Defining the Self: Personal, Developmental, Western, and Eastern Perspectives

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from lecture notes covering personal, developmental, psychological, philosophical, Western, and Eastern perspectives of the self.

Socrates' View of the Self

The perspective that every person consists of an imperfect, temporary body and a perfect, permanent soul.

Rational Soul

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

Spirited Soul

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

Appetitive Soul

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

Bifurcated Nature (St. Augustine)

The view that human beings consist of two separate parts: an earthly, imperfect body bound to die, and a soul that can reach immortality and live eternally with God.

Matter (hyle)

In Thomas Aquinas's belief, the physical body or common stuff of the universe.

Form (morphe)

In Thomas Aquinas's belief, the essence that makes something what it is, animating the body to make a person truly human.

Res Cogitans

In Rene Descartes's philosophy, 'the thing that thinks,' which refers to the mind.

Res Extensa

In Rene Descartes's philosophy, the 'extension' of the mind, which refers to the physical body.

Cogito ergo sum

A Latin phrase meaning 'I think, therefore I am' (or 'I think, therefore I exist'), claimed by Rene Descartes.

Impressions

According to David Hume, direct and vivid mental experiences, such as feeling heat or seeing a color.

Ideas

According to David Hume, weaker mental copies of impressions.

Bundle of Perceptions

David Hume's concept that identity is made up of constantly changing experiences, impressions, and ideas rather than a permanent self.

Transcendental Self

Immanuel Kant's concept of a self that connects all thoughts, memories, and experiences.

Gilbert Ryle's View of the Self

The concept that the self isn't something separate that acts, but is the acting itself ('our action is us').

Embodied Self

Maurice Merleau-Ponty's concept that the self is a unified being where body and mind are one thing.

Language (Mead)

In George Herbert Mead's Social Self Theory, an activity that enables individuals to communicate with and respond to each other.

Play (Mead)

In George Herbert Mead's Social Self Theory, an activity where children simply mimic the behaviors of people without knowing their meaning.

Games (Mead)

In George Herbert Mead's Social Self Theory, an activity that allows individuals to adhere to rules and teaches accountability.

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

In Marcel Mauss's view, the personal identity that remains within an individual.

PERSONNE

In Marcel Mauss's view, the social role an individual plays in society.

Biological Self

The physical/biological traits an individual is born with.

Gender Identity

A deeply felt, internal, and psychological sense of who one is.

Cisgender

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

Transgender

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

Non-binary / Genderqueer

A gender identity falling outside the binary choice of male or female.

Gender Expression

How an individual presents their gender to the world through clothing, hairstyle, and behavior.

Androgynous

A style of gender expression that is a mix of both masculine and feminine traits.

Sexual Orientation

Refers to who an individual loves or is attracted to.

Psychodynamic Perspective

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

The Id

In Freud's personality structure, the component operating on the Pleasure Principle.

The Superego

In Freud's personality structure, the component operating on the Moral Principle, acting as conscience.

The Ego

In Freud's personality structure, the component operating on the Reality Principle to balance the Id and Superego.

Repression

A defense mechanism involving forcing painful memories into the unconscious.

Denial

A defense mechanism involving refusing to accept reality.

Behavioral Perspective

A view that the self is shaped and understood through observable behavior, experiences, and interactions with the environment.

Private Self

In Carver and Scheier's (1981) model, internal thoughts and feelings.

Public Self

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

Actual Self

In Higgins' theory, who an individual is in the present.

Ideal Self

In Higgins' theory, who an individual would like to be.

Ought Self

In Higgins' theory, who an individual feels they should or need to become.

Congruence

Carl Rogers' concept describing when an individual's actual self matches their ideal self.

Self-Schema

Knowledge and beliefs about who we are.

Downward Comparison

Comparing oneself to those who are worse off.

Upward Comparison

Comparing oneself to those who are well off.

Self-Evaluation Maintenance Theory

Tesser's (1988) theory outlining reactions when outperformed by a close friend: distancing/redefining relationships, downgrading skill importance, or working harder.

Self-Actualization

Abraham Maslow's concept of the drive to become one's best version.

Erogenous Zones

Pleasure-sensitive body areas tied to each psychosexual stage where unresolved conflicts cause fixation.

Chun Tzu

In Confucianism, the 'gentleman' or 'superior man' who lives above all others in moral standard.

LI

The Confucian principle of self-restraint.

CHENG

The Confucian principle of devotion to good.

XIAO

The Confucian principle of prioritizing family over society.

YI

The Confucian principle of righteousness.

XIN

The Confucian principle of honesty.

JEN

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

CHUNG

The Confucian principle of loyalty.

Wu Wei

A key teaching of Taoism meaning 'non-action'.

Anatta

The Buddhist concept of 'no self', meaning there is no permanent self.

Dukkha

The First Noble Truth in Buddhism, stating that life involves suffering.

Samudaya

The Second Noble Truth in Buddhism, stating that suffering is caused by desire and attachment.

Nirodha

The Third Noble Truth in Buddhism, stating that suffering can end.

Magga

The Fourth Noble Truth in Buddhism, representing the way to end suffering.

Nirvana

The ultimate state of peace in Buddhism.