NAME: ____________________________________

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 FILAMER CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
College of Arts and Sciences
Accredited level III - ACSCU – ACI
Roxas City, Capiz

GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Curriculum Program: CAS Year level: 1

Name of Faculty: Raphah G. Cortel, RPm Semester: First
Email Address: [email protected] Contact Number: 09560711974
Subject/Code: GE 1
Descriptive Title: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
Course Description: The course deals with the nature of identity, as well as the factors and forces that affect
the development and maintenance of personal identity. This course is intended to facilitate the exploration of
the issues and concerns regarding self and identity to arrive at a better understanding of one ’s self. It strives to
meet this goal by stressing the integration of the personal with the academic- contPextualizing matters
discussed in the classroom and in the everyday experiences of the students- making for better learning,
generating a new appreciation for the learning process, and developing a more critical and reflective attitude
while enabling them to manage and improve their selves to attain a better quality of life.
The course is divided into three major parts. The first part seeks to understand the construct of the self from
various disciplinal perspectives: philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and psychology. The second part explores
some of the various aspects that make up the self, such as the biological and material up to and including the
more recent Digital self. The third and final part identifies three areas of concern for young students: learning,
goal setting and managing stress.

Instructional Learning Goals:

The Self from Various Perspectives

1. Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various disciplinal perspectives
2. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different disciplines and perspectives
3. Examine the different influences, factors and forces that shape the self
4. Demonstrate clinical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one’s self and identity by
developing a theory of the self

Unpacking the Self

5. Explore the different aspects of self and identity
6. Demonstrate critical, reflective thought in integrating the various aspect of the self and identity
7. Identify the different forces and institutions that impact the development of various aspects of self and identity
8. Examine one’s self against the different aspects of the self-discussed in class

Managing and Caring for the Self

9. Understand the theoretical underpinnings for how to manage and care for different aspects of the self
10. Acquire and hone new skills and learning’s for better managing of one’s self and behaviors
11. Apply these new skills to one’s self and functioning for better a quality of life

Delivery: 5 months (September to December)

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Number of Topics/Modules: 12
Grading systems:
Project/Participation -30%
Quizzes -20%
Periodic Examinations -50%
Total 100%

References:
Understanding the Self by Dalisay G. Brawner and Arnaliza F. Arcega
General Psychology Today with Drug Education, Ariola, Mariano, 2012 Purely Books
Trading & Publishing Corp
Understanding Psychology by Feldman, R. (2008), 8th ed. McGraw Hill

Course Outlines
Module # Module topic Week
1 The Self from Various Perspectives 1-2
2 The Self, Society and Culture 2-3
3 The Self as a Cognitive Construct 4-5
4 The Physical and Sexual Self 6-7
5 The Material Self 8
6 The Spiritual Self 9-10
7 The Political Self 11
8 The Digital Self 12
9 Learning to be a Better Learner 13
10 Self-Efficacy 14
11 Goal Setting 15-16
12 Growth and Fixed Mindset 17-18

Prepared by: Reviewed by: Approved by:

RAPHAH G. CORTEL DR. MARIA TERESA D. COSICO DR. MINNIE P. CHAN

Faculty, CAS Dean, CAS VP-AA

GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

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 MODULE 1: THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES

Objectives:
1. Explain why is it essential to understand the self
2. Describe and discuss the notions of the self from points-of-view of various philosophers
across time and place
3. Examine one’s self against the different views of self that were discussed in class

Overview
Before we even had to be in a formal institution of learning, among the many things that we
were first taught as kids is to articulate and write our names. We were taught to respond to
them because our names represent who we are. But our name is only a signifier. The self is
thought to be something else than the name. The self is something that a person
perennially molds, shapes and develops.

 The spotlight effect is the phenomenon in which people tend to believe they are
being noticed more than they really are.

I. Philosophical view of the Self

1. Socrates
 “Know Thyself”
 “The unexamined life is not worth living”
 Dualism- there are two aspects of personhood: body and soul

2. Plato: The Ideal Self; the Perfect Self

3 components of the soul:
Rational soul- reason and intellect
Spirited soul- in charge of emotions
Appetitive soul- in charge of basic desires
 We should regain our former self

3. St. Augustine: Love and Justice as the Foundation of the Self

 Man is bifurcated in nature
 He believes that a virtuous life is a dynamism of love

4. Rene Descartes: “Cogito Ergo Sum”

 “I think therefore, I am”
 He could not doubt that he exists, as he is the one doubting in the first place”

5. David Hume: The Self is the Bundle Theory of Mind

 Empiricism- is the school of thought that espouses the idea that knowledge can only be
possible if it is sensed and experienced.
 The self is nothing but a bundle of impressions
 Experiences:
1. Impressions- basic objects of our experience or sensation
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 2. Ideas- copies of impressions
 “The self is a bundle or collection of different perceptions, which succeed each other with
an inconceivable rapidity, and are in perpetual flux and movement”

II. Psychological View of the Self

 Sigmund Freud- Father of Psychoanalysis

 “Psyche” - personality
 3 parts of the Psyche/Personality:
1. Id- pleasure
2. Ego- reality
3. Superego- morality

The Psychosexual stages of Development:

1.ORAL- birth to 1 year

-mouth
-fixation
-oral fixated personality
2. ANAL- 2 to 3 years
-anus
-anal retentive
-anal expulsive personality
3. PHALLIC- 3 to 6 years
-genitals
- Oedipus complex
-Electra complex
4. LATENCY- 6 to 12
-Pre occupied with school, play, and peers
5. GENITAL- 12 until adulthood
-gratification from sexual relationship
III. THE CHRISTIAN/BIBLICAL VIEW

 The Bible
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  “God created mankind in His own image, in his divine image He created him; male
and female he created them, “Be fertile and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living
creature that moves on the ground.”
-Genesis 1:27-28

Activity:

1. Know the meaning and history of your name. Why were you named that way? You
can ask your parents and guardians and also research for the etymology of your
name. Answer this in the space provided.

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2. In your own words, in just 1 sentence each, state what is the “self” from the following
perspectives.

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1. Socrates

2. Plato

3. St.
Augustine

4. Rene
Descartes

5. David Hume

6. Sigmund
Freud

7. The Bible

GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

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 MODULE 2: THE SELF, SOCIETY AND CULTURE

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. Compare and contrast how the self can be influenced by the different institutions in the
society
4. Examine one's self against the different views of self that were discussed in the class

Overview
Across time and history, the self has been debated, discussed and conceptualized
by the different thinkers in history. People put a halt on speculative debates on the
relationship between the body and the soul, eventually renamed body and mind. Thinkers
eventually got tired on focusing on the long-standing debate since 6th century BC between
the relationships of these 2 components of the human person. The debate shifted into
another locus of discussion, one of the most important analyses is the relationship between
the self and the external world.

Read: The story of Tarzan

Characteristics of the self:

1. Separate
2. Self-contained and independent
3. Consistent
4. Unitary
5. Private

 Social Constructionist view- a merged view of “the person” and their “social context”
where the boundaries of one cannot easily be separated from the boundaries of the
other.

The Self and the Culture

According to French Anthropologist Marcel Mauss, the self has 2 faces:
1. Moi- refers to the person’s senses of who he is, his body, his basic identity his biological
givenness
2. Personne- composed of the social concepts of what it means to be who he is.

 Language is another aspect of social constructivism. For example “I love you” and
“Mahal kita” means the same, but when taken the elements of both phrases apart, it
might mean more.

The Sociological Self

One of the pioneering contributors to sociological perspectives was Charles Cooley (1864–
1929). He asserted that people’s self-understanding is constructed, in part, by their
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perception of how others view them—a process termed “the looking glass self” (Cooley
1902). Later, George Herbert Mead (1863–1931) studied the self, a person’s distinct
identity that is developed through social interaction. In order to engage in this process of
“self,” an individual has to be able to view him or herself through the eyes of others. That’s
not an ability that we are born with (Mead 1934). Through socialization we learn to put
ourselves in someone else’s shoes and look at the world through their perspective. This
assists us in becoming self-aware, as we look at ourselves from the perspective of the
“other.”

The Self and Its Social Agency

“Culture is the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, law, art moral, custom,
and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” (Tylor, 1871)

Individualism-Collectivism Model

Proposed by Hazel Markus and Shinobu Kitayama (1991).

 The Eastern cultures represents Asia, bound by collectivistic culture and the
Western represents Europe and North America is colored by individualism.

Activity:

1. Describe yourself when you were in elementary, high school, and now that you are
in college. Then list your noticeable characteristics on each age.
Elementary self High school self College self

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Questions:

a. What are the similarities in all stages of my “self”?

b. What are the differences in my “self” across the three stages of my life?
c. What are the possible reasons for the differences in me?
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2. Write top 5 differences between the Western and Eastern culture. Contrast them in this
format.

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 Eastern Western

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

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 MODULE 3: THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCT

Objectives:
1. Identify the different ideas in Psychology about the “self”
2. Create your own definitions of the “self” based on the definitions from psychology
3. Analyze the effects of the various factors identified in psychology in the formation of the
self.

 William James (1890) was one of the earliest psychologists to study the self and
conceptualized the self as having 2 aspects:
1. “I”- the thinking, acting, feeling self
2. “me”- the physical characteristics as well as the psychological capabilities that makes
who you are.

 Identity- composed of personal characteristics, social roles, and responsibilities, as well

as affiliations that define who one is.
 Self-concept- what comes to your mind when asked who you are

 Carl Rogers, self-schema- organized system or collection of knowledge about who we

are

Under the theory of symbolic interactionism, G.H. Mead argued that the self is created and
developed through human interaction.
1. We do not create ourselves out of nothing.
2. We need others to affirm or reinforce who we think we are.
3. What we think is important to us may also have been influenced by what is
important in our social or historical context.

Activity:

1. “You through the eyes of others” Have at least 6 persons close to you describe you
in 5 adjectives each. Write your relationship to them.

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Questions:
a. What are the adjectives that are common among all the answers? Why do you think
those people view you as such?
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b. What are the adjectives do you agree and disagree with as you view yourself?
Why?
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c. What did you learn or discover about yourself from this activity?
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GE 1

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 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

MODULE 4: THE PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL SELF

Objectives:
1. Explain human sexual behavior
2. Discuss the developmental aspects of our body systems
3.Describe the ways of how to take care the physical aspect of the self

The Biological Blueprint

 The physical self is shaped by biological and environmental factors
 Heredity is defined as the transmission of traits from parents to offspring. The traits are
made up of specific information embedded within one’s gene.
 Genotype refers to the specific information embedded within one’s genes; not all
genotypes translate to an observed physical characteristic.
 Phenotype is the physical expression of a particular trait.
 Each individual carry 23 pairs of chromosomes, which are threadlike bodies in the nucleus
of the cell and the storage unit of genes. The 23rd pair, also known as sex
chromosomes, determines the sex of an individual.
 Within each chromosome is the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is a nucleic acid that
contains the genetic instructions specifying the biological development of every individual.
 Maturation is known as the completion of growth of a genetic character within an organism
or the unfolding of an individual’s inherent traits or potential.
 Gonads – reproductive glands that produce gametes (testis or ovary)
 Puberty- is the period of life between 10-15 when the reproductive organs grow to their
adult size and become functional under the influence of rising hormones (estrogen and
testosterone)
 Menarche- the first menstrual period of females which happens 2 years after puberty.

Environmental Conditioning
 As you grow up, you are exposed to environmental influences that shape your physical self,
including those from your social networks, societal expectations, and cultural practices.
 As you grow older, you get exposed to a larger social group with new practices and
standards. As a result, you may begin engaging in acts that would make you attractive and
acceptable to others.
 One aspect of physical beauty is a person’s body type. Contemporary media has
portrayed slim bodies as the ideal body type for women and muscular bodies for men.
Thus, adolescents indulge in activities that would enable them to achieve these ideal body
types.
 However, some adolescents may resort to unhealthy habits just to achieve the ideal body
type. It is important to remember that physical beauty is only skin-deep; that what matters is
feeling good about oneself and embracing a healthy perception of one’s physical worth.

Achieving Physical Well-being

1. Healthy eating. Following a healthy diet results in healthy skin, ideal weight, and better
stamina.
2. Embracing a healthy lifestyle. Physical activities such as walking, running, going to
the gym, and engaging in sports also contribute to a healthier body.
3. Maintaining proper hygiene. Taking care of your body by consistently following a
hygiene regimen can also help you feel good about yourself.

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 4. Being confident. Be secure in yourself, embrace a positive outlook toward various
situations and problems, and love and accept who you are.

The Biology of Self

 At birth, the sexual genital (penis for male, vagina for female) is a biological feature that
distinguishes males from females. Moreover, during puberty, observable changes in the
human body also known as secondary sexual characteristics begin.
 When physiological changes are triggered within the adolescent’s reproductive system, he
or she is likely to experience sexual urges, become more sensitive to sexual stimuli, and
feel sexual arousal.
 Humans are likely to engage in sexual activities to satisfy sexual urges. However, the kind
of sexual activities they engage in may vary.
 A person should be aware of his/her sexuality and sexual attributes in order to make
responsible decisions. Adolescents need to realize the importance of having informed
choices.

Sexual Identity and Gender Orientation

 Biological sex is one’s assignment upon birth and is dependent on physical feature. On
the other hand, gender is an identity that is learned and embraced by individual.
 Gender roles refer to societal expectations of how men and women should act. Everyone
has a basic idea of gender roles: men are assumed to be strong and
dominant while women are perceived to be submissive and demure.
 Sexual identity and gender orientation underlie one’s concept of self. A person expresses
his or her sexuality through individuality; one’s belief and behavioral lifestyle are based on
his or her own perceptions of sexuality.

The Consequences of Sexual Choices

 Sexual intercourse (copulation) is the reproductive act in which the male organ (penis)
enters the female’s reproductive tract (vagina). Adolescents couples who engage in sexual
intercourse are usually overwhelmed by the sensations they feel during the act.
 However, if the woman is fertile during the time of intercourse, pregnancy is likely to occur
and it lasts approximately nine months before the birth of the child.
 Having a child entails a big responsibility and should not merely be a consequence of an
impulsive moment. Physical risks to having an early pregnancy may impact an adolescent’s
development, including miscarriage, emotional stress, and health risks to both mother and
infant.

Aside from pregnancy, another consequence of impulsive and careless sexual intercourse
is the risk of acquiring sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). Among common STDs are:
Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Genital Warts. The most alarming sexually transmitted
disease is the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It can be transmitted by contact between broken skin,
wounds, or mucous membranes and HIV-infected blood or blood-contaminated body fluids.

It is important that everyone makes responsible decisions with regard to sexuality and
sexual behavior. Responsible sexual behavior entails the following
1. Respect for one’s body. It means taking care of one’s body and avoiding activities that
undermine one’s worth and respect.
2. Maturity in thoughts and deeds. It refers to being objective, rational, and calm,
instead of being swept by one’s emotion.
3. Being guided by one’s personal beliefs and core values. Everyone, especially an
adolescent, should always be grounded by his/her personal principles and self-worth.

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4. Being future-oriented. Instead of focusing on the present, a person should always
weigh his or her present actions with possible consequences in the future.

Activity

1. Describe your ideal body/beauty type. What influenced you to have that idealized
image?
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2. Give a common stereotype in your gender e.g. Men being attracted to physical beauty.
Cite some personal instances to support your answer. Do you think it’s true? Why do
you think we have those stereotypes?
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GE 1

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 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

MODULE 5: THE MATERIAL/ECONOMIC SELF

Objectives:
1. Explain the associations of self and possessions
2. Identify the role of consumer culture to self and identity
3. Appraise one’s self based on the description of material self

Overview

“We are what we have and what we possess” -Belk 1988

This section focuses on how people maintain extensions of themselves through material
possessions and maintenance of particular lifestyles. In the context of what the society
values as needs and wants, this section discusses how an individual acquires goods, the
factors that shape his/her economic decisions, and what these things say about one’s
sense of self.

 People are likely to purchase products that can relate to their personality. Material
possessions signify some aspects of one’s sense of self and identity.
 Possessions, tell a lot about their owners. Thus, one’s sense of self and identity is
influential on how an individual chooses to purchase his/her wants and how he/she makes
economic decisions that will address his/her personal and social needs
 The decisions that go into the purchase of items and certain services is dependent on a
number of factors, including financial constraints, availability of items and services, and the
influence of family and friends.

However, the most important factor is determining whether these items and services fall
under:
1. Wants. Synonymous with luxuries. People buy them for reasons that do not warrant
necessity.
2. Needs. These are important for survival. Food, clothing, and shelter are basic needs so
people purchase them out of necessity.

In the process of acquiring material goods, people generally consider 2 things:

1. Utility. Concerned with how things serve a practical purpose.
2. Significance. Concerned with the meaning assigned to the object. It is also concerned
with how objects become powerful symbols or icons of habit and ritual which can be
quite separate from their primary function.

 The possession of material things also indicates one’s status in the society. These personal
choices build one’s material and economic self which is an extension of his/her social
identity.

The Material Self

According to William James, the material self is primarily about our bodies, clothes,
immediate family, and home. We are deeply affected by these things because we have put
much investment of our self to them.

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 1. Body- our innermost part of the material self. We are directly attached to this
commodity that we cannot live without.
2. Clothes- Herman Lotze, in his book Microcosmus, stipulated that “any time we bring
an object into the surface of our body, we invest that object into the consciousness
of our personal existence taking into its contours to be our own and making it part of
our self”. Clothing is a form of self expression.
3. Immediate family- Our parents and siblings hold another great important part of our
self. What they do or become affects us.
4. Home- it is where our heart is. It is the earliest nest of our selfhood.

“A man’s self is the sum total of all what he can call his” -James

Activity:

Debit Card Challenge. A very wealthy person gave you debit card and told you to use it as
much as you want to make yourself happy. Make a list of what you want to have.

Questions:
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1. Which among the categories you have the most? (body, clothes, immediate family,
home). Why do you think so?
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2. What do you think this list tell you about yourself? What did you learn about yourself
from the activity?
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GE 1
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 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

MODULE 6: THE SPIRITUAL SELF

Objectives:
1. Identify various religious practices and beliefs
2. Understand the self in relation with religious beliefs
3. Explain ways of finding meaning in life

Overview

The self lives in society where there are many practices of religion. The choice of religion
lies in the spiritual self. Although the choice of religious belief maybe influenced by society
and culture. There are many religions with different beliefs and practices.

Buddhism

 Buddhism arose in the eastern part of Ancient India.

 The name Buddhism comes from the word Budhi which means ‘to wake up’.
 This philosophy has its origins in the experience of the man Siddharta Gautama, known as
the Buddha.

4 Noble Truths
1. the Truth of Suffering
2. the Truth of the Origin of Suffering
3. the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
4. the Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering

The Eightfold path:

Christianity

 Followed by almost 1/3 of the world’s population (2.2 billion)

 Based on the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus, believed to be the Christ
(Messiah, Savior) by his followers (thus called “Christians”)

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 Major divisions:
1. Roman Catholic
2. Eastern Orthodox
3. Protestantism

 Scriptures: Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible) and New Testament (written after
Jesus’ death, by his followers, during the first century; not canonized until the 4 th
century)
 Baptism: outward sign of commitment to Jesus
 Eucharist (communion): symbolic meal of Jesus’ last meal with disciples; taken in
thanks and celebration
 Trinity: belief in God as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; not 3 different gods

Hinduism

 Hinduism is the oldest and the third largest of the world’s major religions, after
Christianity and Islam, with 900 million adherents.
 Hinduism is a faith as well as a way of life, a world view and philosophy upholding the
principles of virtuous and true living.
 Atman –Soul
 Vedas- sacred scriptures
 Reincarnation- the cycle of death and being reborn
 Karma- the reincarnated life will depend on how the past life was spent
 Moksha- end on the endless cycle
 Brahma- The Creator; Vishnu- the Preserver; Shiva- the Destroyer

Islam

Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity, with about 1.8 billions
Muslims worldwide. Scholars typically date the creation of Islam to the 7th century, making it
the youngest of the major world religions. Islam started in Mecca, in modern-day Saudi
Arabia, during the time of the prophet Muhammad’s life.

 The word “Islam” means “submission to will of God”

 Muslims worship one, all knowing God, who in Arabic known as “Allah”.
 Islam teaches that Allah’s word was revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the
angel Gabriel.
 The Quran is the major holy text of Islam. Muslims also revere some material found in
the Judeo-Christian Bible.

5 Pillars of Faith:
1. The testimony of Faith (Shahada) – “ la ilaha illa allah. Muhammad rasul Allah”. This means
there is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”.
2. Prayer (Salat ) – five ritual prayers must be performed everyday.
3. Giving (Zakat ) – This almsgiving is a certain percentage (2.5%) given once a year.
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4. Fasting (Sawn ) – Muslims fast during Ramadan in the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar.
They must not eat or drink from dawn until sunset.
5. Pilgrimage (Hajj ) – If physically and financially possible, a Muslim must take pilgrimage to
Mecca on Saudi Arabia at least once. The Hajj is performed in the twelfth month of the
Islamic Calendar.

The two major Muslim Holidays are:

 Eid al Adha – celebrates the prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah.
 Eid al-Fitr – Marks the end of Ramadan – the Islamic holy month of fasting.

Judaism
 The Jews believe in the God of Abraham, the same God that liberated the Hebrew
slaves from Egypt to Canaan.
 The Jews believe in the coming of the Messiah the Savior
 The sacred scriptures of the Jews is the Torah
 Rosh Hashanah- the New Year
 Yom Kippur- the Day of Atonement
 Pesach- Passover
 Shavuot- Pentecost
 Sukkot- Feast of the Tabernacles

Logotherapy

 Logotherapy was first developed in the 1940s–1950s by Viktor Emil Frankl (1905–1997),
who was a psychiatrist and neurologist from Vienna, Austria.
 As a Jew, he was captured by the Nazis in the early 1940s and sent to a concentration
camp.
 As he later explained, it was his persistence in clinging to his own set purpose or continuing
the life's work that he had been forced to leave behind that fortified him and helped him to
survive the horrors of the Holocaust.
 Later, he laid out the foundations of logotherapy in his best-known book Man's Search for
Meaning, where he famously wrote: "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the
last of the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances,
to choose one's own way. “
 is a term derived from “logos,” a Greek word that translates as “meaning,” and therapy,
which is defined as treatment of a condition, illness, or maladjustment.

Sources of meaning:
1. Purposeful work
2. Courage in the face of difficulty
3. Love

Activity

What is the meaning of life? Briefly explain in 1-3 sentences on each perspective:
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 Perspective Meaning of Life

1. Buddhism

2. Christianity

3. Hinduism

4. Islam

5. Judaism

6. Logotheraphy

GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

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 MODULE 7: THE POLITICAL SELF

Objectives:
1. Develop a Filipino identity
2. Identify different Filipino values and traits
3. Reflect on your selfhood in relation to your national identity

“What makes a Filipino, a Filipino”

“Would it be safe to say that Filipinos have truly developed an identity of our own?”

The Philippines as we know today has emerged in the 1890s after three centuries of
colonization of the Spaniards.
Foreign culture, beliefs, language and religion have made a huge dent on our own by
setting a foundation to the contemporary Filipino identity and culture. Colonial mentality
remains an issue.

 1987 Constitution, “Filipino citizens are those whose mothers or fathers are citizens
of the Philippines, those born before January 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect
Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of maturity, and those who are
naturalized in accordance with the law.”

Filipino Values and Traits:

 Filipino hospitality- Filipinos welcome their guests and tourists as if they are their own
brothers and sisters, they always make them feel at home.
 Respect for elders- Filipinos greet their elders by kissing hand and saying “po” and “opo” in
conversations.
 Close family ties- Filipinos maintain a tight relationship with their families regardless if the
children are grown.
 Cheerful personality- Filipinos smile and cry a lot even during trying times.
 Self-sacrifice- Filipinos go out of their way to extend help to their friends, families and loved
ones.
 Bayanihan- spirit of communal unity and cooperation of Filipinos
 “Bahala na” attitude- originated from “Bathala na” meaning leaving everything into God’s
hands
 Colonial mentality- lack of patriotism and attitude where Filipinos favor foreign products
more than their own
 Manaña habit- procrastination
 “Ningas kugon”- is a Filipino term for flame and “kugon” a grass that easily burns out after it
is put into flames; it’s the attitude of eagerly starting things but losing it after experiencing
difficulty
 Crab mentality- Where one resents the achievement of another, instead of feeling happy for
that person
 Filipino time- arriving late for commitments, dinner, or parties especially if they are meeting
someone close to them.

Filipino Markers
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1. Proverbs or Salawikain- sayings that convey lessons and reflections on Filipino practices,
beliefs, and traditions.
2. Superstitions- some of these may be influenced by beliefs from other cultures, but Filipinos
have retold these according to their own experiences.
3. Myths and legends- these stories aimed to explain the origin of things at the same time,
teach a valuable lesson.
4. Heroes and Icons- they serve as reminder of true patriotism and nationalism as they have
sacrificed their lives for the sake of their country’s freedom and progress.

How to be a good Filipino:

1. Be an active citizen
2. Study the Philippine history
3. Support local products
4. Speak the Filipino language
5. Do not spread fake news and be democratic in engaging with dissent

Activity

1. Choose a common Filipino trait from the lesson and briefly describe it using
examples. Do you think it is beneficial or consequential to the life of a Filipino?
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2. Think of 1 common superstition you were taught and you believed as logical and
true. Why do you think so?
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GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

MODULE 8: THE DIGITAL SELF

Objectives:
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 1. Define online identity
2. Describe the influence of internet on our sense of self
3. Discuss the proper ways of demonstrating values and attitude online

Overview

This section examines the role of technology and the internet in shaping an
individual’s social self, with emphasis on the use of social media platform and membership
in virtual communities. This section highlights the crucial role of the internet in forming the
self and identity of millennial learners.

The Self in the Age of Technology

 Social media is defined as the websites and applications that make it easier to create and
share information, ideas, and interests. It also allows people to create other forms of self-
expression via virtual communities and networks.
 Through the use of social media, people may act differently since interaction in social media
do not happen face-to-face and there is no physical presence required. This is
called online disembodiment. With this, people are less likely to display their real “selves”
to others, especially to strangers.

Online Identity
 People generally have role identities. These are the characters and roles an individual
creates as a member of a particular social group. Following this definition, “self” is
composed of identities ranked by importance. The greater the commitment of an individual
to a particular identity, the greater the importance of this identity.
 In an online environment, one’s role identity is vitally important in order for him/her to
project himself/herself in the said environment. Amidst the technological tools and channels
surrounding individuals and online activities that people engage in, one’s online identity
enables him/her to participate in a virtual society.
 However, participation in virtual environments may entail changes that may affect a
person’s sense of self. In some cases, people present themselves differently in online
interactions as compared to the face-to-face interactions they engage in.

Setting boundaries to your Online Self: Smart Sharing

 Is the post necessary?
 Is there a real benefit for this post?
 Have we resolve this issue?
 It is appropriate? In 5, 10, or 15 years?

Rules to follow
 Stick to safer sites
 Guard your passwords
 Limit what you share
 Remember that anything you out online is there forever
 Do not be mean or embarrass people online
 Always tell if you see strange or bad behavior online
 Be choosy about your online friends
 Be patient

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  Self-presentation is the process of controlling how one is perceived by other people,
Goffman and Leary
 “Fear of missing out” – compulsive checking of news feeds and continually adding
posts to appear active and interesting.
 Disinhibition effect- the lack of face to face meeting, together with feelings of
anonymity and invisibility, gives people the freedom for self-disclosure but can also
flame others and make conflict sometimes.

Activity:

1. Pick a social media post of yours that you posted within this week. Carefully evaluate
yourself if you have followed the smart sharing guidelines. Then describe what you have
learned from the activity.
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2. Three facts, 1 fiction: Construct 4 sentences that is true about yourself: characteristics,
strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments, personality, behavior. One statement should be
a lie, something that you made up about yourself.
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GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

MODULE 9: LEARNING TO BE A BETTER LEARNER

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Objectives:
1. Explain how learning occurs
2. Enumerate various metacognition and studying techniques; and
3. Identify the metacognitive techniques that you find most appropriate for yourself

Metacognition is defined as “thinking about thinking”. It is the awareness of the scope and
limitations of your current knowledge and skills.

Metacognition has 2 aspects:

1. Self appraisal- personal reflection on your knowledge and capabilities
2. Self management- metal process you employ using what you have in planning and
adapting to successfully learn or accomplish a certain task

Tips in exercising metacognition:

1. Knowing your limits
2. Modifying your approach
3. Skimming
4. Rehearsing
5. Self-test

Tips that you can uses in studying:

1. Make an outline of the things you want to learn, the things you are reading or doing,
and/or the things you remember
2. Break down the task in smaller and more manageable details.
3. Integrate variation in your schedule and learning experience.
4. Try to incubate your ideas.
5. Revise, summarize, and take down notes, then reread them to help you minimize
cramming in the last minute.
6. Engage what you have learned.

Activity:
Answer the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and evaluate yourself as a learner. A copy
of the MAI can be downloaded from the following link:
https://www2.viu.ca/studentssuccessservices/learningstrategist/doceuments/
MetacognitiveAwarenessInventory.pdf

Answer the following questions

1. Do you agree with the results of your MAI? Why or why not?
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2. Make a list of your “top 5 tips or secrets for studying” based on your personal
experiences/preferences.
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3. Does your MAI result consistent with your personal top 5 tips or secrets for studying?
Why do you think so?
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GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

MODULE 10: SELF EFFICACY

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Objectives:
1. Use Bandura’s self-efficacy theory for self-assessment;
2. Differentiate growth and fixed mindset by Dweck
3. Design personal goals adapting Locke’s goal setting theory

Albert Bandura- had a study known as the Bobo Doll Experiment. His social cognitive
theory states that people are active participants in their environment and are not simply
shaped by that environment.

What is Self-Efficacy?
Self-Efficacy is defined as, “beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses
of action required to produce given attainments.” (Mechida and Schaubroeck, 2011)

Two factors that optimize the strength of self-efficacy.

- Learning a skill
- Performing in a situation

Students with higher self-efficacy

1. Are more interested
2. Persist longer
3. Respond more adaptively when they encounter challenges
4. Show stronger academic performance

Principles that influence self-efficacy beliefs

1. Mastery experiences- The most influential source of self-efficacy beliefs are mastery
experiences, which provides feedback on learner’s capabilities.
2. Vicarious experiences- Learner’s observe a role model attaining success at a task.
3. Verbal persuasion- Appraisal, feedback, and positive encouragement from others are
aspects of verbal persuasion
4. Physiological states- Gut feelings convince learner of probable success or failure.

Activity:

Recall some instances in your life where your self-efficacy beliefs were influenced. Give 1
instance in each of the principles of self-efficacy beliefs. How was your self-efficacy
influenced by each principle?
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GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

MODULE 11: Goal Setting

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 Objectives:
1. Use Locke’s theory for self-assessment
2. Appreciate the goal setting theory in life as a student
3. Map out one own’s plans and goals for the future

Overview:

Edwin Locke is internationally known for his research on goal setting. In 1996, he published
another article entitled “Motivation through Conscious Goal Setting”

RESEARCH FINDINGS:
“MOTIVATION THROUGH CONSCIOUS GOAL”
1. The more difficult the goal, the greater the achievement.
2. The more specific the goal, the more precise the performance is regulated
3. Goals that are both specific and difficult lead to the highest performance.
• Goal commitment- the degree to which the person is genuinely attached to and
determined to reach the goals.
4. High commitment to goals is attained when the individual is convinced that the goal is
important and attainable.
5. Self efficacy influences:
 The difficulty of the goal
 Commitment to the goals
 Response to negative feedback or failure
 Choice of task strategies
6. Goal setting is most effective when there is feedback that shows progress in relation to
the goal.

Activity

5-10-20 Selfie

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Draw your envisioned Future Self: five years from now, ten years from now, and twenty
years from now. Make sure to have applied the research findings of the goal setting. Use
the space provided.

GE 1
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

34
 MODULE 12: Growth and Fixed Mindset

Objectives:
1. Compare and contrast the 2 mindsets
2. Relate how our mindset influences our perspectives about ourselves
3. Evaluate on how to improve one’s mindset about life

Notable people who experienced failures in life but succeeded

1. Winston Churchill
2. Michael Jordan
3. Leo Tolstoy
4. Walt Disney
5. Thomas Edison
6. Beethoven

What is Mindset?
-by Carol S. Dweck
-belief about ability
-affects decisions related to learning

2 mindsets:
1. Fixed mindset – intelligence and potentialities are a fixed trait
2. Growth mindset – intelligence and potentialities can be trained; the brain is a
“growth organ

Fixed Mindset:
–Look smart at all costs.
Growth Mindset:
–Learn, learn, learn!

Fixed Mindset:
–It should come naturally. If I have to work hard, I’m not very smart.
Growth Mindset:
–Work hard. Effort is key!

Fixed Mindset:
–Hide mistakes and conceal deficiencies.
Growth Mindset:
–Confront deficiencies.
Capitalize on mistakes.

 Those with a fixed mindset tend to create performance goals. They believe that a
person’s potential can be measured. they aim to receive validation from others.
-receiving low marks mean that they are not smart.
-both success and failure cause anxiety.

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  Those with a growth mindset tend to create learning goals. the goal is mastery and
competence. scores and marks reflect how people are doing now and do not measure a
person’s potential. Creating goals for learning has shown to increase performance and
enjoyment and decrease negative emotion.

 People adopting a growth mindset tend to generate other, and new, ways to do things.
-If one route doesn’t work, they will try others.
-They will think “outside of the box” to solve problems because they believe that they
can.
 Carol Dweck has found that students with a fixed mindset keep using the wrong strategy
when faced with a problem.
-Then, they disengage from the problem.
- Finally, they give up.

Research Findings:
1. Pre-Med students were assessed on their academic performance.
•Fixed mindset students thought that their ability would carry them along; if they did poorly, they
lost confidence.
•Growth mindset students were concerned about learning the material; if they did poorly, they
worked harder. They had higher final grades in organic chemistry, the most difficult course in
the sequence.
2. 4th grade students were tested in a lab with electrode cap to measure brain activity.
Students were asked a series of challenging questions on a computer. After answering,
they waited a second to see if they got the answer right or wrong. After another second,
they learned what the correct answer was.
•Fixed mindset students’ brainwaves indicated stronger attention on being right or wrong.
•Growth mindset students’ brainwaves indicated stronger attention on the correct answer.

Where do mindsets come from?

 Praising intelligence makes kids fragile. Our tendency to praise gifted children for their
intelligence may actually be detrimental to their long-term intellectual growth and
development. “Wow, you’re really smart!”
 Students praised for intelligence:
-Selected easier tasks when given choice
-Lied about their scores in an effort to look “smart”

The Alternatives
1. Effort
2. Applying strategies
3. Selecting difficult tasks
4. Learning
5. Improvement
6. Persistence in the face of setbacks

Activity

Questions:

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1. Earlier in your life (elementary to high school), what kind of mindset do you think you
have? (especially academically, on your abilities and potentials). What influenced that kind
of mindset?
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2. How about now? What kind of mindset do you have? What influenced that kind of
mindset?
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