Understanding The Self: Geselle R. Pajares, LPT Part-Time Lecturer

Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES
University Town, Northern Samar
Website: http://uep.edu.ph Email: uepnsofficial@gmail.com
Understanding
The
Self
Geselle R. Pajares,LPT
Part-Time Lecturer
Anthropology
Objectives:
define anthropology
explain culture and the mechanisms of enculturation
synthesize anthropological perspectives on self

awareness and self reflexive conduct
show appreciation of one's cultural identity through

practice of one's cultural values
Pre- Test
____________________ 1. It refers to broad and holistic study of explaining

human needs.
______________________2. Traditionally defined as a systems of human

behavior and thought.
_______________________3. The transmission of culture from generation to the

next.
______________________4. It is learned and very much integrated in one's

custom and beliefs.
_______________________5. It takes a holistic dimension of the individual

person.
Anthropology is a study of all the aspects of human condition. This includes
human history, the present human condition, and even the future possibilities. It
also examines the biology, interactions in society,language and specially culture.
Anthropology explores the interconnectedness and independence of human
cultural experiences in all places and ages. The self is both a biological and
cultural entity. The traditional anthropological understanding of the self is that
the self is an animal specie which underwent the process of biological evolution
and has shared characteristics with other living animals, the hominids in
particular.
The self is a living animal but a superior to other animals due to certain factors
namely: a.) physical aspects ( self as the only animal with a larger brain capacity
making him/her a rational animal; the only animal that can stand straight) b.)
Social aspects ( self uses language and symbol in dynamic, complicated and yet
systematic manner allowing him/her to communicate, and preserve history,
knowledge, culture etc)
Culture is traditionally defined as system of human behavior and thought. This

covers all customs, traditions, and capabilities of human as they function in
society. Culture is symbolic, when our ancestors learned to use tools and symbols
to originate meaning of significant events in life and in society, those tools and
symbols become an integral part of the culture. Culture is learned, and is very
much integrated in one's customs and beliefs. It is engrained in the patterns and
system of one's life. Adaptive culture shall continue to manifest the key central
values that the individual and the community want to demonstrate.
Enculturation is the transmission of culture from one generation to the next.

Acculturation adapting other culture.
The Self and Person in Contemporary Anthropology
The anthropological self takes a holistic dimension of the individual person. It

considers both the biological and environmental aspects of the person.
Self- awareness
Anthropology defines self awareness as "that which permits one to assume

responsibility for one's own conduct, to learn how to react to others, and to
assume a variety of roles." Following the faster process of enculturation and self-
awareness is the importance of attachment of positive values to one's self. The
child must be able to get the culturally correct values necessary for adult life.
Self and Behavioral Environment
There are four environmental orientations:
1. Object Orientation- positions the self in relation to the surrounding objects. The
self should be able to act responsively to the cultural objects around.
2. Spatial orientation- provides the self with personal space in relation to other
people or things.
3. Temporal orientation- endows the self with the sense of time. Time is truly
relevant to cultural communities.
4. Normative orientation- provides the self with the grasp of accepted norms in
the society. Being on time is generally accepted norm in communal activities.
The Self Embed Culture
When the self is able to distinguish what is acceptable behavior and what is not, it
only follows that the self is already able to recognize the differences of one's self
and the other. This ability to manage the differences between the selves is what
makes the self embedded culture.
Activity
Cultural Categories Existing Issues Possible Causes of Proposed Solution

Issues
The wearing of
traditional dress or
regalia
The use of
indigenous
language or
vernacular
The destruction of
cultural or
historical heritage
The national
cultural pride and
identity
Rebellion and
struggle for Self-
determination
The assimilation of
traditional self into
a dominant culture
I. True or False. Write true if the statement is correct and False if the statement is
incorrect.
a. __________________ Anthropologist emphasized that the self is purely

cultural beings and whose thoughts and actions are prescribed by society.
b.___________________ Culture encompasses all aspects of human being

including art, language, subsistence, history, thoughts and the like.
c._____________________ religion is not part of culture because anything that

pertains to God and faith is holy and cannot be subjected to scientific
experimentation.
d. ____________________ in recognition of the uniqueness of the other person,

one must be able to respect cultural practices that involve violence and
repression.
e. ______________________ normative orientation speaks of the self as reflexive

of the ethical norms of the community.
II. Identity what is being referred to in the following sebehavior.
_______________________1. The transmission of culture from generation to the

next.
____________________ 2. It refers to broad and holistic study of explaining

human needs.
______________________3. It is learned and very much integrated in one's

custom and beliefs.
_______________________4. It takes a holistic dimension of the individual

person.
______________________5. Traditionally defined as a systems of human

behavior
Psychology
The self as a cognitive construction
Cognitive construction is a cognitive approach that focuses on the mental

processes rather than
At the end thelearning
of this observable
module,behavior.
you are expected to:
a. demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the different psychological theories in the study of the
self
William James b.
and the Me-Self, I-Self
expound the self as a cognitive construction
With the initiative of Wilhelm

c. examine the self Wundt, theand
as a proactive father of Scientific Psychology, scientific
agentic
methods in studying what Aguirre et all. mentioned as 'phenomenon of the
consciousness' urged interest in further studies of the self and its role in human
behavior. It is in this time that William James classic distinction between the self
and its role in human behavior. William James classic distinction between the self
as knower (pure ego) and the self known as (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." He 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 the I may be conscious
of, and it consists of three components:
Material Self- consists of things that belong to us or that we belong to. Things like
family, clothes, and 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. How we act
depending on social situation that we are in. People had as many social selves as
they had social situation 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.
Global versus Differentiated Models
Global Self-esteem (a.k.a. Trait self-esteem), is a personality variable that

represents the way people generally feel about themselves. It is relatively
enduring across time and situations.
State Self-esteem (a.k.a. feelings of Self-worth), refers to temporary feelings or

momentary emotional reactions to positive and negative events where we feel
good or bad about ourselves during these situations or experiences.
Domain Specific Self-esteem (a.k.a. self evaluation), is focused on how people

evaluate their various abilities and attributes.
Real and Ideal Self Concepts
Karen Horney with her Feminine Psychology, established that a person has an
'idea self', 'actual self', and the 'real self'. Idealized self-image- an imaginary
picture of the self as the processor of unlimited powers and everyday life. 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.
Multiple versus Unified Selves
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 bout congruent, cohesive and
consistent.
True versus False Selves
Donald W. Winnicott distinguished what he called the "true Self" from the "false
self" in the human personality.
True Self has a sense of integrity, of connected wholeness that harks to the early
stage. False Self us used when the person has to comply with external rules, such
as being polite or otherwise following social rules
The Self as Proactive and Agentic
Agent self- the agent self is known as the executive function that allows for
action. This is how we, as individuals, make choices and utilize our control in
situations and actions.
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.
Activity:
Pick any song that you think is relevant. This can be pop, R&B, classic rock,
country or whatever you like. Write the lyrics down and anlyze how the multiple
selves were depicted in the song.

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Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES

University Town, Northern Samar

Website: http://uep.edu.ph Email: uepnsofficial@gmail.com

explain culture and the mechanisms of enculturation

synthesize anthropological perspectives on self

show appreciation of one's cultural identity through

____________________ 1. It refers to broad and holistic study of explaining

______________________2. Traditionally defined as a systems of human

_______________________3. The transmission of culture from generation to the

______________________4. It is learned and very much integrated in one's

_______________________5. It takes a holistic dimension of the individual

Culture is traditionally defined as system of human behavior and thought. This

Enculturation is the transmission of culture from one generation to the next.

The anthropological self takes a holistic dimension of the individual person. It

Anthropology defines self awareness as "that which permits one to assume

Self and Behavioral Environment

There are four environmental orientations:

The Self Embed Culture

Cultural Categories Existing Issues Possible Causes of Proposed Solution

a. __________________ Anthropologist emphasized that the self is purely

b.___________________ Culture encompasses all aspects of human being

c._____________________ religion is not part of culture because anything that

d. ____________________ in recognition of the uniqueness of the other person,

e. ______________________ normative orientation speaks of the self as reflexive

II. Identity what is being referred to in the following sebehavior.

_______________________1. The transmission of culture from generation to the

____________________ 2. It refers to broad and holistic study of explaining

______________________3. It is learned and very much integrated in one's

_______________________4. It takes a holistic dimension of the individual

______________________5. Traditionally defined as a systems of human

The self as a cognitive construction

Cognitive construction is a cognitive approach that focuses on the mental

With the initiative of Wilhelm

Global versus Differentiated Models

Global Self-esteem (a.k.a. Trait self-esteem), is a personality variable that

State Self-esteem (a.k.a. feelings of Self-worth), refers to temporary feelings or

Domain Specific Self-esteem (a.k.a. self evaluation), is focused on how people

Real and Ideal Self Concepts

Multiple versus Unified Selves

True versus False Selves

The Self as Proactive and Agentic

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