UNDERSTANDING

THE SELF
GERALDINE B. ENRIQUEZ, LPT
INSTRUCTOR
BRIEF INTRODUCTION

•THE COURSE DEALS WITH THE NATURE OF IDENTITY,

AS WELL AS THE FACTORS AND FORCES THAT
AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF
REAL IDENTITY.
• THIS COURSE IS INTENDED TO FACILITATE THE
EXPLORATION OF THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS
REGARDING THE SELF AND IDENTITY TO ARRIVE AT
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ONE’S SELF.
BRIEF INTRODUCTION

•THE COURSE IS DIVIDED INTO 3 MAJOR PARTS:

1. THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES
2. UNPACKING THE SELF
3. MANAGING AND CARING FOR THE SELF
JOHARI WINDOW

•DEVELOPED BY JOSEPH LUFT AND HURRINGTON

INGHAM WHO ARE BOTH AMERICAN
PSYCHOLOGISTS.
•THIS MODEL ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO
UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES WELL AND THEIR
CORRESPONDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
SIGNIFICANT OTHERS THROUGH THE FOUR
QUADRANTS DETERMINING TRAITS RELATIVE TO
ONE’S SELF AND OTHER’S JUDGEMENT.
JOHARI WINDOW
JOHARI WINDOW

ARENA
•REPRESENTS THE
ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS
AND INFORMATION
THAT ARE KNOWN TO
THE INDIVIDUAL AND
THOSE AROUND THEM.
JOHARI WINDOW

BLIND SPOT
•ACTIONS AND
BEHAVIORS IN THE
BLIND AREA ARE
KNOWN TO OTHERS, BUT
THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT
AWARE OF THEM.
JOHARI WINDOW

FACADE
•THIS INFORMATION IS
KNOWN TO THE
INDIVIDUAL, BUT NOT
KNOWN TO ANYONE
ELSE.
JOHARI WINDOW

UNKNOWN
•THIS INCLUDES
INFORMATION, SKILLS,
BEHAVIORS, ETC. THAT
ARE UNKNOWN TO THE
INDIVIDUAL AND TO
OTHERS.
THE SELF FROM
VARIOUS
PERSPECTIVES
THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES
PHILOSOPHY
SOCIOLOGY
ANTHROPOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY
THE SELF IN WESTERN AND ORIENTAL / EASTERN
THOUGHT
PHILOSOPHY
SOCRATES
SOCRATES
•WAS BORN IN 469 BC AND SPENT ALL HIS LIFE IN
ATHENS, GREECE
•SOCRATIC METHOD IS HIS GREATEST
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ACADEMIC WORLD
•FAMOUSLY SAID, “TRUE KNOWLEDGE EXISTS IN
KNOWING THAT YOU KNOW NOTHING”.
SOCRATES

•ACCORDING TO SOCRATES, SELF-KNOWLEDGE

WOULD OPEN YOUR EYES TO YOUR TRUE NATURE.
•ONE’S TRUE SELF IS NOT TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH:
- WHAT WE OWN
- OUR SOCIAL STATUS
- EVEN WITH OUR BODY

“OUR TRUE SELF IS OUR SOUL”

•TO SOCRATES, “IF ONE DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO
SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY,
THEY WOULD SOON BE LED TO A MORE
APPROPRIATE VIEW OF THE GOOD”.
•THERE IS ONE SUPREME GOOD, AND POSSESSION OF
THIS GOOD ALONE WILL SECURE OUR HAPPINESS.

VIRTUE
•VIRTUE IS DEFINED AS “MORAL EXCELLENCE”
•A VIRTOUS PERSON IS THE ONE WHOSE CHARACTER
IS
MADE UP OF THE MORAL QUALITIES ACCEPTED AS
VIRTUES:
- COURAGE
- PRUDENCE
- JUSTICE
- TEMPERANCE

KNOWLEDGE + VIRTUE = HAPPINESS

“EVIL IS THE RESULT OF IGNORANCE.”

“IT IS BETTER TO SUFFER AN INJUSTICE THAN TO

COMMIT AN INJUSTICE”

“THE UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING.”

PLATO
STUDENT OF SOCRATES AND TEACHER OF ARISTOTLE
• WROTE ON WIDE VARIETY OF TOPICS INCLUDING
POLITICS, AESTHETICS, COSMOLOGY, AND
EPISTEMOLOGY
• STUDIED PHILOSOPHY, POETRY AND GYMNASTICS
• BEST KNOWN FOR HIS PHYSICAL WORLD. THEORY
OF FORMS THAT ASSERTED THAT THE PHYSICAL
WORLD IS NOT REALLY THE REAL WORLD BECAUSE
THE ULTIMATE REALITY EXISTS BEYOND THE
PHYSICAL WORLD.
• WROTE THE “SOCRATIC DIALOGUE” WHERE
SOCRATES WAS THE MAIN CHARACTER AND
SPEAKER
3 PARTS OF THE SOUL ACCORDING TO PLATO
•THE APPETITIVE (SENSUAL)
– THE ELEMENT THAT ENJOYS SENSUAL EXPERIENCES
SUCH AS FOOD, DRINK AND SEX
•THE SPIRITED (EMOTION)
– THE ELEMENT THAT IS INCLINED TOWARD REASON
BUT UNDERSTANDS THE DEMANDS OF PASSION; THE
PART THAT LOVES HONOR AND VICTORY.
•THE RATIONAL (REASONING)
– THE ELEMENT THAT FORBIDS THE PERSON TO ENJOY
THE SENSUAL EXPERIENCES; THE PART THAT LOVES
TRUTH, HENCE SHOULD RULE OVER THE OTHER PARTS
OF THE SOUL THROUGH THE USE OF REASON
SAINT AUGUSTINE
SAINT AUGUSTINE
•CHRISTIAN THEOLOGIAN AND PHILOSOPHER
• HE ADOPTED PLATO’S VIEW THAT THE SELF IS AN
IMMATERIAL (BUT RATIONAL) SOUL.
• HE POINTED SIN AS THE SOURCE OF HUMAN
UNHAPPINESS AS SIN IMPAIRS HUMAN FREE WILL.
• ONE OF THE EARLIEST INFLUENCES WAS THAT OF
THE MANICHEANS.
SAINT AUGUSTINE
•HE AGREED THAT A MAN IS OF A BIFURCATED
NATURE.
• HE BELIEVED THAT THE HUMAN BEING WAS BOTH A
SOUL AND BODY.
• HE BELIEVED THAT WE WERE BORN SINFUL DUE TO
THE FALL OF HUMANITY.
RENE DESCARTES
RENE DESCARTES

•CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF MODERN WESTERN

PHILOSOPHY.
•THE SELF THEN FOR RENE IS ALSO A COMBINATION
OF TWO DISTINCT ENTITIES:
1. THE COGITO
- THE THING THAT THINKS, WHICH IS THE MIND
2. THE EXTENZA
- WHICH IS THE BODY
DESCARTES’ CLAIMS ABOUT THE SELF

•HE PROPOSED THAT DOUBT WAS A PRINCIPAL TOOL

OF DISCIPLINED INQUIRY.
• HE IS OFTEN REGARDED AS THE FIRST THINKER TO
EMPHASIZE THE USE OF REASON TO DESCRIBE,
PREDICT, AND UNDERSTAND NATURAL PHENOMENA
BASED ON OBSERVATIONAL AND EMPIRICAL
EVIDENCE.
• “COGITO, ERGO SUM” / “I THINK, THEREFORE I
AM”
DAVID HUME
DAVID HUME

•AN EMPIRICIST WHO BELIEVES THAT ONE CAN

KNOW ONLY WHAT COMES FROM THE SENSES AND
EXPERIENCES.
• EMPIRICISM IS THE SCHOOL OF THOUGHT THAT
ESPOUSES THE IDEA THAT KNOWLEDGE CAN ONLY
BE POSSIBLE IF IT IS SENSED AND EXPERIENCED.
• TO HIM, SELF IS NOTHING ELSE BUT A BUNDLE OF
IMPRESSIONS.
HUME DIVIDED THE MIND’S PERCEPTIONS INTO TWO
GROUPS:
1. IMPRESSIONS
– PERCEPTIONS THAT ARE MOST STRONG. THEY ENTER
THE SENSE WITH MOST FORCE. THESE ARE DIRECTLY
EXPERIENCED AND ARE (INTUITIVELY) FELT.
2. IDEAS
– THESE ARE THE LESS FORCIBLE AND LESS LIVELY
COUNTER PARTS OF IMPRESSIONS. THESE ARE
MECHANISMS THAT COPY AND REPRODUCE SENSE DATA
FORMULATED BASED UPON THE PREVIOUSLY PERCEIVED
IMPRESSIONS. THOSE PERCEPTIONS THAT ARE
(INTUITIVELY) THOUGHT.
IMMANUEL KANT
IMMANUEL KANT
•KANT’S VIEW OF THE SELF IS TRANSCENDENTAL,
WHICH MEANS THE “SELF” IS RELATED TO A
SPIRITUAL OR NON-PHYSICAL REALM.
•FOR HIM, THE SELF IS NOT IN THE BODY. THE SELF IS
OUTSIDE THE BODY AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THE
QUALITIES OF THE BODY.
•HE PROPOSED THAT IT IS KNOWLEDGE THAT
BRIDGES THE SELF AND THE MATERIAL THINGS
TOGETHER.
PRIORI AND A POSTERIORI DISTINCTION
•A PRIORI
- IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE KNOWN WITHOUT
EXPERIENCE OR SENSE DATA.
EX: FIVE IS A PRIME NUMBER.
BROTHERS ARE MALE SIBLINGS.

•A POSTERIORI
- CAN ONLY BE KNOWN WITH SENSE OF
EXPERIENCE.
EX: MY DOGS LIKE CHICKEN.
IT OFTEN RAINS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
2 COMPONENTS OF THE SELF
1. INNER SELF
– THE SELF YOU ARE AWARE OF ALTERATIONS IN
YOUR OWN STATE. THIS INCLUDES RATIONAL
INTELLECT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES, SUCH AS
MOODS, FEELINGS, AND SENSATIONS, PLEASURE AND
PAIN.
2. OUTER SELF
– IT INCLUDES SENSES AND THE PHYSICAL WORLD. IT
IS THE COMMON BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE
EXTERNAL WORLD AND THE INNER SELF. IT GATHERS
INFORMATION FROM THE EXTERNAL WORLD
THROUGH THE SENSES WHICH THE INNER SELF
INTERPRETS
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
•THE MOST EMINENT THIRTEENTH CENTURY
SCHOLAR AND STALWART OF MEDIEVAL
PHILOSOPHY.
•ADAPTED SOME IDEAS FROM ARISTOTLE.
•SAID THAT MAN IS COMPOSED OF TWO PARTS:
1. MATTER - HYLE IN GREEK, COMMON STUFF THAT
MAKES UP EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE.
2. FORM - MORPHINE IN GREEK, ESSENCE OF A
SUBSTANCE OR THING.
JOHN LOCKE
JOHN LOCKE

• ENGLISH PHILOSOPHER AND PHYSICIAN.

• HE DEVELOPED THE CONCEPT OF “TABULA RASA”
– AT BIRTH, THE MIND IS A BLANK SLATE WITHOUT
INNATE IDEAS AND IT IS THE EXPERIENCE THAT
PROVIDES US KNOWLEDGE PROVIDED BY SENSORY
EXPERIENCES AND REFLECTIONS.
SIGMUND FREUD
SIGMUND FREUD
HIS MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION ESPECIALLY IN
THE FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY, WAS PSYCHOANALYSIS,
A CLINICAL PRACTICE DEVISED TO TREAT MENTAL
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS THROUGH
DIALOGUE.
FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
1. UNCONSCIOUS (ID)
– REFERS TO DATA RETAINED BUT NOT EASILY
AVAILABLE TO THE INDIVIDUAL’S CONSCIOUS
AWARENESS OR SCRUTINY.
– PLEASURE PRINCIPLE.
FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
2. PRE-CONSCIOUS (SUPER EGO)
– RELATED TO DATA THAT CAN READILY BE
BROUGHT TO CONSCIOUSNESS.
– MORAL PRINCIPLE
FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
3. CONSCIOUS (EGO)
– DEALS WITH AWARENESS OF PRESENT
PERCEPTIONS, FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, MEMORIES AND
FANTASIES AT ANY PARTICULAR MOMENT.
– REALITY PRINCIPLE
FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
PAUL CHURCHLAND
PAUL CHURCHLAND
•“NOTHING BUT MATTER EXISTS” WHICH ALSO
KNOWN AS MATERIALISM .
• IN OTHER WORDS, IF SOMETHING CAN BE SEEN,
FELT, HEARD, TOUCHED, OR TASTED, THEN IT
EXISTS. THERE IS NOTHING BEYOND THE SENSORY
EXPERIENCE.
•THUS, IN CHURCHLAND’S VIEW, THE IMMATERIAL,
UNCHANGING SOUL/SELF DOES NOT EXIST BECAUSE
IT CANNOT BE EXPERIENCED BY THE SENSES.
MAURICE MERLEAU PONTY
MAURICE MERLEAU PONTY

•FRENCH PHILOSOPHER
•ARGUED THAT PERCEPTION IS THE DETERMINANT OF
ONE’S CONSCIOUSNESS.
•IT IS OUR PREJUDICE THAT CREATE A PERCEPTION
THAT WE HAVE IN OUR MIND.
MAURICE MERLEAU PONTY

• CLAIMED THAT “CONSCIOUSNESS IS PRIMARILY

NOT A MATTER OF “I THINK THAT”, BUT OF “I CAN”.
• THIS ARGUMENT SHOWS HOW ACTION IS REQUIRED
IN THE FORMATION OF SELF –PERCEPTION AS WELL
AS SELF CONCEPT.
SOCIOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY

• SOCIUS MEANS “COMPANION”

• LOGOS MEANS “THE STUDY”
• SOCIOLOGY IS THE SCIENCE OF SOCIETY.
• IT IS THE STUDY OF ASSOCIATION, GROUP, SOCIETY
AND SOCIAL INTERACTION.
SOCIOLOGY AND THE SELF

• SOCIOLOGISTS ARE CONCERNED WITH QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ASK QUESTIONS, LIKE:
“HOW DOES SOCIETY INFLUENCE YOU?”
THE CONCEPT OF SELF
HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BOTH SOCIAL IDENTITIES
AND PERSONAL IDENTITIES
• SOCIAL IDENTITIES
- CONSIST OF ALL THE STATUSES, OR POSITIONS,
THAT WE OCCUPY IN SOCIETY.
- WHAT OTHERS THINK OF ME
• PERSONAL IDENTITIES
- CONSIST OF THE SELF-REFLECTIONS AND SELF
IMAGES THAT ARE BASED AT LEAST IN PART ON
OUR SOCIAL IDENTITIES
- WHAT ACTUALLY I AM
SOCIAL GROUPS AND SOCIAL NETWORK

• SOCIOLOGIST GEORGE SIMMEL EXPRESSED THAT

PEOPLE CREATE SOCIAL NETWORKS BY JOINING
SOCIAL GROUPS.
AN EXAMPLE OF SOCIAL GROUP IS YOUR FAMILY,
YOUR CLASSMATES.
• SOCIAL NETWORK REFERS TO THE TIES OR
CONNECTIONS THAT LINK YOU TO YOUR SOCIAL
GROUP.
MEAD AND THE SOCIAL SELF

• GEORGE HERBERT MEAD BELIEVED THAT THE

SELF IS A PRODUCT OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND
INTERNALIZING THE EXTERNAL VIEWS ALONG WITH
ONE’S PERSONAL VIEW ABOUT ONESELF.
ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTHROPOLOGY
• GREEK ROOTS ANTROPOS MEANING MAN
• LOGOS MEANING WORD OR STUDY
•THE STUDY OF ALL ASPECTS OF HUMAN LIFE AND
CULTURE.
•ANTHROPOLOGY EXAMINES SUCH TOPICS AS HOW
PEOPLE LIVE, WHAT THEY THINK, WHAT THEY
PRODUCE, AND HOW THEY INTERACT WITH THEIR
ENVIRONMENTS.
WHAT IS CULTURE?
• CULTURE INCLUDES THEIR BELIEFS, RULES OF
BEHAVIOR, LANGUAGE, RITUALS, ART,
TECHNOLOGY, STYLES OF DRESS, WAYS OF
PRODUCING AND COOKING FOOD, RELIGION
• CULTURE HAS SEVERAL DISTINGUISHING
CHARACTERISTICS:
▪ BASED ON SYMBOLS
▪ CULTURE IS SHARED
▪ CULTURE IS LEARNED
▪ CULTURE IS ADAPTIVE
•CULTURE IS SYMBOLIC
PEOPLE HAVE CULTURE PRIMARILY BECAUSE THEY
CAN COMMUNICATE WITH AND UNDERSTAND
SYMBOLS.

•CULTURE IS LEARNED
PEOPLE ARE NOT BORN WITH CULTURE; THEY HAVE
TO LEARN IT. IN ALL HUMAN SOCIETIES, CHILDREN
LEARN CULTURE FROM ADULTS.
•ENCULTURATION (CULTURAL TRANSMISSION)
LEARNING ONE’S CULTURE FOR NECESSITY FROM
ADULTS, OR PARENTS.

• CULTURE IS SHARED
PEOPLE LIVING TOGETHER IN A SOCIETY SHARES
CULTURE.
•SELF-IDENTITY USUALLY DEPENDS ON CULTURE.
•IF A PERSON DOES NOT SHARE COMMON WAYS OF
LIFE OR BELIEFS IT CAN CAUSE A FEELING OF
CONFUSION AND DISORIENTATION WHICH IS
CALLED CULTURE SHOCK
• ETHNOCENTRISM
- THE NOTION THAT ONE’S CULTURE IS MORE
SENSIBLE THAN OR SUPERIOR TO THAT OF OTHER
CULTURE.
- ONE’S OWN CULTURE IS MORE SUPERIOR THAN
OTHER CULTURE.
• CULTURAL RELATIVISM
- EACH CULTURE SHOULD BE JUDGED BASED ON ITS
MERITS
EX. SMOKING TOBACCO OF CERTAIN ETHNIC GROUP
- SOMEONE OBSERVING CULTURAL RELATIVISM
TRIES TO RESPECT ALL CULTURES EQUALLY.
HOWEVER, MOST ANTHROPOLOGISTS BELIEVE
THAT CULTURAL RELATIVISM HAS ITS LIMITS.
• CULTURE IS ADAPTIVE
- CULTURE HELPS HUMAN SOCIETIES SURVIVE IN
CHANGING NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS.
- CULTURAL ADAPTATION HAS MADE HUMANS ONE
OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SPECIES ON THE
PLANET.
ANTHROPOLOGY AND THE SELF
• ANTHROPOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF PEOPLE, PAST,
AND PRESENT.
• KATHERINE EWING (1990) DESCRIBED THE SELF AS
ENCOMPASSING THE “PHYSICAL ORGANISM,
POSSESSING PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING AND
SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES.”
THE SELF EMBEDDED IN CULTURE

• RELATIONSHIPS
- CULTURE INFLUENCES HOW YOU ENTER INTO AND
MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS.
- FOR EXAMPLE, RELATIONSHIPS MAY BE SEEN AS
VOLUNTARY OR AS DUTY BASED. IT IS ESSENTIAL
FOR A PERSON TO CHOOSE WHOM TO MARRY
WHILE SOME EASTERN SOCIETIES STILL PRACTICE
ARRANGED MARRIAGE.
THE SELF EMBEDDED IN CULTURE

• PERSONALITY TRAITS
- CULTURE INFLUENCES WHETHER YOUR VALUE
TRAITS, LIKE HUMILITY, SELF-ESTEEM, POLITENESS,
ASSERTIVENESS, AND SO ON, AS WELL AS HOW YOU
PERCEIVE HARDSHIP OR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT
RELYING ON OTHERS.
•ACHIEVEMENT
- CULTURE INFLUENCES HOW YOU DEFINE SUCCESS
AND WHETHER YOU VALUE CERTAIN TYPES OF
INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ACHIEVEMENT.
• EXPRESSING EMOTIONS
- CULTURE INFLUENCES WHAT WILL AFFECT YOU
EMOTIONALLY AS WELL AS HOW YOU EXPRESS
YOURSELF, SUCH AS SHOWING YOUR FEELINGS IN
PUBLIC OR KEEPING IT PRIVATE
PSYCHOLOGY
•PSYCHE - SOUL OR MIND
•LOGOS - WORD OR STUDY.
•PSYCHOLOGY IS THE SCIENCE THAT STUDIES
HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL PROCESSES.
•BEHAVIOR IS ANY ACTIVITY OF A PERSON
INCLUDING PHYSICAL ACTIONS THAT MAY BE
OBSERVED DIRECTLY, AND MENTAL ACTIVITY
WHICH IS INFERRED AND INTERPRETED.
•SIMILAR CONCEPTS TO SELF ARE IDENTITY AND
“SELF-CONCEPT”.
• IDENTITY IS COMPOSED OF PERSONAL
CHARACTERISTICS, SOCIAL ROLES, AND
RESPONSIBILITIES, AS WELL AS AFFILIATIONS THAT
DEFINE WHO HE/SHE IS.
•SELF-CONCEPT IS BASICALLY WHAT COMES TO
YOUR MIND WHEN YOU ARE ASKED ABOUT WHO
YOU ARE.
•THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE ARE AWARE OF OUR
SELF-CONCEPTS, THIS IS CALLED SELF-AWARENESS.
• SELF-AWARENESS
PRESENTS US WITH AT LEAST THREE OTHER SELF-SCHEMA.
1. ACTUAL SELF- WHO YOU ARE AT THE MOMENT
2. IDEAL SELF- WHO YOU LIKE TO BE.
3. OUGHT SELF - WHO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD BE.
▪ SELF-AWARENESS MAY BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND OUR NEXT COURSE
OF ACTION.
▪ SELF-AWARENESS CAN KEEP YOU FROM DOING SOMETHING
DANGEROUS.
▪ SELF-AWARENESS CAN BE TOO MUCH THAT WE ARE TOO
CONCERN ABOUT BEING OBSERVED AND CRITICIZED BY
OTHER PEOPLE ALSO KNOWN AS SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS.
•CARVER AND SCHEIER
IDENTIFIED TWO TYPES OF SELF THE WE CAN BE
AWARE OF.
1.THE PRIVATE SELF OR YOUR INTERNAL
STANDARDS AND PRIVATE THOUGHTS AND
FEELING.
2. THE PUBLIC SELF OR YOUR PUBLIC IMAGE
COMMONLY GEARED TOWARD HAVING A GOOD
PRESENTATION OF YOURSELF TO OTHERS.
• SELF-ESTEEM
- SELF-ESTEEM IS AN INDIVIDUAL'S SUBJECTIVE
EVALUATION OF THEIR OWN WORTH.
- DEFINED AS OUR OWN POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
PERCEPTION OR EVALUATION OF OURSELVES
- ONE WAYS IN WHICH OUR SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP
AFFECTS OUR SELF-ESTEEM IS THROUGH SOCIAL
COMPARISON.
•SOCIAL COMPARISON THEORY
1. DOWNWARD SOCIAL COMPARISON
- WE CREATE A POSITIVE SELF-CONCEPT BY
COMPARING OURSELVES WITH THOSE WHO ARE
WORSE OFF THAN US.
2. UPWARD SOCIAL COMPARISON
- COMPARING OURSELVES WITH THOSE WHO ARE
BETTER OFF THAN US.
• NARCISSISM
IS A TRAIT CHARACTERIZED BY OVERLY HIGH
SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-ADMIRATION, AND
SELF-CENTEREDNESS
THE SELF IN WESTERN
AND EASTERN
THOUGHT
WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
•WESTERN PHILOSOPHY (ANCIENT GREEK,
EUROPEANS, AND AMERICANS) USUALLY FOCUS ON
FIVE CATEGORIES:
METAPHYSICS - THE STUDY OF EXISTENCE
EPISTEMOLOGY - STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE
ETHICS - THE STUDY OF ACTION
POLITICS - THE STUDY OF FORCE
AESTHETICS - THE STUDY OF ART
FAMOUS WESTERN PHILOSOPHERS
EASTERN PHILOSOPHY

•EASTERN PHILOSOPHY (MOSTLY CHINA AND INDIA)

ALSO EXPLORED THE FIVE MAIN CATEGORIES, BUT
THEY DIDN’T REALLY MAKE A DISTINCTION
BETWEEN CERTAIN CATEGORIES.
•THEY DIDN’T MAKE A DISTINCTION ON:
METAPHYSICS AND EPISTEMOLOGY
PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION
CONFUCIANISM
• IT CAN BE SEEN AS A CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT, OF
HOW ONE SHOULD PROPERLY ACT ACCORDING TO THEIR
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER PEOPLE
• FOCUSED ON HAVING A HARMONIOUS SOCIAL LIFE
• IDENTITY AND SELF-CONCEPT OF THE INDIVIDUAL ARE
INTERWOVEN WITH THE IDENTITY AND STATUS OF HIS/HER
COMMUNITY OR CULTURE, SHARING ITS PRIDE AS WELL AS ITS
FAILURES.
TAOISM
• IS LIVING IN THE WAY OF THE TAO OR THE
UNIVERSE.
• TAOISTS ADOPT A FREE-FLOWING, RELATIVE,
UNITARY AS WELL AS PARADOXICAL VIEW OF
ALMOST EVERYTHING.
• TAOISM REJECTS THE HIERARCHY AND STRICTNESS
BROUGHT BY CONFUCIANISM AND WOULD PREFER A
SIMPLE LIFESTYLE AND ITS TEACHINGS THUS AIM TO
DESCRIBE HOW TO ATTAIN THAT LIFE.
TAOISM
• THE SELF IS NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE FAMILY OR THE
COMMUNITY; IT IS A PART OF THE UNIVERSE.
• THE IDEAL SELF IS SELFLESSNESS BUT THIS IS NOT
FORGETTING ABOUT THE SELF, IT IS LIVING A BALANCED
LIFE WITH SOCIETY AND NATURE,
• FORGETTING ABOUT PREJUDICES AND EGOCENTRIC IDEAS
AND THINKING ABOUT EQUALITY AS WELL AS
COMPLEMENTARY AMONG HUMANS AS WELL AS OTHER
BEINGS.
BUDDHISM

• SIDDHARTA GAUTAMA BUDDHA DEVELOPED A

DOCTRINE CALLED AS ANATTA, OFTEN DEFINED AS
‘NO-SELF’
• THERE IS NO UNCHANGING SELF
• THE REALITY OF THE DUKHKA OR SUFFERING AND
ANICCA OR IMPERMANENCE IS THE TRUTH ABOUT
THIS EXISTENCE.
•HOWEVER, IT IS BELIEVED THAT EVERY HUMAN HAS
A MIND AND BODY AS WELL AS A STREAM OF
CONSCIOUSNESS.
CONFUCIANISM VS. TAOISM VS. BUDDHISM

CONFUCIANISM- FOCUSES ON SOCIETAL RULES AND

MORAL VALUES
TAOISM - ADVOCATES SIMPLICITY AND LIVING
HAPPILY WHILE IN TUNE WITH NATURE.
BUDDHISM - REITERATES THE IDEAS OF SUFFERING,
IMPERMANENCE OF MATERIAL ITEMS, AND
REINCARNATION WHILE STRESSING THE IDEA OF
REACHING SALVATION BEYOND.
WESTERN AND EASTERN
DIFFERENCES
• WESTERN REFERRED AS THE • EASTERN ROOTS ARE FROM ASIA.
SCHOOL OF THOUGHT FROM • THEY BELIEVE THAT NATURAL
GREEK PHILOSOPHY. WORLD DOES NOT FOLLOW LAWS.
• IT IS ROOTED FROM ROME AND • IT IS ALL ABOUT 'WE'. DRAWN ON
CHRISTIANITY. PEOPLE'S ACTIONS AND THOUGHT
AS ONE.
• LAWS ARE THE ONES THAT
GOVERN THE BEHAVIOR. • TRYING TO GET RID OF THE FALSE
'ME' CONCEPT AND FIND MEANING
• IT IS INDIVIDUALIST IN IN DISCOVERING THE TRUE 'ME'.
CULTURE. • LIFE IS ALL ABOUT UNITY. THE
• LOGICAL, SCIENTIFIC, INNER SELF MUST BE FREED.
RATIONAL, AND FOCUS ON
ETHICS.
WESTERN AND EASTERN SIMILARITIES
• BOTH APPROACH SHARE A CONCEPT THAT A DEEPER
UNDERSTANDING OF REALITY IS POSSIBLE.
• BOTH INFLUENCED BY THE NOTION THAT THERE IS A
SUPREME BEING WHO GUIDES THE MANKIND AND PROVIDES
FOR ALL HE CREATED.
• BOTH BELIEVES IN THE CONCEPT OF "GOD AS THE KING OF
UNIVERSE”.
END OF PRELIM