UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Self - concept- a general term used to refer to how General Psychology

someone thinks about, evaluates or perceives Human Development

themselves; to be aware of oneself is to have the concept 1. Neonatal

of oneself. 2. Infancy (12 mos - 2 yrs.)

● “The individual’s belief about himself or herself, 3. Early childhood (3-8 yrs old)

including the person’s attributes and who and what 4. Middle Childhood (9-11)

the self is” Baumeister (1999). 5. Adolescence (12-18)

● Self-concept is multi-dimensional. 6. Adulthood

● Self-esteem - refers to a person’s overall sense of

his or her value or worth. Developmental Psychology - a branch of psychology

● Carl Rogers said that self-image is a component of that studies physical, cognitive, and social change

self-concept, along with self-esteem or self worth throughout the life span.

and one’s “ideal self” (McLeod, 2008) 1. Prenatal development changes

Nature vs. Nurture Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) - physical and cognitive

Nature - influence of genetic inheritance abnormalities

Nurture - influence of external factors

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2. Neonatal - newborn insights are equipped with Piaget’s Theory: Discovering the Roots of Knowledge

sight and sound when they were born that ● Piaget identified himself as a genetic

facilitates social responses epistemologist

● Genetics is the scientific study of where things

● Rooting reflex - can be seen in a newborn baby come from (their origins)

● Maturation - biological growth processes ● Epistemology - a branch of philosophy that is

that enable orderly changes in behavior concerned with the origin, nature, extent and

● Motor Development - the sequence of limits of human knowledge.

motor development is universal

● Cognitive development - all mental Three Basic Components to Piaget’s Cognitive

activities associated with thinking knowing Theory

and remembering 1. Schemas

2. Assimilation and Accommodation

Jean Piaget 3. Stages of Development

1. Cognitive development - Sensorimotor (birth to 2 yrs. old) - object

2. Cognitive stages of development permanence, differentiates self from

objects, stranger anxiety

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- Preoperational - egocentrism; language Key Ideas:

development ● Strangers anxiety - fear of strangers commonly

- Concrete operational - Mathematical displayed beginning about 8 months of age.

transformations, major turning point in ● Attachment - an emotional tie with another

child’s cognitive development person shown in young children by seeking

- Formal operational - Potential for mature closeness to the caregiver and showing distress

moral reasoning on separation.

● Egocentrism - inability of the child to take

Stages of Development another’s point of view

● Children go through 4 universal stages of cognitive ● Effects of Attachments -

development a. Secured children approach life with a sense

● Biologically based and changes as the child of trust.

matures. b. Deprivation of attachment - abused or

● Piaget did not claim that a particular stage was neglected children are withdrawn,

reached at a certain age - although descriptions of frightened or speechless.

the stages often include an indication of the age at

which the average child would reach each stage.

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5. Adolescence - a brief interlude between the the age of 18 years and three further stages beyond, well

dependence of childhood and the responsibilities of adulthood.

adulthood.

● Puberty - period of sexual maturation Psychosocial Stages

● Primary sex characteristics - body structures ● Erikson claims that a crisis occurs at each stage of

● Secondary sex characteristics - non development.

reproductive sexual characteristics ● According to the theory, successful completion of

● Menarche - 1st menstrual period. each stage results in a healthy personality and the

● Developing morality - a crucial task for children acquisition of basic virtues.

and adolescents is learning right from wrong and ● Failure to successfully complete a stage results in

developing character. a healthy personality and the acquisition of basic

● Moral Reasoning - a thinking process with the virtues.

objective of determining whether an idea is right or ● Failure to successfully complete a stage can result

wrong. in a reduced ability to complete further stages and

therefore, a more unhealthy personality and sense

Psychosocial Development - Erikson proposed a of self.

lifespan model of development, taking in five stages up to

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Erikson’s stages of Psychosocial Development Perception

● Trust vs. Mistrust - feeding; Outcome: Hope ● The process of organizing and interpreting

● Autonomy vs.Shame - toilet training; Outcome: sensory and interpreting sensory data by

Will combining them with the result of previous

● Initiative vs. Guilt - exploration; Outcome: experience.

Purpose ● Sensation is the act of receiving sense

● Industry vs. Inferiority - school; Outcome: impressions

Confidence ● Attention - a basic factor in perception.

● Identity role vs.Confusion - social relationships; ● Voluntary attention - when one concentrates on

Outcome: Fidelity a required task, he directs his energies to the

● Intimacy vs. Isolation - relationships; Outcome: completion of the task.

Love ● Involuntary attention - field of advertising,

● Generosity vs. Stagnation - Work and commercials by arousing attention by manipulation

parenthood; Outcome: Care of motives and needs.

● Integrity vs. Despair - reflection on life; Outcome: Motivation - human urge that impels an individual

Wisdom toward some kind of an activity.

● Need - lack or absence of anything desired

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● Drive - internal stimulus condition which moves ● Delusion - a belief that is clearly false and that

one to act indicates an abnormality in the affected person’s

● Motive - tendency to activity content and thought.

● Physiological needs - arise from the needs of the

body Stages of Psychosexual Development

● Social motives - desire for recognition, security, 1. Oral Stage - birth to 1 yr. 6 months - babies derive

status, affiliation and conformity. pleasure from oral activities. Over indulgence may

● Eros - drive of life, love, creativity, and sexuality lead to oral incorporative personality disorder such

● Thanatos - Greek word “death” is the drive of as overeating, smoking and alcoholism.

aggression, sadism, destruction, violence and 2. Anal stage - 1 yr 6 mos to 3 yrs - The child

death. derives pleasure from the elimination of body

wastes. Anal fixations can lead to anal retentive

Psychoanalysis personality disorder such as obsession to

Sigmund Freud cleanliness or anal expulsive personality disorder

● Neurosis - known as a functional mental disorder such as clumsiness.

that involves distress

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3. Phallic Stage - 3 yrs to 5 yrs - derive pleasure ● Denial - involves blocking external events from

from examining, touching, fondling or displaying awareness. If some situation is just too much to

their genitals; sex curiosity handle, the person just refuses to experience it.

4. Latency stage - 5 yrs to 12 yrs - sexual energy is ● Projection - This involves individuals attributing

repressed because children become busy with their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings and

school motives to another person.

5. Genital stage - 12 yrs to adulthood - pleasure is ● Displacement - satisfying an impulse with a

derived from the genital area. Sexual problems substitute object

may arise from inappropriate sex behaviors. ● Regression - movement back in psychological

● Electra complex and Oedipus Complex time when one is faced with stress.

Defense Mechanisms Howard Gardner - the Nine Intelligence

● Repression - an unconscious mechanism 1. Linguistic Intelligence - learn best using the four

employed by the ego to keep disturbing or macro skills.

threatening thoughts from becoming conscious. To cultivate Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence -

write a journal, play games, read more books,

debate more issues

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Careers - writers, public speakers, lawyers 4. Interpersonal Intelligence - you enjoy socializing,

sharing, and conducting interviews and

2. Logical - mathematical intelligence - calculating, cooperating.

classifying and finding patterns are all your strong Careers: Politician, teacher, social worker,

suits. counselor

To cultivate Logical - Reasoning Intelligence: To cultivate Interpersonal Intelligence

play logic, find the pattern in poem, prove a

hypothesis 5. Intrapersonal Intelligence (Self Smart) - highly

Logical-reasoning careers: Scientists, computer skilled at understanding themselves.

programmers, inventors. Careers: Psychologists, poet, therapist

To cultivate Intrapersonal Intelligence: Keep a

3. Musical Intelligence (Music Smart) - you daily journal, read self-help books, imagining

understand and appreciate the art of music. yourself in other people’s shoes.

Auditory musical careers - DJ, band director,

singer 6. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence (Body Smart) -

To cultivate Musical Intelligence - listen to music you learn best through touch and movement. You

while studying
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process information through the body and may 8. Naturalistic Intelligence (Nature Smart) - feels a

have fine-tuned motor skills. connection to nature. You learn by working with

Careers - dancer, actor, construction worker, nature; green thumb.

sculptor Careers - Zookeeper, veterinarian, conservationist

To cultivate Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence - To Cultivate Naturalistic Intelligence - keep a

Physical activities, manipulate objects, using fine nature journal, start a small garden, go outside for

and gross-motor skills everyday activities, take care of pets.

7. Visual - Spatial Intelligence (Picture Smart) - 9. Existential Intelligence (Spirit Smart) - ability to

have an excellent ability to draw, visualize and deal with the big questions of human existence

design. and metaphysics; sixth sense

Visual-Spatial careers - architect, computer Spirit smart careers: Shaman, yogi, clergyman,

scientist, designer psychic, philosopher

To cultivate visual-spatial intelligence - take To cultivate existential intelligence: write down

photography or drawing class, draw mind maps of big questions and answer it.

your plans or ideas.

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Notable Philosophers

Socrates - an unexamined life is not worth living; know Aristotle - the souls is the essence of the self

thyself; An unexamined life is not worth living. ● Vegetative soul- includes the physical body that

● Physical Realm - changeable, transient, and can grow

imperfect. ● Sentient soul- includes the sensual desires,

● Ideal Realm - unchanging, eternal, and immortal feelings, and emotions.

● Rational soul- what makes man human.

Plato - the self is synonymous with the soul; the human

soul is immortal St. Augustine - I am doubting, therefore, I am

● Reason - the divine essence that enables us to ● Developed a more unified perspective on the body

think deeply, make wise decisions and achieve a and soul

true understanding of eternal truths. ● The self is known only through knowing God.

● Spirit or passion - includes basic emotions such ● Self knowledge is a consequence of knowledge of

as love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness and God.

empathy.

● Physical appetite - our basic biological needs Rene Descartes - I think therefore I am

such as hunger,thirst, and sexual desire.

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● The self as a thinking entity - the nonmaterial, ● What people experience is just a bundle or

immortal, conscious being collection of different perceptions, impressions,

● Self as a physical body - physical body is the sensations, ideas, thoughts, and images.

material, mortal, non thinking entity.

● Cogito - the thing that tinks Immanuel Kant - we construct the self

● Extensa - the body ● Through rationality, the self transcends sense

experience.

John Lock - The self is conscious

● Self-consciousness - necessary to have a Gilbert Ryle - the self is the way people behave

coherent personal (self) identity or knowledge of ● The self is the same as bodily behavior.

the self as a person. ● “I act, therefore, I am.”

● Consciousness - we are the same entity in

different situations. Paul Churchland - the self is the brain

● The physical brain gives us our sense of self and

David Hume - there’s no self not our imaginary mind

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The self as product of social interaction Anthropology

● George Herbert Mead and Charles Cooley - the ● Holds a holistic view of human nature.

self is not dependent on biological predispositions; ● Egocentric - concept of self suggests that each

rather, it is a product. person is defined as a replica of all humanity; self

is considered autonomous and distinct individual

● Charles Cooley - Looking glass self ● Sociocentric - the self is viewed as dependent on

the situation or social setting.

● John Locke - Tabula Rasa: blank slate; self is

constructed primarily out of self experiences Self in various perspectives

William James - self is considered as his essence; his

● Urie Brofenbrenner - divided the environment thoughts, feelings and actions; experiences, beliefs,

into five different levels. values and principles and relationships.

- Mesosystem - consists of interactions

between a person's microsystems. ● ME: Material self - consists of things that belong

- Microsystem - includes one’s family, school to us or that we belong to. Things like family,

and neighborhood. clothes, money, our body make up our material

selves.
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● ME: Social self - based on how we interact with ● Globalized self - ability to distinguish thoughts

our society and the reaction of the environment to from feelings and to choose between being guided

us. by one’s intellect or one’s emotions

● ME: Spiritual self - our subjective and most ● Differentiated self - more differentiated people

intimate self are capable of taking an “I position” in

● ME: Pure ego - known as the most puzzling relationships; maintaining a clearly defined sense

aspect of the self. of self.

● I: the self as a “knower” - the self as a thinker,

rational yet subjective. Real self vs. (Fake) Ideal Self

Carl Rogers - the real self and the ideal self are terms

Wisdom vs. Knowledge used to describe personality domains; self develops from

Knowledge - information and skills acquired throughout interactions with significant people and self-awareness.

their experience.

Wisdom - knowledge applied with some common sense ● The real Self - how a person thinks, feels, looks,

and acts; who you actually are.

Global vs. Differentiated Model of the Self ● The ideal Self - an idealized image that we have

developed over time

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● True Versus False Self - the function of the false ● Self reflectiveness - gives the person an ability to

self is to hide and protect the true self. reflect upon oneself.

● Multiple vs.Unified Self - conceptualizing the self

as multiple or unified and true or false. The Self as the Central Archetype

● Suggested that the psyche continues to develop

The Self as Proactive and Agentic throughout life, but the psych starts to show a

● Albert Bandura suggests that humans have the definite form and content during adolescence.

ability to act and make things happen; people are ● Ego - one’s conscious mind

viewed as proactive agents of experiences. ● Personal unconscious - includes the repressed

and forgotten experiences

Features of Human Agency ● The collective unconscious - made up of

● Intentionality - acts done intentionally fundamental elements of the human psyche that

● Forethought - enables one to anticipate the includes experiences all humans share or in

consequences of prospective actions. common.

● Self-reactive people can make choices and can Within the collective unconscious lie archetypes

choose appropriate courses of action, as well as ● The persona - refers to social roles that

motivate and regulate their execution. individuals present to others.

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● The shadow - refers to the repressed thoughts Cisgender - used to describe a person whose gender

that are unacceptable. identity and expression aligned with sex assigned at

● The anima - feminine side of the psyche while the birth.

animus is the masculine side of the female psyche Transgender - umbrella term used to describe the full

● The self - the central archetype that unites all range of people whose gender identity.

parts of the psyche. Physical Attraction - refers to the characteristics of a

person that might make you physically or sexually

The Sexual Self - it speaks of your sexual health, sexual attractive to them.

orientation, gender identity, and expression and values Emotional Attraction - relates to the characteristics of a

around your sexuality. person that might make you emotionally or romantically

attracted to them.

Sex - biological; assigned at birth based on physiological ● Gay and lesbians

characteristics. ● Bisexuals

Gender - refers to social or cultural distinctions ● Pansexuals

associated with given sex; socially constructed concept. ● Queer

Gender Identity - is what inside us; it’s how we feel ● Asexual

about our own gender. ● Aromantic

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF