Self and Identity Across Disciplines: Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology, and Psychology

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and psychology related to the self and identity.

Socratic/Dialectic Method

A questioning method used to uncover misconceptions and stimulate critical thinking, aiming for the examined life.

The unexamined life

Socrates’ claim that life without self-questioning and reflection is not worth living.

Theory of Forms

Plato’s view that eternal, unchanging Forms are the true reality behind sensory objects.

Forms are ageless and eternal

A characteristic of Plato’s Forms: they exist outside time and are not subject to change.

Forms are unchanging and permanent

A characteristic of Plato’s Forms: they do not vary over time.

Forms are unmoving and indivisible

A characteristic of Plato’s Forms: they are whole, not broken into parts.

Plato’s three Parts of the Soul (Reason)

The rational part of the soul, seeking truth and goodness.

Plato’s three Parts of the Soul (Spirited)

The non-rational, will-driven part that motivates action.

Plato’s three Parts of the Soul (Appetites)

The irrational drives for bodily pleasures.

Plato believed humans are intrinsically good

Plato’s view that, at core, people have good potential.

St. Augustine on God as source of reality and truth

Christian philosopher who held God as the ultimate source of reality and truth.

St. Augustine on sinfulness of man

Idea that human nature bears sin and needs divine grace.

René Descartes: intuition and deduction

Two human cognitive powers: immediate insight (intuition) and logical reasoning (deduction).

“I think, therefore I am”

Descartes’ foundational statement of self-certainty as a thinking being.

Descartes on the mind’s powers

The mind comprises intuition and deduction, yielding knowledge step by step.

John Locke on the self

The self is a thinking, intelligent being with reason and reflection.

Personal identity as sameness of a rational being

Identity is the continuity of a rational thinker over time.

Psychological continuity

Personal identity depends on continuity of consciousness or memory.

Tabula rasa

Locke’s idea that the mind is a blank slate at birth with no innate ideas.

David Hume: impressions vs. ideas

Impressions are vivid sensory experiences; ideas are faded recollections of those impressions.

Types of perceptions (Hume)

Impressions (direct sensations) and Ideas (recollections of those impressions).

Self as a constant vs. impressions (Hume)

Hume argued the self is not a persistently knowable entity because knowledge comes only from ever-changing impressions.

Immanuel Kant: inner and outer self

Kant posited an inner self (mental state) and an outer self (sensory world) contributing to consciousness.

Apperception

The mind’s act of synthesizing new ideas with past experiences to form understanding.

Sigmund Freud: Id, Ego, Superego

Three-part structure of the psyche: Id (pleasure), Ego (reality), Superego (morality).

Id (Freud)

Pleasure-principle part of the psyche. It seeks immediate gratification.

Ego (Freud)

Reality-principle mediator between Id and the external world.

Superego (Freud)

Conscience and moral standards guiding behavior.

Life and death instincts (Freud)

Eros (life instinct) and Thanatos (death instinct) influencing behavior.

Gilbert Ryle: mind-body critique

Argued against the dualist mind; self is a set of observable behaviors; no separate inner self.

Behaviorism (Ryle’s view)

Theory that behavior, not inner states, defines the self.

Neurophilosophy (Churchland)

Philosophy of mind arguing the self is the brain; no non-physical mind or soul.

The brain as self (Churchland)

Claim that neural processes constitute the self.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty: body-subject

Mind and body are inseparable; self is embodied; perception is lived experience.

Body-subject (Merleau-Ponty)

The body and mind form a single, integrated sense of self.

Phenomenology of perception quote

“Inside and outside are inseparable; the world is inside, I am outside myself.”

Self from sociology: George Herbert Mead

Social self arises from interaction with the environment and others; self develops through social experience.

Social Behaviorism (Mead)

Shaping of behavior by social environment.

Preparatory Stage (Mead)

Self does not exist at birth; develops via social interaction.

Play Stage (Mead)

Learning symbols of communication; basis for socialization.

Game Stage (Mead)

Children understand multiple roles; can take the perspective of others.

Generalized Other (Mead)

Internalized sense of the attitudes and expectations of society.

I and Me (Mead)

I: initiating action; Me: seeing oneself as an object through the eyes of others.

Looking-glass self (Cooley)

Self develops from imagined evaluations by others.

Three phases of looking-glass self (Cooley)

Imaging presentation to others, imagining others’ evaluations, forming feelings from the impressions.

Impression management (Goffman)

Adjusting how one presents oneself to others to fit a desired image.

Dramaturgical approach (Goffman)

Social life viewed as a theater where people perform roles.

Anthropology

Study of humans, their cultures, biology, and evolution.

Archaeology

Study of past human activity through artifacts and remains.

Biological Anthropology

Focus on human biology, evolution, adaptation, and disease.

Linguistic Anthropology

Study of how language shapes identity and culture.

Cultural Anthropology

Study of cultural variation, symbols, practices, and beliefs.

Symbols

Words, gestures, pictures, or objects with culturally recognized meanings.

Heroes (anthropology)

Past or present individuals important to a culture’s values.

Rituals

Group activities with socially essential meanings and objectives.

Values (culture)

Core beliefs shaping behavior within a culture.

Self in psychology: overview

Psychology explains behavior through description, explanation, prediction, and control of actions.

William James: The Self

James’ concept of the Self, including the Me and I; thoughts have five characteristics.

Me Self components (James)

Material Self, Social Self, Spiritual Self.

I Self (James)

The aspect of self that initiates actions.

Real Self vs. Ideal Self (Carl Rogers)

Real self: actual attributes; ideal self: aspirational version.

Multiple Selves vs. Unified Self

Idea that different self-aspects exist; unity arises from consciousness and agency.

True Self vs. False Self (Winnicott)

True self is spontaneous and creative; false self defends against vulnerability.

Self as proactive and agentic (Bandura)

Humans are proactive, self-regulating, self-reflective; capable of self-directed action.

Four features of human agency (Bandura)

Intentionality, Forethought, Self-reactiveness, Self-reflectiveness.

Self-regulation

Ability to set goals, monitor progress, and adjust behavior.

Prenatal development

Development of the fetus from conception through birth; influenced by genetics and environment.

Chromosomes

Rod-shaped structures containing hereditary information; humans have 23 pairs.

Sex chromosomes (XX/XY)

XX: female; XY: male.

Gene

Basic unit of inheritance; DNA sequence that influences traits.

Genetic defects (PKU, Down syndrome, Sickle Cell, Tay-Sachs)

Inherited conditions resulting from faulty genes or chromosomal abnormalities.

PKU (Phenylketonuria)

Hereditary condition affecting amino acid metabolism.

Down syndrome

Extra chromosome 21 leading to developmental differences.

Sickle cell anemia

Genetic blood disorder affecting red blood cell shape and function.

Tay-Sachs disease

Genetic disorder due to enzyme deficiency causing fatty buildup in the brain.

Post-natal development stages

Infancy, Early Childhood, School Age, Adolescence, Early/Middle/Late Adulthood, Old Age.

Puberty

Biological and physical changes marking transition to adolescence.

Menarche

Onset of menstruation, typically around age 13.

Spermache

First spontaneous ejaculation, typically around age 13.

Body image

How one perceives and evaluates one’s physical appearance.

Imaginary audience

Belief that others are constantly watching and evaluating you.

Spotlight effect

Belief that others notice and judge you more than they actually do.

Self-understanding (Santrock)

Cognitive representation of the self—its substance and content.

Growing up and puberty (Santrock)

Adolescence involves rapid bodily and identity changes.

The Material Self (James)

Tangible possessions, body, clothes, and relationships that are part of self.

Social Self (James)

Self-as-it-appears in social contexts and roles.

Spiritual Self (James)

Core beliefs and values constituting the non-physical self.

The body as part of the self

Embodied self; the body is integral to one’s identity.

Eurocentrism

Interpreting the world through European or Western-centered values.

Colorism

Preference for lighter skin within a racial/ethnic group.

Sexual identity

How one defines oneself as heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.

Gender identity

One’s internal sense of being male, female, or something else.

Gender assignment

Initial designation of gender at birth based on anatomy.

Gender reassignment

Official change of gender identity through legal or medical means.

Perspective in human sexuality (historical, biological, sociobiological, psychological, religious)

Different lenses used to study sexuality across time and cultures.

Reproductive system (Gonads)

Gonads produce sperm or ova; hormones influence development and function.

Erogenous zones

Areas of the body that elicit sexual arousal when stimulated.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Infections like HIV/AIDS, herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia.

Contraception methods

Hormonal, Barrier, Behavioral, and Sterilization methods to prevent pregnancy.

Sociobiology and natural selection

Evolutionary perspective on sexual behavior; traits favored by survival pressure.