The Material Self o Their success/failure affects our emotions.

William James (1842–1910), an American psychologist and o We feel the urgent instinct to help them in times of
philosopher, stated: need.
“Man’s self is the sum total of all he CAN call his.” o Immediate family is seen as the nearest replica of our
self.
The material self pertains to objects, places, or people labeled
as “mine.” These possessions are viewed as extensions of 4. Home
individuals’ identities.
o “Home is where our heart is.”
Components of the Material Self (William James)
o Earliest nest of our selfhood.
1. Body
o Psychological ownership of home and its things.
o Innermost aspect of material self.
o Example: “My favorite chair” expresses psychological
o Intimate closeness to certain body parts. connection.
o Any ailment or disorder directly affects the self. Investment in Possessions
2. Clothing  The more investment of self in a thing, the more we
identify with it.
o Influenced by “Philosophy of Dress” by Herman
Lotze.  We tend to collect properties and possessions, and they
become part of the self.
o Clothes protect and project the body.
Subclasses of the Material Self
o Clothing affects attitudes and behavior.
1. The Bodily Self
o A form of self-expression (Watson, 2014; cited in
Alata et al., 2018). o Physical (arms, legs, etc.)
3. Family o Emotional (feelings, desires)
o Great importance to our self. o Psychological (intelligence)
 o Moral (values, beliefs) o Distributing possessions after death for symbolic
immortality.
2. The Extracorporeal Self
o Emotional attachments stronger than monetary value
o People (spouse, children, family)
(e.g., lost photo vs. money).
o Things (possessions like cars, jewelry)
Mere Ownership Effect
o Places (hometown)
 Study by Beggan (1992):
o Products of labor (e.g., books written)
o Participants valued objects more after owning them.
“We Are What We Have”
o Supports the idea that possessions become part of the
 People describe themselves through their possessions self.
(Gordon, 1968).
 Russel Belk (1988) states:
 Even children are avid collectors (bottle caps, shells,
“We regard our possessions as part of ourselves. We are what
etc.).
we have and what we possess.”
 Possessions symbolize important aspects of the self.
Possessions Over Time
 Difficulty discarding old items shows emotional
 As we grow, importance of material possessions may
attachment.
decrease.
Functions of Possessions
 Yet, possessions associated with happiness, significant
 Symbolic function events, and accomplishments gain more value.

o Clothes, cars, and homes signal who we think we are.  Possessions connected to people can be honored even
after they pass away.
o Help convince us and others of our identity
(Wicklund & Gollwitzer, 1982). Example:

 Extending the self through time  A person’s favorite chair reminds family members of
that person.
Self-Worth and Material Self spiritual experience as sacred or transcendent or simply a deep
sense of aliveness and interconnectedness.
“Self-worth is so vital to your happiness. If you don’t feel good
about you, it’s hard to feel good about anything else.” — Religion
Mandy Hale
 Religion and spirituality are both rooted in trying to
 Self-worth: How a person sees, perceives, and values understand the meaning of life and, in some cases, how a
oneself. relationship with a higher power may influence that
meaning.
 It comes from within and is controlled by the person.
 Religion is an organized, community-based system of
 Self-value: More behavioral than emotional; how we
beliefs, while spirituality resides within the individual
value others reflects how we value ourselves (S. Stosny).
and what they personally believe.
Key Areas in Developing Self-Value
“The idea of religion and spirituality is like a rectangle versus a
 Physical well-being square. Within religion there is spirituality, but if you have
spirituality, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have religion.”
 Emotional well-being
 Both religion and spirituality can have a positive impact
Suggestions for Improving Self-Worth
on mental health.
 Compare yourself to no one.
The “Soul”
 Embrace your mistakes and learn from them.
 In religion and philosophy, the soul is the immaterial
 Take an opportunity to develop yourself. aspect or essence of a human being, conferring
individuality and humanity, often synonymous with the
 Share your journey with someone you trust.
mind or the self.
Spirituality
 In theology, the soul partakes of divinity and is often
In general, spirituality includes a sense of connection to considered to survive the death of the body.
something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a
Different Concepts About the Soul:
search for meaning in life. It is a universal human experience
— something that touches us all. People may describe a
  Pythagoras: The soul is of divine origin and exists  Death: One of the most important occasions in Filipino
before and after death. family life, strengthening family ties. Death rituals are
partly religious and mostly superstitious.
 Plato and Socrates: Accepted the immortality of the
soul.  Ceremony: The ritual observances and procedures
performed at grand and formal occasions. Example: In
 Aristotle: Only the noû̂s (intellect) has immortality.
a wedding, the exchange of vows before the priest.
 Epicurus: Believed both body and soul ended at death.
Cults, Magic, and Witchcraft
 Early Christian Philosophers: Adopted the Greek
 Cult: A social group defined by unusual religious,
concept of the soul’s immortality — created by God
spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or a common interest
and infused at conception.
in a particular personality, object, or goal.
 Hinduism: Atman (“breath” or “soul”) is the universal,
 Magic: Can be used to protect, help, enhance, or
eternal self, with each individual jiva partaking in it.
destroy based on the magician's desires.
 Buddhism: Negates both the concept of individual self
 Witchcraft: The manipulation, domination, or
and atman — any sense of an eternal soul is illusory.
intimidation of anything or anyone to work one’s will.
 Islam: The soul comes into existence with the body and
In the Philippines:
continues its own life after death.
 Witches are viewed as opposed to the sacred.
Rituals and Ceremonies
 Indigenous healers are referred to using traditional
 Rituals are enactments or systems of actions and
cultural terminology or anthropological terms like
beliefs that have a beginning, middle, and end.
"shaman."
 Rituals vary in every country, reflecting the people’s
 In modern times, witchcraft can also refer to benign or
faith in action.
neutral metaphysical practices (e.g., divination,
Examples in the Philippines: meditation, self-help).
 Wedding: A sacred union of a man and a woman after Wicca:
courtship and engagement; a sacrament of love.
  A predominantly Western movement whose followers  When we can no longer change a situation, we are
practice witchcraft and nature worship, viewing it as a forced to change ourselves.
religion based on pre-Christian traditions of Northern
About Logotherapy:
and Western Europe.
 "Logos" is the Greek word for meaning.
Logotherapy
 Logotherapy helps individuals find personal meaning in
Viktor Frankl (1905–1997) was an Austrian neurologist and
life.
psychologist who developed logotherapy, a therapeutic
approach helping people find personal meaning in life.  Frankl summarized this in his book Man’s Search for
Meaning.
 Logotherapy was recognized as one of the
scientifically-based schools of psychotherapy by: Core Properties of Logotherapy:
o American Medical Society  Each person has a healthy core.

o American Psychiatric Association  The focus is to enlighten others about their internal
resources and provide tools to use their inner core.
o American Psychological Association
 Life offers purpose and meaning, but not necessarily
Frankl believed:
fulfillment or happiness.
 Humans are motivated by a "will to meaning" — a
Three (3) Ways of Finding Meaning (According to Viktor
desire to find meaning in life.
Frankl):
 Life can have meaning even under the most miserable
1. By creating a work or doing a deed
circumstances.
o Finding meaning through our actions and the
 Motivation for living comes from finding that meaning.
things we do.
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of
2. By experiencing something or encountering someone
the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given
set of circumstances.” o Finding meaning through our connections and
relationships with spouse, family, friends, or
God/the sacred.
 3. By the attitude that we take toward unavoidable  Compassionate: Sympathy even to strangers.
suffering
 Regionalism: Preference for fellow provincemates.
o Finding meaning in the midst of suffering —
 Friendly: Being sincere, loyal, and sociable.
how a person lives through suffering can instill
a sense of meaning.  Flexible (Madaling Makibagay): Ability to adjust for
harmony.
Values and Traits
 Religious: Strong adherence to religious beliefs.
 Values are fundamental ideas and beliefs that guide a
person or organization's motivations and decisions.  Respect to elders: Courtesy towards older people.

 Traits are characteristics of a person that describe how  Remedyo attitude: Creativity and resourcefulness.
they tend to feel, think, and behave.
 Matiyaga: Tenacity and strong determination.
Filipino Values and Traits
 Utang na loob: Deep sense of gratitude and obligation.
 Cultural values are shared assumptions of what is
Negative Filipino Values
right, good, or important in a society.
 Bahala na attitude: Leaving outcomes to fate or divine
 Filipino Values System is the set of values and
will.
ideologies historically important to Filipinos,
influencing their lives and decisions.  Colonial complex: Admiration for foreign goods.
Positive Filipino Values  Crab mentality: Jealousy leading to pulling others
down.
 Bayanihan: Spirit of kinship and communal
cooperation.  Euphemism: Softening words to avoid offense.
 Damayan: Sympathy for those who lost loved ones.  Filipino time: Habitual tardiness.
 Familism: Priority and loyalty to family above all.  Gaya-gaya attitude: Copying other cultures.
 Fun-loving trait: Finding joy even in difficulties.  Jackpot mentality: Desire for instant wealth.
 Hospitality: Warm reception to guests.  Kapalaran values: Over-reliance on fate.
  Mañana habit: Procrastination.  Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo.
 Ningas-cogon: Short-lived enthusiasm.  Maraming salita, kulang sa gawa.
 Oversensitive: Easily hurt by criticism. Superstitious Beliefs and Practices
 Lack of sportsmanship: Poor acceptance of defeat. Superstition is an irrational belief in the magical significance of
certain actions, events, or objects. These beliefs are deeply
 Pakikisama: Blind conformity to group demands.
rooted in culture and tradition, offering guidance, warnings, or
 Tsamba lang attitude: Attributing success to luck. explanations beyond scientific reasoning.

Filipino Proverbs (Salawikain) Examples include:

Proverbs are unwritten wisdom passed down through  Staircases should not end on "mata" (death).
generations, offering advice based on the experiences of
 Turn your plate if someone leaves during a meal.
ancestors.
 Practice "pagpag" after attending a wake.
Examples include:
 Knock and say "Tao po!" when visiting homes.
 Pag binato ka ng bato, batuhin mo ng tinapay.
 Avoid siblings marrying in the same year (sukob).
 Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa.
 Serve pancit for long life during celebrations.
 Mahirap gisingin ang nagtutulug-tulugan.
 Respect nature spirits and elementals.
 May pakpak ang balita, may tainga ang lupa.
 Be cautious when admiring babies to avoid "usog."
 Mahirap mamatay ang masamang damo.
 Blame missing objects on playful elves (dwende).
 Walang naninira sa bakal kundi sariling kalawang.
Me in the Community
 Pagkahaba-haba man daw ng prusisyon, sa simbahan
din ang tuloy.  Community: A group sharing common goals, values,
and traits.
 Ang umaayaw ay di nagwawagi, ang nagwawagi ay di
umaayaw.
  Filipino Community: Known for strong family ties,
sociability, optimism, and religious faith.
 Urban vs Rural: Urban Filipinos tend to be more
modern, but common values bind the majority.
Establishing a Democratic Culture
Democratic culture promotes liberty, equality, and collective
participation in governance.
Barriers:
 Poverty
 Hierarchized relations
 Corruption
Solutions:
 Educate citizens about democracy.
 Promote civic responsibility.
 Ensure equality and access to quality education.
 Elect honest and capable leaders.
 Apply democratic rights fairly.