Defining the Self: Personal, Developmental, and Cultural Perspectives

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from lecture notes detailing philosophical, sociological, psychological, and Eastern/Western views on the self.

Socrates' Concept of the Self

The view that every person consists of an imperfect, temporary body and a perfect, permanent soul (the most important part).

Rational Soul

In Plato's philosophy, the highest and most important part of the soul, responsible for reason, intellect, and making wise and logical decisions.

Spirited Soul

In Plato's philosophy, the part of the soul responsible for emotions, which supports what reason knows to be right.

Appetitive Soul

In Plato's philosophy, the part of the soul responsible for desires and pleasure.

Bifurcated Nature of Self

St. Augustine's belief that human beings consist of two separate entities: an earthly, imperfect, mortal body and an immortal soul that can live eternally with God.

Matter (hyle)

In Thomas Aquinas's philosophy, the physical body or common stuff of the universe shared with animals.

Form (morphe)

In Thomas Aquinas's philosophy, the essence that makes something what it is; the soul that animates the body and makes a person truly human.

Res Cogitans

Rene Descartes' term for 'the thing that thinks,' representing the mind.

Res Extensa

Rene Descartes' term for the body, defined as the 'extension' of the mind.

Cogito ergo sum

Rene Descartes' Latin maxim meaning 'I think, therefore I am' (or 'I think, therefore I exist').

Empiricist

A philosopher, such as David Hume, who believes that all knowledge comes from the senses and experience, rather than innate ideas or pure reason.

Impressions (Hume)

Direct, vivid mental experiences, such as what is felt when touching something hot or seeing a color.

Ideas (Hume)

Weaker mental copies of impressions, such as remembering heat or imagining a color previously seen.

Bundle of Perceptions

David Hume's theory that there is no permanent self, but rather a collection of constantly changing experiences, impressions, and ideas.

Transcendental Self

Immanuel Kant's concept of the self that connects all thoughts, memories, and experiences while organizing sensory input.

Embodied Self (Merleau-Ponty)

Maurice Merleau-Ponty's view that a person does not merely possess a body, but IS their body; body and mind are a unified single being.

Social Self Theory

George Herbert Mead's theory asserting that the sense of self develops through social interactions via Language, Play, and Games.

ME (Mead)

The socialized side of the self that reflects society's norms and expectations.

I (Mead)

The spontaneous and impulsive side of the self.

Sociocultural Theory

Lev Vygotsky's theory stating that cognitive development and learning are driven by social interaction, culture, and language.

MOI

According to Marcel Mauss, the personal identity that remains within an individual.

PERSONNE

According to Marcel Mauss, the social role an individual plays in society.

Cisgender

A gender identity where an individual's internal identity matches their biological self.

Transgender

A gender identity where an individual's internal self does not match their physical body.

Gender Expression

How an individual presents their gender to the world through clothing, hairstyle, and presentation (masculine, feminine, or androgynous).

Psychodynamic Perspective

Perspective founded by Sigmund Freud viewing personality and the self as products of hidden unconscious drives and early childhood experiences.

Conscious Mind

In Freud's Iceberg Model, the thoughts and feelings an individual is actively aware of.

Subconscious Mind

In Freud's Iceberg Model, the memories and emotions that can be easily recalled.

Unconscious Mind

In Freud's Iceberg Model, deeply hidden desires, fears, traumas, and memories that influence actions.

The Id

The component of personality structure operating on the Pleasure Principle.

The Superego

The component of personality structure operating on the Moral Principle (conscience).

The Ego

The component of personality structure operating on the Reality Principle to balance the Id and Superego.

Repression

A psychological defense mechanism involving forcing painful memories into the unconscious.

Denial

A psychological defense mechanism involving the refusal to accept reality.

Private Self

In Carver and Scheier's (1981) framework, an individual's internal thoughts and feelings.

Public Self

In Carver and Scheier's (1981) framework, the image presented to other people.

Actual Self

In Higgins' Type of Self framework, who an individual currently is.

Ideal Self

In Higgins' Type of Self framework, who an individual would like to be.

Ought Self

In Higgins' Type of Self framework, who an individual feels they should be or need to become.

Congruence (Rogers)

The state that occurs when an individual's actual self matches their ideal self.

Downward Comparison

Comparing oneself to those who are worse off, according to Social Comparison Theory.

Upward Comparison

Comparing oneself to those who are well off, according to Social Comparison Theory.

Self-Evaluation Maintenance Theory

Tesser's (1988) theory detailing three reactions when outperformed by someone close: distancing/redefining the relationship, downgrading the skill's importance, or working harder to improve.

Erogenous Zones

Pleasure-sensitive body areas tied to each stage in Freud's Psychosexual Theory.

Oedipus Complex

A Phallic stage phenomenon where a boy prefers his mother more than his father, associated with Castration Anxiety.

Electra Complex

A Phallic stage phenomenon where a girl prefers her father more than her mother, associated with Penis Envy.

Chun Tzu

The 'gentleman' or 'superior man' in Confucianism who embodies self-restraint (LI), devotion to good (CHENG), family focus (XIAO), righteousness (YI), honesty (XIN), kindness (JEN), and loyalty (CHUNG).

JEN

The most important Confucian principle of Chun Tzu, defined as being kind and humane.

Wu Wei

A key teaching in Taoism meaning 'non-action,' emphasizing alignment with the natural order of the universe.

Anatta

The Buddhist doctrine of 'no self,' teaching that there is no permanent self.

5 Aggregates

In Buddhism, the components of human existence: Form, Feeling, Perception, Mental formation, and Consciousness.

4 Noble Truths

Core Buddhist teachings: Dukkha (life involves suffering), Samudaya (suffering is caused by desire and attachment), Nirodha (suffering can end), and Magga (the way to end suffering).

Nirvana

The ultimate state of peace in Buddhism.