn in many ways, and several theories and models have been forwarded to
understand and explain how learning occurs. One such theory is the social cognitive
theory which emphasizes the value of the social environment in one’s learning process
 that is built on observational learning. Based on this theory, there are 4 stages in
observational learning:
1. When an individual focuses on information that he/she perceives to be interesting and
useful (Attention),
2. Stores and gives a mental representation of the information (Retention),
3. Recalls and rehearses the information given (Motor Reproduction), and
4. Repeats the entire process constantly and consistently (Motivation), then learning
happens.
 Learning happens even beyond the classroom; it happens in daily situations. According to
the social cognitive theory, there is an interaction of personal (cognition, personality,
motivational, orientation), environmental (family, schools and other settings, peers and
social relationships), and behavioral factors (feedback and consequence) that accounts for
behavioral change.
 The notion of learning is underlined by notions of self-efficacy and human agency. Self-
efficacy is defined as the extent to which people believe that they can confidently learn
and

master a particular skill.

 According to Albert Bandura, self-efficacy can be developed through the following:

1. Mastery experience. Accomplishing simple tasks that lead to more complex tasks.
2. Social modelling. Observing an identifiable model who accomplishes the task.
3. Improving physical and emotional states. Being relaxed and calm before pursuing a
challenging task.
4. Verbal persuasion. Providing encouragement and feedback during the accomplishment
of a challenging task.
 Apart from self-efficacy, human agency is another valuable principle in the learning
process. People are not products of inner forces or environments; they are self-regulating
and proactive.

 Thus, in the learning process, students are equally accountable for their performance as
much as their teachers. While teachers are considered agents of motivating the learning
 process, students have the responsibility to be equally involved as well. It is in this
perspective that students are considered agents of their own learning, and they are
expected to invest in their own learning, and they are expected to invest in their own
learning process.
 This leads to the question of how much of an investment should students make in the
learning process. There are 2 strategies in learning that students can use:

1. Surface learning. Students simply accept information presented to them and memorize
them in an isolated and unlinked manner.
2. Deep learning. The deeper understanding of information by creating significant
meaningful links across different concepts and how it can be applied in practical ways.
 To adopt deep learning strategies, students can engage in the following habits:

1. Taking down notes

2. Asking questions during class sessions
3. Creating cognitive maps
4. Engaging in collaborative learning activities with mentors and peers
5. Going beyond the mandatory course requirements

 Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences

  Robert Stenberg’s Triarchic theory of intelligence

 According to Sternberg (1895), intelligence is defined as “a mental activity directed

toward purposive adaptation to, selection and shaping of, real-world environments
relevant to one’s life.”
 Both the theory of multiple intelligences and the triarchic theory of intelligence explain the
nature of intelligence, and the personal and environmental factors that shape it.

Prepared by: Juniefer B. Dulnuan, MDM