Understanding the Self

GE 9

CHAPTER I
DEFINING THE SELF: PERSONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE
ON SELF AND IDENTITY

LESSON II: THE SELF, SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Lesson Objectives:

1. Explain the relationship between and among the self, society and culture
2. Describe and discuss the different ways by which society and culture shape the self
3. Examine how society and culture influenced one’s self.

INTRODUCTION
The previous lesson enumerated the different philosophical perspectives about “self”. It has given us answers on
what really is “self”. How then is “self” developed? What are the different factors affecting the development of
self? Can self be developed on its own?

Consider Tarzan. Both of his parents died in the forest and he was adopted by apes as an infant, becoming less
human, more ape. What does it say about the development of self? The self, cannot be developed on its own. It
is heavily affected by the person’s environment.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SELF

According to Richard Stevens, (1996, Understanding the Self), the self is:
1. Separate – the self is distinct from the other selves, unique and has its own identity
2. Self-contained – the distinctiveness of the self allows its contents to be self-contained (reserved)
3. Independent – the self does not need another self to exist.
4. Consistent – A person’s self persists and cannot be easily changed
5. Unitary – the self is the center of the person’s emotions, thought, etc.
6. Private – The self does all of its thought processes within the self. The self lives in its own world

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
How can a private self still be influenced by its environment? Social Constructivism attempts to unite the self and
the external reality (environment). According to social constructivism, reality is constructed (made) and not
discovered through human activity. It maintains that nothing is learnt from scratch and learning is based on real
life adaptive problem solving which takes place in a social manner. Furthermore, it emphasizes that all cognitive
functions are dependent on interactions with others (e.g. teachers, peers, parents)
 The self is not static, but dynamic and ever-changing;
 The self is malleable and adjusts to varying social contexts;
 The self both affects, and is affected by its environment.
Social constructivists argue for a merged view of the “person” and “their social context” where the boundaries of
one cannot be easily separated from the other. (Stevens 1996)

THE SELF AND CULTURE

Culture refers to arts, knowledge, manners and values shared by the society. Society, on the other hand, refers to
the formal associations or social group with similar interest. It is composed of people with different social role.
Earlier, the self has been described as separate, independent, and private. But, it was also pointed out that “self”
is strongly affected by the environment. Given the differences in culture and societal form a person belongs, how
does one retain his/her self but adjust one’s mannerisms in different social context? This was explained by French
anthropologist Michael Mauss. According to him, every self has two faces.
 Moi – a person’s original self, his identity, his “real me”
 Personne – a person’s adjusted self, the person on different social context depending to cultural and
societal forms.
Example of moi and personne
1. An OFW adjusting life in another country
2. A guy courting a girl
3. People where they live adapt that place’ culture.

THE SELF AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIAL WORLD

How do children grow up and become social beings? How can a boy turn out to be just like an ape? How do
twins coming out from the same mother turn out to be terribly different when given up for separate adoption?
Can you notice how children eventually become what they watch? These are because the growing self actively
shapes its own world and the world around it which can be established through language.

Language – is another manifestation of social constructivism in society. It is both a publicity shared and utilized
symbol system where the individual and the social make and remake each other.
 Understanding the Self
GE 9

According to G.H. Mead and L. S. Vygotsky, the development of the self, progresses with the person’s language
capabilities. Human person develops with the use of language acquisition and interaction with others. Moreover,
the Cognitive and Emotional Development of a child is always a mimicry of how it is done in the social world or in
the external reality where he is in.

Mead
 A child internalizes values, norms, practices and social beliefs through exposure to dialogue with others
that eventually become parts part of his/her individual world. This manifests in the “role-play” of a child.
Example: The child plays at being a doctor by having another child play at being a patient. to play at
being a doctor, however, requires being able to anticipate what a patient might say, and vice
versa. Role playing involves taking the attitudes or perspective of others.
Vygotsky
 The child internalizes dialogue with others and applies that to the problems he/ she deals with, along with
the social and cultural infusions brought about by the said dialogue. He focused on social learning and
the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which is the level of development obtained when children
engage in social interaction with others. It is the distance between a child’s potential to learn and the
actual learning that takes place.

SELF IN FAMILIES
Human persons learn the way of living and therefore their selfhood by being in a family. Babies develop base from
their family culture and enters a system of relationship, most important of which is the family. Being said, the kind
of family that we are born in and the resources available to us will certainly affect us and the kind of development
that we will have as we go through life. Without it (family) biologically and sociologically, a person may not even
survive or become a person. And without a family’s proper upbringing, a child cannot become a functioning
member of society.

The family serves as a child’s benchmark/ foundation for:

1. Customs and traditions
2. Manners and behavior
3. First language

GENDER AND THE SELF

Another factor that affects the developing self is gender. It is one of those that is subject to alteration, change,
and development. People fought hard for the right to express, validate and assert their gender expressions.
Especially these days when society forces a particular identity unto a person depending on sex and / gender. This
is dangerous and detrimental in truly finding one’s self, self-determination, and growth of the self. Oftentimes than
not, family upbringing enforces these gender roles onto the next generation.

Sources:
[Link]
the-other-hand-is-composed/
[Link]
development/
[Link]
[Link]
scribd

------------------------------------------------------------ End of Lesson 2 ---------------------------------------------------------

 Understanding the Self
GE 9

Name: __________________________________________ Date: _______________________

RN/Section: ______________________________________ Chapter: ____ Lesson: _______

ACTIVITY NO 2
The Self, Society and Culture

General Directions
 Answer the following comprehensively based from what you understood. DO NOT COPY PASTE from
the lecture. Copy paste answers will only be given 1 point.
 Be mindful of spellings.
 You can have your answer in a form of picture or screenshot just make sure that it is readable but if
you can pass it in pdf form, please do so with your name and section as file name.
 The deadline will always be at 11:59 pm of the set date. For circumstances where you can’t pass it on
the given date, please coordinate with your leaders.
 For other questions regarding the course, please coordinate with me.
 Leaders can send me the compiled answers of their members through my g-mail,
elmajanemitante08@[Link], my facebook account or our private facebook group.

I. Paste a picture of you when you were in elementary, high school, and now that you are in college. Below the
picture, list down your distinct characteristics that you remember. (5 points each with picture, 3 points without)

MY SELF THROUGH THE YEARS

My Elementary Self My High School Self My College Self

II. ANALYSIS. After having examined your “self” in its different stages, fill out the table below. (15pts)
Similarities in all stages of my Differences in my “self” across the Possible reasons for the
“self” three stages of my life differences in me.

III. APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT. Answer the following honestly. (3 pts)

1. How would you describe your “self”?
2. What are the influences of family in your development as an individual?
3. Think of a time when you felt you were not your “true self”. What made you think you were not truly who
you are during that time?
4. Following the question above, why did you have to live as not your “true self during that time?
5. What aspects of your self do you think may be changed or you would like to change?

Note: Please submit on or before 11:59 pm of April 11, Saturday.

 Understanding the Self
GE 9

COMMERCIAL: Ma’am pwede pong magtanong v1.

1. Ma’am kelan po ang pasa?

 Naandon sa activity na binigay ko
2. Ma’am pwede pong handwritten tapos picturan na lang?
 Naandon sa guidelines na binigay ko
3. Ma’am pdf po ba o word?
 Nasa guidelines din.
4. Ma’am own understanding po ba dapat?
 Nasa guidelines din 
5. Ma’am sa g-mail niyo po ba o pwede sa messenger?
 Beh, guidelines 
6. Ma’am pwede pong ilagay sa word yung pictures tapos isave as pdf?
 Oo naman. Much better para iisang file.
7. Ma’am pano po pag wala talagang makitang picture para don sa elementary, high school at college?
 Nakalagay naman ang pointing system para sa ganong case.
8. Ma’am pano po pag wala talaga? Nabasa po ng bagyo dati. Naiwan po nung lumipat kaming bahay. Di
naman po naming kasalanan yun ma’am. Hehe, tanong lang po.
 Di ko na din alam beh. Ginagawa ko naman ang lahat.