PHYSICAL SELF environment in the womb & continuous throughout the

Prepared by: Bianca Patricia Reyes, RPm lifespan

- Our physical growth and development are a product of
Why do I look like myself? both our heredity and environment – there is an
interplay between the two.
Physical Self – refers to the physical body of an
individual Cultural Standards of Beauty
- reaching a consensus regarding the definition of
- Science explains that our parents are instrumental in beauty is difficult to do, this is because beauty is
understanding why we look the way we do. relative (it has no definite meaning, it depends on the
person) and it is contextual (it differs from culture to
Gregor Mendel culture)
- Father of modern genetics
- discovered that traits are passed down from one Different Cultural Standards of Beauty:
generation to the next in a predictable way
- it is through the genes that traits are passed down. 1. Giraffe women
- Myanmar & Thailand
- their belief is that the larger the neck, the more
beautiful you are.
- this starts from childhood, where the female will
receive a brass spiral ring around her neck. Every year
they will add 1 to 2 rings until they are adults.

2. Elongated earlobes
- Masai tribe & other ethnic groups in Africa
- this practice permits a form of status for women,
> we have 23 pairs of chromosomes
accentuated by the extent of the deformation or
> in which we have 22 pairs of autosomes and 1 pair of
elongation w/ the earlobes covered with colorful pearls
sex chromosomes (XX or XY)
& jewels.
HEREDITY – the genetic transmission of heritable
3. Pure white skin
characteristics from parents to offspring
- in countries w/ Oriental culture (ex. SoKor, China,
Japan) there is an obsession with pale white skin.
DOMINANT INHERITANCE – only the dominant gene is
- for them, pale white skin is the standards or symbol for
expressed (RR or Rr/rR)
wealthy people
RECESSIVE INHERITANCE – the child receives identical
4. Plus size
recessive alleles, resulting in the expression of a
- during the ancient times, in Nigeria, being fat is viewed
nondominant trait (rr). Ex: red hair
as a sign of prosperity, fertility, and beauty.
- fattening rooms are used less often nowadays, but are
> genetics has a huge contribution to our physical
still relevant among well-off families.
appearance.

“Beauty was not just a product of wealth, but a

Nature vs. Nurture
commodity in and of itself. In other words, it was no
longer a matter of looking to wealth to find beauty, but
Nature (heredity) - in born traits & characteristics
of looking to beauty to find status. Now, beauty could
inherited from our biological parents
give the illusion of wealth.” -Lackoff & Scherr (1989)
Nurture (environment) - totality of nonhereditary, or
experiential, influence; tarting w/ the prenatal
Philippine Standards of Beauty BULIMIA NERVOSA – the person binges uncontrollably
- our concept of physical selves as Filipinos is largely and engages in compensatory behaviors afterwards to
associates with our skin color and the construction of avoid gaining weight.
local standards of beauty can be traced from our
colonial influences. 3. Body dysmorphia
- historically, we have been colonized by people with fair
skin (Spaniards, Americans, Japanese) for almost 3 Importance of Beauty
centuries.
- we have a very Eurocentric perspective when it comes - Beauty is considered important throughout history.
to beauty.
1. It indicates youth, health, good genes, and fertility.
2. Attractive people have a lot of advantages in life.
Body Image - men tend to seek attractive women as mates.
- refers to how individuals perceive, think, and feel - according to studies, men and women who are
about their body & physical appearance. attractive have more opportunities such as getting hired,
- it may be aligned or not aligned with our actual promotions, and income.
appearance. - people tend to view attractive people as good, happier,
smarter, and better people.
Appearance - refers to everything about a person that
others can observe such as height, weight, skin color,
clothes, and hairstyle. Celebrating Beauty in Diversity
- we should stand against the cultural requirement on
Self-esteem – is a person’s overall evaluation of his/her what we should do with our bodies in order to look
own worth. beautiful. Thus, a celebration of beauty in diversity
requires a culture of resistance (Jeffreys, 2005). This is a
- Our body image can affect both our physical and culture that veers away from the dictates of what
psychological well-being women and men in society should look like to be called
beautiful.
Causes of Poor Body Image
1. Parents’/society’s emphasis on an ideal body lead
girls to experience body dissatisfaction.
2. Bullying & peer pressure have been associated with
greater body dissatisfaction.
3. Media such as television, advertisements, music, and
movies are often filled with good-looking faces, making
women and men more concerned with physical
attractiveness.

Effects of Poor Body Image

1. Girls who have a higher body dissatisfaction are likely
to experience depression and low self-esteem.

2. Possibility of eating disorders:

ANOREXIA NERVOSA – is an ED, in which the person
refuses to eat for fear of gaining weight which can result
in severe starvation and death.
SEXUAL SELF • Transgender – gender identity is consistent with
Prepared by: Bianca Patricia Reyes, RPm the sex they were assigned at birth
• Agender – people who do not identify with any
Sexuality gender
- it is a central aspect of being human throughout life. • Nonbinary – people who di not identify strictly
- it encompasses sex, gender identities, gender roles, as boy or girl – they could identify as both, or
sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy, and neither, or as another gender entirely
reproduction
- it is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies,
desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, Development of Secondary Sex Characteristics
roles, and relationships
- our view of sexuality is heavily affected by education, Puberty
occupation, income, economics, laws, politics, history, - the one to three-year process of hormonal and
society, media, culture, and religion. physical change that cause the young person to reach
sexual maturity
Sex - on average, the pubertal growth spurt for girls starts at
- refers to a person’s characterization as male or female 9 y/o and peaks at 11 ½ y/o; for boys, it starts at 11 ½
at birth, typically based on the appearance of external and peaks are 3 ½ y/o
genitalia or other biological characteristics including
chromosomes. ➢ Primary Sex Characteristics
- are physical characteristics that are present
Gender at birth and are directly related to
- refers to social characteristics of men & women that reproduction
may or may not be aligned with a person’s sex and - ex: vagina, uterus, ovaries, testes, scrotum,
adopted by an individual as their gender identity etc
➢ Secondary Sex Characteristics
- develop during the onset of puberty
Diversity of Sexual Orientation - ex: enlargement of breasts, menstrual cycle,
widening of hips, growth spurt, facial hair,
Sexual Orientation – refers to our sexual preferences deepening of voice, etc
towards males, females, or both
- During puberty, testosterone and other androgens
• Homosexual – sexually attracted to members of stimulate the development of primary and secondary
the same sex sex characteristics and also increase sex drive.
• Bisexual – sexually attracted to people of both
sexes What We Need to Know
• Heterosexual - sexually attracted to the
opposite sex Erogenous zones – sexually stimulating zones of both
• Pansexual - sexually attracted to any sex or sexes (e.g., genitals, chest, mouth, neck, ear, etc.)
gender identity
• Asexual – not sexually attracted to any sex or - In many species, sexual arousal is closely tied to
gender variations in hormonal levels; in humans, however,
hormones play less of a role.
Gender Identity – is one’s concept of being male,
female, both, or neither and is entirely determined by - In one sense, the brain is where sexual desire
socialization (nurture), not biological factors (nature) originates and where sexual behavior is controlled.

• Cisgender – gender identity is consistent with - Culture also influences the expression of sexual desire.
the sex they were assigned at birth
 good reward associated with the person – increasing the
Sexually Transmitted Infection (STIs) desire to spend more time with them
- or STDs
- are contracted primarily through sexual contact 3. Attachment
- it is an increasing health problem - If things are going well, it gets replaced by the
- bacterial infections are treatable with antibiotics, but hormones oxytocin and vasopressin, which create the
those caused by viruses are more difficult to treat and desire to bond, affiliate with, and nurture your partner.
are often incurable such as HIV/AIDS - oxytocin and vasopressin
- commonly include: HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, - the release of these hormones is believed to be
genital herpes, and genital warts important in long-term attraction and love

Contraception
- are methods that are used to prevent pregnancy Triarchic Theory of Love (Robert Sternberg)
- ex: condoms, intrauterine device (IUD), birth control - three components of love:
pills, tubal ligation, vasectomy, withdrawal method 1. Intimacy – refers to the feelings of closeness,
connectedness, and bondedness
Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act
of 2012 or RH Law (Republic Act No. 10354) 2. Passion – refers to the drive that led to romance,
- a law that guarantees universal access to methods on physical attraction, and sexual consummation
contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and
maternal care. 3. Commitment – the decision to love and the
- it mandates age-appropriate reproductive health commitment to maintain that love
education in government schools to promote adolescent
and youth health
- it aims to keep couples, esp. women, well-informed
about available family planning methods that they can
use

Attraction, Love, & Attachment

Attraction
- is a positive attitude held by one person toward
another person
- initial attraction is influenced by social norms, physical
attractiveness, and interpersonal exchange.

Stages of Romantic Love (Helen Fischer)

1. Lust
- you feel physically attracted and drawn to the object of
your affection
- driven by estrogen and testosterone

2. Attraction
- norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin
- causes increased alertness and arousal of the body
when somebody is attracted to another, including a feel-
MATERIAL SELF 2. Material possessions can be a reflection of hard work
Prepared by: Bianca Patricia Reyes, RPm and success

Material Self 3. Material possessions can make people more

- the part of our “self” that is exposed to the real world motivated to work harder and achieve them
- according to William James, the material self is the:
“sum total of all that he can call his, not only his body 4. Defining the self by material possessions can also
and his psychic powers, but his clothes, his wife and contribute to feelings of well-being, including a sense of
children, his ancestors & friends, his reputation & works, personal growth and purpose
his lands, and yacht & bank account. All these things
give him the same emotions. If they wax and prosper, he Materialism – is the importance people give on material
feels triumphant; if they dwindle and die away, he feels possessions
cast down – not necessarily in the same degree for each
thing, but in much the same way for all.” Materialistic person – has a high level of materialism; is
excessively concerned with the acquisition of material
Overview of the Material Self possessions.

Components of the material self: 5. Negative effects:

1. Body
- one of the tasks of adolescents is that of accepting and ➢ Lack or loss of material possession could lead to
appreciating the physical characteristics of their body. anxiety, insecurity and depression.
- few adolescents are able to do this successfully. ➢ Compulsive Buying Disorder (CBD) – the strong
desire for material possessions could lead to a
2. Clothes psychological dysfunction that is characterized
- it represents the self by an obsession with shopping and buying
- the style and branding of clothes becomes a symbolic behaviors that causes adverse consequences
significance
Ponder about this:
3. Other possessions that a person can call as his own Acquiring material possessions is not bad, but we have
- e.g., books, bed, money, car, house to regulate it so that it won’t have negative effect on us.
How? We can ask the following questions to ourselves:
4. People
- which includes our immediate family, extended family “Do I really need this?”
members, close friends that we feel psychologically “Will it add value to my life?”
connected to. “Is it going to be useful?”
- these people are likely to shape and influence the “Do I afford this?”
development of the self and identity

5. Pets
- pets can symbolically define a person’s identity
- a person’s pets could be an expression of one’s social
status, pride, and prestige

Effects of Material Possessions

1. Possessions can be used a status symbol
- cars, house, gadgets, and clothes are the most valuable
possessions because they are the most visible in the
eyes of others
SPIRITUAL SELF - Journaling is not just about recording objective
Prepared by: Bianca Patricia Reyes, RPm facts about the day’s events; it involves
subjective contemplation (Baldwin, 2007).
Spirituality - It can help us create order when our world or
- is defined as relating to or affecting the human spirit our mind feels chaotic. It helps us process our
or soul as opposed to material things thoughts and emotions; thus, helps you connect
- according to Pulchaski (2009), it is the aspect of to yourself better.
humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and
express meaning and purpose and the way they Religiosity
experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, - is about believing in God or a group of Gods and
to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred consciously adheres to the beliefs of his religion

Importance of Spirituality Religion

- is a designed belief and worship of a superhuman
Meaninglessness controlling power, especially a God or gods.
- the quality of having no meaning; having an existential - it is a particular system of faith and worship
vacuum or crisis
- is a significant factor in causing anxiety, depression, The Four Dimensions of Religion
and other mental health concerns 1. Beliefs
- Generalized system of ideas or values
Contemplative Practices
- are mind-body exercises that are intentionally 2. Rituals
practiced to work toward inner well-being, - are repeated gestures or activities such as
psychological flourishing, and deep connection with prayers and mantras
self, the world, or a higher power.
⮚ Imitative rituals – are patterned after a
- can be understood as a method of deep concentration,
myth and the ritual repeat the myth (ex:
deepen understanding and insight, cultivate awareness
fireworks during new years to ward off bad
and compassion
spirits)

1. Mindfulness ⮚ Negative rituals – focuses on rules of

- the basic human ability to be fully present, prohibition (ex: fasting)
aware of where we are & what we’re doing, and ⮚ Sacrificial rituals – seen as earliest form of
not overly reactive/overwhelmed by what’s ritual (ex: offerings)
going on around us.
- mindfulness exercises can include: sitting ⮚ Life crisis rituals – traditions of one mode or
stage of life into another (ex: burial)
meditation, walking meditation/mindful
walking, five senses exercise (5-4-3-2-1)
3. Spiritual experience
- feeling of immediate connection with a higher
2. Prayer
being
- is the elevation of heart & soul to God
- suggestion of positive psychology: try to
compose a prayer that focuses on gratitude and 4. Unique social forms of community
- unite in one single community called church
thankfulness

3. Journaling
- The term “journal” comes from the French word Religious What/who is Example
“jour” meaning day and is often used to depict Classification divine
daily writing and reflection (Bender, 2000).
 Polytheism Multiple gods Hinduism, - Visayan word for breath or breathe
Ancient Greeks, - is responsible for the heart’s ability to beat
Ancient Romans - may be affected by foreign elements
Sorcery & Witchcraft
Monotheism Single god Judaism, Islam,
Christianity
● Barang – is a malignant sorcery that usually
Atheism No deities Atheism, targets a person; it makes use of destructive
Buddhism, insects
Taoism
● Kulam – is voodoo or witchcraft that uses black
Animism Nonhuman Indigenous magic or spells on a victim
beings (animals, nature worship,
● Albolario/Mananambal – a traditional healer
plants, natural Shinto
world)
Finding and Creating Meaning: Three ways of
discovering the meaning of life
Pre-Colonial Philippines
- According to Victor Frankl (1969), the main motivation
Babaylans why men continue to live is the will to meaning. A
- someone who has the ability to mediate with the spirit person must see meaning in his life.
world, has her own spirit guides, and is given gifts of
healing, foretelling, and insight. 1. By creating a work or a working deed
- has the gift of traveling to the spirit world or non- - whenever we find value in who we are through the
ordinary states of reality in order to mediate with the things we do, then we create meaning in our lives.
spirits
- other names in the other languages of Philippine 2. By experiencing something or encountering
indigenous communities: Mombaki, Dawac, Balyan or someone
Balian, Katalonan, Ma-Aram, Mangngallag, Mumbaki, - finding meaning in life can also happen when one
Mambunong experiences positive things like goodness, truth, beauty,
and being loved.
Our ancestors believed that souls can exist outside the
body and that they continue to exist even after death 3. By the attitude we take toward unavoidable
and become a multo. suffering
- it emphasizes that even in suffering one can find
Dungan meaning in life where one can turn one’s unpleasant
- is a life force, an energy, and ethereal entity with a will situation into triumph.
of its own that resides in the human body and provides - suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds
essence to life (Aguilar, 1998) a meaning
- it can temporarily leave the body

Kaluluwa (Kalag or Kakambal)

- The kaluluwa refers more to the soul of the deceased.
The soul of a living person is called kakambal.
- The kakambal may travel around at night and some
particularly bad encounters are the cause of nightmares
(bangungut). The kakambal becomes a kaluluwa after
death.

Ginhawa
Digital Self Digital Identity/Online Identity – a social identity that an
Prepared by: Bianca Patricia Reyes, RPm internet user establishes in online communities and websites.

▪ Every website that you interact with collects a

version of who you are on the basis of the
Digital self
information that you have shared (what you have
- is the persona one uses when s/he is online
input there sa information/bio part and whatever
- some people maintain one or more online identities that are
you post will yield an identity)
distinct from the real world
▪ Your digital self/identity is an actively constructed
presentation of oneself.
Our digital self exists in the…
▪ It depends on you on how you will represent yourself
Cyberspace
online – is it congruent or incongruent to your “IRL”
- the virtual computer world; an electronic medium that is
self?
used to facilitate online communication

Digital Literacy Self Presentation Strategies and Impression Management

- refers to possessing the skills you need to live, learn, and
work in a society where communication and access to 1. Self-promotion – purposely trying to present oneself as
information is in the cyberspace highly competent to other people
- According to the American Library Association (ALA), it is the
2. Ingratiation – behaviors that a person illicitly enacts to
ability to search, evaluate, and communicate information
make others like him or think well of his qualities as a person
through technology
3. Exemplification – whereby an individual attempts to
project an image of integrity and moral worthiness
Online Disinhibition
- the lack of restraint one feels when communicating online in 4. Intimidation – intentional behavior that would cause a
comparison to communicating in person person of ordinary sensibilities to fear injury or harm

5. Supplication – involves depicting oneself as weak, needy,

1. Benign Disinhibition or dependent so as to motivate others to provide assistance
- occurs when people tend to disclose themselves more on or care
the internet as they would do in their real lives to the
following
✔ speaking about one’s emotions, fears, and wishes
Positive Effects of Social Media
✔ showing kindness and helping others
✔ social interaction (which leads to combating 1. Social connection and peer support
loneliness and finding emotional support)
2. Inform and empower individuals to change themselves and
2. Toxic Disinhibition the community
- includes: 3. Increase self-esteem
✔ rude language, harsh criticism, anger, hatred, and
threats 4. Boosts one’s morale and feelings of self-worth
✔ cyberbullying (threatening, humiliating, making fun
Negative Effects of Social Media
of others)
✔ spreading rumors 1. Body image dissatisfaction
✔ cyber harassment and exploitation
2. Increased risk of social media addiction & cyberbullying
● Managing Toxic Disinhibition 3. Increased loneliness and fear of missing out
- Be careful about sharing
- Do not hang out with the wrong crowd online 4. Decreased subjective well-being and life satisfaction
- Consider your emotional state before posting
5. Depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem
- Consider other people’s possible reactions

Now the question stands… How do we build our online

identity?