Philosophical, Biological, Mental, and Social Self

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from lecture notes on the philosophical, biological, mental, and social aspects of the self, including various theories, concepts, and dimensions of human experience.

Empiricism

Explains phenomena through sensory and bodily responses; knowledge is gained through experience.

Rationalism

Proposes the existence of innate knowledge, explaining the self from 'ideal' and 'truth' rather than sensory experience.

Socrates (Idealism)

Believed self-knowledge is the ultimate virtue leading to happiness, equating knowledge with good and ignorance with evil.

Plato (Idealism)

Asserted that morality is rooted in intellect, leading to happiness, and that wisdom & knowledge equal happiness.

St. Augustine (Platonism & Neoplatonism)

Believed knowledge leads to God, only the pure can see God, and faith in God leads to happiness.

Descartes (Rationalist)

Proposed mind-body dualism, stated 'I think therefore I am,' believing the mind/soul can exist without the body, leading to belief in afterlife and immortality.

Locke (Empiricist)

Developed the theory of personal identity, stating consciousness, not the mind/soul, constitutes identity, which remains intact even if the soul changes.

Hume (Empiricist)

Proposed a skeptical theory that all knowledge passes through senses and that the 'self' is merely a bundle of perceptions.

Kant (Rationalist/Empiricist)

Introduced the metaphysics of the self, distinguishing between the innerself (rational thinking, psychological state) and the outerself (body, physical mind).

Ryle (Empiricist)

Argued for the 'concept of mind' with 'I act therefore I am,' viewing the mind as not separate from the body but as a categorical mistake affecting the external world.

Churchland (Empiricist)

Advocated for neurophilosophy, suggesting that the brain is the sense of self and that mature neuroscience negates 'unreal' beliefs.

Merleuponty (Existentialism/Empiricist)

Proposed the phenomenology of perception with 'We are our body,' asserting that bodily experience does not separate mind/body or subject/object.

Heredity

Traits passed from parents to offspring.

Gene

The unit where specific traits are embedded to be passed on to offspring.

Genotype

Specific genetic information that may or may not be observable in physical characteristics.

Phenotype

The observable trait or the expressed form of the genotype, such as hair, skin, or eye color.

Chromosomes

Structures containing genetic information; humans typically have 46.

Autosomes

The 22 pairs of chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes.

Sex Chromosomes

The 23rd pair of chromosomes (XX for female, XY for male) that identifies the sex of an individual.

Genome

The collection of all genetic information in an organism.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

A nucleic acid containing genetic instructions, of which a genotype is a part of its sequence.

Maturation

The completed growth of a genetic characteristic, helping to unfold an individual’s inherent or potential traits.

Family (Social Group)

The first social group, serving as the foundation for development, consciousness, nutrition, and sustenance.

Biological Sex

One's assignment upon birth, dependent on physical features.

Gender

An identity that is learned and embraced by an individual, serving as both a personal and social construct that goes beyond biological sex.

Gender Roles

Societal expectations of how men and women should act.

Sexual Orientation

Describes who a person is attracted to, ranging from homosexual (same gender) to heterosexual (opposite gender).

Adolescence (Sexual)

The period when physiological changes begin in an individual's reproductive system.

Refractory Period

The period of rest after an ejaculation, typically longer in men, allowing women to potentially reach multiple orgasms.

Sexual Response Cycle

Comprises four phases: Excitement, Plateau, Orgasm, and Resolution.

Excitement Phase

The arousal stage of the sexual response cycle, triggered by a stimulus.

Plateau Phase

The phase of sexual excitement before orgasm, characterized by increased heart rate, muscle tension, and elevated respiration.

Orgasm Phase

The conclusion of the plateau phase, involving quick cycles of muscle contraction, euphoric muscular spasms, and a significant increase in heart rate.

Resolution Phase

The phase following orgasm, where muscles relax, blood pressure drops, and the body slows down from excitement, including the refractory period.

Masturbation

An alternative for sex that prevents pregnancy and STDs.

Copulation

The act of having sex.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Infections passed on through the exchange of body fluids or genital contact, with symptoms like burning urination, warts, or abnormal discharge.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

A virus transmitted through sexual acts that can lead to AIDS, carrying a high risk of death, with symptoms including rashes, fever, and sores.

Cognition

The capability of analyzing and observing the environment, making choices, and behaving appropriately.

Memory

Composed of three levels: Sensory Memory, Short-term/working memory, and Long-term memory.

Sensory Memory

The shortest level of memory, lasting for about half a second, perceived via senses, and sometimes transferred to short-term memory.

Short-term/Working Memory

Where information deemed useful in the future is temporarily stored and processed.

Long-term Memory

The level of memory where information is stored for extended periods.

Intelligence

An individual's capacity for logic, understanding, knowledge, self-awareness, learning, and planning, encompassing both knowing and applying knowledge.

Innate Knowledge

Knowledge individuals are born with, derived from various contexts.

Multiple Intelligences (Howard Gardner)

A theory proposing various types of intelligence, including verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.

Componential Intelligence (Sternberg)

The analytical aspect of intelligence, involving logic and reasoning.

Experiential Intelligence (Sternberg)

The creative aspect of intelligence, dealing with novel situations.

Contextual Intelligence (Sternberg)

The practical aspect of intelligence, known as 'street smarts,' applied to the real world.

Learning

A relatively permanent change in a person's knowledge and behavior resulting from experience, occurring when knowledge is transferred to long-term memory.

Self-efficacy

The extent to which one believes they can confidently master a skill.

Self-efficacy Development (Bandura)

Processes including social modeling, improving physical/mental state, and verbal persuasion.

Human Agency

An individual's ability to think, act, and self-regulate to achieve goals and shape their life and surroundings.

Forethought (Human Agency)

The anticipation of outcomes and consequences of an action.

Self-reactiveness (Human Agency)

The ability to construct and regulate behavior appropriately.

Self-reflectiveness (Human Agency)

The reflection and evaluation of one's own thoughts and behavior.

Bio-ecological Systems Theory (Urie Bronfenbrenner)

A theory describing how different environmental systems influence an individual's development.

Microsystem

Institutions and social groups with direct contact, such as family, schools, and friends.

Mesosystem

The interconnections among aspects of the microsystem, such as parent-teacher or family-friends relationships.

Exosystem

Settings where individuals have no direct interaction but which still affect their environment, such as a company's decision impacting a parent and then their child.

Macrosystem

The larger cultural context an individual resides in, including socioeconomic status, ethnic issues, societal values, and hereditary cultures.

Chronosystem

The largest system, encompassing patterns of environmental events and sociohistorical contexts that cause individual change, such as graduation leading to new societal expectations.

Individualistic Culture

Emphasizes early independence, self-expression, self-responsibility, prioritization of self-goals, and tasks over relationships.

Collectivistic Culture

Emphasizes reliance on others, reading nonverbal cues, listening to authority, responsibility for others, group goals over personal goals, and relationships over tasks.

Digital Identity

Who we are in the digital world, allowing for the adoption of a different identity from our physical body.

Online Disinhibition Effect

A phenomenon where individuals behave differently in the digital world compared to the real world, characterized by less restraint and more open expression.

Benign Disinhibition

A type of online disinhibition where individuals tend to self-disclose more on the internet than in real life.

Toxic Disinhibition

A type of online disinhibition leading to rudeness, foul language, and engaging with content (e.g., pornographic, violent) online that one would typically avoid in real life.

Dissociative Anonymity (Online Disinhibition)

The factor 'you don't know me,' where hiding identity online creates a feeling of protection and less vulnerability.

Invisibility (Online Disinhibition)

The factor 'you can't see me,' where virtual text-based communications provide a sense of protection due to not being physically seen.

Asynchronicity (Online Disinhibition)

The factor 'see you later,' allowing for emotional 'hit and run' in cyberspace, where individuals can post feelings and leave, escaping immediate harsh reactions.

Solipsistic Introjection (Online Disinhibition)

The factor 'it's all in my head,' where the lack of visual/auditory cues leads individuals to assign traits and read messages in their own voice, making virtual characters seem imaginary.

Dissociative Imagination (Online Disinhibition)

The factor 'it's all a game,' seeing virtual life as a game, leading to escapism and adopting different characters by simply logging on and off.

Minimized Status and Authority (Online Disinhibition)

The factor 'your rules don't apply here,' where the absence of visible status or authority symbols in cyberspace reduces intimidation, leading to more open speech and misbehavior.