San Jose Community College

San Jose, Malilipot, Albay

Understanding The Self (Module 2)

Introduction

Psychology

The psychology of self focuses on the representation of an individual based on hi\her

experiences. These experiences are either from the home, school and other groups,
organization or affiliations he/she engaged in. Seemingly, the self is one of the most heavily
researched areas in social and personality psychology, where concepts are introduced that
beyond our physical attributes, lies our psychological identity. Questions of "who am I?" or "what
am I beyond my looks?" are thoughts of many that continuously search for a deeper sense of
self which can be traced back from some time of human history. "Drawing on caves suggests
that sometime during the dawn of history, human beings began to give serious thought to their
nonphysical, psychological selves. With the advent of written history, writers would describe this
awareness of self in terms of spirit, psyche, or soul."

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, the pre-service teachers should be able to:

LO I THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION

1.1. demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the different psychological
theories in the study of the "self"

1.2 expound the self as a cognitive construction

LO 2. Physical Self: Image Matter

2.1. understand the value of one's physical image

2.2. identify the varied components of the physical self

2.3. determine ways to care for the physical self

INFORMATION SHEET l

THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION

Cognitive construction is a cognitive approach that focuses on the mental processes. Rather
than the observable behavior. This approach will assist individual in assimilating new
information to their existing knowledge and will enable them to make the appropriate
modification to their existing intellectual framework to accommodate their new information.

1. William James and the Me - Self, I - Self

With the initiative of Wilhelm Wundt, the father of Scientific Psychology, scientific
methods in studying what Aguirre et al. (2011) mentioned as phenomena of consciousness,
urged interest in further studies of the self and its role in human behavior. It is in this time that
William James' classical distinction between the self as knower (or pure ego) and the self as
known (or the empirical self) provides a useful scheme within which to view the multitudinous
aspects of self-functioning.

W. James suggested that "The total self of 'Me, being as it were duplex" is composed of
"partly object and partly subject." As a consequence, he differentiated between the self as
knower, or the "I" and the self as known, or "Me". Не referred to the "I" as pure ego and
suggested that this component of self is consciousness itself. The "Me" on the other hand, is
one of the many things that I may be conscious of, and it consists of three components, physical
or material, one social and one spiritual.

● MATERIAL SELF - consists of things that belong to us or that we belong to. Things like
family, clothes, our body, and money are some of what make up our material selves.
 ● SOCIAL SELF - our social selves are who we are in a given social situation. For James
people change how they act depending on the social situation that they are in. James
believed that people had as many social selves as they had social situations they
participated in.
● SPIRITUAL SELF - is who we are at our core. The spiritual self is more concrete or
permanent than the other two selves. The spiritual self is our subjective and most
intimate self. Aspects of an individual 's spiritual self, include things like his/her
personality, core values, and conscience that do not typically change throughout a
lifetime.

2. Global versus Differentiated Models

There has been a postulation that one's self may be fragmented into different parts and
different selves which may be in conflict or needs regulation from each other. Although W.
James gave a very interesting perspective on the self, and was even among the first writers to
coin the term "Self-Esteem", other theories emerged to study selfhood as an integrated part of
one's psyche. In the past 30 years, self-esteem has become deeply embedded in popular
culture (Brown & Marchall, 2006). It is a person 's overall self-evaluation or sense of self-worth.

● Global Self-esteem (Trait self-esteem) is a personality variable that represents the way
people generally feel about themselves. It is relatively enduring across time and
situations. According to research, Global self-esteem is a decision people make about
their worth as a person.
● State Self-esteem (feeling of self-worth) refers to the temporary feelings or
momentary emotional reactions to positive and negative events where we feel good or
bad about ourselves during situations or experiences.
● Domain Specific Self-esteem (self evaluations) is focused on how people evaluate
their various abilities and attributes. This is making distinction or differentiation on how
good or bad people are in specific physical attributes, abilities and personal
characteristics.

3. Real and Ideal Self Concepts

The self as the regulating center of an individual 's personality and self-processes under
the guise of id, ego, and superego functioning, rocked.

Psychology as the biggest breakthrough in understanding the psychological self. From

the milestone, prominent psychologists followed with their own perspective of the self to contest
the roles and functions of ego as the self. These were the landmarks of Contemporary
Psychology and the understanding of the internal processes of man. A group of psychologists
called for renewed attention to inner experience, internal processes, and self-contrasts. These
perspectives assert the overall dignity and worth of human beings and their capacity for
self-realization.

KAREN HORNEY with her Feminine Psychology established that a person has an ideal
self, actual self, and the real self. She believed that everyone experiences basic anxiety through
which we experience conflict and strive to cope and employ tension reduction approaches. Hall
et al. mentioned that Horney believed people develop a number of strategies to cope with basic
anxiety. Because people feel inferior, an idealized self-image - an imaginary picture of the self
as the possessor of unlimited powers and superlative qualities, is developed. On the other hand,
the actual self, the person one is in everyday life, is often despised because it fails to fulfill the
requirements of the idealized image. Underlying both the idealized self and the actual self is the
real self, which is revealed only as a person begins to shed the various techniques developed to
deal with basic anxiety and to find ways of resolving conflicts. The real self is not an entity but a
force that impels growth and self-realization.

CARL ROGERS with his Person-Centered Theory, established a conception of self,

involving the real self (a.k.a. Self- concept) and Ideal Self. The Real Self includes all those
aspects of one's being and one's experiences that are perceived in awareness (though not
always accurately) by the individual. It is the part of ourselves where we feel, think, look and act
involving our self-image. On the other hand, the ideal self revolves around goals and ambitions
in life is dynamic, the idealized image that we have developed over time. This is what our
parents have taught us: what we admire in others, what our society promotes, what we think are
in our best interest.

4. Multiple versus Unified Selves

Postmodern psychology contends that man has an identity that shifts and morphs in
different social situations and in response to different stimuli, as Kenneth Gergen argues that
having a flexible sense of self in different contexts is more socially adaptable than forcing
oneself to stick to one self-concept.

Theorist believed that there is no one answer to the question, "Who am I?" as one
person can undergo several transitions in his life and create multiple versions of himself.
However, there is still the contention of the importance of mental well-being of maintaining a
unified, centralized, coherent self.

Multiple Selves, according to K. Gergen, are the capacities we carry within us from
multiple relationships. These are not discovered but created in our relationships with other
people.

Unified Selves as strongly pointed out in Traditional Psychology emphasizes that

well-being comes when our personality dynamics are congruent, cohesive and consistent. It is
understood that a person is essentially connected with selfhood and identity. In a healthy person
the ego remains at the helm of the mind, coherent and organized, staying at the center.

5. True versus False Selves

Donald W. Winnicott distinguished what he called the "true self" From the "false self" in
the human personality, considering the true self as based on a sense of being in the
experiencing body and the false self as a necessary defensive organization, a survival kit, a
caretaker self, the means by which a threatened person has managed to survive.

True self has a sense of integrity, of connected wholeness that harks to the early stage.
False self is used when the person has to comply with external rules such as being polite or
otherwise following social codes to maintain the relationship. The Healthy False Self is
functional, can be compliant but without the feeling that it has Betrayed its true self. The
Unhealthy False Self fits in but through a feeling of forced compliance rather than loving
adaptation (changingminds.org 2016). False Selves, as investigated by Heinz Kohut (1971), can
lead towards narcissistic personality, which identifies with external factors at the cost o one's
own autonomous creativity.

6. The Self as Proactive and Agentic

Social Cognitive Theory takes an agentic view of personality, meaning that humans have
the capacity to exercise control over their own lives. People are self- regulating, proactive,
self-reflective, and self- organizing and that they have the power to influence their own actions
to produce desired consequences. People consciously act in their environment in a manner that
permits growth toward psychological health. An adequate theory of personality, according to G.
Allport must allow for proactive behavior.

AGENT SELF - The agent self is known as the executive function that allows for actions.
This is how we, as individuals, make choices and utilize our control in situations and actions.
The agent self, resides over everything that involves decision making, self-control, taking charge
in situations, and actively responding. A person might desire to eat unhealthy foods, however, it
is his/her agent self that allows that person to choose to avoid eating them and make a healthier
food choice.

Human agency is not a thing but an active process of exploring, manipulating and
influencing the environment in order to attain desired outcomes.

According to Albert Bandura, the core features of human agency are intentional (acts a
person performs intentionally) forethought (setting goals, anticipation of outcomes of actions,
selection of behaviors to produce desired outcomes and avoiding undesirable ones),
Self-reactiveness (monitoring progress toward fulfilling choices), and self-reflectiveness
(examination of own functioning, evaluation of the effect of other people's action on them).
These lead to self-efficacy, the belief that they are capable of performing actions that will
produce a desired effect.

Self-Efficacy lies in the center of Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory. It is the measure of
one's ability to complete goals. People with high self-efficacy often are eager to accept
challenges because they believe they can overcome them, while people with low self- efficacy
may avoid challenges, or believe experiences are more challenging than they actually are
(wikispaces.com2014).

INFORMATION SHEET II

PHYSICAL SELF: IMAGE MATTER

Our personality as well as our identity is not only influenced by internal factors such as
one's brain and emotions but it is influenced as well by our physique. Our image is a reflection
of our lifestyle and the kind of lives we lead. It is important to remember that what we see may
not necessarily be accurate but perception matters much. Everyday interaction with people
results in their observation and formation of opinion about our attitude, behavior, practices,
mannerisms, etc. These assumptions, whether accurate or not affect, our self-concept as well
as self - esteem.

Evidently, human life and behavior has deteriorated and many suffer from
counterproductive behavior and disengagement in varied venues such as the workplace. Young
people now have become more susceptible to stress and have become physically weaker with
the onset and utilization of technology which does not entail much physical exertion at home, in
the school and even in the workplace.

The Dynamics of Physical Health

According to the Biopsychosocial Model of Health (BPS) physical weakness is caused

by a complex interaction of biological, psychological (thoughts, emotions and behavior) and
sociocultural factors (socio-economic, socio-environmental, and cultural). It reiterates that
physical health is the result of the interplay between biological, psychological and social factors
rather than purely biological components involving viruses, bacteria and the like.

This theory shows how three elements influence and affect the overall physical image
and condition of an individual. Genes that may possess characteristics such as the presence of
a physically strong body or otherwise may interplay with one's socio-economic status. This may
determine how well Such individuals value a healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, the psychological
factor contributing to the physical image may bring about health practices involving the
personality of being a" health buff" or in contradiction a "couch potato". Our attitude towards our
physical image manifests in our interests and hobbies. That is why those who prefer to join
trekking groups and marathon groups instead of enrolling in cooking lessons shows the kind of
image we would like to project.
 Personal Hygiene

The physical self is a significant component in one's image and personality. Being clean
and hygienic creates a good image and allows one to feel good about the "self". It is not
necessary to be following the hype in fashion but the requirement to be neat and well-groomed
at all times.

The skin plays a major role in one's appearance. It creates an impression that implicates
certain attitudes and habits. Aside from functioning as an outer covering, the skin maintain body
temperature as it contains as well the nerve endings that feed the nervous system with the
stimulus from the external environment. Taking care of the skin entails the following:

1. Taking a regular bath or shower.

2. Applying deodorant.
3. Avoiding only food.
4. Preventing acne by facial cleaning.
5. Sleeping at least 7-8 hours per day.
6. Drinking 8 glasses of water each day.
7. Avoiding too much exposure to sunlight.
8. Using waterproof sunscreen with 15 SPF or higher.
9. Avoiding sunlight at 10-2 o'clock pm.
10. Taking vitamin C (anti-oxidant).
11. Avoiding cigarettes.
12. Taking Vitamin E.
13. Moderate use of cosmetics.
14. Avoiding harsh substances.
15. Using facial cream \lotion to hydrate the skin

The Hair follicle and root are embedded in the skin. It is basically made of dead cells. As
new ones are formed, old ones are pushed outward through the surface of the skin and die. As
one's crowning glory' taking care of the hair entails simple habits and practices which includes
the following daily routine.

1. Brush or comb hair at least twice a day to maintain body and shine as it releases natural
oil from the roots.
2. Wash hair everyday with gentle soap and shampoo to prevent dryness
3. Use enough hair conditioner.
4. Have intensive treatment at least once a week.
5. Use your own comb or brush to prevent getting parasites from others

The Teeth affect our appearance and our image. Decaying teeth turn off people as it
results to" foul breath ". More so, gaps in our teeth result in speech problems. Indeed our teeth
contribute a lot to our appearance and appeal. Smiling entails a good set of teeth.

Hence here are some ways to maintain and show that contagious smile.

1. Maintain regular oral care.

2. Brush teeth after meals and before bedtime.
3. Use a mouthwash.
4. Use floss on hard-to-reach spots.
5. Maintain a healthy diet especially veggies and fruits.

Good Grooming

It is a common notion that first impressions last. It is necessary to take pride in our
appearance and to dress appropriately as those "significant others' serve as our audience and
critic. Careful grooming and observance of proper clothing in specific occasions is an important
practice in building one's self- esteem.
One should adhere to the basics and appreciate the following tips:

1. For the Gentlemen

a. Be clean. Take a shower, cut nails, and pamper skin.

b. Select the right wardrobe for the right event.
c. Have a sense of style. Wear clothing that feels comfortable but elegant.
d. Wear clean and shiny shoes that complement your attire.
e. Smells good by wearing a mild perfume scent.

2. For the Ladies

a. Bathe, be clean and fresh always as it exudes confidence.

b. Polish nails to add femininity and art.
c. Apply light make-up using that suits the event.
d. Choose the appropriate attire that suits the event.
e. Use a mild feminine perfume scent that fits your personality.
f. Wear clean shoes or sandals.
g. Choose the best bag or clutch that compliments your clothing.
h. Bring only essentials in your bag.
i. wear a smart face, chin up and keep proper smart posture.

Social Graces

All civilized societies are built upon discipline. Since situations.

They include manners, etiquette, deportment, fashion and refinement. This is maintained
through certain unwritten guidelines that maintain the harmony in relationships through etiquette
which adheres to conventional requirements of social behavior. Good manners are a reflection
of one's education, values and sensitivity. The same could be manifested in several ways. One's
image is considered positive and cultured if the following practices are mastered especially on
specific occasion;

A. Smoking Etiquette

1. Use an ashtray.
2. Put out the stub.
3. Never throw cigarette butts on the floor.
4. Never smoke when walking.
5. Never smoke in public vehicles.
6. Be courteous to those who are sensitive to smoke.

B. Drinking Etiquette

1. Be pleasant.
2. Drink in moderation.
3. Drink slowly.
4. Do not mix drinks.
5. Drink coffee for a hangover.
6. Call it a day when you have enough.

C. Dating Etiquette

1. Give a gift.
2. Learn to appreciate and compliment.
3. Do not embarrass the person if you do not like him/her.
4. Do not stay late.
5. Inform your parents.
6. Do not be tempted to drink, take drugs or do sex.
7. Control yourself.
8. Don't over spend.
9. Plan ahead.
D. Party Etiquette

1. Plan ahead.
2. Make good food.
3. Don't over decorate.
4. Dress up well.
5. Receive guests personally.
6. Get conversations going.
7. Play soft music.
8. Arrange party games
9. Be hospitable.
10. Be on time.
11. Make new friends.
12. Eat moderately.
13. Do not overstay
14. Thank the host/hostess.

E. Phone Etiquette

1. Learn to greet
2. Identify yourself.
3. Modulate your voice.
4. Caller should end the call.
5. Be accommodating.
6. Avoid negative statements.
7. Let the speaker finish his/her line.
8. Say "thank you and goodbye.'

HEALTH

One has to understand that our health affects our performance and compliance in our
daily tasks whether in school or at work. Illness and diseases makes us weak physically and
intellectually. This may cause us to under perform or become unproductive. The case of Steve
Jobs exemplifies this case as his genius, his wealth and fame became futile when he died at a
young age of 56 caused by pancreatic cancer. His early demise shows that our wealth is
nothing without good health. Even our image and self will suffer if our physical self could never
be maintained and taken care of.

How should the body be taken care of and how can a longer and productive life span be
assured? Several ways can be considered but this has to be religiously observed to develop
habits that will provide an assurance that life will be lived with much zest and satisfaction. Such
practice includes the following:

1. Proper Nutrition

Diet or what we regularly eat and drink provides us with the fuel that powers our body
and brain. Food is crucial to our body's survival but eating the right food on the other hand will
assure prevention of cardiovascular illnesses and the like. One therefore should be guided by
the food Pyramid to determine what should be consumed less and what should be the bulk of
what we take in.

The food pyramid shows that fats, oils and sweets should be used sparingly as it
occupies the tip of the figure. FOOD THAT

PRIMARILY CONTAINS FAT IS GENERALLY LOW IN OTHER NUTRIENTS AND IS HIGH IN

CALORIES. Such leads to weight gain and other types of health problems. This is especially
true with saturated fats that are mostly found in poultry, meat and eggs which are high in
cholesterol, a wax-like substance used by the body to build cells and make other substances
which most of the time are unhealthy for the body.

Major nutrients should be considered in our daily diet as they help maintain our body's
wellness such that
 a. Carbohydrates provide our body with energy.
b. Protein is necessary to repair body cells and tissues.
c. Vitamins help regulate body functions,
d. Fats serve as a source of energy for vitamin storage and body insulation.
e. Minerals strengthen muscles, bones, and teeth, enrich the blood and keep the heart and
other organs healthy, and f. Water keeps 60% of an adult's total body weight. It helps
break down food, carries nutrients throughout the body, removes wastes and maintains a
stable body temperature.

2. Clean Environment

Humans and the environment make up the ecosystem. Human activities over the years
have put many waste products in the air, land and water. They contaminate and pollute the
environment through toxic wastes killing plants, animals and humans as well. Many of the
illnesses that afflict people now are caused by these pollutants. The fresh water that we directly
get from the faucet is now substituted with distilled or purified water that we buy from the water
station. It is imminent therefore that the air that we breathe will soon be purchased using oxygen
tanks from air stations.

a. Resource Conservation. A major new industry that requires the use of eco bags when
shopping or maybe reusing an item like food packages. Conserving electricity and water
is also a practice of resource conservation.
b. Recycling. This is the process of reusing materials that have been put to waste.
Recycling allows finding new ways to utilize those things that have been thrown away.

3. Filthy Surroundings

4. Intense Craving for Food

Activity 5. Discuss your perception once you see the following individuals:

1. A male applicant chewing gum and having tattoos all over his arms.
2. A lady wearing a micro miniskirt and a heavy facial ma- up.
3. A uniformed student smoking cigarettes while busy on his mobile phone.
4. A man in business attire perspiring with a folder and waiting in line.

Note: Write your answers in a long size bond paper. Then wait for the schedule for
submission.