UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

(GE 1)

(Image source: https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/module-1/)

JENITH T. SALEM
Assistant Professor III/HRDO

College of Engineering & Technology

BSCE 1A; BSCE 1B; BSCPE 1 &
BSEE 1

Second Semester, S.Y. 2021-2022

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VISION
A provider of relevant and quality education to a society where
citizens are competent, skilled, dignified and community- oriented.
BOR No. 69 s. 2017

MISSION
An academic institution providing technological, professional,
research and extension programs to form principled men and women
of competencies and skills responsive to local and global development
needs.
BOR No. 69 s. 2017

QUALITY POLICY
Northwest Samar State University commits to provide excellent,
relevant, and quality instruction, research, extension, and production
by adhering to regulatory and statutory requirements and pledging to
continually improve its Quality Management System, thereby
satisfying client needs and producing world-class professionals.
BOR No. 64 s. 2018

CORE VALUES
Resilience. Integrity. Service. Excellence.
BOR No. 69 s. 2017

INSTITUTIONAL GRADUATE OUTCOMES

Creative and critical thinkers
Life-long learners
Effective communicators
Morally and socially upright individuals
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About the Author

Jenith Tayo-Salem is currently designated as Human Resource Development

Officer of Northwest Samar State University. At present, her academic rank is
Assistant Professor III.

She has already completed academic requirements in Doctor of Arts in

Language and Literature (DALL) in the University of Eastern Philippines, Catarman,
N. Samar. She finished Master of Arts in Education major in English from Christ the
King College, Calbayog City, Samar. She took Bachelor of Arts major in English
from Central Colleges of the Philippines, Quezon City.

She taught Effective Speech Communication, Research and Technical Writing,

Effective Study and Thinking Skills, English Plus, World Literature, Industrial Organization &
Personnel Management, Purposive Communication and Understanding the Self.
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Rationale
The purpose of this learning module is to help you to deepen your understanding and
appreciation for who you are including the factors that influence and shape your personal
identity. It is designed for you to examine how your personal identity has been shaped by
people and experiences, you will also have opportunities to explore how to see yourself through
the lenses of the personal identity your values, your skills and talents, roles, your strengths and
challenges and also to learn critical knowledge to respond the pressures of changes in life.
This learning module has a different topic with sufficient discussions to provide opportunities
for you to gain new skills for practical application of the concepts learned that aim to help you
to become better. This will be provided for you to read and comprehend the lesson properly.
There is an evaluation after the module has been read to check how far you learned the topics,
and also quizzes and activities are being provided and required every topic in the module.
Each learning plan has the following parts:
• Let’s hit these is the part where the objectives for the lesson is specified, giving the
learner’s clarity on goal and points to learn at the end of the lesson.
• Let’s get started is the part where learners are introduced to the topic, not directly but
through short activities that would help on building up ideas about the topic.
• Let’s find out is the part where the short activities in let’s get started are explained
and related to the actual topic.
• Let’s read is the part where texts and discussions about the specific topic are provided
as reading enrichments.
• Let’s remember is the part where the reading enrichment is summarized in bulleted
form as key points for the learners to keep in mind.
• Let’s do this is the part where a short quiz is given to evaluate the learnings from the
reading enrichments. Instructions are provided for clarity.

Course Code: GE 1

Course Title: Understanding the Self

Course Description:
Understanding the Self is a three-unit course that is intended to facilitate the exploration of the
issues and concerns regarding self and identity to arrive at the better understanding of one’s
self. It strives to meet this goal by stressing the integration of the personal with the academic
contextualizing matters discussed in the classroom and in the everyday experiences of yours in
making for better learning, generating a new appreciation for the learning process, and
developing a more critical and reflective attitude while enabling you to manage and improve
yourselves to attain a better quality of life.

This course is divided into three major parts: The first part seeks to understand of the self from
various disciplinal perspectives: philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and psychology- as well
as the more traditional division between the East and the West-each seeking to provide answers
to the difficult but essential question of “What is the Self?” And raising, among others, the
question: “Is there even such a construct as the self”
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The second part explores some of the various aspects that make up the self, such as the
biological and material up to and including the more recent Digital Self. The third and final
part identities three areas of concern for you: learning, goal setting, and managing stress.

This course includes the mandatory topics on Family Planning and Population Education.

Course Outcomes:

At the end of the course, you will be able to:

Module 1: The Self from Various Perspectives

1. Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various
disciplinal perspectives;
2. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different disciplines and
perspectives;
3. Examine the different influences, factors, and forces that shape the self; and
4. Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one’s self
and identity by developing a theory of the self.

Module 2: Unpacking the Self

5. Explore the different aspects of self and identity;
6. Demonstrate critical, reflective thought in integrating the various aspects of self and
identity;
7. Identify the different forces and institutions that impact the development of various
aspects of self and identity; and
8. Examine one’s self against the different aspects of self, discussed in class.

Module 3: Managing and Caring for The Self

9. Understand the theoretical underpinnings for how to manage and care for different
aspects of the self;
10. Acquire and hone new skills and learnings for better managing of one’s self and
behaviors; and
11. Apply these new skills to one’s self and functioning for a better quality of life.
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Course Content:

As explained above, GE 1 (Understanding the Self) is intended to facilitate the

exploration of the issues and concerns regarding self and identity to arrive at a better
understanding of one’s self. It strives to meet this goal by stressing the integration of the
personal with the academic contextualizing matters discussed in making for the better learning,
generating a new appreciation for the leaning process, and developing a more critical and
reflective attitude while enabling them to manage and improve themselves to attain a better
quality of life.

The table below shows the outline of the topics to be discussed in the lecture per week
vis-à-vis the course outcomes. It is designed based on the course syllabus approved by the
College Dean in the College of Engineering and Technology.

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Date of
Course Learning
Week Topics Assessment Submission
Outcomes (Week)
1 The Self from Various Module 1. The Self from Various
Philosophical Perspectives Philosophical Perspectives Quizzes/Pencil 1-6
and paper
a. Discuss the different A. Philosophy test/Essay/
representations and 1. Ancient to Post Modern Virtual
conceptualizations of Philosophy presentation
the self from various - Socrates, Plato and
disciplinal Augustine, Thomas
perspectives Aquinas, Descartes,
Hume, Kant, Ryle, and
b. Examine the Merleau-Ponty
different influences, B. Sociology
factors and forces 1. The Self as a product of
that shape the self modern society among other
constructions
c. Compare and 2. Mead, Vygotsky and the
contrast how the self Social Self
has been represented C. Anthropology
across the different 1. The Self and person in
disciplines and contemporary anthropology
perspectives 2. The Self embedded in
culture
d. Demonstrate critical D. Psychology
and reflective 1. The Self as a Cognitive
thought in analyzing Construction
the development of - William James and the
one’s self and Me-Self, I-Self
identity by - Global vs Differentiated
developing a theory Models
of the self - Real and Ideal Self
Concepts
- Multiple vs Unified
Selves
- True vs False Self
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- The Self as Proactive

and Agentic
E. The Self in Western and
Oriental/Eastern Thought
1. Individualistic vs Collective
Self
2. The Social Construction of
the Self in Western thought
3. The Self as embedded in
relationships and through
spiritual development in
Confucian thought
2 a. Explore the different Module 2 – Unpacking the Self
aspects of self and A. The Physical Self: The self as Quizzes/Pencil 7-12
identity impacted by the body and paper
1. The impact of culture on test/Essay/
b. Demonstrate critical, body image and self Esteem: Virtual
reflective thought in The importance of beauty presentation
integrating the B. The Sexual Self
various aspects of 1. Development of Secondary
self and identity sex characteristics and the
human reproductive system
c. Identify the different 2. Discussing the Erogenous
forces and Zones
institutions that 3. Understanding the Human
impact the Sexual Response
development of 4. The diversity of sexual
various aspects of behavior: solitary,
self and identity heterosexual, homosexual
and bisexual, transsexual
d. Examine one’s self 5. Sexually transmitted
against the different diseases (STDs)
aspects of self- 6. Methods of Contraception
discussed in class (natural and artificial)
C. The Material/Economic Self
- I shop, therefore I Am:
I have, therefore I am?
- Shaping the way we see
ourselves: The role of
consumer culture on our
sense of self and
identity
D. The Spiritual Self
1. The concept of “dungan”-
spirit or soul
2. Ritual and ceremonies
3. Religion, Magic and
Witchcraft
4. Finding and creating
meaning
Three ways of discovering
meaning in life
E. The Political Self
1. Developing a Filipino
Identity: Values, Traits,
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Community and
Institutional Factors
2. Establishing a democratic
culture
F. The Digital Self
- I, me, myself and my
user ID online identity
- Selective self
presentation and
impression management
- Impact of online
Interaction on the self
- Boundaries of the self-
online: private vs
public;
personal/individual vs
social identity online;
gender and sexuality
online

3 Managing and Caring for Module 3: Managing and Caring for Quizzes/Pencil 13-18
the Self the Self and paper
test/Essay/
a. Understand the A. Learning to be a better student Virtual
theoretical 1. Brain and behaviour presentation
underpinnings for changes
how to manage and 2. Metacognition and study
care for different strategies
aspects of the self 3. Managing your own
learning: Self-regulated
b. Acquire and hone learning
new skills and B. Setting goals for Success
learnings for better 1. The importance of goals
managing of one’s 2. Bandura’s Self efficacy,
self and behaviors Dweck’s Mindset (growth
vs fixed)
c. Apply these new 3. Locke’s goal setting theory
skills to one’s self C. Taking charge of one’s health
and functioning for a 1. Stressors and responses
better quality of life 2. Sources of coping and
strength
3. Stress and Filipinos: The
social and cultural
dimensions of stress
4. Taking care of the self: The
need for self-care and
compassion

Course Requirements:
In general, the requirements of GE 1 are as follows:
▪ Integrative Paper (Reflective Paper/Portfolio/Journal) and or Webinar
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Grading Criteria:
Requirement/Assessment Task Percentage
Major Course Output 50%
Major Exam/s 30%
Class Standing 20%
TOTAL 100%
Course Materials:

Course Policies:

Course policies

1. Modules will be sent to you at least every week or every other week.
2. There will be quizzes for this course which shall be posted in Google classroom/Moodle
for you to answer. Make up quiz is permitted with valid reason/s.
3. There shall be major exam/s for this course. Retake is allowed if reasons are justifiable.
4. Attendance will be checked during online classes. However, if in the event that you cannot
join due to limited connection in the internet, please inform your teacher (in this
course) so that you will be excused.
5. You are not required to answer and submit the questions that you will find in the Let’s
Get Started. Those are simply your guide as you read the lectures in the module.
6. Follow the instruction posted in every task. Do not hesitate to clarify or ask question/s if
necessary. You can direct your message to me via Messenger or to our FB group
or to our official Messenger group chat.
7. Keep safe. We will see each other soon if time permits. I am excited to see you class. God
bless!
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Module 1

Module Title: GE-1 Understanding the Self

Module Description:
This module will provide a brief introduction to the meaning of understanding the self
and a discussion on its importance - self to mankind and society. This module will also discuss
the different philosophical perspectives from the ancient philosophers and their famous
philosophies or works.

Purpose of the Module:

This learning module is designed to help you to learn and understand how biological
self and environmental factors have shaped your personal identity and the importance of
knowing oneself.

Module Guide:
This module is composed of lessons that contain set goals, introductory activities,
discussions, summary and an activity to test the learnings of the students.

Module Outcomes:
At the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various
disciplinal perspectives
2. Examine the different influences, factors and forces that shape the self
3. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across the different disciplines and
perspectives
4. Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one’s self and
identity by developing a theory of the self

Module Requirements:
At the end of this module, you will come up with Reflective Paper on “What I learned
from myself.”

Module Pre-Test:
Instruction: Answer the following questions briefly. 5 points each.
1. In your own understanding, what is your perspective in understanding yourself?
2. Give at least 2 philosophers with their philosophical perspective about understanding
the self.
3. In your own definition, what is self in contemporary anthropology?

Key Terms:
Self- refers to separate, self-contained, independent, consistent, unitary, and private.
Identity- refers to qualities, characteristics, beliefs, opinions, etc., that make a person unique
from others.
Empiricism – according to it, there is no such thing as innate knowledge; all knowledge is
derived from experience – through five senses or what is perceived by our brain.
Psychology- defined as the study of human behavior, sees the self as a theoretical construct.
Gender- refers to personally discovered and asserted and not dictated by culture and the
society.

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Learning Plan
Lesson No: 1

Lesson Title: Philosophy (The Self from Various Philosophical Perspectives)

Let’s Hit These:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
▪ Explain why it is essential to understand the self;
▪ Describe and discuss the different notions of the self from the points-of-view of
the various philosophers across time and place;
▪ Compare and contrast how the self has been represented in different
philosophical schools;
▪ Examine one’s self against the different views of self that were discussed.

Let’s Get Started:

1. How do you understand yourself in your own perspective?

Let’s Find Out:

Before we even had to be in any formal institution of learning, among the many things
that we were first taught as kids is to articulate and write our names. Growing up, we were told
to refer back to this name when talking about ourselves. Our parents painstakingly thought
about our names. Should we be named after a famous celebrity, a respected politician or
historical personality, or even a saint? Were you named after one? Our names represent who
we are. It has not been a custom to just randomly pick a combination of letters and number (or
even punctuation marks) like zhjk756!! to denote our being. Human beings attach names that
are meaningful to birthed progenies because names are supposed to designate us in the world.
Thus, some people get baptized with names such as "precious," "beauty" or "lovely" Likewise,
when our parents call our names, we were taught to respond to them because our names
represent who we are. As a student, we are told to always write our names on our papers,
projects, or any output for that matter. Our names signify us. Death cannot even stop this bond
between the person and her name. Names are inscribed even into one's gravestone.
A name is not the person itself no matter how intimately bound it is with the bearer. It
is only a signifier. A person who was named after a saint most probably will not become an
actual saint. He may not even turn out to be saintly! The self is thought to be something else
than the name. The self is something that a person perennially molds, shapes, and develops.
The self is not a static thing that one is simply born with like a mole on one's face or is just
assigned by one's parents just like a name. Everyone is tasked to discover one's self. Have you
truly discovered yours?

Let’s Read:

THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES

Philosophers and their famous philosophies or work (Ancient to Post Modern Philosophy)

Hundreds of years ago, the fundamental and nature of self has been put into serious question.
It was the Greeks and their unwavering curiosity that made them move away from the

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mythological accounts and explanation of the “self”. The following are the most accounted
philosophers in the pursuit of humanity in unearthing what self truly is.

1. SOCRATES
According to Socrates, one’s true self is not to be identified with what we own,
with our social status, our reputation, or even with our body. Instead, Socrates
famously maintained that our true self is our soul which determines the quality of our
life. Thus, it is paramount that we devote considerable amounts of our attention,
energy, and resources to making our soul as good and beautiful as possible.

This conviction is conveyed in perhaps Socrates’ most famous statement: “the

unexamined life is not worth living” (Apology). Examining one’s self is the most important
task one can undertake, for it alone will give us the knowledge necessary to answer the question
“How should I live my life.” As Socrates explained: “…once we know ourselves, we may learn
how to care for ourselves, but otherwise we never shall.”
For Socrates, every man is composed of body and soul. This means that every human
person is dualistic, that is, he is composed of two important aspects of his personhood. For
Socrates, this means all individuals have an imperfect, impermanent aspect of him, and the
body, while maintaining that there is also a soul that is perfect and permanent.
According to Brawner et.al., 2018, Socrates is also concerned with man. He considers
man from the point of view of his inner life. The famous line of Socrates, “know yourself”,
tells each man to bring his inner self to life. A bad man is not virtuous through ignorance; the
man who does not follow the good fails to do so because he does not recognize it. The core of
Socratic ethics is the concept of virtue and knowledge. Virtue is the deepest and the most basic
propensity or tendency of man. Knowing one’s own virtue is necessary and can be learned.
Since virtue is innate in the mind and self-knowledge is the source of all wisdom, an individual
may gain possession of oneself and be one’s own master through knowledge.
Virtues may refer to the attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that are considered as
moral or good. Honesty, compassion, integrity, fairness, prudence or patience are all examples
of virtues. As such can be developed through learning and practice. Just as the ability to run a
marathon or endurance for any sport develops through having trainings and practices, so too
does our capacity to be fair, to be courageous, or to be compassionate. If we keep on applying
those virtues aligned to our moral principles, eventually they will become part of our system
as they become a habit for us. For instance, a person who helps people a lot in every way
possible in any circumstance develops a virtue of generosity, and for that he would always be
referred to as a generous person.

2. PLATO
Plato, Socrates’s students, basically took off from his master and supported the
idea that man is a dual nature of body and soul. Plato argues that the soul comprises
of three parts namely:

1. Rational - The logical is the thinking part of the soul which loves the
truth and seeks to learn it. The rational discerns what is the real and not
merely apparent, judges what is true and what is decisions in accordance
with its love for goodness.
2. Appetitive - The appetitive part of the soul is the one that is accountable
for the desires in people. It is accountable for the effortless cravings

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required to stay alive like hunger, thirst, and for pointless cravings like
desire to over feed.
3. Spirited - The spirited soul produces the desires that love victory and
honor. In the just soul, the spirit acts as an implementer of the rational
soul, making sure that the rules of reason are adhered too. Emotions like
anger are the impact of the disappointment of the spirit.
In his magnum opus, “The Republic” (Plato 2000), Plato emphasizes that justice in the
human person can only be attained if three parts of the soul are working harmoniously with
one another. When this ideal state is attained, then the human person’s soul become just and
virtuous.
In addition, as discussed by Brawner et.al. (2018), Plato believed that man was omniscient
or all-knowing before he came to be born into this world. With his separation from the paradise
of truth and knowledge and his long exile on earth, he forgot most of the knowledge he had.
However, by constant remembering through contemplation and doing good, he can regain his
former perfections. Man, who now an exile on earth has a guiding star, a model, or a divine
exemplar which he must follow to reach and attain his destiny. In practical terms, this means
that man in this life should imitate his former self; more specifically, he should live a life of
virtue in which true human perfection exists. Happiness, which is the fruit of virtue, is attained
by the constant imitation of the divine exemplar of virtue, embodied in man’s former perfect
self
Take for example the allegory of the chariot. The chariot is pulled by two winged horses,
one mortal and the other is immortal. In the driver’s seat is the charioteer who controls the
horses. The chariot, charioteer, and white and dark horses symbolize the soul, and its three
main components. The charioteer represents man’s Reason (rational soul), the dark horse his
appetites (appetitive soul), and the white horse his spiritedness (spirited soul). The Charioteer
(rational soul) is responsible in determining which path or way the chariot will go, and is also
in charge of training the horses. Each horse has its strengths and weaknesses; in fact, the horses
have the tendency to be stronger than the charioteer himself. The black horse (appetitive soul)
can lead the charioteer into the wrong path and so does the white horse (spirited soul). However,
if the charioteer succeeded in training the horses without a doubt the chariot will be smooth-
sailing as the three elements are well-coordinated and synchronized.

3. AUGUSTINE
Augustine’s view of the human person reflects the entire spirit of the medieval
world when it comes to man. Following the ancient view of Plato and infusing it
with the newfound doctrine of Christianity, Augustine agreed that man is of a
bifurcated nature. An aspect of man dwells in the world and is imperfect and
continuously yearns to be with the Divine and the other is capable of reaching
immorality. The body is bound to die on earth and the soul is to anticipate living
eternally in a realm of spiritual bliss in communion with God. This is because the
body can only thrive in the imperfect, physical reality that is the world, whereas the soul can
also stay after death in an eternal realm with the all-transcendent God. The goal of every human
person is to attain this communion and bliss with the Divine by living his life on earth in virtue.
The goal of every human person is to attain this communion and bliss with the Divine by living
his life on earth in virtue.

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4. AQUINAS
Thomas Aquinas, the most eminent thirteenth century scholar and stalwart
of the medieval philosophy, appended something to this Christian view. Adapting
some composed of two parts: matter and form.

1. Matter – or hyle in Greek, refers to the “common stuff that makes up

everything in the universe.” Man’s body is part of this matter.
2. Form – or morphe in Greek refers to the “essence of a substance or
thing.”

▪ To Aquinas, just as in Aristotle, the soul is what animates the body; it is

what makes us humans.

5. LOCKE
John Locke holds that personal identity (the self) is a matter of
psychological continuity. For him, personal identity is founded on consciousness
(memory), and not on the substance of either soul or the body. Personal identity is
the concept about oneself that evolves over the course of an individual’s life. It may
include aspects of life that man has no control over, such as where he grew up or
the color of his skin, as well as the choices he makes, like how he spends his time
and what he believes (Brawner et.al., 2018).
In addition, he believes that the self is tantamount to personal identity. Whereas,
personal identity is found in the consciousness or memory and not in the body or physical
being, and soul. Personal Identity is what makes you, you and me, me. It is drawn from our
own experiences therefore it is not tied to any material substance/physical body, rather it is tied
to our consciousness. He illustrated his point through a thought experiment in which the
thoughts and memories of a prince were transferred to a cobbler. In that premise, we can assume
that the prince and the cobbler are the same person since the latter (cobbler) holds exactly the
same personal identity as the prince.
To further explain Locke’s concept let’s take the case of Charice Pempengco and Jake
Zyrus as an example. Before there was only Charice Pempengco until she transitioned into a
man as Jake Zyrus. Given the drastic changes on the physical features, is Jake Zyrus still the
same person before? Basing on Locke’s philosophy of self, personal identity is not based on
the physical being or material substance, therefore, he is still the same person from before.
Regardless if he had sex change and name alteration, Jake Zyrus remains the person he was
before given the condition that he remembers his past experiences or memories.

6. DESCARTES
Rene Descartes, Father of Modern Philosophy, conceived of the human person
as having a body and a mind. In his famous treatise, The Meditations of First
Philosophy, he claims that there is so much that we think and believe are not
infallible, they may turn out to be false. One should only believe that since which
can pass the test of doubt (Descartes 2008). Thus, his famous, cogito ergo sum, “I
think therefore, I am.” The fact that one thinks should lead one to conclude without
a trace of doubt that he exists. The self then for Descartes is also a combination of
two distinct entities, the cogito, the thing that thinks, which is the mind, and the
extenza or extension of the mind, which is the body. In Descartes’s view, the body is nothing
else but a machine that is attached to the mind.

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7. HUME
David Hume, a Scottish philosopher, has a very unique way of looking at man.
As an empiricist who believes that one can know only what comes from the senses
and experiences, Hume argues that the self is nothing like what his predecessors
thought of it. Empiricism is the school of thought that espouses the idea that
knowledge can only be possible if it is sensed and experienced. Men can only attain
knowledge by experiencing. To David Hume, the self is nothing else but a bundle of
impressions. What is impressions? For Hume, if one tries to examine his
experiences, he finds that they can all be categorized into two: impressions and idea;

1. Impressions are the basic objects of our experience or situation.

(eg. When one touches an ice cube, the cold sensation is an impression.)

2. Ideas are copies of impressions.

(eg. When one imagines the feeling of being in love for the first time, that still an idea)

8. KANT
Immanuel Kant recognizes the veracity of Hume’s account that everything starts
with perception and sensation of impressions. To Kant without the self, one cannot
organize the different impressions that one gets in relation to his own existence. He therefore
suggests that it is an actively engaged intelligence in man that synthesizes all knowledge and
experience, there is necessarily a mind that man get from external world.

9. RYLE
Gilbert Ryle solves the mind-body dichotomy that has been running for a
long time in the history of thought by blatantly denying the concept of an internal,
non-physical self. For Ryle, what truly matters is the behavior that a person
manifests in his day-to-day life. For Ryle, looking for and trying to understand self
as it really exists is like visiting your friend’s university and looking for the
“university.” For example, one can roam around the campus, visit the library and the
football field, and meet the administrators and faculty and still end up not finding the
“university.” This is because the campus, the people, the system, and the territory all
form the university. Ryle suggests that the “self” is not an entity one can locate and
analyze but simply the convenient name that people use to refer to all the behaviors that
people make. (Alata et.al., 2018)

10. CHURCHLAND
▪ Patricia Churchland has contributed to the fields of philosophy of
neuroscience, philosophy of the mind and neuroethics. Her research has
centered on the interface between neuroscience and philosophy with a
current focus on the association of morality and the social brain.

11. MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY

Merleau-Ponty is a phenomenologist who asserts that the mind-body
bifurcation that has been going on for a long time is a futile endeavor and an invalid
problem. Unlike Ryle, who simply denies the “self,” Merleau-Ponty says that the
mind and body are so intertwined that they cannot be separated from one another.
One cannot find any experience that is not an embodied experience. All experience

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is embodied. One’s body is an opening toward his existence to the world. Because of
these bodies, men are in the world. Merleau-Ponty dismisses the Cartesian dualism that
has spelled so much devastation in the history of man. For him, the Cartesian problem
is nothing else but plain misunderstanding. The living body, his thoughts, emotions,
and experiences are all one. (Alata et.al., 2018)
Thus, the division between the “mind” and the “body” is a product of confused
thinking. The simple fact is, we experience our self as a unity in which the mental and
physical are seamlessly woven together. Simply put a basketball team where each
member takes on an important role inside the court. In the event that any member suffers
from an injury or decided to leave the team the overall performance of the team will
greatly be affected. It will never be the same or as good as it used to be regardless of
whether the key or star player remains. The team is not only represented by one player,
rather it is a composition of players whose goals are the same.

Let’s Remember:
Understanding the self-philosophical perspectives, the philosophy of self is the study
of the many conditions of identity that make one subject of experience distinct from other
experiences. The self is sometimes understood as a unified being essentially connected to
consciousness, awareness, and agency. The present volume addresses the Self under the
different and influent philosophical perspectives: from phenomenology and psychoanalysis to
metaphysics and neurophilosophy and discusses several and distinct problems such as personal
identity, the core/narrative self-distinction, psychopathologies, the mind-body problem. There
are some famous philosophical statements from the different philosophers regarding self:
Socrates - “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Plato - “When the mind is thinking it is
talking to itself.” St. Augustine - “All knowledge leads to God.” Descartes - “I think, therefore
I Am.”, Locke - “The mind as tabula rasa.” All of these help us solve our problems - mundane
or abstract, and it helps us make better decisions by developing our critical thinking.

Let’s Do This:
Instruction: In your own words, state what “self” is for each of the following philosophers.
After doing so, explain how your concept of “self” is compatible with how they conceived of
the “self.”

1. Socrates
2. Plato
3. Augustine
4. Descartes
5. Hume
6. Kant
7. Ryle
8. Merleau-Ponty

Suggested Readings:
▪ The Republic by Plato
▪ An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by Peter H. Nidditch
Lesson (1) Activity:
Instruction: Answer the following questions about yourself as fully and precisely as you can.
1. How would you characterize yourself?

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References/Sources:
Alata, Caslib, Serafica & Pawilen. 2018. “Understanding the Self” Accessed August
15, 2020. http://understandingtheself.edu.ph.
Beilharz, Peter, and Trevor Hogan. 2002. Social Self, Global Culture: An Introduction to
Sociological Ideas. New York: Oxford University Press.
Chaffe, John. 2015. The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas. 5th Ed.
Boston: Pearson.
Mead, George Herbert. 1934. Mind, Self, and Society: From the Standpoint of a Social
Behaviorist. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Peter H. Nidditch. [L-N] 1689/1694, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, (The
Clarendon Edition of the Works of John Locke), Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1975. doi: 10.1093/actrade/9780198243861.book.1
Plato. 2012. Six Great Dialogues: Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Phaedrus, Symposium, The
Republic. Massachusetts: Courier Corporation.
Rapper, Sara L. 1995. “Socrates and Self-Knowledge.” Apeiron: A Journal for Ancient
Philosophy and Science 28 (1):1-24.
Thomas Tegg. 1823. The Works of John Locke, 10 vols., London
Schlenker, Barry R. 1985. The Self and Social Life. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Stevens, Richard. 1996. Understanding the Self. California: SAGE Publications

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Learning Plan
Lesson No: 2

Lesson Title: Sociology (The Self, Society and Culture)

Let’s Hit These:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
▪ explain the relationship between and among the self, society, and culture;
▪ describe and discuss the different ways by which society and culture shape the
self;
▪ compare and contrast how the self can be influenced by the different institutions
in the society; and
▪ examine one’s self against the different views of self that were discussed in the
class.

Let’s Get Started:

1. What is the relationship between Self, Society and Culture?

Let’s Find Out:

Society:

It is a relationship with other human beings outside your family. If you have a healthy
relationship with yourself which in most cases will be reflected when you have relationships
with others. For example, if you are a person who sets very high standard for yourself you
generally set a high standard for society. If you are a person who is forgiving, then you also
forgive the mistakes or atrocities that are happening in the society. To put in simple one liner
– relationship with society is extension of relationship with yourself.

Culture:

Culture which consists of food, clothes, and manners is a set of routines, acts, interactions and
behavior which are practiced over a period of time (could be years or decades or centuries).
When you wanted to survive in a society you must adapt to the culture of the society which is
determined by the majority of the people who agree or follow the culture. If your internal
relationship is not in tune with culture of the society you will feel miserable to live in that
society/city/country.

Let’s Read:

What is the Self?

The self, in contemporary literature and even common sense, is commonly defined by
the following characteristics: “separate, self-contained, independent, consistent, unitary, and
private” (Stevens 1996). By separate, it is meant that the self is distinct from other selves. The
self is always unique and has its own identity. One cannot be another person. Second self is
also self-contained and independent because in itself it can exist. Its distinctness allows it to be
self-contained with its own thoughts, characteristics, and volition. It does not require any other
self for it to exist. It is consistent because it has a personality that is enduring and therefore can
be expected to persist for quite some time. Its consistency allows it to be studied, described,
and measured. Consistency also means that a particular self’s traits, characteristics, tendencies

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and potentialities are more or less the same. Self is unitary in that it is the center of all
experiences and thoughts that run through a certain person. It is like the chief command post
in an individual where all processes, emotions, and thoughts converge. Finally, the self is
private. Each people sort out information, feelings and emotions, and thought processes within
the self. This whole process is never accessible to anyone but the self. This last characteristic
of the self being private suggests that the self is isolated from the external world. It lives within
its own world.
Social constructivists argue that the self should not be seen as a static entity that stays
constant through and through. Rather, the self has to be seen as something that is in unceasing
flux, in a constant struggle with external reality and is malleable in its dealings with society.
The self is always in participation with social life and its identity subjected to influences here
are there. Having these perspectives considered should draw one into concluding that the self
is truly multifaceted.
Consider a boy named Jon. Jon is a math professor at a Catholic university for more
than a decade now. Jon has a beautiful wife whom he met in college, Joan. Joan was Jon’s first
and last girlfriend. Apart from being a husband, Jon is also blessed with two doting kids, a son
and a daughter. He also sometimes serves in the church too as a lector and a commentator. As
a man of different roles, one can expect Jon to change and adjust his behaviors, ways, and even
language depending on his social situation. When Jon is in the university, he conducts himself
in a matter that befits his title as a professor. As a husband, Jon can be intimate and touchy.
Joan considers him sweet, something that his students will never conceive him to be. His kids
fear him. As a father, Jon can be stern, as a lector and commentator, on the other hand, his
church mates knew him as a guy who is calm, all-smiles, and always ready to lend a helping
hand to anyone in need. This short story is not new to most of us. We ourselves play different
roles, act in different ways depending on our circumstances. Are we being hypocritical in doing
so? Are we even conscious of our shifting selves? According to what we have so far, this is not
only normal but it also is acceptable and expected. The self is capable of morphing and fitting
itself into any circumstances it finds itself in.
The Self and Culture
Remaining the same person and turning chameleon by adapting to one’s context seems
paradoxical. However, the French Anthropologist Marcel Mauss has an explanation for this
phenomenon. According to Mauss, every self has two faces: personne and moi.
1. Moi- refers to a person’s sense of who he is, his body, and his basic identity, his
biological givenness. Moi is person’s basic identity.

2. Personne- is composed of the social concepts of what it means to be who he is.

Personne has much to do with what is means to live in a particular institution, a
particular family, a particular religion, a particular nationality, and how to behave
given expectations and influences from others.
In the story above, Jon might have a moi but certainly, he has to shift personne from
time to time to adapt to his social situation. He knows who he is and more or less, he is confident
that he has a unified, coherent self. However, at same point, he has to sport his stern professorial
look. Another day, he has to be the doting but strict father he is. Inside his bedroom, he can
play goofy with his wife, Joan. In all this and more, Jon retains who he is, being Jon-his moi-
that part of him that is stable and static all throughout.

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The Self and the Development of the Social World

So how do people actively produce their social worlds? How do children growing up
become social beings? How can a boy turn out to just be like an ape? How do twins coming
out from the same mother turn out to be terribly different when given up for adoption? More
that his givenness (personality, tendencies, and propensities, among others), one is believed to
be in active participation in the shaping of the self. That men and women are born with
particularities that they can no longer change. Recent, studies, however, indicate that men and
women in their growth and development engage actively in the shaping of the self. The
unending terrain of metamorphosis of the self is mediated by language. “Language as both a
publicly shared and privately utilized symbol system is the site where the individual and the
social make and remake each other” (Schwartz, White, and Lutz 1993).
Mead and Vygotsky
For Mead and Vygotsky, the way that human persons develop is with the use of language
acquisition and interaction with others. The way that we process information is normally a form
of an internal dialogue in out head. Those who deliberate about moral dilemmas undergo this
internal dialog. “Should I do this or that” “But if I do this, it will be like this.” “Don’t I want
the other option?” And so cognitive and emotional development of a child is always a mimicry
of how it is done in the social world, in the external reality where he is in.
Both Vygotsky and Mead treat the human mind as something that is made, constituted
through language as experienced in the external world and as encountered in dialogs with
others. A young child internalizes values, norms, practices, and social beliefs and more through
exposure to these dialogs that will eventually become part of his individual world. For Mead,
this takes place as a child assumes the “other” through language and role-play. A child
conceptualizes his notion of “self” through this. Can you notice how little children are fond of
playing role-play with their toys? How they make scripts and dialogs for their toys as they play
with them? According to Mead, it is through this that a child delineates the “I” from the rest.
Vygotsky, for his part, a child internalizes real-life dialogs that he has had with others, with his
family, his primary caregivers, or his playmates. They apply this to their mental and practical
problems along with the social and cultural infusions brought about by the said dialogs. Can
you notice how children eventually become what they watch? How children can easily adapt
ways of cartoon characters they are exposed to?
Self in Families
Apart from the anthropological and psychological basis for the relationship between the
self and the social world, the sociological likewise struggled to understand the real connection
between the two concepts. In doing so, sociologists focus on the different institutions and
powers at play in the society. Among these, the most prominent is the family.
Human persons learn the ways of living and therefore their selfhood by being in a family.
It is what a family initiates a person to become that serves as the basis for this person’s progress.
Babies internalize ways and styles that they observe from their family. For examples, language,
table manners or way of speaking to elders, behaviors and attitudes and etc. Without a family,
biologically and sociologically, a person may not even survive or become a human person.
Gender and the Self
Another important aspect of the self is gender. Gender is one of those loci of the self that
is subject to alternation, change, and development. We have seen in the past years how people
fought hard for the right to express, validate, and assert their gender expression. Many

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conservatives may frown upon this and insists on the biological. However, from the point-of-
view of the social sciences and the self, it is important to give one the leeway to find, express,
and live his identity. This forms part of selfhood that one cannot just dismiss. One maneuvers
into the society and identities himself as who he is by also taking note of gender identities.
The gendered self is then shaped within a particular context of time and space. The senses
of self that is being taught makes sure that an individual fit in a particular environment. This is
dangerous and detrimental in the goal of truly finding one’s self, self-determination, and growth
of the self. Gender has to be personally discovered and asserted and not dictated by culture and
the society.

Let’s Remember:
The self refers to a set of implicit cultural values that we adhere to and use to guide our lives.
These values are reflections of specific sociocultural practices in which we exist and that we
learn in everyday interaction from the earliest age. These values not only inform our
development, they provide the practice of psychoanalysis and psychology with a set of norms
about what human life should ideally look like. As with other central concepts, the notion of
the self is a product of a specific time and place. It is a culturally specific term, and refers to a
set of norms and assumptions about our contemporary life. The notion of the self forms an
intractable part of Western, and particularly Anglo-American, culture and is produced by a
particular kind of social and cultural practice that is specific to time and place. The self is one
interpretation of being human among others. For Mead and Vygotsky, the way that human
persons develop is with the use of language acquisition and interaction with others. The way
that we process information is normally a form of an internal dialogue in our head.

Let’s Do This:
Instruction: Answer the following questions briefly. 10 points.
1. How do society and culture shape the self?

Suggested Readings:
▪ Social Self, Global Culture: An Introduction to Sociological Ideas by Beilharz, Peter,
and Trevor Hogan. 2002.
▪ Understanding the Self by Alata, Caslib, Serafica & Pawilen

Lesson (2) Activity:

Instruction: Answer the following questions clearly and briefly. 5 points each.

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

2. Think of a time when you felt you were your “true self.” What made you think you
were truly who you are during this time of your life?

3. Following the question above, can you provide a time when you felt you were not
living your “true self”? Why did you have a life like that? What did you do about
it?

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4. What aspects of your self do you think may be changed or you would like to
change?

References/Sources:
Alata, Caslib, Serafica & Pawilen. 2018. “Understanding the Self” Accessed August
15, 2020. http://understandingtheself.edu.ph.
Beilharz, Peter, and Trevor Hogan. 2002. Social Self, Global Culture: An Introduction to
Sociological Ideas. New York: Oxford University Press.
Chaffe, John. 2015. The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas. 5th Ed.
Boston: Pearson.
Marsella, Anthony J., George A. De Vos, and Francis L. K. Hsu. 1985. Culture and Self: Asian
and Western Perspectives. Tavistock Publications.
Mead, George Herbert. 1934. Mind, Self, and Society: From the Standpoint of a Social
Behaviorist. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Plato. 2012. Six Great Dialogues: Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Phaedrus, Symposium, The
Republic. Massachusetts: Courier Corporation.
Rapper, Sara L. 1995. “Socrates and Self-Knowledge.” Apeiron: A Journal for Ancient
Philosophy and Science 28 (1):1-24.
Schlenker, Barry R. 1985. The Self and Social Life. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Stevens, Richard. 1996. Understanding the Self. California: SAGE Publications.

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Learning Plan
Lesson No: 3

Lesson Title: An Anthropology Conceptualization of the Self

Let’s Hit These:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
▪ Recognize what the field of anthropology can contribute to the understanding
of the self.
▪ Understand how culture and self are complementary concepts;
▪ Discuss the cultural construction of the self and social identity.

Let’s Get Started:

1. What is Anthropology?
2. What is Anthropologist?

Let’s Find Out:

1. Anthropology holds a holistic view of human nature. It is concerned with how cultural
and biological process interact to shape the self. Culture reveals the link between what
man is capable of and how he actually behaves, which in turn helps define human nature
(Man’s career, pg.52).
2. Anthropologists are scientists who study the development and behaviors of human
beings throughout the world, present and past, to help better understand humanity as a
whole. They examine biological, archaeological, linguistic or sociological traditions,
depending on their area of expertise.

Let’s Read:
The Self and Person in Contemporary Anthropology
What is Anthropology?
▪ The study of past and present.
▪ One of the most complex discipline.
▪ Has explored various meanings of culture, self and identity to better understand the self.
▪ Concerned with how cultural and biological processes interact to shape human
experience.

Definition on Self in Modern Anthropology

▪ Unit but unitary
▪ Prof. Katherine Ewing described self as encompassing “physical organism, possessing
psychological functioning and social attributes.”

Contemporary Anthropologists
▪ Culture and self are complementary concepts that are to be understood in relation to
one another.

Anthropology Professor
An academic field of understanding the interconnection and interdependence of biological
and cultural aspects of the human experience at all times in all places.
He mentioned that anthropology have emphasized that culture is not behavior itself but the
shared understandings that guide behavior and are expressed in behavior.

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“Who am I?”
What could be the answer to this question?
Anthropology considers human experience as an interplay of;

“Nature”- referring to genetic inheritance which sets the individual’s potentials – meaning to
all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are---from our physical appearance
to our personality characteristics.

“Nurture”- referring to the sociocultural environment – meaning to all the environmental

variables that impact who we are, including our early childhood experiences, how we were
raised, our social relationships, and our surrounding culture.

Ethnographic Investigation
- to better understand the nature of self
- findings that cultural variations may affect one’s mental state, language and
behavior.

Anthropology is providing insights into the nature of self based on continuous understanding
of the basic element of culture.

The Cultural Construction of Self and Identity

Edward Tylor (British Anthropologist)

Culture- the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs
and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.

Culture being diverse, self and identity may have different meanings in different cultures
Martin Sökefeld (German Anthropologist)

Culture and Self thus become complementary concepts that have to be understood in
relation to one another.

Social Anthropology

The concept of identity was used mostly in the context of “ethnic identity”, pointing out the
sameness of the self with others, that is, to a consciousness of sharing certain characteristics
within a group.

Egocentric Sociocentric
The self is seen as The self is contingent on a
autonomous and distinct situation or social setting
individual
Context-dependent

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Japanese Chinese Americans

According to Christie According to Francis Hsu, They are egocentric.
Keifer, Japanese are Chinese are also sociocentric.
sociocentric. For them, For them, the very essence of They believe that they
interdependence between the interpersonal relations is should be assertive and
person and the group is more mutual dependence. independent
valued than independence.

Social Identities

Identity Toolbox refers to the features of a person’s identity that he or she chooses to emphasize
in constructing a social self.

▪ Kinship
▪ Gender
▪ Race
▪ Language
▪ Religion
▪ Family Membership- the most significant feature to determine a person’s social
identity.

Ethnicity, Personal Appearance and Socioeconomic status- are not always used in every
society.

Personal naming- a universal practice with numerous cross-cultural variations, establishes a

child’s birthright and social identity.

Three-phased Rite of Passage

▪ One’s identity is not inborn but it is something people continuously develop in life.
▪ Rites of Passage help a person adjust from one social dimension of his or her life to
others.

Identity Struggles

There are some cases that an individual disagrees on their respective identities

Anthony Wallace and Raymond Fogelson named this case as IDENTITY STRUGGLES
Is a discrepancy between the identity a person claims to possess and the identity
attributed to that person by others.

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Identity Crisis
This happens when values and moral principles of an individual become relatively determined
by politics and ideology.

Zagorka Golubović

To attain self-identification, individuals have to overcome many obstacles such

as traditionally established habits and externally imposed self-images.

Cognitive Anthropology

Toon van Meijl

Suggest that in order to maintain a relatively stable and coherent self, members of the
multicultural society have no choice internalize divergent culture and reject/suppress
identifications that may conflict with other self-presentations.

Illusion of Wholeness

Katherine Ewing

We continuously reconstitute ourselves into new selves in response to internal and

external stimuli. Therefore, the continuity of self is only illusory.

The most important philosophical task of the postmodern man today is to “work on
yourself” just like in the Socratic message “know thyself”

The Self as Embedded in Culture

Clifford Geertz (American Anthropologist)

Culture- is a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of

which people communicate, perpetuate and develop their knowledge about and
attitudes toward life.

Max Weber

Man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun.

Webs are perceived to be symbolic of culture.

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IMAGE OF MAN
Culture Man
Should be perceived as set of control Is precisely the animal most desperately
mechanisms such as plans, recipes, rules, dependent upon such extragenetic, outside-
instructions for the governing of behavior. the-skin mechanisms, such cultural programs,
for ordering his behavior.

Human nature is interdependent with culture

“Without men, no culture, certainly; but equally and more significantly, without culture, no
men” (Geertz, 1973)

Robbins considered human beings as cultural animals as they create the meaning of objects,
persons, behaviors, emotions and events and behave in accordance with meanings they assume
to be true.

Cultural Differences exist when groups of people assign different meanings to different life
events and things. Therefore, the self is embedded/attached in culture.

Let’s Remember:
Anthropology focuses on understanding human condition in its cultural aspect
concerned with understanding how human evolved and how they differ from one another.
Contemporary anthropologists usually focus their research on such things as the social and
political organizations, marriage patterns and kinship systems, subsistence and economic
patterns, and religious beliefs of different societies.
In anthropology, the self came to be understood as a process that orchestrates an
individual's personal experience following which s/he becomes self-aware and self-reflective
about her or his place in society (Taylor, 1989).

Let’s Do This:
Instruction: Answer the following question briefly. 10 points.
1. What are the three things you’ve learned from this topic?

Suggested Readings:
▪ Self and Person by Csordas
▪ The Impact of the Concept of Culture and the Concept of Man by Geertz.
Lesson (3) Activity:
Instruction: Answer the following questions briefly. 5 points each.
1. What is the difference between Egocentric and Sociocentric?
2. Why self imbedded in culture?

References/Sources:

Geertz, Clifford. 1996. “The Impact of the Concept of Culture on the Concept of Man,” The
Interpretation of Cultures. Basic Books. New York City, NY. 1973.
A. Spirkin. Dialectical Materialism Chapter 5. On the Human Being and Being Human.
Zeena Zambrano. 2018. An Anthropological Conceptualization of the Self.

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Learning Plan
Lesson No: 4

Lesson Title: Psychology (The Self as Cognitive Construct)

Let’s Hit These:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Identify the different ideas in psychology about the “self”;
2. Create your own definition of the “self” based on the definitions from
psychology; and
3. Analyze the effects of various factors identified in psychology in the
formation of the “self.”

Let’s Get Started:

1. What is psychology?

Let’s Find Out:

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It encompasses the
biological influences, social pressures, and environmental factors that affect how people think,
act, and feel. Gaining a richer and deeper understanding of psychology can help people achieve
insights into their own actions as well as a better understanding of other people.

Let’s Read:
There are various definitions of the “self” and other similar or interchangeable concepts
in psychology. Simply put, “self” is “the sense of personal identity and of who we are as
individuals (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014).”

William James (1890) was one of the earliest psychologists to study the self and
conceptualized the self as having two aspects – the “I” and the “me.” The “I” is the thinking,
acting, and feeling self (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg 2011; Hogg and Vaughan 2010). The
“me” on the other hand, is the physical characteristics as well as psychological capabilities that
makes who you are (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg 2011; Hogg and Vaughan 2010). Carl
Rogers’s (1959) theory of personality also used the same terms, the “I” as the one who acts and
decides while the “me” is what you think or feel about yourself as an object (Gleitman, Gross,
and Reisberg 2011).

Other concepts similar to self are identity and self-concept. Identity is composed of
personal characteristics, social roles, and responsibilities, as well as affiliations that define who
one is (Oyserman, Elmore, and Smith 2012). Self-concept is what basically comes to your mind
when you are asked about who you are (Oyserman, Elmore, and Smith 2012).

Self, identity, and self-concept are not fixed in one-time frame.

Carl Rogers captured this idea in his concept of self-schema or our organized system or
collection of knowledge about who we are (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg 2011; Jhangiani and
Tarry 2014). Imagine an organized list or a diagram similar to the one below:

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HOBBIES

RELIGION
FAMILY SELF

NATIONALITY

The schema is not limited to the example above. It may also include your interests, work,
course, age, name, and physical characteristics, among others. As you grow and adapt to the
changes around you, they also change. But they are not passive receivers, they actively shape
and affect how you see, think, and feel about things (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg 2011;
Jhangiani and Tarry 2014).

Several psychologists, especially during the field’s earlier development, followed this trend of
thought, looking deeper into the mind of the person to theorize about the self, identity, self-
concept, and in turn, one’s personality. The most influential of them is Sigmund Freud.
Basically, Freud saw the self, its mental processes, and one’s behavior as the results of the
interaction between the Id, the Ego and the Superego.

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, compared the human mind to an iceberg. The
tip above the water represents consciousness, and the vast region below the surface symbolizes
the unconscious mind. Of Freud’s three basic personality structures—id, ego, and superego—
only the id is totally unconscious.

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▪ ID- unconscious part of the mind (this part of the mind seeks to bring us
pleasure) -primitive parts of our personality including aggression and sexual
drives
▪ EGO-conscious part of the mind (Rational Self). Decides what action to take
for positive means and what to do based on what is believed is the right thing to
do. Aware of reality.
▪ SUPEREGO- unconscious part of the mind that acts as our conscience.
Reminds us of what we should do. The ID and the SUPEREGO are in constant
conflict.

Your DRIVE tells you to do one thing, while SOCIETY tells you to do something else.

As mentioned earlier, the definitions of the self, social interaction always has a part to play in
who we think we are. Freud and even other researchers try to understand the person by digging
deeper into the mind. They cannot fully discount the huge and important effects of the
environment.

Under the theory of symbolic interactionism, G.H. Mead (1934) argued that the self is created
and developed through human interaction (Hogg and Vaughan 2010). Basically, there are three
reasons why self and identity are social products (Oyserman, Elmore, and Smith 2012):

1. We do not create ourselves out of nothing. Society helped in creating the foundations
of who we are and even if we make our choices, we will still operate in our social and
historical contexts in one way or the other. You may, or course, transfer from one
culture to another, but parts of who you were will still affect you and still affect you
and you will also have to adapt to the new social context. Try looking at your definition
of who you are and see where society had affected to you.

2. Whether we like to admit it or not, we actually need others to affirm and reinforce who
we think we are. We also need them as reference points about our identity. One
interesting example is the social media interactions we have. In the case of Facebook,
there are those who will consciously or unconsciously try to garner more “likes” and/or
positive “reactions” and that can and will reinforce their self-concept. It is almost like
a battle between who got more friends, more views, and trending topics. If one says he
is a good singer but his performance and the evaluation of his audience says otherwise,
that will have an effect on that person’s idea of himself, one way or the other.

3. What we think is important to us may also have been influenced by what is important
in our social or historical context. Education might be an important thing to your self-
concept because you grew up in a family that valued education. Money might be
important to some because they may have grown in a low-income family and realized
how important money is in addressing certain needs like medical emergencies. Being a
nurse or lawyer can be priority in your self-schema because it is the in-demand course
during your time.

Social interaction and group affiliation, therefore, are vital factors in creating our self-concept
especially in the aspect of providing us with our social identity or our perception of who we
are based on our membership to certain groups (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014). It is also inevitable
that we can have several social identities, that those identities can overlap, and that we
automatically play the roles as we interact with our groups. For example, you are a student who

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is also part of a certain group of friends. You study because it is your role as a student but you
prefer to study with your friends and your study pattern changes when you are with your friends
than when you do it alone.

There are times, however, when we are aware of our self-concepts; this is also called self-
awareness. Carver and Scheier (1981) identified two types of self that we can be aware of:
(1) the private self or your internal standards and private thoughts and feelings, and
(2) the public self or your public image commonly geared toward having a good presentation
of yourself to others (Hogg and Vaughan 2010).

Self-awareness also presents us with at least three other self-schema: the actual, ideal, and
ought self. The “actual” self is who you are at the moment, the “ideal” self is who you like to
be, and the “ought” self is who you think you should be (Higgins 1997 in Hogg and Vaughn
2010). An example is that you are a student interested in basketball but is also academically
challenged in most of your subject. Your ideal self might be to practice more and play with the
varsity team but ought to pass your subjects as a responsible student. One has to find a solution
to such discrepancies to avoid agitation, dejection, or other negative emotions. In some
instances, however, all three may be in line with one another.

Our group identity and self-awareness also have a great impact on our self-esteem, one of the
common concepts associated with the “self.” It is defined as our own positive or negative
perception or evaluation of ourselves (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014; Gleitman, Gross, and
Reisberg 2011).

One of the ways in which our social relationship affects our self-esteem is through social
comparison. According to the social comparison theory, we learn about ourselves, the
appropriateness of our behaviors, as well as our social status by comparing aspects of ourselves
with the people (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014; Hogg and Vaughan 2010).

Narcissism is a ‘trait characterized by overly high self-esteem, self-admiration, and self-

centeredness” (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014). They are often charismatic because of how they take
care of their image. Taking care of that image includes their interpersonal relationships thus
they will try to look for better partners, better acquaintances, as well as people who will
appreciate them a lot. This makes them a bad romantic partner or friend since they engage in
relationships only to serve themselves (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014).

People with high self-esteem are commonly described as outgoing, adventurous, and adaptable
in a lot of situations. They also initiate activities and building relationship with people.
However, they may also dismiss other activities that do not conform to their self-concept or
boost their self-esteem. They may also be bullies and experiment on abusive behaviors with
drugs, alcohol, and sex (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014).

Let’s Remember:
In cognitive psychology the self is understood as contextual, or ecological, intertwining
cognitive capacities with social experiences. Other concepts similar to self are identity and self-
concept. Identity is composed of personal characteristics, social roles, and responsibilities, as
well as affiliations that define who one is. However, self-concept is an individual’s knowledge
of who he or she is. According to Carl Rogers, the self-concept is a schema that contains
knowledge about us. It is primarily made up of physical characteristics, group memberships,
and traits. The self-concept is important because it influences our thoughts, feelings and

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behavior, and we can remember information that is related to it well. Self-concept has three
components; actual, ideal and ought self.

Let’s Do This:
• Do a research and list five (5) things to boost your self-esteem or improve your self-
concept. Cite your sources. Analyze which of those tips are more likely to backfire and
make someone conceited or narcissistic and revise them to make the statements both
helpful to the individual as well as society in general.

Suggested Readings:
▪ “Self, Self-Concept and Identity.” Handbook of Self and Identity by Elmore, Kristen,
George Smith, and Daphna Oyserman.
▪ Psychology by Gleitman, Henry, James Gross, and Daniel Reisberg.

Lesson (4) Activity:

“You” Through Others’ Eyes
This activity has two parts that try to compare how we look at ourselves against how
people perceive us depending on how we present ourselves to them. For the first part, list ten
to fifteen (10-15) qualities or things that you think define who you are.
For the second part, write in your paper “I am (your name). Who do you
think I am based on what you see me do or hear me say?

(Give it to your parent/s, sibling/s/ or even your friends to say or write something about you.)
In the space below, write what aspects do you think are not really part of your personality.

References/Sources:
Alata, Caslib, Serafica & Pawilen. 2018. “Understanding the Self” Accessed August
15, 2020. http://understandingtheself.edu.ph.
Elmore, Kristen, George Smith, and Daphna Oyserman. 2012. “Self, Self-Concept and
Identity.” Handbook of Self and Identity. 2nd Ed. Edited by Mark R. Leary and June
Price Tangney:69-95. New York: The Guilford Press.
Gleitman, Henry, James Gross, and Daniel Reisberg. 2011. Psychology. 8th Ed. Canada: W.W.
Norton and Company.
Hogg, Michael, and Graham Vaughan. 2010. Essentials of Social Psychology. Italy: Pearson
Education Limited.
Jhangiani, Rajiv, and Hammond Tarry. 2014. Principles of Social Psychology. 1st Ed. Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

GE 1: Understanding the Self Page 23 of 39

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Learning Plan
Lesson No: 5

Lesson Title: The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts

Let’s Hit These:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Differentiate the concept of self according to Western thought against
Eastern/Oriental perspectives;
2. Explain the idea if self as found in Asian thoughts; and
3. Create a representation of the Filipino self.

Let’s Get Started:

1. Do you know what is the difference between East and the West and its different
perception of the Self?

Let’s Find Out:

Western perspective is focus on looking towards the self. In contrast, the Western
civilization is more individualistic, trying to find the meaning of life here and now with self at
the center as it is already given and part of the divine.
The Eastern philosophy is drawn much more into groups or society or people’s actions
and thoughts as one in order to find meaning in life as they try to get rid of the false “me”
concept and find meaning in discovering the true “me” in relation to everything around them,
or as part of a bigger scheme.
Let’s Read:

Different cultures and varying environment tend to create different perceptions of the “self”
and one of the most common distinctions between cultures and people is the Eastern-vs-
Western dichotomy wherein Eastern represents Asia and Western represents Europe and
Northern America. It must be understood that this distinction and the countries included was
politically colored at the time that aforementioned concepts were accepted and used in the
social sciences. Furthermore, it must be reiterated that while countries who are geographically
closer to each other may share commonalities, there are also a lot of factors that create
differences. In the Philippines alone, each region may have a similar or varying perception
regarding the self.

In this lesson, you will find out the different religious beliefs and political philosophies that
greatly influenced the mindset of each nation and culture.

Eastern thoughts

1. Confucianism- can be seen as a code of ethical conduct, of how one should properly
act according to their relationship with other people; thus, it is also focused on having
a harmonious social life (Ho 1995). Therefore, the identity and self-concept of the
individual are interwoven with the identity and status of his/her community or culture,
sharing its pride as well as its failures (Ho 1995).

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Self-cultivation is seen as the ultimate purpose of life but the characteristics of a chun-
tzu, a man of virtue or noble character, is still embedded in his social relationships (Ho
1995). The cultivated self in Confucianism is what some scholars call a “subdued self”
wherein personal needs are repressed (subdued) for the good of many, making
Confucian society also hierarchal for the purpose of maintaining order and balance in
society (Ho 1995).

2. Taoism- is living in the way of the Tao or the universe. However, Taoism rejects having
one definition of what the Tao is, and one can only state clues of what it is as they adopt
a free-flowing, relative, unitary, as well as paradoxical view of almost everything.
Taoism rejects the hierarchy and strictness brought by Confucianism and would prefer
a simple lifestyle and its teachings thus aim to describe how to attain that life (Ho 1995).

The self is not just an extension of the family or the community, it is part of the universe,
one of the forms and manifestations of the Tao (Ho 1995). The ideal self is selflessness
but this is not forgetting about the self, it is living a balanced-life with society and
nature, being open and accepting to change, forgetting about prejudices and egocentric
ideas and thinking about equality as well as complementarity among humans as well as
other beings (Ho 1995). In this way, you will be able to act spontaneously because you
will not be restricted by some legalistic standards but because you are in harmony with
everything.

3. Buddhism- There are various groups who have adopted Buddhism; thus, you may find
differences in their teachings with our discussion but more likely, their core concepts
remained the same. The self is seen as an illusion, born out of ignorance, of trying to
hold and control things, or human-centered needs; thus, the self is also the source of all
these sufferings (Ho 1995). It is, therefore, our quest to forget about the self, forget the
cravings of the self, break the attachments you have with the world, and to renounce
the self which is the cause of all suffering and in doing so, attain the state of Nirvana
(Ho 1995).

Western thoughts

Western perspective does not discount the role of environment and society in the
formation of the self but the focus is always looking towards the self. You compare yourself in
order to be better; you create associations and bask in the glory of that group for your self-
esteem; you put primacy in developing yourself.

One can also describe that the Western thought looks at the world in dualities wherein
you are distinct from the other person, the creator is separate from the object he created, in
which the self is distinguished and acknowledged (Wolter 2012). On the other hand, the Eastern
perspective sees the other person as part of yourself as well as the things you may create, a
drama in which everyone is interconnected with their specific roles (Wolter 2012).

The Western Culture is what we would call an individualistic culture since their focus
is on the person. Asian Culture, on the other hand, is called a collectivistic culture as the group
and social relations that is given more importance than individual needs and wants.

By valuing the individual, Westerners may seem to have loose associations or even
loyalty to their groups. Competitions is the name of the game and they are more likely

GE 1: Understanding the Self Page 25 of 39

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straightforward and forceful in their communication as well as decision-making. Eastern or

oriental persons look after the welfare of their groups and values cooperation. They would also
be more compromising and they tend to go around and bush in explaining things, hoping that
the other person would “feel” what they really want to say (Qingxue 2003).

In the Philippines, we can also consider the colonization experience for differences and
similarities with our Asian neighbors. We might also find variation among provinces and
regions due to geographical conditions.

Let’s Remember:
The abovementioned discussion is all about the different religious beliefs and political
philosophies that greatly influenced the mindset of each nation and culture. In Eastern thoughts,
Confucianism and Taoism still situate the self within a bigger context. In striving to become a
better person, one does not create a self above other people or nature but a self that is beneficial
to his community as well as in order and harmony with everything else. As for Buddhism, the
self, with all its connections and selfish ideas, is taken not just out of the center of the picture,
but from the whole picture entirely. In West the self is understood primarily as an autonomous
ego whose existence is distinct from others just like service to God, money, community and so
on, while East is often argued that there is no meaning of self that is independent of our relations
to others. There are also a lot of factors that create difference between the two, but self-
cultivation is the ultimate purpose of life.

Let’s Do This:
Write top five (5) differences between Western and Eastern society, culture, and individuals in
the table below. Cite your sources.

WESTERN EASTERN
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

Suggested Readings:
• Understanding Different Cultural Patterns of Orientations Between East
and West by Qingxue.
• Psychology by Gleitman, Henry, James Gross, and Daniel Reisberg.
Lesson (5) Activity:
Create a representation, diagram, or concept map of the SELF according to Filipino
culture. Provide a brief explanation of your output. You can also cite books and researches
about Filipino culture, self, and identity to further elaborate on the topic.

References/Sources:
Alata, Caslib, Serafica & Pawilen. 2018. “Understanding the Self” Accessed August

GE 1: Understanding the Self Page 26 of 39

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15, 2020. http://understandingtheself.edu.ph.

Gleitman, Henry, James Gross, and Daniel Reisberg. 2011. Psychology. 8th Ed.
Canada: W.W. Norton and Company.
Ho, David. 1995. “Selfhood and Identity in Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism:
Contrast with the West.” Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior 25:2. Accessed
August 15, 2020. http://www.iaccp.org/sites/default/files/ho_1995_0.pdf.
Qingxue, Liu. 2003. “Understanding Different Cultural Patterns of Orientations Between East
and West.” Investigationes Linguisticae. Vol. IX. April 2003. Accessed August 15,
2020. http://www.staff.amu.edu.p;/~inveling/pdf/liu_quingxue_inve9.pdf.
Wolter, Derek C. 2012. “In Search of the Self: Eastern versus Western Perspectives.”
Oglethorpe Journal of Undergraduate Research Vol.

GE 1: Understanding the Self Page 27 of 39

 PROGRAM OBJECTVES
B.S. Computer Engineering Program Curriculum Map Program Outcomes
By the time of graduation, the students of the program shall have the ability to:
a) Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics and science to solve engineering
problems;
b) Ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret
data;
c) Ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within
realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical,
health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability, in accordance with
standards;
d) Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams;
e) Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
f) Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
g) Ability to communicate effectively;
h) Broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions
in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context;
i) Recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning;
j) Knowledge of contemporary issues;
k) Ability to use techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for
engineering practice; and
l) Knowledge and understanding of engineering and management principles as a
member and leader in a team, to manage projects and in multidisciplinary
environments.

For BSCE:

1. Graduates will pass the licensure examination for civil engineers.

2. Graduates will achieve a high level of technical expertise so that they

are able to succeed in positions in civil engineering practice or research,
and in other fields they choose to pursue.
 Module 1

3. Graduates will produce engineering designs that are based on sound

principles and that consider functionality, aethetics, safety, cost
effectiveness and sustainability.

4. Graduates will pursue lifelong learning such as graduate studies and

other professional education.

5. Graduates will engage in professional service such as participation in

professional society and community service.

6. Graduates will fulfill values professional and ethical responsibilities in

the practice of civil engineering, including social, environmental and
economic considerations.

Specific Professions/Careers/Occupations for Graduates of BSEE:

The scope of practice for Electrical Engineering is defined in Section

2a of the prevailing Electrical Engineering Law or RA 7920 and pertains
to professional services and expertise including but not limited to:

1. Consultation, investigation, valuation and management of services

requiring electrical engineering knowledge;

2. Design and preparation of plans, specifications and estimates for electric

power systems, power plants, power distribution systems including power
transformers, transmission lines and network protection, switchgear,
building wiring, electrical machines, equipment and others;

3. Supervision of erection, installation, testing and commissioning of

power plants, substations, transmission lines, industrial plants and others;

4. Supervision of operation and maintenance of electrical equipment in

power plants, industrial plants, watercrafts, electric locomotives and
others;

5. Supervision in the manufacture and repair of electric equipment

including switchboards, transformers, generators, motors, apparatus and
others;

6. Teaching of electrical engineering professional courses; and

[Course Code]: [Course Title] Page 2 of 39

 Module 1

7. Taking charge of the sale and distribution of electrical equipment and

systems requiring engineering calculations or applications of engineering
data.

COLLEGE OBJECTIVES
1. To turn out graduates equip with the necessary knowledge and capability in
passing the licensure examination and skill assessment.
2. To develop the graduates who are morally upright and who can serve the
public with integrity.
3. To develop the graduates who are globally competitive in their field of
specialization.
4. To offer research and extension services to its areas of concern that will help
uplift the socioeconomic condition of the community.
5. To establish partnership with the parents and the community for the
enhancement of student development.
6. To establish linkage with industries and other agencies, both local and
national, for trainings, apprenticeship and curriculum development and
evaluation.

[Course Code]: [Course Title] Page 3 of 39