SOCIAL SELF
generation to generation.
THE SELF AND ITS SOCIAL AGENCIES
Family - defined as the most pervading
influential social group that impacts of the self
in its entire cause of development.
Schools and the general academic
environment - form a significant part of the
social self.
Communities from an anthropological and
sociological perspective - one’s cultural
beliefs and practices are influenced by what
communities and societies dictate.
CULTURE (Edward Taylor 1871)
 Culture is the complex whole which
includes knowledge, belief, law and art,
moral.
 It is socially transmitted and learned by
groups of people.
BIOECOLOGICAL SYSTEM THEORY
1.) Microsystem- refers to the institutions and
social groups that the individual has direct
contact and interaction with including families,
peers, schools, religious, institutions, and the
immediate community.
2.) Mesosystem - interconnections among aspects
of the microsystems affecting the individuals.
Examples of this would include parent-teacher
associations (PTA), parent and peer connections
and community relations among others.
3.) Exosystem - refers to the social setting that an
individual has no direct interactions with but
nevertheless affects his or her development. An
example of this could be the work setting of
one’s parents where a major company decision
that results in the loss of job of either parent will
have a significant impact to the child.
4.) Macrosystem - encompasses the larger cultural
context in which the individual resides in. A
cultural context may include the socioeconomic
status of his or her country, issues of ethnicity,
societal values embraced by social institutions,
cultural beliefs and practices handed down from
5.) Chronosystems - focuses on patterns of
environmental events, including socio
historical events from a specific to a general
context.
INDIVIDUALISM – Focuses on one’s individual
attributes and personal distinctiveness and they are
likely to be independent in achieving their personal
interest rather that becoming dependent on a group.
COLLECTIVISM – Values relationship and
harmony. They are likely to be adaptive to other
people and cooperative in group tasks.
What kind of society Philippines has?
 Collective interests are prioritized over personal
ones and the functionality of relationships is
maintained through practices that would benefit
everyone.
 In Philippine context, practices like staying in
one’s family home, attending mass or doing to
places of worship in groups and even the
inappropriate practice of sharing the
achievements of others just because they ate a
relative or even simply because they are also
Filipino showcase a collective mind set.
 Notions of individualism and collectivism show
how the self is directly influenced by the society
and its standards. Being part of social groups
impacts ones thoughts and values and also
affects one social behavior.
I VS. ME (George Herbert Mead)
Two parts of the self:
 I – unsocialized self
 Me – socialized self
 The “I” is manifested when one acts naturally
for his or her own motivations and not because
of others.
 The “Me” is the awareness of how others expect
one to behave
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
- Study of social relationship or interactions.
 According to (Iahey 2007) - studies individuals
as they interact with others.
 According to (Plotnik and Kouyoumdjan 2014)
- is broad field whose goal is to understand and
explain how thoughts, feelings, perceptions,
and behaviors are influenced by the presence of
or interactions with others.
Interaction - refers to the mutual and
reciprocal exchange of communication
or action between two or more persons
or group.
Relationship - refers to a particular way
in which two or more individuals or even
countries talk to, behave toward or deal
with each other.
Interaction - is a component of
relationship.
PERSON PERCEPTION
Refers to forming impressions and making
judgements about another person’s likability
after seeing or meeting him/her.
 According (Plotknick and Kouyoumandjan,
2014) - Person perception involves what
kind of person one is, his/her intentions, and
behaviors.
First impression - is formed within short or
time with little conscious thought and based
by past experiences are part of person
perception (Macrae and Quadfired 2010)
 Factors affecting perception the most is:
 Physical appearance
SOCIAL NORMS
 Norms- are patterns or traits characterized as
typical or usual for a group or normal or
average in other terms
 Social norms - refer to spoken and unspoken
rules for behaving in particular situations
TO MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONSHIP:
 Behavior should be controlled
 Observed norms in social behavior
 Practice appropriate behaviors
TOGETHER AS A GROUP
 On many occasions people work on group
 People can work together for a purpose
TWO THINGS MAY HAPPEN:
Social facilitation - refer to as the performance
of each individual member of the group is
improved
Social loafing - known as a phenomenon that if
we work or be with a group may also reduce
individual effort
CONFORMITY
Conformity - refers to a yielding to a group
pressure to act as everyone does even when
no direct request has been made.
 Conformity is brought by two motivations:
 To gain reward (approval)
 To avoid punishment (disapproval)
 Some factors make conformity more likely
to exist in a group:
 Size of the group.
 Unanimous groups
 Culture
 Gender
 Conformity among members is high but
members are not expected to always yield to
the pressure to conform.
SOCIAL ROLES AND SOCIAL NORMS
 Social roles - specify the part or position of
a person in society
 Sociogram - indicates the social structure of
a group and the relationship of people within
that group.
TYPES OF ROLES:
 Role set – A status that has more than one
role associated with it.
 Role conflict – One role demands from
different statuses.
  Role strain – Role demands from a single THE TRIANGULAR THEORY OF LOVE
status cause conflict or become stressful
Passion - has something to do with physical and
 Role exit – Individual leaves an important
sexual attraction to another.
social status and stops playing its attached
Intimacy - characterized by the emotional
role.
feelings of warmth closeness and sharing of the
NATURE OF DEPTH OF RELATIONSHIP relationship.
Commitment - cognitive appraisal of the
To Build Relationship:
relationship and the intent to maintain it even
 Familiarity - refers to being comfortable with the face of problems.
another person and is necessary condition for
a close relationship to develop.
 Attraction
– One person may be drawn or attracted to
another due to reasons like similarities or
differences in interests, personality,
characteristics, life goals and lifestyles.
- Paves the way for enjoying the company
and being comfortable with the other
person and for feelings of ease and
confidence.
 Love
- A special attachment one has for
himself/herself or for somebody else.
- It is an intense feeling of deep or
constant affection and emotion in which
a person always sees to the good,
 If passion is the only ingredient present, the
happiness and welfare of the other.
feeling is infatuation, as in a fling or an
-
affair.
THREE KINDS OF LOVE
Romantic Love (Passionate Love)  Intimacy and commitment without passion
- Includes intermingling of different show affectionate love.
emotions. Fear, anger, sexual desire, joy
and jealousy among others.  The combination of passion and
- Poets and musicians laud the fiery commitment without intimacy results in
passion of romantic love and the pathos fatuous love.
and pain when it falls.
 Consummate love is achieved if all three
Affectionate Love (Companionate Love) components are present.
- Type of love that occurs when someone
has deep and caring affection for a
person and desires to have him/her near
constantly. ATTITUDES
Beliefs that predispose people to act and feel
Consummate Love in certain ways towards people objects or ideas.
- It is the strongest and fullest type of
love. This ideal form of love involves 2 Kinds of Attitudes
passion, intimacy and commitment.  Positive Attitudes
(Sternberg, 1985)  Negative Attitudes
How Attitudes Originate
These are normally acquired from two
sources- first – hand experience and accounts by
others.
 People develop positive or negative attitudes
toward certain an object because of a direct
experience with it.
 Attitudes are also learned from others
through modelling and reinforcement.
Persuasion and Attitude Change
 Persuasive Communication
- The extent of change in attitude depends on
the speaker, message and listener.
- The more credible the speaker is, the more
the message becomes.
- An attractive speaker is also more effective
in changing opinions than unattractive
speaker.
- Messages that contain the element of fear
seem abler to persuade changes in attitudes or
thoughts.
STEREOTYPES
Generalizations in which the same traits or
characteristics are assumed to be possessed by all
members of a group.
Negative Stereotypes – it accompanied with
prejudice and discrimination.
 Prejudice is an unfair biased or intolerant
attitude or opinion towards the members of
the group.
 Discrimination is the specific unfair behavior
or treatment towards the members of the
group.
Racism -discrimination against people based
on their skin.
Sexism - discrimination against people
because of their gender.
MENTAL SELF
COGNITION
 It is defined as the complex array of mental
processed involved in remembering,
perceiving, thinking, and how these
processes are employed (Ashcraft &
Radvausky, 2010).
 It is an umbrella term to cover all “higher-order”
thinking processes.
MEMORY
 It is the faculty of the mind through which
information is acquired and retained for later
use.
 Memory is often likened to a computer
system, where the process of encoding,
storing and retrieving information happens
continuously.
Memory Functions in Three Levels:
1. Sensory Memory
- is the level that allows information from
external environment to be perceived by an
individual through senses, usually in the
form of chemical and physical stimuli often
with focus and intent.
-attention is a critical factor of the transfer of
information from sensory to short term
memory.
2. Short-term or working memory
- Is where information is temporarily stored,
where information is simultaneously
remembered and is in a readily-available
state, typically from 10 to 15 seconds up to
one minute.
- Short-term memory store up to 5-9 items,
after which information is discarded if there
is no conscious and deliberate effort to retain
it.
3. Long-term memory
- Where there is a deliberate effort to store
information and it’s done consistently and
with practice then this information is
transferred to long term memory.
- Information stored in long term memory is
often permanent and allows for repeated
retrievals across situation.
- It covers both explicit, declarative and
procedural memory, and episodic and
semantic memory.
INTELLIGENCE teachers professors
 Logical- Analysts, arbitrators,
 Referred to as an individual’s capacity for mathematical bankers, certified public
understanding, learning, planning, and accountants, computer
problem solving with logic, creativity, and programmers
accountants, engineers,
self-awareness.
insurance brokers
 Charles Spearman (1906) believed that negotiators, researchers,
intelligence consists of a general mental scientists, statisticians,
ability of intelligence quotient (IQ, also traders
called g factor) and domain-specific  Visual-Spatial Architects, artists,
abilities. IQ is a standardized measure that cartographers, city-
represents a person’s reasoning skills. planners, engineers,
graphic designers,
inventors, landscapes
Two things should be noted about intelligence: architects,
photographers, sculptors
1. Individuals are born with innate intellectual  Musical Acoustic engineers,
ability that is harnessed in various contexts. composers, DJs,
2. Intelligence is not confined in the academic entertainers,
context. environment and noise
analysts, music
producers, musical
Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple instrument repair
Intelligences: specialists, musical
performers, singers,
Intelligence Description
voice coaches
 Verbal-linguistic Ability to analyze
 Naturalistic Farmers, botanists,
information and produce
ecologists, landscapers,
output that involves oral
environmentalists
and written language
 Bodily- Anthropologists,
 Logical- Ability to understand and
Kinesthetic athletes, biologists,
mathematical answer mathematical
dancers, geologists,
equations
instrumentalists, nurses,
 Visual-Spatial Ability to analyze
physical education
graphical information
teachers, physical
 Musical Ability to produce and
therapists, physical
make meaning of
actors, sign-language
different types of sound
interpreters
 Naturalistic Ability to identify and
 Interpersonal Advertising
distinguish aspects of the
professionals, care
natural world
givers, coaches and
 Bodily- Ability to use one’s body mentors, counsellors,
Kinesthetic to create products or educators, health
solve problems providers, HR
 Interpersonal Ability to be sensitive of professional. Mediators,
other people’s thoughts politicians,
and emotions psychologists, sales-
 Intrapersonal Ability for self- people, teachers,
introspection therapists, trainers
 Intrapersonal One who is self- aware
and involved in the
process of changing
Existential Intelligence – sensitivity and personal thoughts,
capacity to tackle deep questions about human beliefs, and behavior in
relation to their situation,
Intelligence Roles Other people, their
 Verbal-linguistic Copy writers, editors, purpose and aims
historians, journalists,
lawyers, linguistics,
poets, PR and media
consultants, speakers,
 Human Potential Reasoning

 Can be tied to one’s preferences to learning.
 This model can be used to understand
“overall personality, preferences and
strengths”
Triarchic Theory of Intelligence
 A cognition or intellectual skill, is one way to
determine if a choice is the “best” from among
several options.
 A mental process that involves using and
applying knowledge to solve problems, make
plans or decisions, and achieve one’s goals.

 Proposed by Robert Stenberg (1985, p.45) Two types of Reasoning:

 According to Stenberg, intelligence defined
as “ a mental activity directed toward 1. Deductive Reasoning
purposive adaption to, selection and shaping  Begins with making a general assumption
of, real-world environments relevant to that is known or believed to be true, and
one’s life.” then drawing specific conclusions based on
this assumption.
Intelligence Alternativ Description
e Name
2. Inductive Reasoning
 Componential Analytical Includes
abstract  Is the process in which a conclusion is
thinking and determined based on a number of true facts
logical and premises.
reasoning;
verbal and Hypothesis – is a statement that must be tested by
mathematica gathering data.
l skills
 Experiential Creative Divergent
 Biased Reasoning – refers to the act of jumping
thinking and
ability to to conclusion before even knowing all the facts
deal with (Levy, 1997)
novel
situations  Confirmation bias – is the tendency to look for
 Contextual Practical Being information that supports one’s decisions and
“street beliefs while ignoring disconfirming
smart”,
information.
ability to
apply
knowledge LEARNING
to the real
world and  If cognition, memory and intelligence are
shape or underlying mechanisms that allow people to
choose an perceive process and apply information for
environment daily adaptation, then learning is a natural
consequence of this mechanism.
 According to this theory, intelligence is a
function of how these tree aspects are
 It is defined as a relatively permanent
interchangeably used by the individual and up to
change in a person’s knowledge or behavior
what levels they are used.
as a result of experience.

Emotional Intelligence
 Measured by emotional quotient (EQ)
 It is the type of intelligence that refers to the
abilities to perceive, appraise, understand, and
express emotions accurately and appropriately
 The use of emotions and emotional
knowledge to facilitate thinking
 Is the emotional counterpart of IQ
 The change is long – term.
 The source of change comes from within the
external structures of memory and
knowledge of an individual.
 The change is attributes to the personal
experiences of the learner of his or her
environment.
 Social Cognitive Theory  Self – Constructing and regulating
Reactiveness behavior appropriately
It emphasizes the value of the social  Self - Reflecting and evaluating
environment in one’s learning process that is built Reflectiveness one’s thoughts and behavior
on observational learning.

There are two strategies in learning that

 Attention – when an individual focus on
information that he or she perceives to be
interesting and useful.
 Retention – stores and gives a mental
representation of the information.
 Motor reproduction – recalls and rehearse the
information given.
 Motivation – repeats the entire process
constantly and consistently.
students can use:
 Deep learning – deeper understanding of
information by creating significant meaningful
links across different concepts and how it can be
applied in practical way.
 Surface learning – simply accept information
presented to them and memorize them in an
isolated and unlinked manner.

Self – efficacy To adopt deep learning strategies, students

can engage in the following habits:
It is defined as the extent to which people
believe that they can confidently learn and master a  Taking down notes – students reinforce the
particular skill. retention and comprehension of ideas and it can
relate them to past information they have
 When an individual has a high self – efficacy,
already served.
he or she is likely to engage in the challenging
 Asking questions during class sessions – it
tasks and deal with frustration and
allows opportunity for immediate feedback of
disappointments efficiently.
learning process
 In contrast, people with a low self – efficacy
 Creating cognitive maps – making meaningful
are likely to avoid difficult tasks because they
connections among different forms of
lack confidence which further contributes to
information learned
them having low self – esteem.
 Engaging in collaborative learning activities
with mentors and peers – join a study group,
students can converse, exchange ideas and
According to Albert Bandura, self – efficacy can
debate so as to sharpen their collaborative
be develop through the following:
learning skills
 Mastery Accomplishing simple tasks  Going beyond the mandatory course
Experience that lead to more complex requirements – reading additional references
tasks materials, watching films and showcase
 Social Observing an identifiable concepts discussed in class, going on trips for an
Modelling model who accomplishes alternative learning experience, and engaging in
the task other learning opportunities can greatly enhance
 Improving Being relaxed and calm the learning process.
physical and before pursuing a
emotional challenging task
states
Kurt Lewins Force-Field Analysis
 Verbal Providing encouragement
Persuasion and feedback during the
accomplishment of a  Is an strategic tool that is used in
challenging task understanding what will necessitate change
in a particular social environment and
context.
Human Agency - another valuable principle in
learning process.
 Is a tool used in comprehensive decision
making processes for it identities specific
 Intentionally Making an active decision to
engage in particular activities factors needed to arrive at the suggested or
 Forethought Anticipating outcomes and desired solution in a particular situation.
consequences of particular
actions
 Lewin’s model has 3 steps:
3 Models
1. Unfreezing – reducing strength of forces which
maintain current equilibrium. *Mayer, Salovey & Caruso, 2004
2. Moving – developing new organizational
“Four Branches”
values, attitudes and behaviors to help move
the organization on. 1. Emotional Perception and Expression
3. Refreezing – stabilizing after the changes have 2. Emotional Facilitation as aids to make sound
been made so that there’s a new equilibrium. judgment
3. Emotional Understanding and analysis
EMOTIONAL SELF 4. Reflective emotional regulation
Human Emotions
Goleman 2005
 Important aspect of understanding the self is 1. Self-Awareness
acknowledging the presence of emotions.
 Emotions serve as driving force in how one acts 2. Self-Management
and behaves. 3. Social Awareness
 Its play a part in making decisions, embracing
certain lifestyles, and relating to others. 4. Relationship Management
 Emotions can immediately recognized, there is
Bar On’s Model (1999)
difficulty in defining them and controlling them.
 Emotions are the lower level responses
1. Self-Perception
occurring in the brain, which create biochemical
2. Self-Expression
reactions in the body, and consequently cause
3. Interpersonal
changes in one’s physical state (Hampton,
2015). 4. Decision Making
5. Stress Management
Distinction between emotions and feelings
2 General Aspects of Emotional Intelligence
 Emotion - is a biological experience and
response; feelings have been defined as mental 1. Interpersonal
portrayal of what us going on in your body “is 2. Intrapersonal
the product of your brain perceiving and
assigning meaning to the emotion.” (Hampton  Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is said to be more
2015) important than Intellectual Intelligence (IQ).
Plutchik’s (1980) configuration of emotion.
 Feeling - is subjective experiences that frame
the interpretation of emotion. (Joy, trust, fear, surprise sadness disgust anger and
anticipation)
Emotional Intelligence

 BAR-ON (1997) - “It is an array of non-

cognitive abilities, competencies and skills that
influence one’s ability to succeed in coping
with environmental demands and pressures”

 MAYER SALOVEY AND CARUSO (2004) -

The ability to understand emotion and for them
to contribute in how one percent the
environment he or she is in.

 GOLEMAN (1998) - Capacity for recognizing

our own feelings and those of other, for
motivating ourselves, and for managing
emotions effectively in ourselves and others.
 Love - is the combination of joy and trust.
 Sadness - is the opposite of joy, and
anticipation is the opposite of surprise.
 Those nearest to the center signify the most
intense forms while farthest from the center are
the weaker forms.
 Emotions across each other are conceptual
opposites.
Adolescence - is considered a turbulent time of
development due to biological, psychological,
and social changes that adolescents experience
and encounter.
Emotional Efficacy – refers to the ability to
managed emotions internally. Expressing
feelings or emotions which are acceptable and
appropriate in the event.
Emotional Maturity – the ability to handle
situations without unnecessarily escalating
them.
Emotional Regulations - defined as an attempt
to influence emotion.
Cognitive Reappraisal – involves the evaluation
of the situation prior in making personal,
subjective valuations about it.
Suppression – involves denial and masking of
facial expression to hide one’s current emotional
state.
Cognitive / Covert Strategies - this only happen
within one’s mind and are not directly
observable, mostly it happens when an
individual has no control over the event.
Behavioral / Overt Strategies - Entail
engagement in observable activities.
Common Strategies employed on Emotional
Regulation
 Rumination – “repeated contemplation.” the
passive and repetitive focusing of one’s
attention on one’s symptoms of distress and the
causes and consequences of these symptoms.
 Distraction – is an early selection strategy,
which involves diverting one’s attention away
from emotional stimulus and towards other
content.
 Acceptance - experience emotions as fully as
possible and to refrain from any efforts to
control them (e.g. “Allow yourself to accept
your emotions without trying to control or get
rid of them).
 Problem Solving – it is one of the core skills
necessary for improving emotional regulation or
solving emotion problems.
 Behavioral Avoidance – choice of not doing
behaviors resulting in negative emotions.
 Experiential Avoidance – as the tendency to
avoid contact with unwanted internal
experiences.
 Expressive Suppression – concept “based on
individuals’ emotion knowledge, which includes
knowledge about the causes of emotion, about
their bodily sensations and expressive behavior,
and the possible meaning of modifying them.
 Reappraisal – is a “late selection strategy”,
which involves reinterpreting the meaning of an
event so as to alter its emotional impact.
 Mindfulness – they of medication practice has
been described as a “non-elaborative, non-
judgmental awareness” of present-moment
experience.
 Worry - involves directing attention through
thoughts and images concerned with potentially
negative events in the future.
Qualities that enable effective Emotional
Regulation
 Self-Control – managing disruptive
impulses.
 Trustworthiness – maintain the standards of
honesty and integrity.
 Conscientiousness – taking responsibility for
one’s performance.
 Adaptability – handling change with
flexibility.
 Innovation - being open to new ideas.
 Empathy – understanding other people.
Which part of the brain controls emotions and
how?
 The Limbic System – the portion of the
brain that deals with 3 key functions:
emotions, memories, and arousal or
 stimulation. It can be found above the
brainstem and within the cerebrum. It
composed of 4 parts., which are ff.:
 Thalamus – a portion of brain responsible
for detecting and relaying information from
our senses, such as smell and vision. It is the
pathway of information into cerebrum.
3. The Spiritual Self (mind-body-spirit
connection)
 Ongoing
 Personal life journey
 Contextualized by the belief in a
higher being, culture, relationship,
nature
 Discovery of meaning in one’s life.

 Amygdala – an almond-shaped. Responsible Definitions of spirituality

for multiple emotional responses like love,
Puchalski (2014)
fear, anger and sexual desires.
 Spirituality is the aspect of the self that aims
 Hippocampus – sends information to the
associated to an individual‘s process of
amygdala. One of the memory processing
seeking and expressing meaning.
centers of the brain that transform STM
 Connection to the self, to others, to the
(Short-term memories) into LTM (Long-
moment and to environment (sacred and
term memories). The connection of the two
significant)
may be origin of strong emotions triggered
by particular memories which explains
Beauregard and O’leary (2007)
traumatic memories.
 Any experience that is thought to bring
 Hypothalamus - “Hypo” means below, it is
experience that feels meaningful.
located below the thalamus. Acts as a
regulator of emotion, controlling levels of
Sinnott, (2002)
sexual desire, pleasure, aggression and
anger. It produces hormones.
 As the individual’s personal relation to the
sacred or transcendent; a relation that then
informs other relationships and the meaning
Emotional Management Strategies
of one’s life.
 Smile to make yourself feel good.
Myers & His Colleagues (2000, p. 265)
 Smile to make others feel good.
 Get Up and move.
 As the personal and private beliefs that
 Check in your body.
transcend the material aspects of life and
 Physically remove the tension.
give a deep sense of wholeness,
 Breathe.
connectedness and openness to the infinite.
 Talk to someone.
 Disengage and re-engage emotions.
 Embraces connections with oneself, with
 Label your emotions.
others and with a higher being.
 Label emotions for others.

What do these definitions have in common with

SPIRITUAL SELF regard to spirituality?
Whole Person – Associated to the idea of human  First, Spirituality talks about meaning and
beings having physical and psychological purpose that go beyond the physical realities of
aspect. life.
 Second, Spirituality focused on a person’s
1. The Physical Domain (Biological Aspect) connections to different aspects of his/ her
 Growth existence: to other people, nature, and to
 Maturation sacredness and divinity; it is relational.
 Bodily Changes  Third, Spirituality talks about the sacred and
2. The Psychological Aspect transcendent.
 Consciousness
 Attributes
 RELIGIOSITY
 As the adherence to a belief system and
practices associated with a tradition in which
there is agreement about what is believed
and practiced.
 Formal attachment to the set of beliefs,
values and practices of a particular religious
sect.
 Religiosity can be a starting point for
spirituality.
Distinctions of religiosity and spirituality
1. If religiosity is communal, then spirituality
is individual.
2. For religiosity, beliefs and practices are
within religious groups, and religious
commitment, conservatism and skepticism
are manifested.
3. Spiritual attributes include the need for
spiritual quest, ecumenical world views,
compassion, service and inner peace.
4. Spirituality is a personal, subjective
experience that varies from person to person.
5. A person can possess spirituality even if he
does not subscribe to any religion or a
person can be spiritual without being
religious.
What does spiritualty bring to one’s life?
1. Search for sacredness and transcendence can
bring positive consequences to life.
Associated with positive physical and
mental health and well-being.
Finds contentment and serenity in life
circumstances.
Engages in activities that boost his self-
respect and actualization.
Entails wisdom, self-transcendence,
acceptance of life and meaningful existence.
Increases self-esteem, enhance interpersonal
relationships.
Allows one to become resilient amidst
challenges and road blocks that occur in
daily life.
The self and the Natural Environment
The spiritual self is also related to how
people relate to nature.
Affinity - As the ties that bind people and
nature together nature connectedness.
Eco psychology - Concerned with the
fundamental interconnections between humans
and the natural world.
How can affinity with nature and
ecopsychology be developed?
Parental behavior (having pets, recycling
taking care of gardens, throwing trash
properly)
In school, certain program that provide
exposure to nature and environment. (e.g.
community secure program, outreach act,
camping trips, school club) (e.i.
mountaineering, boys and girls scout, org)
Print non- print media by harnessing an
individual connection to nature
(publications, movies, TV shows) with
environmental advocacies.
How connection with nature established
and improved?
First, developed an open mind and adopting
a philosophical perspective that advocated
for environmental protection and
sustainability.
Second, need to reconnect by lessening
dependence on technology and to literally
“smell the roses”.
Lastly; disposing of and segregating garbage
properly, avoid plastic use and other non-
biodegradable materials and taking care of
pets.
WELL BEING
 Being intrinsic in nature, is an inner, personal
construct, associated with self-esteem, and self-
understanding.
 It is how good one feels about himself/herself
that permeates his/her entire being.
LIFE SATISFACTION
 Is the contentment one has with the direction
his/her life is going, the circumstances he/she
find him/herself in, and the elements that make
up his/her life conditions.
 It is also intrinsic but in the case, the general
attitude towards life.
 Refer to the desire to change one’s life (Biener,
et al., 1999).
 HAPPINESS
 Generally regarded as the emotional result
of life satisfaction.
 It can be subjective and temporal while life
satisfaction is more encompassing.
How are well-being and life satisfaction
achieved?
1. Personal factors such as personality,
cognition, physical health and vigor.
2. Environmental conditions contribute to
individual life satisfaction.
3. Socio-economic status, name, and social
environment, interpersonal relationship and
education also influence one’s well-being
and life satisfaction.
What are the characteristics of people who have
a high level of well-being and life satisfaction?
1. Effective self-perception.
2. Realistic self-esteem and self-acceptance
3. Control behavior
4. True perception of the world.
5. Sustaining relationship and affection.
6. Self-direction and productivity.
Are happiness and satisfactions the same thing?
Happiness- state of mind; an emotion
Satisfaction- Absence of want
Happiness - is a combination of how
satisfied you are with your life and how
good you feel on a daily basis
GEC 1 - UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
(1ST Semester, SY 2019-2020)
Physical Self
- one’s physical features, including the face,
bodily structure, height and weight
- more than the physical attributes, people
should also consider their physical
competencies, valuation of physical worth, and
perception of beauty
- 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
Heredity (nature)
- transmission of traits or characteristics from
parents to offspring
- through the genes (basic unit of heredity)
heredity potentials like physical, mental, social,
emotional, and moral traits are passed down
from generations
Environment (nurture)
- sum total of the forces or experiences that a
person undergoes from conception to old age
- includes family, family, friends, school,
nutrition, and other agencies one is in contact
with
Genotype
- is a set of genes in its DNA responsible for a
particular trait;
- refers to your complete heritable genetic
identity; or may also refer to a particular gene
or set of genes carried by an individual
- determined by the makeup of alleles (pair of
genes responsible for particular traits); it can be
made up of two dominant genes, a dominant
and a recessive gene, or two recessive genes
- not all genotypes translate to an observed
physical characteristic
- can be determined through blood testing
- Example: 2 mice that look virtually identical
could have different genotypes but identical
phenotype
Phenotype
- the physical expression of a particular
trait/gene/s
- concrete results of an organism’s genotype
- can be directly observed
- Example: eye color, hair color, height, sound of
your voice, certain types of disease, shoe size,
skin color, etc.
Genes
- contained in the chromosomes (threadlike
bodies in the nucleus of the cell and the storage
unit of the genes)
- consists of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) – it
contains the code or blueprint, used to
synthesize a protein
- each DNA molecule is a long coiled double helix
that resembles a spiral staircase containing
millions of steps
Note: Each individual carries 23 pairs of chromosomes
(46 chromosomes in total); 22 pairs of these are called
autosomes and the 23rd pair is called the sex
chromosomes; XX – female; XY – male
Maturation
- the completion of growth of a genetic character
within an organism or the unfolding of an
individual’s inherent traits or potential
 - enables people to walk, run, and talk; also Rhesus (Rh) factor – an inherited protein found in the
results in physical changes surface of red blood cells (positive = with; negative =
lacks)
Dominant Genes
Remember:
- when an allele is dominant, the characteristic it
is connected to will be expressed in an 1. Dominant phenotypes are not always more common
individual than recessive phenotypes – recessive alleles can be
- documented in an uppercase letter present in a population at very high frequency
- example: brown eyes, A & B blood type, curly
2. Dominant alleles are not better than recessive alleles
hair, dark hair, widow’s peak, baldness, freckles,
– it is the environment that matters
long eyelash, dimples, detached earlobes, right-
handedness, ability to roll tongue, astigmatism, Environmental conditioning
webbed fingers, almond-shaped eyes, 6 fingers,
high blood pressure, susceptibility to migraines, - environmental influences that shape your
tone deafness, bent pinkie, second toe longer physical self (social networks, societal
than first toe, broad nose, white hair streak expectations, cultural practices)
- family is primarily responsible for how you take
Recessive Genes care of your body (sustenance and nutrition)
and hygienic practices
- when an allele is recessive, the characteristic it
- contemporary media has portrayed slim bodies
is connected to is less likely to be expressed;
as the ideal body type for women and muscular
- recessive traits only manifest when both alleles
bodies for men
are recessive in an individual
- cosmetic surgery to alter certain facial or body
- documented in lowercase letter
features, even among adolescents
- example: blue eyes trait, O blood type, blonde
or red hair, straight hair, straight hairline, round Note: Physical beauty is only skin-deep; what matters is
eyes, attached earlobes, left-handedness, feeling good about oneself and embracing a healthy
normal vision, normal 5 fingers, normal hearing; perception of one’s physical worth.
Rh factor negative
There is nothing wrong with enhancing one’s physical
Homozygous Allele self. What is problematic is when a person focuses too
much on physical beauty and disregard everything else.
- alleles are the same; either two dominant
alleles, or two recessive alleles (AA, aa) Some Tips:
Heterozygous Allele 1. Healthy eating - eat the right amount and
combination of food to ensure your health and
- alleles are different; one dominant and one
sustenance
recessive allele (Aa)
- following a healthy diet results in healthy skin, ideal
Punnet Square
weight and better stamina
- a table that demonstrates the probability og
2. Embracing a healthy lifestyle – Avoid drinking,
inheriting a certain trait
smoking and doing other unhealthy habits to reduce the
Mother (Bb) risk of illness and diseases, and make your immune
Father (Bb) Brown (B) Blue (b) system stronger
Brown (B) BB Bb
Blue (b) Bb bb - physical activities such as walking, running, going to
the gym, and engaging in sports also contribute to a
healthier body
Blood Typing:
3. Maintaining proper hygiene – taking care of your
Parents’ O A B AB body by consistently following a hygiene regimen can
Blood Type
O O O, A O, B A, B also help you feel good about yourself
A O, A O, A O, A, B, A, B, 4. Being confident – Self-confidence is your best make-
or AB or AB up and results in an optimal physical well-being
B O, B O, A, B, O or B A, B,
or AB or AB -be secured in yourself, embrace a positive outlook
AB A, B A, B A, B A, B toward various situations and problems, and love and
or AB or AB or AB accept who you are.

Sexual Self
 - an individual’s totality as a sexual being,
including his/her evaluation of his/her own
sexual feelings and actions
- highlights biological and environmental factors
that shape sexual development
- vital to one’s identity; understanding this facet
of the self helps individuals organize and make
sense of sexual experience and provide
structure to and motivation for sexual behavior
- initially rooted in the distinguishing physical
attributes found in men (penis) and women
(vagina), bodily transformations and
development of secondary sexual
characteristics during adolescence also trigger
the physiological responses, leading to beliefs
and behavior associated with sex
Sexuality – talks about your sexual feelings, thoughts,
attractions and behaviors towards other people
Adolescence
- sexual curiosity is at its peak
- adolescents engage in sexual activity as
influenced by biological and socio-cultural
factors
- gender orientation may also manifest
Note: It is important to be aware of his/her sexuality,
thoughts, and behavior in order to make responsible
choices concerning one’s sexual self.
The Biology of Sex
Sexual Genital – is a biological feature that distinguishes
males from females, at birth
Puberty – observable changes in the human body also
known as secondary sexual characteristics begin; 10 to
15 years old
Male Female
Growth of facial & bodily hair Growth of bodily hair
Emergence of adam’s apple Enlargement of breasts
Deepening of the voice High pitch voice
Muscle development Increase in body fat
Male hormones (testosterone) Female hormones (estrogen)
Circumcision (rite of passage Onset of menstruation
among young men)
Starts producing sperm Starts producing eggs
Shoulders widen Hips/Pelvis widen
Note: Release of hormones triggers physiological
changes in the reproductive system. They now become
capable of pro-creation. Males produces sperm and
eggs for females. They now experiences:
Sexual Urges – all the feelings resulting from the urge to
gratify sexual impulses
And become more sensitive to:
Sexual Stimuli – is anything that leads to, enhances and
maintains sexual arousal
Sexual Arousal – is the arousal of sexual desire during
or in anticipation of sexual activity; a number of
physiological responses occur in the body and mind in
preparation for sex and continue during it
- mental stimuli and physical stimuli such as touch and
hormones can influence sexual arousal
- usually satisfied through sexual intercourse where
orgasm would be reached
 Male arousal – penile erection
 Female arousal – engorged sexual tissues such
as nipples, vulva, clitoris, vaginal walls and
vaginal lubrication
ORGASM – feeling of intense sexual pleasure that
happens during sexual activity
- usually regarded as the peak of sexual excitement
- both men and women experience this
REFRACTORY PERIOD – refers to the period of rest after
orgasm; longer for men compared to women hence
women achieve multiple orgasms; occurs in the
resolution phase
Note: These bodily sensations are normal and typical in
any sexual activity since they are triggered by hormones
produced within the body and they are part of the
SEXUAL RESPONSE CYCLE. It refers to a series of
physical and emotional phases that occur when an
individual becomes aroused or engages in sexually
stimulating activities – sexual intercourse,
masturbation, manual stimulation by one’s partner, oral
sex or fantasy.
Sexual Response Cycle is composed of 4 phases:
(MASTERS & JOHNSON’S 4-PHASE MODEL)
1. Excitement – beginning of arousal
2. Plateau – sexual excitement intensifies
3. Orgasm – the climax, shortest phase of the cycle
4. Resolution – body slowly returns to its original
unexcited state
Note: Completing the cycle leads to sexual satisfaction,
which is usually associated with relationship quality.
Humans are likely to engage in sexual activities to
satisfy sexual urges but the kind of sexual activities they
engage in may vary.
Adolescents – common to watch and read pornographic
materials, engage in kissing and petting, perform
masturbation (the act of stimulating one’s genitals for
sexual pleasure)
Medical professionals have cited the following as health
benefits of masturbation:
1. better sleep
2. stress relief
3. improved self-esteem (because you feel good)
4. enhanced body image (feel good about your body)
Notes:
1. Masturbation is also a better alternative to sexual
intercourse which may result in pregnancy and
acquiring sexually transmitted diseases.
2. A person should be aware of his/her sexuality and
sexual attributes in order to make responsible decisions.
2. Adolescents need to realize that informed decisions
are important because pre-marital sex may lead to
consequences that they might not be ready about.

Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

Biological Sex – one’s sexuality depends on his/her

physical features and genitals, determined upon birth

Note: Though there are some people who are born with
ambiguous outer genitalia, number and type of sex
chromosomes, sex hormone levels, and internal
reproductive anatomy. They are called INTERSEX
people (previously called hermaphrodites; a term which
is now exclusively used for plants and animals).

Gender – identity that is learned and embraced by the

individual; goes beyond biological domains and is both a
personal and social construct
- a social construct since gender comprises the socially
created roles, personality traits, attitudes, behaviors
and values attributed to men and women

Gender Identity – refers to a person’s feeling of being a

woman, man, both, or neither; can be the same or
different as their sex assigned at birth

Sexual orientation – refers to sexual and romantic

feelings of an individual for people of the same gender,
a different gender, or more than one gender

a. heterosexual – straight people; feels attracted to a

different gender than themselves
b. homosexual – feel attracted to the same gender as
themselves
c. bisexual – typically feels attracted to more than one
gender, eg. both men and women
d. pansexual – refers to people whose attractions span
across many different gender identities (male, female,
transgender, genderqueer, intersex, etc.)
e. asexual – refers to people who don’t experience any
sexual attraction to anyone

References:

Brawner, D., & Arcega, A. (2018). Understanding the

Self. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.

Macayan, J. V., Pinugu, J. N. J., & Castillo, J. C. D.

(2018). Understanding the Self Outcome-Based
Module. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.