Understanding the Self - Interdisciplinary Perspectives

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the philosophical, sociological, psychological, and anthropological perspectives of the self as discussed in the lecture notes.

Socrates' View of the Self

The self is synonymous with the soul, which is an immortal entity that survives the physical body and strives for wisdom and perfection.

The Ideals Realm (Socrates)

An unchanging, eternal, and perfect realm that includes the intellectual essence of the universe such as truth, goodness, and beauty.

Introspection

The Socratic method of carefully examining one's own thoughts and emotions to gain self-knowledge.

Plato's Three-part Soul

The conceptualization of the self consisting of Reason (thinking and wise choices), Physical Appetite (biological needs), and Spirit/Passion (basic emotions).

Theory of Forms

Plato's concept explaining two worlds: the world of forms (real and permanent non-physical ideas) and the world of sense (temporary replicas of the ideal world).

Transcendental Deduction of Categories

Immanuel Kant's theory that the self utilizes conceptual categories to organize and synthesize thoughts and perceptions into an intelligible world.

Cogito, ergo sum

A Latin phrase meaning "I think, therefore I am," which serves as the keystone of René Descartes' philosophy that the act of thinking proves existence.

Tabula Rasa

John Locke's belief that the human mind at birth is a blank slate, and the self is constructed primarily through sense experiences.

Bundle Theory of Mind

David Hume's skeptical view that the self is not a unified entity but a collection of different perceptions that succeed each other rapidly.

Impressions (Hume)

The basic sensations of experience, such as hate, love, joy, or pain, which are vivid, strong, and lively perceptions.

St. Augustine's View of Man

The belief that the human person is a creation of God, created in His image and likeness, and is always geared towards the good.

Id

The part of Freud's tripartite personality structure consisting of primitive biological drives and urges operating on the pleasure principle.

Ego

The rational part of the personality that provides a sense of identity and operates according to the reality principle.

Superego

The part of the personality concerned with morals, standards, and ideals; the critical faculty or conscience.

Looking-glass Self

Charles Horton Cooley's theory that a person's self-image is achieved by imagining how they are perceived and judged by others.

The 'I' and the 'Me' (Mead)

George Herbert Mead's divisions of the self: the 'I' is the subjective, active, and spontaneous element; the 'Me' is the objective element representing internalized societal demands.

Role-taking

The process Mead describes where an individual understands the world from another's point of view to anticipate responses and develop self-awareness.

Generalized Others

The attitudes, viewpoints, and expectations of society as a whole that serve as references for evaluating oneself during the game stage of development.

Heredity (Nature)

The transmission of physical, mental, social, and emotional traits or characteristics from parents to offspring through genes.

Zygote

The fertilized egg cell that contains all hereditary potentials and undergoes a gestation period of approximately $280$ days.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

The chemical substance within a gene that serves as the code of heredity, containing instructions for the organism's traits.

Looking-glass Self (Cooley)

A social psychological concept stating that people develop their self-image based on how they believe others perceive them.

Dramaturgical Approach

Erving Goffman's theory comparing everyday life to a theater where individuals perform different roles for different audiences in front and back stage settings.

Egocentric View

A perspective common in Western societies where the self is seen as independent, autonomous, unique, and focused on personal success.

Sociocentric View

A perspective common in Asian societies where the self is understood in relation to family, community, and social responsibilities.

Enculturation

The lifelong process of learning and internalizing the beliefs, values, and customs of one's own culture.

Self-Efficacy

Albert Bandura's concept referring to an individual's belief in their capacity to accomplish tasks and influence their own development.

Archetypes (Jung)

Universal patterns from the collective unconscious, such as the Persona, Shadow, Anima/Animus, and the unified Self.

Congruence (Rogers)

The state of psychological well-being achieved when the Real Self (who we are) and the Ideal Self (who we want to be) are closely aligned.

True Self vs. False Self

Donald Winnicott's distinction between the authentic expression of genuine feelings and the mask created to satisfy societal expectations.

Confucianism

An Eastern philosophy focusing on moral development, filial piety, and fulfilling social responsibilities to achieve harmony.