UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

SY. 2022-2023
BSES-1A
 THE SELF PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES St. Augustine
 One of the most significant Christian thinkers,
especially in the development of Latin Christianity
Greek Thinkers prior to Socrates Theology.
 THALES, PYTHAGORAS, and HERACLITUS  His idea of the "self" combined with that of Plato
 Greek Thinkers - focused on the composition and and the then-new Christian perspective, led him to
processes of the world believe in the duality of a person.
 He believes that there is an imperfect part of us,
Socrates that is connected with the world and desires to be
 Socrates is the father of Political Philosophy, Ethics with the Divine, and there is a part of us that is not
or Moral Philosophy bound by this world and can therefore attain
 The first philosopher to engage in systematic immortality.
questioning about the self.
Thomas Aquinas
 Socrates believed that: "To live without knowing
who you are and what virtues you can attain is the  He adopts the ideas of Aristotle’s medieval
worst that can happen to a person. Thus, he noted philosophy, though he attached some Christian
that an “unexamined life is not worth living. “ views.
 He viewed humans to have dual characteristics:  Man is composed of Two Parts: Matter and Form
 Body – imperfect and impermanent  Matter (Hyle) refers to common stuff/thing that
 Soul – perfect and permanent makes up everything in the universe where
Man’s Body is part of this.
Plato  Form (Morphe) is a Greek word that means
“essence of a substance or thing.”
 Supported the idea that man is a dual nature of
body and soul but expounded the idea that the soul  The body of a human person is something he
has three components: shares even with animals like that of the cells;
however, what makes a man a human person and
 Appetitive Soul is responsible for the desires and
not an animal is his/her SOUL.
cravings of a person.
 To Aquinas, just as Aristotle, the SOUL is what
 Rational Soul is the thinking, reasoning, and
animates the body; it is what makes humans a
judging aspect.
human being.
 Spirited Soul is accountable for emotions and
makes sure that the rule of reason is followed in
Rene Descartes
order to attain victory and/or honor.
 The person is composed of the Cogito (mind) and
Extenza (body)that is connected to the mind.
Aristotle
 “He argues that a person should only believe the
 The Soul is the principal of Life.
things that can pass the test of doubt.” The only
 Three levels of Soul
thing that a person cannot doubt is the existence of
 Vegetative Soul – found in plants that have the
his or her “self.”
capacity to grow, produce and feed
 He is famous for the saying “cogito ergo sum,” or “I
themselves.
think, therefore, I am.”
 Sensitive Soul – found in both animals and
 What makes a person is, therefore, the “mind”, and
humans in which it has the capacity to grow,
produce and feed itself just like the Vegetative the body is just some kind of machine that is
Soul yet it has a capability for sensation (feel, attached and controlled by it.
hear, touch, taste, and smell).  A person is a “thinking thing” that doubts,
 Rational Soul – the highest level of soul understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, that
present in the human person. Aside from the imagines, and perceives.
capacity to grow, produce and feed itself, it has
the capability to "think" rational things that are John Locke
only for the human person.  He deviated from the duality of the body and soul.
 The Human Person is an ANIMAL that "thinks."  He argued that Human by nature is good.
The Self/Human Person is the composite of body  A person's mind is a blank slate or tabula rasa at
and soul and is inseparable. The Soul is the form birth.
of the human body.  It is through experiences that this blank slate is
filled, and personal identity or self is formed.
 This self cannot be found in the soul nor the body
but in one's consciousness or memory (Nimbalkar,
2011).
  He sees the self as an entirety of thoughts,
emotions, and actions of a person that relates to
observable behavior.

David Hume Merleau-Ponty

 A Scottish Philosopher and an empiricist who  He is a phenomenologist who asserts that the
believes that one can know only what comes from mind-body bifurcation that has been going on for a
the SENSES and EXPERIENCES long time is a futile endeavor and an invalid
 The Self is nothing else but a bundle of perceptions problem.
that succeed each other with an inconceivable  He believes that the mind and body are so
rapidity and are in a perpetual flux and movement intertwined that are inseparable.
(Hume and Steinberg,1992).  One cannot find any experience that is not an
 The Self is a combination of experiences. embodied experience.
 These experiences according to Hume can be  The living body, thoughts, emotions, and
categorized into impressions and ideas. experiences are all one.
 Impressions are real or actual experiences or
sensations.
 Ideas are copies of impressions or representations
of the world and sensations (ex. Love, faith)

Immanuel Kant
 Kant believes that there must necessarily be
something in us that organizes these sensations to
create knowledge and ideas.
 It is the "self" that organizes and synthesizes our
experiences for us. It can do such a thing because
it is independent of sensory experiences. It is
something that transcends or is above even
consciousness.

Sigmund Freud
 ID, Ego, and Superego
 The conscious and unconscious self:
 Conscious Self – role in the lives (sexuality,
aggressiveness, and self-destruction)
 Unconscious Self – dominant influence in
personality by family and friends (controlling factors
and social environment)

Friedrich Nietzsche
 He argued that finding yourself is the most
important thing in life.
 He believes in the “Will to Power” towards “Growth”
because growth itself is “Life.”
 He suggests that to find meaning in life,
1. Do not follow the HERD Mentality.
2. Embrace the Difficulty of Self-Discovery
3. He Who Has a Way to Live Can Bear Almost
Any How
4. Find your true values.

Gilbert Ryle
 Rejects the duality of a person's "self."
 He proposed that we should instead focus on the
 observable behavior of a person in defining the
"self."
 He does not adhere to the duality approach which
seems to state that there can be private,
unobservable aspects of a person and different
public and observable parts.
  Self is not inborn.
 The self is created, developed a changed through
human interaction.

THE SELF FROM THE SOCIOLOGICAL Three Reasons why self and identity are Social
AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL Products
PERSPECTIVES 1. The “self” did not just come out of thin air. The
sociocultural context affects who we are.
2. We need others to affirm and reinforce who we
think we are. We need reference points about our
The Self in the Social Context
identity.
 Human beings are by nature social beings. 3. Our notion of what is personally important to us is
 The self exists, operates, and develops within a also influenced by the current trends of what is
social context. important in our society. Ex. Education might be
 The self is seen as part of the processes. important to your self-concept.
Charles Horton Cooley: Looking Glass Self
Key Concepts: Understanding the Self in the Social  The self is developed as a result of one’s
Context perceptions of other people’s opinions.
 Culture is commonly divided into material culture  Ex. Praising a child for being artistic will boost
and non-material culture. confidence.
 Material Culture (attires, tools, weapons,  The social construction and personal reality show
architectural designs, religious implements) how others influence the image the people have of
 Non-Material Culture –these are the belief themselves.
systems, the values, the norms or expected  Social Interaction plays a major role in the process
behaviors, as well as the shared language and of self-identification.
symbols.  Social development is the awareness of the
 Norms are rules on what to do or what not to do in individual of one’s social and personal identity.
a certain situation.
 Values are ideal behaviors or principles that set the Three Steps on how the self is built.
standard of what is acceptable and admirable for a  People imagine how they must appear to others.
person who is part of a society.  They imagine the judgment on that appearance.
 They develop themselves through the judgment of
Society, Culture, and Social Institutions
others.
 Society is composed of people and culture.
 Culture is composed of ideas, behavior, and The Looking Glass Self
material possessions.  The looking-glass self is made up of feelings about
 Social Institutions refer to the sets of ideas, norms, other people’s judgments of one’s behavior.
practices, or mechanisms organized focusing on  The self consists of a composite of the person’s
addressing the needs of the community (McIntyre, accurate assessments of other people’s judgment.
2002).  The social self is the central element of society so
 Socialization is a lifelong process of learning, the imaginations which people have of one another
teaching, internalizing, and living the culture of a are the solid facts of society.
society.
 Status is a position in a society or a particular Private Self, Public Self, and Collective Self
group that also affects the Self.  Private Self or individual self is the cognition that
 Ascribed and Achieved Status involves traits, states, and behaviors. It is the
assessment of the self by the self.
Theoretical Approaches: The Self and Its Social  Public Self is the perception concerning the
World
generalized others’ view of the self. Assessment of
 Self-According to Mauss the self by the generalized other.
 George Mead’s Social Self  Collective Self is the cognition concerning a view of
 Charles Horton Cooley the self that is found in memberships in social
 Henry Tajfel Social Identity Theory groups.
 Self-Representations
 Self-Evaluation Theory Henry Tajfel: Social Identity Theory
 Social Identity Theory refers to the ways that
George Mead people’s self-concepts are based on their
 Self is not biological but social. membership in social groups.
 Self is developed through social interaction.
 Social identity Theory addresses the ways that
social identities affect people’s attitudes and
behaviors regarding their ingroup and the
outgroup.
 Social identities are most influential when
individuals consider membership in a particular
group to be central to their self-concept and they
feel strong emotional ties to the group.
 Affiliation with a group confers self-esteem, which
helps to sustain the social identity.

Three Fundamental Self-Representations The Self in Contemporary World

1. Individual Self highlight one’s unique attributes.  Globalization, Media Exposure, and its Impact on
 It consists of attributes (e.g., traits, goals and one’s life.
aspirations, experiences, interests, behaviors)  It has greatly influenced almost all facets of the life
that differentiate the person from others. This of every person in terms of:
self-representation is relatively independent of  Global connections which also affect traditional
relational bonds or group memberships. connections,
2. Relational Self highlights the interpersonal self  Social control in which people’s behavior is
which comprises partner-shared attributes. controlled now with education/ propaganda
 It consists of attributes that are shared with opposing traditional myths or beliefs in
close others (e.g., partners, friends, family supernatural forces.
members) and defines roles within the  Lifestyles are routine customs that change the
relationship. perspectives of people (what is perceived
3. Collective Self comprises ingroup-shared before as wrong may no longer be wrong)
attributes.  The body now becomes the central element of
 This self-representation reflects membership in self-identity due to capitalism (beauty products
valued social groups. and advertisements)
 The individual becomes more private and
Self-Maintenance Evaluation Theory public as urban life makes life private yet
 It refers to the discrepancies between two people public as many are having diverse
in a relationship. opportunities in urban settings.
 Two people in a relationship each aim to keep
themselves feeling good psychologically The Self: Culture and Cultural Relativity
throughout a comparison process to the other  Cultural differences exist in groups of people;
person. hence the self is embedded/attached to the culture.
 Self-evaluation is defined as the way a person  Cultural Relativity states that we must understand
views him/herself. the person or individual in the context of their own
 It is the continuous process of determining culture.
personal growth and progress, which can be raised
or lowered by the behavior of a close other (a
person that is psychologically close).

The Self in Contemporary World and its Effects on

the Individual/Person
 Individualization
 Individualism is a moral, political, or social
outlook that stresses human independence
and the importance of individual reliance and
liberty.
 Multiple Roles & Choices in the Contemporary
World
 Individuals have more diverse roles than
before and encounter various roles which call
for different forms of appropriate behavior and
result in anxiousness and uncertainty.
  Self-schema is our organized system or collection
of knowledge about who we are (Gleitman, et. al,
2011)
 Theories generally see these concepts of self and
identity as “mental constructs” created and
recreated in memory (Elmore et. al, 2012)

THE SELF IN PSYCHOLOGICAL

PERSPECTIVES

The Self from the larger perspectives down to the

Individual
 Philosophical Perspectives define the self on two
components the body and the soul or the body and
mind.
 Sociological and Anthropological Perspectives Sigmund Freuds: Id, Ego and Superego
viewed the self to be inseparable from social  Freud viewed the processes, construct, and one’s
context. The human person is always at the mercy behavior are the results.
of their external reality.  of the interaction between the ID, EGO, and
 The Self as Cognitive Construct or Psychological Superego (Alata, et. al, 2021)
Perspective is focused on the individual but does  ID - This aspect of personality is entirely
not discount the context and other possible factors unconscious and includes instinctive and primitive
that affect the individual. behaviors (child in us)
 Ego - The component of personality that is
The Self in Psychology responsible for dealing with reality (equalizer)
 Jhangiani and Tarry (2014) defined the Self as the  Superego - The moral compass of the personality,
sense of personal identity and of who we are as upholding a sense of right and wrong (moral
individuals. standards)

Donald Winnicott on the Self

The Two Aspects of the Self: I and Me
 William James (1890) states that:  “A word like self… knows more than we do,”
 “I” is the thinking, acting, and feeling self’; (Winnicott, n.d.)
 “Me” is the physical characteristics as well as  The self is a very important part of mental and
the psychological capabilities that make who emotional well-being which plays a vital role in
you are. creativity (Wikipedia, 2022)
 Carl Rogers (1959) viewed the:  People were born without a clearly developed self
 “I” is the one who acts and decides. and had to “search" for an authentic sense of self
 “Me” is what you think or feel about yourself as as they grew (Wikipedia, 2022)
an object.  Only the true self can be creative and only the true
self can feel real (Wikipedia, 2022)
Concepts Similar to the Self: Identity and Self-
Concept Donald Winnicott: True and False Self
 Identity is composed of personal characteristics,  True Self
social roles, and responsibilities as well as  is a sense of being alive and real in one's mind
affiliations that define who one is (Elmore, et. and body, having feelings?
al,2012)  that are spontaneous and unforced.
 Self-concept is what basically comes to your mind  begins to develop in infancy, in the relationship
when you are asked about yourself (Elmore, et. al, between the baby and its
2012)  primary caregiver (Winnicott typically refers to
 Identity, self-identity, and self-concept are not fixed this person as "the mother").
in a one-time frame.  False Self
 Self-identity is not fixed for life and is not ever-  is a defense, a kind of mask of behavior that
changing at every moment. complies with others’ expectations?
 began to develop in infancy, as a defense
Carl Roger’s on Self-Schema against an environment that felt.
  unsafe or overwhelming because of a lack of  Narcissism is a trait characterized by overly high
reasonably attuned caregiving. self-esteem, self-admiration, and self-
centeredness.
 They are charismatic because of how they take
care of their image.
 Taking care of image includes interpersonal
relationships thus they will try to look for better
partners, better acquaintances, as well as people
George Herbert Mead: Symbolic Interactionism who will appreciate them a lot.
 Symbolic Interactionism argued that  They make themselves a bad romantic partner or a
human interaction helps develop the self (Hogg friend since they engaged in relationships only for
and Vaughan, 2010) themselves.
 Social interaction always has a part to play in who
we think we are. Self-esteem
 Self-concept is the result of the interaction  Self-esteem is an important concept to the self, but
between whom we think we are and how others studies have shown that it only has a correlation,
see us. not causality, to positive outputs and outlook.
 High or healthy self-esteem may result in an overall
Carver and Scheier: Public and Private Self good personality, but it is not, and should not be,
 Private Self refers to the person’s internal thoughts. the only source of a person’s healthy perspective
 Public Self refers to what a person commonly of his/herself.
shows to others specifically for creating a good
public image (Hogg and Vaughan, 2010) People with High Self-esteem
 Described as outgoing, adventurous, and
Self-Awareness: Three Self-Schema adaptable in a lot of situations.
 Initiate activities and build relationships with
people.
 However, they may also dismiss other activities
that do not conform to their self-concept or boost
their self-esteem.
 They may also be bullies and experiment on
abusive behaviors with drugs, alcohol, and sex.
Social Comparison: Downward and Upward
 Downward Social Comparison is the more common Self-esteem program, activities, and parenting
type of comparing ourselves with others. styles
 We create a positive self-concept by comparing  In boosting self-esteem, program, activities, and
ourselves with those who are worse than us… by parenting styles should only be for rewarding good
having the advantage, we can raise our self- behavior and other achievements and not for the
esteem. purpose of merely trying to make children feel
 Upward Social Comparison is comparing us with better about themselves or to appease them when
those who are better than us. they get angry or sad.
 While it can be a form of motivation for some, a lot
of those who do this actually felt lower self-esteem
as they highlight more of their weakness or
inequities.

Social Comparison: Self-evaluation Maintenance

 Self-Evaluation Maintenance Theory states that we
can feel threatened when someone outperforms
us, especially when that person is close to us.
 We act in THREE WAYS when we felt threatened:
 We distance ourselves from that person or
redefine our relationship with them.
 We reconsider the importance of the aspect or
skill in which you were outperformed.
 We may also strengthen our resolve to
improve that certain aspect of ourselves.

Self-esteem Maintenance: Narcissism

  It is founded on the belief that people are socially
connected.
 It puts more importance on belongingness to a
larger group and emphasizes social obligations.
 The Individual behavior is guided by adjustments to
social demands and situations.

THE SELF IN WESTERN AND

EASTERN THOUGHTS Collectivistic Self: Others-oriented
 The self is others oriented.
 It encourages people to be kind, benevolent,
charitable, dependable, and sensitive to the needs
The Difference of Individualism and Collectivism
of others.
 It promotes selflessness, sacrifice for the welfare of
society, and the performance of assigned roles.

Collectivism as a concept
 Collectivism stresses that an individual has many
selves instead of one knowable self.
 The self is part of a “We” instead only a “Me.”
 Collectivism is the idea that man should think, live
and act toward certain goals that benefit the group.
 The individual decides according to the interest of
Manifestations of the Individualistic Self
the group.
 The Self is individualistic.
 It gives emphasis on freedom and choice “an The Philosophy of Confucianism
independent self that is free from the influence of  It is a code of ethical conduct of how one should
culture and environment and from the expectations properly act according to their relationship with
and welfare of society.” other people.
 It emphasizes the uniqueness of every individual  Confucianism Philosophy is focused on having a
and is founded on egoism or self-orientedness. harmonious social life (ho 1995).
 It describes the self as existing and distinct from
others. Confucianism: SELF-CULTIVATION
 SELF-CULTIVATION
Concept of Individualism  it is the ultimate purpose of life in
 Individualism focuses how a human being has a Confucianism which is towards social
self, is an individual, and is a person. harmony.
 It gives more emphasis on individual goals and his  Chun-tzu is a man of virtue or a noble
and her journey towards self-realization or self- character.
actualization.  Subdued self-repressing our personal needs
for the common good of many.
 The Self is free to express itself.
 Confucianism society observed hierarchy for
 Individualism does not promote isolation.
the purpose of maintaining social order.
 It is grounded in the idea that an individual makes
judgments, acts based on its own thoughts, and
The Philosophy of Taoism
disagrees with others.
 It is living in the way of the Tao or the universe.
 Everyone is free to decide whether to take part or
 The Tao is often described as the universe and
not in solving societal problems.
living under its laws on cause and effect.
 To live a universal life, we must observe holistic
The Collectivistic Self
and peaceful principles.
 It gives more importance to relationships, roles,
 Taoism rejects the hierarchy and strictness of
duties, obligations, and the preservation of culture
Confucianism.
and tradition.
 The Self is not only connected to the family or
 It prioritizes the needs and goals of society over
community, but also part of the Universe.
the needs and desires of every individual.
 The ideal Self is Selflessness.
The Self in Buddhism talk about their social roles (Gleitman, Gross, and
 The Self is seen as an illusion, born out of Resiberg 2011)
ignorance, of trying to hold and control things, or  Evaluation of the self-differs as Americans would
human-centered needs. highlight their personal achievements, while Asians
 The Self is also the source of all these sufferings would rather keep a low profile as promoting the
(Ho 1995) self can be seen as boastfulness that disrupts
social relationships (Gleitman, Gross, and
Resiberg 2011)
 Western Culture is individualistic culture since the
focus is on the person.
 Asian culture is called a collectivistic culture as the
group and social relations are given more
importance than individual needs and wants.

The Ultimate Goal of Buddhism Comparing the West and East: Philosophies on the
 Forget about the self. Self
 Forget the cravings of the self.  The Western perspective does not discount the
 Break the attachments you have with the world. role of environment and society in the formation of
 Renounce the self which is the cause of the the Self, but the focus is always looking toward the
suffering and doing so, attain the state of NIRVANA self.
(Ho 1995).  Western thoughts look at the world in dualities
wherein you are distinct from the other person
The Self in Eastern Beliefs (Wolter 2012)
 The Self or the individual is not the focus of Asian  The Eastern perspective sees the other person as
or Eastern Philosophies or Beliefs part of yourself as well as the things you may
 Confucianism and Taoism situate the SELF within create (Wolter, 2012)
a bigger context.
 In striving to become a better person, one does not Take note:
create a self above other people or nature but a  It must be emphasized that those mentioned
self that is beneficial to his community as well as in comparisons are general commonalities among
order and harmony with everything else. Western cultures as compared to Asian or Oriental
 In Buddhism, the self, with all its connections and cultures.
selfish ideas, is taken not just out of the center of  Whereas, conflict is inevitable in diversity, peace is
the picture, but from the whole picture entirely. also possible through the understanding of where
each.
General Perspectives of the West and East on the
Self The Filipino Self
 Enriquez described the Filipino “self” or personality
as a “shared identity” specifically connected to the
concept of kapwa (social interaction).
 “Filipinos place importance on values that promote
cooperation and social acceptance because we
see the other person as fellow human beings and
part of who we are,” (Edman and Kameoka 200;
Pe-Pua and protacio Marcelino 2000)

The West and East Culture

 By valuing the individual, westerners may seem to
have lost associations or even loyalty to their
groups.
 Eastern or Oriental persons look after the welfare
of their groups and value cooperation.
 Westerners emphasize more on the value of
equality even if they see that the individual can rise
above everything else.
 Asians, put more emphasis on the hierarchy as the
culture wants to keep things in harmony and order
(Qingxue 2003).
 Americans talk more about their personal attributes
when describing themselves while Asians would
 The Physical Self from various thinkers
 Sigmund Freud claimed in his concept of self and
personality that the physical body is the core of human
experience and ego is first and foremost a body ego.
 Wilhelm Reich emphasized the unity of the mind and body:
o The body is central to all dynamic psychological
functioning. It plays a vital role in storing and
channeling the bioenergy that is the basis of human
existence and experience (Singh, 2000 cited by Aleta
et. al, 2021)

THE PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL SELF

 Erik Erikson argued that experience is associated with the
ground plan of the body.
o Organs of the body are essential during the early
 The Physical Body is the window to one’s personality (Alata, et. developmental stages. The formation and development
al, 2021) of physical and intellectual skills greatly influence the
ability of the individual to choose his role in society to
What is Beauty? fulfill.
 The society’s standards or ideals on the concept of beauty  Maslow provided lessons on physical bodies with his
impact our views on both men and women; however, women “Hierarchy of Needs” in which once the physiological needs
are more vulnerable to these standards. were met, the person will move to another order of needs.
 Ana Ginsburg said that “there is no standard template of
beauty” and Kahlil Gibran claimed that “Beauty is not in The Physical Self from other Discipline and Religion
the face; beauty is a light in the heart.”  Psychologists have their own views of the physical body;
however, one thing in common and is an important role for
Total Self or General Self the physical body is that it plays for the totality of our
being.
 Total self or general self is made up of academic self and
nonacademic self (Shavelson)  Religious grounds have varied concepts of the physical
o Academic Self is influenced by the learning process body.
o Ex. Indian Tradition considers the body as the source of
and the individual emotions, behavior, and experiences
during the learning process. desire and attachment.
o Nonacademic self is shaped by an individual's social o Others give due respect and importance to the physical
self, emotional self, and physical self. body as this is the instrument for spiritual growth and
self-realization.
o Buddhist tradition in which they believe that the body
The Non-Academic Self
deserves love and respect so
o there should be neither indulgence of one’s desires nor
extreme denial.

Taking Care of our Physical Body

 The physical body has been considered the “real home,
temple, or vehicle.” It is the only one that we have
throughout our entire lives and is also the one most intimate
to us.
 Self-Care is the intentional, planned, and actual act of taking
the time to attend to our basic physical, mental, and
emotional needs (Brzoko, 2018).
Scheme of Physical Perception’s Structure (Fox, 2000) o Quality rest to replenish the lost energy utilized in
performing our daily activities. It is an act of love and
kindness for us.
 Self-Care occurs in three levels: physical, mental, and
emotional lives.
o Taking care of the physical body entails taking care of
our mental and emotional lives

Proper Physical Self-Care

 Three basic aspects of physical self-care
o Good nutrition
 The physical self is the amazing vessel, complex, woven
o Sufficient amount of recovery (rest and sleep)
and knitted, finely tuned creature with which we interact with
our environment and fellow beings. o Exercises
 The physical self is the concrete dimension, the tangible  Other ways to care for the physical body varies, some will
aspect of the person that can be directly observed and have breathing exercises, massages, long baths, saunas,
examined. It is composed of systems that receive and physiotherapy, biking, hiking, and many more.
respond to various external and internal stimuli.
Mental Self-Care
  Mental Self-care is a two-fold process (Brzoko 2018).  Gender Fluid – a person whose gender identity is
 Two Steps in Caring Mental Self not fixed and/ or shifts depending on the situation.
o Taking time to consistently break down what you are
thinking and why you are thinking that.
o Cultivate those mental habits and thoughts that is
Sexuality
beneficial.
 Sexuality pertains to the part of a person
 Other tips for improving mental habits.
o Focus your attention on the present moment
expressed through sexual activities and
o Practice gratitude
relationships.
o Exercise patience  Sexual identity is how a person chooses to
o Learn to accept what is already happening describe or label his or her sexuality. There are
many labels a person can choose.
Emotional Self-Care
 “Emotions are essentially energy in motion that is not good Labels of Sexual Identity
nor bad. They are just energy.” (Michael Brown)  Heterosexual – a person attracted to people of the
 Steps in Dealing with our emotional self opposite sex.
o Recognize the validity of our emotional state  Homosexual – a person attracted to people of the
o Either alter the emotional state or do not same sex.
 Bisexual – a person attracted to both genders
(male and female)
THE SEXUAL SELF  Asexual – a person having no sexual attraction.
 Pansexual – a person’s attraction to multiple
genders.
 Questioning – refers to some people who may be
 Research says that the sex chromosomes of humans unsure about their sexuality and/ or are exploring it.
define the sex and their secondary characteristics.
 The society or the environment we live in also shapes Common Features to Describe Sexuality
us.  Feelings and Fantasies – These include the
center of affection or the person we are attracted to
Sex and are intimately connected with.
 It refers to the physical or physiological differences  Behavior – This is expressed through any form of
between males and females, including both the sexual contact as well as flirting.
primary sex characteristics (reproductive system)  Sexual Identity Label – The identity that
and the secondary characteristics (height and corresponds to the label or description of
muscularity) (Diamond, 2002). someone’s sexuality.

Sex Variations Queer Theory

 Three Sex Variations (Western Australian AIDS  It is a perspective that questions the manner in
Council, 2020) which we have been taught to think about sexual
 Male – a person with a penis or male reproductive orientation.
organ, with XY chromosomes in their cells and  They emphasize the need for a more flexible and
capable of producing high levels of testosterone. fluid conceptualizations of sexuality, one that will
 Female – a person with a vagina or female permit freedom, negotiation, and change (Little and
reproductive organ, with XX chromosomes, and is McGivern, 2020).
capable of releasing high levels of estrogen.  People who belong to the queer group desire for
 Intersex – a person that is born with sexual more flexible ways of expressing their sexuality.
anatomy that does not fit the traditional definition of They want more freedom, yet more inclusive
male and female. The person has a combination of environment where they could thrive in (Alata et.
reproductive sex organs, including internal sex Al, 2021).
organs, chromosomes, and hormones.

Gender
 It refers to social or cultural roles played by
males and females in society (Diamond, 2002)
 Gender identity is the extent in which one
identifies as being either masculine or feminine or
how someone feels on the inside (WAAC, 2020)
 Gender expression describes how someone
prefers to express his or her gender to the world.

Gender Variations
 Cisgender – a person identifying himself or herself
with the sex assigned to them at birth.
 Transgender – whose gender identity does not
match the sex that they were assigned at birth.
  Hypothalamus – is the most important part of the brain
for sexual functioning, it produces important sexual
hormones that are secreted by the pituitary gland.

Human Sexual Behavior

 It is a broad spectrum of behavior in which human
displays it in their sexuality.
 People are into sexual activities regardless of their label
of sexuality.
 Sexual behavior is classified according to gender, or in
that group that induces sexual arousal (Gebhard, 2017)

Factors that Determine Sexual Behavior

 Inherited Sexual Response Patterns – these means of
ensuring reproduction and that become part of each
individual’s genetic inheritance.
 Degree of restraint – these are types of influence
exerted on the individual by society in one’s expression
of its sexuality.

UNDERSTANDING THE HUMAN SEXUAL

RESPONSE Types of Sexual Behavior
 Solitary Sexual Behavior
o It refers to self-gratification which is characterized
Biological Aspect of Human Sexuality by self-stimulation that leads to sexual arousal and
 Reproductive System generally to sexual climax.
 Sexual Response Cycle  Sociosexual Behavior
 Neurological and Hormonal Factors o It refers to the heterosexual behavior or physical
contact between a male and female.
Reproductive System o This behavior is characterized by coitus or the
 Females have both external genitalia (vulva) and insertion of the male reproductive structure into the
internal reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian female reproductive organ.
tube, and vagina). o Categories of Marital Coitus: Premarital, Marital,
 Males have both internal and external genitalia (the main and Extramarital Coitus
sex organs are the penis and testicles).
Diseases Associated with the Reproductive System
Sexual Response Cycle  Infections are common problems associated with the
 It is a model that describes the physiological responses reproductive system in adults both male and female.
that take place during sexual activity. o Vaginal Infections – these are more common in
young and elderly women cause usually by
Four Phases of Sexual Response Escherichia coli which spread through the digestive
 Excitement Phase – caused an increase in pulse and tract as well as Sexually transmitted
blood pressure. microorganisms such as syphilis, gonorrhea,
 Plateau Phase – it is a brief duration and stimulation herpes virus, and yeast (fungus).
continues and orgasm occurs. o Inflammatory Conditions for Males – examples
 Orgasm Phase – it is marked by a feeling of abrupt, are prostatitis, urethritis, and epididymitis all of
intense pleasure, a rapid increase in pulse rate and blood which are caused by sexual contact. Orchiditis or
pressure, and spasms of the pelvic muscles causing inflammation of the testes is uncommon but is
contractions of the female reproductive organ and serious because it can cause sterility.
ejaculation of the male.
 Resolution Phase – it is the last stage that refers to the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
return to a normal or subnormal physiologic state.  STDs are infections transmitted from an infected person
to an uninfected person through sexual contact.
Neurological and Hormonal Factors  STDs can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites.
 The Brain and Sex E.g. Gonorrhea, genital herpes, human papillomavirus
o Brain is the structure that translates the nerve infection, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) chlamydia, and
impulses from the skin into pleasurable sensations.
syphilis.
o Brain regulates the release of hormones which are
 STDs are significant global health priority because of
believed to be the physiological origin of sexual
their overwhelming impact on women and infants and
desires.
their inter-relationship with HIV and AIDS.
 Cerebral Cortex – allows for thinking and reasoning
 STDs and HIV are associated with biological interactions
which is the origin of sexual thoughts and fantasies.
because both infections may occur of getting and
 Limbic System – is where the emotions and feelings
transmitting HIV as well as modify the way the disease
originate and are important for sexual behavior.
develops.
  STDs can lead to long-term health problems, usually in  We are directly attached to this commodity that
women and infant. we cannot live without.
 Any ailment or disorder directly affects us.
Methods of Contraception 2. Clothes
 Natural Methods  “Clothing is an essential part of the material self”.
o This method of contraception used natural way for
 Anytime that we bring an object into the surface
birth control. (Abstinence, Calendar Method and
of our body, we invest that object into the
Basal Body Temperature, Cervical Mucus Method,
consciousness of our personal existence taking in
Ovulation Detection, and Coitus Interruptus)
its contours to be our own and making it part of
 Artificial Methods
the self.
o This contraception method uses barrier method and
pills as birth control. (Oral Contraceptives, Female
 Clothing is a form of self-expression.
and Male Condoms, Hormonal injections, 3. Immediate family
Intrauterine Device, Chemical Barriers, Chemical  Our parents and siblings hold another great
Barriers, Cervical Cap, etc.) important part of our self.
 Surgical Methods  We place huge investments in our immediate
o This is method is most likely to be permanent and family when we see them as the nearest replica
reversible as well. (Vasectomy for Male and Tubal ourselves.
Ligation for Female) 4. Home
 It is where our heart is it. It is the earliest nest of
our selfhood.
 The home is an extension of self because in it we
can directly connect ourselves.

THE MATERIAL OR ECONOMIC SELF Material Self by Russel Belk and Jean Paul Sartre
 Russel Belk (1988) theorized how objects become the
extension of ourselves or identities, as well as these
“We regard our possessions as a part of ourselves.” – Belk objects, extend ourselves in space and time.
(1988) o Example. A tool helps double our strength, a
weapon extends our reach, a uniform helps us
“It is difficult for a man to have any object in daily use without relate with a group, or a t-shirt can remind us of
leaving the impress of his individuality upon it.” – Sherlock our own travels.
Holmes  Jean Paul Sartre three ways in which an individual
connects with objects:
o We are connected through controlling an objects.
Social Science Perspectives on the Material Self o We make a connection with an object through
 The Social Sciences specifically the Anthropology and either creating or buying it because we spend
Psychology fields are interested in the connection of blood and sweat on a project.
the Self to one’s possession. o Knowing about something creates a connection
o In Cultural Anthropology, the culture and groups between you and that object of your interest.
give meaning to things or objects.
o In Psychology it tries to focus more on the Materialism from Several Perspectives
individual level.  The material self is also related to other concepts like
materialism and self esteem.
The Material Self by William James  Richins and Dawson (1992) “materialism” is about the
 Self is the totality of everything that one calls his and/ belief of a person on the importance of material
or hers, this includes what he called as the Material objects to the achievement of happiness or success
Self. (Chan, 2019).
 This material self focuses more on the body, clothes,  Several psychological studies support that
and belongings, our immediate family, and the place “materialism” is inversely related to self esteem.
we call home.
 The different components in understanding the self: Four Stages of Development (Belk, 1988)
o Constituents (material self, social self, spiritual  The infant distinguishes itself from the environment;
self, and pure ego)  The infant distinguishes self from others;
o The feelings and emotions they arouse (self-  Positions held by adolescents and adults manage
feelings) their identities; and
o The actions to which they prompt (self-seeking  Possessions help the old persons have a sense of
and self-preservation) continuity and preparation for death.

Material Self Investment Diagram The Stages of Development as explained by Jareth

1. Body  The relationship of the people with the material world
 Innermost part of our material self is our body. starts with the idea that whoever gets something first
as its owner.
  Finders’ keepers o Save first before you spend.
o For instance, a child finds a toy and does not o You can reward yourself without being too
want to let go of it; and another baby takes the extravagant or overextending your budget.
toy and the first one to throw tantrums.
o These objects were seen as transitional objects  Increase income flow
which aim to develop the skills of a child toward o Find legal ways to increase your income (part-
more independence. time/ additional job) but do not forget more
 The adolescent stage. The attachments to objects important things in life.
increasingly depend on who people are or how they
want to be perceived, especially by their parents.  Good Debt vs. Bad Debt
o Young people seem to value possessions based o We must get out of debt first before we can
on an emotional attachment like happiness that continue to make our money grow. Have a good
you get from its “social meaning”, especially the record and personal integrity.
ability of the object to attract people or make you o Bad debts – those acquired but do not
feel that you belong, and “personal association” necessarily need and that it does not increase
or how an object is related to our concept of self. our financial capabilities (Ex. Borrowing money to
 The adult self continues to extend to more objects as buy trendy things)
the needs as well as means to acquire changes. o Good debts – those we acquire and will increase
our financial capabilities (Ex. Borrow money for
“The current economic system is based on monetary
funding a business)
exchanges and being a consumer at requires having cash.”

“Having some money then became a part of ourselves as we

engage in economic activities.”

Tips in Managing Resources

 Keep your perspective in check
o Do not place money over something that is more
important.  Make your own money grow
o You should not sacrifice short-term satisfaction o Increasing your financial capabilities takes time
and happiness for long-term fulfillment and joy. and honest work but there are means of
 Have money, do not just pretend increasing your income without putting the
o Do not just buy things just to impress and to look necessary initial work, the money will grow on its
rich rather have an emergency fund or savings. own and will yield a profit higher than the bank.
o Having your own money lets you buy what you o Invest in passive income sources (Ex. Stock
want and what you need as well as you have a exchange, bonds, royalties, and mutual fund)
higher probability of not loaning in case of
emergency and you will not be in bad debt trying  Protect the future
to please other people. o You need insurance such as health insurance in
 Have your own goal, take your own time case you have an accident or sickness – life
o Social comparison can make a huge impact on insurance so that in case you leave them in this
the person’s self-esteem, but having to pretend life unexpectedly, your family can receive large
something you are not only causing problems in financial aid.
the long run, even in finances.
 Your greatest investment is still yourself
 Budget, budget, budget o You must never stop learning and improving your
o A lot of people do not like the word budget skills, and your passions. The more you know,
because it sounds restrictive, but it is not. When the more opportunities you can see as traps to
you have the budget, you have a realistic idea of avoid.
what you can spend on whatever you want, and o Health is the greatest wealth one can have so
you have peace of mind that you have at least have time to eat right and exercise.
taken care of the important needs that you have
to pay for.  Enjoy life no matter what
o Money is just means to an end. Enjoy your
 Save in order to be safe profits, keep a good relationship with your family,
o Having savings in the bank provides you security have a healthy and romantic relationship, serve
in case of emergencies. the community, take a hobby, engage in arts or
sports, plant a tree, and adopt a stray pet.
 Keep your spending habits in check
o Make a list when going to the grocery or mall and
prioritize buying those things on your list.
o Pay in cash.
o Wait for a day or week before you buy something.
  Spiritual people have very high regard of prayer.
 Spirituality leads to positive emotions which increase
the levels of psychological resilience and improved
the immune response of a person to a situation.
(Miller, 2020)

Varying Philosophies on the Concept of Religion

 Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices
relative to sacred things (Durkheim).
 Religion is an illusion, and it derives its strength from
the fact that it falls into our instinctual desires (Freud).
 Religion needs to be based upon Christ, not men’s
philosophies, traditions, or worldly thoughts and ideas
(Bible).

Based on the Philosophies of Religion set by Various

Disciples
 Religion simply means that it is the belief that there is
only one Supreme Being which is God.

The Self on Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam

 Christianity viewed the Self – as real in the sense that
it exists through God’s grace and that the person
expresses himself in a world of common experience.
The self has also access to God because of his faith
in Him and because the person was created after the
likeness of God (Matt, 2022).

THE SPIRITUAL SELF  Buddhist Perceived the Self - for Buddhists, every
aspect of life is impermanent, and all elements of the
universe are continual. The self can best be thought
of as a flame that is continually passed from candle to
 The spiritual self is considered as the higher self, the inner candle, retaining a certain continuity but no real
self, and a person’s true being that is greatly influenced by personal identity.
a spiritual deity.  The Islam Perspectives on the Self – can be
 Individuals with faith in a higher being can face challenges explained through the concept of “Nafs” (Ruh) which
with greater confidence and hope. constitute the Man’s Soul (Aydin, 2010) and the
 The spiritual self is one way to cope up with that day-to- concept is like Freud’s Mind Structure: ID, EGO, and
day stress in the life of an individual. Superego. However, there are other elements that
 Spiritual Self is associated with the religion that people have no equivalent term in psychology.
choose.
Nafs: Man’s Soul Map from Islam Perspective
The Three Components of the Self
 Nafsi Ammar. The source of evil, Commanding Evil
 Body – refers to the physical or the tangible aspect (The ID of Freud’s Minds Structure)
that responds to the stimuli and communicates with o Nafsi Ammar inclines to the nature of the body,
the surroundings.
commanding pleasures, and desires of man. It
 Soul – comprises the emotions and thoughts of a pulls the heart to immoral levels and is the source
person. of bad things and actions (Aydin, 2010).
 Spirit – is the tangible aspect that communicates with  Two Functional directions:
deities in the spiritual realm. o Hawai Nafs (Passions) – Hawai is a concept that
explains “nafs” deflecting influences.
More ways in which Spiritual People can reduce levels
o Satan/ Devil – Satan is a spiritual evil power with
of stress:
an effect on the self especially on consciousness.
 Spiritual people are more likely to help poor people
 Nafs/ Self (Ego) – Nafs as the essence of a person
through donations or volunteer work.
(Zat), the mean of self.
 Spiritual people are involved in community services.
o The scholars of Islam use nafs as self-
 Spiritually active people cope with stress through
consciousness.
meditation rather than engaging in unhealthy coping
o Its aim is for the self.
behaviors.
o The “Man is an insight into himself”.
 Religious people choose to spend quality time with
family, and they feel a strong sense of belonging to a
community of like-minded people.
 o In the Islamic tradition due to its nature, the self
continuously is in contact with body, heart, Other Concepts connected with Spiritual Self
intellect, and Satan (Aydin, 2010).  Rituals are enactments or systems of actions and
 Nafsi Lawwan/ Supergo – Nafsi Lawwam means beliefs that each having a beginning, a middle, and an
blaming evil. end. In every country ritual may vary because in
o “Islamic scholars define Nafsi Lawwam as an rituals it reflects how the people take into action their
essence that lightens with the heart’s light to faiths.
warn people when they are woolgathering and to  Ceremonies are the ritual observances and
make them reclaim themselves. This essence is procedures performed at a grand formal occasion.
always on the alert and shuttles between divine
and the nature of the essence. Whenever Finding and Creating Meaning of Life
woolgathering occurs from it, because of its  Finding and creating meaning of life is a philosophy
nature, immediately it takes a divine warning and which is an extensive study on the self attesting that
begins to censure its essence, returning from this the Spiritual Self can be strengthened or be
condition by repenting to God.” (Aydin, 2010). challenged.
 The principle is linked with Dr. Viktor E. Frankl “Man’s
The Concept of Dungan or Spirit/ Soul Search for Meaning,” in which Dr. Frankl introduced
 Dungan as a word originated from Ilonggos. the Logotherapy, a therapeutic approach on finding
 Dungan is not normally seen by the naked eye of a meaning in life.
person; however, it can come out of the body and  Logotherapy believes that “man’s primary motivational
takes on a visible from such as an insect (housefly or force is search for meaning”.
a moth) or an animal like a lizard (Magos, 1986).
 The Bisayan believe that Dungan may leave the body Frankl Ways of Discovering Meaning
voluntarily when the person is asleep.  Meaning can be discovered in the following:
o Ex. When a person sees itself in their dreams it o Find a purposeful work – creating a work or doing
means that his “other self” has left the physical a deed.
body; hence it is believed that a person must not o Suffering is an inevitable part of life –
be awakened abruptly, it should be gradual so its experiencing something or encountering
soul will have the chance to return to the body. someone; and
o Love is the ultimate factor to be able to work on
your suffering – the attitude you choose to do
towards unavoidable suffering.

More on the Characteristics of Dungan or Spirit/ Soul

among Bisayans and Bukidnons  Viktor Frankl uses the philosophy of optimism in the face
 The Bukidnons believe that soul or makatu/ kaluluwa of tragedy, where people can turn suffering into human
already exists before child’s birth but that is separate achievement and accomplishment; deriving from guilt the
from its body. opportunity to change oneself for the better and deriving
 The Bisayans believe that the soul or Dungan is not from life’s transitoriness (temporary) an incentive to take
located in any specific part of the body. It is also responsible action.
believed to grow proportionately with the person’s
“Start your own spiritual journey.”
body.
Guide to start your Spiritual Journey (Miller, 2020)
Other Beliefs on the Dungan/ Makatu/ Spirit or Soul 1. Start small and make new habits easy.
 The Dungan’s travel outside the body should be freed 2. Commit to start and continue with your spiritual
from accidents. journey.
o Ex. The Dungan can be trapped in a jar or poured 3. Continually practice mindful attention to your
out with liquid from a vessel, and it is only when thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to find experiences
the soul has safely returned home that the owner spirituality.
can wake up. Whatever happens to Dungan 4. Explore and relate with other’s experiences of
manifests in the physical body. The voluntary spirituality whether through religion or personal
withdrawal of the soul is when the body is journeys.
physically maltreated. 5. Choose love and respect.
 The Dungan is ethereal – it is light and airy since it travels
with the air or wind.
o Prior to the entry and habitation to a human body, “When we are no longer able to change a situation; we are
the Dungan is believed to inhabit the region challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor Frankl
above the surface of the earth together with other
Dungan. The Dungan has a special interest in the
unborn being usually a relative.
o The Bisayan Dungan has a secondary meaning
of willpower. A strong Dungan is intellectual and
psychological.
  A Filipino is regarded as a citizen or an inhabitant of a
given territory, such as the Republic of the Philippines,
who by virtue of this citizenship exercises civil and
political rights within said territory.
 The Philippine Constitution defined who a Filipino is:
o There are certain qualifications enumerated in
Section 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of
the Philippines promulgated in 1987.

Philippine Constitution: Section 1: The qualifications

of a Filipino citizen
 Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time
of the adoption of this Constitution.
 Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the
Philippines.
 Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino
mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon
reaching the age of majority; and
 Those who are naturalized in accordance with the law.

Elements of Filipino Citizenship

 Filipinos are either natural-born or naturalized citizens
of the Philippines (De Leon 2011).
 This citizenship may be acquired either by:
o birth (involuntary method) or governed by jus
sanguinis or children should follow the citizenship
of their parents by virtue of their blood
relationship.
o by naturalization (voluntary method); the person
shall acquire citizenship of a place wherever he
or she was born.
 The process of naturalization pertains to a “judicial act
of adopting a foreigner and clothing him with the
privileges of a native-born citizen.”

THE POLITICAL SELF AND BEING A

FILIPINO Filipino Identity
 The Filipino identity can not only be formed and
influenced by culture and society, but also by the
nation and its government itself, to which Filipino
What makes you a Filipino?
citizens owes loyalty and allegiance too.
 This appears to be a simple question but when you
 The existence of common citizenship may also be a
randomly ask the people in the street, you will be
factor in forming a national identity.
surprised at how people differently answer the
question of who they call themselves Filipino.
The Concept of Nationalism and the Filipino
 The Philippines gained independence from its
 Citizens of a particular territory should ideally share a
colonizers, yet Filipinos still do not have a unified
common sense of identity hinged on a common
notion or a clear picture of who or what a Filipino is.
language, historical experience, and distinct sense of
 We may be thought of Philippine national symbols
cultural background.
that mirror Filipino traits in which incorporate Filipino
 National identity may also be forged through
identity aimed to unite Filipinos into appreciating their
nationalistic sentiments, shared among inhabitants of
own cultural and material heritage through the spirit of
a particular territory. However, the same case cannot
nationalism but the embodiment of being a Filipino
be applied to the Philippines.
does not seem to be rooted in one’s consciousness
and personal identity.  Kaufman in 2013 argued that Filipinos have a
relatively weak sense of nationalism, resulting to a
 Is there really such a thing as one distinct Filipino
fragmented national identity.
identity? Or is it merely a fragmented illusion of
identity we consciously imagine?
Three Theories that explain the fragmented national
 Is there really such a thing as one distinct Filipino
identity in Philippine Context
identity? or is it merely a fragmented illusion of identity
 The modernist approach of Gellner (1983) suggests
we consciously imagine?
that the existence of a shared language as a unifying
part of a culture strengthens a national identity.
Who is a Filipino?
 The ethno-symbolist approach of Anthony Smith o They are sayings that convey lessons on Filipino
(1998, 2009) which views nation as a named and practices, beliefs, and traditions. ex. “Kung may
self-defined human community whose members tiyaga, may nilaga”
cultivate shared myths, memories, symbols, values,  Superstitions
and traditions, reside in and identity with a historic o These are passed down from generation to
homeland create and disseminate a distinctive public generation and some of these may be influenced
culture and observed shared customs and common by beliefs from other cultures.
laws, and thus the creation of certain historical stories  Myths and Legends
through these myths and symbols which people can o Since the Philippines is rich in culture and history
attribute meaning to, can give rise to a national numerous myths and legends have sprung about
identity; things that are beyond one’s imagination
 The sociological approach of Charles Tilly (2005) ad  Heroes and Icons
Andreas Wimmer (2002) “the national identity o Heroes serve as a reminder of true patriotism and
emerges from social interactions between governing nationalism as they have sacrificed their lives for
elites and citizens, where former affords protection the sake of their country’s freedom and progress.
and security to latter in exchange for government
benefits. Promoting Sense of Nationalism
 Be an Active Filipino Citizen
Culture and the Filipino Identity
 Study the Philippine History
 The set of values, beliefs, thinking patterns, and
 Support Local Products
behavior practiced by society and transmitted from
 Speak the Filipino Language
one generation to another through time comprises
culture.  Do Not Spread Fake News and Be Democratic in
Engaging Dissent
 The culture and identity are inextricably linked as both
material and nonmaterial, shape the formation of our
identity.

Filipino Values and Traits

 Filipino Hospitality – Filipinos are known to always
makes their guest feel at home, offering something to
eat or even a place to stay.
 Respect for elders – we do this by kissing the hand or
placing the hand in the forehead of our elders while
saying mano po. and constantly using po and opo.
 Close Family Ties – this trait is what makes Filipino
are also known with. Cheerful Personality. Filipinos
have a habit of smiling and laughing a lot. Filipinos
are also fond of family reunions during birthdays,
holidays, and fiestas year-round.
 Self-sacrifice – the self-sacrificing attitude of Filipinos
can be seen as an extension of Filipino hospitality.
Filipinos go out of their way to extend help to their
friends, families, and loved ones. They wish to
comfort and better lives for their loved ones. ex.
OFWs
 Bayanihan – the spirit of communal unity and
cooperation of Filipinos. It is also about giving without
expecting something in return. Filipinos are always
ready to share and help their friends and loved ones
who are in need.
 Bahala na Attitude – it is the Filipino version of the
famous line Hakuna Matata meaning no worries. The
phrase is said to have originated from Bathala na,
where Bathala means God, and the phrase meaning
leaving everything in God’s hands. It can also be
viewed as something similar to cheerful and positive
attitude of Filipinos and allowing situations take care
of themselves of worrying about them.

Filipino Markers
 Proverbs or Salawikain
  However, there are also circumstances where people
assume identities while in cyberspace or in the digital
world.
 People act differently when they are online and offline,
especially among Generation Z who are also called the
post-Millennials or digital natives.
 Generation Z were born from 1995 up to 2010 and they
are also called the digital natives since they were exposed
already to the digital world when the day they were born.
So, you are the digital natives.
 Generation Z was the original influencer as they were the
ones who started bringing in trends on the internet.
 You were the ones who set the trend on the internet.

“The world is at the tip of your fingers.”

 Decades ago, this statement was an exaggeration.
But now, it has become a norm.
 It is now very easy to access data and information
around the world in a couple of seconds.
 With just one click or a swipe of a finger, you can get
to places, meet new people, and exchange
information online through websites and popular
social networking sites like FB, Instagram, Twitter, and
YT.
 To engage in these online platforms, you only need to
sign up and entertainment becomes endless. Even
from behind a screen, you can acquire an audience or
followers and become part of a larger community built
in cyberspace.
 This admission to the online community is free and
the only ticket you need to be a striking display photo
and a credible profile. The big question now is who
are you in cyberspace?

THE SELF IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

What is Online Identity?

 These days, more people are becoming active in using the  It refers to the totality of a person’s appearance,
Internet for research, pleasure, business, communication, expression, behavior, and interaction within the digital
and other purposes. platform, particularly the Internet.
 Online identity is often created by engaging in virtual
 Indeed, the Internet is of great help to everyone, especially
communities found on various websites and social
during the pandemic. networking sites.
 It became the trend and even Generation X who were born  Online identities are mere versions of the self that a
person projects in online interactions.
in the 1960s-1980s are now doing their best to be digitally
 In the previous lessons, we were taught how the
literate. Since everything is already transacting online and concept of self is framed and how factors like certain
information is readily available on the internet. norms, beliefs, and social institutions affect this notion
of the self and identity.
 However, we now live in a massive, changing world, thus, the revelation of all information of a person is the
and the self has adapted and has immersed itself in concept of extended self.
this new environment. Thus, the emergence of online
identity. Factors fostering extensive self-disclosure and self-
 This online identity is often created to engage in presentation online.
 Anonymity – one’s identity and audiovisual anonymity.
virtual communities found on various websites and
People can control and censor their online identity as
social networking sites.
well as presentations and disclosures online as
 Oftentimes, Online identities are mere versions of the
anonymity in the online world is like a blanket of
self that a person projects in online interactions. security against other people’s judgment or dissent.
 As a result, these projections of the self are  Asynchronicity – people have control of what they
sometimes different from a person’s actual self or post online as we can do anything behind online as
personality in actual social interactions. But why do the internet goes on and people keep updated even if
people present their identities differently online? they were not online every day.
 Accessibility – online so that we can have information
Online Self-Presentation at one tip of our fingers.
 It is a process of how people present themselves  What we see often on the internet is not what we get.
online whereby people present and creates an image  Young People who frequently spend more time
that is favored and accepted in the digital world. browsing the internet through social networking sites
 This process of self-presentation enables individuals may develop both self-presentation and self-
to control other people’s perception of themselves, disclosure skills which lead to the cultivation of their
personal autonomy.
thereby reinforcing the creation of online identities.
 The digital world presents a different reality as
Reasons for the enhanced self-online disclosure
compared to the actual physical reality that people
 It fosters a feeling of connectedness and well-being
usually live in. This concept is called online self- among people who are likely to disclose intimate
presentation, defined as a process of how people information about themselves online (Valkenburg &
present themselves online whereby people present Peter,2009)
and create an image that is favored and accepted in  College students feel greater subjective well-being by
the digital world. enhancing their online identities by projecting positive
 In digital realities, interactions occur behind the well-being on Facebook (Wood, et. al, 2016)
screen so documenting daily life and experiences  Any feedback from the online identity is influencing
through posting photos and videos and sharing and can be integrated into the real sense of self and
interests and life events as they happen now identity of the person (Valkenburg & Peter, 2011)
characterizes the new norm.
 To create a positive self-image, people carefully select Disinhibition Effect
personal information which they disclose online.  It refers to the extensive online sharing where people
feel so much freedom to express their true selves
 This process of self-presentation enables individuals
without the fear of being judged (Ridley and Suller,
to control other people’s perception of themselves,
2012 cited in Belk, 2013 and Alata et. al, 2021)
thereby reinforcing the creation of online identities.
 Since behavior in cyberspace is widely accepted, the
 Therefore, online self-presentation is likewise individual easily discloses a lot of aspects about
extending our created identities in the digital world. himself behind the veil of anonymity and the digital
world allows everyone to present themselves as they
wanted it to be seen without dealing face to face
conversations.
 The digital world allows people to present themselves
in ways that they want to be seen without having to
deal with the now seemingly awkward face-to-face
conversations.
The Extended Self in a Digital World  Ridley and Suller (2012) would refer to this extensive
 Presentation of identity online is tantamount to online sharing as the disinhibition effect, where people
sharing the digital self on cyberspace. feel so much freedom to express their true selves
 Extended self is the revelation of all information of a without the fear of being judged (cited in Belk 2013)
person online.
 Social media platforms are tools that people can use Is extensive self-disclosure through online self-
to present themselves creatively to a public audience. expression an effective therapy or not?
 The extended self in the digital world according to  Whether an extensive self-disclosure through online
Belk brought some concepts that also have an impact self-expression is an effective therapy or not remains
on our self. an open question; but it is rather an established fact
 So, once you present your identity online is that most aspects of people’s identities are created
tantamount to sharing the digital self in cyberspace; and known online.
 The reinforcement of intimate disclosures online due once the status is updated or a photo is uploaded, it
to disinhibition not only refers to positive information becomes readily accessible to the viewing public, and
but even negative information of the individual such the owner of such information somehow losses
that failures, blunders, funny and embarrassing control over this information.
events are disclosed appearing as confessions 3. Shared Digital Possession and Aggregate Self – joint
(Strangelove, 2011 as cited in Belk, 2011; Alata et. possession of media and other information may
al,2021). create a feeling of group identity and a sense of
 Online self-expression through blogs, photos, or even community among individuals even if they do not
video-sharing can indeed be therapeutic for some as know each other personally.
it provides an opportunity for self-analysis and 4. Shared Sense of Cyber Space – since most media,
reflection. files, and information in virtual communities are
 This clearly suggests that online self-expression shared rather than individually owned, even the
through blogs, photos, or even video-sharing can concept of space becomes shared.
indeed be therapeutic for some as it provides an
opportunity for self-analysis and reflection.
 Among the five formulations sharing relates most of
 Moreover, it becomes immaterial whether the the digital self. In a digital platform, a lot can be said
information disclosed is positive or negative. about a person based on the way he or she presents
 The fact that the information is shared to unseen and himself or herself and discloses information online.
often anonymous audience reinforces online self-  One important aspect that has evolved in this
disclosures and adds up to a particular identity built by formulation is that sharing can now be closely
the individual online. associated with self-revelation where in the social
networking profile, people can easily project a
The evolving concept of the Extended Digital Self productive and successful image of themselves
 A person’s concept of self can be influenced by without being tagged arrogant.
certain digital technologies allowing for the creation of  Posts or narratives that reveal material possessions,
recent purchases, or life success are widely
an extended self which most often comes into play in
acceptable and not frowned upon unlike if brought up
the digital world (Belk, 1988).
in a normal conversation.
 The digital self-have five original formulations but due  This facilitates self-revelation in the digital world
to the evolvement of the technological environment because the fear of being judged becomes less likely
through time, the individual digital self has likewise and the act of posting both successes and failures
evolved with the digital world. online is a widely accepted norm.
 Five original formulations:  For instance, Disclosure on FB immediately gets
1. Dematerialization reinforced since people can immediately react to any
2. Re-embodiment information through emojis available in a single click.
3. Sharing
4. Co-construction of the Self Loss Control
5. Distributed Memory  In presenting the digital self online, the individual
caters to a greater public audience and once the
 Belk introduced the concept of extended self in 1988
status is updated or a photo is uploaded, it becomes
in the context of the emerging technological readily accessible to the viewing public, and the
environment where he asserts that the person’s owner of such information somehow losses control
concept of self can be influenced by certain digital over this information.
technologies allowing for the creation of an extended  Once a shared post becomes a trending topic online it
self which most often comes into play in digital world. could result in positive or negative outcomes. It can
 There are five original formulations of the digital self: make the viewing public become socially aware of
dematerialization, re-embodiment, sharing, co- events and be more helpful/active in the community.
construction of the self and distributed memory.  Various self-presentations online may reach even
 However, since technological environment had unintended audiences and the image one originally
immensely evolved through time, an individual’s wishes to portray may be subject to criticisms or
digital self has also evolved with the digital world, and misrepresentations.
this resulted in many changes in the creation of a  Although it poses no issue to online users/shares, it is
still imperative to exercise more caution and
person’s online and offline identity.
responsibility when disclosing information online.

The Relevant Formulations of Belk that relates in the Shared Digital Possession and Aggregate Self.
Digital Self  A lot of information is shared between and among the
1. Revelation – sharing relates most of the digital self members and sometimes there is no single owner of
and sharing can now be closely associated with self- such media or information in most virtual
communities.
revelation where in the social networking profile,
 This seemingly joint possession of media and other
people can easily project a productive and successful
information may create feeling of group identity and a
image of themselves without being tagged arrogant. sense of community among individuals even if they do
2. Loss Control - presentation in the digital self-online, not know each other personally.
the individual caters to a greater public audience, and
 In the digital platform, shared possession rather than being discriminated against or judged especially for
single ownership among users is desired since the gays and lesbians who are often subject to gender
primary goal is to facilitate access and encourage discrimination.
communication.
Factors to consider in revealing sentiments among
Shared Sense of Cyber Space members of a virtual community.
 Since most media, files, and information in virtual  Revealing sentiments may affect the individual’s
communities are shared rather than individually
perception of himself or herself and the impact may
owned, even the concept of space becomes shared.
either change one’s image of the sexual self entirely
 The aggregate self becomes even more available to a
or it could reinforce an existing image and extend it to
greater public who are also within the same virtual
community. more versions.
 The shared sense of space in the digital world allows  Online behavior may result in “Online Sexual
members to create and recreate the virtual spaces Solicitation” and even harassment because nobody
according to their needs and this process of creation ever knows you are dealing with online.
on the virtual environment is called “re-worlding,” and  Caution must be exercised especially in self-
this reinforces the presentation of an online self disclosure on sensitive topics because once personal
because it goes beyond the constraints of time and information is shared online, it leads to wrong people.
space.  Online communication and the voluminous
 This re-imagined space becomes an actual “place” information available on the internet enable individual
where individuals can spend time together, users to engage in sexual exploration.
communicate with each other in a shared feeling of
 Since the internet helped keep individuals' real
belongingness even just being glued with their
screens. identities from their families and friends, they become
more open and expressive on sensitive sexual issues
Implications of spending more time on the internet that are often shunned in normal face to face
 The psychosocial development in the aspect of discussions on teenage sex, sexual orientation, and
identity, intimacy, and even sexuality are affected if even sex-related health issues without the fear of
more time and resources that users spend time on the being discriminated against or judged especially for
internet and exposure to these virtual communities. gays and lesbians who are often subject of gender
 Intimacy and sexuality are commonly discussed in discrimination.
online communication due to reinforcement of self-
presentation and self-disclosure skills that are now Setting Boundaries Online
learned and practiced on the internet.  Before posting and sharing anything online consider
 Studies conducted relating to the effects of the the following:
internet in sexual development of adolescents often o Is this post/story necessary?
revolve around concepts of sexual exploration and o Is there a real benefit to this post? Is it funny,
online sexual solicitation (Valkenburg and Peter 2011) warm-hearted, teachable- or am I just making
 Online communication and the volume of information noise online without purpose?
available on the internet enable individual users to o Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved
engage in sexual exploration. this issue? An issue that is still being worked out
 There are factors existing in the digital platform that at home, or one that is either vulnerable or highly
reinforce extensive self-presentation and self- emotional, should not be made public.
disclosure in cyberspace such as anonymity, o Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the
asynchronicity and accessibility. boundaries of our family values?
 The more time and resources users spend time on the o Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, or 15 years? Or
internet, the more these virtual communities in turn is this post better suited for sharing with a small
affect their psychosocial development in the aspects group of family members? Or maybe not at all?
of identity, intimacy and even sexuality.

The veil of anonymity on the internet facilitates the

following: More Boundaries Online
 More open and expressive on sensitive sexual issues  Additional guidelines for proper sharing of information
that are often shunned in normal face-to-face and ethical use of the Internet according to New
discussions. (2014):
 Discussions on teenage sex, sexual orientation, and o Stick to safer sites.
even sex-related health issues without the fear of o Guard your passwords.
o Limit what you share.
o Remember that anything you out online or post LEARNING TO BE A BETTER
on a site is there forever, even if you try to delete STUDENT
it.
o Do not be mean or embarrass other people
online.
o Always tell if you see strange or bad behavior
What is Metacognition?
online.  It refers to the processes used to plan, monitor,
o Be choosy about your online friends. and assess one’s understanding and
o Be patient. performance.
 Metacognition includes a critical awareness of:
a) one’s thinking and learning and
b) oneself as a thinker and learner.
 Metacognitive practices increase students’
abilities to transfer or adapt their learning to new
contexts and tasks.
 Metacognitive practices help students become
aware of their strengths and weaknesses as
learners, writers, readers, test-takers, group
members, etc.

Aspects of Metacognition
 Self-Appraisal or self-evaluation – a method that
allows the evaluation of one’s own strengths and
weaknesses in a specific task (Salazar, A.,
2017).
 Self-management – our ability to manage our
behaviors, thoughts, and emotions in a
conscious and productive way (Munro, I., 2021).

Components of Metacognition
 Metacognitive Knowledge – it refers to what
individuals know about their own metacognitive
processing, about different approaches that can
be used for problem-solving, and about the
requirements and conditions for successfully
completing a task.
 Metacognition Regulation – it refers to the
adjustments that individuals make in their
cognitive processes to help manage and
improve their learning.

Types of Metacognitive Knowledge

 Declarative Knowledge – the factual knowledge
the learner needs before being able to process
or use critical thinking related to the topic.
 Procedural Knowledge – the knowledge and
information on how to do something or how to
perform the procedural steps that make up a
task.
 Conditional Knowledge – the knowledge about
when to use a procedure, skill, or strategy or
when not to why a procedure works and under
what conditions it works, in addition to why one
procedure is better than another, considering
factors such as efficacy, feasibility, cost-
effectiveness, and alignment with desired
outcomes.
Classifications of Metacognitive Knowledge
1. Person variables – it is what someone knows Strategies to Develop Towards a Better Learner
about his or her strengths and weaknesses in
 Asking questions about your methods
learning and processing information.
 Self-reflection
2. Strategy variables – these are the strategies that
 Finding a mentor or support group
a person is always ready to apply in various
ways to accomplish a task.  Thinking out loud
3. Task variables - these are everything someone  Welcoming errors as learning experiences
knows about the nature of a particular task and
the requirements to perform a task. More Tips that can be used in Studying.
 Make an outline of the things you want to learn.
Elements of Metacognitive Regulation  Try to incubate your ideas.
1. Planning – it refers to the selection of strategies  Break down the task into smaller and more
and allocation of resources that influence task manageable details.
performance.  Revise, summarize, and take down notes, then
2. Information Management Studies – skills and reread them to help you minimize cramming at
strategy sequences used to process information the last minute.
more effectively.  Integrate variation in your schedule and learning
3. Monitoring – it refers to an individual’s experience.
awareness of understanding and task  Engage what you have learned.
performance.
4. Debugging Strategies – skills and strategy used
to process information more effectively.
5. Evaluate – it refers to assessing the product of a
particular task. The efficiency with which the task
has been performed is also assessed.

Skills in Exercising Metacognition

 Knowing your limitation – one cannot really
make any significant advancement in using
metacognitive skills without having an honest
and accurate evaluation between what you know
and what you do not know.
 Modifying your approach – learn to modify in
understanding your materials.
 Skimming – browsing over material and keeping
an eye on keywords, phrases, and sentences.
 Rehearsing – trying to make interpretation of
summary of the learning experience.
 Self-test – trying to test the comprehension of
your learning experience or the skills you have
acquired during the learning.

Types of Metacognitive Learners

1. Tacit learners – unaware of their metacognitive
processes although they know the extent of their
knowledge.
2. Aware learners – they know some of their
metacognitive strategies, but they do not plan on
how to use these techniques.
3. Strategic learners – they strategize and plan
their course of action toward a learning
experience.
4. Reflective learners – they reflect on their thinking
while they are using strategies and adapt
metacognitive skills depending on their situation.
 SETTING GOALS FOR SUCCESS

“Dream Big and Make it Happen”

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty

of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

 Dreams are often the fuel that drive us to pursue our

biggest efforts and sacrifices in life (Alata et.al,
2021).
 We differ with our dreams.
 These dreams might be inspired by our parents.

To achieve our dreams:

 Determine to fulfill – we must be determined in
fulfilling our dreams.
 Recognize your role and the people who can
help you fulfill your dreams – take responsibility
for your dreams.
 Eliminate unhealthy habits and attitudes – we
must remove unhealthy habits that hinder us
from fulfilling our dreams.
 Accept possibilities, criticisms, disappointments,
and failure – our failures do not define us,
failures are just part of our lives. The bigger the
dream, the greater the effort and sacrifice we
need to give.
 Make your dream happen – act upon your
dreams because without actions, your dream
remains an idea, an illusion. Success belongs to
those who work hard and persevere until the
dream is realized.

Barriers to Success
 Fear of failure
 Thinking you are not good enough
 Selfishness
 Thinking that you need to be perfect
 Worrying about what others may think of you
 Lack of discipline

Bandura’s Self-efficacy Theory

 Self-efficacy – is people’s beliefs about their
capabilities to produce designated levels of
performance that exercise influence over events
that affect their lives (Bandura as cited in Alata
et. al, 2018).
 Self-efficacy Theory – serves as a means of
creating and strengthening expectations of
personal efficacy (Weibell, 20 as cited in Alata
et. al, 2018).
 Self-efficacy – emphasizes the importance of the outcomes, rather than concentrating on how to
individual and the individual’s perceptions of perform successfully.
his/her personal capabilities as key determinants  Slacken their efforts and give up quickly in the
of successful outcomes (Gallagher, 2012). face of difficulties.
 Are slow to recover their sense of efficacy
Elements of Self-efficacy Theory (Weibell, 2011) following failure or setbacks.
 Outcome Expectancy  Fall easy victim to stress and depression.
o It is a person’s estimate that a given
behavior will lead to certain outcomes. Four Main Sources of Influence (Dr. Bandura)
o The person has the capability to distinguish 1. Performance accomplishments or mastery
the outcomes of its choices. experiences – success builds a robust belief in
 Efficacy Expectation one’s personal efficacy. Failures are
o The conviction that one can successfully undetermined, especially if failures occur before
execute the behavior required to produce a sense of efficacy is firmly established.
the outcome. 2. Vicarious experiences – the observance of
o A person may expect a certain activity to social models influence one’s perception of self-
lead to a particular outcome, but they may efficacy.
lack the motivation to perform the action, 3. Verbal or Social Persuasion – it is a way of
doubting their ability to do. However, if the strengthening people’s beliefs that they have
person established its self-efficacy, he/she what it takes to succeed.
will do everything in order to achieve its 4. Physiological (Somatic and Emotional) states –
goals. the people rely on these evaluating capabilities.

The importance of knowing your self-efficacy Bandura’s Self-efficacy

 Self-efficacy – comes into play when there is an  “Most human motivation is cognitively
actual or perceived threat to one’s personal generated,” (Alate et. al, 2018).
safety or one’s ability to deal with potentially  “Beliefs of self-efficacy work in coordination with
aversive events. components skill and incentive act,” (Alate et. al,
 Increasing a Person’s Self-efficacy – increases 2018).
their ability to deal with potentially unfavorable  Weibell (2011) states that “Self-efficacy plays
situation. important role in determining what activities a
 Raising levels of Self-efficacy – is an effective person will choose to engage in, how much
technique to help cope with threatening effort will be sustained when things get tough,”
situations. (as cited in Alata, et. al, 2018).
 Perceived Self-efficacy – mediates anxiety  Expectation alone will not produce desired
arousal. performance if the component capabilities are
lacking (Weibell (2011) as cited in Alata et. al,
People with high assurance of their capabilities 2018).
 Approach difficult tasks as challenges to be
mastered. The Types of Mindset
 Set challenging goals and maintain strong  Mindset is self-perception or “self-theory” you
commitment to them. hold about yourself (Dweck, 2006 as cited in
Alata et. al, 2018).
 Heighten or sustain efforts in the face of failures
or setbacks.  Two types of mindset:
o Fixed Mindset – a person who believes that
 Attribute failure to insufficient efforts or deficient
knowledge and skills which are acquirable; and success is based on its innate abilities
 Approach threatening situations with assurance (Fixed Theory of Intelligence).
that they can exercise control over them. o Growth Mindset – a person who believes
that success is based on hard work,
People who doubt their capabilities learning, training, and perseverance (Growth
 Shy away from tasks they view personal threats. Theory of Intelligence).
 Have low aspirations and weak commitment
Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset
they choose to pursue.
 Dwell on personal deficiencies, obstacles they FIXED MINDSET GROWTH MINDSET
will encounter, and all kinds of adverse You may feel you must You are open to new ideas
prove you are smart. and are eager to learn.
You may feel like you can’t You confront challenges to
 make any mistakes. make progress. self-respect without practicing the basic virtues
You see failure as an of honesty, fairness, and integrity. We can say
If you fail, you may feel less
opportunity to grow and that we truly succeeded if we kept our integrity
confident.
improve.
You feel the effort is not
and people respect and trust us.
You view effort as the path
required for those who are
to make you smarter.
smart.
You define success by
You feel you must be the
working hard, to become the
best.
best you can be.

Goal Setting Theory

 It was first introduced by Dr. Edwin Locke in the
middle of 1960. This is often use for motivating
SELF-CARE: TAKING CARE OF ONE’S
work goals.
HEALTH (MANAGING AND CARING
 This theory emphasizes that all behavior is FOR THE SELF)
motivated, and motivation is a goal-directed
process (Kukreja, 2019).
 Edwin Locke’s goal setting theory believes that a
Defining Stress
person who has found his goal will also find the  The American Psychological Association (2017)
knowledge and skills necessary to achieve it described stress as feeling of being overwhelmed,
(Kukreja, 2019). worried, or run-down.
 Edwin Locke found that the conditions are  Stress is defined as any uncomfortable emotional
necessary for goal accomplishment change in experience accompanying predictable biochemical,
the basis of feedback, goal commitment, ability, psychological, and behavior changes (Alata et. al,
and task complexity (Kukreja, 2019). 2018).
 Stress generally refers to two things: the
psychological perception of pressure, and the body’s
Locke and Latham’s Five Goal Setting Principles
response to its which involves multiple systems, from
 Set clear goals metabolism to muscles to memory (Stress, n.d.).
 Setting challenging goals
 Commitment How Human Response to Stress
 Gaining feedback  Stress is the body’s nonspecific response to any
 Considering task complexity demand, whether it is caused by or results in pleasant
stimuli (Hans Selye as cited in Alata et. al, 2018).
Measuring Success by Zinn (2020)
Types of Stress:
 Hitting Your Goals – you achieved victory if you  Distress
truly attained your endeavors. o Harmful and connotes disease.
 A well-balanced life – you can celebrate your o Distress is stress in daily life that has negative
success if other areas of your lives are also connotations such as separation, punishment,
going well but do not suffer just because the injury, negative feelings, financial problems, and
other area is progressing. It must be a goal to work difficulties (AIS, 2017).
succeed and attain happiness in all areas of  Eustress
your life. o Connotes euphoria.
 Sharing your success with others – success is o Eustress is stress in daily life that has positive
sweeter if we share it with other people, connotations such as marriage, promotion, baby,
winning money, new friends, special events, etc.
especially those close to us and those who
(AIS, 2017).
helped us succeed.
 Good Health – the enjoyment of life is at best if General Adaptive Syndrome (GAS) Hans Selye
we have good health. Our health is our greatest  Stress manifests by a syndrome, a sum of changes,
wealth. We can attain our goals easily if we are and not by simply one change (AIS, 2017 cited in
healthy physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, Alata, E., Casalib B., Serafica J., Pawilen R., 2018).
and even spiritually.  General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) is the three-
 Healthy Family – our family is our immediate stage process that describes the physiological
changes the body goes through when under stress
support system as we pursue our dreams. They
(Healthline, 2017).
provide us inspiration, strength, and guidance.
 Dignity and Honor – dignity revolves around self- General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) Stages
respect, and honor means acting with honesty, 1. The Alarm Reaction Stage
fairness, and integrity. Indeed, we cannot have
  It refers to the initial symptoms the body o Relaxation includes deep abdominal breathing,
experiences when under stress (Healthline, focus on soothing word (peace or calm),
2017). visualization, repetitive prayer, yoga, and tai chi.
 The body is mobilizing its defensive forces and it  Physical Activity
is preparing for the fight or flight response o People can use exercise to stifle the buildup
(physiological response to stress) to the situation. stress in several ways such as taking a brisk walk
2. The Stage of Resistance shortly after feeling stressed, not only deepens
 The body becomes adaptive to the challenges breathing but also helps relieve muscle tension.
and even begins to resist the stress (Alata et. al, o Movement therapies such as yoga, tai chi, and qi
2018), but it remains on high alert for a while gong combined with fluid movement, with deep
(Healthline, 2017). breathing, and mental focus.
 Signs of the resistance include irritability,  Social Support
frustrations, and poor concentration (Healthline, o Confidants, friends, acquaintances, co-workers,
2017). relatives, spouses, and companions all provide a
life-enhancing social net and may increase
3. The Exhaustion Stage longevity.
 This stage is the result of prolonged or chronic Cultural Dimension of Stress and Coping
stress (Healthline, 2017) and the body may die  A person’s internalized cultural values, beliefs, and
because it has used its resources of adaptation norms affect the appraisal process of stressors and
energy (Alata et. al, 2017). the perceived appropriateness of coping responses.
 Struggling with stress for long periods can drain  The cultural factors delimit the coping options
your physical, emotional, and mental resources to available to an individual in the face of stress.
the point where your body no longer has the  Stress and coping are universal experiences faced by
strength to fight stress. You may give up or feel individuals regardless of culture ethnicity, and race,
your situation is hopeless (Healthline, 2017). but members of different cultures might consider and
respond to stressors differently with respect to coping
Stress Disease and Chronic Diseases goals, strategies, and outcomes.
 Stress diseases are maladies cause principally by an
error in the body’s general adaptation process (AIS, Self-Care
2017).  Self-care refers to the actions that an individual might
take in order to reach optimal physical and mental
 Chronic Stress health (Good Therapy Editor Team, n.d.).
 Refers to a prolonged and constant feeling of  Self-care can also refer to any activity/ies an
stress that can negatively affect your health if individual engages in to relax or attain emotional well-
goes untreated (Scott, E., 2020). being, such as meditating, journaling, or visiting a
 Symptoms counselor (Good Therapy Editor Team, n.d.).
 Aches and pains, decreased energy, difficulty
sleeping, disorganized thinking, fatigue, feeling of Self-Care Therapy
loss of control, feelings of helplessness, 1. Stop, breathe, and tell yourself – talk to yourself, “I
headaches, irritability, muscle tension, can do this.” Identify the steps you need to take first,
nervousness, trouble concentrating, and upset write them down, and focus on each step one at a
stomach (Scott, E., 2020). time.
 Causes 2. Acknowledge to yourself what you are feeling – all
 This type of chronic stress response occurs all feelings are normal and valid so accept whatever you
too frequently in our modern lifestyle. Everything are feeling.
from high-pressured jobs to loneliness to busy 3. Find someone who listens and is accepting – you do
traffic can keep the body in a state of the not need advice; you need to be heard.
perceived threat and chronic stress (Scott, E., 4. Maintain your normal routine as much as possible –
2020). making everyday decisions, deciding to get dressed,
do the dishes, or go to work. Gives you a sense of
Sources of Chronic Diseases control and feels comforting as it is a familiar activity.
 Emotional stress (difficult emotions such as anger, 5. Allow plenty of time for a task – take time, you will not
sadness, and frustration) be as productive as you normally are.
 Environmental stress (where you live and work) 6. Take good care of yourself – take small steps to take
 Relationship stress (how you relate to friends, family, good care of yourself by observing proper diet,
co-workers, and partners) sleeping time, proper hygiene, exercise, etc.
 Work stress (challenges and pressures related to your
job) Self-Compassion Therapy
 Academic stress (challenges and pressures related to  Self-compassion is another way to counter stress
school/ academic) (Neff, 2012).
 Self-compassion entails being warm and
Techniques to Counter Chronic Stress understanding towards ourselves when we suffer, fail,
 Relaxation Response
 or feel inadequate, rather than flagellating ourselves In Conclusion:
with self-criticize.  We should be in control of the stress that confronts us
 Self-compassion recognizes that being imperfect and every day. Otherwise, when we are overwhelmed by
experiencing life difficulties inevitable, so we soothe stress, it can be detrimental to your health.
and nurture ourselves when confronting our pain  Self-care and self-compassion are two ways to
rather than getting angry when life falls short of our positively confront stress.
ideals.  We should love and care for our self more and more
 It is helpful to have set of self-compassion phrases each day.
memorized to help you remember to be more
compassionate to yourself in the moment.
 Greater self-compassion is linked to less anxiety and
depression.

Self-compassion as a Motivation
 Self-compassion enhances motivation rather than
self-indulgence.
o Self-compassion is negatively related to
perfectionism; it has no association with the level
of performance standards adapted for the self.
 Self-compassion is linked to greater personal
initiative-desire to reach one’s full potential.
o Self-compassionate people have been found to
have less motivational anxiety and engage in
fewer self-handicapping behaviors such as
procrastination (act of delaying something) than
those who lack self-compassion.
 Self-compassion is positively associated with mastery
of goals and negatively associated with performance
goals.
o Lesser fear of failure and perceived self-efficacy
of self-compassionate individuals.
o Self-compassionate people are motivated to
achieve, but for intrinsic reasons, not because
they want to garner social approval.

Self-compassion vs. Self-esteem and its impact to the

well-being
 Self-compassion is moderately associated with trait
levels of self-esteem as one would expect, given that
both represent positive attitudes toward the self.
However, self-compassion still predicts greater
happiness and optimism as well as less depression
and anxiety when controlling for self-esteem.
 Self-compassion and self-esteem has differing impact
in terms of well-being of a person.

Characteristics of Self-compassion and Self-esteem

 Self-esteem had a robust association with narcissism,
while self-compassion had no association with
narcissism.
 Self-compassionate people are focused on evaluating
themselves, feeling, superior to others, worrying about
whether others are evaluating them, defending their
viewpoints, or angrily reacting against those who
disagree with them; while Self-esteem thought to be
an evaluation of superiority/inferiority that helps to
establish social rank stability and is related to alerting,
energizing impulses, and dopamine activation.
 Self-esteem positions the self in competition with
others and amplifies feelings of distinctness and
separation, while self-compassion enhances feelings
of safety and interconnectedness.