THE PHYSICAL SELF: THE SELF AS IMPACTED BY THE BODY

THE PHYSICAL SELF

→ The physical self refers to the body. Both physical extremities and internal organs work together for the
body to perform many of its functions such as breathing, walking, eating, sleeping and among others.
→ The physical self refers to the body. Both physical extremities and internal organs work together for the
body to perform many of its functions such as breathing, walking, eating, sleeping and among others.

Factors Affecting Physical Growth and Development:

Physical growth and development is the product of heredity and environment.

→ HEREDITY (Nature) - is the transmission of traits or characteristics from parents to offspring. Through
the genes, heriditary potentials like physical, mental, social, emotion and moral traits are passed down
to generations.
→ ENVIRONMENT (Nurture) - is the sum total of the forces or experiences that a person undergoes from
conception to old age. It also includes family, friends, school, surroundings and culture.

BODY IMAGE

→ Refers to how a person perceives or imagines himself or herself to appear.

→ John Santrock claims that adolescents develop preoccupations with their bodies and mental
representations of them.
→ They may have a positive or negative opinion of themselves.
→ Teenagers who struggle with body image have unfavorable thoughts and feelings about their
appearance, which may or may not be true.
→ The term "imaginary audience" refers to an egocentric state in which a person imagines and believes
that many people are actively listening to or watching him or her. Young adolescents typically
experience this.

Body Image is related to self-esteem which is a person's overall evaluation of his or her own worth.
Body image can affect both the adolescent's physical and psychological well-being.

Theory Based On The Prominence Of Body Fluids

THE FOUR BODILY FLUIDS:

→ The sanguine type has the prominence of red bile. They tend to be impulsive, cheerful, happy, and optimistic.
→ The melancholic has the prominence of blackbile. They tend to be depressed and pessimistic.
→ The choleric has the prominence of yellow bile. They are easily angry, jumpy and temperamental.
→ The phlegmatic has excess phlegm. They tend to be sluggish, dull, and slow.

2 FACTORS THAT AFFECT PERCEPTION OF PHYSICAL SELF

Personal Factors

o Introspection and Self Reflection. Introspection, as defined by Hewstone et al. (2015), is the process of
observing and assessing one's internal state (mental and emotional) after acting in a particular way.
o Self-Perception Theory. Bem's self-perception theory, published in 1972, explains this because it is
challenging to gauge one's internal state, according to Hewstone (2015).
o Self- Concept. Hewstone et al. (2015) defined self-concept as a cognitive representation of self-
knowledge that encompasses all of a person's beliefs about themselves.
o Personal Identity. This is the idea that a person has about themselves that changes over time.
Social Factors

o Attachment Mechanism and Social Evaluation. Bowlby (1969) asserted that people discover their worth and
lovability when they observe how their mothers or other primary caregivers treat them and attend to their
needs, Keeping oneself in check and growing as a person in interpersonal relationships
o The Theory of the Looking Glass. According to Charles Horton Cooley, social interactions and other people's
perceptions shape how we see ourselves in the world
o Comparison with society. Hewstone et al. (2015) cited Leon Fostinger's work, which in 1954 offered a different
approach to understanding oneself by contrasting one's characteristics, skills, or viewpoints with those of
others. Two Types of Social Comparison; Upward Social Comparison and Downward Social Comparison
o Theory of Social Identity (Collective Identity). Tajfel and Turner's work from 1979 offers a framework for
understanding how group membership helps people understand themselves.

SELF - The entirety of a person's traits or qualities, both known and unknown to others but known to
themselves
IDENTITY - The qualities and characteristics, interpersonal relationships, roles, and affiliations with social
groups that make up a person

THE IMPACT OF CULTURE ON BODY IMAGE AND SELF- ESTEEM:

A social system that is defined by the shared meanings that its members attribute to individuals and events is
known as a culture (Hewstone, 2015)

→ Cultural Standards of Beauty

→ Body Image and Self-Esteem
→ Gender and Cultural Influences

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEAUTY

→ ‘’The beauty is in the eye of the beholder’’ what one person finds beautiful may not be the same for another.
It reminds us that our perceptions and experiences shape how we see the world around us.
→ Plato's Theory of Forms asserts that ‘’The physical realm is only a shadow or image, of the true reality of
the Realm of Forms.’’ Everything we see in this world is simply a flaws of the true perfection.

EUROCENTRISM

→ There is a tendency to view mixed-race Filipinos as the default attractive standard, as shown by the fact that
Filipinos frequently win international beauty pageants.
→ The "Tisoy" and "Tisay" beauty standards are heavily marketed in the media.
→ The term "colorism" refers to a component of eurocentrism that is "the prejudicial treatment of same-race
people based solely on the color of their skin."

Self- Esteem - is how we value and perceive ourselves. It's based on our opinions and beliefs about ourselves,
which can feel difficult to change.
- A person’s overall evaluation of his or her own worth.

THE FOLLOWING CULTURAL ELEMENTS COULD BE TO BLAME FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS:

→ Societal Ideals of The Ideal Physical Appearance

→ Adolescents are Exposed to Perfect Images in All Forms of Media
→ Societal Norms That are Reaffirmed by The Media
 SEXUAL SELF

SEXUAL SELF

→ It comprises a complex set of schemas that allow us to understand and express ourselves as sexual
beings. We hold self-schemas that pertain to our sex, gender, sexual orientation and sexual
expression/responses.

Sex - refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women and that
constitutes the sex categories of male and female.
Gender - it refers to the attitudes, feelings and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person's
biological sex. Gender identity is an internal awareness
Gender identity - an internal awareness of where the individual belongs in the feminine and masculine
categories.
Sexual orientation - it refers to the direction of one's sexual and romantic interest. Heterosexual, homosexual
or bisexual are used to describe sexual orientation.

MAMAWA

→ is an abbreviation used for "Men-Are-Men-And-Women-Are-Women" assumption. The society at large

tends to also see human beings simply as men or women. Although it have been better abbreviated
MAMAWAWA, that is how it is referred to by Pinel (2014).

Development of Secondary Sex Characteristics

→ refer to the physical features that develop during puberty but are not directly involved in reproduction. They
emerge due to the influence of sex hormones, such as testosterone in males and estrogen in females.
These characteristics help distinguish between the sexes after puberty.

Erogenous Zones - An erogenous zone is an area of the human body that has heightened sensitivity, the
stimulation of which may generate a sexual response such as relaxation, sexual fantasies, sexual arousal, and
orgasm

Sex Hormones influence our sexual development from conception to sexual maturity. Sex harmones are also
responsible for activating the reproductive
Testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone are the primary hormones involved in this process. Testosterone,
which is present in higher levels in men but also important for women, is a key driver of sexual desire and
arousal.

CHEMISTRY OF LUST, LOVE AND ATTACHMENT

→ Lust (erotic passion) - This stage is marked by physical attraction. You want to seduce and be seduced by
your object of affection. Lust is driven by testosterone in men and estrogen in women. (Testosterone)
→ Attraction (romantic passion) - At this stage, you begin to crave for your partner's presence. Three
chemicals trigger this feeling: norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin (Dopamine, Serotonin)
→ Attachment (commitment) - Attachment involves the desire to have lasting commitment with your
significant other. At this point, you may want to get married and/or have children. (Oxytocin)
SEXUAL RESPONSE CYCLE (4 PHASES)

→ Excitement - During this phase, the body experiences changes like increased heart rate, muscle tension, and
vaso congestion, resulting in erections in men and vaginal lubrication and clitoral swelling in women.
→ Plateau - it is where sexual arousal intensifies. In men, the penis becomes fully erect, and pre-ejaculatory fluid
may be released. In women, the clitoris swells further, and vaginal lubrication increases.
→ Orgasmic - It involves rhythmic contractions in the pelvic muscles, resulting in ejaculation for men and strong
contractions in women. This phase lasts for a few seconds and is marked by a peak in heart rate and muscle
tension.
→ Resolution - body returns to its normal state after orgasm. Heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension
decrease, and blood flow to the genitals reduces.

THE DIVERSITY OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

→ Solitary - Someone who prefers sexual self-sufficiency and engages primarily in self-pleasure or masturbation
rather than sexual activity with others.
→ Heterosexual - An individual who identifies as either a male or a female (can be cisgender, FtM, or MtF) and is
attracted to individuals of the opposite sex.
→ Homosexual - Individuals who are sexually attracted to people of the same gender, such as a man being
attracted to other men or a woman to other women.
→ Bisexual - The sexual orientation that describes either a male or a female who is attracted to both males and
females.
→ Transsexual - Individuals whose gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth. Some may
pursue medical procedures like hormone therapy or surgery to align their physical body with their gender
identity, though not all choose this path.

STD - A sexually transmitted infection, also referred to as a sexually transmitted disease and the older
term venereal disease, is an infection that is spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal
sex, oral sex, or sometimes manual sex.
Contraception also known as family planning or birth control) protects you from pregnancy.
Contraception works so that an egg can’t be fertilised by sperm to conceive a baby.

Natural Methods of Contraception

• Sexual Abstinence
• Fertility Awareness
• Cervical Mucus Methods

Artificial Methods of Contraception

• Pills
• Condoms
• Contraceptive Implant
• Sterilization
• Cervical Cap
• Vaginal ring
 MATERIAL SELF

MATERIAL SELF

→ The material self refers to the objects, places, and people labeled as "mine," encompassing everything one
considers as "yours." This includes not only your body and personal abilities but also possessions like clothes,
home, family, friends, reputation, and work.

Material Self investment diagram

ECONOMIC SELF

→ The economic self is the ability of individuals and families to maintain enough income to consistently meet
their basic needs, such as food, housing, healthcare, and transportation, with little or no financial assistance
from external sources.

Material Self according to them:

→ Albert Einstein - "I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the
body and the mind"
→ Frank Tretmann – “For the old critics of luxury, the human self was something pure that existed apart from the
material world. For champions of the new outlook, possessions ceased to be something invasive and
corrosive. On the contrary, material things were an essential part of the human self.”
→ William James - "If they prosper, you feel triumphant. If they dwindle and die away, you feel cast down – not
necessarily in the same degree for each thing, but in much the same way for all."

William James defined the "material self" as the physical possessions and entities a person belongs to,
including the body, family, clothes, and money. He saw the body as the core of the material self, with clothes
playing an important role in expressing identity and status. For James, losing a family member or significant
money would alter one's sense of self, as these are critical components of a person's material identity. Thus,
the material self is closely tied to one's external possessions and relationships.

The Role of Material Possessions on the Sense of Self and Identity

→ Material possessions like cars, houses, and clothes often symbolize social status and shape how people see
themselves and others. According to Russell Belk (1988), our belongings can act as an extension of ourselves,
reflecting our success and hard work.
→ On the negative side, putting too much importance on material things can lead to issues like compulsive buying
disorder (CBD), where a person feels an uncontrollable urge to shop, often leading to debt and other problems.

CONSUMER CULTURE

→ It is a form of material culture facilitated by the market, which thus created a particular relationship between
the consumer and the goods or services he or she uses or consumes.
Needs: These are essentials or things we must have to survive or function properly.
Wants: These are nice-to-haves that improve our comfort or enjoyment but aren’t necessary for survival.
 SPIRITUAL SELF

SPIRITUAL SELF

→ One description of spirituality is the self's search for "ultimate meaning" one description of spirituality is the
self's search for "ultimate meaning"

SPIRITUAL IDENTITY

→ Appears when the symbolic religious and spiritual aspects of a culture are found by individuals in the setting of
their own lives

It was revealed that adolescent girls are more religious than adolescent boys.
Churchgoers are more motivated to behave in a socially acceptable.

Function Of Religions:

→ Cognitive Function - Enabling humans to explain the unexplainable phenomena.

→ Social Function - Social control, conflict resolution, and building group solidarity.
→ Emotional Function - It helps individuals to cope with anxieties that often accompany illness, accidents, death,
and other misfortunes.

RELIGION

→ is the belief in a god or gods and the activities that are connected with this belief
→ Three main components of religion:
o Myths
o Beliefs
o Rituals

SUPERNATURAL

→ The supernatural is around you all of the time, especially in non-industrialized societies.
→ In a lot of cultures, health, wealth, and daily life are related to the supernatural.
Supernatural Beliefs - are beliefs in things that do not and cannot exist to the best of scientific knowledge but
appear real to believers.

THE CONCEPT OF “DUNGAN” – SPIRIT OR SOUL

→ According to magos, “dungan" was “a life force”, an energy, as well as an eternal entity, a spirit with a will of its
own that resides in the human body and provides the essence of life.”
→ “if a person has strong willpower, is it said to have a strong dungan”
→ Willpower, knowledge, and intelligence
The Bisayans believe that the dungan leaves the body while the person is asleep.

RITUALS AND CEREMONIES

- FUNCTIONS OF RITUALS (Van Genup)

→ A symbolic expression of actual social relations, status, or roles of individuals in a society.
→ A transcendent, numinous (spiritual reality) that shows the ultimate values of a community.
→ A set of behaviors and beliefs that are symbolic of social, psychological, or numinous realities.
RITUAL

→ Religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order of
activities.

RITES - refers to the spoken word used in ritual to convey meaning and value, to evoke an image through the
use of a metaphor

CEREMONY

→ Refers to movements or gestures expressing feelings or beliefs beyond the limitations of speech. It can be
elaborate or simple, formal or informal

MAGIC

→ Is the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces. Ability
to use supernatural forces to make impossible things happen.
→ Two types of magic
Imitative magic
Contagious magic

o Magician - one who performs magic

o Sorcerer – carries the idea of magic potions, medicine, drugs, and poison
o Wizard – one who is thought to be acquainted with the secrets of the nonmaterial or unseen world.
o Necromancer - is one who is 'seeking the dead.

WITCHCRAFT

→ A perceived facility to summon evil spirits and demons to do harm to others.

o Kulam - is the tagalog word for "voodoo" or witchcraft

o Mangkukulam – is a person who uses black magic or spells on a victim.
o Barang - filipino term for sorcerer, malignant sorcery, or familiar spirits (usually a swarm of destructive insects,
specifically carnivorous beetles)
o Mambabarang - person who practices barang. Binarang is the target of sorcery or witchcraft.
o Albulario – or mananambal is a filipino practitioner of traditional medicine.

FINDING AND CREATING MEANING IN LIFE

→ Logotherapy aims to help the person search for the meaning of his existence.
→ Logotherapist - assist and guide the client in finding meaning in his life.

THREE BASIC PRINCIPLES ON DISCOVERING MEANING IN LIFE

o Meaning In Life
o Will To Meaning
o Freedom to will