UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
Psychosocial Theory of Development
Preliminary Exam – Reviewer for Lesson 2
UNPACKING THE SELF
A. PHYSICAL SELF
❖ The self as impacted by the body
“Learn how to see. Realize that everything
connects to everything else.”
– LEONARDO DA VINCI
Physical Self
➢ is the concrete dimension, the tangible
aspect of the person that can be directly
observed and examined.
➢ “Physical Self/Body is an initial source of
sensation and necessary for the origin and
maintenance of personality” – William James
Psychosexual Theory of Development
(SIGMUND FREUD)
➢ In the Psychoanalytical school, Sigmund
Freud's construction of self and personality
makes the physical body the core of human
experience.
➢ Freud’s Psychosexual Stages
o Oral Stage: Birth to 1 year
Erogenous Zone: Mouth
o Anal Stage: 1 to 3 year
Erogenous Zone: Bowel and
Bladder Control
o Phallic Stage: 3 to 6 year
Erogenous Zone: Genitals
o Latent Stage: 6 to Puberty
Libido Inactive
o Genital Stage: Puberty to Death
Maturing Sexual Interests
Psychosexual Stages of Personality
Development
1. Oral Stage (Birth-1.5 years)
2. Anal Stage (1.5-3 years)
3. Phallic Stage (4-5 years)
4. Latent Stage (5 years – puberty)
5. Genital Stage (puberty)
(ERIK ERIKSON)
➢ The role of bodily organs is especially
important in early developmental stages of a
person’s life.
➢ Later in life, the development of physical as
well as intellectual skills help determine
whether the individual will achieve a sense of
competence and ability to choose
demanding roles in a complex society.
Somatic Society
(BRYAN TURNER)
➢ The sociology of the body become an
established discipline in the 1990’s.
➢ Bryan Turner, coined the term “somatic
society” which means the new found
importance of the body in contemporary
society.
➢ Examples: The obsession to have a beautiful
face & body & The demand for Cosmetic
Surgery and Skin Whiteners
Body Shaming
➢ Criticizing your own appearance, through a
judgment or comparison to another person.
➢ Criticizing another’s appearance in front of
them
➢ Criticizing another’s appearance without
their knowledge.
Physical Self Issues and Conflicts
Eating Disorders (DSM-5)
1. Anorexia Nervosa
➢ characterized by loss of body weight
and refusal to eat. Appetite is usually
intact.
2. Bulimia Nervosa
➢ characterized by recurrent and
frequent binge eating with or without
vomiting.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (DSM-5)
➢ characterized by a distressing and impairing
preoccupation with an imagined or slight
defect in appearance.
“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.”
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 “We are NOT our bodies. The Sexual Response Cycle
We live in our bodies, but our bodies do not ➢ model that describes the physiological
make up WHO we are.” responses, that occur during sexual activity.

B. SEXUAL SELF
❖ Understanding one’s identity and
sexuality

Biological Perspective of One’s Sex

➢ At conception, egg and sperm unite to create
a new organism that incorporates some LOVE LUST
characteristics of each parent. ➢ Is a DECISION. ➢ Is a FEELING, like
➢ The first 22 pairs are called AUTOSOMES. “Making love” infatuation.
The last pair is known as the SEX doesn’t make it
CHROMOSOMES. LOVE!
➢ Genetic basis for Sex Determination: ➢ Wants what’s best ➢ Tends to be more
for the other person. about “me”.
▪ X Chromosome ➢ Protects others ➢ Looks for what it
from harm, danger, can get, not what it
▪ Y Chromosome or risk of harm can give.
➢ What we call
➢ Is unconditional. “conditional love” I
Secondary Sex Characteristics love you if…
➢ Shows “ I will never ➢ Says “Come on
do anything to hurt Baby, isn’t it time
you, and you will be we showed each
a better person other how much we
because I loved care?”
you!”

Chemistry of Lust, Attraction and Attachment

Erogenous Zones
➢ where the libido is centered (according to
Freud)
➢ parts of the body that experience heightened
sensitivity and/or signal sexual arousal of
some kind
➢ Needs stimulation by engaging the person in
gratifying activities
➢ Lust and attraction shut off the prefrontal
cortex of the brain, which includes rational
behavior.
➢ The hypothalamus regulates the function of
the pituitary gland to secrete hormones.
➢ The hypothalamus of the brain plays a big
role in stimulating the production of the sex
hormones testosterone and estrogen from
the testes and ovaries.
➢ Attraction involves the brain pathways that
control “reward” behavior, which partly
explains why the first few weeks or months of
a relationship can be so exhilarating and
even all-consuming.
➢ High levels of dopamine and
norepinephrine, are released during
attraction. These chemicals make us giddy,
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 energetic, and euphoric, even leading to
decreased appetite and insomnia.
➢ Attachment is the predominant factor in
long- term relationships. While lust and
attraction are pretty much exclusive to
romantic entanglements, attachment
mediates friendships, parent-infant bonding,
social cordiality, and many other intimacies
as well.
➢ Primary hormones: oxytocin and
vasopressin
➢ Oxytocin (cuddle hormone) is produced by
the hypothalamus and released in large
quantities during sex, breastfeeding, and
childbirth.
Sex vs. Gender
SEX
➢ Sex (sometimes called biological sex,
anatomical sex, or physical sex)
➢ A person’s identity based on their physical
characteristics, genes and hormones.
o Male: Penis
o Female: Vagina
o Intersex: chromosomes and
hormones of a female/male but
external genital is like that of a
male/female
➢ Also refers to sexual acts, as in ‘having sex’
➢ Primary and Secondary Sex characteristics
GENDER
➢ Gender is the structure of social relations that
centers on the reproductive arena, and the
set of practices that bring reproductive
distinctions into social processes.
➢ A term that refers to social or cultural
distinctions associated with a given sex; it is
generally considered to be a socially
constructed concept.
➢ Gender underlies assumptions regarding
‘Masculine’ or ‘Feminine’ behavior.
➢ Refers to the attitudes, feelings and
behaviors that a given culture associates
with a person's biological sex.
➢ Behavior that is compatible with cultural
expectations is referred to as gender -
normative;
➢ Behaviors that are viewed as incompatible
with these expectations constitute gender
non - conformity (APA, 2012).
Sexual Diversity
➢ Sex and gender are often thought of as
binary categories; that is, we can be either
male or female, or feminine or masculine.
However, this is a FALSE assumption.
➢ Although sex can be quantified by DNA and
genetic testing, sometimes the results are
difficult to make sense of with regard to their
social implications.
GENDER IDENTITY
Who you think you are?
➢ One's innermost concept of self as male,
female, a blend of both or neither – how
individuals perceive themselves and what
they call themselves which can be the same
or different from their sex assigned at birth.
➢ Gender identity, in nearly all instances, is
self- identified, as a result of a combination of
inherent and extrinsic or environmental
factors.
➢ CISGENDER – A person whose gender
identity matches his or her assigned sex
➢ TRANSGENDER – A person whose lived
experiences do not match their assigned sex
o Transwoman - person whose
assigned sex is male and identifies as
a woman
o Transman - person whose assigned
sex is female and identifies as a man
GENDER EXPRESSION
How you demonstrate who you are?
➢ Refers to the ways that humans choose to
display their gender identity to the world
usually expressed through: behavior,
clothing, haircut or voice and which
may/may not conform to socially defined
behaviors and characteristics typically
associated with being either masculine or
feminine.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION/ATTRACTION
Who you are romantically and sexually into?
➢ Sexual orientation is all about who you are
physically, spiritually, and emotionally
attracted to (specifically into sexual and
romantic attraction), and the labels tend to
describe the relationships between your
gender and the gender types you’re attracted
to.
o Straight (Heterosexual) - Attracted
to people of the opposite gender
o Gay/Lesbian (Homosexual) -
Attracted to people of the same
gender
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 o Bisexual - Can be attracted to both How to avoid STIs and AIDS
men and women
➢ ABSTINENCE - The most reliable way to
avoid infection is to not have sex (i.e., anal,
vaginal or oral).
The Church and Sexuality
➢ VACCINATION - Vaccines are safe,
effective, and recommended ways to prevent
hepatitis B and HPV.
Sexual Intercourse ➢ MUTUAL MONOGAMY - Mutual monogamy
➢ the two primary purposes of sexual means that you agree to be sexually active
intercourse are: with only one person, who has agreed to be
o “UNITIVE” (unite the couple) and sexually active only with you.
o “PROCREATIVE” (create more
people).
C. MATERIAL/ECONOMIC SELF
❖ The Self in association to his/her
Pope Francis on Sexuality possessions.

➢ Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken about

the need for the Catholic Church to welcome
and love all people regardless of sexual
orientation.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
➢ 1 million STI cases everyday worldwide
(WHO, 2016)
➢ Estimated 357 million each year are infected
by 1 of 4 STIs: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea,
Syphilis, Trichomoniasis (WHO, 2016)
➢ Drug resistance is a challenge esp. for
Gonorrhea (WHO, 2018)
➢ Poor young females more vulnerable than
well-off counterparts (Abrigo, n.a.)
WILLIAM JAMES on the “Self” from his book
The Principles of Psychology (1890)
➢ “A man’s self is the sum total of all that he
can call his, not only his body and his psychic
powers, but his clothes and his house, his
wife and children, his ancestors and friends,
his reputation and works, his lands and
horses, 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 thing, but in much the same way for
all.”

Material Self
HIV and AIDS
➢ Refers to tangible objects, people, or places
TRANSMITTED THROUGH: that carry the designation my or mine.
➢ Unprotected sex
➢ Drug addicts BODILY SELF
➢ Blood transfusion ➢ refers to any part of our body. These entities
are clearly an intimate part of who we are.
➢ Pregnancy
➢ Non-sterile instruments
EXTENDED SELF
NOT TRANSMITTED THROUGH:
➢ refers to anything that is beyond our body
➢ Touching
(Psychological ownership)
➢ Food
➢ Kissing
Functions of Possessions
➢ Insect bites
Possessions can go beyond their functional value.
➢ Swimming in pools
➢ Influence
➢ Power
➢ Sympathy

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 ➢ Social status
➢ Emotions
Materialism
➢ The importance a consumer attaches to
worldly possessions.
➢ The extent to which consumption becomes
the primary source of satisfaction, as well as
the dominant mode of motivation.
Possessions as Unstable Meanings
➢ Meaning is in a constant state of flux.
➢ Cultural categories of person that help shape
identity are subject to constant manipulation
by individuals, social groups, and marketing
agents.
➢ Meanings of objects that are used to make
visible and stabilize the categories of culture
are also subject to frequent change through
their appropriation in advertising, in television
programming, and among social subgroups.

Symbolic Communication Model: Possessions Pets as Extensions of the Self

as Symbolic Expressions of Identity ➢ Pets have become parts of the extended self.
➢ There’s an observation that one’s Pets belong to the top 5 possessions.
possessions are considered a part of ➢ Positive relationship between self- esteem
oneself. They are symbols and extensions of and owning pets (Covert et al, 1985)
the personal and social aspects of her ➢ The dog as “co-therapist” (Levinson, 1962)
identity/personhood.
➢ Possession help people define themselves.
➢ Possessions can enhance one’s image and Material Self-care
develop a positive sense of self.
“It is the preoccupation with possessions, more
➢ It can be a reassurance that one is the
than anything else, that prevents us from living
person one’s wishes to be.
freely and nobly.”
➢ Goods and possessions are used to fill in or
to compensate for the person lacks. ― Bertrand Russell
For example:
➢ A recent Ph.D., for example, may
prominently display his diploma in an attempt
to convince himself (and others) that he is the
erudite scholar he aspires to be.
➢ Even though you are not too smart or not
qualified, so long as you wear an expensive
watch, a high-class pair of shoes and you
have the latest model of cellphone.

Conspicuous Consumption
➢ Consumers own high-priced, status-oriented
goods to impress others and to convince
them of their high social status.

Loss of Possessions

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 D. SPIRITUAL SELF ignored at this stage due to the fear of threat
❖ The practice of religion: belief in from inconsistencies.
supernatural being and power ➢ INDIVIDUATIVE-REFLECTIVE STAGE
(age 21 and up) stage of angst and struggle.
The individual takes personal responsibility
Religion and Spirituality for his or her beliefs and feelings. As one is
able to reflect on one's own beliefs, there is
➢ Religion – an organized system of ideas an openness to a new complexity of faith, but
about the spiritual or supernatural realm, that this also increases the awareness of conflicts
is accompanied by rituals. Through rituals, in one's belief.
people attempt to influence things that they
think are beyond their control.
➢ Spirituality – also concerns an aspect of the
divine and supernatural but is often times
limited to the individual, with no need for any
formal organization. This is the search for
meaning and direction in life and the ways
➢ The two are related: Although not separate
from one another, spirituality is much more
profound than religion.

Religion: Rituals
➢ Religions have rituals/ritu.
➢ Whatever is done repeatedly.

2 types of ritual
1. According to the Calendar (Calendric)
2. Based on crisis
Examples of Catholic Rituals
➢ Attending mass (Pagmimisa)
➢ Praying a novena (Pagnonobena)
➢ Praying the rosary (Pagrorosaryo)
➢ Senakulo
➢ Fasting (Pag-aayuno)
➢ Healing (Panggagamot)
➢ Offering (Pag-aalay)
➢ “Panalanging walang patid”
The Meaning of Spirituality
(YABUT, 2013)
1. It is phenomenological experience.
2. This has to do with the human being.
Stages of Faith Development for Adolescence
(FOWLER, 1981)
➢ SYNTHETIC CONVENTIONAL STAGE
(age 12 and up) conformity to authority and
the religious development of a personal
identity. Any conflicts with one's beliefs are
Logotherapy
(VICTOR FRANKL)
➢ Logotherapy aids individuals to find personal
meaning of life, whatever life situation they
may be.
1. Someone – special someone, friend,
children, and family
2. Deed, Act or Work – finding fulfilment
and/or being passionate about one’s
work/deed
3. Suffering – through
rumination/contemplation, we get to
have a deeper sense of our self and
experiences.
E. POLITICAL SELF
❖ Developing a Filipino Identity
Political Self
➢ an increasing awareness of the deeply
dysfunctional and divisive nature of many of
our traditional political and economic
institutions.

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 Politics, Citizenship and the Self
➢ Politics – refers to the actions or activities
concerned with achieving and using power in
a nation or society.
➢ Politics as imbibed by man implies several
things:
o Concerned with power
o Functions based on a particular social
economic and cultural context
o Based on one’s personality
o Goes hand in hand with the society
Active Citizenship
➢ Structured forms of engagement with political
processes and everyday forms of
participation in a society.
➢ 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”
Political Self among Filipinos in the Present
➢ The SWS survey was conducted through
face-to-face interviews with 1,440 adults 18
years old and above.
➢ One out of 4 Filipinos looks for senatorial
candidates who "will not be corrupt"
Political Preferences and Socio-economic
Status
COVID-19 Pandemic and
Implications of Government’s Response
➢ “In fact, this is an acid test of every single
country’s quality of healthcare, standard of
governance and social capital. If any one
of this tripod is weak, it will be exposed, and
exposed quite unmercifully by this epidemic.”
- Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore Foreign
Minister
F. DIGITAL SELF
❖ Self and identity in the cyberspace
Cyberpsychology
➢ New field within applied psychology
➢ Branch of psychology that examines:
o how we interact with others using
technology
o how our behaviour is influenced by
technology
o how technology can be developed to
best suit our needs
o how our psychological states can be
affected by technologies
How we interact with others using technology?
➢ Blackboard Collaborate, Zoom, Google
Meet, MS Teams, Messenger, Bumble,
Tinder, etc.
How our behaviour is influenced by
technology?
➢ League of Legends, Mobile Legends,
Valorant, Call of Duty, DOTA, etc.
How technology can be developed to best suit
our needs?
➢ Lazada, Shopee. FoodPanda, GrabFood,
GCash, MYUSTe, UST Cloud Campus, BPI
Express Online, etc.
How our psychological states can be affected
by technologies?
➢ YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc.
Cyberpsychology
➢ Mainly focused in the world wide web
specifically Social Media Other technologies
involved:
o Online and offline gaming such as
video games
o Mobile computing
o Artificial intelligence
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 o Virtual reality Identifiable Online world
o Augmented reality
➢ People may tend to express their “hoped-for
possible selves” (socially pleasing identities)
➢ e.g. Edited and filtered photos in Facebook,
posting of achievements

The role of anonymity in impression

management
➢ Impression management - selectively-self
presenting or editing messages to reveal
socially desirable attitudes and dimensions
of the self
➢ Positive effect in the role of privacy or the
amount of contact that someone has with
others
➢ Negative effect – increased aggression and
anti- social behaviour
➢ Autonomy - where people can try out new
behaviors without fear of social
consequences

Responsible use of social media

Setting Boundaries to your online self: Smart
Sharing
➢ Guide Questions to consider before posting:
Self and identity in the cyberspace o Is this post/story necessary?
o Is there a real benefit to this post –
➢ Identity – development of one’s self-
is it funny, warm- hearted,
concept, including one’s thought and feelings
teachable – or am I just making
about oneself
noise online without purpose?

Netiquette
The ABCs of Online School Etiquette (REINER,
2020)
➢ Netiquette means the correct or acceptable
way of communicating on the internet.
Environments affecting the online behavior ➢ A is for Avoid Acronyms
Identifiable Offline world ➢ B is for Brevity
➢ C is for Courtesy
➢ any deviance from established social norms ➢ D is for Ditching Distractions
may be punished or ridiculed. ➢ E is for Early
➢ A person’s true self is often inhibited ➢ F is for Focus and Friendships
➢ G is for Good Intentions

Anonymous Online World

➢ the masks people wear offline are often Digital Citizenship
discarded and their ‘true’ selves allowed to (Council of Europe, 2019)
emerge.
➢ E.g. negative rants in Twitter, Facebook Being Online
freedom walls ➢ Information related to how we and exist
online, it comprises three digital domains:
access and inclusion, learning and
creativity and information literacy.
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Well-being Online
➢ Information related to how we feel online,
comprising another three digital domains:
ethics and empathy, health and well-being,
and e-presence and communications.
Rights Online
➢ Information related to being engage
accountable online, comprising the final four
digital domains: active participation, rights
and media responsibilities, privacy and
security and consumer awareness.

Digital World issues and conflicts

Fear of missing out (FoMO)
➢ exists when an individual is anxious of being
left out and feels the constant need to know
what the others are doing
➢ It is an anxiety that emanates from the feeling
that you are not up to date because of the
phase social media and news pass very
quickly
Screen Dependency Disorder
➢ Emerging problem (not yet included in DSM-
5 and/or ICD-10)
➢ dependent, problematic behavior, including
withdrawal symptoms, increasing tolerance
(for screen use),
➢ failure to reduce or stop screen activities,
lying about the extent of use, loss of outside
interests, and continuation of screen use
despite adverse consequences.
Internet gaming disorder
➢ is a pattern of excessive and prolonged
Internet gaming that results in a cluster of
cognitive and behavioral symptoms,
including progressive loss of control over
gaming, tolerance, and withdrawal
symptoms, analogous to the symptoms of
substance use disorders.
➢ Conditions for further study (DSM-5)

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