FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PSYCHOLOGY
values, and morals (usually stable and constant).
PSYCHOLOGY
 From the Greek word, Psyche (soul) and logos
( knowledge/study).
 The field of social sciences that deals with the
description, explanation, prediction and control of
behavior.
WILLIAM JAMES (1842-1910)
 An American philosopher and psychologist.
 Professor of Psychology at Harvard University
 One of the great pragmatists
 He is also known for his Theory of the Self.
 Wrote the book “The Principles of Psychology”
HE BELIEVED THAT THE SELF IS MADE UP OF TWO PARTS…
THE ‘ME’ AND THE ‘I’
 His studies of human thoughts concluded that thoughts
have FIVE characteristics:
1. All human thoughts are owned by some personal self.
2. All thoughts are constantly changing or are never static
3. There is a continuity of thoughts as its focus shifts from
one object to another.
4. Thoughts deal with objects that are different from and
independent of consciousness itself.
5. Consciousness can focus on particular objects and not
others.
THE ‘ME’ SELF
 Considered as a separated object or individual that the
person refers to when discussing or describing their
personal experiences.
 James called it as the empirical ME.
 It is divided into three components namely: material,
social and spiritual self.
 Examples:
 The gifts were sent to ME.
 The person is smiling at ME.
THE MATERIAL SELF
 Consists of objects that belong to the person or entities
that a person belongs to.
 The body is the core of the material self and everything
associated to it identifies the person.
 Examples are the person’s body, family, clothes, books
and even money.
THE SOCIAL SELF
 This refers to who the person is in a particular social
situation.
 Changes in behavior usually result from the different
social situations the person finds himself in.
 Example: the person changes how he presents himself
when he is at home, in school or with friends
THE SPIRITUAL SELF
 The self that is more concrete or permanent when
compared to the material and social selves.
 This self is the most subjective and intimate part of the
self.
 It includes aspects such as the individual’s personality,
 Always engaging in the process of introspection (self
observation).
THE ‘I’ SELF
 The self that knows and recognizes who they are and
what they have done.
 James called this self the Pure Ego, which is similar to
the person’s soul or mind and comprises the totality of
the person’s identity.
OTHER SELVES IN PSYCHOLOGY
 GLOBAL AND DIFFERENTIATED SELF MODELS
GLOBAL SELF
 Represents the overall value that a person places upon
himself.
 The groups of people that he interacts with every day of
his life strongly influence him.
 The global self is the product of all experiences that a
person had in the society which accounts for the kind of
person he presently is.
MURRAY BOWEN (1913-1990)
 American Psychiatrist and Professor of Psychiatry
 He was among those who developed the Family Therapy
and Systemic Therapy.
 In observing families (particularly his own), he came up
with the concept of a differentiated self.
 In his theory, observed that there are two factors
affecting the person; togetherness and individuality.
Which balance should be maintained.
DIFFERENTIATED SELF
 Though affected by the presence of others, it has the
ability to separate feelings and thoughts.
 Being able to free himself from the influence of others
allows him to define himself.
 Enables the person to develop and sustain his unique
identity, make his own choices, and accept
responsibility for his behavior and still be able to stay
emotionally connected with his family and friends.
REAL AND IDEAL SELF-CONCEPTS
CARL ROGERS (1902-1987)
 American Psychologist who proposed the personality
theory known as the Person-Centered Theory.
 He stated that the term self-concept is used to refer to
how a person thinks about or perceives himself.
 There are two types of self-concept: the real
self-concept and ideal self-concept.
REAL SELF-CONCEPT
 Refers to all information and perception the person has
about himself.
 Answers the question “Who am I?’
IDEAL SELF-CONCEPT  THE SELF AS PROACTIVE AND AGENTIC
 This is the model version the person has of himself.
 This idealized view is born out of his experiences, ALBERT BANDURA (1925 – present)
standards and demands of society and the heroes and  He is the proponent of the personality theory known as
models which he chooses to imitate. the Social Cognitive Theory.
 IDEAL SELF = WHAT THE PERSON AIMS FOR HIMSELF TO  In his theory, the person is seen as proactive and
BE. agentic which means that he has the capacity to
 Answers the question of “Who do I want to be?’’ exercise control over his life.
 The human agency is the essence of being human.
ROGERS STATED THAT THERE SHOULD BE CONGRUENCE
BETWEEN THE REAL SELF AND IDEAL SELF FOR THE PERSON FEATURES OF HUMAN AGENCY
TO BE HAPPY AND SATISFIED.
1. INTENTIONALITY
THE SELF DISCREPANCY THEORY  Refers to the actions performed by the person
 By Edward Tory Higgins (1987) intentionally or with full awareness of his behavior.
 People use self-guides, these are internalized standards  Example: Kenneth went online to apply for a passport
to which they compare themselves. It provides because he wants to travel outside his country.
directions for how the person should present himself.
 When the self is found to be deviating from these 2. FORETHOUGHT
guides, the result is self-discrepancy which may cause  Refers to the person’s anticipation of likely outcomes of
emotional discomfort to the individual and can be his behavior.
manifested as guilt or worst indifference.  Example: Kenneth chose an interview date for his
passport application where most likely he will be
 MULTIPLE AND UNIFIED SELVES on-leave.
3. SELF-REACTIVENESS
MULTIPLE SELVES THEORY  Refers to the person looking inward and evaluating his
 Suggests that there exists in the individual different motivations, values, life goals, and other people’s effect
aspects of the self. on him.
 The self is a whole made up of its parts.  An important aspect of his is self-efficacy which is the
 A psychologically healthy individual is able to make person’s belief that he is capable of behavior that will
sense of sometimes confusing and conflicting aspects of produce the desired positive results.
themselves and integrate them into a single, unified
self. 4. SELF-REFLECTIVENESS
 A unified being is essentially connected to  Refers to the person looking inward and evaluating his
consciousness, awareness and agency. motivations, values, life goals, and other people’s effect
on him.
 TRUE AND FALSE SELVES  An important aspect of his is self-efficacy which is the
person’s belief that he is capable of behavior that will
D.W. WINNICOT (1896-1971) produce the desired positive results.
 An English pediatrician and psychoanalyst who studied  Example: Kenneth believes that he has to enjoy and
child development. experience life a little while still able and capable.
 It is through play where he observed children/people as
having true and false selves. 5. SELF-REGULATION
 A person engages in self-regulated behavior when he
THE TRUE SELF THE FALSE SELF reactively attempts to minimize the discrepancies
 Creative  Lacks spontaneity between what he has already accomplished and what
 Spontaneously  Dead and empty he still wants to achieve.
experiencing each day  The mask that hides the  Self-regulation allows the person to set goals that are
of their lives true person for fear of better and higher than the former, challenging his
 Appreciate being alive pain of rejection and capabilities and making him a wiser and self-actualized
 High level of awareness failure individual.
in the person of who  At times, enable the
he is person to form
 Recognizes his superficial but
strengths productive social
 Accepts his limitations relationships
 Enjoys winning and
success
 Learns from mistakes