UNDERSTANDI

NG THE SELF
Module 2:
Unpacking the
Self
Lesson 1: The Spiritual Self Myers and his colleagues (2000), spirituality is the “personal and private
Description of Lesson beliefs that transcend the material aspects of life and give a deep sense of
The self-system entails three major components: the individual self, the wholeness, connectedness, and openness to the infinite.”
relational self, and the collective self. The individual self represents a person’s What do these definitions have in common with regard to spirituality?
uniqueness. The relational self represents dyadic interpersonal bonds and the 1. Spirituality talks about meaning and purpose that go beyond the physical
collective self represents group membership, that is, similarity and affiliation with realities of life. Going through development, people are inevitably programmed to
valued groups. One good example of these valued groups is religion. Regardless of make realizations about life, and those insights are not always about observable
what religion you belong to, it has attributes that are shared among group members phenomena or environmental experiences.
and may define roles within the ingroup. 2. Spirituality is focused on a person’s connections to different aspects of
On the other hand, spirituality is acquired as result of various personal, social, and his/her existence: to other people, to nature, and to sacredness and divinity. In the
environmental factors present throughout one’s lifetime. In this regard, spirituality is pursuit of and applying meaning to one’s life, relationships are created and sustained
related to religiosity, which is often used interchangeably with the former. not only with people but with other life forms or with a higher being.
This lesson will help you focus on spiritual dimension of the self. It broadly 3. Spirituality talks about the sacred and transcendent. It is a general belief that
tackles different aspects of spirituality versus religion. It broadly tackles the different in this vast universe, there is a force higher than the self.
aspects of spirituality from existence, relatedness or connections, and the inner soul.
It can’t be denied that religion and spirituality is closely related. Although not
separate from one another, spirituality is much more profound than religion.

The concept of the “whole person” is usually associated to the idea of

human beings as having physical and psychological aspects. However, there is third
aspect of being human which is the spiritual aspect is equally important as the two
precedents.
Highlighting the mind-body-spirit connection, the spiritual self is an ongoing,
personal life journey, contextualized by the belief in a higher being, culture,
relationships, nature, and the discovery of meaning in one’s life.
There are several definitions that have been formulated regarding spirituality.
Puchalski (2014), spirituality is the aspect of the self that is associated to an
individual’s process of seeking and expressing meaning and how he or she is
connected to the self, to others, to the moment and to everything else that composes
his/her environment, including the sacred and significant.
Beauregard and O’Leary (2007), spirituality is any experience that is thought Role of Religion in Society
to bring the experiencer in contact with the divine; it is not just any experience that  To explain things  To provide support
feels meaningful.  To establish order  Socializes people
Sinnott (2002), spirituality is also posited as the indivudual’s personal  To justify things  Vehicle for passage into a different domain
relation to the sacred or transcendent, a relation that then informs other relationships
and the meaning of one’s own life.
Religious Diversity
 Religious diversity is the fact that there are significant differences in religious saved only through hearing and believing Christian gospel. Further he asserted that
belief and practice. It has always been recognized by people outside the smallest and Christian gospel is the power of God for everyone to reach salvation, who believes,
most isolated communities. regardless of race, culture, sex, or any other differences.
It is given that religious belief and practices are varied. The increasing
availability of information and the ability to exchange views through the use of modern Inclusivism
technological communications had been an avenue for people to ponder deeply into Inclusivist affirm that God is present and working in among all the religions,
the notion of religious diversity. Briefly, religious pluralist approaches religious even though God is most clearly in one religion, they only differ or conflict arise only
diversity by stating that one religion is good as any other. I contrast, religious on the means of obtaining salvation/liberation.
exclusivists claimed that only one religion is uniquely valuable. The religious Roman Catholic theologian Karl Rahner defines inclusivism as the belief that
inclusivists claimed by attempting direct a middle path and agrees with the pluralists God is present in Non-Christian religions. Rahner is advocates the concept of
that other religious practices have a religious value. anonymous Christian by which s understood as a person who practices Christian
values or ideologies, but who personally neither knows the Christ of the bible nor has
Religious Pluralism converted to biblical Christianity. Anonymous Christian is a Christian through faith,
A theory of religious pluralism says that all religions of some kind are the hope and love while not yet a Christian at the social level (ritualistic sorts of
same in some valuable respect(s). While this is compatible with some religion being membership).
the best in some other respect(s), the theorists using this label have in mind that Types of Prayers (Dasal o Panalangin)
many religions are equal regarding the central value(s) of religion. • Fasting (Pag-aayuno)
John Hick, a religious pluralism advocate, developed an approach to • Healing (Panggagamot)
religious diversity through pluralism, believing that despite the differences among • Offering (Pag-aalay)
religions, in at least one crucial respect all are fundamentally similar. He urges all • “Panalanging walang patid”
religious adherents to reject the view that their own religion is superior to all others. • Meditation
This as to the consideration that all each religion can be viewed as offering path to • Attending mass (Pagmimisa)
salvation. • Praying a novena (Pagnonobena)
Hick also said that pluralism is divided into two: • Praying the rosary (Pagrorosaryo)
1. Division of Facts: • Carrying the Cross (Pagpasan ng krus)
a. no more religious tradition satisfies our criteria better any other • Curifixion (Pagpapako sa krus)
b. we have no ground for epistemically privileging the experience of one
tradition over those another Spirit (“Kaluluwa”), Self (“Pagkatao”) and “Loob”
c. all the major tradition seems equally productive of “saints’’, men and • The concept of “Loob” is important to the study of “Pagkatao” (“Self”) and
women who embody the “ethical ideal’’ common to all the great “Kaluluwa” (Spirit)
traditions of love/compassion. • Ileto defined Loob as the innermost part of the self, the true meaning of self
2. Profession of Faith: and the location of the central most important aspect of the individual.
i. religion is not a purely human projection but involves a response • Loob is a concept that has to do with relations. It is described as the relation of
to a transcendent reality. one individual with his/her co-human being (relasyon ng isang tao sa kanyang
kapwa). This is why majority of the words that has to do with “kapwa” or
Exclusivism “pakikipagkapwa” is associated with the word “loob” like “utang na loob” (debt
Religious exclusivism promotes the doctrine that a particular faith or group of gratitude), “sama ng loob” (ill feeling/will), “kusang loob” (free will), and
will attain salvation while believers that do not share this faith will not attain blessing “kagandahang loob” (good will).
associated with such state. In its more extreme form, exclusivism preaches that only These 3 concepts are inseparable
the followers of one religion or sect will reach heaven, nirvana, eternal bliss, liberation In the study of spirituality, spirituality cannot be separated from
while others will be doomed to eternal damnation. 1. Filipino self (Pagkataong Pilipino)
Christian exclusivist James Borland contends that there are marked 2. Where “katawan” and “kaluluwa” are connected/interconnected
contrasts between Christianity and the other world religions. These contrasts are 3. and there is “loob” at “labas”
based on the very different concepts of God, the nature of humanity, the function and
role of Jesus Christ, and the way of salvation. For Borland, non-Christians can be
 In olden times, the unity of “kaluluwa” and “katawan” leads to kaginhawahan, In fact, various online communication platforms have empowered citizens to
although this is contrary to the teachings of Christianity where kaginhawahan is express themselves politically (Cho et. al, 2016). It is expected that these expressions
attained only in the afterlife. In our culture, “kaginhawaan” in life may be attained came from different interests, values and needs. However, the never-ending debate
without the separation of “kaluluwa” and “katawan.” on as to the true Filipino identify after foreign culture, beliefs, religion and faith have
made a huge dent on our own setting a foundation to the contemporary Filipino
Spirituality and Questions about One’s Purpose in Life and Identity identity and culture.
Renewal of Faith as one Ages (Life Span) This lesson will explore political self and different factors that has shape this
Synthetic Conventional Stage aspect of our selves.
• Because the individual now has the capacity for “operational thinking” faith
may now synthesize or bring together different beliefs, information and
values in order that the person may have a stable identity.
• However, there is really no critical analysis of the information and values,
and there is heavy reliance on authority.  It is the desire of human beings
to have close relations with God.
Individuative – Reflective Stage
• The beginnings of questioning/challenging previously held beliefs. (For
example, “If God is kind, why is there suffering in the world?”).
• Developed regard for God as friend and ally.
• Desire by humans for a God that values him/her, accepts him/her as
himself/herself and a God that brings light to one’s sense of purpose in Factors that shape the political self
life. Political self is an increasing awareness of the nature of many of our
• They themselves and no longer authority chooses their world view. traditional political and economic institutions. Just like other aspects of self, there are
many factors that shape the development of our political self. To explore these
Three Stages of Transition and Transformation factors, we can use the levels of analysis to help us identify the factors that have
1. Ending - saying goodbye to beliefs held from childhood. influenced or shape your political self.
2. Neutral Zone - conflicted internally from the abandonment of one’s self to Levels of Analysis
embracing a new one. From the old “ako” (I/me) to the new “ako” (I/me). One
reason why a teenager undergoes crisis is that sometimes he/she is not 1st Level of Analysis INDIVIDUAL FACTORS
aware that he/she is undergoing a kind of spiritual awakening. There is Attitudes and values
sometimes full of hate, boredom, rebellion and sadness.  Presence of dualism
3. New Beginning - through trustworthy friends, an individual discovers not only - Highlights the contradiction between self-interest
himself/herself but also God who may be trusted and may serve as and the good of the community
companion throughout life.
- Positive and negative reinforcers
 Attitudes change
- Due to events that sweep the nation
- Due to involvement in service-oriented activities
Lesson 2: The Political Self 2nd Level of Analysis INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
Description of the lesson Family
Aristotle stated that man is by nature a political animal. This is because man - children are taught the basic human values of honesty, love,
is a social being and that people are naturally drawn to various political involvements discipline and respect for others but notions of community are
in order to satisfy their social needs. Regardless of these needs, it cannot be denied confined to the family and the concept of public good tends to be
that more individuals involve themselves with different political and societal issues. left out of family values
- Authoritarian practices may impede independent thought
 - Primordial nature of kinship affiliation in the Philippines hampers The family is at the center of the Filipino community. Children are not
the development of a sense of community and the public good expected to leave their parents’ house until they themselves get married; and even
after then, many couples opt to stay with or close to their or their spouse’s parents.
School Also, they’re expected to care for their ageing parents instead of sending them to a
- Have the role to teach nationhood and its associated values retirement home.
Church This is why it’s common to see different generations or multiple families
- Periodically issues pastoral letters which deal with social realities living in a single residence.
as discerned in the context of the gospel
Media Humor and positivity
- positive and negative portrayals of citizenship Optimism, humor, and positivity are valued traits in the Philippines. At the
- provides venues for the discussion of issues and exposing same time, in the face of difficult or challenging situations, members of the community
anomalies in the conduct of public affairs are encouraged to look This famous trait is the ability of Filipinos to find humour in
everything. It sheds light on the optimism and positivity of Filipinos in whatever
Non-government and People’s Organization situation they are in so as to remain determined in going through struggles or
- Utilize non-formal venues of expression and decision-making that influence challenges.
policy makers in both the government and the private sector
Flexibility and adaptability
- Engage in value-formation in their leadership training, seminars on gender Filipinos have a great capacity to adjust and to adapt to circumstances and
sensitivity and others the surrounding environment, both physical and social. Unplanned and anticipated
3rd Level of Analysis COMMUNITY FACTORS events are never overly disturbing or disorienting as the flexible Filipino adjust to
whatever happens.
Community The term bahala na, which can be translated to whatever happens,
- The degree (or lack) of identification with the nation depends, among others, happens, is one of the more familiar phrases used in the country and is perhaps the
on the type of community to which one belongs and the extent to which it is most representative of how Filipinos value adaptability and quick thinking. It
served by, or benefits from, instruments of the state exemplifies one’s belief in a higher power and submitting one’s fate to elements that
Religion (“Filipino” connotes “Christian”) cannot be controlled.
Language (i.e., use of English) as the privileged medium of official and private Though the term bahala na implies positive affirmation those who do see it
transactions negatively often view it as a form of fatalistic submission or a way to absolve one from
Absence or presence of social requisites for the exercise of citizenship and the responsibility of their actions.
democracy

Faith and religion

Spirituality is deeply ingrained in Filipinos. A form of animism was already
Filipino Values being practiced in many pre-colonial societies and Islam has been firmly established
in the southern islands even before the Spanish brought Catholicism to the country.
What do Filipinos value? These days, religion still plays a big part in society and in the everyday lives of
The term kapwa, or a shared inner self, lies at the core of Filipino values and Filipinos.
psychology. A person who treats another as a kapwa has a shared a sense of identity The Catholic Church’s views still affect the passing of some laws, most
and consciousness with that ‘other’ person. towns still hold fiestas to honor their patron saints, and many regular non-working
Both in the individual and community level, strong emphasis is placed on national holidays are dedicated to celebrating various religious activities and events.
social acceptance and maintaining social harmony. As such, social approval and To many Filipinos, religion helps shape their values and principles.
caring about what others will think, say, or do strongly influence social behavior.
Filipino hospitality
The family
 Filipinos in the country and around the globe can be expected to extend a In this module, we will examine the role of technology and the internet in
warm welcome to their guests regardless of where they come from, how well they shaping an individual’s social self, with emphasis on the use of social media platforms
know their host, and why they’re visiting someone’s home. and membership in virtual communities. This section highlights the crucial role of the
internet in forming the self and identity of millennial learners.
Traits that underlie Filipino values and value-orientation

Personalism – it is the emphasis Filipinos give to interpersonal relations or face-to-

face encounters.

Familialism - emphasizes the welfare and interest of the family over those of the
community. The family is the basis of group action and almost all community activity
centers on the family. The family, and not the individual, decides on important
matters, and these are decided on the basis of family, not individual interest. The Adolescence and Social Networking Sites
family honour, and not that of the individual, is at stake when a family member makes Adolescence is a transition period of individuation for identity construction of
a mistake. an autonomous self. It is usually the period wherein the person needs for personal
space is high. As a result, this needed personal space is provided by social
Particularism - results from the strong family influence on individual and group networking sites and it becomes an avenue for identity construction as it offers
behaviour. Individuals strive to promote their own and their family’s interests over anonymity, connectivity, and interactivity.
community interests. Being popular among peer groups is highly desirable, hence At the same time, adolescent tend to feel good about themselves when they
Filipinos make special efforts to entertain friends and relatives. Knowing how to are happy with their group membership and when their social support is available.
entertain people important. Conformity to proper codes of conduct reaps the rewards This can be linked to the fact that social affiliation and communication are essential
of cooperation and assistance; non-conformity is punished by withdrawal of support. factors in adolescent’s self-esteem.
These traits strongly influence Filipino behavior and decision making, and are the
basis of our personal beliefs, and cultural traditions and practices. They are the basis The Self in the Age of Technology
for acceptable behavior. Social media is defined as the websites and applications that make it easier
to create and share information, ideas, and interests. It also allows people to create
other forms of self-expression via virtual communities and networks.
Through the use of social media, people may act differently since interaction
in social media do not happen face-to-face and there is no physical presence
required. This is called online disembodiment. With this, people are less likely to
display their real “selves” to others, especially to strangers.
Moreover, adolescent identity construction is a process of forming an
Lesson 3: The Digital Self autonomous self presented to an audience. SNS become a venue of identity
construction and a space for them to explore and create personal and social
Description of Lesson identities. Personal identity are personality attributes of an individual which are not
Almost everyone is on Facebook, and is registered to other forms of Social shared with the other people and social identity which is the aspect of individual’s
Networking Sites (SNS). We commonly use it to communicate with our family self-concept that stems from their knowledge of their membership with a certain
members, friends and other people. We also use it to update other people with the social group.
events we’ve attended, people we meet, etc.
However, there are studies that can prove the negative effects of social Digital Identity
media to one’s mental health and self-esteem. In fact, social media has indeed been People generally have role identities. These are the characters and roles an
linked to higher levels of loneliness, envy, anxiety, depression, stress, and hindered individual creates as a member of a particular social group. Following this definition,
social skills. As people use social media sites in their everyday life, they risk “self” is composed of identities ranked by importance. The greater the commitment of
overexposure to upward social comparison information that can have a cumulative an individual to a particular identity, the greater the importance of this identity.
negative effect on their well-being and may affect the self.
 In an online environment, one’s role identity is vitally important in order for - Feedback users get from other people becomes their basis for
him/her to project himself/herself in the said environment. Amidst the technological changing aspects of themselves of for hiding information.
tools and channels surrounding individuals and online activities that people engage
in, one’s online identity enables him/her to participate in a virtual society. Online Disinhibition Effect
However, participation in virtual environments may entail changes that may When people adopt fake identities, they are likely to engage in behaviors
affect a person’s sense of self. In some cases, people present themselves differently that they would not do in real life interactions, known as online disinhibition.
in online interactions as compared to the face-to-face interactions they engage in. There are 2 main categories of behaviors that fall under online disinhibition:
Facebook, for example, as a platform to: 1. Benign disinhibition. It occurs when people tend to self-disclose more on the
1. Create space for self-revelation and assertion internet than they would in real life or go out of their way to help someone or
- Disclosure of their personal information and their assertion of who show kindness.
they are or what they want others to see about them 2. Toxic disinhibition. People take part of this when they use rude language, bully
- It provides them their online personal space, which is essential or threaten others on online platforms, and go to websites with contents of
aspect in exploring their identities. violence, crime, and pornography.
Extended Self in a Digital World
2. Project needs and preferences Digital Dimension Self Possessions
Attachment to and
- Users are able to verbalize or at least depict through their photos singularization virtual
and other posts their thoughts and feelings Dematerialization
possessions, but not quite
- This process of projection and airing out of needs and preferences the same
serve as an externalization of their thoughts and feelings which can Avatar affect offline self, multiplicity of
Re-embodiment Attachment to avatars
selves
help them reflect and reconstruct aspects of themselves.
Aggregate possessions;
Sharing Self-revelation, loss of control
sense of shared place online.
3. Create a virtual surrogate group Affirmation of self; building aggregate
- The users’ relationships somehow shape their identity construction Co-construction of self extended self; Attachment of virtual
by allowing their online social group defines how they present possessions in videogames
Digital clutter; digital cues to
themselves. Distributed memory Narrative of self
sense of past
- This social construction of the self was further facilitated by the Dematerialization
gratification they received from their online group and by their Dematerialization of many of our possessions is the trend in a digital world.
dissatisfaction with their on-ground affiliations. Information, communications, photos, videos, music, and other data are now
immaterially transformed which are electronically stored either in flash drives or hard
4. Experiment on different identity drives. While digital possessions can be objects of self-extensions, they may not be
- The users explore and experiment on their identities by trying out as effective as material possessions. However, your social media profiles, and
different aspects of themselves and new roles. timelines, your virtual friends may only act as part of yourself for those granted
- By creating multiple, users are able to create their different selves co- access and only while you are online.
existing in a virtual world. Wherein they could shift from one identity
according to who they chose to be at a given time. Re-embodiment
- With multiple Facebook accounts depicting different persona, the Our possessions even have lost the constraints of our physical bodies. We are not
“self” is no longer deemed as a unitary construct but fluid and plural just placed into an alternate avatar body; we have some choice in selecting,
identities. modifying, and accessorizing this representation of self. With the help of Photoshop
and purchased “skin” and accessories, we have considerable leeway in our visual
5. Manage impressions through positive self-presentation self-presentations online, despite fairly high degree of similarity to our physical
- Through social media, users most often only show their ideal selves appearance.
in front of their audience.
- Their self-presentation in social media is more strategic compared to Sharing
their on ground self-projection.
Digital devices help us share more than ever before. It takes only a moment of surfing
the web to realize that the Internet is a world of information, entertainment, images,
films, and music, mostly all free for accessing, downloading, and sharing with others.

Co-construction of Self
Social networking sites are now seen as important sites for psychological
development, especially between adolescence and adulthood. While users act on
their extended self, they can now receive assurance from many friends online.

Distributed Memory
The proliferation of our online photos, videos, posts, blogs, and timelines also
provides cues that link us to memories constituting both individual and collective
sense of past.

Managing Responsible Online Behavior

How can one behave responsibly online? The following are some suggestions:
1. Do not post or send anything that will embarrass you.
2. Avoid posting statements when experiencing strong emotions.
3. Do not hang out with the “wrong crowd” online.
4. Do not hang out with the “wrong crowd” offline.
5. Be careful with oversharing, especially confidential information that may be used
irresponsibly.
6. Respect other people in the online community.

Answer the following activities.

1. Essay test: Write reflection and explain understanding of the lesson by
writing your thoughts. The task will be marked using the following criteria:
content, idea development, organization, mechanics. Essay can be written in
Filipino or English to facilitate learning.

2. Artistic representation of your national identity. Include in explanation the

factors that shape/influenced political self, traits and values. Task is marked
using the following criteria: content, work effort and creativity.