THE SELF FROM

PSYCHOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE
• THE SELF CAN BE DEFINED IN MANY WAYS. IN THE CONTEXT OF PSYCHOLOGY,
THE SELF CAN DEFINED AS A REFLEXIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESS THAT
STARTS WHEN ONE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF OR HERSELF AS AN OBJECT, FOLLOWED
BY DESCRIBING ONESELF AS A SELF-CONCEPT OR SELF-FEELING, AND ENDS
WITH SAYING THAT THE SELF IS MANIFESTED IN HOW ONE ACTS AND PRESENTS
HIMSELF OR HERSELF TO OTHERS. IN THIS PROCESS, THE SELF IS PERCEIVED
THROUGH HOW ONE SEE AND UNDERSTANDS HIMSELF OR HERSELF.
 WILLIAM JAMES
SELF THEORY
• WILLIAM JAMES, AN AMERICAN PHILOSOPHER AND PSYCHOLOGIST, DIVIDED AN
INDIVIDUAL’S PERCEPTION OF THE SELF INTO TWO CATEGORIES- ME AND I.
• FOR JAMES , A HUMAN BEING HAS THE CAPACITY TO BE A THINKING SUBJECT AND THE
OBJECT OF HIS OR HER THINKING AT THE SAME TIME. AS A THINKING SUBJECT, AN
INDIVIDUAL IS BOTH CONSCIOUS OF HIS OR HER EXISTENCE. THE CONTINUOUS STREAM
OF CONSCIOUSNESS INTERNAL TO AN INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUTES THE “I” WHICH IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THINKING AND MAKES AWARENESS AND SELF-AWARENESS
POSSIBLE. AN INDIVIDUAL TURNS HIMSELF OR HERSELF INTO A “ME” WHEN HE OR SHE
MAKES HIMSELF OR HERSELF THE OBJECT OF HIS OR HER OWN THINKING.
• JAMES CLAIMS THAT IN UNDERSTANDING THE SELF, THE SELF CAN BE CONTEXTUALIZED INTO THREE
CATEGORIES: THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE SELF; THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS THEY AROUSE (SELF-
FEELINGS); AND THE ACTIONS THEY PROMPT (SELF-SEEKING).
• CONSTITUENTS OF THE SELF REFER TO THE FURTHER SUB-CATEGORIES OF THE SELF INCLUDING THE
MATERIAL SELF, SOCIAL SELF, SPIRITUAL SELF, AND PURE EGO.

• THE SECOND CATEGORY OF THE SELF REFERS TO THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS AROUSED IN INDIVIDUAL
BECAUSE OF HIS OR HER KNOWLEDGE AND APPRAISAL OF HIS OR HER EMPIRICAL EXISTENCE IN THE
WORLD.

• THE THIRD CATEGORY REFER TO THE ACTIONS THE SELF PROMPTS- THE EFFORT OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL TO
PRESERVE AND IMPROVE ONESELF BASED ON ONE’S SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND RESULTING SELF-FEELINGS.

• THE SELF IS AN OBJECT TO BE REFLECTED UPON, AN OBJECT THAT IS CAPABLE OF AROUSING EMOTIONS
AND PROMPTING ACTIONS.
• IN THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE SELF, THE MATERIAL SELF CONSISTS OF ONE’S
BODY, CLOTHES, FAMILY, AND HOME, AND OTHER MATERIAL POSSESSIONS THAT
HE OR SHE VALUES AND REGARDS AS HIS OR HER OWN.
• THE SOCIAL SELF CONNOTES THE IMAGE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE EYES OF THE
PEOPLE AROUND HIM OR HER WHICH DETERMINES HIS OR HER REPUTATIONS IN
THE SOCIETY.
• THE SPIRITUAL SELF INCLUDES ONE’S THOUGHTS, BELIEFS, AND FEELINGS.
• THE PURE EGO IS THE “MOST PUZZLING” ASPECT OF THE SELF ACCORDING TO
JAMES. IT IS CONCEIVED BY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT CAN RECOGNIZE ITS OWN
THOUGHTS AND THAT THESE THOUGHTS POSSES A PARTICULAR WARMTH THAT
SEPARATE THE EGO. ACCORDING TO JAMES, THESE SUB-CATEGORIES ARE
RELATED IN HIERARCHICAL WAY, WITH MATERIAL SELF AT THE BOTTOM, THE
SPIRITUAL SELF AT THE TOP, AND THE SOCIAL SELF IN BETWEEN. TOGETHER,
THEY CONSTITUTE AS THE EMPIRICAL SELF.
 CARL ROGER
SELF THEORY
• CARL ROGERS’ BELIEVES THAT THE SELF DOES NOT EXIST AT BIRTH; IT IS
DEVELOPED GRADUALLY DURING CHILDHOOD WHEREIN ONE DIFFERENTIATES
THE SELF FROM NON-SELF. HE PROPOSED THAT BY MEANS OF FREE CHOICE AND
ACTION, ONE CAN SHAPE HIMSELF OR HERSELF BASED ON WHAT HE OR SHE
WANTS TO BE. ROGERS CONSIDERED THE SELF AS THE CENTER OF EXPERIENCE.
ACCORDING TO HIM, THE SELF IS THE ONGOING SENSE OF WHAT HE OR SHE IS
AND HOW AND WHY HE OR SHE RESPONDS TO THE ENVIRONMENT. THE CHOICES
AN INDIVIDUAL MAKES ARE BASED ON HIS OR HER SET OF VALUES. ROGER’S
THEORY FOCUSES ON THE NATURE OF THE SELF AND CONDITIONS THAT ALLOW
THE SELF TO FREELY DEVELOP.
 REAL SELF AND IDEAL SELF

• THE REAL SELF IS ONE WHO AN INDIVIDUAL ACTUALLY IS, INTRINSICALLY. IT IS

THE SELF THAT FEELS CLOSEST TO HOW ONE IDENTIFIES WITH. IT IS HOW ONE
THINKS, FEELS, LOOKS, AND ACTS. IT IS THE SELF THAT FEELS MOST NATURAL,
COMFORTABLE, AND TRUE TO WHAT AND WHO REALLY IS. IT IS THE SELF THAT
CONTINOUSLY NEEDS TO ACCEPT, TAKES CARE OF, AND IMPROVES. DEPITE THE
DIFFICULTY OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO TRULY KNOW HOW OTHERS SEE HIM OR HER,
HIS OR HER REAL SELF CAN STILL BE POSSIBLY SEEN. ONE’S SIGNIFICANT OTHER
MAY TELL ALMOST EXACTLY HIS OR HER REAL SELF. THE REAL SELF IS ONE’S
SELF IMAGE.
• THE IDEAL SELF, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS THE PERCEPTION OF WHAT A PERSON
WOULD LIKE TO BE OR THINKS HE OR SHE WOULD BE. IT IS AN IDEALIZED IMAGE
THAT HAS DEVELOPED OVER TIME BASED ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE
ENVIRONMENT AND THE PEOPLE ONE INTERACTS WITH. IT IS THE SELF THAT
ONE THINKS HE OR SHE SHOULD BE, AND THAT ONE FEELS OTHERS THINK HE OR
SHE SHOULD BE. THIS SELF IS A PRODUCT OF EXPECTATIONS AND PRESSURES
FROM OTHER PEOPLE, AND ARISES FROM THE NEED TO BE LOVED AND
ACCEPTED BY OTHERS. IT IS DYNAMIC AND FOREVER CHANGING.
• AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THERE HAS TO BE CONGRUENCE-AN AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE SELVES, WHICH HAPPENS WHEN THE IDEAL SELF IS CLOSER TO
THE REAL SELF. PEOPLE WITH CONGRUENT SELVES ARE MORE LIKELY TO ATTAIN
SELF ACTUALIZATION COMPARED TO THOSE WITH INCONGRUENT SELVES. SELF-
WORTH IS HIGH WHEN THE REAL SELF AND IDEAL SELF ARE CLOSE TO EACH
OTHER.
 SELF-CONCEPT

• SELF-CONCEPT IS DEFINED AS THE TOTALITY OF COMPLEX, ORGANIZED, AND DYNAMIC

SYSTEM OF LEARNED BELIEFS, ATTITUDES, AND OPINIONS THAT EACH PERSON HOLDS TO
BE TRUE ABOUT HIS OR HER PERSONAL EXISTENCE. IT IS A SOCIAL PRODUCT, DEVELOPING
OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND STRIVING FOR CONSISTENCY. IT IS ALSO THE
INDIVIDUAL’S BELIEF ABOUT HIMSELF OR HERSELF, INCLUDING HIS OR HER ATTRIBUTES.
• SELF-CONCEPT IS ALSO DEFINED AS THE ORGANIZED STRUCTURE OR COGNITIONS OR
THOUGHTS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL HAS ABOUT HIMSELF OR HERSELF. IT INCLUDES THE
PERCEPTIONS ONE HAS ABOUT HIS OR HER GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT THE SELF BASED ON
HIS OR HER EXPERIENCES.
 ASPECTS OF SELF-CONCEPT

• THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS OF SELF-CONCEPT- THE EXISTENTIAL SELF AND THE
CATEGORICAL SELF.
• THE EXISTENTIAL SELF BEGINS WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL RECOGNIZES HIS OR HER
EXISTENCE AS A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM OTHERS AND REALIZES THAT HE OR
SHE WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND SPACE.
• THE EXISTENTIAL SELF USUALLY STARTS FROM INFANCY UP TO EARLY
CHILDHOOD. THIS IS MANIFESTED FOR INSTANCE, WHEN HE OR SHE RESPONDS
TO THE CLAPPING OF HANDS OR WHEN HE OR SHE TOUCHES AN OBJECT AND THE
OBJECT MOVES.
• THE CATEGORICAL SELF STARTS AFTER A CHILD RECOGNIZES HIS OR HER
EXISTENCE AS A SEPARATE ENTITY AND BECOMES AWARE THAT HE OR SHE IS AN
OBJECT IN THE WORLD. LIKE OBJECT WITH PHYSICAL PROPERTIES, ONE BEGINS
TO CATEGORIZE HIMSELF OR HERSELF IN TERMS OF AGE, SEX, WEIGHT.
AFTERWARDS AN INDIVIDUAL ENGAGES IN SELF-DESCRIPTION AND OTHER’S
PERCEPTION ABOUT HIM OR HER.
 THREE COMPONENTS OF SELF-CONCEPT

• 1. SELF WORTH OR SELF-ESTEEM- IS WHAT ONE THINKS ABOUT ONESELF. THIS

DEVELOPS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD STAGE RESULTING FROM THE INTERACTION OF THE
CHILD WITH HIS OR HER MOTHER AND FATHER.
• 2. SELF-IMAGE- IS HOW ONE SEES HIMSELF OR HERSELF, WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR
GOOD PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. SELF-IMAGE INCLUDES THE INFLUENCE OF BODY
IMAGE ON INNER PERSONALITY. SELF-IMAGE HAS AN EFFECT ON HOW A PERSON
THINKS, FEELS, AND BEHAVES IN THE WORLD.
• 3. IDEAL SELF- IS THE PERSON THAT ONE WANTS TO BE. IT CONSISTS OF ONE DREAMS
AND GOALS IN LIFE, AND IT IS CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING. AS AN EXAMPLE, THE
IDEAL SELF DURING CHILDHOOD IS NOT THE SAME IDEAL SELF DURING ADULTHOOD.
 DONALD W. WINNICOTT
TRUE SELF AND FALSE SELF
• THE TRUE SELF IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE REAL SELF, AUTHENTIC SELF, ORIGINAL
SELF, AND VULNERABLE SELF. IT IS THE CORE OF WHO YOU ARE, THE ORIGINAL
YOU, UNSHAPED BY THE UPBRINGING OF SOCIETY. IT IS ONE’S SPONTANEOUS
AND NATURAL SELF-EXPRESSION, A SENSE OF BEING ALIVE IN BODY AND MIND
THAT ALLOWS HIM OR HER TO BE GENUINELY CLOSE TO OTHERS.
• THE FALSE SELF IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE FAKE SELF, IDEAL SELF, PERFECT SELF,
AND PSEUDO SELF. THIS IS COMPOSED OF THE PARTS OF THE SELF WHEREIN
BEHAVIORS ARE ALTERED, FEELINGS ARE REPRESSED, AND ONE’S NEEDS ARE
SET ASIDE IN ORDER TO FIT IN WITH OTHERS. WHEN A PERSON HAS TO COMPLY
WITH MORES, NORMS, FADS, CRAZES, AND FASHIONS, A FALSE SELF IS
ACTIVATED.
• THE FALSE SELF CONSTANTLY SEEKS TO ANTICIPATE THE DEMANDS AND
EXPECTATIONS OF OTHERS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE AND PRESERVE
RELATIONSHIPS. THIS MAY HAPPEN DURING CHILDHOOD WHEN ONE IS
RESTRICTED BY THE RULES OF HIS OR HER PARENTS OR GUARDIANS, OR WHEN
ONE IS NOT ALLOWED TO EXPLORE, BE TOO ADVENTUROUS, OR BE AGGRESSIVE.
• THE FALSE SELF IS ALSO CALLED THE ADAPTED SELF.
 GLOBAL AND DIFFERENTIATED MODELS

• GLOBAL MODELS LOOK INTO A HUMAN BEING IN HIS OR HER TOTALITY, AS AN INDIVISIBLE
ENTITY THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN DOWN INTO PART.
• THE TWO PROMINENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT SUPPORTING THIS IDEA ARE GESTALT
PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY.
• GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY IS GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE “WHOLE IS GREATER THAN THE
SUM OF ALL ITS PARTS. GESTALT PSYCHOLOGIST REJECT THE VIEW THAT THE SELF IS A
STRUCTURE COMPOSED OF THE ID, EGO, AND SUPEREGO. THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL OF
THOUGHT IS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THE ENTIRETY OF THE SELF- THE MIND, BODY,
PHYSICAL BEHAVIORS, AND MORE. IT LOOKS INTO THE SELF AS A WHOLE AND SIMPLY AS A SUM
OF ITS PARTS.
• HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY IS GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLE THAT “HUMAN BEINGS,
AS HUMANS, SUPERSEDE THE SUM OF THEIR PARTS”. THEY CANNOT BE REDUCED
TO COMPONENTS. IT POSITED THE IDEA THAT PERSONALITY SHOULD BE
STUDIED FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN INDIVIDUAL’S SUBJECTIVE
EXPERIENCE. FOR HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGIST, THE WAY TO UNDERSTAND
OTHER PEOPLE IS NOT TO ANALYZE THE STRUCTURE OF THE SELF COMPOSED OF
THE ID, EGO, AND SUPEREGO. RATHER, IT IS BETTER TO UNDERSTAND ONE’S
EMOTION AND EXPERIENCES IN ORDER TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ONE’S IDENTITY.
IT PUTS MORE EMPHASIS ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON ONE’S
EXPERIENCES RATHER THAN THE INTERNAL THOUGHTS AND DESIRES THAT
DEFINE ONE’S PERSONALITY.
 ALBERT BANDURA
AGENTIC THEORY OF SELF
• THE SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY MAKES USE OF THE AGENTIC THEORY OF THE SELF TO MAKE
SENSE OF THE SELF. TO BE AN AGENT MEANS TO BE CAPABLE OF INTENTIONALLY INFLUENCING
ONE’S OWN FUNCTIONALITY AND LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES. AN AGENT RECOGNIZES HIS OR HER
ABILITY TO MAKE LIFE DECISIONS.
• ALBERT BANDURA, WHO ADVANCED THE AGENTIC THEORY OF THE SELF, ASSERTED THAT PEOPLE
ARE NOT MERELY PASSIVE MOLDED BY ENVIRONMENTAL FORCES OR DRIVEN BY INNER
INFLUENCES.
• THE AGENTIC THEORY OF THE SELF REJECTS THE NOTION THAT SELFHOOD IS CULTURALLY
INFLUENCED OR COTROLLED BY URGES, RATHER IT LOOKS UPON EVERY HUMAN BEING AS
CAPABLE OF THINKING, DECIDING, FORESEEING, AND CONTROLLING HIS OR HER ACTIONS, FREE TO
DECIDE FOR HIMSELF OR HERSELF. THIS CAPABILITY IS TERMED BY BANDURA AS HUMAN AGENCY.
IT IS THE CAPABILITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO EXERT INFLUENCE OVER THE COURSE OF HIS OR HER
ACTIONS.
• FOR BANDURA, THERE ARE FOUR CORE PROPERTIES OF HUMAN AGENCY-
INTENTIONALLY, FORETHOUGHT, SELF REACTIVENESS, AND SELF-REFLECTION.
• INTENTIONALLY IS MANIFESTED IN HOW AN INDIVIDUAL FORMS INTENTIONS WITH
ACTION PLAN AND STRATEGIES TO REALIZE THEM.
• THE SECOND PROPERTY, FORETHOUGHT, REFERS TO HOW AN INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS
HIS OR HER PLANS IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS HOW HE OR SHE VISUALIZES HIMSELF OR
HERSELF IN A FUTURE STATE OF EXISTING, THEREFORE, ENSURING THAT PLANS
MADE CAN ANTICIPATE POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES OR ROADBLOCKS.
• THE THIRD, SELF-REACTIVENESS SHOWS THAT AGENTS ARE NOT ONLY PLANNERS AND
FORETHINKERS BUT ALSO SELF-REGULATORSIN ORDER FOR ONE’S INTENTIONS AND
FORESIGHT TO PRODUCE SUCCESSFUL ACTIONS, AN INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TO SELF-
REGULATE HIS OR HER EFFORTS OR HER VISION TO BECOME REALITY.
• THE LAST PROPERTY, SELF-REFLECTION SIGNIFIES THAT PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF EXAMINIG THEIR
OWN FUNCTIONING. THEY REFLECT ON THEIR LIFE PURSUITS, THE MEANING OF THE ACTIONS
THEY TAKE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THESE PURSUITS, THEIR THOUGHTS, AND PERSONAL EFFICACY.
AN INDIVIDUAL WITH AGENCY IS EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO MENIFEST THESE PROPERTIES IN HOW
HE OR SHE FUNCTIONS IN HIS OR HER ENVIRONMENT.
• BANDURA’S THEORY VIEWS THE SELF AS A PERSON. AS AGENTS, INDIVIDUAL EXERCISE CONTROL
OVER THEIR OWN FUNSTIONING. SINCE THE SELF IS SITUATED IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE
INTERPLAY OF INTERPERSONAL AND INTRAPERSONAL ACTIVITIES OCCUR, THE SELF FUNCTIONS AS
A PRODUCT OF THESE INFLUENCES MAKING THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW HE OR SHE
LETS THESE VARIOUS INFLUENCES AFFECT HOW HE OR SHE FUNCTIONS.