THE PHYSICAL SELF

This Chapter Explores the process of physical growth

and development.
Understanding the physical self requires an analysis
of the life span and the physical development that
happen in each stage.
THE PHYSICAL SELF
 THE PHYSICAL SELF REFERS TO THE BODY. BOTH PHYSICAL
EXTREMITIES AND INTERNAL ORGANS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BODY
TO PERFORM MANY OF ITS FUNCTION SUCH AS BREATHING, WALKING,
EATING AND SLEEPING, AMONG OTHERS.

 THE BODY’S ABILITY TO PERFORM ITS FUNCTION GRADUALLY

CHANGES THROUGH AN INDIVIDUALS AGAING. IN GENERAL, THE
BODY PERFORMS LEAST DURING INFANCY AND OLD AGE.

 ADOLESCENE BEGINS WITH THE ONSET OF PUBERTY. THIS STAGE IS

CHARACTERIZED BY RAPID PHYSICAL CHNAGES THAT INCLUDE THE
MATURATION OF THE REPRODUCIVE SYSTEM. EACH INDIVIDUAL GOES
THROUGH A SUCCESSION OF DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES THROUGHOUT
HIS OR HER LIFE SPAN.
THEORIES OF PHYSICAL SELF
THE THEORY OF PHYSIOGNOMY : SUGGESTS THAT THE PERSON’S PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS FACIAL FEATURES AND EXPRESSIONS AND
BODY STRUCTURES COULD BE RELATED TO A PERSON’S CHARACTER OR
PERSONALITY.
THEORY BASED ON THE PROMINENCE OF THE BODY FLUIDS : SUGGESTS
THAT AN EXCESS OF OR DEFICIENCY IN ANY OF THE FOUR BODILY FLUIDS
(OR HUMORS) IN A PERSON INFLUENCES THEIR PERSONALITY,
TEMPERAMENTS, AND WELL-BEING.
BODY TYPE THEORY (BASED ON PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS) THE THREE
BODY PARTS ARE; ENDOMORPHIC, MESOMORPHIC, AND ECTOMORPHIC.
ENDOMORPHIC : BODY TYPE IS SOFT AND PLUMP, PEOPLE WITH THIS
BODY TYPE ARE PERCEIVED TO BE EASY GOING AND SOCIABLE.
MESOMORPHIC : BY A STRONG MUSCULAR BODY. PEOPLE WHO HAVE
MESOMORPHIC BODY TYPE ARE PRECEIVED TO BE ENERGETIC,
ADVENTOROUS, ASSERTIVE AND COURAGEOUS.
ECTOMORPHIC : BODY TYPE IS TALL AND THIN.
 BODY IMAGE
REFERS TO HOW INDIVIDUALS PERCEIVE, THINK, AND FEEL ABOUT THEIR
BODY AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.
APPEARANCE : REFERS TO EVERTHING ABOUT A PERSON THAT OTHERS
CAN OBSERVE SUCH AS HEIGHT, WEIGHT, SKIN, COLOR, CLOTHES, AND
HAIRSTYLE. THROUGH APPEARANCES, AN INDIVIDUAL IS ABLE TO SHOW
OTHERS THE KIND OF PERSON HE OR SHE IS (DELAMATER & MYERS, 2012).
THE AGE AT WHICH PUBERTY BEGINS HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WAY
ADOLESCENE FEEL ABOUT THEMESELVES AS WELL AS THE WAY OTHERS
TREAT THEM ( FELDMAN, 2010).
BODY IMAGE IS RELATED TO SELF-ESTEEM WHICH IS PERSON’S OVERALL
EVALUATION OF HIS OR HER OWN WORTH.
BODY IMAGE CAN AFFECT BOTH ADOLESCENT’S PHYSICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING.
ADOLESCENTS WORRY ABOUT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THEIR BODIES