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Compiled by: Compilers: Khadiguia Ontok-Balah, MALT, MPsych, RPm Khristine Joy B. Garcia, MSPsych, RPsych Jerose L. Molina, MPsych, RPm, RPsych
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Department of Psychology
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
University of Southern Mindanao
Kabacan, Cotabato
August 2018
General Education 1 Understanding The S E L F
Table of Contents Introduction Understanding The Self_______________________________________________________ 1 UNIT 1 T he Self from Various Perspectives _____________________________________________ 10 UNIT 2 U npacking The Self __________________________________________________________ 54 UNIT 3 M anaging The Self ___________________________________________________ 90 References____________________________________________________________________ 125 S E L F
INTRODUCTION Understanding the Self (A CHED GE Subject) S E L F
INTRODUCTION Understanding the Self (A CHED GE 1 Subject)
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Introduction
Course Description:
The course Undestanding The Self deals with the nature of identity, as well as the factors and forces that affect the development and maintenance of personal identity. The directive to Know Oneself has inspired countless and varied ways to comply. Among the questions that everyone has had to grapple with at one time or other is “Who am I?” At no other period is this question asked more urgently than in adolescence – traditionally believed to be a time of vulnerable and great possibilities. Issues of self and identity are among the most critical for the young.
The most important question ever:
Who am I?
The answer to this will determine our behaviors, our decisions, and our path in life.
What is this course all about?
It intends to facilitate the exploration of issues and concerns regarding Self and Identity to arrive at better understanding of oneself. It hopes to help in the better understanding of one’s self and that of others. It will stress the integration of the personal with the academic
C. Managing and Caring for the Self:
Three areas of concern for students include the following:
_1. Learning
- Goal Setting
- Managing Stress_
What are the learning outcomes of this course?
At the end of the course, the students will be able to:
A. The Self from Various Perspectives
1. Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from _various disciplinal perspectives
- Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different_ _disciplines and perspectives
- Examine the different influences, factors, and forces that shape the self
- Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of_ one’s self and identity by developing a theory of the self
B. Unpacking The Self
_1. Explore the different aspects of self and identity
- Demonstrate critical, reflective thought in integrating the various aspects of_ _self and identity
- Identify the different forces and institutions that impact the development of_ _various aspects of self and identity
- Examine one self against the different aspects discussed in this learning_ module
C. Managing and Caring for The Self
1. Understanding the theoretical underpinnings for how to manage and care for _different aspects of the self
- Acquire and hone new skills and learnings for better managing of one’s self and_ _behaviors
- Apply these new skills to one’s self and functioning a better quality of life_
Suggested class activities:
a. The quicky survey:
- Students are given a chance to actively participate in data gathering and then pool together the data gathered – “pulse of the public”. This will be done in the Internet due to restricted travel activities. They can gather data by sending survey form in emails, messenger, SMS, and/ or through phone calls
- This will enable the students to compare their own responses against those of others; to compare research data with local data
b. Keeping a journal or journaling:
- Already a familiar activity to those keeping diaries or blogs
- Is regarded as a bonus activity which may or may not be submitted/ graded
- May be submitted to and commented on by teacher
- May be regarded as a self assessment tool i.e. “a personal development exercise”
Benefits of Journaling:
- Helps develop critical thinking (responding to readings in this Learning Module)
- Promotes self reflection and insight
- Enables the reduction of stress
- Helps clarify thoughts and feelings
- Helps solve problems by accessing right brain
- Promotes physical and emotional health Note: Each student will have his/her own notebook or journal to express their feelings daily/ weekly and it will be checked at the end of the semester.
c. Other activities:
- Answering psychological tests available in the Internet (downloaded or hard copies will be provided).
- Writing short reflection papers using videos for illustration (YouTube, Ted Talks, etc.)
- Recommending films/movies/TV shows, etc. enables a better understanding of the self
Recommended assessments:
- Two long examinations
- Submitted assignments, feedback papers, group work reports, short reflection papers
- Final integrative (or reflection) paper – how the different perspectives, theories, etc help in developing a Theory of Self Source: Understanding The Self Syllabus provided by the Commission on Higher Education Important Note: When doing the exercises (except that the exercise sheets are already available), please put all your responses/ answers in a short bond paper indicating your name, year/course/section, date, exercise number, and your ID number, and your contact number on the upper left corner of the paper. Please follow the format (font size 12, font style: Corbel, single spacing, 1 inch in all sides). You can cantact your course instructors through their messenger accounts upon their approval: Prof. Khadiguia O. Balah – @Degs Ontok Balah, Prof. Khristine Joy Garcia – @Khristine Joy Garcia, and Prof. Jerose L. Molina - @Je Je.
LEARNING GUIDE MIDTERM COVERAGE UNIT 1: The Self from Various Pespectives Week 1 LESSON 1: Philosophy: Western Philosophical Perspective on the Self Week 2 LESSON 2: Medieval Philosophy Week 3 LESSON 3: Eastern Philosophical Perspective on the Self Week 4 LESSON 4: Hindu Philosophy, Japanese, and Islam Week 5 LESSON 5: Psychology: The Self Viewed in Various Theories and Me and I Self Week 6 LESSON 6: Global Versus Differentiated Models and Real Versus Ideal Self Concept Week 7 LESSON 7: Multiple Versus Unified Self and True Versus False Self Week 8 MIDTERM EXAM Week 9 FINAL TERM COVERAGE LESSON 8: What is Sikolohiyang Pilipino Week 10 Unit 2: Unpacking the Self Week 11 LESSON 9: The Physical Self and the Sexual Self Week 12 LESSON 10: The Material/ Economic Self and The Spiritual Self Week 13 LESSON 11: The Digital Self and The Social Self Week 14 Unit 3: Managing the Self Week 15 LESSON 12: Learning to be Better Student Week 16 LESSON 13: Goal Setting and Happiness Week 17 LESSON 14: Managing Stress Week 18 FINAL TERM COVERAGE Week 19
UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives S E L F
History of Philosophy
- An Approach that can be employed
- Grounds the ideas to the context of the philosophers
- Shows the development of philosophy alongside with the development of human discovery and knowledge
- Grounds contemporary ideas
- Can provide an objective presentation of philosophical ideas
- Can be a ground/basis for other approaches Exercise 1.
- Instructions: In not more than 10 sentences, differentiate the body and
soul? Cite three authors and in APA style, write the references after the
essay.
Ancient Philosophy
Three (3) Periods:
1. Pre-Socratics (The Milesians) - How do you answer the question, “Who _am I”?
- Ancient Triumvirate_ - _In what ways do I get to know myself?
- Post-Aristotelians_
1. Pre-Socratics
- Cosmo-centric: It means that there is a fundamental principle/ thing that underlies everything else, including the human self:
- Thales : Water
- Anaximander : Apeiron – “Boundless Something”
- Anaximenes : Air
- Others: It also includes Democritus (atom), Heraclitus (fire), Anaxagoras (nous/mind), Pythagoras (numbers)
2. The Ancient Triumvirate
- Socrates
- Didn’t write anything, but his ideas were echoed by his student, Plato, in his Dialogues.
- “Know thyself.” – “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
- Each person has an immortal soul that surpasses the death of the body (dualistic reality=body & soul).
Two Aspects of Reality
1. Physical world: changeable, transient, and imperfect; World of Senses/Matter 2. Spiritual world: unchanging, eternal, perfect; The World of Ideas/ Form - Our souls (self) strive for wisdom and perfection, and reason is the soul’s tool to achieve such state. - The soul is a unified, indissoluble, immortal entity that remains the same over time, and that is in the very likeness of the divine. - Plato There are three (3) parts soul/ self (psyche): 1. Reason: the divine essence that lets us think deeply (wisdom), make wise choices and achieve a true understanding of eternal truths. 2. Physical Appetite: accounts for the basic biological needs such as hunger, thirst and sexual desire. 3. Spirit/Passion: accounts for the basic emotions such as love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness, empathy – These are in a dynamic relationship with each other: in agreement or in conflict. But it is the responsibility of the Reason to restore harmony among the three. Harmony: Justice in the individual, social and political levels. - Aristotle - The mind (self) is a tabularasa (a blank tablet) - The self consists of matter and form; matter is in a continuous process of developing and becoming. - The process of completion is through experiences as knowledge is acquired through the senses (and this knowledge is true). - But this self comes from a First Cause , the source of all changes although unchangeable in itself. - The goal of the human self is reached in happiness through moderation or balance of things
3. The Post-Aristotelians
- Maintains the dualism between body and soul
- More ethical in their ideas (moral norms attainment of happiness)
- Stoicism: apathy or indifference to pleasure
- Hedonism: “Eat, drink and be happy, for tomorrow, you will die.”
- Epicureanism: moderate pleasure
- Period of radical social, political and intellectual developments
- Genuine knowledge has to be based on independent rational inquiry and real world experimentation, rather than dependent on knowledge handed down by authorities.
René Descartes: A Rationalist
- “ Cogito ergo sum. ” – “I think, therefore, I am.”
- Human identity : self-awareness
- Self: A thinking thing
- Self: It can exist independently of the body, but doesn’t deny the association of the body to the self
- Dualism: thinking (spiritual) self versus physical body
- The spiritual self , governed by the laws of reason and God’s will surpasses the physical self , governed by the laws of nature.
- Yet the intimate connection between the soul and the body is undeniable (pineal gland)
John Locke: An Empiricist
- Knowledge originates in our direct sense experience.
- Reason plays a subsequent role in figuring out the significance of our sense experience and in reaching intelligent conclusions.
- The self is not necessarily embedded in a single substance or soul, but exists in space and time.
- Every aspect of the physical body is integrated with personal identity. The body changes. The physical self changes.
- But the self endures because of memory.
- Conscious awareness and memory of previous experiences are the keys to understanding the self.
David Hume: Empiricist, Sceptic & Nihilist
- There is no self!
- Empiricism are impressions of basic sensations of experiences.
- Ideas are copies of our impressions
- Impressions form a fleeting stream of sensations
- No constant and invariable self that exists as a unified identity over the course of life.
- The self is a “bundle or collection of different perceptions, which succeed each other in an inconceivable rapidity, and are in perpetual flux and movement.”
Immanuel Kant
- Contests Hume’s idea by alluding to the primary experience of the world that is not a disconnected stream of sensations.
- A priori concepts: fundamental organizing rules or principles built into the architecture of the mind, which categorize, organize and synthesize sense data into the familiar fabric of our lives, bounded by space and time. These are innate.
- Unity of consciousness that makes the world intelligible
Sigmund Freud
- He founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology. The self is multi- tiered/multi-layered: Conscious is governed by the reality principle; at this level, behavior and experience are organized in ways that are rational, practical and appropriate to the social environment.
- The unconscious contains the basic instinctual drives including sexuality, aggressiveness, and self-destruction; traumatic memories; unfulfilled wishes and childhood fantasies; thoughts and feelings that would be considered socially taboo.
Gilbert Ryle: A Physicalist
- Behaviorism : No more dichotomy by denying the inner selves, immortal souls, states of consciousness, or unconscious entities
- The self is defined in terms of behavior that is presented to the world.
- The self is a pattern of behavior, the tendency or disposition for a person to behave in a certain way in certain circumstances
Paul Churchland: A Physicalist
- Eliminative Materialism: grounded in neuroscience
- The mind/self is the brain
Edmund Husserl
- The father of Phenomenology
- We experience our self as a unity in which the mental and physical are seamlessly woven together.
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
- He believed in the “lived body”. An entity that can never be objectified or known in a completely objective sort of way, as opposed to the “body as object” of the dualists. “There is no duality of substance but a dialectic of living being in its biological milieu.”
Embodied Subjectivity
- Both Husserl and Merleau Ponty agree that our living body is a natural synthesis of mind and biology.
The four (4) foundations of mindfulness:
_1. Contemplation of the body
- Contemplation of feeling (repulsive, attractive, or neutral)
- Contemplation of the state of mind
- Contemplation of the phenomena._ From Confucianism (Tu Wei Ming)
- To attain selfhood (within the communal act) “How can I, in the midst of social relations, realize my selfhood and the heaven-endowed humanity?” There are two (2) aspects of the self: _1. The self as the center of relationships
- The self as dynamic process of spiritual development_ Taoism
- True knowledge cannot be known but perhaps it can be understood.
- Taos is a system of guidance. Phrases that can describe Tao:
- Not a God
- Source of creation
- Ultimate
- Way of nature as a whole Te
- Awareness of the Tao together with the capabilities that enable a person to follow the Tao. Tzu Jan
- That which is naturally so.
- Condition something will be in if it is permitted to exist and develop naturally. Wu Wei
- Knowledge tries to figure out why round pegs fit round holes, but not square holes.
- Cleverness tries to devise ways of making them fit. Wu Wei doesn’t try.
- It doesn’t think about it. It just does. And when it does, it doesn’t appear to do much of anything but Things Get Done.
- T’ai Chi Ch’uan – wear the opponent out by sending his energy back at him or deflecting it away, in order to weaken his power, balance, and position for defense.
- Live through life and accept the totality of reality.
- Believe in the power within and use it.
Yin and Yang
- Natural and complementary forces, patterns, and things that depend on one another.
- Darkness and light, wet and dry, etc. Chi or Qi
- Cosmic vital energy enables beings to survive and link them to the universe as a whole. Inner Nature
- Things as they are.
- Knowing where you belong; everything has its own place and function
- “A fly can’t bird but a bird can’t fly.”
- Do with what you have. Simplicity
- Things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.
- Knowledge and Relativity
- Knowledge is always partial and affected by the standpoint of the person claiming that knowledge.
- Scholarly intellect may be useful for analyzing certain things but deeper and broader matters are beyond its limited reach.
- “There is more to knowing than just being correct.” Way of Self-Reliance
- Recognizing who we are, what we’ve got to work with, and what works best for us. The Great Nothing
- Some things are just unexplainable and that’s okay because not everything needs explaining. “Why does a chicken, I don’t why” LESSON 4: HINDU PHILOSOPHY There are six (6) Philosophies" (ṣad-darśana)
- Nyaya
- Vaisheshika 3. Samkhya
- Yoga
- Mimamsa 6. Vedanta
