Filipino Psychology Chapter 1

7,107 islands

7,107 islands

The Republic of the Philippines comprises how many islands

60 million multi-ethnic and multilingual Filipino

There are approximately ____ who are primarily Malayo-Polynesian

Philippines

For the purpose of tourist promotion, the place billed as the “third largest English-speaking country in the world.

Philippine Constitution of 1987

retained the English language as an official language but it

is the Filipino language that is used across the archipelago by the man on-the-street on the other side of the Great Cultural Divide.

Iglesia ni Kristo

The dominant home-grown religion

Catholic Church

are superficial Catholics, while those belonging to the Iglesia are devoted followers and loyal adherents of their Church

Catholics

go to the church on Sundays and holidays, but they do so not because they understand and appreciate the mysticism and poetry of the C atholic rites, but because it is the fashion to be seen in the Church on such days

Catholics

comprise 83 percent of the total population, actually the genuine Catholics do not probably comprise 0.5 percent of the whole population.

Christianized animists

form a majority in the Philippine islands of Luzon and Visayas but the Catholic church plays a vital role in the Philippine economy and polity.

1903

the friar lands have been gradually transferred since 1903 from the Catholic Church to the government and private hands but the religious orders have a long way to go before they can make good their vow of poverty in the islands.

Spanish Dominican priest

are still embroiled in a struggle with Filipino priests for financial control of the University of Santo Tomas

University of Santo Thomas

the oldest Catholic university in the Philippines.

1983

The struggle surfaced anew just after Filipino consciousness was shaken by the historic assassination of Benigno Aquino at the Manila International Airport in

Jaime Cardinal Sin

leader of the Filipino Catholics, appealed for “reconciliation with justice” as the nation recoiled from the shock of a politically motivated murder which ignited the spark leading to the fall of a dictator and a change in leadership.

Islam

is dominant in Southern Philippines as it is dominant in neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia.

Filipino religious Psychology

is best found in Islami zed animism or Christianized Bathalism (from the name Bathala or God) but the traditional indigenous religion

Anitism

(from the word anito, or ancestral god), and respect for nature, are deeply held in various aspects of life.

Babaylan

was the first Filipino Psychologist in Visayas.

Babaylan

As a priestess, she was also the guardian of Filipino sacred knowledge. In the early days, she did not refer to herself as Filipino but nonetheless continued her practice through the centuries of identity evolution from Indio to Filipino.

early Filipino psychology

The dalangin (prayer) and bulong (whisper) of the catalonan and other healers and priestesses from different ethnic groups in the Philippines are rich sources of early Philippine psychology. The use of anting-anting (amulets) and other psychological practices and beliefs of resistance movements such as the Pulajanes (Constantino 1975) are all rooted in

Salawikain

proverbs

Filipino psychology

is the attachment of importance to the Filipino and his consciousness. The

totality of the Filipino--both his material and spiritual aspects--are given emphasis. Motivates the social scientist to investigate the traditional belief of native Filipinos.

Zeus Salazar (1974)

historian and ethnologist, to study the belief in two souls: diwa (consciousness) and its counterpart

academic-scientific psychology, the academic-philosophical psychology, ethnic or indigenous psychology, and the psycho-medical psychology

Salazar identified four lines of history and filiation of Philippine psychology

Academic-scientific psychology

which has a direct affiliation with Wilhelm Wundt, found its way to the Philippines primarily through the University of San Carlos in 1954 and the University of the Philippines in 1920 with the establishment of the American educational system in the Philippines.

The Filipino phase of academic-scientific psychology

began with the return in 1925 of Filipino pioneers in Western psychology belonging to the pragmatist-behavioral school which had just begun to distinguish itself from its European origins mainly the German, English and French traditions.

academic-philosophical psychology

traces its roots to the establishment of a system of higher education at the University of Sto. Tomas in Spanish times in about the middle of the 17th century.

katutubong sikolohiya or indigenous psychology

The third, ethnic psychology is a psychological system worked out by Filipinos from indigenous and foreign elements in response to their national and cultural experiences

katutubong sikolohiya

It includes the study of Filipino psychology in the context of the Filipino people’s perceived ethnic traits which may be culled from both native or foreign, mainly Spanish, sources. Filipino psychology attempts to study psychology in the Philippine context and with a Filipino orientation with the end view of countering foreigners’ negative perceptions of Filipinos

Katutubong sikolohiya

It involves the study of Filipino ethnic psychology from the early times up to the present.

psycho-medical system

with religion as the cohesive element and explanation can be considered to be at the core of native Filipino psychology.

psycho-medical system

It is manifested through faith healing connected with the espiritista movement and techniques of healing through herbolaryo and other indigenous methods.

• academic-scientific psychology

• academic-philosophical psychology

• ethnic or indigenous psychology

• psycho-medical psychology

Sikolohiyang pangkabuhayan (“livelihood” psychology)

A distinct and important line of filiation showing the roots and development of the economic, livelihood, agricultural, business, management, and industrial psychology is currently conceptualized around

Indigenous arts

Great interest in this art also motivates work on the traditional and contemporary people’s art, thus leading to intensive research and artistic activities in sikolohiya ng sining (psychology of art)

psychology of the victorious Lapu-Lapu

who epitomized courage and tradition, is an important topic for a Filipino-oriented psychological research and stud

sikolohiyang Pilipino historian

pays greater attention to history from indigenous point of view.

(Quirino 1981)

he looks at Manila under the rule of Lakan Dula of Tondo, or of Rajah Sulaiman of Maynilad, who earned the reputation of being the “greatest chief of all that country with whom the terms of peace and friendship were to be made

Lakan Dula of Tondo, or of Rajah Sulaiman of Maynilad

who earned the reputation of being the “greatest chief of all that country with whom the terms of peace and friendship were to be made”

Diego Silang of Ilocos

The social psychology of the indigenous culture, rights and practices was staunchly protected by

Gabriela Silang

whose name is now a rallying cry for the Filipino women.

Tamblot

A babaylan or native psychologist-priest kept the sacred tradition by establishing a major Visayan leadership in 1621, refusing to pay tribute to any foreign adventurer.

Boholanos

enjoyed one of the longest periods of local sovereignty in Philippine history, from 1744 until 1828, blessed with the Filipino concept of justice, equality, and liberty under the leadership and authority of Francisco Dagohoy and his successors

Francisco Dagohoy and his successor

from 1744 until 1828, blessed with the Filipino concept of justice, equality and liberty under the leadership and authority of

Apolinario de la Cruz

popularly known as Hermano Pule of Lukban, Tayabas, attested to his religious charisma and the local validity of his psychology.

Apolinario de la Cruz

Known as Hermano Pule of Lukban, Tayabas

June 12,1896

In the decades prior to the establishment of the first Philippine Republic in Kawit, Cavite was documented with historical accounts rich in psychological content. In fact, this period witnessed a tremendous surge in psychological renewal

• Diego Silang

• Gabriela Silang

• Tamblot

• Francisco Dagohoy

• Apolinario de la Cruz

protected the indigenous cultures, rights, and practices

Tausugs of Sulu and the Maranaos of Maguindanao

The Western construction of history, which interprets the entire Philippines as under the dominion of some Western power or another, is readily disproved by the

Tausugs of Sulu and the Maranaos of Maguindanao

who maintained power and sovereignty over their territory.

Sultan Kudarat

Exemplifying Filipino courage and bravery was the ruler of Cotabato, who united the natives in their fight against foreign intruders.

Sultan Kudarat and his men

were so successful in fighting the invaders that for 250 years the Spaniards did not return to Lanao.

Pedro Serrano Laktaw

through his lexicography

Isabelo de los Reyes

Through his works on folklore, contributed to the field of psychology of language.

Antonio Luna

a of Filipino psychopathology could be enriched by drawing from the works of

The thesis of Regino Paular (1987)

pioneered in the areas of history and psychopathology

“Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos (“On the Indolence of the Filipino”).

We could learn more about Juan Masipag by examining the psychological significance of Rizal

Substantial psychological insight

This can be culled from the works of del Pilar, who reflected on psychological topics such as love of nature (del Pilar 1888 in Panganiban and Panganiban 1954) and death (del Pilar 1907 in Panganiban and Panganiban 1954).

Before accepting the character of the Filipino as portrayed by foreigners, one must read Antonio Luna Guthrie’s (1972) view o f the Filipino farmers’ “subsistence motives” can be compared with the noble values and customs described in Luna’s “La Tertulia Fi lipina“ (“The Filipino Feast”).

1896

The psychological dimension of the reform movement and the revolution of ___ have been studies in bits and piece

Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness)

by Emilio Jacinto

valuable sources of psychological knowledge

The colle ction of myths by Mariano Ponce and Li wanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness) by Emilio Jacinto are

Emilio Jacinto

Described the psychological distinction between ningning (glitter) and li wanag (light).

Definitive studies on the writings of Apolinario Mabini, Jose Rizal, and Andres Bonifacio from the psychological perspective still need to be done. The work of Almario Velazco (1986) on the psychology of Francisco Baltazar is a start.

Tausugs of Sulu and the Maranaos of Maguindanao

The Western construction of history, which interprets the entire Philippines as under the dominion of some Western power or another, is really disproved by the ___ who maintained power and sovereignty over their territory

Definitive studies on the writings of Apolinario Mabini, Jose Rizal, and Andres Bonifacio from the psychological perspective still need to be done. The work of Almario-Velasco (1896) on the psychology of Francisco Baltazar is a start.

Commodore George Dewey

Philippine colonial education fostered the belief that scientific psychology in the country was a Western creation, a process which supposedly started soon after ___ won the mock battle of Manila Bay

Undergraduate psychology courses

beyond the introductory course were taught in the College of Education, University of the Philippines, using American textbooks and the English language as a medium of instruction.

1908

This was less than a decade after the university itself was established in ___ undergraduate psychology courses beyond the introductory course were taught in the College of Education, University of the Philippines,

Murray Bartlett

an American, as its first president

At the time, Spanish had not altogether given way to English, literary writing in the Filipino language was on the rise, and the so-called Filipino essay “in English” was still a fledgling effort, documentary proof of a struggle between the Hispanic and the indigenous in an attempt to approximate idiomatic English.

Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison

Americans gave psychology lectures in the university, the goodwill of upper and middle-class Filipinos was being won gradually by

Policy of attraction

Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison’s policy

Agustin Alonzo

The early influence of American education and the colonial culture on Philippine psychology found concrete manifestation in the person of

Five years of American training in advanced psychology and Harrison’s policy of Filipinization paved the way for Alonzo to assume the psychology chair in the State University.

personnel indigenization

the American community in the Philippines, but personnel indigenizationwas actually a practical policy for the Americans because it costs less to hire a Filipino.

Critical positions were, of course, reserved for the American colonial administrators, but the chairmanship of the psychology department of the State University was not considered a “critical” position then or now.

The end of Harrison’s era of Filipinization in 1921 (Agoncillo 1974, 28)

Was the beginning of American-oriented graduate psychology in the Philippines. It marked the completion of the first M.A. psychology thesis in English, written by Alonzo, at the University of the Philippines.

University of Chicago

Right after completing his M.A. requirements in 1922, Alonzo proceeded to the ___ here he received his Ph.D in experimental psychology.

Edward Lee Thorndike’s influence

Alonzo somehow came through with his gentle handling of rats in a maze to provide “manual guidance” to his laboratory animals.

psicologia

Filipino term sikolohiya was derived from the Spanish and the term itself was already a part of the layman’s vocabulary even if the spelling was standardized only much later.

Rational psychology

is a form of philosophy, and as such, appropriate in the realm of speculative thought.

The psychological treaties of Plasencia and Delgado were not meant for Indios, who now call themselves Filipinos.

the works of Jacinto (Santos, 1935), delPilar (1888, 1907), and Jose Rizal are rich sources of psychological theories and insights, but Jacinto, del Pilar, and Rizal, were mainly propagandists, not psychologists.

Besides, it took more than two centuries from its founding in 1611 for the University of Santo Tomas to change its admission policy to accommodate Filipinos; it was not their mission to teach Thomistic psychology to the Indios. And in all likelihood, the psicologos del verbo Tagalog, gratefully acknowledged by Emilio Aguinaldo in his inaugural speech in 1899 as the president of the First Philippine Republic, were not Ph.D. (psychology) degree holders anyway. Neither were del Pilar and Jacinto. Heroes of the revolution they were, but certified psychologists they were not.

the first American teachers of psychology in the Philippines were not even trained in psychology.

The Pontificial University of Santo Tomas was not named after Thomas Aquinas for nothing.

William Howard Taft

move to impose English as the medium of instruction in the Philippines was the single masterstroke that quite conveniently transferred the burden of developing psychology as a discipline in the Philippines from the hands of the Spanish-speaking friars to the shoulders of Native American Speakers of English.

“Philippines-psychology-as-an-American-creation theory”

has a sizeable number of adherents. The “theory” has no name because it is less a theory than an unchallenged assumption in the minds of American-trained Filipino psychologists

The strong version of the “theory” states that Americans brought psychology to the Philippines together with the blessings of civilization and democracy. If we are to believe this claim, then psychology as a science and profession was a “factory-sealed” importation from the West, from theory to method and application, including all appurtenances that go with psychological practice.

Losing one’s life is tangible; losing the “indigenous psyche” is not even easy to comprehend.

“straight from-America” theory

The establishment of psychology in the Philippines, according to what theory. . No resistance was met and problems were minimal. Thanks to the efficiency of the American colonial administration, it did not take too long for American-style Western psychology to take root in Philippines soil

Renato Constantino (1975)

The “miseducation” of Filipino psychologists was rather thorough and almost complete. Not content with welcoming the Thomasites in the Philippine shores, psychologists retraced the Thomasites’ voyage back to North America.

Sinforoso Padilla

It was Alonzo’s energetic student, who established the Experimental Psychology Laboratory at the U.P. after his return from the University of Michigan in 1928.

colonial policy

But looking back, one realizes that while Alonzo did not bring his rats from Chicago with him, he brought something else, something truly precious to Philippine education as a handmaiden of

• Thorndike

• Hall,

• Lindzey to Hilgard

• McConell

American textbooks in psychology

Education became miseducation because it began to de-Filipinize the Filipino psychologists, taught them to look up to American departments of psychology as always years ahead of Philippine counterparts, to regard American psychology as always superior to theirs and American society as the model par excellence for Philippine society

Alfredo V. Lagmay

who later served as the chairman of the U.P.’s psychology department for more than two decades

Estefania Aldab

who got her M.A. (Psychology) in 1938 from the U.P, Ph.D. (Psychology) from the University of Michigan, and much later held the highest position ever held by a psychologist in the Marcos government, that of Minister of Social Work, at the personal behest of no less than the First Lady, Madame Imelda Marcos.

Atleast 60 years old

The current Philippine objection to the uncritical importation of Western psychological models