Knowing Oneself – Strengths and Limitations these can consequently learn how to read and learn others’ thoughts

and learn others’ thoughts and passions in

Self-Development similar occasions.
As an adolescent, it is undeniable that during this year, you find it most important to Thus, this statement leads us to the realization that knowing oneself is the open door
know yourselves deeper. You most of the time find yourself asking ‘what do you that leads us to knowing others better. Authors of other materials related to this idea
really want’ or ‘why do you really like doing these things or being with these people’. believe that ‘know thyself’ is a moral epistemological injunction. This suggests that
You may find it queer that you are starting to ask yourself questions, but you have got the philosophy is the acquiring the skills of way of questioning or challenging the
to understand that you are not the only person who experienced it. In other words, person to gain careful understanding of oneself. It is a form of self-concern.
what you are experiencing is just normal. Now that you are in your middle or late Self-Concept
adolescence we can say that you may have discovered changes in your life, or in your Self-concept is ones abstract and general idea about him/herself particularly toward
behavior or attitude that compel you to discover more. his/her unique personality and his/her own perception about his/her set of values,
Self-development is a process of discovering oneself by realizing one's potentials and point of views and behavior.
capabilities that are shaped over time either by studying in a formal school or through This theory began as Rene Descartes, the Father of Modern Philosophy, proposed his
environmental factors. Along this realization, an individual encounters gradual theory that a person’s existence depends on his/her perception. Rene Descartes stated
changes deep within him/her that may help him/her overcome unacceptable practices that mind is the seat of consciousness.
or traits which lead him towards positive change for his growth or self-fulfillment. It This means that it is in the mind that we know everything about ourselves like our
is also called personal development. identity, passion, interest, feelings, and/or intellect, thus everything that we are comes
On the other hand, examining yourself, most specifically how you react on things, from the mind.
your belief, traits, and values is one of the most complicated things to do in the world. Self-concept theory has a lot of suppositions regarding how people learn to judge
You must understand, though, that it is not that simple. In fact, it follows a process. themselves. Among these Sincero named three aspects such as:
This lesson will be of great help for you to rediscover yourself better. Let us start by Self-concept is learned. This explains that no individual is born with self-concept. A
knowing some concepts of understanding oneself. person will soon develop this as he/she grows old. This means that self-concept can
Know Thyself only be acquired as soon as the person learns how
“An unexamined life is not worth living”, this is one of the famous lines once uttered to mingle with others and so this indicates that self-concept is influenced by the
by one of the greatest philosophers of Ancient Greek, Socrates. Know Thyself is an person’s environment and can be a product of the person’s socialization.
old maxim or aphorism which in time has been used in varied literature and The Id. Freud explained that man's personality is driven by pleasure principle. This
consequently gained different meanings. One of its meanings is recorded in the Greek means that the nature of Id is to satisfy man's desire without thinking much of the
encyclopedia of knowledge called “The Suda”. Thomas Hobbes also discussed his situation. This nature is being developed at a young age or present from birth. To
own views about the maxim from which he used the phrase “read thyself” in his illustrate this idea let us take this as an example. An infant will cry if he/she wants to
famous work The Leviathan. He stressed that an individual could learn more by be fed to satisfy his/her hunger. An infant cannot exactly explain what he/she really
studying others and that he/she can do this by engaging himself/herself to reading wants. Also, infants do grab things and would want to get things on their hands not
books. However, Hobbes emphasized that a person learns more by studying oneself. minding if they hurt nor if they are important or not. All they want is to get them for
He further elaborates his views about know thyself from which he states that a man they want them. This is the nature of Id, when the id wants it the rest are no longer
who looks into himself/herself and considers contemplating on what he/she did or important. However, this instinct is controlled by the ego and superego as these
what he/she thinks, reasons, hopes and/or fears and to what grounds he/she feels all aspects are developed in man’s life later.
The Ego. This is the second component of the personality that is developed at 9. Self-concept have three aspects as enumerated by Sincero namely: Selfconcept is
approximately the age of three. This operates according to reality which makes it 1.) learned, 2.) organized, and 3.) dynamic.
possible for the Id to work in a more proper and satisfactory ways. The ego will give 10. There are three components of self, according to Sigmund Freud namely: 1.) The
a more socially accepted means of getting the desires and wants of a person without Id, 2) The Ego, and 3.) The Superego.
getting to hurt other’s feelings. In other words, it is the job of the ego to provide a
man some guidelines on how to behave accordingly while he fulfilled his pleasure. Knowing Oneself – Characteristics, Habits, and Experiences
This component of our personality is manifested whenever we try to satisfy our Adolescence is the period when a young individual develops from a child into an
cravings without compromising our self-image to others. adult. There are a lot of changes that happen to an adolescent like you and some of
The Superego. Freud believed that this aspect of man begins to manifest as a child those are: how you look, how you take your role in the community, how other people
turns 5. This is the last component of personality which holds our moral judgments or expect you in making decisions on your own, and how you perceive yourself.
concept of right and wrong that are believed to be acquired from the family and the Although the "Self" is one of the determinants of what we thought about ourselves, it
environment. This personality is developed as man learns the culture of distinguishing is also the result of what we think and/or do. Many people believe that we are the
right from wrong based on the set of guidelines and standards that are known to product of our own experiences. Those experiences shape our unique qualities and
people which might have been probably imposed by the people in the community like habits that define who we as a person and differ from others. Your features or own
parents, teachers, elders or the community as a whole. Therefore, superego directs a qualities that made you a unique are characteristics; when you do something
man’s life for him to avoid hurting others. repeatedly and regularly it is a habit; and experiences are the skills or knowledge you
Points to Remember have gained because you have done it already from the past.
1. Self-development means is taking steps to better yourself. It also means efforts Now let us focus on when and how our characteristics, habits, and experiences
toward self-fulfillment. develop and manifest by identifying some of the factors that may affect a person’s
2. Know Thyself is an old maxim or aphorism gained different meanings. “Self” -- the foundation of all human behavior. It is our sense of identityand of who
3. “The Suda” is the encyclopedia of Greek knowledge wherein the concept of Know we are as an individual (James 1890; Mead, 1934).
Thyself is interpreted in different meanings. Self-Esteem
4. Thomas Hobbes used the phrase “read thyself” to stress out that an individual can Self-esteem is your evaluation of your own worth. It may be positive or negative.
learn more by studying others and that he/she can do this by Positive self-esteem is the valuation that is pleasing and acceptable according to your
engaging himself/herself to reading book. standard and that of others, while negative self-esteem is the opposite which is feeling
5. Knowing oneself is the beginning of all wisdom according to Aristotle. distraught or down and unaccepted by others.
6. Know thyself is a moral epistemological injunction according to some writers According to Tafarodi & Swann (1995), there are many factors to identify the level of
which means acquiring the skills of way of questioning or challenging the person to self-esteem of an individual and some of the major factors are:
gain careful understanding of oneself. - own appearance
7. Self-concept is ones abstract and general idea about him/herself particularly toward - how satisfied you are in a relationship; and
his/her unique personality and his/her own perception about his/her set of values, - how you view your performance.
point of views and behaviour. Our self-esteem may change from time to time depending on the situation we
8. Rene Descartes states that mind is the seat of consciousness. encounter in our daily life. Since it can be partly a trait that someone can possess. It
depends on how you perceive the things coming your way.
Self-Efficacy  We are portraying different roles and behaving for every type/set of people in
Self-efficacy is not considered as a trait. “[It] does not refer to your abilities but rather front of us since we all care about what people think about us. It is practically
to your beliefs about what you can do with your abilities” (Stajkovic & Luthans, for social acceptance.
1998). It is your will to produce an effect on a specific thing. It is your self-belief to 2. Self as Motivated Agent
effectively achieve your most important goal. The stronger the belief, the bigger the  People act based on their purpose. They do things based on their own dreams,
possibility to achieve a positive result. For instance, you are aiming for a higher grade desires, and planned goals for the future. This, though, is not easily
and you are confidently believing it then, it will happen. identifiable since it is self-conceptualized, unless it was shared with us.
Maddux and Kleiman (2000) define and explain the five (5) different ways that 3. Self as Autobiographical Author
influenced self-efficacy beliefs from the ideas of Albert Badura, a professor and a  He/she as the creator of his/her own entire life story. It is about how oneself is
psychologist. developed from his/her past, up to the present, and what he/she will become in
(a) Performance Experiences – if you are good at achieving your specific goal, then the future.
you probably think that you will achieve it again. When the opposite happens, if you Judgment and Decision Making
fail, you will often think that you will fail again. As an individual, you are expected to act and decide on your own. Most people tend
(b) Vicarious Performances – if others achieved their goal or specific task, then you to decide based on the intuitions and available information that could be a hindrance
will come to believe that you will also achieve your goal. in making a wise decision.
(c) Verbal Persuasion – it is when people tell you whether they believe or not on what It can be a habit, when our decision is always based on what is available or gathered
you can do or cannot do. The effect of your self-efficacy will depend on how that data. There could be a “missing link”. For instance, you applied for different courses
person matters to you. in five (5) different universities and you were able to qualify in all. Now, how will
(d) Imaginal Performances – When you imagine yourself doing well, then it will you decide? To help you, Bazerman and Moore (2013) suggested the Six Steps on
happen. How to Make a Rational Decision:
(e) The Affective States & Physical Sensations – if your mood or emotion (e.g. 1. Define the Problem (select your most desired course);
shame) and physical state (e.g. shaking) come together, it will affect your 2. Identify the criteria necessary to judge the multiple options (list things to be
selfefficacy. If negative mood connects with negative physical sensation, the result considered like location, facilities, prestige, etc.);
will be negative. And if it is positive, most likely the result will be positive. 3. Weight the criteria (rank the criteria based on its importance to you);
Self and Identity 4. Generate alternatives (the schools that accepted you);
Have you tried to talk to yourself in front of the mirror? What did you see? According 5. Rate each alternative on each criterion (rate each school on the criteria you have
to William James, a psychologist, “the self is what happens when I reflect upon ME". identified); and
Taylor (1989) described the self as a Reflective Project. How we see ourselves is 6. Compute the optimal decision
geared toward improving ourselves depending on a lot of factors. Dan McAdam, a Developing the Whole Person – Evaluates One’s Personality
psychologist, reiterated that even there are many ways on how we reflect to improve Developing oneself holistically may be the goal of everyone. However, there are
ourselves, it brings us back to these three (3) categories: times that we lack awareness of our doings and actions that leads to misunderstanding
1. Self as Social Actor with others especially our parents. This can also potentially lead to self-harm. To
know oneself is also quite challenging. To start picking the pieces of ourselves and
subsequently develop our individuality completely to be like an “ideal” person is not development of frontal lobe during adolescence. The frontal lobe is responsible for
easy. judgement, impulse control, and planning. That is why they search for their self-
Since you have already obtained a clear understanding of yourself as you have done identify and independence which requires guidance from their parents, relatives, and
all the activities in the previous lesson, understanding the competencies included in other people like teachers with whom they can share their struggles. These
this module will be easy for you. Thus, you will eventually use all the skills experiences and challenges are part of a process of personality development that
developing the whole person within yourself. So, get ready to unfold the reality by adolescents need to understand. It is necessary for them to examine all the
removing the barriers toward understanding your true self. circumstances and opportunities so that they can deal with them calmly. They must be
Who would be responsible in developing one’s personality? open-minded to the opinion and advise of other people in order to shape their future
Every individual undergoes different phases of development that form his/her with broader perspective and self-determination. You cannot escape life challenges so
individuality. Our personality is a product of genetic response that we inherit from you should know how your thoughts, feelings, and actions in managing personal
our parents and from the influence of our environment. This environment shaped by agency should be handled. Being an adolescent, you should be accountable for all
the people around us, culture, and practices that we are being raised in continuously your actions because these power triads can either make or break your motivation to
creates social interactions and relationships. This interaction contributes to who we take charge of life. It is up to you on how you will handle it. Remember, your
are today and how we choose and decide for ourselves. Personality development is judgement is based on your views in life and it is rooted on your upbringing.
complex administration of thoughts, feelings, emotion, and behavior that influence Thoughts are impression activated by a stimulus in your mind that is evident from
personal judgement. the environment that you are in. This conscious thought occupies emotions that give
As a child, you are dream of a good and satisfying life when you grow up. Your life to thoughts and it expressed through feelings. Sometimes when you are too
family becomes your helping hand in nurturing, guiding, and educating yourself. emotional, you could not think properly because your emotions occupy your thoughts,
When you reach adolescence, you experience drastic changes in your physical this means there is lesser space to analyze the situation because feelings occupy it.
appearance, cognitive abilities, social relationship, and emotional behavior. At this Behaviors are bodily reaction made based on our feelings that result to actions.
stage, our environment becomes part of our development from which we acquire There are instances when feelings are faster than emotion and thought. This would
knowledge and collect information to organize and interpret different life situations. result to fast reaction and realizing the emotion and thought afterwards. Either
According to Erik Erikson, adolescence stage of Psychosocial development, also positive or negative, feelings result to actions. Emotions can direct and control
known as “identity vs. role confusion” is the stage wherein teens need to develop the thoughts that sometimes affect your consciousness. This can also lead to loss of focus.
sense of self and personal identity. At this point, teenagers start to have circle of As a teenager, it is very important to be focused on your goals. A focused thought
friends in which they build their trust. will lead to high intelligence. That is why if you are disturbed with your emotion, try
Teenagers also experience adolescence cognitive empathy, known as “theory of to figure out where the emotion is coming from and it will bring you back to reality.
mind,” which is described as having high regards toward the perspective of others and Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors in Actual Life Situation
feeling concern for others. Being adolescents, they tend to foster social cooperation While you may notice and feel drastic physical changes within you, it is, too
that prevents problems and leads to avoidance of conflicts with peers. Teenagers are important to know how these transformations develop you as an individual. Not only
very careful in understanding the emotions of their friends as they start to create deep does the physical aspect affect your thoughts and feelings, but this more importantly
trust with them. Sometimes, this leads to misunderstanding with their family, abuse of positively converts your behaviors---toward yourself and the people around you.
prohibited drugs, pre-marital sex, cigarette smoking and alcohol intake. Based on
research, teenagers are commonly high risk-takers and impulsive due to incomplete
 Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

The poem that you have just read manifests how a person can be lonely and happy at
the same time. Likewise, an adolescent like you might be able to transform your
thoughts and feelings onto a positive behavior. For instance, like a cloud, you might
be alone at times, perhaps left behind by the ones you consider as close and
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud significant to you; thus you might think and feel (hence the thoughts and feelings)
by William Wordsworth that you are unimportant to them. However, as what Wordsworth wrote, “A poet
could not but be gay,” he did not let the loneliness envelop him, so he found his own
I wandered lonely as a cloud ways, controlling his behavior, to be “gay” or happy even though the situations are
That floats on high o'er vales and hills, against him.
When all at once I saw a crowd, By analyzing the poem and relating this to your everyday life as an adolescent, you
A host, of golden daffodils; can now clearly identify the connections between your thoughts, feelings, and
Beside the lake, beneath the trees, behavior. As discussed above, the three do not necessarily have to be of the same
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. succeeding level or intensity that one of them may contradict or control the others.
That is the reason that as a responsible adolescent, it is imperative that you evaluate and a better understanding of the process, you will have an easier time transitioning
yourself through self-assessment. Self-assessment is your own assessment of your yourself in this extraordinary developmental stage.
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors which is completely necessary for you to arrive to Adolescence is defined as the period between the normal onset of puberty and the
an informed decision. However, while decisions may be individual, these are affected beginning of adulthood. In the Oxford English Dictionary, it was derived from; late
by factors like Middle English (as a noun): via French from Latin adolescent- ‘coming to maturity’,
values, goals, and positive affiliations. In the study of B. Bradford Brown entitled The from adolescere, from ad- ‘to’ + alescere ‘grow, grow up’, from alere ‘nourish’. The
Psychology of Adolescence, he wrote that the aforementioned factors are affected by adjective dates from the late 18th century.”
positive family and community context, emphasizing that skills to deal with anxiety The transition period between childhood and early adulthood is quite difficult. This is
and adversity are also keys. Hence, an individual must be able to assess himself or the most crucial stage because this is the time when teens start defining themselves.
herself accurately prior to making decisions as the outcomes of his or her actions can Remember, however, that each adolescent’s experiences, individual changes, and
be the reflections of how he or she is raised, chooses peers, and deals with the growth vary.
community. Adolescence is a stage in a young person’s life in which they move from
Meanwhile, in an online article published in carolinapeds.com entitled “The dependency on their parents to independence, autonomy, and maturity. The young
Connection Between our Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors, the author Courtney person begins to move from the family as their major social system to his/her peers as
Bancroft”, it was discussed that the three are connected with one another in such a a more appealing social group that might influence his/her adulthood and
means that when one (e.g. thought) or any two of the three (e.g. thought and feeling) independence.
is/are on negative pole, it may be changed by having the remaining factor/s focused Undeniably, biological, cognitive, psychological, social, moral, and spiritual changes
on the positive pole. could be both exciting and daunting for these may affect one’s independence and
perspectives in life. Consequently, oftentimes, it is the members of the family who
Developmental Tasks and Challenges of Adolescence take notice of these changes in patterns and behaviors.
In this lesson, we will be focusing on the tasks and challenges that you experienced Here is the list of the most common challenges that adolescents experience:
during your adolescence stage. Adolescence is the period of development that begins Biological Challenges
at puberty and ends at emerging adulthood. During puberty stage, there are changes Adolescence begins with the first well-defined maturation event called puberty.
that occur in the body of a child. It is a natural process that everyone goes through. Included in the biological challenges are the changes that occur due to the release of
Remember when you started to notice the rapid changes in your body? Mostly the sexual hormones that affect emotions. Mood changes can increase which can have
resulted to your being self-consciousness and being overly emotional. Sometimes, an impact on relationships both at home with parents and siblings and peers at school.
you would want to be accepted and be “in”, but at times, you would want to be just Cognitive Challenges
left alone. These adjustments are part of developmental changes during adolescence Piaget, in his Theory of Social Development, believed that adolescence is the time
stage -- the time when a child transitions in terms of physiology and cognition to fulfil when young people develop cognitively from “concrete operations” to “formal
a new role as an emerging adult. operations”, so they are able to deal with ideas, concepts, and abstract theories. It
We will walk along with you to discover yourself as you take the journey to the stage takes time to develop confidence using these newly acquired skills, and they may
of becoming a responsible individual. Knowledge and understanding to oneself is the make mistakes in judgment. Learning through success and failure is part of the
key to overcome the challenges in this period of your life. With guidance, assurance, learning process for the adolescent.
Adolescents are egocentric. They can become self-conscious thinking they are being excessive exercise. Eating binges may occur as often as several times a day but are
watched by others, and at other times they behave as if they were on a center stage most common in the evening and night hours.
and perform for a non-existent audience. For example, acting like a music idol, Mental Health Disorder
singing their favorites songs in their room with all the accompanying dance steps.  Anxiety Disorders
Psychological Challenges Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by significant
The notable psychological challenge that the adolescent must cope with is moving feelings of anxiety and fear. Anxiety is a worry about future events, and fear is a
from childhood to adulthood. A new person is emerging, thus, rules will change, and reaction to current events. These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such as a
more responsibilities will be placed on him/her, so a certain standard of behavior is fast heart rate and shakiness.
now required to be maintained. Accountability is becoming an expectation from both  Mood Disorders
parental and legal concepts. The development of emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to identifiable
As adolescents continue their journey of self-discovery, they continually adjust to stressors that occur within 3 months of the onset of the stressors. Here, low mood,
new experiences, even biologically and socially. This can be both stressful and tearfulness, or feelings of hopelessness are predominant.
anxiety-provoking. It, therefore, is not surprising that adolescents can have a  Major Depressive Disorder (MDD):
decreased tolerance for change; hence, it becomes increasingly more difficult for A period of at least 2 weeks during which there is either depressed mood or the loss
them to modulate their behaviors which are sometimes displayed by inappropriate of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities. In children and adolescents, the mood
mood swings and angry outbursts. may be irritable rather than sad.
Health Issues of adolescence:  Bipolar Disorder:
 Eating Disorders A period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood and
An eating disorder describe illness that are characterized by irregular eating habits abnormally and persistency increased activity or energy, lasting at least 4 consecutive
and severe distress or concern about body weight or shape. Eating disturbances may days and present most of the day, nearly every day, or that requires hospitalization.
include inadequate or excessive food intake which can ultimately damage an
individual’s well-being. The most common forms of eating disorders are the
following.
Types of Eating Disorders:  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
1. Anorexia Nervosa Definitions of the symptom complex known as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Teenagers with anorexia may take extreme measures to avoid eating and to control (ADHD) differ, but severe problems with concentration or attention and/or
the quantity and quality of the foods they eat. They may become abnormally thin and hyperactivity are estimated to affect adolescents. Six times as many boys as girls are
still talk about feeling fat. They typically continue to strict diet even at very unhealthy affected.
weights because they have a distorted image of their body.  School phobia
2. Bulimia Nervosa School phobia, also called school refusal, is defined as a persistent and irrational fear
Teenagers with bulimia nervosa typically ‘binge and purge’ by engaging in of going to school. It must be distinguished from a mere dislike of school that is
uncontrollable episodes of overeating (bingeing) usually followed by compensatory related to issues such as a new teacher, a difficult examination, the class bully, lack of
behavior such as: purging through vomiting, use of laxatives, enemas, fasting, or confidence, or having to undress for a gym class. The phobic adolescent shows an
irrational fear of school and may show marked anxiety symptoms when in or near the go to sleep. This constant noise is associated with negative mental health outcomes in
school. younger generations who have grown up with the chatter. This constant noise is
 Learning disabilities associated with negative mental health outcomes in younger generations who have
Learning abilities encompasses disorders that affect the way individuals with normal grown up with the chatter. In an article by Dr. Shamard Charles (2012), he
or above normal intelligence receive, store, organize, retrieve, and use information. summarized that “recent studies have shown that more social media use is associated
Problems included dyslexia and other specific learning problems involving reading, with increased reported symptoms of social anxiety, social isolation, and feelings of
spelling, writing, reasoning, and mathematics. Undiagnosed learning disabilities are a loneliness.” Another effect of social media is an intense feeling of isolation. It is easy
common but manageable cause of young people deciding to leave school at the to think that checking on what friends are posting on Facebook will lead to a greater
earliest opportunity. sense of connectedness, but studies have shown that it’s actually the opposite.
Social Issues Developmental Tasks
 Sexual Abuse In the eight stages of Psychosocial Developmental Theory of Erik Erikson, Identity
Sexual abuse is a sexual behavior, or a sexual act forced upon a woman, man, or child vs. Role Confusion (this stage is the age between 12 to 18 years old) explains that
without their consent. Sexual abuse includes abuse by another man, woman, or child. adolescents would try to explore and figure out their own identity and try to fit in with
Sexual abuse in childhood may result in problems of depression and low self-esteem, social interactions at the same time. According to Erikson, an adolescent’s main task
as well as in sexual difficulties, either avoidance of sexual contact or, on the other is developing a sense of self. Adolescents struggle with questions “Who am I?” and
hand, promiscuity or prostitution. Sexual abuse in children is regarded by the World “What do I want to do with my life?” Most of the adolescents try to explore various
Health Organization (WHO) as one of the major public health problems. roles and ideas and look for a place where they can fit, set goals, and attempt to
 Substance Abuse discover themselves.
Many communities are plagued with problems of substance abuse among youth. As an adolescent who is entering the stage of adulthood, you are responsible for your
Some children start smoking or chewing tobacco at an early age, aided by easy access own being. Accepting yourself and ensuring your body’s physical health help you
to tobacco products. Many of our youth, with limited supervision or few positive build stronger personality and sense of identity. Likewise, building a strong
alternatives, drink too much beer and liquor. Other youth, influenced by their peers, relationship with your family and showing affection and respect to others can
use other illegal drugs. Our youth suffer from substance abuse in familiar ways: improve interactions with them. Establishing social responsibility, moreover,
diminished health, compromised school performance, and reduced opportunities for develops personal and moral values to guide you on how to react to social issues.
development. Our communities also bear a heavy burden for adolescent substance Entering adulthood is undeniably a big challenge. At this stage of your life,
abuse. your family, your school, and your community contribute to prepare you in this life
 Influence of Mass Media changing task. You should, in turn, need to be emotionally prepared since you would
Adolescents spend a significant amount of time in viewing and interacting with need to choose people whom you think would help you fulfill these tasks in order for
electronic devices in the form of TV, radio, cellphone, and computers. Mass media you to reach you goals in life.
activate and reinforce attitude and contribute significantly in the formation of new Development Through the Help of Significant People
attitudes and will continue to affect children's cognitive and social development. Significant People in Life
 Impact of Social Media Recognizing the significant people in a person’s life is closely related to his
Social media is a constant part of our lives: we are bombarded by alerts from growth and well-being. As adolescence face critical changes and deal with
Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram from the time we wake up to the time we
transitions, it is high time to notice the people who positively influence them to carry
out the tasks expected of them to accomplish. This kind of connection secures a basis
of emotional security and adds to their personal development.
Being in Senior High School is another stage of life that young adolescents like you
need to prepare with to face the adversaries that challenges your well-being. With full
of confidence and logical thinking, you can be guided with any decisions to take in
life. As you continuously progress in every learning situation, it is fitting to look back
at the people who molded you to become better as a person.
Influential People in My Life
People normally look up to influential personalities who have shown greatness in
terms of leadership, intelligence, creativity, talents, and charisma. They usually listen
to their strong belief system that brings so much inspiration and positive energy to
other’s life.
Adolescents choose their idols whom they have seen in social media and from the
society they get involved with. Because of the examples they model, they get
inspiration and imbibe their positive outlooks in life.
These are some of the people who molded you in many significant ways and
have become part of your existence.
 of socialization. These are your family, siblings, peers, teachers, and community
leaders. They help you discover more of yourself and join you in exploring what you
need to know about the world. As the person continues to progress, he/she would
realize the many potentials that have been influenced by any of these people.

Evaluating One’s Development through the Help of Others

A person’s development is always attributed to the influences he/she got from
involving with other people and society. It is important to evaluate personal progress Through the process of socialization, adolescents are exposed to many learning
to get track on the level of skills acquired and to focus on aspects of self that need to opportunities. As they learn, they would notice additional skills and buildup of
be improved. To effectively facilitate this, there is a need to assess oneself through characters under the influence of people whom they look up to. Adjustment of
the help of other people. Their honest feedback means so much to preview plan of behavioral display is done so as to fit in the norms of the society where one intends to
actions and realign them to address the goals you set for yourself. join. This process also allows an individual on how to interact with different people
This lesson guides you to update and evaluate personal development based on the having varied cultural orientation. During such exposure, culture is learned and
assistance provided by the significant persons in your life. It can contribute to acquired, mutual understanding is developed, and a nature of collaboration is
personal success and satisfaction on your own achievements. established. There are many benefits that an adolescent can enjoy upon deciding on
Significant People in Life Are Also Agents of Socialization socializing with the right kind of people. Since, much of the learning comes within
Self-improvement comes with an effective interaction of the different agencies within the environment, young people are always encouraged to search for worthwhile
the society. The people whom you considered significant in life are also called agents organization that can bring out the best in them.
Success in social interaction would have a lasting effect on a person’s personal opportunities are also provided as means to develop a spirit of volunteerism. All it
development. Since human interaction happens as long as you live, it is fitting to takes is get yourself involved with activities that can improve you more as a person
know the proper ways on how to effectively express your thought to reach for others. who has a significant contribution in any given society.
These skills in communication must be learned as early as childhood and could be
mastered during adolescence. Core values are important beliefs of a person or organization from which one is part
 Family, as the most important agent of socialization, has given you the of. These are guiding principles that tell the right behavior that an individual may
knowledge of self-care. As you learn to take care of yourself, this is also done manifest as he/she deals with human interaction. Core values are normally learned
towards the way you deal with other agents in the society. Parents teach the from people as one continues to engage in socialization. These values help in personal
value of relationship. This is significant because you would develop multiple development towards achieving the set goals in life. In order to be successful in the
relationships as you explore further the world. They give you their system of future, it is necessary to imbibe important values that would serve as a guide towards
belief, traditions, culture, and values that you can use for discernment during difficult self-fulfillment.
decision making. With the help of your siblings, the early concept of cooperation is
fostered. Friendship at this point is also established and can be nurtured even as you
age.
 Peers would always have a great deal of influence in your life. It is rightful;
therefore, for parents to feel worried about the circle of friends you opt to get
involved with. It is difficult for parents to see if adolescents cast astray from
the right path of self-realization; therefore, it is necessary to carefully select
the right set of individuals who would contribute in bringing out the best in
your capabilities. This is a great opportunity to display how much value you
put in a relationship if such friendship would last for a longest time there is.
Peers teach you to develop skills in organizing tasks, working together with
others, giving, and receiving feedback in order to evaluate personal learning
acquisition.
 Teachers are also special agents we see in school, a place where many exiting
memories are forged through time, as we collaborate with peers. They mold
us in so many ways. Their role is not only to teach us the concept of
socialization but gave us opportunities to discover much more about
socializing. School is the appropriate place to formally learn academic skills
like comprehension, analytical thinking, logical reasoning, subject knowledge
transfer, and creative visualization. All of these are learned through the help of
teachers who gave so much inspiration to love learning at all cost. With their constant
guidance and your willingness to learn, your future success is secured.
 Community Leaders need to develop selfless future leaders, as well. Since
they have an important role in community development, they are extending
so much help in addressing the needs of adolescents particularly in
community involvement and civic responsibility. Because of these selfless
service towards other people, young generations like you can also get inspired by
their examples in reaching out for those who are in need. Youth leadership