UNDERSELF - CAUSE I NEED TO UNDERSTAND MYSELF

HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY

Department of Psychology

Course: Understanding the Self (GEUS)

PRELIM EXAM STUDY REVIEWER

Prepared by: Mr. Rhenan D. Estacio

LESSON 1: PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE SELF

1. Socrates

- Core Philosophy: "An unexamined life is not worth living."

- The Socratic Method: A dialogue-based, question-and-answer technique aimed

at uncovering truth, promoting critical thinking, and identifying what is

right. He referred to himself as a "midwife" who assisted others in birthing

their own wisdom.

- Concept of Self: The true self is the soul/pure mind, which existed in the

realm of ideas before entering the body. Ignorance leads to human problems;

knowledge, restored through the Socratic Method, brings wisdom.

2. Plato

- Theory of Forms:

- The World of Forms: The permanent, unchanging, and true reality.

- The Material World: A temporary, changing replica of the World of Forms

(what we perceive with our senses).

- Dichotomy of Self: The self is composed of a body and a soul. The soul is

the true, permanent self, whereas the body is merely a temporary, imperfect

replica.

- Allegory of the Cave: A metaphor highlighting how humans can have a

completely incorrect perception of reality. To touch true reality, one must

be willing to shift their perception and seek truth.

3. Saint Augustine

- Reconciling Faith and Philosophy: Reconciled Christian teachings with Greek

(Platonic) philosophy.

- Concept of Self: Man is created in the image and likeness of God. The

physical world is temporary; our true home is in the eternal realm with God.

- Eternal Law: The law of conscience, which is imposed on the mind to help

individuals distinguish between right and wrong.

4. René Descartes

- Mind-Body Dualism:

- Res Cogitans (Thinking Substance): The mind/soul. Immaterial, conscious,

and not bound by physical laws.

- Res Extensa (Extended Substance): The body. Material, physical, and

subject to the laws of physics.

- Cogito, Ergo Sum: "I think, therefore I am." Consciousness and the capacity

to think prove one's existence. The mind and body are independent, but the

self is rooted in the thinking mind.

5. John Locke

- Personal Identity & Consciousness: Personal identity is not locked in a

permanent soul or physical body, but is instead built on consciousness and

memory.

- Self-Elaborated: A person is the same self over time as long as they can

recall past experiences. If memory is lost (e.g., amnesia), the continuity

of identity is disrupted.

6. Paul and Patricia Churchland

- Eliminative Materialism: Rejects dualism. There is no separate, immaterial

soul or mind.

- Neurophilosophy: The "self" is a biological phenomenon of the brain.

Self-awareness, mental states, and emotions are the results of complex

neural networks and biochemical processes. "Folk psychology" (ordinary talk

of belief, desire, mind) is misleading and should be replaced by

neuroscience.

7. Maurice Merleau-Ponty

- The Embodied Self: Rejected the separation of mind and body. The body is not

an object we use; rather, we are our bodies. It is the vehicle through which

we perceive and interact with the world.

- The "I Can" and The Self: Selfhood is active and continuous—a dynamic

process of perception and bodily engagement with the environment.

LESSON 2: THE SELF FROM THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

1. Modernity / Postmodernism (Anthony Giddens)

Modernity shapes our personal identity and everyday lives through four main

characteristics:

1. Industrialism: Shift from manual labor to machine production, accelerating

urbanization and technology.

2. Capitalism: Private ownership and market-driven economies that produce

wealth but can generate inequality.

3. Institutions of Surveillance: Increased monitoring of behaviors by

governments and corporations, often using technology.

4. Dynamism: Constant, rapid change that creates opportunities but also brings

instability and uncertainty.

2. Social Groups

- Organic Group: Naturally occurring and highly influenced by family and local

communities. Characterized by rootedness and strong conformity, but provides

less individual freedom.

- Rational Group: Formed voluntarily based on shared self-interests. Offers

greater personal freedom and flexibility.

3. George Herbert Mead (Theory of the Social Self)

- The self is not present at birth; it develops through social interactions

and internalizing the expectations of others.

- Three Stages of Development:

1. Language: Allows communication and the initial steps of self-expression.

2. Play: Children role-play different perspectives (e.g., playing "parent"

or "doctor"), learning to internalize others' views.

3. Game: Children learn to follow rules, coordinate with multiple roles,

and understand the general social norms (the "generalized other").

- Two Facets of the Self:

- The "Me": The socialized self. It reflects the learned expectations,

habits, and rules of society (social control).

- The "I": The unsocialized, spontaneous, creative, and unique reaction of

the individual to the social environment.

LESSON 3: THE SELF FROM THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

1. Cultural Diversity: Individualism vs. Collectivism

- Individualism (Western Cultures): Focuses on independence, personal

achievement, self-actualization, and individual rights. Social connections

are often voluntary.

- Collectivism (Eastern Cultures): Focuses on interdependence, group harmony,

family, and community well-being. Personal decisions are made in

consultation with family or social groups.

| Individualist Society | Collectivist Society |

| :--------------------------------- | :------------------------------------ |

| Focuses on "I" | Focuses on "We" |

| Independence & self-reliance | Interdependence & loyalty |

| Low-context communication (direct) | High-context communication (indirect) |

| Individual ownership of resources | Shared resources among relatives |

2. Eastern Systems of Thought

- Hinduism:

- Atman & Brahman: The true self (Atman) is immortal, spiritual, and

ultimately identical to the universal soul (Brahman).

- Maya: The material world is an illusion that distracts us from realizing

our true identity.

- Samsara & Moksha: We are bound to the cycle of rebirth (Samsara) until

we reach self-realization/liberation (Moksha).

- Buddhism:

- Anatta (No-Self): The self is an illusion. There is no permanent,

unchanging soul.

- Five Aggregates (Skandhas): The self is a dynamic combination of

physical form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and

consciousness.

- Impermanence (Anicca) & Suffering (Dukha): Clinging to the illusion of a

permanent self is the root cause of suffering. True peace is reached

through Nirvana (extinguishing desire and suffering).

- Confucianism:

- Relational Self: The self is defined in relation to others (family,

community, and society) through social roles and moral duties.

- Key Virtues: Ren (humaneness/benevolence), Li (propriety/customs), and

striving to become a Junzi (a noble, virtuous person).

- Taoism:

- Living in Harmony with the Tao: The self should align with the natural

flow of the universe (Tao).

- Wu Wei: Effortless action or living spontaneously and simply without

force.

- Simplicity & Interconnectedness: Rejecting ego, material desires, and

artificial social constructs to embrace natural balance.

LESSON 4: PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE SELF

1. William James (I-Self vs. Me-Self)

- The Me-Self (The Empirical Self / Self as Object):

- Material Self: Physical body, clothing, wealth, and material belongings.

- Social Self: The roles we play in social situations and how others

perceive us.

- Spiritual Self: Internal values, personality, conscience, and core

identity.

- The I-Self (The Pure Ego / Self as Subject): The thinker or knower. It

provides the continuous stream of consciousness that links our past,

present, and future experiences.

2. Carl Rogers (Self-Concept & Real vs. Ideal Self)

- Real Self: Who we actually are, based on our real feelings, behaviors, and

current state.

- Ideal Self: Who we wish to be (our aspirations, goals, and idealized version

of ourselves).

- Congruence vs. Incongruence:

- Congruence: Alignment between the real self and ideal self, leading to

mental well-being and self-actualization.

- Incongruence: Discrepancy between the real self and ideal self,

resulting in distress, low self-esteem, or anxiety. To cope, individuals

may use defenses like denial or distortion.

- Fully Functioning Person: Someone who is open to experience, lives in the

present, trusts their inner feelings, and actively strives toward

self-actualization.

3. Self-Esteem

- Definition: An individual's overall subjective evaluation of their own

worth.

- High self-esteem correlates with positive relationships and resilience,

while low self-esteem can lead to distress and defensive behaviors. It is

multi-dimensional (e.g., emotional, academic, physical, social).

4. Albert Bandura (Human Agency & Social Cognitive Theory)

- Humans are active agents who can intentionally influence their own

functioning and environmental circumstances.

- Four Core Properties of Human Agency:

1. Intentionality: Formulating plans and strategies to achieve specific

goals.

2. Forethought: Anticipating future consequences and outcomes to guide

current actions.

3. Self-Reactiveness: Regulating and motivating oneself to stay on track

toward goals.

4. Self-Reflectiveness: Evaluating one's own thoughts, efficacy, and

actions.

- Three Types of Agency:

- Personal Agency: An individual's direct control over their own actions.

- Proxy Agency: Relying on others to act on one's behalf to secure desired

resources or outcomes.

- Collective Agency: People working together in groups or communities to

achieve common goals.

Good luck with your preparation. Remember to study these terms systematically

and focus on comparing the different perspectives of the self.