TAYABAS WESTERN ACADEMY

Founded 1928
Candelaria, Quezon

Self-Learning Module 2

Instructor GLENDA C. RAYOS No. of Student/s

Department BSBA, BSED,
College of Business and Education Course/Year
BSA
Module No. 2 Units 3
Duration MWF (6:30-7:30)
TTHS (6:30-7:30)
2 weeks Days(Time) (7:30-8:30)

Date of
Submission
September 18, 2021 Subject Code GEC 2
Description Understanding the Self
1. Sociological Perspective on the Self
Topic 2. Anthropological Perspective on the Self

Lesson 1: SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE SELF

LEARNING TARGETS:
1. Describe the sociological perspective and explain its importance in
understanding of oneself.
2. Recognize the scholars and pioneers in sociology who contributed to
understand the causes of social phenomena.
3. Acknowledge the birth and development of sociology in the Philippines.

LESSON PROPER
Sociology
Sociology offers a perspective wherein we observed people’s behaviour in connection
with their social experiences. According to Henslin, “it offers a fresh look at familiar words,
and opens window unto unfamiliar worlds.” The sociological perspective enables us to gain
new vision of social life and provides different way on how to look at our life and understand
the people around us.
Mills (1959) emphasizes that the individual had a specific experience in the society
that results for having a particular goal, values, aspirations, and even self-concept. This
sociological perspective emphasizes the life in society in its broader context.

Broader Context of Social Life includes;

a. Social Location of People
b. Relationship of one group to another
c. The external influence
Definition of SOCIOLOGY
 Sociology came from a Latin word “socious” meaning companion or society and
Greek word “logos” meaning study. Sociology is the study of society and human
behavior.
 Sociology is defined as the scientific study of human relationships and significant
social phenomena arising from continuous interaction of men in a particular setting or
locale.

The Development of Sociology in the Philippines

 Serafin N. Macaraig – first Filipino to acquire a doctrate degree in sociology and
published a book entitles An Introduction to Sociology in 1938.
 Fr. Valentin Marin – Introduce sociology in the Philippines, opened a program of
criminology at UST in 1950’s.
 1950 – A.W Salt and Murray Bartlett offered sociology course in UP Clyde Hetlin
at Siliman University in Dumaguete and 2 Filipino Social scientists, Conrado Benitez
and Luis Rivera were among the first teachers of sociology in the Philippines.
 1952 – Filipino pioneers in sociology organized the Philippine sociological society.
 1957 – the CDRC (Community Development Research Council) was created to
conduct and support social science researchers.
 1960 – Fr. Frank Lynch, SJ founded the Institute of the Philippine Culture at the
Ateneo De Manila University.
 1968 – Philippine Social science council was formed to consolidate resources with the
following objectives;
1. Promote quality and relevant social science researcher
2. Improve teaching skills in source science
3. Finance researchers
4. Encourage social science publications
 1972 – Xavier University was given credit as the first school, which opens a program
in Ph.D. in sociology. Up was the first school offered a Bachelor degree in Sociology.

The Self as a Product of Modern Society Among Other Constructions

Modernization has significantly changed society, and this has affected how individual
builds and develops his or her self-identity. Pre-modern society was centered on survival.
People behaved according to social rules and traditions while the family and the immediate
environment provided supervision on how to get through life. Choosing where to live what
line of work to do, and even who to marry was very limited.
Modernization, however, has improved people’s living conditions. A person in the
modern society is free to choose where to live, what to do, and who to be with. However,
stability has also decreased as traditions and traditional support systems, such as the family,
have decreased in importance. In modern societies, individualism is dominant, and
developing one’s self-identity is central.
Key Characteristic of Modernity
According to Giddens (1991), the most patent major characteristics of modernity are:
1. Industrialism – the social relation implied in the extensive use of material power and
machinery in all processes of production.
2. Capitalism – a production system involving both competitive product markets and
the commodification (putting a price tag) of labor power.
3. Institutions of surveillance – the massive increase of power and reach by
institutions, especially in government and;
4. Dynamism – the most evident characteristic of a modern society. Dynamism is
characterized as having vigorous activity and progress. In a modern society, life is not
pre-determined path with limited options based on location, family, or gender, it is a
society full of possibilities. Everything is subject to change, and changes happen
much more rapidly than ever before in human history.

Social Groups and Social Networks

Sociologist George Simmel expressed that people create a social network by joining
social groups. A social group is described as having two or more people interacting with one
another, sharing similar characteristics, and whose members identify themselves as part of the
group, e.g. family, barkada, classmates. Meanwhile, social network refers to the tie or
connections that link you to your social group. The connection you have with your family is
your blood relation, with your barkada is your friendship and with your classmates is the
common interest to learn.
A social group is either organic or rational. An organic group is naturally occurring
and is highly influenced by your family. This is usually formed in traditional societies
because there is little diversity in these communities. Sociologist George Simmel stated that
you joined this groups because your family is also part of it, in the first place. He called it
organic motivation. Simmel noted that the positive effect of organic groups is rootedness.
This means the foundation of the social network runs deep, thus, giving the person a sense of
belongingness. The downside, however, is that organic groups imply less freedom and greater
social conformity. You are expected to act and behave according to your community’s
standards. (Allan, 2012).
Rational groups occur in modern societies. Modern societies are made up of
different people coming from different places. The families in modern society is not the main
motivation when joining rational social groups. Rational groups are formed as a matter of
shared self-interest; moreover, people join this group out of their own free will. Simmel
called this rational motivation. Rational group imply greater freedom, especially the
freedom of movement, relationship based on self-interest are not as embedded as organic
relationships. Interest changes and when they do, group members change. The relationship
between rational social networks is tenuous and the person feels no meaningful connection
with the others.

Mead and the Social Self

George Herbert Mead was a sociologist from the late 1800’s. he is well known for his
“theory of the Social Self.” Mead’s work focus on how the “self” is developed. His theory is
based on the perspective that the self is a product of social interactions and internalizing the
external (i.e. other people’s) views along with one personal view about oneself. Mead
believed the “self” is not present at birth; rather it develops over time through social
experiences and activities.

Developing the Self

Mead develops a concept that proposed different stages of self-development. These
stages are:
1. Language – self-development and language are intimately tied. Through shared
understanding of symbols, gestures, and sound, language gives the individual the
capacity to express himself of herself while at the same time comprehending what the
other people ae conveying. Language sets the stage for self-development.
2. Play – individuals role play or assume the perspective of others.
3. Game – individual not only internalizes the other people’s perspective, he or she is
also able to consider societal rules and adheres to it.

Two sides of self; “I and Me”

Mead sees the person as an active process, nit just a mere reflection of society. He
further proposed two interactive facets of the self: I and Me
“Me” – is the product of what the person has learned while interacting with others and with
the environment. The “me” exercises social control over the self.
“I” – is the part of the self that is unsocialized and spontaneous. It presents impulses and
drives and enable him or her to express individualism and creativity. The “I” does not blindly
follow rules.

Lesson 2: ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE SELF

LEARNING TARGETS:
1. Examine the different influences, factors and forces that shape self.
2. Compare and contrast how the self has been described in various anthropological
theories
3. Sow understanding of different cultures.

LESSON PROPER
The Self and the Person in Contemporary Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of people, past and present. It focuses on understanding
the human condition in its cultural aspect. In general sense, anthropology is concerned with
understanding how human evolved and how they differ from one another.
A unit but unitary
Katherine Ewing (1990) – described the self as encompassing the “physical organism,
possessing psychological functioning and social attributes.”
Joseph LeDoux (2002) – conceptualized the implicit and explicit aspects of the self.
Explicit – the aspect of the self that you are consciously aware of.
Implicit – the one that is not immediately available to the consciousness.
Self as Representation
According to Ewing (1989), people construct a series of self-representations that are
based on selected cultural concepts of person and selected “chains” of personal memories.
Each self-concept is experienced as whole and continuous, with its own history and memories
that emerge in a specific context to be replaced by another self-representation when the
context changes.

The Self Embedded in Culture

Cultural psychologist distinguished two ways of how the self is constructed. These are
independent and interdependent constructs.
Independent construct – is characteristics of individualistic culture, such as in North
America and Europe. Individualistic culture represents the self as separate, distinct with
emphasis on internal attributes or traits, skills and values.
Interdependent construct – Is the typical of the collectivist culture in East Asia
stressing the essential connection between the individual to other people.
Developmental psychologist Catherine Raeff (2010), believed that culture can influence how
you view: relationship, personality traits, achievements, and expressing emotions.
Relationships – culture influences how you enter into and maintain relationships.
Personality Traits – culture influences whether (and how) you value traits, like
humility, self-esteem, politeness, assertiveness and so on, as
well as how you perceive hardship or how you feel about
relying on others.
Achievement – culture influences how you define success and whether you value
certain types of individual and group achievements.
Expressing Emotions – culture influences what will affect you emotionally, as well
as
how you express yourself, such as showing your feelings in
public or keeping it private.
 ENGAGE
Activity no. 1
A. Write down all the things that you think you’ve shown to others.

1. __________________________ 6. ________________________________
2. __________________________ 7. ________________________________
3. __________________________ 8. ________________________________
4. __________________________ 9. ________________________________
5. __________________________ 10. _______________________________

B. Write down the things that most people say about you.

EXPLORE
Activity no. 2
Identify what is being asked or described by the following sentences. Write your answer on
the box provided before each number. (You can have it answer only in your answer sheet)

1. This characteristic refers to social relations with the

use of machinery in production.
2. This group is highly influenced by family.
3. The individual at this stage internalizes some others
people’s perspectives by taking into account societal
rules and adheres to these.
4. This part of self is the product of what person learns
while interacting with the others.
5. This group implies freedom of movement
6. This is a characteristic that involves both competitive
product market and commodification of labor force.
 7. It is a group described as having two or more people
interacting with one another and sharing similar
characteristics as part of the group.
8. At this stage, individuals role-play or assume the
perspectives of others.
9. This part of self presents impulses and drives, which
also expresses individualism and creativity.
10. It is characterized as having vigorous activity and
progress, which is evident of a modern society.
11. It is the study of people, past and present
12. He is an anthropologist who described the self as the
“physical organism…”
13. The neuroscientist conceptualized the implicit and
explicit aspects of self.
14. The psychologist believed that culture can influence
how you view relationships.
15. This culture represent aspects of self as separate and
distinct.

EXPLAIN
Activity no. 3
Select a particular social problem and indicate how would you address this kind of issues as
part of the society.
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 EXTEND/ELABORATE
Activity no. 4
1. Watch a video on the life of Vincent Van Gogh.
2. After watching, make a short insight by referring to the question below.

What social influences made Van Gogh the great painter?

EVALUATE
Activity no. 5
Answer briefly.
What social pressures help you shape yourself? Would you have wanted it otherwise?
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Prepared by:

GLENDA C. RAYOS
Instructor