II.

UNPACKING
THE SELF
a. Physical Self

The self as impacted by the body.

 Physical Self
● Physical self refers to the body which we interface with
our environment and fellow being. It is a tangible aspect
of the person that can be directly observed and examined.
● The physical self is not only limited to what can be seen
by the naked eye. Underneath the skin is a dynamic
system of biological and chemical processes that
contribute to one’s physical features. These are triggered
by genetic transformations and biological development
through heredity.
  This discussion of Physical Self has found place on different schools of
Psychology, like psychoanalysis, behaviorism, humanism and etc. For
Example:

• William James • Sigmund Freud • Wilhelm Reichargued

Considered body as initial In Psychoanalytical school, That mind and body are
source of sensation and construction of self and one; all psychological
necessary for the origin and personality makes the processes, he postulated,
maintenance of personality. physical body the core of are a part of physical
human experience. processes, and vice versa.

• Erikdevelopment
The Erikson of • Carl Jung • B. F. Skinner
Argued that the physical Says that the role of the
physical as well as
body and the external body is of primary
intellectual skills help
worlds can be known only importance.
determine whether the
as psychological
individual will achieve a
experiences.
sense of competence and
ability to choose These different orientations clearly show us and explain
demanding roles in a how people deal with their physical self. Regardless of
complex society. what culture or traditions he or she may be, his or her
interpretation of himself will be how people act in the
 Self-Esteem
“We all know that self-esteem comes from what you think of you, not
what other people think of you”. -Gloria Graynor
• People from different culture have opted to change their features in
attempt to meet the cultural standards of beauty, as well as their religious
and/or social obligations. They modify and adorn their bodies as part of
the complex process of creating and re-creating their personal and social
identity to be accepted by society and to be able to accept them self. This
includes body painting, tattooing, jewelries and adornments. Youth in
present time are too conscious of their physical attributes that they are not
confident to face the day without make-up. As our physical self dictates
how we act in front of other people, it also defines how we will manage
our self-esteem. Yet, self-esteem is vital on how we form positive and
healthy relationships with people around us.
 Kinds of Self-Esteem
1. Inflated Self-Esteem – these people hold
high regards of themselves. Better than the
other to the point of underestimating them.
2. High Self-Esteem – this is a positive self-
esteem, which makes the person be
satisfied of themselves.
3. Low Self-Esteem – this person do not
value themselves and do not trust their
possibilities
 Two Parts of Physical Self

• Biological
Heredity Blueprint Environmental Conditioning
• Genotype • Social Network
• Phenotype • Societal Expectations
• Maturation • Cultural Practices
• Human Body Elemental-
Composition
 Biological Blueprint
• Heredity – is defined as the transmission of traits from parents to offspring.
The traits are made up of specific information embedded within one’s gene,
the basic unit of heredity.
• Genotype – refers to specific information embedded within one’s genes;
not all genotypes translate to observe physical characteristic. It can be
determined by blood testing.
• Phenotype – is the physical expression of a particular trait. It can be
directly observed.
• Each individual carries 23 pairs of chromosomes. The 23rd pair is the sex
chromosomes, determines the sex of an individual.
• Maturation – is known as the completion of growth of a genetic character
within an organism. It enables man to walk, run and talk which are evident
in the adolescent stage.
 The Human Body-Elemental
Composition
1.Water 62%
2.Protein 16%
3.Fat 16%
4.Minerals 6%
5.Carbohydrates 1%
 Beauty by numbers
• Our attraction to another person’s
body increases if that body is
symmetrical and in proportion.
• If a face is in proportion, we are
more likely to notice it and find it
beautiful.
• We perceive proportional bodies
to be more healthy.
Environmental Conditioning
1. Social Network
- The images of perfection we seen in print, film and
television project an unrealistic version of reality that we are
continually told is attainable. The more we look at perfect
images of others and then look to find those same idealized
characteristics in ourselves and don’t find them, the worse we
feel about ourselves.
- The media is a powerful tool that reinforces cultural
beliefs and values, and while it may not be fully responsible
for determining the standards for physical attractiveness, it
makes escaping the barrage of images and attitudes almost
impossible.
2. Societal Expectations
- Life today sees image upon image of fashionably clad
women, perfect skin, tiny waists, ample breasts, fashionably
protruding behind all with a weight of no greater than 59 kg. The
same thing applies to the 6-pack or ripped abs shoved in the face
of men. They are unrealistic images of beauty, genetically
impossible for many of us to emulate.
- Yet we are told these unattainable bodies are normal,
desirable and achievable. When we don’t measure up, we develop
a strong sense of dissatisfaction.
- Being thin, toned and muscular has become associated with
the hard-working, successful, popular, beautiful, strong and
disciplined. Being fat is associated with the lazy, ugly, weak and
lacking in will-power.
3. Cultural Practices
- how we take care of our bodies
- nutrition and sustenance
- hygienic practices
- standard of beauty and attractiveness

The impact of culture on body image

and self-esteem: The importance of
beauty.
● A self image problem happens when your looks doesn’t
match your beauty standards. For example, if you
believed that attractive people are slim ones and if you
were not slim (but not obese) then you might believe that
you are unattractive even though others might believe
that you are attractive.
● The problem here is with your own beauty standards and
not with your looks. In order to like your looks in such a
case you must fix your false beliefs about physical
 Body Image and the
Influence of Society
• Society shapes us in many ways, possibly more than we
realize – from our interactions, to our personal development
through to others’ perception of our bodies as a reflection of
self worth.
• We are social beings. Genetically, we rely on one another
for the survival of humanity. That primal connection makes
our interactions physiologically and psychologically
important. So it’s not surprising that how society perceives
us affect us on many levels.
• And it’s partly how society perceives our bodies that is of
concern; we’re talking body image.
 The more negative body image, the greater the risk for
extreme weight or body control behaviors occurs.

• Extreme dieting
• Extreme exercise compulsion
• Eating disorders
• Extreme or unnecessary plastic surgery
• Using steroids for muscle building
 How we get to the point of acceptance often depends on our
individual development and self-acceptance. To get to that all
important point of balance, there are a few steps we can take:

• Talk back to the media

• De-emphasize numbers
• Realize that we cannot change our body type
• Stop comparing ourselves to others.
• We need to move and enjoy our bodies not because we have to, but
because it makes us feel good.
• Spend time with people who have a healthy relationship with food,
activity, and their bodies.
• Question the degree to which self-esteem depends on our appearance.
• Broaden our perspective about health and beauty by reading about body
image, cultural variances or media influence.
• Recognize that size prejudice is a form discrimination.
 “Physical beauty is only skin-deep; what
matters is feeling good about ourselves and
embracing a healthy perception of our
physical worth.”