UNDERSTANDING

THE SELF
GEC 101

Prepared by:
DANTE JR. R. BITOON,
LPT
GEC1O1 Instructor

COURSE OUTCOME:
Before we start the actual learning, it is necessary that students will analyze how understanding
oneself is the most interesting and challenging task as an individual should be able to achieve in
a lifetime, as well as they will establish an adequate knowledge on the different and
several information about themselves from various perspectives – time: their past, present
and future self; dimensional: their physical, emotional mental, social and spiritual self; and
functional: their political, material, economic, and digital self.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The course deals with the nature of identity, as well as the factors and forces that affect the
development and maintenance of personal identity. This course is intended to explore the issues
and concerns regarding self and identity to arrive at a better understanding of one's self. This
course includes the mandatory topics on family planning and population education.

COURSE OUTLINE
MODULE PART 2: UNPACKING THE SELF

 Unit 1: Physical self: the Beautiful Me

 Unit 2: Material Self: To Buy or not to Buy?

 Unit 3: Spiritual Self: Believe it or not!

 Unit 4: Moral Self: Living with Purpose

 Unit 5: Political Self: Being Filipino

 Unit 6: Digital Self: Who I am in the Cyber world?

 Unit 7: Social Self: Relating with Others

An Overview of Self/Identity

The “self” has many aspects. These aspects make up the “self’s” integral parts, such as
self-awareness, self-esteem, self-knowledge, and self-perception. With these aspects that person
is able to alter, change, add/or modify himself or herself for the purpose of gaining social
acceptance. The “self” is an important study in psychology. It holds either the cognitive and
affective representation of an individual. Knowing oneself is critical to being an effective team
member as well as being successful in life, work, and relationships. Your personal identity
influences everything you do, and it changes and evolves over time. The “self” is a topic that
is often talked about but largely goes unnoticed. Every time that ‘I’ is mentioned (e.g. I will
go to the theatre) the self is highlighted as an actor. The consciousness of the existence of the self
has been almost automatic or reflexive. Thus, people are almost unaware of that in our everyday
living. Scholars (i.e., theorists, scientists, philosophers) in different fields have attempted to
explain and expound some several issues about the character, subsistence and dimensionality of
the “self”.

UNIT 1: PHYSICAL SELF: THE BEAUTIFUL ME

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Determine the condition of your physical self
2. Classify the physiological needs of the self in each stage of life
3. Identify the forces and institutions that impact the development of the various
aspects of identity and the self
4. Explain the importance of a good health

From childhood, we are controlled by our genetic makeup, i. e, sex chromosomes. It also
influences the way we treat ourselves and others. On the contrary, there are individuals who DO
NOT ACCEPTS their INNATE SEXUAL characteristics and they actually tend to change their
sexual organs through medications and surgery. In addition, external environment helps shapes
us. In this lesson, we are going to explore the development of our sexual characteristics and
behavior.

Marieb, E.N. (2001) explains that the gonads begin to form until about the eight week of
embryonic development. The embryonic structures of males and females during the early stages
of human development are alike and are said to be in different stage. When the reproductive
structures are formed development of the accessory structures and external genitalia begins.

Beginning of life
Life begins at fertilization. It refers to the meeting of the female sex cell and the male sex cell.
These sex cells are developed in the reproductive organs called GONADS. The male sex cell
called spermatozoa [sing. –zoon] are produced in the male gonads called testes. On the other
hand, the female sex cells called ova are produced in the female gonads known ovaries. The
fertilized egg cell known as zygote contains all the hereditary potentials from the parents. This
zygote goes to the uterus and continues to grow during the gestation period of about 280 days or
36 weeks or 9 calendar months.
Both male and female chromosomes contain several thousands of genes – called
deoxyribonucleic acid which is the code of heredity. Maturation is the unfolding of the inherent
traits.

Human Development
The formation of male or female structures depends on the presence of testosterone (A substance
called hormone that occurs naturally in men and male animals). The embryonic testes release
testosterone once formed and the formation of the duct system and external genitalia follows.
The same with female embryos that form ovaries, it will cause the development of the female
ducts and external genitalia since testosterone hormone is not produce.
Pseudo hermaphrodites are formed who an individual is having accessory reproductive structures
that do not “match” their gonads while true Hermaphrodites are individuals who possess both
ovarian and testicular tissues but this condition is rare in nature. Nowadays, many pseudo
hermaphrodites undergo sex change operation to have their outer selves fit with their inner
serves (gonads).

Human anatomy
Puberty is the period of life when the reproductive organs grow to their adult size and become
functional under the influence of rising levels of gonadal hormones [testosterone in male and
estrogen in female] and generally between the age of 10-15 years old.
At the age of 13, male puberty is characterized by the increase in the size of the reproductive
organs followed by the appearance of hair in the pubic area, axillary and face. The reproductive
organs continue to grow for two years until sexual maturation marked by the presence of mature
semen in the testes.
For the female, the budding of their breasts usually occurring at the age of 11 as a sign of their
puberty stage. Menarche is the first menstrual period of females which happens two years after
the start of puberty. Hormones play an important role in the regulation of ovulation and fertility
of females.
R
.
 Factors in
The development of the individual is caused by two interacting forces: heredity and
environment. Heredity [nature] is the transmission of traits from parents to offspring it provides
the raw materials of which the individual is made up. While the environment [nurture] is the
sum total of the forces or experiences that a person undergoes from conception to old age. It
includes family, friends, school, nutrition and other agencies one is in contact with.

Diseases associated with the reproductive systems

Infections are the most common problems associated with the reproductive system in adults.
Vaginal infections are more common in young and elderly women and those whose resistance to
diseases is low, like, Escherichia coli which spread through the digestive tract, the sexually
transmitted microorganisms such as syphilis, gonorrhea and herpes virus and yeast fungus.
Pelvic inflammatory disease and sterility are also the effect of vaginal infections. For males, the
most common inflammatory conditions are prostatitis, urethritis, and epididymitis, STD,
Orchiditis.
Major treat to reproductive organs are Neoplasms, tumor of the breast and cervix cancers in adult
females and prostates cancer in adult males.
Most women hit the highest point of their reproductive abilities in their late 20‟s,
i.e. irregular ovulation and shorter menstrual periods – menopausal period.
The production of estrogen may continue after menopause but the ovaries finally stop
functioning as endocrine organs. The reproductive organ and breast begin to atrophy or shrink if
estrogen is no longer released from the body. With this case, the vaginal becomes dry that causes
intercourse to become painful if frequent and the vaginal infections become increasingly
common.
Signs of estrogen deficiency: irritability and mood changes [depression in some]; intense
vasodilation of the skin‟s blood vessels, gradual thinning of skin and loss of bone mass, slowing
rising high blood levels etc..
Note: there is no counterpart for menopause in males. Although aging men show a steady decline
in testosterone section, their reproductive capability seems unending.
Healthy men are still able to father offspring well into their 80‟ and beyond.
Erogenous zones
It refers to part of the body that are primarily receptive and increase sexual arousal when touched
in a sexual manner. Examples: mouth, breast, genitals, anus. However, erogenous zones may
vary from one person to another. Some people may desire and enjoy being touched in certain
area more than the other area, like, neck, thighs, abdomen and feet.

Human Sexual Behavior

It defined as any activity – solitary, between two persons, or in a group – that induces/ brings
sexual arousal [Gebhard, P.H. 2017]. This behavior is classified according to gender and number
of participants.
Types of behavior: Solitary behavior [involving one individual]; and Socio-sexual behavior
[more than one individual]

Solitary behavior
Self – gratification [begins at or b4 puberty] means self –stimulation that leads to sexual arousal
and generally, sexual climax. This takes place in personal and private as an end in itself, but can
also be done in a socio-sexual relationship.
This is common for males but becomes less frequent or is abandoned when socio-sexual activity
is available.
Therefore, self-gratification is most frequent among the unmarried. However this self-
gratification usually decreases as soon as an individual develop socio-sexual relationship.
Nowadays, human are frequently being exposed to sexual stimuli esp. from advertising and
social media. Some adolescents become so much aggressive when they respond to such stimuli.
The rate of teenage pregnancy is recently increasing. The challenge is to develop self-control so
that to balance suppression and free expression. Why? To prevent premarital sex and acquire
STD.
Socio-sexual behavior
It is the greatest amount of socio-sexual behavior that occurs b/w only one male and one female.
This usually begins in childhood and may be motivated by curiosity, such as showing or
examining genitalia.
Physical contact involving necking and petting is considered as an ingredient of the learning
process and eventually of courtship and selection of a marriage partner.
Petting differs from hugging, kissing and generalized caresses of the clothed body to produce
stimulation of the genitals. This is done due to affection as source of pleasure, preliminary to
coitus [this is an insertion of male reproductive organ into female organ]. This is regarded as an
important aspect in selecting partner but also a way of learning how to interact with another
person sexually.
A behavior may be interpreted by society or individual as erotic depending on the context in
which the behavior occurs. Example, kissing as a gesture of intimacy b/w couples while other
sees this as respect and reverence.
Physiology of human sexual response
Sexual response follows a pattern of sequential stages or phases when sexual activity is
continued.
1. Excitement phase = it is caused by increase in pulse and blood pressure; a sudden rise in
blood supply to the surface of the body resulting in increased skin temperature, flushing, and
swelling of all distensible body parts particularly noticeable in the male and female reproductive
system, rapid breathing, secretion of genital fluids, vaginal expansion, and a general increase in
muscle tension.
2. Plateau phase = it is generally of brief duration. If stimulation is continued, orgasm
usually occurs.
3. Sexual climax = a feeling of abrupt, intense pleasure, and rapid increase in pulse rate and
blood pressure, and spasms of the pelvic muscles causing contractions of the female
reproductive organ and ejaculation by the male that last only for few seconds normally not over
ten.
4. Resolution phase = it refers to the return to a normal or subnormal physiological state.
Whereas males return to normal even if stimulation continues, but continued stimulations can
produce additional orgasms in females. Females are physically capable of repeated orgasms
without the intervening “rest period” required by males.
Nervous system factors
The nervous system plays a significant role during sexual response. The autonomic system is
involved in controlling the involuntary responses.
The efferent cerebrospinal nerves transmit the sensory messages to the brain to create stimulus
and later initiating a sexual response. The brain will interpret the sensory message and dictate
what will be the immediate and appropriate response of the body. The muscles contract in
response to the signal coming from the motor nerve fibers while glad secretes their respective
product. So, sexual response is dependent the activity of the nervous System.
Hypothalamus and limbic system are part of the brain believed to be responsible for regulating
the sexual response, but there is no specialized “sex center” that has been located in the human
brain.
Apart from brain-controlled sexual responses is the reflex. This reflex is mediated by the lower
spinal cord that leads to erection and ejaculation for male, vaginal discharges and lubricant for
female when the genital areas are stimulated. But still, the brain can overrule and suppress such
reflex activity, when sexual response is socially inappropriate.

Sexual problems
These may be classified as physiological, psychological and social in origin. Physiological
problems are the least among the three categories. Small number of people suffering from
diseases due to abnormal development of the genitalia or that part of the neurophysiology
controlling sexual response. Example: vaginal infection, retroverted uteri, prostatitis, adrenal
tumors, diabetes, senile changes of the vagina and cardiovascular problems.

Medication: Through surgery

Psychological problems: usually caused by socially induced inhibitions, maladaptive attitudes,
ignorance and sexual myths held by society. Example: mature sex must involve rapid erection,
prolonged coitus and simultaneous orgasm. Methods: magazines, married books and general
sexual folklore often strengthen these demanding ideals which are not always achieved;
therefore, can give rise to feeling of inadequacy anxiety and guilt. Hence, resulting negative
emotions can definitely affect the behavior of an individual.
Premature emission of semen is a common problem for young males. Why? Because of the
natural result of excessive tension in a male who has been sexually deprived. Erectile impotence
is almost always a psychological problem in males under 40; in other cases, the impotence may
be the result of disinterest in the sexual partner, fatigue, and distraction because of nonsexual
worries, intoxication and other causes such as occasional impotency is common and requires no
therapy.
Ejaculatory impotence [inability to ejaculate in coitus] is uncommon and usually of psychogenic
origin. Why? It is due to the past traumatic experiences. Warning! Occasional ejaculatory
inability can be possibly expected in older men or in any male who has exceeding his sexual
capacity.
Lastly, vaginismus is a strong spasm [contraction] of the pelvic musculature constricting the
female reproductive organ so that penetration is painful or impossible. It can be due to anti-
sexual conditioning or psychological trauma as an unconscious defense against coitus.
Medication: through psychotherapy and by gradually dilating/widening the female organ with
increasing large cylinders.
Sexual Reproductive diseases are the following:
1. Chlamydia
2. Gonorrhea
3. Syphilis
4. Chancroid
5. Human Papillomavirus
6. Herpes simplex virus
7. Trichomonas vaginalis
Natural and artificial methods are the following:
1. Abstinence
2. Calendar method
3. Basal body temperature
4. Cervical mucus method
5. Symptothermal method
6. Ovulation detection
7. Coitus interruptus
Artificial methods are the following:
1. Oral contraceptive
2. Transdermal patch
3. Vaginal ring
4. Subdermal implants
5. Hormonal injections
6. Intrauterine device
7. Chemical barriers
8. Diaphragm
 9. Cervical cap
10. Male condoms
11. Female condoms
12. Surgical methods (vasectomy and ligation)

UNIT 2: MATERIAL SELF: TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY?

1. Explain the association of self and possessions;

2. Identify the role of consumer culture to self and identity; and
3. Appraise one‟s self based on the description of material self.
Material self
We are living in a world of sale and shopping spree. We are given a wide array of products to
purchase from a simple set of spoon and fork to owning a restaurant. Almost everywhere,
including the digital space, we can find promotions of product purchase. Product advertisements
are suggestive of making us feel better or look good. Part of us wants to have that product. What
makes us want to have those products are connected with who we are. What we have and already
possess is related to our self.
Belk stated that “we regard our possessions as part of our selves. What we have and what we
possess.” There is a direct link b/w self-identity with what we have and possess.

A Harvard psychology in the late nineteenth century, William James, wrote in the book, the
principles of psychology in 1890 that understanding the self can be examined through its
different components namely: 1] its constituents; 2] the feelings and emotions they aroused self-
feelings; 3] the actions for which they prompt the seeking and self-preservation. The constituents
of self are composed of material self, the social self, the spiritual self, and the pure ego.
The material self, according to William James primarily is about: our bodies; clothes; immediate
family; home.

HOME

Clothes

MATERIAL SELF:
1. Body is the innermost part of material self. You are directly attached to this commodity
that you cannot live without. You strive hard to make sure that this body functions well and
good. Example is Mariah Carey, she was reported to have placed a huge amount for the
insurance of his vocal cords and legs.
2. Clothes is next to the body that was being influenced by the “the philosophy of dress” by
Herman Lotze. William James believed that an essential part of the material self is clothing.
Lotze stipulated in his book that any time you bring an abject into the surface of your body, you
invest that object into any consciousness of your personal existence taking in its contours to be
your own and making it part of the self.
3. Immediate Family is the third in the hierarchy. Your parents and siblings hold another
great important part of yourself. What they do or became affects you. When an immediate family
member dies, part of you dies, too. When their lives are in success, you feel their victories as if
you are the one holding the bacon. In their failures, you are put to chance or guilt. When they are
disadvantage situation, there is an urgent urge to help like a voluntary instinct of saving one‟s
self from danger.
4. Home is the fourth component of material self. Home is where your heart is. It is the
earliest nest of your selfhood. Your experience inside the home were recorded and marked on
particular parts and things in your home. There was an old cliché about rooms: “if only walls can
speak”. The home thus is an extension of self, because in it, you can directly connect yourself.

We are what we have

Russel Belk (1988) posits that “… we regard our possessions as part of our selves. We are what
we have and what we possess.” The identification of the self to things stared in our infancy stage
when we make a distinction among self and environment and others who may desire our
possessions.
The possessions that we dearly have tell something about who we are, our selfconcept, our past,
and even our future.

UNIT 3: SPIRITUAL SELF: BELIEVE IT OR NOT!

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Identify various religious practices and beliefs;
2. Understand the self in relation with religious beliefs; and
3. Explain ways of finding the meaning of life.

Religion
Spiritual self is one of the four (4) constituents of the “self” according to William James in his
book, The Principles of Psychology in 1890. The spiritual self is the most intimate, inner
subjective part of self – the most intimate version of the self because of the satisfaction
experienced when thinking of one‟s ability to argue and discriminate, of one‟s moral sensibility
and conscience, and our unconquerable will is purer than all other sentiments of satisfaction.
Rebecca Stein (Stein 2011) works on the definition of religion "as a set of beliefs and practices
that usually includes some or all of basic characteristics.
These characteristics are:
1) A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirit and gods
2) A focus on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling of reverence and
awe
3) The presence of supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural beings
as well as physical beings and objects
4) The performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of sacred object
to communicate to supernatural beings and/or to influence or control events
5) The articulation of worldview and moral codes through narratives and other means
6) Provide the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanism of social
control within a community; provide explanation for unknown and a sense of control for
individuals.
An individual lives in a society where there are many practices of religion. The choice of
religious belief lies within the spiritual self although the choice may be influenced by the society
and its culture.
Ritual
It is the performance of ceremonial acts prescribed by a tradition or sacred law (Britannica
2017). Ritual is a specific, observable mode of behavior exhibited by all known societies. It is
thus possible to view ritual as a way of defining or describing humans.
There are three fundamental characteristics of rituals according to Penner (Britannica 2017).
Ritual has the characteristics of:
1) A feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in relation to the sacred
2) Dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the language of myth
3) Is symbolic in relation to its reference
The self can be described as a ritual being who exhibits a striking parallel between their ritual
and verbal behavior. Just as language is a system of symbols that is based upon arbitrary rules,
ritual may be viewed as a system of symbolic acts that is based upon arbitrary rules. Participation
to rituals is expressions of religious beliefs.
Some World Religious Beliefs and Practices
There are different religious with different beliefs and practices. Some of the major world
religions are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Excerpt of some religious
beliefs and practices are found in the University of London's Religion and Belief Guide 2017.
Core beliefs
Buddhism believes that life is not a bed of roses. Instead, there are suffering, pain, and
frustrations. When people suffer, they want to experience the goodness of life and avoid
disappointments. It becomes a habit known as the reactive cycle of wanting and hating, like and
dislike, band craving and aversion. This reactive cycle can be broken through the practice of
mediation, acquiring more wisdom and deeper understanding, and acceptance of things as they
are.
Customs and Practices
There are two types of meditation practices: samatha and vipassana. The
Samatha is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving kindness (Metta
Bhavana). Vipassana practices aim developing insight into reality. Acquiring wisdom is by
studying Buddha's teaching, the Dharma. Through the reflection of Dharma, Buddhist can
achieve a deeper understanding of life. Buddhists believe in nonviolence principle.
Some of the major Buddhist celebrations are Parinirvana Day in February; Buddha Day (Wesak)
in May; Dharma Day in July; Padmasambhava Day in October; and Sangha Day in November.
Christianity
Core beliefs
Christians believe in Trinitarian God. One God in three personas: God the Father (Creator), God
the Son( Savior),and God the Holy Spirit Sustainer). Eternal after death will be achieved through
faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is, God the Son, who came into flesh, to spread the good news
of salvation. He died on the cross for the sins of the humanity but resurrected from the death, so
that anyone who believes in him will be saved in have eternal life. The holy bible is a selection
of books, which is divided in to two, the Old Testament and New Testament.
Customs and Practices
Sacrament of Baptism and Sacrament of Communion are practiced by Christian churches. The
sacrament of Baptism symbolizes the birth in Christian world, while the sacrament of
communion is an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ 's sacrificial love. Jesus Christ teaching in
unconditional love that is expressed in loving the poor, oppressed, and outcast of the society
Christmas and Resurrection (Easter) are the two major celebrations in
Christianity. Christmas, usually on December 25, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ while
Resurrection Sunday (depends on the lunar calendar, sometime in March or April) celebrates the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from death.
Hinduism
Core beliefs
Hinduism covers a wide range of traditional beliefs and religious groups; thus, there is no single
founder or leader. Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth, governed
by Karma. Karma is a concept where the reincarnated life will depend on how the past life was
spent. Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and it's next in
carnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived. Vedas are sacred Scriptures of
Hindus. Mahabharata and Ramayana are two other important texts of the Hindus.
Custom and practices
Diwali and Navrati are the most celebrated festivals of the Hindus. Diwali is the festival of lights
while Navrati is the festival of nine nights, which celebrate the triumph of good over evil.
Hindus have set dates to honor particular manifestations of God.

Islam
Core beliefs
Muslims believe in Allah, who is their "One God" They believe in the unity and universality of
God. Muslims also have a strong sense of community or "ummah" and an awareness of their
solidarity with all Muslims worldwide. Islam means "willing submission to God ".
Muslims believe that Mohammed is the last and final prophet sent by God. Mohammed was born
in Mecca in 570 CE and received revelations from God through the Angel Gabriel over a period
of 23 years. The Holy Bible of Islam is called the Quran, which was taught to be recited in
Arabic because any translation is seen as inadequate.
Customs and practices
Muslims believe in the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of Muslim
life:
1) Shahadah - statement of faith: "There is no God but the one true God and
Mohammed is his messenger".
2) Salat - the prayer that is practiced five times a day.
3) Zakat - the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It comprises the 2.5% of a
Muslim's assets.
4) Haji – the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can afford are asked to do the
pilgrimage at last once in their lifetime.
5) Sawm – the fasting. Muslims do fasting from food, drink, and sexual act during the
celebration of Ramadan s the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The fast is from
dawn to sunset.
Two of the major festivals in Islam are Eidul-Fitr and Eidul-Adha. The first one refers to the
celebration at the end of Ramadan, while Eidul-Adha is the celebration within the completion of
the Pilgrimage, the Haji.
Judaism
Core beliefs
The Jews believe in the God of Abraham ,the same God that liberated the Hebrew slaves from
Egypt to Canaan, the promised land through the leadership of Moses and later, Joshua.
The Jews believe in the coming of Messiah, the Savior. The sacred scripture of the Jews is called
the Torah or the Law. The Torah is the guide of the Jewish living. The study and interpretation
of Torah is part of the Jewish culture.
Customs and Practices: There are five major festivals observed by the Jews:
1. Rosh Hashanah - the New Year
2. Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement
3. Pesach - Passover
4. Shavuot - Pentecost
5. Sukkot - Tabernacles. The Jewish Sabbath begins on Friday evening at sunset and is an
important time when families gather for the Shabbat meal.
Finding and Creating Meaning of Life
Another extensive study of self can be found in the works of Dr. Viktor E. Frankl.
[The following are the excerpts from the
website:
http://www.victorfranklinstitute.org/About_Viktor_Frankl.html
He was born on March 26, 1905 in Vienna, Austria, where famous psychiatrists Sigmund Freud
and Alfred Adler lived. He graduated with medical degree from the University of Vienna in
1930. He was assigned in Vienna Hospital suicide ward and headed thee Rothschild Hospital.
A survivor of the holocaust, he published a book about logotherapy. In 1959, the book was
translated to English and was revised in 1963 as The doctor and the Soul: An Introduction to
Logotherapy. His book, Man‟s search for meaning has been used as a textbook in high school
and college courses. He died in 1997.
Logotherapy
It is a psychotherapy introduced by V. Frankl, who is considered the father of logotherapy. The
main belief of logotherapy is that “man‟s primary motivational force is search for meaning.”
Logotherapy aids individuals to find personal meaning of life, whatever life situation they may
be.
In logotherapy, meaning can be discovered by creating a work or doing deed, experiencing
something or encountering someone and the attitude toward unavoidable suffering. According to
V. Frankl institute of logotherapy, it uses the philosophy of optimism in the face of tragedy,
where people are capable of turning suffering into human achievement and accomplishment
deriving from guilt the opportunity to change oneself for the better; and deriving from life‟s
transitoriness an incentive to take responsible action.

Basic concept of Franklian Psychology

There are three basic concepts using Franklian Psychology:
1) Life has meaning under all circumstances.
2) Main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.
3) Freedom to find meaning.
Furthermore, his psychology aims to: 1] become aware of spiritual resources; 2] make conscious
spiritual resources; and 3] use defiant power of the human spirit and stand up against adversity.
Logotherapy assumptions (that cannot be proven w/
certainty) These include the following:
1. The human being is an entity consisting of body [soma], mind [psyche] and spirit [noos].
i.e. according to him, the body and mind are what we have and the spirit is what we are.
2. Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable. Ie. it‟s hard to grasp
but it is something everyone experiences and it represents an order in a world w/ laws that go
beyond human laws.
3. People have a will to meaning. When we see meaning, we are ready for any type of
suffering. This is considered to be different than our will to achieve power and pleasure.
4. People have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to find meaning. This
deals with change of attitudes about unavoidable fate.
5. Life has a demand quality to w/c people must respond if decisions are to be meaningful.
The meaning of the moment is more practical in daily living than ultimate meaning. Unlike
ultimate meaning this meaning can be found and fulfilled.
6. The individual is unique. This enhanced by the realization that we are irreplaceable.
In essence, all human are unique w/ an entity of body, mind and spirit. We all go through
unique situations and are constantly looking to find meaning.

Frankl’s Sources of Meaning

There are three possible sources of meaning of life: 1] purposeful work – meaning of life is
unique to every individual; 2] courage in the face of difficulty – a meaningful life is a life with
suffering. Suffering is part of life; and 3] love – is the only way to grasp another human being
in the innermost core of his personality. The ultimate factor to find meaning of life is love.
Costello captured V. Frankl‟s message: “The ultimate secret on the spiritual foundation of life
is that love is salvation and joy eternity.” The ultimate factor to find meaning of life is love.

UNIT 4: MORAL SELF: LIVING WITH PURPOSE

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Explain the basic concepts related to morality and moral self
2. Identify behaviors characteristic of the different stages of moral development
3. Relate the development of personal values to the development of a philosophy of
life
4. State the different influences or factors related to moral self
5. Evaluate practices that lead to the development of desirable moral values and
6. Apply concepts on morality in particular situations to develop a philosophy of life.
This lesson primarily defined moral and morality as having to do with right and wrong in the
context of societal norms and expectations. The lesson went on to say that one‟s level of
morality is tested especially when one is placed in a dilemma in w/c s/he has to make a
decision on what best course of action to take while taking into account that his/her decision
does not disturb, offend or hurt other people.
It will be pointed out that the process of moral development is in sync w/ intellectual
development. It implies that moral development has cognitive or intellectual foundations. As
one goes through each stage of moral development [Kohlberg], s/he also experiences the
corresponding stage of intellectual development [Piaget].
The importance of teaching the children the ability and skill to determine what is right or
wrong was likewise emphasized. Parenting styles are considered a significant factor in
developing moral reasoning. The four styles or parenting were also described in this lesson.
Every day, people are confronted with various dilemmas. Solving them requires one to decide
on what kind of action or response to make. In some instances, it is easy for one to respond to
a difficult situation, while in some cases, choosing the best response is difficult.

A dilemma is a problematic/complex situation in which a difficult choice must be made. The

kind of responses taken or made when one is in a quandary/ predicament serves as a good test
of a person‟s level of moral development.
Moral is related to a sense or standard that determines what is right and what is wrong. It
distinguishes correct/ right/ good from incorrect/ wrong/ evil from inappropriate. Morality
refers to system of beliefs and values that ensures that individuals will keep their obligations
to others in the society and behaves in ways that do not interfere with the right and interests
others.
Decision-making is understandably difficult, the degree of w/c depending on the situation. An
individual who has a good sense of what is right and wrong will be an honest and upright
member of the community possessing a better moral self.

Moral reasoning
It refers to the judgment people make about what courses of action are correct or incorrect in
particular situations. Reasoning is a cognitive skill, but influences moral development
Lawrence Kohlberg came up with the Theory of Moral Development by studying the concept
of moral reasoning. This theory is shaped by and tied up to Piaget‟s Stages of Intellectual
Development. Piaget asserts that intellectual development proceeds in stages or levels. The 1st
is the sensorimotor stage in w/c the child learns and develops knowledge about his/her
environment by relating sensory experiences to motor action. 2nd is the preoperational stage in
w/c the child learns to use symbols like words or mental images to solve simple problems. 3rd
is the concrete operations stage in w/c the child develops the ability to perform a number of
logical operations on concrete objects that are present. And lastly, formal operations stage in
w/c the individual acquires the ability to solve abstract problems in a logical manner.
This progression is related to the development of moral resoning. Thus the evolution of one‟s
sense of right and wrong in making decisions depends on his/her level of intellectual
development. This connection implies that advanced levels of intellectual development are
associated with higher stages of moral development. With this situation, a child cannot exhibit
advanced level of moral development if s/he is still at an early stage of intellectual
development.
Early in life, at the lowest level of development, self-preservation and self-interest are the
main reasons for one‟s actions and decisions. From there, moral development proceeds to the
next level guided by a more social or other oriented motivation, like avoidance of criticism or
censure from others, or simply for reasons of gaining social acceptance. At this level, the child
conforms w/ then gradually starts to conform with the laws of society. The highest level of
moral development goes much beyond the self and social reasons. At this point, decision
making considers social justice and the good of the society at large. Moral reasoning tries to
strike a balance b/w individual rights and laws of society.
At times, you might be placed in a dilemma w/c requires you to make a decision. You 1st have
to harness your intellectual capacity and reasoning ability in choosing what “best” decision to
take.
When you are at the crossroads of making a decision, always go back to your goals and your
philosophy of life as your guide.

Parenting styles and practices

The physiological or biological basis of moral and intellectual development has been
discussed earlier. One other factor w/c affect the individual‟s development is environmental
influence. This is the external forces outside of the individual person.

Parenting styles
It is known as the parent‟s strategies. According to Diana Baumrind, there are three parenting
styles, namely authoritarian [parents attempt to shape, control and evaluate the behaviors and
attitudes of their children in accordance w/ an absolute or respected authorities, thus,
obedience becomes a virtue]; authoritative [parents direct their children‟s activities in a
rational and intelligent way. They are supportive, loving and committed; support a give-and-
take relationship; discuss their rules and policies w/ children and encourage children to present
their viewpoints] and permissive [parents are less controlling and behave with an accepting
and non-punishing attitude towards their children‟s desires, actions and impulses.]
The fourth style was introduced by Maccoby and Martin in 1983. They coined the term
uninvolved or neglectful [parents who take on a hands-off stand in the affairs of their
children.]
However, most parents combine different styles in child –rearing.
Effects of Parenting Styles
Parenting styles influence the development of children‟s personality.
1. Authoritarian parents are demanding and their children have less behavioral problems w/c
are easily prevented. However, studies show that children reared under autocratic parents
tends to become withdrawn, fearful, and dependent. Children may suffer from low self-
esteem.
 2. Authoritative parents have children who are independent, reliable, rational and confident.
These children generally feel good about themselves.
3. Permissive parents rarely impose rules and are non-punishing. Thus, they tend to have
children who do not put structure and order in things that they do. For these children, anything
goes.
4. Uninvolved parents are detached and indifferent to the needs of their children. As such,
children grow up feeling unloved and cannot follow instructions. Some fall prey or sort to
substance abuse as a form of distraction or a way to get attention.
It must be noted that the kinds of parenting styles represent the dominant practices applied by
parents in dealing with their children. it is important that when children misbehave, they are
made to realized the consequences of their behavior. On the other hand, if they behave well, the
corresponding reward or motivation should be given.

UNIT 5: POLITICAL SELF: BEING FILIPINO

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Develop a Filipino identity;
2. Identify different Filipino values and traits; and
3. Reflect on your selfhood in relation to your national identity

What makes a Filipino a genuine Filipino? Do physical characteristics make one a Filipino? Or is
it a person‟s language, birthplace, and ethnicity? If you were to introduce yourself as a Filipino
to another nationality and s/he asks, “Who are Filipinos?” what will you reply?
The Philippines has only emerged in the 1890‟s after over three centuries of colonization of the
Spaniards. Liberation from the last colonizers, the Japanese, only occurred in 1946. Foreign
culture, beliefs, language, and religion have made a huge dent on our own by setting a
foundation to the contemporary Filipino identity and culture.
An individual‟s race, ethnicity, and physical characteristics are not the only factors that make a
person‟s national identity. Values and traits also important indicator that set apart one
nationality.
Through common goals, principles, and values of its people a nation empowers.
Who is a Filipino?
Filipinos globally renowned personalities; Manny Pacquiao; Lea Salonga; Michael Cinco who
have made the Filipinos recognized around the world through their expertise.
Buwan ng Wika and Independence Day celebrations prompt us to go back to our roots and
reflect on the question: Who is a Filipino? According to the 1973, of Philippine
Constitution, Filipino citizens are;
a. Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines.
b. Those born before January 17, 1973,of Filipino mother.
c. Who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority.
d. Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.
Citizenship is not only a marker of being a Filipino. Culture and history greatly influenced the
manner that Filipinos learn, live and behave to date.
Filipino Values and Traits
Philippines is a lush island paradise famous for its grandiose mountain views, pristine beaches,
and rich and diverse culture changing from province to province. Philippines well known for its
awe-inspiring beauty, perhaps the Filipinos unique traits, reputable values, and laudable talents
make the country a place to be.
“Mabuhay!” and “Salamat" the common Filipino phrases. “Po” and “Opo” habits saying to the
elders. “Kumain ka na ba?” meaning “Have you eaten yet?” and importunate asking of a
Filipino.
The Filipino Hospitality
Filipino‟s brand of hospitality is known everywhere. Filipinos welcome their guests and tourists
as if they are their own brothers and sisters.
They always make their guests feel at home, offering them something to eat, and or even a place
to stay. They are also fond of giving pasalubong or tokens and pabaon or farewell gifts to their
visitors.
Respect for Elders
Filipinos greet their elders by kissing their hand while saying “Mano Po!” constantly using “Po"
and “opo” in conversation. There is also a wide array of references to elder people such as ate for
elder sister; kuya for older brother; Tito and Tita for uncle and aunt ;Lolo and Lola for
grandparents ;and Manong and Aling for older people outside the family.
Close Family Ties
Filipino maintains a tight relationship with their families regardless if the children are old
enough and already have a family of their own.
Cheerful Personality
Filipinos have a habit of smiling and laughing a lot. Smiling is a coping strategy for many
Filipinos especially during trying Times and calamities. Filipino always tries to maintain a
positive outlook in life which makes them resilient and able to manage almost everything with a
simple smile.
Self-sacrifice
The self-sacrificing attitude of Filipinos can be seen as an extension of the Filipino hospitality.
Filipinos go out of their way to extend help to their friends, families, and loved ones.
Bayanihan
Is the spirit of communal unity and cooperation of Filipinos. Giving without expecting
something in return. Filipinos are always ready to share and help their friends and loved ones
who are in need.
“Bahala na” Attitude
“Bahala na” is a Filipino version of the famous line “Hakuna Matata,” meaning no worries. The
phrase said originated from the “Bathala na,” where Bathala means God, and the phrase meaning
leaving everything into God's hands. It can also view as cheerful and positive attitude of
Filipinos and allowing situations take care of themselves instead of worrying about them.
Colonial Mentality
It is regarded as the lack of patriotism and the attitude where Filipinos favor foreign products
more than their own. It does not only concern goods, but also the desire to look more foreign
than local and keep up with foreign beauty trends. It is attributed to the centuries of colonization
Filipinos had experienced under the Spanish, American and Japanese rule.
“Mañana” Habit
Filipino term for procrastination. It was derived from a longer Filipino phrase called “Mamaya
na” means dawdling things, which could have been done at an earlier time. It was a poor habit of
laziness that results in heavier workloads.
“Ningas Kugon"
“Ningas" is a Filipino term for flame and “Kugon" is a Filipino term for Cogon grass that easily
burns out after it is put into flames. It is refers to the attitude of eagerly starting things but
quickly losing eagerness soon after experiencing difficulty. Filipinos are regarded as “Juan
Tamad” or Lazy Juan because of laziness.
Pride
When two parties are not in good terms, they find it so hard to apologize and wait until the other
party asks for an apology first.
Crab Mentality
Where one resents the achievement of another, instead of feeling happy for that person. They
pull each other down and ruin each other reputation rather than bringing them up, resulting to no
progress.

Filipino Time
Filipinos have this common attitude of arriving late at commitments, dinner, or parties especially
if they are meeting someone close to them. They tend to not observe punctuality altogether.
Filipino Markers
1. Proverbs or Salawikain - Damiana Eugenio, regarded as the mother of Philippine
Folklore, classified proverbs into six categories (Eugenio,2000);
a. Proverbs expressing a general attitude toward life and the laws that govern
life;
b. Ethical proverbs recommending certain virtues and condemning certain vices;
c. Proverbs expressing a system of values;
 d. Proverbs expressing general truths and observations about life and human
nature;
e. Humorous proverbs; and
f. Miscellaneous proverbs.
2. Superstitions – Filipinos subscribe to their own set of superstitious passed down
from generation to generation. Some of the superstitious influenced by beliefs from other
cultures, but Filipinos have retold according to their own experiences and they sometimes
end up even more interesting.
3. Myths and legends
4. Heroes and Icons – Heroes serve as a reminder of true patriotism and nationalism as
they have sacrificed their lives for the sake of their country‟s freedom and progress. The
last monday of August we lend to celebrate our heroes to remember their greatness,
bravery, and resilience that has led to the freedom we know today. Lea Salonga, Manny
Pacquiao, and our national hero Jose Rizal, serve as important Filipino markers as they
have made the Filipino name pronounced worldwide through their own expertise.
How to be a Good Filipino
The following are a few ways on how to be a good Filipino;
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.

UNIT 6: DIGITAL SELF: WHO I AM IN THE CYBER WORLD?

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Define online identity
2. Compare real identity versus online identity
3. Describe the influence of internet on sexuality and gender
4. Discuss the proper way of demonstrating values and attitudes online

These days, more people are becoming active in using the internet for research, pleasure,
business, communication, and other purposes. On the other hand, people assume different
identities while in the cyberspace. People act differently when they are online and offline. We
have a real identity and online identity.
It has only been 25 years since Tim Berners - Lee made the World Wide Web available to the
public, but in that time, the internet has already become an integral part of everyday life for the
most of the world's population.
Almost two-thirds of the world's population now has a mobile phone. More than half of the
world's web traffic now comes from mobile phones. More than half of all mobile connections
around the world are now "broad band." More than one in five of the world's population online
in the past 30 days.
Media users in the Philippines grew by 12 million or 25% while the number of mobile social
users increased by 13 million or 32%. Those growth figures are still higher compared to the
previous year. More than half the world now uses a smartphone.

Based on Figure, the number of digital users worldwide increases. More people are becoming
interested and devoted in using the Internet for various activities. In Philippines, adolescents are
among the most avid users of the internet.
ONLINE IDENTITY is actually the sum of our characteristics and our interaction. PARTIAL
IDENTITY is a subset of characteristics that make up our identity. Meanwhile persona is the
partial identity we create that represents ourselves in a specific situation.

Selective Self-Presentation and Impression Management

According to Goffman (1959) and Leary (1995), self-presentation is the "Process of controlling
how one is perceived by other people" and is the key to relationship inception and development.
To construct positive images, individuals selectively provide information about them and
carefully cater this information in response to other's feedback.
Anything posted online should be considered "Public" no matter what our
"Privacy" setting are. PERSONAL IDENTIT is the interpersonal level of self which
differentiates the individual as unique from others. SOCIAL IDENTITY is the level of self
whereby the individual is identified by his or her group membership.
BELK (2013) explained that sharing ourselves is no longer new and has been practiced as soon
as human being formed. Digital devices help us share information broadly, now than ever before.
In older Family albums, the photographer was not often represented in the album (Mendelson
and Papacharissi 2011), whereas with arm'slength photos, they are necessarily included.
As Schwarz (2012) mentioned, we have entered an extraordinary era of selfportraiture. Blogs
and web pages have been continually used for greater self-reflection and self-presentation
facebook and other social media application are now a key part of self-presentation for one sixth
of humanity. As a result, researchers and participants become concerned with activity managing
identity and reputation and to warn against the phenomenon of "over sharing".
Many teenagers, as well as adults, share even more intimate details with their partners like their
passwords (Gershon 2010). This could be an ultimate act of intimacy and trust or the ultimate
expression of paranoia and distrust with partners. This condition has been called "Fear of
Missing Out". People would like to remain updated and they keep on sharing themselves online
because it adds a sense of confidence at their end especially if others like and share their post.
One of the reason for so much sharing and self-disclosure online is the so called "Disinhibition
Effect” (Ridley 2012: Suler 2004.) the lack of face-to-face gaze-meeting, together with feelings
of anonymity and invisibility, gives people the freedom for selfdisclosure but can also “flame”
others and may cause conflict sometimes. The resulting disinhibition causes people to believe
that they are able to express their “true self” better online than they ever could in face-to-face
context [Taylor 2002]. However, it does not mean that there is a fixed “true self.” The self is still
a work in progress and we keep on improving and developing ourselves every single day.
Seemingly self-revelation can be therapeutic to others especially if it goes together with self-
reflection (Morris et al. 2010.) But it does appear that we now do a large amount of our identity
work online.
When the Internet constantly asks us “Who are you” and “What do you have to share?”, it is up
to us if we are going to provide answers to such questions/ queries every time we use the internet
and do what extent are going to share details ourselves to others.
Many of us share the bad, embarrassing and lustful things we experience. We also react and
comment on the negative experiences of others. Sometimes we empathize with people. We also
argue w/ others online. Relationships may be made stronger or broken through posts online.
Blogs and Social Media are the primary digital for a on which such confessions, occur, but they
can also be found in photo- and video sharing sites where blunders and bad moments are also
preserved and shared ( Strangelove 2011). According to M. Foucault, confessing our secret
truths feels freeing, even as it binds us in a guilt-motivated self-governance born of a long
history.
According to Foucault`s (1998) Confession along with contemplation, selfexamination, learning,
reading, and writing self- critical letters to friends, are a part of the “ technologies of the self”
through which we seek to purge and cleanse ourselves.
Despite the veil of invisibility, writers on the internet write for an unseen audience (Serfaty
2004). Both the number and feedback of readers provide self validation for the writer and a
certain celebrity (O` Regan 2009). Confessional blogs may also be therapeutic for the audience
to read; allowing both. Sincere empathy and the voyeuristic appeal of witnessing a public
confession (Kitzmann 2003).
Thus, we should have a filtering system to whatever information we share online, as well as to
what information we believe in, w/c are being shared or posted by others online. In the same
way, we should also think before we post or share in order to prevent conflict, arguments, and
cyber bullying and to preserve our relationships w/ others.

Gender and Sexuality Online

According to Marwick (2013), the term “sex”, “gender” and “sexuality” are often thought of as
synonymous, they are actually quite distinct. The differences b/w the common understandings of
these terms and how researchers think about them yield insights about the social functioning of
gender.
SEX is the biological state that corresponds to what we might call a “man” or a “woman”. While
“sex” is often explained as biological, fixed, and immutable, it is actually socially constructed
(West and Zimmerman 1987). Gender- is the social understanding of how sex should be
experienced and how sex manifests in behavior, personality, preferences, capabilities and so
forth. A person with male sex organs is expected to embody a muscular gender. While sex and
gender are presumed to be biologically connected, we can understand a socio culturally specific
set of norms that are mapped onto a category of “sex” (Kessler and Mc Kenna 1978, Lorber
1994). Gender is historical. It is produced by media and popular culture. It is taught by families,
schools, peer groups, and nations states (Goffman 1977). It is reinforced through songs, sayings,
admonition, slang, language, fashion, and discourse (Cameron 1998; Cameron and Kulick 2003),
and it is deeply ingrained.
Sexuality is an individual expression and understanding of desire. While like gender, this is often
viewed as binary (homosexual or heterosexual), in reality, sexuality is often experienced as fluid.
Performing Gender Online
Theorist Judith Butler (1990) conceptualized gender as a performance.
She argued that gender was performative in that it is produced through millions of individual
actions rather than something that comes naturally to men and women. According to the
disembodiment hypothesis, Internet users are free to actively choose which gender or sexuality
they are going to portray with the possibility of creating alternate identities (Wynn and Katz
1997).
Social Media sites like Twitter and YouTube have led to the emergence of a “free culture”
where individuals are empowered to engage to engage in cultural production using raw
materials, ranging from homemade videos to mainstream television characters to create new
culture of memes, mash-ups, and creative political activism allows for civic engagement and fun
creative acts. While Digg, 4chan, and Reddit are used mostly by men, most social network site
users are women; this is true in Facebook, Flickr, Live Journal, Tumblr, Twitter, and Youtube
(Chappell 2011;
Lenhart 2009; Lenhart et al.2010)
Setting Boundaries to your Online Self: Smart Sharing
The ff. guidelines will help you share information online in a smart way that will protect yourself
and not harm others. Before posting or sharing anything online, consider the ff.
1. Is this post / story necessary
2. Is there a real benefit to this post? Is it funny, warm- hearted, teachable-or am I just
making noise online without purpose?
3. Have we (as a family or parent/ child) resolved this issue? An issue that is still being
worked out at home, or one that is either vulnerable or highly emotional, should not be
made public.
4. Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the boundaries of our family values?
5. Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, 15 yrs.? Or is this post better suited for sharing
with a small group of family members? Or maybe not at all?
Rules to Follow
Here are additional guidelines for proper sharing of information and ethical use of the Internet
according to New (2014)
• Stick to safer sites
• Guard your passwords
• Limit what you share
• Remember that anything you put online post on a site is there forever, even if you
try to delete it.
• Do not be mean or embarrass other people online.
• Always tell if you see strange or bad behavior online.
• Be choosy about your online friends.
• Be patient

UNIT 7: SOCIAL SELF: RELATING WITH OTHERS

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Explain the basic concepts of social relationship
2. Discuss how relationships w/ others could be enhanced and improved by applying the
ideas on social relationships
 3. Identify and evaluate critical factors for meaningful social relationships from those
behaviors that are not acceptable
4. Analyze your behaviors to achieve harmonious relationships w/ others

This lesson tacked the field of social psychology. It particularly discussed the central of social
relationships. The different conditions and factors related to social relationships, namely
perceptions, social norms, attitudes, stereotypes, group effort, and cooperation, were also
prevented. It was showed that these factors affect a person‟s relationship w/ others. This
instructional module defines love and differentiated the kinds of love. Finally, it emphasized the
importance of maintaining good social relationships, as well as the guidelines and rules on how
to go about it so that people can live harmoniously w/ one another.

Social psychology
Many things may come to mind when you hear the word social. Generally, the term has
something to do w/ relating well or interacting w/ others. The study of relationships or
interactions is called social psychology. Lahey [2007] defines social psychology as the branch of
psychology that studies individuals as they interact with others. Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian
[2014] state that it is a broad field whose goal is to understand and explain how thoughts,
feelings, perceptions and behaviors are influenced by the presence or, o interactions w/, others.
Additionally, for Gerrig and Zimbardo [2002] it is the study of the effect of social factors on
individual behavior, attitudes, perceptions, and motives. Thus, social psychology is the study of
group and intergroup phenomena.
The key words are interactions and relationships. Interaction refers to the mutual and reciprocal
exchange of communication or action b/w two or more persons or groups. Relationships refers to
a particular way in w/c two or more individuals, groups or even countries talk to behave toward
or deal with each other. These two terms imply two-way exchanges.
There is fine line b/w interaction and relationship. Interaction is always a component of a
relationship. On the other hand, relationship includes not only the kind f interaction b/w the
members but also the intellectual, psychological or even emotional investment made by the
parties to develop and maintain the relationship.
One a relationship w/ other people or groups is established, it is important to maintain and
nurture that association.

Person perception
In psychology, person perception refers to forming impressions and making judgment about
another person‟s likability after seeing or meeting him/her. The assessment involves as well what
kind of person one is, including his/her intentions, traits, and behaviors. First impressions, w/c
are formed w/n a very short time w/ little conscious thought and biased by past experiences, are
part of person perception [Macrae and Quadflieg, 2010].
Another factor that influence one‟ judgment or perception is physical appearance. People usually
use external appearance as immediate basis for assessing, judging or evaluating others. But, it is
wrong to judge the character of a person on the basis of first impressions because biases and
errors may occur. It is advisable to validate perception through observations, gathering of
feedback and reports and interaction among others, before making judgment.
Social norms
Norms are patterns or traits characterized as typical or usual for a group. Other terms associated
w/ norms are “average” and normal.
Norms change over time. Social norms refer to spoken and unspoken rules for behaving in
particular situations. Norms in social behavior serve to guide or regulate the manner in w/c
people conduct themselves. Behaviors have to be controlled or regulated because of social
consequences.
Together as a group
On many occasions, people work in groups. In social situations, where people work and do
things together for a purpose, two things may happen. 1st, the performance of each individual
member of the group is improved. This is also referred to as social facilitation. For example two
groups w/ 3 members each in a javelin throw competition. The rule is to add the individual
distances traveled by the javelin for each group. In this case, each member will exert tier best to
throw the javelin to the farthest point possible.
2nd, working with group may also reduce individual effort, a phenomenon known as social
loafing. Example, if a group may no longer try their best to contribute to the solution because
they feel that there are others who can do it better.
One must bear in mind that in a group work, it is important that each member exerts his/ her best
effort to facilitate the attainment of the objectives of the group as a whole.
Conformity
It refers to yielding to group pressure to act as everyone does, even when no direct request has
been made. It is the tendency to behave like others in the group do. This is brought about by two
motivations: to gain reward [approval] or avoid punishment [disapproval]; and to gain
information.
Some factors make conformity more likely to exist in a group: 1] size of the group; 2] unanimous
group; 3] culture; and 4] gender.
In social groups, likelihood of conformity among members is very high. However, individual
members are not expected to always yield to the pressure to conform. An individual member can
decide for himself whether or not to conform and to what extent.
As a member of a social group, one has to subscribe to basic and established rules, policies, or
guidelines for him to truly belong. If all members of the group live by these institutionalized
requirements, then, order, discipline, system, peace and harmony will be sustained.
Social roles and Social Norms
Man is a social animal. Being in a group can be advantageous or vice versa. As member of the
society, each person has a role to play; w/c may support or complement the roles of other people
s/he interacts with.
Social roles specify the part or position of a person in society. It specifies behavior expected to
be exhibited by an individual in practicing his role. So, when a mother is at home, she plays the
role of a parent; if she is in office as the manager, then she plays the role of a boss.
It is important to note that social role play a positive role in society. W/o these delineated roles, a
student, for example, will not know to expect from his teacher.
A sociogram indicates the social structure of a group and the relationship of people w/n the
group. It shows who are popular, isolates, islands, and mutual friends.
Nature and Depth or relationships
Relationships are among the most important aspects of our lives. They can be positive or
conflicted, but the lack of relationship could be the worst of all, as it creates loneliness.
Familiarity
It refers to being comfortable w/ another person and is necessary condition for a close
relationship to develop. Research has shown that people like to associate w/ others who are
similar to them in terms of the following: attitudes, behavior patterns, personal characteristics,
taste in fashion, intelligence, personality and the like.
Attraction
Attraction may lead to deeper relationship.
Love
It is a special attachment one has for himself/herself or for somebody else. It is an intense felling
of deep affection and welfare of the other. 3 of the most common kinds of love are as follows:
1. Romantic love – called as passionate love, it includes an intermingling of different
emotions: fear, anger, sexual desire, joy and jealousy among others.
2. Affectionate love – referred to as compassionate love, it is a type of love that occurs when
someone has deep and caring affection for a person and desires to have her near constantly.
3. Consummate love – the strongest and fullest type of love. This ideal form of love involves
passion, intimacy and commitment.
Triangular theory of Love
In 1985, Robert Sternberg postulated that love is made of 3 components passion, intimacy, and
commitment. Passion has something to do w/ physical and sexual attraction to another. Intimacy
is characterized by emotional feelings of warmth, closeness, and sharing of the relationship.
Lastly, commitment is the cognitive appraisal of the relationship and the intent to maintain it
even in the face of problems.
Interpretations on the illustration are as follows:
1. If passion is the only ingredient present, the feeling is infatuation, as in a fling or an
affair.
2. Intimacy and commitment w/o passion show affectionate love.
3. The combination of passion and commitment w/o intimacy results in fatuous love.
4. Consummate love is achieved if all three components are present.
Every person is capable of loving. W/o love, people become lonely and social relationships
suffer. People who freely share and give love and are loved in return, are happy people.
Attitudes
Attitudes are beliefs that predispose people to act and feel in certain ways towards people,
objects or ideas. It can either be positive or negative. A positive attitude reflects a happy,
pleasant and optimistic disposition. On the contrary, a negative attitude associates with
pessimism or general feeling of dislike. 3 distinct features of an attitude include belief, feelings,
and disposition.
For instance, the negative attitude of a person towards sidewalk vendors can be described by:
a. A belief that sidewalk vendors are dishonest
b. A strong dislike for sidewalk vendors and
c. A refusal to buy from sidewalk vendors.
How attitudes originate?
Generally, attitudes of a person develop over time and have emotional components. However,
they are normally acquired from 2 sources – 1st hand experience and accounts by others.
People develop positive or negative attitude towards certain an object because of a direct
experience with it. Attitudes are learned from others through modeling and reinforcement.
Persuasion and attitude change
Attitudes are not permanent. It can be changed or modified even after they have been formed.
Persuasive communication plays a big part in this process. The extent of change in the attitude
depends on the speaker, the message, and the listener. If a speaker is a credible source of
information, s/he is more likely persuaded to change. The more credible the speaker is, the more
persuasive the message becomes. An attractive speaker is more effective in changing opinions.
Stereotypes
It is a generalization in which the same traits or characteristics are assumed to be possessed by
all members of a group. Some stereotypes are based on an outsiders experience w/ a number of
people in a group, w/c were concluded as encompassing of all members of the group and
oftentimes proven inaccurate.
Negative stereotypes are accompanied by prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice s an unfair,
biased, intolerant attitude or opinion towards members of a group. Discrimination is an unfair
behavior or treatment towards the members of a group. Discrimination against people based on
their skin, color or race or ethnic heritage is called racism, while discrimination against people
because of their gender is referred to as sexism.