Unit 1

SELF DEVELOPMENT

Module 2

Knowing
Oneself
Rubrics for Essay Learning Exercises:
CRITERIA 4 3 2 1
Information is Information is Information is The information
very organized in slightly organized but appears to be
a well- organized in a paragraph(s) are disorganized.
Organization
constructed well-constructed not well-
paragraph or paragraph or constructed.
paragraphs. paragraphs.
Information Information Information Information has
relates to the relates to the partially relates little or nothing
topic. It provides topic. It provides to the topic. No to do with the
Content a lot of few supporting details and/or topic.
supporting details and/or examples are
details and/or examples. given.
examples.
Main points well Main points well Main points are Main points lack
developed with developed with present with detailed
high quality and quality limited detail and development.
quantity support. supporting development. Ideas are vague
Development Reveals high details and Some critical with little
degree of critical quantity. Critical thinking is evidence of
thinking. thinking is present. critical thinking.
weaved into
points.
Essay is free of Essay has few Most spelling, Spelling,
distracting punctuation and punctuation, and punctuation, and
spelling, grammatical grammar correct grammatical
punctuation, and errors allowing allowing reader errors create
grammatical reader to follow to progress distraction,
Grammar errors; absent of ideas clearly. through essay. making reading
& Mechanics fragments, Very few Some errors difficult;
comma splices, fragments or run- remain. fragments,
and run-ons. ons. comma splices,
run-ons evident.
Errors are
frequent.
Meets all formal Meets format and Meets format and Fails to follow
and assignment assignment assignment format and
requirements and requirements; requirements; assignment
evidences margins, spacing, generally correct requirement;
attention to and indentations margins, spacing, cover format,
detail; all are correct; essay and indentations; incorrect
Format margins, spacing is neat and essay is neat but indentations;
and indentations correctly may have some neatness of essay
are correct; essay assembled. assembly errors. needs attention.
is neat and
correctly
assembled with
professional look.
2: KNOWING ONESELF

Have you ever asked yourself this question: Who am I? If you have, you are not alone.
Adolescence is the time when young people start to ask questions about themselves, about
their future, and even about their religious and political beliefs. During the adolescent
stage of development, the young person grapples with his or her identity. This may seem
very philosophical to some, but to know oneself is the first step in personal development.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, the students should be able to:

1. conduct self-exploration and simple disclosure;

2. explain that knowing oneself can make a person accept their strengths and limitations,
and deal with others better;
3. share their unique characteristics, habits, and experiences; and,
4. maintain a journal.
I. Defining the “Self”

It is believed that the words “Know Thyself,” which were written at the
entry of the oracle at Delphi by seven Greek philosophers, statesmen, and
lawgivers, became the cornerstone of Western philosophy. Socrates, who
came decades after two words were scripted at Delphi, said that it for him to
investigate other unimportant things when he has not known his self yet. For
Socrates, the most important to pursue was self-knowledge, and admitting
one's ignorance is the beginning of true knowledge.

For Plato, one of Socrates’ students, the beginning of knowledge is self-

knowledge. Other ancient philosophers from other cultures saw the wisdom
in knowing oneself. The ancient Hindu writings Upanishads confirmed,
“Enquiry into the truth of the “Self” is knowledge.” The Persian poet Rumi
ruminated, “Who am I in the midst of all this thought traffic?” and the
American poet Walt Whitman celebrated his “Self” as “a simple, separate
person.”

Before we discuss how to know one’s self, we have to define Knowing

first the concept of the “Self.” In philosophical terms, it is the others is
being, which is the source of a person's consciousness. It is the intelligence;
agent responsible for an individual's thoughts and actions. knowing
Based on this definition, the “Self” is an intangible entity that yourself is
true wisdom.
directs a person's thoughts and actions. It is outside the
Mastering
physical realm of the person.
others is
The “Self” is identified in various contexts, such as in strength,
psychology, sociology, or religion. The “Self” is the essence of mastering
yourself is
a person: his thoughts, feelings and actions, experiences,
true power.
beliefs, values, principles, and relationships. The “Self”
includes a person’s life purpose, meaning, and aspirations.

Since our approach to personal development is holistic, we will integrate

the various definitions of “Self” from the philosophical, spiritual, and
psychological realms, but we will focus and give more emphasis on its
psychological definition.

If the “Self” is defined as the cognitive and affective representation of one’s

identity, it is then defined in terms of human characteristics such as behavior
and thought.

In Psychology, the term personality is referred to as the set of behaviors,

feelings, thoughts, and motives that identifies an individual. Personality is the
essence of who we are and is the embodiment of one’s physical, psychological,
cognitive, affective, and spiritual self. Therefore, when we speak of the “Self”,
we will describe it in personality terms.

II. Personality
There is an abundant definition of what personality is. In Module 1, we
defined it based on a common definition provided by dictionary. This time, we
will define personality in the same way psychologists define it.
Personality psychologists have different viewpoints. One definition states,
“personality refers to the unique and relatively enduring set of behaviors,
feelings, thoughts, and motives that characterize an individual”(Feist and
Rosenberg 2012). Two key components of personality are highlighted In this
definition: the uniqueness of an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behavior;
and their being relatively enduring, or being consistent, over different
situations and over time.
For example, a person who is considered as “friendly” would, at any given
situation, be outgoing and easily liked by others or is someone who is not
perceived as threatening or aggressive. This person’s uniqueness is
manifested in his own brand of showing friendliness: a sunny disposition, a
readiness to give advice when needed, and generosity to those in need. The
uniqueness is shown by how a person’s physical and behavioral traits are
combined to depict friendliness. In terms of being consistent, as an
adolescent, this friendly individual develops friendships among his peers.
Upon entering adulthood, this same friendly individual is perceived by co-
workers and peers to still be his old friendly self as when he was in high
school. This consistency through time and the unique manner by which
thoughts, feelings, and behavior are expressed, defines personality. However,
there will always be exceptions to these two components. Consistency is more
likely to mean most of the time but not all the time. A friendly person can get
nasty or aggressive when provoked or cornered. Sickness can oftentimes
change the consistency of an individual’s personality. An example of this is
Alzheimer's disease. Studies have shown that Alzheimer's disease changes
three of the Big Five dimensions of personality (anxiety, extraversion, and
openness) (Costa and McRae 1992).
Gordon Allport defines personality as “a pattern of habits, attitudes, and
traits that determine an individual's characteristics, behavior, and traits”
(Sanchez, Abad, and Jao 2012). This definition does not emphasize
uniqueness and consistency, but nevertheless still captures aspects of
personality.

2.1 Nature, Nurture, and Personality

 Personality is influenced by both nature (heredity or genetic make-up) and
nurture (environment). There is no single gene that creates a trait. It is always
a complex combination of genes, environmental exposure and experiences,
and cultural backgrounds. There are common personality traits that cross
many cultures. Agreeableness and openness to experiences are some
examples of these cross-cultural traits. There are, however, other personality
traits that are more prominent in one culture than another. For example,
Asians exhibit strong “interpersonal relatedness” or how their behavior
Impacts relationships, compared to Westerners who look at their behavior and
its impact on their personal goals. For example, an Asian who is pursuing a
career by migrating to another country will always consider how this will affect
his family and social ties at home. A Westerner, on the other hand, will see
working overseas as a career move that will enhance career growth.

III. Trait Theories

One general point of view explains that personality deals with traits, and
that trait or disposition is a major factor in personality. Trait theory is an
approach in identifying types of personalities based on certain traits or
attributes, which vary from one person to the other (traittheory.com). This
theory was developed over the past 60 years, started by D. W. Fiske (1949)
and later pursued by other researchers including Norman (1967), Smith
(1967), Goldberg (1981), and McCrae and Costa (1987).

Psychologists Costa and McRae (1992) developed a categorized scheme

that described personality. Based on their research, they discovered the
existence of five universal and widely agreed upon dimensions of personality.
They called it the Big Five or Five-Factor Model. These dimensions or
tendencies are: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion,
agreeableness, and neuroticism. For it to be easily remembered, it uses the
acronym OCEAN. These dimensions may be described using its most positive
traits:

• Openness to experience - curiosity, interest, imagination, and creativity

to new ideas
• Conscientiousness - planning, organizing, hardworking, controlling,
persevering, and punctuality
• Extraversion - sociable, talkative, active, outgoing, and fun-loving
• Agreeableness - friendly, warm, trusting, generous, and kind-hearted
• Neuroticism - calm, relaxed, and comfortable
 The Big Five Traits Taxonomy The Five Factor Model by Costa
by D.W. Fiske (199) and McRae (1992)

IV. Personality Traits

Personality trait is a disposition to behave consistently in a particular way,
while personality is a broader term that comprises of traits, motives, thoughts,
self-concept, and feelings. An example of personality trait is shyness or social
awkwardness.

V. Measuring Personality
There are different ways to measure personality. One is by observing
people's behavior. This is quite limited as other people may not be able to
observe all aspects of personality such as loneliness, which is internal and is
observed by others very subjectively.
Personality can be measured using different kinds of tests like the
Rorschach Inkblot Test, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the
Keirsey Temperament Sorter. Many online tests are provided for free,
particularly for those who seek to find out their personality to establish their
career paths. One example of this is the Alberta Learning Information Service
of the Government of Alberta in Canada.
5.1 The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Katherine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers developed the Myers-Briggs
personality model based on four preferences of individuals. These are:

• E or I (Extraversion or Introversion) is how an individual prefers to

channel his or her energy when dealing with people, whether it is
inward (introversion) or outward (extraversion).
• S or N (Sensing or Intuition) is how one prefers to process information,
whether through the use of senses such as being able to describe what
one sees, or intuitively like dealing with ideas.
• T or F (Thinking or Feeling) is how an individual prefers to make
decisions, either thinking or using logic and analysis, or feeling which
uses the cognitive senses based on values or beliefs.
• J or P (Judgment or Perception) is how an individual prefers to
manage one's life, whether through judging, which means a planned
and organized life, versus perception, which has a more flexible
approach to living.
The combination of these four preferences produces 16 types of
combinations of personality types, usually represented by their first letters.

Diagram of popular persons indicated in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

 The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

LEARNING EXERCISE 2.1

Are you ready to test what you have learned? It’s simple. Just discuss each question below with an honest
answer. LET’S DO THIS! (5 points each)

1. How do you understand the “Self”? Explain your answer.

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2. What influences the development of personality? Explain.
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3. Of the Big Five dimensions or tendencies of personality, which ones are you most inclined to
have? Give some real-life situations that you went through to affirm these choices.
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4. Explain the quotation by Oscar Wilde: “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
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5. How does knowing oneself better make a person accept his strengths and limitations, and
improve the way he deals with others.
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REFLECTION PAPER #2
On your journal, write your thoughts and feelings about what you have discovered and understood about
your “Self,” your personality and personality traits, and your reflection regarding the question, “Who am I?” (10
points)
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SUMMARY
1. The "Self” can be defined in different ways: philosophically, psychologically,
spiritually, and also in thoughts, actions, or behavior.
2. Personality is the unique and enduring set of behaviors, feelings, thoughts,
motives, and attitudes that characterize a person.
3. Both nature (heredity or genetic) and nurture (environment) influence the
development of one's personality.
4. There are different personality theories and one of them is the Big Five or Five-
Factor Model by Costa and McRae, which defines five dimensions of personality:
Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and
Neuroticism.
5. Personality traits can be measured using different personality tests such as the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

References

Books:

 Santos, Ricardo Rubio. Personal Development. First Edition. Rex Printing Company.
Quezon City. February 2016.
 Feist, Gregory J. and Erika L. Rosenberg. 2012. Psychology: Perspective and
Connections, 2nd Edition, International Edition. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill.
 McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T.-, Jr. 1996. Toward a New Generation of Personality
Theories: Theoretical Contexts for the Five-Factor Model. In J. S. Wiggins (Ed.), The
five-factor Model of Personality: Theoretical Perspectives (pp. 51-87). New York:
Guilford.
 Sanchez, Custodiosa A., Paz F. Abad, and Loreto V. Jao. 2002, 1998, 1989, 1982.
Genera! Psychology, 4th Edition. Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc.

Internet Sources:
➢ http://www.binghamton edu/cnes/docs/gnothi_sauton.pdf
➢ http://www.arkintime.com/know-thyself/
➢ http://psycho-logy.about.com/od/personalitydevelopment/a/bigfive.htm
➢ https://www.ocf. berkeley.edu/~johnlab/pdfs/2008chapter.pdf
➢ https://careerinsite.alberta.ca/careerinsite/ know-yoursetf.aspx

Images and Artworks used in this Module:

• https://www.google.com/amp/s/janaenahirney.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/the-
big-five-personality-testing-in-psychology/amp/
• https://ritholtz.com/2012/12/know-your-myers-briggs-type-indicator-type/
• https://www.simplypsychology.org/big-five-personality.html
• https://thebelladonnacomedy.com/the-sexiest-myers-briggs-personality-types-a-
definitive-ranking-6a1d7c10410b?gi=33c1dcf92685