2 Students Copy The Self As A Social Construct

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THE SELF AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT

SS031-UNDERSTANDING THE SELF


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In this lesson, the students must be able
to:
1. Articulate what culture means to the
self as a part of the society.
2. Analyze the anthropological and
sociological constructs of the self.
3. Attribute self-understanding and
behavior to cultural factors.
4. Recognize and appreciate differences
in cultural behaviors of the self,
particularly from the Western and Asian
contexts.
5. Explain how the modern world has
changed our view of the self.
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THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL VIEW OF THE SELF
INTRODUCTION

Knowing the self requires


understanding our society and its
culture, and how it provokes us to
make decisions which are culturally
influenced and socially constructed.
It is quite impossible to ultimately
know the self without
comprehending the culture of our
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society.
THE SELF AS EMBEDDED IN CULTURE

Culture is that complex whole which


includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals,
law, customs, and any other capabilities
and habits acquired by [a human]
as a member of society.
-Sir Edward B. Tylor
founder of cultural anthropology,

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Anthropology is the inclusive study of the
human race, its culture and society, and its
physical development (Heacock, 2009).
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Sociology is the scientific study of human life,
social groups, whole societies and the human
world whose subject matter is our own behavior
as social beings in relationship with many other
people (Giddens, A. & Sutton, P. W., 2016).
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COMPONENTS OF CULTURE
1. MATERIAL CULTURE
2. NON-MATERIAL CULTURE

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MEAD’S DEVELOPMENT STAGES OF THE SELF
Understanding George Herbert
Mead’s theory of the self:
 An individual explains his actions
through the lens of his society,
since he belongs to a social
structure, a social order.

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MEAD’S DEVELOPMENT STAGES OF THE SELF
Understanding George Herbert Mead’s
theory of the self:
 At the very heart of social psychology
is the effect that the social group has
in the self’s understanding of his
experiences and actions. The
subjective action and experience of
man then is explained from the
society’s point of view, where the self
becomes even more sensitive to the
values adhered by his communal
group.
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GEERTZ AND HIS CONCEPT OF THE SELF AS AN UNFINISHED ANIMAL
According to Clifford Geertz (1973):
 Culture should not be seen as a
complex behavioral pattern but as a set
of control mechanisms- engineered
programs in directing human behavior.
 Man as an unfinished animal, always
dependent on structures to control his
behavior.
 It is necessary for man to look for, and
be governed by rules to guide him in
making sure that his actions will make
him a better member of the society.
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In the individualistic
view of the self,
people are
autonomous and are
focused on
achieving their
personal goals over
the goals of their
in-group.
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On the opposite side is
the interdependent
view of the self, also
known as collectivism,
which explains that a
person sees himself as
an integral part of the
communal group, be it
his nuclear family, his
friends, or even his co-
workers.
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THE SELF AS A PRODUCT OF THE MODERN WORLD

The diversity and variations of these digital technologies in particular


forced us to confront the vast array of our cultural traditions,
challenging our own belief systems and values, and exposing the
strengths and weaknesses of our own worldviews.
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THE SELF(IE) GENERATION AS CULTURE CREATORS

The effect of culture in


today’s younger generation must
be highlighted since the
Generation Z, also known as the
self(ie) generation, is not
considered as a passive user of
culture. In fact, they have become
culture creators, who practically
live their lives and present
themselves in the virtual world.
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The teachings of Confucianism are
the very fabric of social relationships in
China, reflecting collectivism to its core.

THE SELF AS REFLECTED IN THE COLLECTIVIST


TEACHINGS OF CONFUCIUS
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THE SELF AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT
SS031-UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
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