UNDERSTANDING THE SELF [MIDTERMS]

CHAPTER 2: UNPACKING THE SELF

 LESSON 1
THE PHYSICAL SELF

PHYSICAL BODY
- Is the window to one’s personality. By merely looking at someone’s physical features,
you can have an idea of his or her feelings, thoughts and behavior.

PHYSICAL SELF (Medisauskaite 2009)

TOTAL SELF

ACADEMIC SELF SOCIAL SELF EMOTIONAL SELF PHYSICAL SELF

TOTAL SELF
-SHAVELSON described the TOTAL SELF or GENERAL SELF as being made up of academic self and
nonacademic self.

ACADEMIC SELF
-Is influenced by the learning process and the individual’s emotions, behavior, and
experiences during the learning process
-Nonacademic self is shaped by an individual’s social self, emotional self, and physical
self.

SOCIAL SELF
-Is greatly influenced by parents, colleagues, friends, and acquaintances among others.

EMOTIONAL SELF
-Is the person’s experiences of joy, anger, fear anxiety, and other emotions

PHYSICAL SELF
-Is affected by involvement in sports, exercise, and other activities that enhance the
physical body

GLOBAL SELF-ESTEEM

PHYSICAL SELF-ESTEEM

SPORT COMPETENCE ATTRACTIVE BODY PHYSICAL POWER PHYSICAL CONDITION

K.R. FOX (2000)
- emphasized the factors that encompass physical self-esteem, which include sport competence,
attractive body, physical power, and physical condition, and how they actually shape the global self-
esteem.

PHYSICAL SELF
-is the amazing vessel, complex, woven and knitted, finely tuned creature with which we
interact with our environment and fellow beings.
-is the concrete dimension, the tangible aspect of the person that can be directly observed and
examined.

SIGMUND FREUD’S CONCEPT (SINGH 2020)

-FREUD’s concept of self and personality makes the physical body the core of human experience, he
stated that ego is first and foremost a body ego.

WILHELM REICH (SINGH 2020)

-emphasized the unity of the mind and body. The body is central to all dynamic psychological functioning
and it plays a very important role in storing and channeling the bioenergy, which is considered as the basis of
human existence and experience

ERIK ERIKSON (SINGH 2020)

-considered experience as firmly associated on the ground-plan of the body. He stated that organs of the
body are essential during the early developmental stages of a person.

MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

-Once the physiological needs are met, the person becomes dedicated to attaining the higher-order
needs. That is why he emphasized that we give due attention to all the needs of the body.
-On the other hand, deliberate self-denial and rejection of the body’s basic needs will result to an
inactive, crippled organism

Psychologists have their own views of the physical body. But one thing is common and that is the
important role the physical body plays for the totality of our being. Without the tangible, responsive physical body,
we could not enjoy the pleasures of the world.

Religious groups concepts regarding the physical body is the varying idea from the Indian tradition,
shows outright rejection of the bodyt, because they consider it as the source of desires and attachments, while the
others give due respect and importance to the physical body, because they attribute it as the main instrument for
spiritual growth and self-realization.
 +The Concept of Buddhist Tradition is vital in one’s attitude toward the body. They believe that the body
deserves love and respect, so there should be neither full indulgence of one’s desires nor extreme asceticism or
self-denial.

TAKING CARE OF OUR PHYSICAL BODY

The physical body has been considered as the “real home”, “temple” or “vehicle.” It is the only one that
we have throughout our entire lives and is also the one most intimate to us.
-our instrument to perform our daily tasks, through this body we interact with other people and the rest
of our surroundings.
-when we take good care of it, we are not only referring to the external part, but even the internal
components of the body.

Self-care is the intentional, planned, and actual act of taking the time to attend to our basic physical,
mental, and emotional needs (Brzosko 2018)
It is the quality rest that we offer to our bodies in order to replenish the lost energy utilized in performing
our daily activities. It is an act of love and kindness for ourselves.

Self-care occurs in three (3) levels

1. PHYSICAL
2. MENTAL
3. EMOTIONAL

PHYSICAL SELF-CARE
- Consequently, we have our own ways to take care of our physical bodies, but let us make sure that they
are really beneficial and they will not cause us to suffer unnecessary problems later in life.
- The aspect of self-care is the simplest one and is very common nowadays.
The basic three (3) aspects of physical self-care:
1. NUTRITION
2. SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF RECOVERTY TIME (REST AND SLEEP)
3. NECESSARY EXERCISE

MENTAL SELF-CARE
-It is a two-fold process, according to Brzosko (2018).

-The first step is taking time to consistently break down what you are thinking and why you are thinking
that, because the moment you manage to notice your thoughts, they will not have the power to direct your life
without you even noticing it.
-The second step is to cultivate those mental habits and thoughts that benefit us.

Here are other tips for improving our mental habits suggested by Brzosko (2018)
✓ Focus your attention on the present moment.
✓ Practice gratitude
✓ Exercise patience
✓ Learn to accept what is already happening

EMOTIONAL SELF-CARE
We have come up with standardized names for those emotions or energies in motion, such as fear, anger,
anxiety, sadness, happiness, excitement, and thrill among others. We also classified them as “desired” for the
positive emotions and “unwanted” for the negative ones.
Consequently, we integrate the emotions as a valid part of our experience, not being worse nor better
than others.
 LESSON 2
THE SEXUAL SELF

SEX AND GENDER

SEX
- Refers to the physical or physiological differences between males and females, including both the primary
sex characteristics (the reproductive system) and the secondary characteristics, such as height and
muscularity (Diamond 2002)
- Sex is defined by the reproductive organs, including the cellular components, the chromosomes, and the
hormones
- Three (3) Sex Variations according to WAAC or Western Australian AIDS Council 92020):
1. Male
2. Female
3. Intersex

GENDER
Refers to social or cultural roles played by male or female in the society.

GENDER IDENTITY
is the extent to which one identifies as being either masculine or feminine, or how someone feels on the
inside (WAAC 2020)

GENDER EXPRESSION
Describes how someone prefers to express his or her gender to the world.
Three (3) gender Variations
1.Cisgender
Who is a person identifying himself or herself with the sex assigned to them at birth.
2.Transgender
Whose gender identity does not match the sex that they were assigned at birth.
3.Gender Fluid
Referring to a person whose gender identity is not fixed and/or shifts depending on the situation.

-These people do not feel the need to act according to the sex that they were assigned at birth and the
associated traditional social roles.

SEXUALITY
-it pertains to the part of a person expressed through sexual activities and relationship.

SEXUAL IDENTITY
-is how a person chooses to describe or label his or her sexuality
There are many labels a person can choose
1. Heterosexual – is a person who is attracted to the people of the opposite sex.
2. Homosexual – who is a person attracted to the people of the same sex
3. Bisexual – is a person who is attracted to both genders – male and female.
4. Asexual – is a person having no sexual attraction
5. Pansexual – refers to a person’s attraction to multiple genders.
6. Questioning – refers to some people who may be unsure about their sexuality and/or exploring it.

Nowadays, sexuality is becoming more confusing for some. The list of sexuality labels expands; there are more
labels being added to the traditional classification.
 Three (3) common aspects used to describe sexuality (WAAC 2020)
1. Feelings and Fantasies
2. Behaviors
3. Identity

Queer Theory
-it is a perspective that questions the manner in which we have been taught to think about sexual
orientation.
-They do not adhere to the idea of dominant gender schema and the classification of sexual orientations
into homosexual and heterosexual

-Queer theorist EVE KOSOFSKY SEDGWICK pointed out dozens of other ways in which people’s sexualities
were different.
-According to Sedgwick, even identical genital acts mean very different things to different people,

People who belong to the queer group desires for more flexible way of expressing their sexuality. They
want more freedom, yet a more inclusive environment where they could thrive in.
 LESSON 3
MANAGING THE MATERIAL SELF
WILLIAM JAMES
William James was one of the first to describe the self as the totally of everything that one calls
his or her, which included what he called the "material self".

Jean- Paul Sartre, Russell Belk further researched on the material self and theorized on how
objects become extensions of ourselves or our identities. These objects extend ourselves in space and
time.

Sartre noted three ways through which we connect with objects.

1. Through controlling an object.
2. Sartre said that we make connections with an object through either creating or buying it.
3. Knowing about something creates a connection between you and that object of your interest.

Self and Objects Through Life Stages

Our perspective and connection with objects develop through time,like a child playing with a
ball then transitioning to ball games and probably winning formal competitions.

According to Belk (1988) there could be four stages of this development, These four stages are:
1. the infant distinguishes self from environment;
2.the infant distinguishes self from others;
3. possessions help adolescents and adults manage their identities; and
4. possessions help the old persons have a sense of continuity and preparation for death.

Young people seems to value possessions based on "emotional attachment" like the happiness that you
get from it; it's "social meaning,"especially the ability of the object to attract people or make you feel
that you belong; and personal association"

Ideas on Managing Resources

Having some money then became a part of our “self” as we engage in economic activities.
However, how finances are handled can make or break a person, an organization, a company, and even
a family.

How to Manage your finances that can significantly affect your other possessions:
1. Keep your perspective in check
2. Have money, do not just pretend
3. Have your own goal, take your own time.
4. Budget, budget, budget.
5. Save in order to be safe
6. Keep your spending habits in check
7. Increase income flow.
8. Good debt vs. Bad debt.
9. Make your money grow
10. Protect the future
11. Your greatest investment is still yourself
12. Enjoy life no matter what
 LESSON 4
THE SPIRITUAL SELF

Spiritual Self
is considered as the higher self, the inner self, and a person’s true being that is greatly
influenced by a spiritual deity.

Meditation
Meditation practices increase positive emotions, which may yield positive consequences for life
satisfaction

Spiritual

The body is composed of three components:

1. Body – the physical being that responds to stimuli and coomunicates with the surroundings
2. Soul – comprises the emotions and thoughts of a person
3. Spirit – is the intangible aspect that communicates with deities in the spiritual realm.

Religion
Teaches us the value of a higher being who develops in us our morality and conscience.

Spiritual Self and Coping with Stress

According to Dr. Seppala of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism research,
spiritual people engage in practices that can help reduce levels of stress (Miller, K. 2020)
Spiritually active people cope with stress through meditation rather than overeating or engaging
in unhealthy coping behaviors.

Spirituality
Is not a simple subject for experiential study. It is actually a complex system that requires
serious and dedicated effort.

Starting Your Own Spiritual Journey

Miller (2020) proposed a simple guideline on how to start with our spiritual journey
1. Start small and make new habits easy.
2. Commit
3. Practice
4. Study
5. Choose love and respect
 LESSON 5
THE POLITICAL SELF AND BEING A FILIPINO

People’s varied perception of what makes one a Filipino also affects how one sees himself or herself.

1987 CONSTITUTION ARTICLE IV SECTION 1

1. Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the adoption of this Constitutio;
2. Those whose fathers or mothers are citizen of the Philippines;
3. Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon
reaching the age of majority; and
4. Those who are naturalized in accordance with Law.

FILIPINO CITIZENS BY BIRTH

-Their parents are both Filipinos, then from the moment of their birth, they will automatically
acquire filipino citizenship
-The jus sanguinis principle states that children should follow the citizenship of their poarents by
virtue of their blood relationship.

FILIPINO CITIZENS BY NATURALIZATION

-The process of naturalization pertains to a “judicial act of adopting a foreigner and clothing him
with the privileges of a native-born citizen. It implies the renunciation of a former nationality and the
fact of entrance into a similar relation towards a new body politic.”

THE CONCEPT OF NATIONALISM AND THE FILIPINO IDENTITY

The existence of a common citizenship is a mere peace in the puzzle depicting the picture of
filipino identity.

CULTURE AND THE FILIPINO IDENTITY

The set of values, beliefs, thinking patterns, and behavior practiced by a society and transmitted
from one generation to another through time comprises culture.

VALUES AND TRAITS

1. HOSPITALITY
2. RESPECT FOR ELDERS
3. CLOSE FAMILY TIES
4. SELF-SACRIFICE
5. “BAYANIHAN”
6. “BAHALA NA” ATTITUDE
7. COLONIAL MENTALITY
8. CRAB MENTALITY

PROMOTING SENSE OF NATIONALISM

1. BE AN ACTIVE FILIPINO CITIZEN
2. STUDY THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY
3. SUPPORT LOCAL PRODUCTS
4. SPEAK THE FILIPINO LANGUAGE
5. DO NOT SPREAD FAKE NEWS AND BE DEMOCRATIC IN ENGAGING WITH DISSENT.
 LESSON 6
THE SELF IN THE DIGITAL AND VIRTUAL WORLD

WHAT IS AN ONLINE IDENTITY?

The totality of a person’s appearance, expression, behaviour, and interaction within the digital
platform, particularly the internet, refers to an online identity

UNMASKING THE DIGITAL SELF: ONLINE SELF-PRESENTATION

The digital world presents a different reality as compared to the actual physical reality that
people usually live in.

In digital realities, interactions occur behind the screen so documenting the daily life and
experiences through posting photos and videos, and sharing interests and life event characterize the
new norm.

The concept of one’s self appears to “extend” into the digital world based on the information
people divulge online.,

Social media platforms provide people with tools whioch they can use to present themselves
more creatively to a public audience.

Valkenburg and Peter (2011) listed factors;

1. Anonymity of one’s identity and audiovisual anonymity
2. Asynchronicity
3. Accessibility in online communication.

The digital world allows people to present themselves in ways that they want to be seen without
having to deal with the now seemingly awkward f2f conversations.

THE EVOLVING CONCEPT OF THE EXTENDED DIGITAL SELF

When Belk first introduced the concept of extended self in 1988, he investigated the individual
consumer behavior in the context of a then emerging technological environment.
Five (5) original formulations of the digital self
1. Dematerialization
2. RE-embodiment
3. Sharing
4. Co-construction of the Self
5. Distributed Memory

SELF-REVELATION

LOSS OF CONTROL

SHARED DIGITAL POSSESSIONS AND AGGREAGATE SELF

SHARED SENSE OF (CYBER SPACE)

 GENDER AND SEXUALITY ONLINE

MANAGING THE DIGITAL SELF: RESPONSIBLE ONLINE SELF PRESENTATION

Before posting or sharing anytime online, you may think about the follow:
• Is this post or story necessary?
• Is there a real benefit to this post or am I just making noise online without purpose?
• Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this issue? An issue still being worked out in the
home, or one that is either vulnerable or highly emotional, should not be made public.
• Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the boundaries of our family values?
• Will this seem as funny in five, 10, or 15 years? Or is this post better suited for sharing with a
small group of family members? OR maybe not at all?