Chapter 1

Introduction to Personal Development

 Human Development and Personal Development

 What is Personal Development
 Psychology and Personal Development
 Personal Development in Adolescence

Objectives:
At the end of this chapter, the student should be able to:
1. understand and explain in his or her own words what personal development is;
2. understand and explain the psychological basis of personal development;
3. relate the concept of personal development in his or her own experiences as an
adolescent; and
4. express his or her spiritual and religious beliefs and how these influence his or
her personal development.

What do you understand about Personal Development?

Cite an example of how personal development happens in real life.

Human Development and Personal Development

3 Aspects or Domains of Human Development

(Papalia and Feldman 2012):

1. Physical Development
- covers the growth of the body and the brain, motor and sensory
skills, and even physical health.
2. Cognitive Development
- covers our capacity to learn, to speak, to understand, to reason,
and to create.
- It talks about the function of our brain.
3. Psychosocial Development
- includes our social interactions with other people, our
emotions, attitudes, self-identity, personality, beliefs, and
values.

3 Factors Influencing Human Development

1. Heredity
- inborn traits passed on by the generations of offsprings from
both sides of the biological parents’ families.
- It portraits kun nano an mga namana. ex. skin
2. Environment
- the world outside of ourselves and the experiences that result
from our contact and interaction with this external world.
3. Maturation
- natural progression of the brain and the body that affects the
cognitive, psychological, and social dimensions of a person.

Is it Personality Development
or Personal Development?

Personality Development

learning skills like:

 table etiquette
 to sit properly and walk with grace
 to dress up appropriately
 to communicate better
- how you act as a person. an skills mo pano mo sya madedevelop furtherly
- more on physical aspects na ginaimprove
If personality development is all about those things mentioned, then what
is personal development?

Carl Rogers

– American Psychologist
– one of the founders of
Humanistic Psychology

Personal Development

- a process in which a person reflect upon themselves, understand

who they are, accept what they discover about themselves, and
learn (or unlearn) new sets of values, attitudes, behavior, and
thinking skills to reach their fullest potential as human beings.
- Carl Rogers

- the process of striving to be the best that you can be in order to

reach and realize your full potential. It is a journey of self-discovery,
self-improvement, and self-realization. - Zorka Hereford (9
Essentials Life Skills - A Guide for Personal Development and Self
Realization)

Psychology and Personal Development

Psychology, is the study of human thinking and behavior, serves as a

foundation for personal development. They are connected

Humanistic and Positive Development

Humanistic Development

- talks about a person itself.

- development

Famous of his theory

hierarchy of needs

Carl Rogers Abrahan Maslow

habang nagataas, nagataas din ang level niya

 in his psychotherapy practice, he
theorized that “individual has within
himself the capacity and the tendency,
latent if not evident, to move forward
toward maturity.”

Positive Development

- a branch of psychology focused on the character strengths and

behaviors that allow individuals to build a life of meaning and
purpose—to move beyond surviving to flourishing.

– keyperson of positive psychology

– American Psychologist
– In 1998, he became the President
of American Psychological
Association
– In 2011, he developed Theory of
Martin Seligman Well-Being (PERMA)

P – Positive Emotion
Positive emotion is much more than mere ‘happiness.’
Positive emotions include hope, interest, joy, love, compassion, pride, amusement,
and gratitude.

E – Engagement
According to Seligman (2012), engagement is “being one with the music.” It is in line
with Csikszentmihalyi’s (1989) concept of “flow.” Flow includes the loss of self-
consciousness and complete absorption in an activity. In other words, it is living in the
present moment and focusing entirely on the task at hand.

R – Positive Relationships
Relationships encompass all the various interactions individuals have with partners,
friends, family members, colleagues, bosses/mentors/supervisors, and their
community at large.

M – Meaning
Another intrinsic human quality is the search for meaning and the need to have a
sense of value and worth. Seligman (2012) discussed meaning as belonging and/or
serving something greater than ourselves. Having a purpose in life helps individuals
focus on what is really important in the face of significant challenge or adversity.

A – Accomplishments/Achievements
Accomplishment in PERMA is also known as achievement, mastery, or competence.
A sense of accomplishment is a result of working toward and reaching goals,
mastering an endeavor, and having self-motivation to finish what you set out to do.
This contributes to wellbeing because individuals can look at their lives with a sense
of pride (Seligman, 2012).

Personal Development in Adolescence

Adolescence is the transition period between childhood and early

adulthood. In Philippine context, authors Corpuz, Lucas, Borabo and Lucido
(2010) defined the three stages of adolescence:

1. Early adolescence - between 10 and 13 years old

2. Middle adolescence - between 14 and 16 years old
3. Late adolescence - between 17 and 20 years old