UNDERSTANDING THE

SELF

BY: OFELIA V. VILLANUEVA

 DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES OF THE
SELF
 PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE

SOCRATES AND PLATO

• BODY
• SOUL (INTELLECTUAL ESSENCES)
⚬ REASON - THROUGH THE USE OF INTROSPECTION IN ORDER
TO GAIN WISDOM

ST. AUGUSTINE
• BODY
• SOUL (SPIRIT)
⚬ REUNITE WITH THE TRANSCENDENT GOD
⚬ WE HAVE SPIRITUAL SELF
 PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE

RENE DESCARTES
• SELF = THINKING THING
• DOUBT THINGS
• IT IS IMPORTANT TO USE OUR REASON (RATIONALIST)

JOHN LOCKE
• TABULA RASA - BLANK SLATE
• EXPERIENCES (EMPIRICIST)
• CONSCIOUSNESS
• WE ARE THE SAME PERSON IN DIFFERENT TIMES AND AT
DIFFERENT PLACES
 PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE

IMMANUEL KANT

• EXPERIENCES
• CONSCIOUSNESS
• BUILT-IN SELF - ORGANIZES, FILTER, AND SYNTHESIZE
OUR SENSORY EXPERIENCES
• WE CONSTRUCT THE SELF
 SOCIOLOGICAL GEORGE HERBERT MEAD
I-SELF
PERSPECTIVE "ACTING SUBJECT"

SELF IS DEVELOPED THROUGH - consists of one's awareness of the

actual behavioral responses he or she is
SOCIAL INTERACTION making to the current situation as it is
taking place.

ME-SELF
"THE OBJECT"
-the individual evaluates the completed
action from the standpoint of others.
 HOW DOES THE I-SELF AND ME-SELF
DEVELOPED?
ACQUISITION OF ROLES - THE KEY TO DEVELOPING THE SELF
THE SELF IS, THUS, BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL CHARACTER

The development of the self follows these stages of role taking:

• Imitation - with limited social experiences, infants can do this only through imitation, that is, they mimic

behavior without understanding undelying intentions and, so, have no self.

• Play - as children learn to use language and other symbols, the self emerges through play, which involves
taking the roles of significant others, especially parents.
• Games - children learn to take the roles of several others at once. By about age seven, most children have
the social experience needed to engage in team sports.
 CHARLES HORTON COOLEY'S
LOOKING GLASS SELF
One's identity is formed from the reflections one sees of oneself in
the reactions of others.

IT HAS THREE ELEMENTS:

• Our imagination on how we appear to others
• Our imagination on their judgments of that appearance
• Self-feeling

WHEN WE PERCEIVE THE REACTIONS OF OTHERS

AS INDICATING EITHER APPROVAL OR
DISAPPROVAL, WE FEEL PRIDE OR SHAME AS A
RESULT
 ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

ANTHROPOLOGISTS HAVE EMPHASIZED THAT CULTURE IS NOT BEHAVIOR

ITSELF BUT THE SHARED UNDERSTANDING THAT GUIDE BEHAVIOR AND ARE
EXPRESSED IN BEHAVIOR.

CULTURE PROVIDES PATTERNS VIEWS OF THE SELF

OF "WAYS OF LIFE"
EGOCENTRIC SELF - the self is viewed as autonomous and
CULTURE PROVIDES US WITH
distinct individual
OUR ETHNIC IDENTITY
ETHNIC IDENTITY - sameness of the self SOCIOCENTRIC SELF - the self is viewed as contingent on a
with others, that is, to a consciousness of situation or social setting; socially oriented.
sharing certain characteristics (language,
mannerism, etc.)
 PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
SELF

• refers to a person's experience as a single, unitary, autonomous being

that is separate from others, experienced with continuity through time

and place

• the experience of the self includes consciousness of one's physicality as

well as one's inner character and emotional life.

 CARL ROGERS
SELF

- flexible and changing perception of personal identity

- it is developed from interactions with others and awareness of one's own characteristics and level of
functioning.

SELF-CONCEPT

-how a person sees, values, thinks, and feels about himself.

-it is knowing one's own tendencies, thoughts, preferences and habits, hobbies, skills, and areas of weakness.
 2 Components of Self-Concept

REAL SELF IDEAL SELF

the person's
Consists of all the conception of what
ideas, including the one should be or
self-awareness wanted to be that
of"what I am" and includes one's goals
"what I can do" and ambitions in life
 2 Components of Self-Concept

Human beings are always striving for self-

fulfillment or self-actualization

SELF-ACTUALIZATION
- this is the condition that emerges when we reach
our full potential and our real self (self-concept)
and ideal self overlap.
 ALBERT BANDURA
SELF
- is proactive and agentic

PROACTIVE
- creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it
after it has happened

AGENTIC
- capacity to influence intentionally one's functioing and life circumstances

• humans have the ability to act and make things happen

• agentic features of human being enable us to play a part in their self-development, adaptation,
and self-renewal with changing times.
 MAIN AGENTIC FEATURES OF HUMAN AGENCY

INTENTIONALITY FORETHOUGHT

enables the person to anticipate the likely

refers to acts done intentionally. Intentions consequences of prospective actions
center on plans of action

SELF-REACTIVENESS SELF-REFLECTIVENESS
involves making choices and chooing
gives the person the ability to reflect upon
appropriate courses of action as wel as
oneself and the adequacy of one's thoughts
motivating and regulating their execution
and actions.
 Self-efficacy

- individual's belief that he or she is capable to perform a task

- it influences whether people think pessimistically or optimistically and in ways that are self-enhancing or
self-hindering.

Self-regulation

- the ability to control one's behavior without having to rely on others for help.

Emotions

- how the individual feels, thinks, and physiological reactions he experiences.

 3 Jobs of Emotions

COMMUNICATION MOTIVATION INFORMATION

through our facial emotions can be
expression and body signals or alarms in
prompts a person to certain situation. It
language, other provides the
individuals can act. It tells the
individual with
recognize our individual to "act" and information even
emotions. Thus, other to "stay focused" in before the brain has
people can respond processed the situation
certain situations. It has helped us
appropriately to our
emotions survived in
threatening situations.
 SIGMUND FREUD

THREE STRUCTURES OF PERSONALITY

1.Id
"core of our being" / "pleasure-seeking side"
includes instincts and drives that motivate individuals as well as the genetic inheritance
and reflexes and capacities to respond

2. Ego
refers to the "I"
works on the reality principle, controls the id, and can delay pleasure.

3. Superego
refers to the "conscience" and "moral judge" of conduct
it strives for perfection rather than pleasure.
 ERIK ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
TRUST VERSUS MISTRUST
(0 - 1 YEAR OLD)

if the infants' pattern of accepting things corresponds with their culture's way of giving things, the infants learn
BASIC TRUST. In contrast, they learn BASIC MISTRUST if they have no correspondence between their
needs and their environment.

Basic Strength: Hope

Inadequate Resolution: Insecurity and anxiety
 ERIK ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
AUTONOMY VERSUS SHAME AND DOUBT
(1 - 3 YEARS OLD)

If parents allow their children to eplore, the children will become more confident and secure in their own
abilities. If not, children may become overly dependent and feel a sense of shame and doubt.

Strength: Will
Inadequate Resolution: Feelings of inadequacy
ERIK ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE VERSUS GUILT
(3 - 5 YEARS OLD)

A child who made to feel irresponsible might develop guilt feelings.

Strength: Purpose
Inadequate Resolution: Feelings of lack of self-worth
 Leaders - the process by which certain group members motivate and guide the group. It
is the capacity to INFLUENCE AND LEAD a group of people.

Types of Leaders:
• Instrumental Leaders - who plan and organizer for their subordinates
• Supportive Leaders - who show concern to their subordinates
• Participative Leaders - who allow subordinates to participate in decision making
• Achievement-oriented - sets challenges and rewards achievement
 ERIK ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
INDUSTRY VERSUS INFERIORITY
(5 - 12 YEARS OLD)

As children learn to do things well, they develop a sense of industry. Especially when children are encouraged
in their efforts. But if children receive a little or no encouragement from parents or teachers, they acquire a
sense of inferiority.

Strength: Competence
Inadequate Resolution: Lack of self-confidence; feelings of failure
 ERIK ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
IDENTITY VERSUS INDENTITY CONFUSION
(12-18 YEARS OLD)

Adolescence is an adaptive phase of personality development, a period of trial and error. They are confronted
with many roles and responsibilities

Strength: Fidelity and comfortable sense of self as a person

Inadequate Resolution: Unclear sens of self
 ERIK ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
INTIMACY VERSUS ISOLATION
(18 - 40 YEARS OLD)

Erikson believed that it is vital for people to develop intimate relationship with others. Those who are
successful at this stage will form relationships that are stable and successful, if not, mistrust and isolation may
develop.

Strength: Love and capacity for closeness and commitment to another

Inadequate Resolution: Sense of aloneness and separation
 ERIK ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
GENERATIVITY VERSUS STAGNATION
(40 - 65 YEARS OLD)

the time when people begin to take thier place in society and assume responsibility for whatever society
produces. Those who fail to attain generativity will feel worthless.

Strength: Care
Inadequate Resolution: Selfe-indulgent concerns
 ERIK ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
INTEGRITY VERSUS DESPAIR
(65 YEARS OLD AND ABOVE)

HOW HAVE I DONE?

at this stage, individuals reflect on the important events of their lives. If they are satisfied and feel proud of
their accomplishments, they will feel a sense of integrity. Those who are unsuccessful during this stage will
feel that their life has been wasted and will experience regrets and despair.

Strength: Wisdom, sense of wholeness

Inadequate Resolution: Feelings of disappointment