1 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF WEEK 6 // M.A.

MALAGUENO
LESSON 6: PHYSICAL SELF
puberty as the most essential marker of the
PHYSICAL SELF beginning of adolescence.
➢ Girls reached puberty earlier than boys and they
➢ The concrete dimensions of the body. It is the experience menarche (first menstrual flow)
tangible aspect of the person which can be ➢ Boys two to three years later experienced
directly observed and examined. semenarche (first ejaculation/ wet dreams)
➢ Puberty is a brain- neuroendocrine process
SELF-UNDERSTANDING occurring primarily in early adolescence that
triggers the rapid physical changes that occur in
➢ According to Santrock (2004), self-understanding the adolescent stage of human development.
is the individual’s cognitive representation of the
self which consists of the substance and the PITUITARY GLAND
content of self- conceptions.
➢ The development of self- understanding in ➢ The
adolescence can be described from simple to master
perplex and involves a number of aspects of the endocrine
self. gland that
➢ The development of self- understanding in controls
adolescence can be described from simple to growth and
perplex and involves a number of aspects of the regulates the
self. function of all
other
GROWING UP endocrine
glands
➢ As the age is advancing, interests and bodies are
also changing. The changes are also rapid that
before the parents notice it, they are no longer
babies but unpredictable teenagers.
GONADS
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

➢ The defining traits or features of the person’s

body. Physical characteristics are distinguished
by the naked eye like facial features, hairstyles,
clothes or figure.

ERIK ERIKSON
- He believed in the importance of the body from
early development because the physical as well
as intellectual skills will somehow serve as basis to
whether a person has achieved a sense of
competence and be able to manage and face
the demands of life complexities.

WILLIAM JAMES ✓ Ovaries for girls

- He considered that the body as the initial source ✓ Testes for boys.
of sensation and necessary for the origin and
maintenance of personality ESTROGEN

➢ These
ADOLESCENCE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE PERIODS: are
hormones in
- In the Philippines, ages from 15-30 years old are girls that is
the youth. responsible
o EARLY ADOLESCENCE: 11-14 yrs. old for physical
o MIDDLE ADOLESCENCE: 15 – 17 yrs. old change like
o LATE ADOLSESCENCE: 18-21 yrs. Old increase in
height,
PUBERTY widening of
➢ According to Santrock, puberty is the same as hips and
adolescence because puberty ends prior to the increase in fatty tissues in the breast.
end of adolescent period but he recognized

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2 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
LESSON 6: PHYSICAL SELF
ANDROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE
➢ These are hormones for boys that is responsible
for the boy’s growth of facial and body hair,
muscles and changes in the voice.
BODY IMAGE
➢ The way one sees himself/ herself or the way he/
she imagines how he/ she looks.
➢ How they see themselves can either be positive
or negative.
➢ Adolescents usually experience imaginary
audience which refers to an egocentric state
where the individual imagines and believes that
many people are actively listening to or
watching him or her.
➢ In social psychology, it is called spotlight effect
refers to the belief that others are paying more
attention to the person’s appearance and
behavior than they really are.
FACTORS THAT AFFECT PERCEPTION OF THE PHYSICAL SELF
Personal Factors Social Factors
a. Attachment Process
and Social Appraisal
b. Maintaining, regulating
a. Introspection and Self-
and expanding the Self in
reflection
Interpersonal Relationships
b. Self- Perception Theory
c. The Looking- glass Self
c. Self-concept
Theory
d. Personal Identity
d. Social Comparison
e. Social Identity Theory
(Collective Identity)
PERSONAL FACTORS:
A. INTROSPECTION AND SELF-REFLECTION
➢ Introspection is the process by which one
observes and examines one’s internal state
(mental and emotional) after behaving in a
certain way. This means that people have a low
self- insight on aspects about the self where they
wish were not true and many people tend to
overestimate their positive aspects.
B. SELF-PERCEPTION THEORY
WEEK 6 // M.A. MALAGUENO
➢ Explains that since one’s internal state is difficult
to interpret, people can infer their inner states by
observing their own behavior- as if they are an
outside observer.
C. SELF-CONCEPT
➢ Self- concept is a cognitive representation of self-
knowledge which includes the sum total of all
beliefs that people have about themselves.
Physical concept is the individual’s perception or
description of his physical self, including his
physical appearance.
D. PERSONAL IDENTITY
➢ This is the concept has about himself that
develops over the years. This includes aspects of
his life like nationality, gender, physical traits as
well as choices he makes.
SOCIAL FACTORS:
A. ATTACHEMENT PROCESS AND SOCIAL APPRAISAL
➢ According to Bowlby, people learn about their
value and lovability when they experience how
their mother or caregivers care for them and
respond to their needs. This is developed prior to
achieving self- awareness.
B. MAINTAINING, REGULATIONS AND EXPANDING SELF IN
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
➢ When individuals are still young, the sense of self
is continuously shaped through ongoing
interaction with others and act as “private
audiences” which carry an internal dialogue that
people are not aware that they are being
influenced.
C. THE LOOKING-GLASS SELF THEORY
➢ Charles Horton Cooley stated that a person’s self
grows out of society’s interpersonal interaction
and the perception of others. The self image is
shaped and reflected from the social world.
Other reaction will serve as mirror in which
people see themselves particularly the way they
are perceived by others.
D. SOCIAL COMPARISON
➢ It is the process of comparing oneself with others
in order to evaluate one’s own abilities and
opinions.
➢ Two types of Social Comparison
o Upward social comparison
▪ When an individual compares
himself to others who are better
than him.
o Downward social comparison
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3 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF WEEK 6 // M.A. MALAGUENO
LESSON 6: PHYSICAL SELF
▪ When an individual compares
himself to someone who is in a EUROCENTRICISM
worse situation than he is
especially when he is feeling so ➢ It is defined as a tendency to interpret the world
low. in terms of European or Anglo- American values
and experiences.
E. SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY (COLLECTIVE IDENTITY) ➢ Filipino with eurocentric features are with their fair
skin and tall skin that sweeps what is Filipino
➢ People have a need for positive social identity beauty is (Dark skin and flat nose).
that is why they connect to wider social network, ➢ The “tisoy” and “tisay” beauty standards is
which helps them to enhance their self-esteem. strongly promoted in media, that perpetuating
the idea that the European standard of beauty is
COMPARISON OF SELF AND IDENTITY the only thing that can deemed as beautiful.
➢ An aspect of eurocentrism called colorism is
SELF IDENTITY defined as “the prejudicial or preferential
➢ Is who a person treatment of same race people based solely on
believes she or he the color of their skin”.
is, representing a ➢ The message that society gives is that flat noses
synthesis and dark complexions do not define beauty.
➢ The person that integration of self- Eurocentrism and colorism indeed have
someone truly is understanding significant effects on the body image and
or the entire (Santrock, 2014) identities of the common Filipino.
person of the ➢ The traits and
individual. characteristics, SELF-ESTEEM AND THE IDEAL BODY IMAGE
➢ The total social relations,
characteristics or roles and social ➢ Self- esteem is a measure of the person’s self-
qualities of a group worth based on some personal or social
person both memberships that standard.
known and define who one ➢ One of the factors that may affect the self-
unknown to is. esteem is the physical appearance, as the
others but known ➢ A way of making children advanced to adolescence they form a
to oneself. sense of some body image.
aspect or part of
self concept ADOLESCENT’S BODY IMAGE INCLUDES:
(Leary and - Perception of their physical self when they look in
Tangney 2012). the mirror.
- Feelings of like or dislike about the physical self
THE IMPACT OF CULTURE ON BODY IMAGE AND SELF- that they see.
ESTEEM: The Importance of Beauty - Their thoughts and how they relate to their
physical self.
➢ CULTURE: Culture is defined as a social system - Perception of how other people view them
that is characterized by the shared meanings physically.
that are attributed to people and events by its
members. ASPECTS IN CULTURE THAT MAY HAVE LED TO THE
o Significant aspect of culture that strongly MISCONCEPTIONS:
influences adolescents who are in a
face-to-face encounter with their ➢ Society’s ideals for perfect physical form which
physical selves is how their culture are
conceptualizes beauty.
o But it should be noted that in every WOMEN MEN
culture and in every individual, the • White skin
standards of beauty may vary. • Small waistline
- Body image of adolescents which includes • Big breast
• Tall
perception and feelings about oneself could be and behind
• Tanned
either be positive or negative, it is based on how • Long straight
Perfect Skin
they measure up to cultural standards of body hair
• Muscled
image. • Long
Physique
manicured
• 6- pack abs
nails
“ ” • Slender and
tall

THE FILIPINO CONCEPT OF BEAUTY

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4 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF WEEK 6 // M.A. MALAGUENO
LESSON 6: PHYSICAL SELF

➢ Mass media is a powerful tool that reinforces

cultural beliefs and values. Though young people
may initially disagree with the set ideals of
beauty, repeated exposure via media that leads
to misconceptions.
➢ Since a standard has been set by society and
reinforced by media, any characteristics that
does not conform to the standard is labelled as
ugly.

The following misconceptions strongly affect how the

young form their body image and its influence on their
self- esteem.

BS BIO // KD 4