Understanding the Self - Prelims - Week 2

Lesson 2.

Sociological Perspectives

Knowing the self requires understanding our society and its culture, and how it provokes
us to make decisions which are culturally influenced and socially constructed. It is one
big chunk in helping analyze our self-understanding. It is quite impossible to ultimately
now the self without comprehending the culture of our society.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Articulate how culture, family, generation, etc. means to the self as part of the
society
 Attribute self-understanding and behavior to culture and its contributing factors
 Recognize and appreciate differences in cultural behaviors of the self,
particularly from Western and Asian contexts

Getting Started:

For most Filipino families,

funeral becomes also a
reunion.

Our country is full with examples of how culture influences the worldviews and decisions
of the society. In order for you to understand more, recall a time in your life if ever that
your family encountered deceased love one or even just a visiting person in a wake
(lamay). Recall the beliefs and traditions observed in this moments, considered as
superstitious.

Write your answers on the box provided below.

1. 7.
2. 8.
3. 9.
4. 10.
5. 11.
Discussion:
The self, as a social being, is influenced by his culture. As products of it, we mirror
the values, traditions, and beliefs that our society holds dear. These concepts are
embedded in the culture of our people – the impact of which permeates in the very
soul of the social self.

The complexity of culture is seen in the many aspects that is inclusive in it. Almost
everything that we see and hold dear around us is part of our culture. It has influenced
us so much that a very big part of who we are is a product of how culture was instilled in
the very depths of our self-hood.

Sociology
It is the scientific study of human life, social groups, whole societies and human world
whose subject matter is our own behavior as social beings in relationship with other
people.

Anthropology
This is considered as the inclusive study of human race, culture, and society and its
physical development.

Sir Edward B. Tylor, founder of cultural anthropology, classically defined culture as

“that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, customs, and
any other capabilities and habits acquired by a human as a member of society”
(Popular Science Monthly, 1884)

Culture is the meeting point of Sociology and Anthropology in our

self-understanding.

Types of Culture:

1. Material Culture
This consists of human technology that people make and use – clocks, kitchen
utensils, nipa huts, cell phones, buildings, etc. This is the physical aspect of culture. It is
very much dynamic and it changes from time to time.

2. Non-Material Culture
This includes intangible human creations – beliefs, values, norms, and symbols.

Example: being conservative, religious, same-sex marriage etc.

Generally, our social personality is a reflection of culture itself.

How do we acquire culture?
In the early stages of our socialization, we were familiarized by our immediate
family or the “Generalized Other” with the “ought and ought nots” first. As we get older,
and as we discover much of the world around us, we realize the complexities of our
culture as our decisions would mirror the very foundations of our culture. Consequently,
the significance of culture in our self-understanding and awareness is vital since we
have been brought up with it. Below are the contributing factors that affect our own
culture.

“Pamahiin” or Filipino Superstitions

Despite the modern technology, being
superstitious can be considered as one of the
How can an adorable feline friend
becomes an omen of bad luck?

Norms
Norms refer to the acceptability of an act, the approval and disapproval is
dependent on social standards which are a product of our people’s commitment to
uphold the very essence of our cultural values and dictate our behavior in the society.
Aside from superstitious beliefs, there are norms or the unwritten rules about how to
behave “properly”. They provide us with an expected idea of how to behave in a
particular social group or culture. For example, we expect students to arrive to a lesson
on time and complete their work.
The idea of norms provides a key to understanding social influence in general and
conformity in particular. Social norms are the accepted standards of behavior of social
groups. (McLeod, 2008).
One classic Filipino example is the heightened sense of indebtedness or “utang na
loob”. This is somewhat an observable norm of reciprocity. When you do a Filipino a
favor, they will definitely remember this and come to your aid in the future whether you
require it or not. Another one is when you are riding a passenger jeepney, you are
expected to be obliged to your duty to pass the fare of the passengers beside you
especially if you are seated just behind the driver. Also, “pagmamano” or giving respect
to elders by holding their hand and tapping it slightly on your forehead is the
acceptable act especially for every younger ones in the family.
 More so, there are norms defining appropriate behavior for every social group. For
example, students, neighbors and patients in a hospital are all aware of the norms
governing behavior. And as the individual moves from one group to another, their
behavior changes accordingly.
Norms provide order in society. It is difficult to see how human society could
operate without social norms. Human beings need norms to guide and direct their
behavior, to provide order and predictability in social relationships and to make sense of
and understanding of each other’s actions. These are some of the reasons why most
people, most of the time, conform to social norms.

The Selfie Generation (Z) (1995-2010)

The effect of culture in today’s younger generation must be highlighted since the
Generation Z, also called the Selfie Generation, is not considered as passive user of
culture. In fact, this generation is also considered as culture creators, who practically live
their lives and present themselves in the virtual world.
Pew Research recently defined Generation Z as anyone born between 1995 and
2010 (Patel, 2017). Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media,
which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted, anti-social, or
"social justice warriors." They have unique way of expressing themselves. This generation
also has embraced and balanced multiple cultures that they are moving their cultural
identity beyond simple definitions of race and ethnicity (Villa, 2016).

Try to check your smartphone and count how many

selfie pictures are stored in your phone?

Mead’s Development Stages of the Self

George Herbert Mead exhaustively studied the behavior of man in relation to the
self as part of the society.
 Fig. 13 Mead: The Stages of the Self

Stage 1: The Preparatory Stage

The first stage is the preparatory stage. The preparatory stage lasts from the time
we are born until we are about age two. In this stage, children mimic those around
them. This is why parents of young children typically do not want you to use foul
language around them. If your two-year-old can “read,” what he or she has most likely
done is memorized the book that had been read to him or her. When a child suddenly
uses quite foul language, does he have any idea understanding of what he is saying?
No. He is mimicking. He is in the preparatory stage. If he had been an older child, the skit
would cease to have any humor. It works because he doesn’t understand the meaning
behind his words, actions, or tone of voice.
Stage 2: The Play Stage
From about age two to six, children are in the play stage. During the play stage,
children play pretend and do not adhere to the rules in organized games like soccer or
freeze tag. It is far easier to just go with any “rules” they come up with during the course
of the game than trying to enforce any “rules” upon them. During this stage, children
play pretend as the significant other. This means that when they play house, they are
literally pretending to be the mommy or the daddy that they know.
Stage 3: The Game Stage
The third stage is the game stage, which is from about age seven onwards. In this
stage, children can begin to understand and adhere to the rules of games. They can
begin to play more formalized games because they begin to understand other
people’s perspective–or the perspective of the generalized other. In this stage, when
children play pretend, they may still play house but are pretending to a mommy or a
daddy independent of the one that resides in their home. The child begins taking
“generalized others” perspective into account during this stage.
Learning these stages can help us understand the people around us better. The
focus of the individual’s actions has now shifted from the ‘self’ to the “generalized others
or the prominent people around him. Since he now sees himself as a member of the
group, his actions and decisions tend to be carefully analyzed that it would mirror
societal goals and values.
The Self in the Western and Eastern Thought
Cultural variations affect to varying degrees how one thinks of himself as an
individual entity and as a member of the society. It is generally accepted that the
conduct and thinking of the individuals differ in the Western and Eastern perspective.

Fig. 14 Individualist and Collectivist Societies Contrasted

In individualistic societies, the self is a separate entity in the community who decides
based on his own logic, without the influence of the communal group to his decisions.
The self here concentrates on self-actualization not minding the expectations of the
social group where the self is part of. People are autonomous and are focused on
achieving their personal goals over the goals of their family or community.
In the Western context, when a person turns 18, the age when he is perceived to
make mature decisions, he is given the freedom to live on his own, be independent and
create the life he wants to design for himself.
On the opposite side, collectivist sees himself as an integral part of the communal
group, be it nuclear family, friends or even co-workers. Hence, the decisions of that
person depend on not only what he believes is right, but what would his immediate
family believes. Close family ties are significantly valued in Asian context.
Filipinos are more collectivistic than individualistic, so they regard their family and
societal units highly. They will tend to conform in such a way to avoid confrontation and
posing inconvenience on others – the concept of “pakikisama”. One who does not
practice “pakikisama” will be widely disliked and be deemed as part of an outgroup,
instead of being integrated into society.
Summary of the Lesson:
The self as a social construct integrates man as a member and a product of society.
Culture, traditions, norms, beliefs, generation you were born from and “pamahiin” are
one of the social factors that mold us how to interact and socialize with the society. In
addition, it is of foremost significance that the social behavior of the self is, at least from
the sociological and anthropological perspectives, greatly influenced by the person’s
cultural background, whether the individual is coming from an individualistic or
collectivist society.

Asynchronous Activity

Application
Essay. (30 points). Directions. Answer the following questions honestly using 7-8
sentences only. It will be checked based on the rubric below:
Criteria Corresponding
Points
A. Answers the specific central question that was asked. 3
B. Incorporates pertinent and detailed information from class 3
discussion and assigned readings, providing needed evidence.
C. Presents all information clearly and concisely and in an 3
organized manner.
D. Avoids distracting grammar and spelling. 1
Total 10

1. How would you describe yourself as a social being?

2. What are the influences of your family in your development as an individual?

3. Share some of “pamahiin” that your family follow.

Enrichment Activity:
Self-Reflection. (35 points). Directions. As we have discussed the various facets of social self,
you may have the idea how a person reacts, acts, or behave in a certain situation. As your
activity, describe your social behavior, your actions and feelings in the following situation. This
will be checked based on the rubric below:

CRITERIA DESCRIPTION POINTS

1. Depth of response Demonstrates a thorough and conscious 12
understanding of the writing task & subject
matter.
2. Development of Uses specific and convincing examples to 10
examples & evidence support ideas and makes insightful connections.
3. Language use/style Uses artistically sophisticated language that is
precise and engaging with a good sense of 8
voice and awareness of audience and purpose
- skilled sentence structure.
4. Grammar/conventions Demonstrates total control of grammar
conventions/agreements with essentially no 5
errors when using sophisticated language.
TOTAL 35
You are alone and looking You are with your family You are with your friends
for someone in unfamiliar while eating inside your and talking about your
place. home. plans for the upcoming
vacation.

References/Attributions:
A Guide to The Philippines – etiquette, customs, clothing and more. (2019).
from
https://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/guide-philippines-etiquette-customs-
culture-business

Palean E. et.al. (2018). Introspection: Understanding the Self