UTS_M1.1_Self-and-Identity

The S.E.L.F.

Social, Environmental, and Other Life Factors (S.E.L.F.)

  • Determine the different factors that contribute to one’s being.

  • Evaluate the impact of the different Factors of the Self according to one’s self-appraisal.

  • Synthesize the influence of the different Factors of the Self-based on group assessment.

Issues on Understanding the Self

Many scholars (i.e., theorists, scientists, philosophers) in different fields and across generations have attempted to explain and thoroughly expound on several issues and controversies about the nature, existence, and dimensionality of self.

Nature Vs. Nurture

  • Nature: Here, the self is being studied structurally and functionally, from the molecular level to the entirety of human physiological systems. Genetics for example contributed so much information about the descriptions of the self. This field of biology primarily deals with the study of heredity (transmission of traits and characteristics from one generation to another) as a process, as well as the characterizations (similarities and differences) of organisms.

  • Nurture: Social Sciences argue though that the self should be principally viewed as an outcome of various nurturing factors in the context of one’s social life. Social Sciences have provided a manifold of insights and explanations about the self both on the micro and macro level of one’s social life. Different fields of social science stresses how group life (formal and informal) affects individuals’ behavior and attitude and emphasizes on the impact of various social institutions on the self-construal of an individual.

Self vs. Identity

  • Identity: Based on the lexical definition, Identity (noun, iden·ti·ty\ī-ˈden-tə-tē, ə-, -ˈde-nə-\) refers to “the qualities, beliefs, etc., that make a particular person or group different from others… or the distinguishing character or personality of an individual”

  • Self: Based on the lexical definition, Self (noun) is “the person that someone normally or truly is… or the entire person of an individual”.

Uni vs. Multi

The Self/Identity is not represented by a single certain trait because it is composed of multidimensional aspects. There are various factors with each having a purpose of the Self.

Categories of the Self

  • Physical

  • Sexual

  • Emotional

  • Social

  • Intellectual

  • Spiritual

Multidimensionality of the Self

Social Factors: The influences of significant people in a person’s life, particularly social groups where the individual identifies oneself. It is a strong foundation of one’s being and the characteristics that an individual acquires from social influences where one interacts with another as they mature, forming the identity and its uniqueness and similarities to others.

Environmental Factors: Broadly includes the physical and communal elements present in our everyday surroundings, and is invariably dealt with by individuals in a specific geographic region or area. This is not only about the physical properties of the surroundings (i.e., climate and temperature, forms of land, etc.), but this factor principally includes the larger society or community and the expectations and norms operating in that particular locality or place.

Hereditary Factor of the Self: It is a biological process by which certain traits and characteristics are passed on for generations. It can be depicted as a non-negotiable factor. Furthermore, it is a factor of one’s being and identity, that is relatively fixed and permanent.

Person-Volition Factor Self: This refers to the inclination of a person to form and construct a specific identity, which will set them apart or unique compared with others. Such factor emanates from within the mentality of an individual but also brought about by the aggregated social-life experiences. Social scientists may refer to this type of person as deviant and non-conformist. But being one is not necessarily negative, in fact, some of the people of this type turned in to trend-setters, discoverers and inventors.