1

LEARNING GUIDE

Week No.: 1

TOPIC

The Journey Towards Oneself

EXPECTED COMPETENCIES

At the end of the lesson, you must have:

1. explored the concept of the self from the different philosophical perspective;
2. appreciated the contribution of each perspective to a better understanding of the
self; and
3. made a personal philosophy of the self.

CONTENT

The longest journey is towards self-discovery. To define oneself, many stumbled upon
circumstances that would test their cognition, affection and ability to gauge the true essence of
the self. Some may compromise their beliefs, values, and characters only to find out that the
more they seek for the answer, the more they are lost for words. Various philosophers attempted
to define the self, but they have not come up to a complete and unison definition of it. But one
thing is clear, understanding the self by journeying inward, gives us more opportunity to
understand, appreciate, and love it. Afterall, who would love thyself, if not you?

College life is said to be the most challenging and exciting phase of a student’s life
(Brawner & Arcega, 2018). It is an entirely new adventure that everyone looks forward to. It
is a world different from your primary, junior and senior high schools. Since you are in your
freshman year, everything – including the subject Understanding the Self – is new to the
student. Since you belong to a college or institution, it is important to know and learn how to
interact with your fellow students. Learn to live together in peace and harmony with yourself
and whole school community (Brawner & Arcega, 2018).

In this module, you will have the opportunity to find the answer to the question, “Who
am I?” Brace yourself, pack your bag, and get ready to journey inward. You are going to
explore the different concepts about the self. You will understand the self by looking into what
philosophy say to explain the self.

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The Self from Various Philosophical Perspectives

Socrates: …wisest is she who knows she does not know…

Socrates (470-399 B.C.) is possibly the most enigmatic figure

in the entire history of philosophy. He never wrote a single line. Yet he
is one of the philosophers who had the greatest influence on European
thought, not least because of the dramatic manner of his death
(Gardner, 1996).

Socrates is principally concerned with man. He considers man

from the point of his inner life. The famous line of Socrates, “Know
thyself,” tells each man to bring his inner self to light. 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 (Brawner & Arcega,
2018).

The core of Socratic ethics is the concept of virtue and

knowledge. Virtue is the deepest and most basic propensity 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 (Brawner & Arcega, 2018).

Plato: …a longing to return to the realm of the soul…

According to Plato, man was omniscient or all-knowing before

he came to be born into his world. With his separation from the
paradise of truth and 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 (Brawner & Arcega, 2018)

Man who is now an exile on earth has a guiding star, a model,

or 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 in the fruit of

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virtue, is attained by constant imitation of the divine exemplar of

virtue, embodied in man’s former perfect self (Brawner & Arcega,
2018).

Plato defines the self into three: the rational soul, appetitive soul
The rational soul (intellect) is the thinking portion within each of us,
which discerns what is real and not, judges what is true and what is
false, and makes the rational decisions.

The spirited soul is the active portion; its function is to carry out
the dictates of reason. Finally, the appetitive soul (emotion or desire)
is the portion of each of us that wants and feels many things, most of
which must be deferred if we are to achieve self-control.

Immanuel Kant: Respect for Self

Man is the only creature who governs and directs himself and
his actions, who sets up ends himself and his purpose, and who freely
orders means for the attainment of his aims. Every man is thus an end
in himself and should never treated merely as a means--- as per the
order of the Creator and the natural order of things. This rule is plain
dictum of reason and justice. Respect others as you would respect
yourself. A person should not be used as a tool, instrument, or device
to accomplish another’s private ends. Thus, all men are persons gifted
with the same basic rights and should treat each other equal (Brawner
& Arcega, 2018).

Rene Descartes: “I think, therefore I am”

Descartes states that self is a thinking entity distinct from the body. His
first famous principle was “Cogito, ergo sum,” which means “I think,
therefore I am.” Although the mind and the body are independent
from each other and serve their own function, man must use his own
mind and thinking abilities to investigate, analyze, experiment, and
develop himself (Brawner & Arcega, 2018)

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John Locke: Personal Identity

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 the soul or the body (Brawner & Arcega, 2018).

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 & Arcega, 2018).

David Hume: The Self is the Bundle Theory of Mind

Hume is skeptical about the existence of the self, specifically,

on whether there is simple, unified self that exists over time.
For him, man has no “clear and intelligible” idea of the self.
He posits that no single impression of the self exists; rather, the
self is just that the thing to which all perceptions of a man is
ascribed. Moreover, even if there were such an impression of
the self, it would have to remain constant over time to
constitute identity.

Hoverer, man’s impressions vary and always change.

Even attempts to have impressions of the self must fail for all
these attempts are really just occasions for one to notice
perceptions. Put simply, a person can never observe oneself
without some other perceptions. Thus, Hume asserts that what
we call “self” is really just “a bundle or collection of different
perceptions which succeed each other with an inconceivable
rapidity” (Brawner & Arcega, 2018).

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The Christian or Biblical View of Self

(Source: http://www.italianrenaissance.org/michelangelo-creation-of-adam/)

Michelangelo, Creation of Adam, from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican,
Rome, 1508-1512, fresco

24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the
livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each
according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their
kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the
ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may
rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild
animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 SoGod created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the
earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every
living creature that moves on the ground.”
Genesis 1:24-28

According to the Holy Writ, man, following his redemption by the Savior from eternal
bondage, now shares in the infinite merits of his Redeemer and has become not only the
inheritor of the new earth but also the heir of heavenly kingdom. Thus, it is appropriate to

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think of the “self” as the multi-bejeweled crown of creation---the many gems thereof
representing and radiating the glorious facets of man’s self that include the physical,
intellectual, moral, religious, social, political, economic, emotional, sentient, aesthetic,
sensual, and sexual aspects.

This imagery is shown in Figure 1(Brawner and Arcega, 2018).

Figure 1. The Self as a Crown of Creation

Religiou
Emotion s Aestheti
al c

Physic Moral
al

The
Rational Crown Sentimen
t

Creation
Spiritua
l
of Self Sensual
and
Sexual

Politica Economi
l c
Intellectual
Soci
al

(Source: Brawner and Arcega, 2018)

St. Augustine: Love and Justice as the foundation of the Individual Self

St. Augustine believes that a virtuous life is a dynamism

of love. It is a constant following and turning towards love
while a wicked life is a constant turning away from love.
Loving God means loving one’s fellowmen; and loving one’s
fellowmen denotes never doing any harm to another or, as the
golden principle of justice states, doing unto others as you
would have them do unto you (Brawner & Arcega, 2018).

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The Psychological View of Self

Sigmund Freud: The Psychoanalytical Theory of Self

Sigmund Freud is considered to be the father of

psychiatry. Among his many accomplishments is, arguably, the
most far-reaching personality schema in psychology:
the Freudian theory of personality. Freud’s asserts that human
psyche (personality) is structured into three parts (tripartite).
These structures ---the id, ego, superego--- all develop at the
different stages in a person’s life.
These three structures are systems and not physical parts of the brain. Although each
part compromises unique features and contributes to an individual’s behavior, they interact
to form a whole (Brawner & Arcega, 2018).

Structures of Personality

1. Id (internal desires). Also called internal drives or instinctive drives, it consists of the
body’s primitive biological drives and urges which are concerned only with achieving
pleasure and self-satisfaction. Id lives completely in the unconscious.
2. Ego (reality). It is the “I” part of the individual that gives him/her the sense of his/her
own identity. The ego is the rational part of the personality.
3. Superego (conscience). It is the part of personality concerned with morals, precepts,
standards, and ideas. The superego is also the critical faculty of the personality.

Freudian Stages of Psychosexual Development

Believing that most human suffering is determined during childhood development,

Freud placed emphasis on the five stages of psychosexual development. As a child passes
through these stages unresolved conflicts between physical drives and social expectation may
arise (Brawner & Arcega, 2018).

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These stages are:

1. Oral (0 – 1.5 years of age): Fixation on all things oral. If not

satisfactorily met there is the likelihood of developing negative oral
habits or behaviors. The mouth becomes the part of the body through
which gratification is secured.

(Source: https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/freuds-stages-of-psychosexual-development)

2. Anal (1.5 to 3 years of age): As indicated this stage is primarily related to

developing healthy toilet training habits.

Source: http://www.gulin.world/blog-eng/stuck-in-the-anal-stage Source: http://aprilseventheblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/oedipus-complex.html

3. Phallic (3 – 5 year of age): The development of healthy substitutes for the sexual
attraction boys and girls have toward a parent of the opposite gender. The
attraction of a boy to his mother is called Oedipus complex, while that a girl to
her father is called Electra complex.

4. Latency (5 – 12 years of age): The development of healthy

dormant sexual feelings for the opposite sex. Sexual motivations
recede in Importance as the child becomes preoccupied with
developing skills and other activities.

Source: https://jkimjulie27.wordpress.com/

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5. Genital (12 – adulthood): All tasks from the

previous four stages are integrated into the
mind allowing for the onset of healthy sexual
feelings and behaviors. After puberty, the
deeper feelings of pleasure presumably come
from heterosexual relations.
Source: https://hemabhattgrowingkids.wordpress.com/tag/sex/

It is during these stages of development that the experiences are filtered through the
three levels of the human mind. It is from these structures and the inherent conflicts that arise
in the mind that personality is shaped. According to Freud while there is an interdependence
among these three levels, each level also serves a purpose in personality development. Within
this theory the ability of a person to resolve internal conflicts at specific stages of their
development determines future coping and functioning ability as a fully matured adult.

Erik Erickson: The Psychosocial Stages of Self – development

According to Cherry and Susman (2020) Erik Erikson was an ego psychologist who
developed one of the most popular and influential theories of development. While his theory
was impacted by psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud's work, Erikson's theory centered on
psychosocial development rather than Psychosexual Development.

Mcleod (2018) he states that Erikson maintained that personality develops in a

predetermined order through eight stages of psychosocial development, from infancy to
adulthood. During each stage, the person experiences a psychosocial crisis which could have
a positive or negative outcome for personality development.

For Erikson (1958, 1963), these crises are of a psychosocial nature because they involve
psychological needs of the individual (i.e., psycho) conflicting with the needs of society (i.e.,
social).

According to the theory, successful completion of each stage results in a healthy

personality and the acquisition of basic virtues. Basic virtues are characteristic strengths
which the ego can use to resolve subsequent crises.

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Failure to successfully complete a stage can result in a reduced ability to complete

further stages and therefore a more unhealthy personality and sense of self. These stages,
however, can be resolved successfully at a later time.

Source; https://i.pinimg.com/originals/92/11/38/921138893bc7c8ff2be527cdd236bbd7.jpg

Table 1. Psychosocial Stages of Self- development

Basic
Period of Important Relationship
Conflicts/ Choices/Decisions Outcome
life life events with
Crisis
Trust vs. Infancy Feeding Maternal To give in return The individual develops a
Mistrust (birth to 18 sense of trust towards the
months) caregiver, especially with
the mother’s genuine
affection and care. A lack
of this leads to mistrust.
Autonomy Early Toilet Paternal To hold on The individual need to
vs. Shame childhood training To let go develop a sense of personal
and Doubt (18 months control over physical skills
to 3 years) and a sense of
independence. Success
leads to feelings of
autonomy; failure results
tin feelings of shame and
doubt.

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Initiative vs. Preschool Exploration Family To make The individual needs to

Guilt (3 to 5 To make like begin asserting control and
years) power over the
environment. Parents who
give their children freedom
in running, sliding, bike-
riding, and skating are
allowing them to develop
initiative. Success in this
stage leads to a sense of
purpose. Children who try
to exert too much power
experience disapproval
resulting to a sense of guilt.
Identity vs. Adolescence Social Peer group To be oneself As an individual enters
role (12 to 18 relationships To share being adolescence or teen years,
confusion years) oneself he/she needs to develop a
sense of self and personal
identity. An adolescent
tries on many new roles as
she/he feels romantic
involvement, vocational
choice, and adult statutes.
When the adolescent fails
to develop a “centered
“identity, he/she becomes
trapped in either role
confusion or negative
identity. Success leads to
an ability to stay true to
oneself while failure leads
to weak sense of self.
Intimacy vs. Young Relationships Partners in To lose As an individual grows as
Isolation adulthood friendship/sex/ To bind a young adult, he/she
(19 to 40 competition Oneself to others needs to form intimate,
years) loving relationships with
other people. Success leads
to a strong relationship
while failure results in
lowliness and isolation.

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Generativity Middle Work and Partner To make be Generativity means

vs. adulthood parenthood To take care of reaching out beyond one’s
Stagnation (40 to 65 own immediate concerns to
years) embrace the welfare of
society and of future
generations. It entails
selflessness. The adult
needs to create or nurture
things that will outlast
him/her, often by having
children or creating a
positive change that
benefits other people.
Success leads to feeling s
of usefulness and
accomplishment while
failure results in shallow
involvement in the world.
Integrity vs. Old age/ Reflection on Mankind To be through The older adult needs to
Despair maturity life Having been look back on life and feels
(65 to death) To face not being a sense of fulfillment.
Success at this stage lead
to feelings of wisdom while
failure results in regret,
bitterness, and despair.
(Source: Brawner & Arcega, 2018)

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PROGRESS CHECK

Create a video of your answers for activities 1, 2, 3 and 4. Submit your video in the Drop box created.

Activity 1: Who am I? (10 pts.)

Think, write and tell something about yourself. Copy and fill in the blanks.
1. I am .
2. I am .
3. I like to .
4. I dislike to .
5. I love to .
6. I hate to .
7. The thing thats excite me are .
8. I am interested in .
9. I am not interested in .
10. In 10 years’ time, I will be .

Activity 2: Watch and React. (5 pts.)

Watch the video: “Remind me Who am I” by Jason Gray at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSIVjjY8Ou8 and answer the following questions:

A. What is the message of the song?

B. Why is it important to be reminded of who you are?

Activity 3: Self-description Essay (15 pts.)

Write a letter talking to your past self, present self and to your future self.

Activity 4: (5 pts.)
Make your own philosophy of the self-incorporating the ideas you learned from the
different philosophers.

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REFERENCES

Alata, Eden Joy, P. et.al. Understanding The Self. 2018. Rex Bookstore Inc.

Brawner, Dalisay.G.and Arcega, AnalizaF.2018, Understanding The Self. Quezon City:

C & E Publishing Inc.

Cherry and Susman (2019, June). Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development.
Verywell Mind. Retrieved June 24, 2020, Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-
2795740

Gardner, J. (1996). Sophie’s World. Orion Publishing Group.

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Retrieved
June 24, 2020, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A24-
28&version=NIV

McLeod, S. (2018). Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Simply Psychology.

Retrieved June 24, 2020, https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

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LEARNING GUIDE

Week No.: 2

TOPIC

The Self from the Anthropological Perspective: The Self Embedded in Culture

EXPECTED COMPETENCIES

At the end of the lesson, you must have:

1. explored the self from the perspectives of Anthropology;
2. examined the cultural influences in shaping one’s self;
3. analyzed how these influences are manifested in real situation.

CONTENT

Activity 1: Reflection
Pag-ibig sa iba’t-ibang panahon. Based from the photo below, write a reflection letter
on how love changes over time. Type your answer on a one whole short bond paper.

Cultural anthropology is the study of human culture. It is the study of people - their origin,
their developmental, and contemporary variations, wherever and whenever those have been
found (Ferraro, 2008). Culture on the other hand, is “an organization of learned behavior which,
together with tangible products, is shared by and transmitted among the members of society. It
is design for living (Colon, 2010). It includes human behavior and ideas that are learned rather
than genetically transmitted, as well as the material objects produced by a group of people
(Nanda and Warren, 2007).

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Anthropologist Clifford Geertz in the “Impact of Concept of Culture on the Concept of

Man” states that “…culture provides the link between what men are intrinsically capable of
becoming and what they actually, one by one, in fact become.”

This leads us to the importance of culture in understanding who we are as human beings.
Man acquires his knowledge, beliefs, morals, customs, and other habits and capacities from his
interactions with others in the society where he belongs. We learn our cultural practices and
traditions by listening, talking, and interacting with other people.

As a child we learn appropriate behavior by observing and copying the behavior of

adults. We express our feelings and make judgments for what is right and wrong based on our
interpretation of adult’s behavior.
This serves as guide to our own behavior and perceptions throughout life. Thus, our
shared beliefs, values, memories and expectations bind us together who grow up in the same
culture.
Table 1 shows different concepts about culture and its definitions.

Table 1 Different concepts about culture

Construal as the act of constructing or interpreting; interpretation.
Agency as thoughts and actions taken by people to express their individual
power.
Human Agency as the capacity of human beings to make choices (Bandura)
Agentic as the attribute of people to self-organize, self-regulate, be self-
reflective, and be proactive. As times change, we are not merely
reactive organisms shaped by environment forces or driven by inner
impulses, we have the capacity to make choices in the world.
Dialectic as the relationship between two things that can influence each other; a
change in one requires a change in the other.
Dialogical Self as the mind’s ability to imagine the different opinions of participants in
an internal dialogue, in close, with external dialogue (Herman, 1990).
Generalized as individual concept of the other people; individuals internalized
impression of societal norms and expectations (Mead, 2007).
others
Structure as a factor of influence (such as social class, religion, gender, ethnicity,
ability, customs, etc.) that determines or limits an agent and his and her
decisions.
Reflexibility as the capacity of an agent to recognize forces of socialization that
alters their place in the social structure (William Thomas). A person
with low reflexibility can be shaped by the environment while a person
with high reflexibility creates their own and is a catalyst for change in
others.
Culture as the unique quality of man that separates him from lower animals. It
includes everything man has acquired in his individual and social life. In

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the words of Maclver and Page, Cultures is the “realm of styles, of

values, of emotional attachment, of intellectual adventures.” It is the
entire ‘social heritage’ that the individual receives from the group.

Anthropology Sociology
Definition The study human beings and The study of the
their ancestors through time development, structure,
in terms of physical interaction and behavior of
character, environment and organized groups of human
social relations and culture. It beings.
can also be known as the
scientific and humanistic
study off human species and
their various diversities
Specialization Sociocultural, linguistic, Social instructions
physical, archeological (economic life education,
Simple, traditional and non- family, politics and religion),
industrialized societies. social stratification (by age,
gender, race, and ethnicity,
and social problems, Focuses
on the complex and modes
societies.

Culture

1. B. Malinowski defined cultures as the ‘cumulative creation of man’. He also regarded culture
as the handiwork of man and the medium through which he achieves his ends.

2. Edwards B. Taylor, a famous English anthropologist, defined culture as,”… that complex
whole which includes knowledge , belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities
and habits acquired by man as a member of society.”

3. Robert Bierstadt stated that,” Culture is the complex whole that consists of all the ways we
think and do and everything we have as members of society.”

Kalsekar (2015) Characteristics Culture

1. Culture is socially learned; it is not biologically inherited. There is no cultural instinct that
it is an inborn tendency. It is often called ‘learned ways of behaviour’

2. Culture is social; it does not exist in isolation nor as an individual phenomenon. It is a product
of society that originated and developed through social interactions. It is shared by the members
of society.

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3. Culture is shared; the sociological sense, it is not something that an individual can possess.

4. Culture is transmissive; it could be transmitted from one generation to the next, Parents pass
culture traits to their children, who in turn, pass it to their children. Culture is transmitted, not
through genes, but through language.

5. Culture is continuous and cumulative; it exists as a continuous process. It tends to become

cumulative in its historical growth. It is a ‘growing whole’ which includes the achievements of
the past and the present and makes provision for the future achievement of mankind.

6. Culture is consistent and integrated; it tends to be consistent. At the same time, different
parts of culture are interconnected.

7. Culture is dynamic and adaptive; it is relatively stable. It is subject to slow and constant
changes. Change, growth, and latent in culture.

Components of Culture

A. Elements of Culture

1. Cognitive elements: Cultures of all societies, whether pre-illiterate or literate, include a vast
amount of knowledge about the physical and social world. The possession of this knowledge
is referred to as the cognitive element.

2. Beliefs: Beliefs constitute another element of culture. Beliefs is empirical terms are
neither true nor false.

3. Values and norms: It is very difficult to enlist values and norms for they are numerous and
diverse. They are inseparable from attitudes, except perhaps, analytically. Values may be
defined as measures of goodness of desirability. They are the conceptions of relative
desirability of things. One way to understand the values and their interconnections is to
approach them through four functional subsystems; government, family, economy, and
religion.

4. Signs: Signs includes signals and symbols. A signal (or signs) indicates existences- past
present and future- or an event or conditions.

5. Non-normative ways of behaving: Certain ways of behaving are not compulsory and are
often unconscious, such as patterns do exist. Non-normative behaviour shades over into
normative behaviour and symbolic behaviour.

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B. Culture Contents

Pestaῆo and Wong (2018) states that every society has a culture of its own, Thus, people
in different societies have different cultures. These cultures are diverse and unequal. Along
with cultural diversities and disparities found in societies throughout the world, we observe
certain cultural similarities. People may worship different Gods in many ways, but they all
follow a religion. They may pursue various occupations, but they all earn a living. Details of
their rituals, ceremonies, and customs may differ, nevertheless, they have all same of these.
Every culture consists of such non-material things. Similarly, people of every society possess
different material things. This may be primitive, modern, simple, or complex. These material
and non-material components of culture are often referred to as “the content of culture.”

C. Cultural Lag

It means maladjustment in culture. The concept was first introduced by W.F. Ogburn
in 1922 in his book “Social Change”. The proposition was that various parts of modern culture
do not change at the same rate; some parts change more rapidly than others. Since was a
correlation and interdependence of parts, rapid changes is one part of culture requires
immediate readjustment in other parts of the same culture.

The extent of lag varies according to the nature of cultural material and may exist for a
considerable number of years. A sudden change is one part of culture is evident due to some
discovery, invention etc. The maladjustment is the result of strain as the balance of the ordered
structure breaks down for the time being (Pestaῆo and Wong, 2018).

D. Material and Non- Material Culture

1. Material Culture

Material culture consists of man- made objects such as tools, implements, furniture,
automobiles, building, dams, roads, bridges, and other physical substances that was changed
and used by man. It is concerned with the external, mechanical, and utilitarian objects. It
includes technical and material equipment. It is referred to as civilization.
2. Non – Material Culture

The term ‘culture’ means ‘non-material culture’. It is internally and intrinsically

valuable and reflects the inward nature of man. Non-material culture consists of words the
people use, the language they speak, they hold, values and virtues they cherish, habits they
follow, rituals and practices they do, and the ceremonies they observe. It also includes
customs, tastes attitudes outlook, ways of acting, feeling and thinking.

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E. Function of Culture
 Culture is the treasury of knowledge
 Culture defines situations.
 Culture defines attitudes, values, and goals
 Culture decides our career.
 Culture provide behaviour pattern.
 Culture molds personality.

Ethnocentrism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own ethnic group or
culture. On the other hand, cultural relativism is the belief that activities should be
understood based on a person’s own culture.

Basic Needs Cultural Response

1. Metabolism 1. Commissarial
2.Reproduction 2.Kinship
3. Bodily Comforts 3.Shelter
4. Safety 4. Protection
5. Movement 5. Activities
6. Growth 6. Training
7.Health 7.Hygeine

Identity is the identification of self, by self and others (Erikson, 1950). It came to the
understood as the historically and culturally rooted self-image of a group that was
predominantly sketched and sharpened in contact vis-à-vis other groups of people. His meaning
of identity relates to other anthropological concepts, such as world view, values, ethos, and
culture, all which suggests a kind of homogeneity among members of a community (Van-
Meilil, 2008).

As mentioned, the identity of individuals was supposed to be identical o the identity of

the group he/she belongs to. This is consistent with anthropological theories about the relation
between person and group or community (La Fontaine, 1985). Another important aspect of
identity is concerned with presupposition of stability and permanence.

Morris (1994) emphasized that the self is not an entity, but that orchestrates an
individual’s experience. As a result, he or she becomes self-aware and self-reflective about his
or her place in the surrounding world. The concept of the Self may be defined as an individual’s
mental representation of self between others seems to be universal (Spiro, 1993). But this

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distinction varies from person to person. At the same time, it seems obvious that relationship
between self and others is also a function of culture (Shweder & Bourne, 1984).

Indeed the most crucial form of interaction and exchange takes place between the self
and his or her cultural environment as mediated in social practices (Morris, 1994 his or her
own person, as a self –representation, while the concept of others refer to the mental
representation of other persons. As word identity refers to “selfsameness”, disposition of basic
personality features acquired mostly during childhood as much as “ethnic identity” or
selfsameness with others made up the group identity.

Independent and Interdependent Construal of the Self

Markus and Kitayama (1991) defined The Self in terms of internal attributes such as
traits, abilities, values, and preferences which are descriptive of the independent construal of
The Self. On the other hand, the interdependent construal of The Self is defined in terms of
relationships with others.
Independent construal of The Self is the quest for excellence as motivated by
achievement and linked to one’s tendency to push ahead and see success. The motivation for
excellence among people with the interdependent construal is geared towards achieving
broader social goals. It is motivated by group achievement. Self –construal serves as cognitive
templates for interpreting behaviors of others as well. Those with independent selves assume
other people are the same; there is bias in wanting to explain other’s behavior in terms of one’s
own construal of self.
Cultural tasks are chosen and pursued as an important part of the construction of self-
narrative, a story, or the ‘stream of consciousness’ of that defines the current –self based on
previous experiences while projecting it to the future (McAdams, 2006. This narrative solidly
anchors the self in the culture and society, thereby affording the person to construct a stable
identity

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The Self and Social Connotation of Emotion

Socially disengaged emotions separate the self from social relationships while the social
engaged emotions further assimilate the self in the relationship.

(https://unsplash.com/photos/NPmR0RblyhQ)

Key Concept of the Individual, Self, Person in Anthropology

 Individual as member of humankind (biologistic)

 Self as locus of experience (psychologistic)
 Person as agent-in-society (sociologistic)

(https://www.pexels.com/photo/lonely-african-oldman-thinking-1310317/

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for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is NOT FOR SALE NOR FOR REPRODUCTION.
 23

Activity 2: Case Study

Name : Score:

Section: Date:

James migrated with his parents to Canada at the age of three. He finished his Senior
High School when he was 18 years old. Then, his parents decided that he should enroll in
Medical School in the Philippines. Will James have an easy life in the Philippines?
Support your answer.

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PROGRESS CHECK

Name: Score:

Section: Date:

Test 1. Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of your answer on the space
provided.

Column A (Description) Column B (Variable)

1. Superiority of one’s own A. Ethnocentrism

2. Understood based on own ways B. Cultural relativism

3. Agent’s capacity to alter structure C. Reflexibility

4. Relationships with others D. Interdependent Construal

5. Self-differentiation E. Identity

Test 2. List the differences between independent construal self and interdependent
construal of self in four aspects. (8 points)

Independent Construal of Points of Differences Interdependent Construal

Self of Self

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REFERENCES

Abu-Lughod, Li La. (2016). Writing against culture in Recapturing Anthropology:

Working in the present. John Benjamin Publishing Company.

Geertz, C. The Interpretation of Cultures.

Giddens, A. (1991). Modernity and self –identity: Self and society. The Stanford
University Press.

Mead, G.H. (2007). Mind, self, and society: From The Standpoint of a Social
Behaviourist. The University of Chicago Press.

Morris, B. (2007). Anthropology of the Self: The Individual in Cultural Perspectives.

Brian Morris. London: Pluto Press.

This module is a property of Technological University of the Philippines Visayas intended

for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is NOT FOR SALE NOR FOR REPRODUCTION.
 26

This module is a property of Technological University of the Philippines Visayas intended

for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is NOT FOR SALE NOR FOR REPRODUCTION.
 27

LEARNING GUIDE

Week No.: 3

TOPIC

The Self in Western and Eastern Thought

EXPECTED COMPETENCIES

At the end of the lesson, you must have:

1. distinguished the characteristics of individualistic self and collective self; and
2. differentiated the concept of self-according to Western thought against Eastern
or Oriental perspectives;

CONTENT

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. Oftentimes we associate western thought with individualism and
eastern/oriental with collectivism.

Individualism vs. Collectivism

Individualist culture is a culture in which the goals of the individual take precedence
over the goals of the group. Collectivist culture is a culture in which the goals of the group take
precedence over the goals of the individual.
In other words, in an individualist culture, members are responsible for themselves and,
perhaps, their immediate families. In a collectivist culture, members are responsible for the
group.
In an individualist culture, success is measured by how far one stands out from the
crowd. For example, the self-made millionaires, employees of the month, standing out. In a
collectivist culture, success is measured by one’s contributions to the group. For example, the
loyalty to company or country, specialized skills.
This also applies on a personal level like one person can personally be collectivist while
his or her culture is individualist. There is also an issue of cooperation versus competition and
the emphasis of the importance of in-group and out-group members.
Individualistic doers are self-assured and very independent people. They are quiet and
realistic, very rational, extremely matter of fact people. They strongly cultivate their
individualism and enjoy applying their abilities to new tasks. But they are also very
spontaneous and impulsive persons who like to follow their sudden inspirations.
Meanwhile, collectivist sees the group as the important element, and individuals are
just members of the group. The group has its own values somehow different from those of the
individual members.

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for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is NOT FOR SALE NOR FOR REPRODUCTION.
 28

Both collectivist self and individualistic self may have their downside. Individualistic
people are susceptible to loneliness, and collectivist people can have a strong fear of
rejection.

Individualistic Self versus Collectivist Self

The Individualistic Self The Collectivist Self

The “I” identity. The “We” identity.

The individual identifies primarily with self, Collectivist views the group as the primary
with the needs of the individual being entity, with the individuals lost along the
satisfied before those of the group. way.

The individual is acts and makes his own The survival and success of the group
choices, looks after and taking care of ensures the well-being of the individual, so
oneself and being self-sufficient. that by considering the needs and feelings of
others, one protects oneself.

Independence and self-reliance are greatly Harmony and the interdependence of group
stressed and valued. members are stressed and valued.

In general, they tend to distance themselves Each person is encouraged to be an active

psychologically and emotionally from each player in society, to do what is best for
other. One may choose to join groups, but society as a whole rather than themselves.
group membership is not essential to one’s Rules promote unity, brotherhood, and
identity or success. selflessness.
Working with others and cooperating is the
norm; everyone supports each other.

The characteristics of individualism and collectivism can be summarized as follows:

Individualism: Collectivism:

Individual autonomy; self-oriented; personal Group unity and harmony; group-oriented;

goals; unique and independent; individual group goals; conforming and
privacy; nuclear family; individual rewards interdependent; group belongingness;
(equity); competition extended family; equal distribution of
reward (equality); cooperation

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for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is NOT FOR SALE NOR FOR REPRODUCTION.
 29

Examples of Countries with Generally Individualistic Cultures

United States Italy
Australia Belgium
United Kingdom Sweden
Canada Ireland
Netherlands Norway
Hungary (post-communist generation) Switzerland
New Zealand Germany

Examples of Countries with Generally Collectivistic Cultures

China Malaysia
Taiwan Egypt
India Cyprus
Pakistan Ghana
Bangladesh Nepal
Indonesia Argentina
Afghanistan Armenia

PROGRESS CHECK

I. Watch and React.

What message can you get from the video clip in relation to the concept on
individualism and collectivism?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdPyrKVFMpA

II. Create your own representation, diagram, or concept map of the self according to Filipino
culture. Provide a brief explanation about your output. You can also cite books and
researches about Filipino culture, self, and identity to further elaborate on the topic.

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for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is NOT FOR SALE NOR FOR REPRODUCTION.
 30

REFERENCES

Atman, K.S. (1987). The role of conation (striving) in the distance education enterprise. The
America Journal of Distance Education. State College, PA: The Pennsylvania State
University

James, W. (1891). The Principles of Psychology, Vol.1 Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press (Original work published 1891)

Mcleod, S.A. (2014). Self Concept. Carl Rogers. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.
or/carl-rogers.html

Mead, G.H. (1967, August 15). Mind, Self, And Society from the Standpoint of a social
Behaviorist. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.pp173-174.ISBN
0226516687.

Morris, C.W. (1934). Mind, Self, and Society from the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist.
Chicago, III: University of Chicago Press.

Winnicott,D.W. (1965). “Ego distortion in terms of true and false self”. The Maturational
Process and the Facilitating Environment: Studies in the Theory of Emotional
Development. New York: International Universities Press, Inc: 140-157.

Weiten, W., Dunn D.S., and Hammer, E.Y. (2014). Psychology Applied to Modern Life:
Adjustments in the 21st Century. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

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for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is NOT FOR SALE NOR FOR REPRODUCTION.
 31

LEARNING GUIDE

Week No.: 4

TOPIC:

The Psychology of the Self

EXPECTED COMPETENCIES

At the end of the lesson, you must have:

1. identified oneself based on William James Theory of Self
2. differentiated one’s real self and ideal self
3. valued the importance of alignment of oneself

CONTENT

William James Theory of Self

The SELF is divided into two main categories: “ME” Self refers to the aspects of
someone that come from that person's experiences or known as the “empirical self”.‘I’ Self
classified as the thinking self.
James broke the “ME" self-down into three sections: the material self, the social self
and the spiritual self. The material self is consists of things that belong to us or that we
belong to. Things like family, clothes, our body, and money are some of what makes up our
material selves. The material self refers to tangible objects, people, or places that carry the
designation my or mine. Two subclasses of the material self can be distinguished: The bodily
self and the extracorporeal (beyond the body) self. Rosenberg (1979) has referred to the
extracorporeal self as the extended self.
The bodily component of the material self requires little explanation. A person speaks
of my arms or my legs. These entities are clearly an intimate part of who we are. But our
sense of self is not limited to our bodies. It includes other people (my children), pets (my
dog), possessions (my car), places (my hometown), and the products of our labors (my
painting).
It is not the physical entities themselves, however, that comprise the material self.
Rather, it is our psychological ownership of them (Scheibe, 1985). For example, a person
may have a favorite chair she likes to sit in. The chair itself is not part of the self. Instead, it is
the sense of appropriation represented by the phrase “my favorite chair.” This is what we
mean when we talk about the extended self. It includes all of the people, places, and things
that we regard as “ours.”
Meanwhile, the social self refers to how we are regarded and recognized by others

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 32

Our social selves are who we are in a given social situation. For James, people change
how they act depending on the social situation that they are in. James believed that people
had as many social selves as they did social situations they participated in.
For James, the spiritual self was who we are at our core. The spiritual self is more
concrete or permanent than the other two selves. The spiritual self is our subjective and most
intimate self. Aspects of an individual's spiritual self include things like their personality,
core values, and conscience that do not typically change throughout their lifetime.
The spiritual self is our inner self or our psychological self. It is comprised of our self-
perceived abilities, attitudes, emotions, interests, values, motives, opinions, traits, and wishes.

REAL SELF VS. IDEAL SELF

The real self is who we actually are. It is how we think, how we feel, look, and act. It
can be seen by others, but because we have no way of truly knowing how others view us, the
real self becomes our self-image.
The ideal self is how we want to be. It is an idealized image that we have developed
over time, based on what we have learned and experienced. May include components of what
our parents have taught us, what we admire in others, what our society promotes, and what we
think is in our best interest.

IMPORTANCE OF ALIGNMENT OF THE REAL SELF TO THE IDEAL SELF

If the way that I am (the real self) is aligned with the way that I want to be (the ideal
self), then I will feel a sense of mental well-being or peace of mind.
If the way that I am is not aligned with how I want to be, the incongruence, or lack of
alignment, will result in mental distress or anxiety. The greater the level of incongruence
between the ideal self and real self, the greater the level of resulting distress.

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 33

PROGRESS CHECK

Part I: Instructions
1. In the Word document, create a table with 3 columns.
2. In the Word document write your name and write 3 words that you think best
describes yourself in the first column.
3. Once you are through, think of words that you would like to be described or wished to be
in the second column.
4. Send your Word document to a classmate thru your Facebook Messenger/email
account and let him/her write 3 words that he/she thinks best describes you.

Part II. Answer the following questions on a Word document and submit it via
Dropbox.

1. How did you feel when you were trying to identify words that describe yourself?
2. How did you feel when you were asked to identify what you would wished to be?
3. How did you feel when your classmate is given the task to describe you?
4. Do you have the same description of yourself and your classmate?
5. What makes it similar or different? Why?
6. How do you feel about their responses?

ESSAY. Write on a Word document and submit it through Dropbox.

Write an essay detailing your reflection and insights about our activity. In addition,
express what have you learned about yourself based on your classmates' comments.
(Minimum of 300 words)

REFERENCES

Alata, E. J. P., et.al. Understanding the Self. 2018. Rex Bookstore Inc.

Brawner, D.G. & Arcega, A. F. (2018). Understanding the Self. C & E Publishing Inc.

George Herbert Mead: The Self, ''Me'' & ''I'' (n.d.). https://study.com/academy/lesson/ george-
herbert-mead-the-self-me-i.html
Understanding Society. (2012, April 19). https://understandingsociety.blogspot.com/2012/04/
george-herbert-mead-on-self.html

This module is a property of Technological University of the Philippines Visayas intended

for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is NOT FOR SALE NOR FOR REPRODUCTION.