UNPACKING THE

SELF:
THE MATERIAL/ECONOMIC
SELF
A REPORT BY GRUPO SAIS
fenellopy BALMES ⦿ krisanta joan CALLE ⦿ kier daniel IGNACIO
axel LAHERA ⦿ rodelio antonio MALLARI ⦿ Samantha VICTOR
UNPACKING THE SELF:
OBJECTIVES
 Explore the different aspects of self and identity.

 Demonstrate critical, reflective thought in integrating the various aspects of self and identity.

 Identify the different forces and institutions that impact the development of various aspects of
self identity.

 Examine one’s self against the different aspects of self discussed in class.
THE
PHYSICAL
SELF
The Impact of Culture on Body Image
and Self Esteem
The Importance of Beauty
THE
SEXUAL SELF
Human Reproductive System
Human Sexual Response
Sexual Behavior Diversity
Psychological Aspects of Sexual
Response
Biological Aspects of Sex
 Why so serious?

LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!

FOUR QUESTION
PERSONALITY QUIZ
1. What is your favorite animal in the world? Why?

2. What is your second favorite animal in the world? Why?

3. When you think of the ocean, what comes first on your mind?

4. What’s your favorite drink? Why?

 WILLIAM JAMES
“Principles of Psychology”

 American philosopher, historian and

psychologist
 The Father of American Psychology
 Helped in making psychology as a formal
discipline
 First teacher of Psychology in the United
States
 Two general aspects of self – the “I Self”
and “Me Self”
 Wilhelm Wundt, a German Psychologist is
known to be the Father of Modern
Psychology
THE SOCIAL
PSYCHOLOGY OF
MATERIAL
POSSESSION
WHAT IS
MATERIAL/ECONOMIC SELF?
 Materialism is a variable relevant to many aspects of economic psychology.
 A discussion of the potential relationships between materialism and several
economic variables, including use of money, work motivation, giving and
materialism.
 The use of economic goods in social communication and the potential role of
materialism in such communication.
THE EMPIRICAL SELF
 The term ”Empirical Self" refer to all various ways
people answer the question "Who Am I?"
 The empirical Self of each of us “I” all that he is
tempted to call by the name of “me”
 James went on to group the various components of the
empirical self into three subcategories: (a) THE
MATERIAL SELF (b)THE SOCIAL SELF (c)THE
SPIRITUAL SELF
COMPONENTS OF THE
EMPIRICAL SELF:
THE MATERIAL SELF
The material self refers to tangible
objects, people, or places that carry the
designation “my” or “mine”. Two
subclasses of the material self can be
distinguished: The bodily self and the
extracorporeal (beyond the body) self.
The extracorporeal self can also be
referred to as the extended self.
COMPONENTS OF THE
EMPIRICAL SELF:
THE SOCIAL SELF
• The social self refers to how we are regarded and recognized by others.
• Modern researchers have proposed that we also possess a relational self, the self
defined in terms of specific interpersonal relationships.
BODILY
COMPO People Around “I/ME”

NENT
OF SELF
“I / ME” People’s Thoughts
Relationships “I / ME” & Feelings

People’s Perception
of “I / ME”
COMPONENTS OF THE
EMPIRICAL SELF:
THE SPIRITUAL SELF
• Our inner self or our psychological
self
• It is comprised of our self-perceived
abilities, attitudes, emotions,
interests, values, motives, opinions,
traits, and wishes.
“Dime con quién estás y te diré
quién eres.”

“Tell me who you are with

and I'll tell you who you are.”

- Don Quixote de la Mancha

“Tell me who your friends are,

and I’ll tell you who you are.”
FOUR QUESTION
PERSONALITY
QUIZ EXPLAINED
THE ECONOMIC SELF
• Comparing ourselves with
others.
• The Economic Self is about
CONSUMERISM
 CONSUMERISM DEFINED
 Increasing the consumption of goods and
services is always a desirable goal
 Obtaining consumer goods and material
possessions defines happiness and a
person’s well-being
PROBLEM WITH
CONSUMERISM
 Intrusive.
 Manipulative.
 Cannot provide many of the things that are
important to us.
 Restricts our choices and lives.
 Affects our worldviews and characters
 Unsustainable
 AVOID THE CONSUMERISM
TRAP
Exercise intellectual
independence.
Consume less, live more.
 “I SHOP,
THEREFORE I AM;
I HAVE
THEREFORE, I
AM?”
 Borrowed from Rene Descartes’ “I
think, therefore I am.”
 I Shop Therefore I Am – artwork by
Barbara Kruger in 1987.
 The artwork is very particular with (a)
the red square, (b) the letter “I” and
(c) the fingers.

“The public is no longer

defined by what it thinks but
rather by what they
owned.”

- Kruger
“I Shop, Therefore I Am”

 We are now looking into the world of Consumer

Culture.
 Shopping is a lifestyle.
 Shopping is stopping us from finding true and
sincere happiness.
 Shopping often works as a substitute for something
that we are missing in life.
 Concerns about what we buy and what we choose
to invest in.
CONSUMPTION AND
PRODUCTION
Consume –
 Definition: to use up; spend wastefully;
destroy.
 This definitions shows the positive and
negative connotation of consumption
 Behind every consumption, there is
production.
 Productions can keep companies alive.
 Productions can also mean destruction of
the environment.
 CONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION
 Consumers are often portrayed as victims.
 Consumers has free will.
 Conscious consumption is about
practicing responsible buying habits and
consumption.
PSYCHOLOGICAL/
SOCIOLOGICAL
CONSUMPTION Happiness seems to be attached to buying

something.
 Consumption can become an addiction.
 Happiness can be found in other facets of
life.
 IDENTITY AND CONSUMER
CULTURE
 Identity – the symbolic
image we build for
ourselves.
 Can be improved through
communications with
others.
CHARACTERISTICS IN
CONSUMER CULTURE
 Culture of consumption.

 Culture of market society.

 It is universal and impersonal.

 Identifies freedom with private choice and

life.
 Consumer needs are insatiable and
unlimited.
 It is a privileged medium for building
personal identity and status.