UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

IDENTITY – Refers to the qualities, beliefs, etc. that make a particular person or group
different from others; or it could be defined as the distinguishing character or personality
of an individual.

SELF – The person that someone normally or truly is, or the entire person of an
individual

PERSONALITY – Individual patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, it is said that

no two people would have an identical personality, and that every individual is unique. one
may share commonalities with other people (manners, appearance, bearing, etc) but will
still possess an identity that sets him or her apart identity does not connote exclusively
or outright difference against others; instead, it refers to the sets of characteristics

that make one a distinct individual.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ONE’S IDENTITY

1. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR
2. HEREDITARY FACTOR
3. PERSON-VOLITION FACTOR – It refers to the inclination of a person from others.
such factor emanates from within the mentality of an individual, brought
about by the aggregated social-life experiences. social
scientists/sociologists may refer to a person exhibiting person-volition
factor as deviant or nonconformist.

SELF-AWARENESS
ž Having self-awareness means that you have a clear RECOGNITION OF YOUR
OVERALL PERSONALITY.
ž This includes your strengths and weaknesses, thoughts and beliefs, emotions,
and sources of motivation.
ž Having self-awareness helps you understand other people and how they view
you and your actions.
ž Being self-aware will make you know how to adjust to certain people.
 ž Many people assume that self-awareness comes easily and naturally, but this
sense of heightened awareness can actually be hard to come by.
ž Achieving self-awareness gives you the opportunity to make positive changes in
your behavior and increase your self-confidence.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE SELF

ž The SELF has been defined as “a unified being, essentially connected to
consciousness, awareness, and agency (or, at least, with the faculty of rational
choice)”
ž Different philosophers introduced specific characteristics and meanings of the
self, which, over time, transformed from abstractions to explanations that hold
scientific proofs.

Socrates – Idealism
Plato – Idealism
Aristotle – Empiricist
St. Augustine – Platonism
Rene Descartes – Rationalist,
John Locke – Empiricist
David Hume – Empiricist
Immanuel Kant – Rationalist/Empiricist
Patricia Churchland – Empiricist
Maurice Merlean-Ponty – Existentialist/Empiricist

BASIC PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS

Belonging
Freedom
Recognition
Self-esteem
Fun
Safety
PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS

SOCRATES

ž an unexamined life is not worth living

ž the self is synonymous with the SOUL
ž every human possesses an immortal soul that survives the physical body
ž first to focus on the full power of reason on the human self: who we are, who we
ž should be, and who we will become
ž Reality consists of two dichotomous realms:
• Physical – changeable, transient, and imperfect
Physical world belongs to this realm

• Ideal – unchanging, eternal, and immortality

ž The essence of the self – the soul – is the immortal entity
ž Soul strives for wisdom and perfection
ž Reason is the soul’s tool to achieve this exalted state, but as long as the soul is
tied to the body, the quest for wisdom is inhibited by the imperfection of the
physical realm, where it wanders and is confused
ž Man must live an examined life and a life of purpose and value
ž Meaningful and happy life = virtuous and knows the value of himself through
incessant soul-searching
ž Self is the sources of all knowledge and significance
ž Socratic method = introspection
• A method of carefully examining one’s thoughts and emotions – to gain
self-knowledge
PLATO
ž Believes that the self is synonymous to the soul
ž His philosophy is a process of self-knowledge and purification of the soul
ž Introduces the idea of a three-part soul:
• Reason – the divine essence that enables us to think deeply, make wise
choices, and achieve a true understanding of eternal truths.
• Physical appetite – includes our basic biological needs such as hunger, thirst,
and sexual desire
• Spirit of reason (passion) – basic emotions such as love, anger, ambition,
aggressiveness, and empathy
ž When conflict arises, it is the responsibility of REASON to sort things out and
exert control, restoring harmonious relationship among the three elements of our
selves
ž Genuine happiness can only be achieved by people who consistently make sure
that their Reason is in control of their Spirits and Appetites.
ž Plato’s essence of justice: harmonious integration under the control of
Reason
ž Theory of Forms: Plato introduces a concept of two worlds:
• The world of forms (non-physical ideas) – real and permanent
• The world of sense (reality) – temporary and only a replica of the ideal
world; dependent on the ideal world where the concept of soul belongs

ARISTOTLE

ž Soul is merely a set of defining features and does not consider the body and soul
as separate entities
ž Anything with life has a soul
ž The Soul is the essence of all living things
ž The soul is the essence of the self
ž Humans differ from other living things because of their capacity for
rational thinking
ž Idea about the self centers on the kinds of soul possessed by man
 ž Three kinds of soul
• Vegetative soul – physical body that grows
• Sentient soul – sensual desires, feelings, and emotions
• Rational soul – what makes man human
ž The rational nature of the self is to lead a good, flourishing, and fulfilling life
(self-actualization)
ž Pursuit of happiness is a search for a good life that includes doing virtuous
actions
ž Rational soul is characterized by moral virtues such as justice and courage

ST. AUGSUTINE

ž Integrates ideas of Plato and teachings of Christianity

ž Physical body is radically different from and inferior to its immortal soul
ž Body = spouse of the soul, attached to each other by a natural appetite
ž Body = united with the soul, so that man may be entire and complete
ž Soul is an important element of man which governs and defines man
ž Confessions: Humankind is created in the image and likeness of God, everything
created by God is good.
ž Human is geared towards the good because he is created by God who is all
good
ž Self is known only through knowing God
ž Self-knowledge is a consequence of knowledge of God
ž Knowledge can only come by seeing the truth (truth of knowing God) that dwells
within us
ž “I am doubting, therefore I am”
RENE DESCARTES
ž I think therefore I am (Cogito Ergo sum)
ž Father of modern philosopjhy
ž Nature of reasoning process and understanding its relationship to the self
ž The act of thinking about the self- of being self-conscious – is in itself proof that
there is a self
ž No rational person will doubt his or her own existence as a conscious thinking
entity
ž The essence of a human being: a thinking entity that doubts, understands,
analyzes, questions, and reasons
ž Two dimensions of the human self:
• Self as a thinking entity - non-material, immortal, conscious being, and
independent of the physical laws of the universe
• Self as a physical body – material, mortal, and thinking entity, fullygoverned
by the physical laws of nature
ž Body and soul are independent of each other, where each can exist without the
other
ž Essential self – the self as a thinking entity – is distinct from the self as a
physical body.
ž THINKING SELF can exist INDEPENDENTLY of the physical body

JOHN LOCKE

ž The self is consciousness

ž The human mind at birth is TABULA RASA (blank slate)
ž The self (personal identity) is constructed primarily from sense experiences
which mold the self throughout a person’s life.
ž The keys to understanding the self:
• Conscious awareness
• Memory of previous experiences
 ž Essence of the self: conscious awareness of itself as a thinking, reasoning, and
reflecting identity
ž Consciousness accompanies thinking and makes possible the concept people have
of a self
ž Self-consciousness is necessary to have a coherent personal (self) identity or
knowledge of the self as a person.
ž Consciousness is what makes identity of a person similar in different situations.
ž People could use the POWER OR REASON to gain knowledge and use this to
understand experiences.
ž Reason – helps us in figuring out the significance of sense experience and to
reach intelligent conclusions
ž Power of reason and introspection lets us achieve accurate conclusions about the
self

DAVID HUME
ž There is no self
ž If one examines sense experience through introspection, one will discover that
THERE IS NO SELF.
ž People only experience a bundle of collection of different perceptions.
ž There are only distinct entities:
• Impressions – basic sensations of people’s experience
(hate, love, joy, grief, cold, heat)
• Ideas – thoughts and images from impressions so they are less lively and vivid
ž Different sensations = constant continuum that is invariable and not constant
ž The idea of self cannot be derived from impressions = there is no self
ž People have no of a simple and individual impression that they can call the self
where the self is the totality of a person’s conscious life
ž The idea of a personal identity is a result of Imagination
IMMANUEL KANT
ž We construct the self
ž It is the self that makes experiencing an intelligible world possible
ž It is the self that is actively organizing and synthesizing all of our thoughts and
perceptions
ž The self utilizes conceptual categories called TRANSCENDENTAL
DEDUCTION OF CATEGORIES, to construct an orderly and objective world
that is stable
ž The self is an organizing principle that makes a unified and intelligible experience
possible
ž The self constructs its own reality, actively creating a world that is familiar,
predictable, and MINE
ž SELF = product of reason
ž The self regulates experience by making unified experiences possible
ž The mind transcends experience because the mind can grasp aspects of reality
which are not limited to the senses.
ž Through rationality, people are able to understand certain abstract ideas

SIGMUND FREUD
ž The self is multi-layered
ž The self consists of three layers:
• Conscious – thoughts, perceptions
o governed by the reality principle,
o organized in ways that are rational, practical, and appropriate to
the environment,
o takes into account the realistic demands of the situation,
consequences of diff actions, and the need to preserve equilibrium of
the entire psychodynamic system of the self
 • Unconscious – selfish needs, immoral urges, fears, violent motives,
irrational wishes, shameful experiences, unacceptable sexual desires
o Basic instinctual drives (sexuality, aggressiveness, self-destruction,
traumatic memories, unfulfilled wishes, childhood fantasies, thoughts
that are social taboos)
o Characterized by the most primitive level of human motivation and
human functioning governed by the Pleasure Principle
o Much of the self is determined by the unconscious
• Preconscious – memories, stored knowledge
o Contains material that is not threatening and is easily brought to mind
o Located between the conscious and unconscious parts of the self

GILBERT RYLE
ž The self is the way people behave
ž Self is best understood as a pattern of behavior – a person’s tendency to behave
in a certain way in certain circumstances
ž I act therefore I am
ž Mind and body linked in complex and intimate ways
ž Self is the same as bodily behavior
ž Mind is the totality of human dispositions that is known through the way people
behave
ž The mind expresses the entire system of thoughts, emotions, and actions that
make up the human self

PAUL CHURCHLAND
ž The self is the brain
ž Advocates eliminative materialism or the idea that the self is inseparable from
the brain and physiology of the body
ž If the brain is gone, there is no self
ž The Physical brain and NOT the imaginary mind gives people the sense of self
ž The mind does not exist because it cannot be experienced by the senses
MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY
ž The self is embodied subjectivity
ž All knowledge about the self is based on the phenomena of experience
ž The “I” is a single integrated core identity, combination of the mental, physical,
and emotional structures around a core identity of the self
ž The mind and body are unified, NOT separate.
ž Phenomenology of Perception: Everything that people are aware of is contained
within the consciousness
ž Consciousness = responsible for actively structuring conscious ideas and
physical behavior
ž Consciousness, the world, and human body = intertwined in perceiving

MODULE 1
SECTION 1: SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Nature vs. Nurture (p.3-4)

Nature
o SELF – predominantly a product of natural proceses to which people are
inherently predisposed
o Natural basis of the self – anchored on biology; human traits are passed
from one generation to another, transmitted traits serve as a blueprint of the
self
o Genetics – contribute so much information about the descriptions of the self.
o Heredity
§ Transmission of traits and characteristics from one generation to
another
§ Biological process by which certain traits and characteristics are
passed from one generation to another (p. 8)
§ Referred to as the NON-NEGOTIABLE FACTOR (p. 8)
§ It is fixed and permanent
 § It readily dictates the following upon one’s birth:
§ Physical attributes – height, complexion, hair
§ Cognitive traits – IQ
§ Some personal characteristics – emotionality, tendencies
§ Characterizations – similarities and differences of organisms

Nurture
o Self is principally viewed as an outcome of various nurturing factors in the
context of one’s life.
o Group life affects an individual’s behavior and attitude
o Emphasizes on the impact of various social institutions to the self-construal of
a person

Identity vs. Self (p.4-5)

Identity
o the qualities, beliefs, etc., that make a particular person or group different
from others… or the distinguishing character or personality of an individual.
o Distinguishes or compares one from another
o Traits and characteristics, social relations, roles, and social group
memberships that define who one is.
o Can be focused on the past- what used to be true of one, the present – what
is true of one now, or the future – the person one expects or wishes to
become, the person one feels obligated to try to become, or the person one
fears one may become
o The identify makes up one’s self-concept variously described as what comes
to mind when one thinks of oneself Identity does not cannot exclusivity or
outright difference against others; instead, it refers to the sets of
characteristics that make one a distinct individual (p. 7).
o Identity is a product of a complex process of combinations and integration of
traits and characteristics from various possible sources (p. 8).
Self
o refers to the person that someone normally or truly is… or the entire person of
an individual
o Refers to the total characteristics of qualities of a person both known and
unknown to others (but known to oneself)
o Defined as “a unified being, essentially connected to consciousness,
awareness, and agency (or at least, with the faculty of rational choice) (p.16)

Dimensions of the Self/Identity

o The identity of a person is highlighted by a DOMINANT TRAIT which makes
him or her distinguishable from others.
o The identity of a person can be best depicted using certain traits that would
set him or her apart from others (most arrogant, most timid, noisiest)

Social Factor
o An agent of one’s being
o Refers to the influences of significant people in one’s life (includes the family)
o Referred as the NURSERY OF HUMAN NATURE.
o Strong foundations of one’s being.
o The extent to which social factors influence one’s identity is encompassing
where characteristics of significant others in a person’s life can vitally impact
his or her distinctiveness.

Waning Stage
o The stage in which the child slowly gains independence and withdraw from
strong parental (or family) attachment, he or she starts identifying with other
people outside of the family.
o The child associates with peers or playmates (referred to as the PEER
GROUP)
o This stage is critical for some children, especially if the values that they
acquire challenge the foundation of behavioral characteristics that they initially
learned from the family
Personality
o Is the individual patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Influential social groups shape one’s identify through:

1 Modelling
2 Imitation
3 Traits Integration

Environmental Factor
o Broadly includes the physical and communal elements present in everyday
surroundings, and are invariably dealt with by individuals in a specific
geographic region or area.
o Includes physical properties of the surroundings (climate and temperature)
o Also includes larger society or community as well as the expectations and
norms operating in that particular locality or place

Hereditary Factor
o Another factor that significantly contribute to one’s identity or being, some of
which already operate at the time of conception (in the mother’s womb)

Person-volition Factor
o Refers to the inclination of a person to form and construct a specific identity
that will set him apart from others.
o This emanates from WITHIN THE MENTALITY of an individual, brought about
by the aggregated social-life experiences.
SECTION 2. WHAT PHILOSOPHY SAYS ABOUT THE SELF

Philosophy of the Self

Philosophy
o Mother of all disciplines because all fields of study began as philosophical
discourses

Self
o Defined as “a unified being, essentially connected to consciousness,
awareness, and agency (or at least, with the faculty of rational choice) (p.16)

Classical Antiquity
SOCRATES
o Temple of Apollo at Delphi – Know Thyself – Socrates’ guiding principle
o Socrates believed that the REAL SELF is not the physical body, but rather
the PSYCHE (SOUL).
o The appearance of the body is inferior to its functions

PLATO
o Plato’s dialogue, PHAEDRUS, states that the truth can be distinguished
in two forms:
§ METAPHYSICAL REALM (MIND)
§ PHYSICAL WORLD (BODY)
o According to PLATO, the self is fundamentally an intellectual entity whose
nature exists independent from the physical world
o Plato bifurcated the truth or reality into two:
§ The ONTOS (meaning Ideal) – the ultimate reality which tends to be
permanent and spiritual
 § PHENOMENA – the manifestation of the ideal
§ Compared to ontos, phenomena is imperfect, impermanent, and inferior.
o Emphasized on the separation of the ideal and phenomenal existence or being
ARISTOTLE
o Plato’s idea about truth about the human self was even more expounded and
formalized by his prized student Aristotle.
o The ideal is subsumed in the phenomena
o Ideal is the ESSENCE
o Phenomena is the MATTER
o The two (essence and matter) co-exist and are co-dependent where the
essence provides meaning and purpose to the matter, and the matter provides
substance and solidity to essence

EMPIRICISM
o There is no such thing as innate knowledge; instead, knowledge is derived from
experience – either perceived with the five senses or processed with the brain

RATIONALISM
o Argues that there is innate knowledge; however, there are different sources of
innate knowledge.
o Explains the self from the standpoint of what is “ideal” and “true”, and not
rooted in what is felt by the senses or body.
o Conclusions are derived through logic and reasoning.

Towards Modern Philosophy (see pages 19-21 for the chart of

Philosophers and their Philosophies)

SECTION 3: WHAT SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT THE SELF

Natural and social sciences encompass a number of disciplines that have deliberated on and
explained the concet and nature of the self.

• Biological/Physiological Sciences

• Neurophilosophy (attributed to Paul and Patricia Churchland) is concerned with the

association of the brain and the mind.

• Psychoneuroimmunology describes the shaping of the self as similar to how the

human immune system functions.

• Social Sciences

• Psychology defined as the study of human behavior, sees the self as a theoretical
construct.

• Psychoanalysis (proposed by Sigmund Freud) focuses on the “unconscious” as a

core element of the self.

• Behaviorism maintains that the study of behavior should be made from an

observable and measurable perspective.

• Social Cognitive Theory considers behavior as a function of the environment

and internal attributes.

• Humanistic Perspective draws its assumptions from the observed criticisms of

psychoanalysis and behaviorism. It believes that every individual has the ability to
reach self-actualization and transcendence, and that each person is inherently
good or possesses something that is good.

• Sociology is the study of the collective behavior of people within the society and
focuses on social problems encountered by individuals.

• Anthropology is the study of human beings and their ancestors through time and
space and in relation to physical character, environmental and social relations, and
culture.

• Political Science (PolSci) is concerned with the participation of individuals in

establishing a government and making politicl choices.
 • Economics describes and analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of
goods and services.

MODULE 3: UNFOLDING THE BIOLOGICAL SELF

SECTION 1: THE PHYSICAL SELF

This section identifies and explains the biological and environmental factors that shape the
physical self. It also delves into socio-cultural issues associated with physical well-being.

• The Biological Blueprint

• The physical self is shaped by biological and environmental factors

• Heredity is defined as the transmission of traits from parents to offspring. The

traits are made up of specific information embedded within one’s gene.

• Genotype refers to the specific information embedded within one’s genes; not all
genotypes translate to an observed physical characteristic.

• Phenotype is the physical expression of a particular trait.

• Each individual carries 23 pairs of chromosomes, which are threadlike bodies in the
nucleus of the cell and the storage unit of genes. The 23rd pair, also known as sex
chromosomes, determines the sex of an individual.

• Within each chromosome is the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is a nucleic acid
that contains the genetic instructions specifying the biological development of every
individual.

• Maturation is known as the completion of growth of a genetic character within an

organism or the unfolding of an individual’s inherent traits or potential.

• Environmental Conditioning
 • As you grow up, you are exposed to environmental influences that shape yoir physical
self, including those from your social networks, societal expectations, and cultural
practices.

• Family, being your first social group, forms a crucial foundation of your development,
including that of your physical self.

• As you grow older, you get exposed to a larger social group with new practices and
standards. As a result, you may begin engaging in acts that would make you
attractive and acceptable to others.

• One aspect of physical beauty is a person’s body type. Contemporary media has
portrayed slim bodies as the ideal body type for women and muscular bodies for men.
Thus, adolescents indulge in activities that would enable them to achieve these ideal
body types.

• However, some adolescents may resort to unhealthy habits just to achieve the ideal
body type. It is important to remember that physical beauty is only skin-deep; that
what matters is feeling good about oneself and embracing a healthy perception of
one’s physical worth.

• Achieving Physical Well-being

1. Healthy eating. Following a healthy diet results in healthy skin, ideal weight, and
better stamina.

2. Embracing a healthy lifestyle. Physical activities such as walking, running, going

to the gym, and engaging in sports also contribute to a healthier body.

3. Maintaining proper hygiene. Taking care of your body by consistently following a

hygiene regimen can also help you feel good about yourself.

4. Being confident. Be secure in yourself, embrace a positive outlook toward various

situations and problems, and love and accept who you are.

SECTION 2: THE SEXUAL SELF

This section tackles one of the most crucial aspects of human development, the sexual self.
It highlights biological and environmental factors that shape sexual development. Tips on
regulating sexual behavior are also provided.

• The Biology of Self

• At birth, the sexual genital (penis for male, vagina for female) is a biological feature
that distinguishes males from females. Moreover, during puberty, observable changes
in the human body also known as secondary sexual characteristics begin.

• When physiological changes are trigerred within the adolescent’s reproductive

system, he or she is likely to experience sexual urges, become more sensitive to
sexual stimuli, and feel sexual arousal.

• Humans are likely to engage in sexual activities to satisfy sexual urges. However,
the kind of sexual activities they engage in may vary.

• A person should be aware of his/her sexuality and sexual attributes in order to make
responsible decisions. Adolescents need to realize the importance of having informed
choices.

• Sexual Identity and Gender Orientation

• Biological sex is one’s assignment upon birth and is dependent on physical feature.
On the other hand, gender is an identity that is learned and embraced by individual.

• Gender roles refer to societal expectations of how men and women should act.
Everyone has a basic idea of gender roles: men are assumed to be strong and
dominant while women are perceived to be submissive and demure.

• Sexual identity and gender orientation underlie one’s concept of self. A person
expresses his or her sexuality through individuality; one’s belief and behavioral
lifestyle are based on his or her own perceptions of sexuality.
• The Consequences of Sexual Choices

• Sexual intercourse (copulation) is the reproductive act in which the male organ
(penis) enters the female’s reproductive tract (vagina). Adolescents couples who
engage in sexual intercourse are usually overwhelmed by the sensations they feel
during the act.

• However, if the woman is fertile during the time of intercourse, pregnancy is likely to
occur and it lasts approximately nine months before the birth of the child. Having a
child entails a big responsibility and should not merely be a consequence of an
impulsive moment. Physical risks to having an early pregnancy may impact an
adolescent’s development, including miscarriage, emotional stress, and health risks
to both mother and infant.

• Aside from pregnancy, another consequence of impulsive and careless sexual

intercourse is the risk of acquring sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). Among
common STDs are:

• Syphilis

• Gonorrhea

• Chlamydia

• Genital Warts

• The most alarming sexually transmitted disease is the acquired immune deficiency
syndrome(AIDS) caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It can be
transmitted by contact between broken skin, wounds, or mucous membranes and
HIV-infected blood or blood-contaminated body fluids.

• It is important that everyone makes responsible decisions with regard to sexuality

and sexual behavior. Responsible sexual behavior entails the following:

• Respect for one’s body. It means taking care of one’s body and avoiding
activities that undermine one’s worth and respect.

• Maturity in thoughts and deeds. It refers to being objective, rational, and calm,
instead of being swept by one’s emotion.
• Being guided by one’s personal beliefs and core values. Everyone, especially
an adolescent, should always be grounded by his/her personal principles and self-
worth.

• Being future-oriented. Instead of focusing on the present, a person should

always weigh his or her present actions with possible consequences in the future.