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Liza T. Bacierra, MA
Important Component in the Study of the Person’s Self &
Identity

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PSYCHOLOGYy ANTHROPOLOGY
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SOCIOLOGYa RELIGIOUS
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BIOLOGICAL & HEALTH STUDIES

“the self is the sum total of all that
man can call his, which includes his
body, family & reputation, also his
clothes and his house...”
-William James

Russell W. Belk
-described that body, family, clothes
etc., are part of our EXTENDED
SELF.
 What do you mean by
PHYSICAL SELF?

The concrete or tangible aspect or

dimension of the person which is
primarily observed and examined.
“the body is the initial source of
sensation and necessary for the origin
and maintenance of personality…”
-William James

“experiences are anchored in the

ground-plan of the body…”
-Erik Erickson
“the physical body is the core of the
human experience…”
-Sigmund Freud

“the body is at the center of human

existence, as a way of experiencing
the world…”
-Maurice Merleau-Ponty
 The human body is endowed with varied forms of
social significance which Sociology addressed by
asking questions:
To what extent do individuals have control
over their own bodies?

How significant is the body to the

development & performance of the self in
everyday life?

What images of the body influence people’s

expectations of themselves and others?
 1980s
Humanities & Sociology developed a new &
broader interest in the body.

BODY
CULTURE

The BODY is
the only fix-
point of
identity.
1970s Anthony
Ulrich Beck
 Do these
Do you consider yourself
perceptionbeautiful?
What is your concept of
s really beauty?
matter?
What is the society’s concept
of beauty?
Wavy blond
hair Muscular
Light skin &
eyes wash-board
Tall abs
Powerful legs
Large breasts
A round yet Chiseled
toned features
posterior
 Plastic
Surgery
Is beauty bound up
with a dynamic,
cultural aesthetic
honed in the ways that
members of the
group/community/socie
ty are “nurtured” to
perceived
attractiveness from
childhood?
 Body Image refers
to the person’s
INTERNAL
perception of
attractiveness of
his/her body. Or it
can be somebody’s
own impression of
how his/her body
EXTERNAL looks.
 Or Personal Beauty. This
refers to the inner
qualities of the person.
INTERNAL

Or Social Beauty. This

refers to the physical
characteristics of the
person.
EXTERNAL
“Culture is the shared
patterns of thoughts,
beliefs, behaviors and
habits that includes
languages, technology,
economic, political &
educational systems
where one self is
shaped, in part,
through interaction
with groups.
 What happens when your body doesn’t look like
how it supposed to look like, or how it’s supposed
to feel, or do what it’s supposed to do?
Who or what defines the ideals
behind these expectations?

How can we challenge them & live

more peacefully in our bodies?
 Or popular culture is a culture
Audrey Tramel widely accepted and patronized by
the public as in pop music which is
very appealing to the youth.

Self-definition
Refers to the way a person sees
himself.

Self-esteem Confidence
 Create ideals in the form of celebrities
and models, for men and women to
admire, giving us pressure to conform
to expectations.

How our bodies

How we should dress
should age
What our weight The use of beauty
should be product
How our leisure be How our lifestyle be
spent dealt
The MEDIA plays a large role in how
teenagers are supposed to be or do.
 How we should dress
What our weight
should be
The use of beauty
product
Cultural Ideal Hypothesis
-puberty brings boys closer to their ideal
body while girls shift further from theirs.
 Self-worth or self-respect, is
an important part of success.

Too little self-esteem can leave

people feeling defeated or
depressed.
Too much self-esteem may
exhibits narcissistic
personality disorder
 Person’s overall sense of self-
worth or personal value.
Often seen as a personality trait
which tends to be stable &
enduring.
Involves variety of beliefs of
yourself, such as appraisals of
your appearance etc.
 To overcome such adverse effects on the issues
of self-esteem, you need to develop a positive
body image which involves:
o Understanding that healthy, attractive bodies
come in many shapes and sizes;
o Physical appearance says very little about our
character or value as a person, and
o How we get to this point of acceptance often
depends on our individual development and
self-acceptance.