UNDERSTANDING SELF PRELIMS

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON SELF

Philosophy
★ Derived from the Greek word “Philos” and “Sophia” which means “Love for
Wisdom”.
★ It is the study of acquiring knowledge through rational thinking and inquiries
that involves answering questions regarding the nature of existence.

Socrates
★ His works were never published.
★ His existence was discovered from his students who spoke generously and in
detail about his knowledge, wisdom, and intellect.
★ He is considered one of the pioneers in exploring the principles of
education, knowledge, and philosophy.
★ His philosophy underlies the notion of knowing oneself.
★ He believes that men’s goal in life is to obtain happiness and such goal
motivates people to avoid things that will hinder their happiness.
★ As such, by fully knowing oneself a person will be able to achieve happiness.
★ According to him, we can understand ourselves through internal
questioning or introspection or a way of observing or questioning ourselves
to discover more things about ourselves.
★ Paano mo makikilala sarili mo?
★ You will ask questions and you will find answers.
★ The more na nagtatanong at nag-o-observe ka sa sarili mo, the more na
mag-e-explore at makikilala mo ang sarili mo.

Plato
★ He generally followed his teacher, Socrates.
★ According to him, “A person who is a follower of truth and wisdom will not
be tempted by vices and will always be just”.
★ Vices- bisyo.
★ Kung alam mo sa sarili mo ‘yung katotohanan na wala siyang benefits sa
health mo, bakit mo susubukan at ipagpapatuloy?
★ Naniniwala s’ya sa soul.

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One’s soul is divided into 3 different parts:

1. Appetitive Soul
★ A part of a person that is driven by desires and needs to satisfy
yourself.
★ This satisfaction both involves physical needs and pleasures.
★ It came from the word “appetite”.
★ Bumubulong or nagsusulsol that will give you pleasure.
★ You will feel recharge.
★ It will keep us motivated and desired.

2. Spirited Soul
★ This can be attributed to the courageous part of a person when he or
she stands for the right and makes a move to make the wrong right.

3. Rational Soul
★ The planner.
★ Drives our lives, control, plan, and decide what are the things we need
to accomplish.
★ The one who decides.
★ Kapag hindi na-balance ‘yun appetitive at spirited soul.

Rene Descartes
★ Known as the father of modern philosophy.
★ He is the proponent of “Methodical Doubt”.
★ He is known for his statement “Cogito Ergo Sum”, which means “I think,
therefore I am.“
★ “Sa tingin ko…”
★ He believes in modern dualism or the existence of both body and mind.
★ Our body perceives the information that we get from our environment
through our senses.
★ Our mind thinks and questions the information the body has experienced.
★ When it comes to understanding ourselves, we must keep on doubting or
questioning ourselves regarding matters such as what is/are my preferences,
my attitude, etc. for us to know ourselves better.

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★ Cartesian Dualism— mind and physical body.

★ Doubting— degrading.
★ Bababa ang self-esteem, self-efficacy, at self-confidence and it will lead to
some issues like anxiety, depression, or any mental disorders.
★ More doubt, more discovery.

John Locke
★ His notion of self is represented by the concept “Tabula Rasa” which means
a blank state.
★ He believed that a person is born without knowing anything and his
experiences and perceptions will identify his behavior and personality.
★ In the middle lang siya.
★ Blank paper or empty jar.
★ Habang lumalaki ang isang tao, s’ya ‘yung nagfi-fill ng empty jar.

David Hume
★ According to him, there is no permanent self.
★ Our self-identity is influenced by our impressions on our experiences.
★ Those impressions may change over time which means that our self-identity
might change as well over time.
★ Notion: gender is fluid, so as ourselves.
★ Dapat may development at growth.
★ ‘Wag ikukulong ang sarili sa changes at growth.

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Sigmund Freud
★ He is an Austrian Psychologist and known as the Father of
Psychoanalysis.
★ He believed that behavior of a person is motivated by unconscious drives
such as sex and aggression.
★ Kaya ka raw nabubuhay dahil sa sex & aggression.
★ Wilhelm Wundt- Father of Psychology.
★ Eros— life distinct from an individual.
★ World War I- dito nadagdag ‘yung “aggression” na dapat may other name
pa kaso namatay na si Freud.
★ Halos same lang din ng philosophy kay Plato.

3 Provinces of the Mind:

1. Id
★ An unconscious drive which is concerned with satisfying personal
needs or desires of a person such as pleasures.
★ Examples: cutting classes, cheating on a test, going wild on a party,
engaging on pre-marital sex.
★ Example: Masyadong sexually driven kaya kung kani-kanino
nakikipag-sex.

2. Superego
★ It serves as the conscience of one’s personality.
★ It’s main function is to keep a person’s behaviors and actions in a
socially acceptable manner.
★ It follows moral principles.
★ Example: Masyadong grade conscious kaya hindi na lumalabas kasi
nakokonsensya na baka bumaba ang grades once na gumala ka.
★ Masyadong takot gumawa or kumilos sa ibang bagay.

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3. Ego
★ It serves as a mediator between the id and superego.
★ It’s main function is to maintain the impulses of the id and superego to
an acceptable degree.
★ It follows the reality principle.
★ Ito ay importante dahil it will bring us back to reality.
★ Ego to Superego— it pushes superego; more on positive.
★ Ego to Id— siya yung nagpipigil.

Paul Churchland
★ He believed in the idea of Neurophilosophy.
★ In orders for us to understand one’s behavior, we need to understand
different neurological movements of the brain that pertain to different
emotions, feelings, actions, and reactions.
★ Combination of science and philosophy.
★ With the help of medical imaging such as MRI, CT Scan, and any medical
apparatus.
★ Nakikita lahat ‘yung paggalaw ng mga neurotransmitters.

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Maurice Merleau-Ponty
★ His idea of self regarded that mind and body are not separate entities but
rather one and same.
★ He believed in the principle of gestalt psychology which is “A whole is
different from the sum of its parts.”
★ The idea shows the unity of function of the mind and the body.
★ Same lg kay Descartes— Dualism.
★ Hindi nagpro-process ang mind kung walang physical body.
★ Kabuuan ng pagkatao ang isang tao.

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SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON SELF

Sociology
★ It is the study of how human society is established, its structure, and how it
works.
★ People’s interaction with each other and the effects they have on one
another.
★ Study of society.
★ It is all about society.

George Herbert Mead

★ American Sociologist.
★ Father of American Pragmatism.
★ One of the pioneers in the field of social psychology.
★ Formed the concept he called “The Social Self”.
★ He rejected the idea of biological determination of self.
★ Biological determination of self- nature- naniniwala na naging ganun
ang behavior because of your parents.
★ Naniniwala siya na ang behavior natin ay naimpluwensyahan ng paligid
(nurture).
★ He rejected the concept of nature.

“Me” and “I”

★ Mead proposed that these are the two components of self which every
person has.
★ Kailangan congruent ang “Me” at “I”.
★ Congruent– kung ano ang opinion or perspective, dapat ayun din ang
pinapakita mo.
★ Congruent– naaayon dapat ang opinion mo sa ginagawa mo.

The “Me”
★ Actions and behaviors of a person that follows the “generalized others”
(society as a whole).
★ Our social self.

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★ How other people see us.

★ Generalized others- common people that surround you.
★ Ito lang ‘yung behavior na tinatanggap ng society.

The “I”
★ Our personal response to the “me” or our social self.
★ Manifestation or sense of individuality of a person.
★ Sarili mong pananaw, goals, and perspectives.
★ Hindi natin naipapakita minsan sa ibang tao.

3 Role Playing Stages of Self Development:

1. Preparatory Stage
★ From birth to 2 years old.
★ Infants mimicking actions as they observe people they interact with.
★ These imitations are reflections of what they remember without
meaning behind these actions.
★ Examples: mimicking parents what they do, their gestures, and
words.
★ Walang gagayahin ang bata kung wala siyang ginagaya.
★ Importante ang mimicking actions sa mga bata.
★ It promotes learning.

2. Play Stage
★ From 2 to 6 years old.
★ Child begins to communicate to others with certain rules apply.
★ They practice real-life situations by pretending plays and role takings.

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★ They are already aware of what role they are pretending to be unlike
in the Preparatory Stage.
★ Example: Children pretend playing as a mom or dad, as a doctor, a
teacher, a firefighter, etc.
★ Preschool age.
★ Parehas lang na may mimicking behavior.
★ Dapat may socialization or exposure sa ibang tao.
★ Dapat bata pa lang natututo na how to established themselves.

3. Game Stage
★ From 6 to 9 years old.
★ Acknowledge the beliefs or perspectives of the generalized others
(society).
★ Understands what multiple roles means.
★ Starts to be concerned with the reactions of significant others on what
they do.
★ Grade school days.
★ Nawawala na ‘yung egocentrism.

Carl Jung
★ He believed that every person has an archetype called persona.
★ He believed that each of us should project a particular role.
★ Pinapakita mo sa ibang tao because ito yung hinihingi ng role mo sa society
at pino-portray.
★ It is related to our role in society.

Persona
★ The side of personality that people show to the world.
★ We should not confuse our public face with our complete self.
★ If we identify too closely with our persona, we will remain unconscious of our
individuality and will be blocked from attaining self-realization.
★ We must acknowledge society but if we over identify with our persona, we
lose touch with our inner self and remain dependent on society’s
expectations of us.

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★ To become psychologically healthy, Jung believed, we must strike a

balance between the demands of society and what we truly are.
★ To be unaware of one’s deep individuality is to become society’s puppet.
★ Ito ay kailangan para sa role niyo.
★ Maraming crisis ang magaganap kung hindi psychologically healthy.

Filipino Psychology

Kapwa
★ According to Dr. Virgilio Enriquez, a pioneer on studying Filipino
Psychology, kapwa is the core value of Filipinos.

2 Types of Kapwa:

1. Ibang Tao
★ These are people that you are not acquainted with.

2. Hindi Ibang Tao

★ These are people inside your circle.

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ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON SELF

Anthropology
★ It came from the Greek word anthropos means “humankind” and logia
means “study of”.
★ A systematic explanation of human biological and cultural diversity.
★ It is the study of human species and its immediate ancestors.

4 MAIN SUBFIELDS OF ANTHROPOLOGY:

1. Cultural Anthropology
★ Study of human society and culture which describes the social and
cultural similarities and differences.

Ethnography
★ Came from the Greek word ethos means “group of people, class or tribe”;
and graphein means “to write” or “to record”.
★ Collecting data regarding ethnic groups requires the anthropologist to
observe, interview, and record their life.

2. Archaeological Anthropology
★ Studies humans through material remains to develop an
understanding of human adaptation and behavior over a long period of
time.
★ Examples: plants, animals, ancient tools, or garbage that provides
stories about utilization and actions.

3. Biological Anthropology
★ Studies humans as organisms.
★ It involves studies in evolution of human species, changes in modern
populations, human genetics, human growth, and medical
anthropology (changes in life expectancies).

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4. Linguistics Anthropology
★ Studies language in its social and cultural context across space and
time.
★ Features of language are analyzed and associated with the culture.

Culture
★ Refers to customary behavior and beliefs that are being passed from one
generation to another.

Enculturation
★ Social process which culture is learned and being passed on to the next
generation.
★ Example: Acceptance in LGBTQIA+ Community.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON SELF

Psychology
★ It is known as the study of human behavior and mental processes.
★ It has various ways of understanding a person and a therapist's way of
helping people understand themselves.

William James
★ American Psychologist.
★ Father of American Psychology.
★ Introduced his documents “The Principles of Psychology” which had
numerous concepts of self.
★ His main concepts of self are the I-self and the me-self.

The Me-self
★ The part of yourself that is defined by your social interaction.
★ The experienced self.

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★ Influenced by other people that surround you.

★ Experiences.

The I-self
★ It is the thought or the person knower.
★ Involves one’s personal feelings and emotions that is a response to the
me-self.
★ Example: you are socializing with other people because you are really
sociable or just because of peer pressure?
★ personal.

SUB-CATEGORIES OF SELF

1. Material Self
★ Constituted by our bodies, clothes, immediate family, and home.
★ This is what we attach more deeply into and therefore, we are most
affected by because of the investment we give to these things.
★ Kapag nawala ang mga bagay na ito, mawawalan ng gana ang tao.
★ Investment– time, effort, things.
★ The version of yourself.
★ Mga bagay na binibigyan natin ng investment.
★ Family– because of your personalities.
★ Naka depende sa ibang tao.

2. Social Self
★ It is based on our interactions with society and the reaction of people
towards us.
★ It has multiple divergences and/or different versions of ourselves
which varies as to how we present ourselves to a particular social
group.
★ Under ng me-self mo.
★ Pinapakita mo sa ibang tao.
★ Normal sa isang tao na magkaroon ng ibang version of self.
★ The more na maraming tao ang nakakasalamuha, maraming
adjustment ang gagawin.

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★ Nakadepende sa possessions mo.

3. Spiritual Self
★ It is the most intimate because it is more satisfying for the person that
they have the ability to argue and discriminate one’s moral sensibility,
conscience, and indomitable will.
★ It comprises our self-perceived abilities, attitudes, emotions, interests,
values, motives, opinions, traits, and wishes.
★ Sariling sa’yo.
★ Ikaw lang ang bumubuo nito.
★ Dapat may sarili kang desisyon.
★ Most intimate part of yourself.

Carl Rogers
★ American Psychologist.
★ Founder of Humanistic Approach and Person-Centered Therapy.
★ Naniniwala siya na tayo ay may free will.
★ May responsibility tayo sa actions natin.
★ Kapag ang tao may problema, sila lang ang magso-solve non.

Person-Centered Therapy
★ A non-directive intervention or psychotherapy because it believes that
all people have the potential to solve their own problems.
★ You don't give advice/s.
★ Mag-agree ka dapat sa sinasabi ng clients mo.
★ Amygdala– responsible for our emotions (or extreme emotions).
★ Frontal Lobe– mablo-block or madi-disable kapag gumagana ‘yung
extremities ni Amygdala.

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ROGER’S CONCEPT OF SELF:

1. Perceived Self
★ Self worth or how the person sees self and others sees them.
★ Connected sa real self.
★ Nakikita ng ibang tao na minsan hindi mo pinapakita.
★ Ito ‘yung tingin sa’tin.

2. Real Self
★ The self image or how the person really is.
★ Ito talaga ‘yung kung sino ka.
★ Connected sa ideal self.
★ More on the internal.

3. Ideal Self
★ How the person would like to be.
★ Connected sa real self.
★ Don’t push yourself too much.
★ Alamin mo anong skills mo.

★ Incongruent– magkakalayo or magkakahiwalay; may effort dapat.

★ Congruent– iisa or magkakalapit na lahat.

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Unified Self
★ Sigmund Freud (Psychoanalysis) believed that the center of ourselves is
ego.
★ Dala mo hanggang sa pagtanda.

Multiple Self
★ Kenneth Gergen (PostModern Psychology) believed that an individual has
many potential selves depending on a situation.

True Self
★ Rooted from early infancy called simple being.
★ A sense of self based on spontaneous authentic experience and feeling of
being alive, having a “real self”.
★ Example: a baby screams when it needs to even if it is the middle of the
night or on a crowded train. It may be aggressive, biting, and not a hygiene
lover.
★ Mas mababaw.
★ It is because of our needs.
★ Minsan depende sa instincts.

Fake Self
★ A person's defense facade.
★ Contradicting the original sense of self.
★ Examples:
○ If I am pretty, I will be more likeable.
○ If I have a lot of money, I am successful.
○ If I work hard/achieve more, I will have more value.
○ One more glass of wine, and I’ll start feeling better.
★ False thinking sa society.
★ Hanapin mo purpose mo bilang tao.

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