unpacking the self

The physical self

how can you say that a
person is handsome or
beautiful based on
his/her physical
appearance?
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the physical self
The Physical Self is the
concrete dimension, the
tangible aspect of the person
that can be directly observed
and examined.
According to Santrock (2004), self-
understanding is the individual’s
cognitive representation of the self which
consists of the substance and the content
of self- conceptions.

The development of self- understanding

in adolescence can be described from
simple to perplex and involves a number
of aspects of the self.
As the age increases, interests and
bodies are also changing. The
changes are also rapid that before
the parents notice it, they are no
longer babies but
unpredictable teenagers.
physical characteristics
the defining traits or features of the
person’s body. Physical characteristics
are distinguished by the naked eye like
facial features, hairstyles, clothes or
figure.
According to Erik Erikson, he believed
in the importance of the body from
early development because the physical
as well as intellectual skills will
somehow serve as basis to whether a
person has achieved a sense of
competence and be able to manage and
face the demands of life complexities
 According to William James, he considered the
body as the initial source of sensation and necessary
for the origin and maintenance of personality.
 According to healthy children.org, adolescence is
divided into three periods:
●Early Adolescence (11- 14 years old)
●Middle Adolescence (15- 17 years old)
●Late Adolescence (18-21 years old)
In the Philippines, ages from 15-30 years old are the
youth
puberty
According to Santrock, puberty is
the same as adolescence because
puberty ends prior to the end of
adolescent period but he
recognized puberty as the most
essential marker of the beginning
of adolescence
Girls reached puberty earlier than boys
and they experience menarche (first
menstrual flow)
Boys two to three years later
experienced semenarche (first
ejaculation/ wet dreams)
 body image
Adolescents usually experience imaginary
audience which refers to an egocentric state
where the individual imagines and believes that
many people are actively listening to or watching
him or her.
In social psychology, it is called spotlight effect
refers to the belief that others are paying more
attention to the person’s appearance and behavior
than they really are.
factors that affect the perception
of the physical self
a. Introspection and Self- reflection
Introspection is the process by which one observes and
examines one’s internal state (mental and emotional)
after behaving in a certain way. This means that people
have a low self- insight on aspects about the self where
they wish were not true and many people tend to
overestimate their positive aspects.
factors that affect the perception
of the physical self

b. Self- Perception Theory

Explains that since one’s internal state is
difficult to interpret, people can infer their
inner states by observing their own behavior-
as if they are an outside observer.
factors that affect the perception
of the physical self
C. Self-concept
Self- concept is a cognitive representation of self- knowledge which
includes the Sum total of all beliefs that people have about
themselves. Physical concept is the individual’s perception or
description of his physical self, including his physical
appearance
factors that affect the perception
of the physical self

d. Personal Identity
This is the concept that has developed over the years.
Aspects of his life like nationality, gender, physical traits
as well as choices he makes.
the looking glass self
theory
Charles Horton Cooley stated that a
person’s self grows out of society’s
interpersonal interaction and the
perception of others. The self
image is shaped and reflected from
the social world. Other reaction
will serve as mirror in
which people see themselves
particularly the way they are
perceived by others.
social comparison
It is the process of
comparing oneself with
others in order to evaluate
one’s own abilities and
opinions
two types of social
comparison
upward social comparison

When an individual compares

himself to others who are
better than him.
 downward social
comparison
When an individual compares
himself to someone who is in a
worse situation than he is
especially when he is feeling so
low
 self concept and beauty
Beauty is an asset but it doesn’t define the totality of a person.
It is a physical quality that is pleasing to the eyes of a person
possessing it or to others. Self-concept on beauty is relative.
You might say you are beautiful/handsome because of your
hair, your curves or abs, your nose, etc. It is how you believe,
feel and think about your outward beauty. Across culture, self
concept on beauty differs as culture and society dictates the
standards for beauty. For example, in China, Thailand and
Japan, pale skin denotes attractiveness and affluence while in
Europe, a corset is used to attain an ideal tiny waistline which
depicts beauty among women.
impact of culture on body image and
self esteem
Culturally, eastern and western cultures differ in their perceptions
with regards to their physical appearance particularly in their body
ideals. As mentioned, culture sets the practices, but it is the society
that shapes and sets the norms. In Western culture for example,
being thin is an attribute. The Barbie doll figure is aimed by
exercising, dieting or yoga. In other countries however, particularly
in Australia, children as young as 6 years old are already conscious
of their body size that dieting is already a part of their daily regime.
Many researches show that a poor body image/self-esteem can
cause negative effects.
the filipino
concept of
beauty
 Filipino with eurocentric
features are with their fair
skin and tall skin that
sweeps what is Filipino beauty is
(Dark skin and flat nose
 The “tisoy” and “tisay” beauty
standards is strongly promoted
in media, that perpetuating the
idea that the European standard
of beauty is the only thing that
can be deemed as beautiful.
The message that society gives is that flat
noses and dark complexions do not define
beauty. Eurocentrism and colorism indeed
have significant effects on the body image
and identities of the common Filipino.
 Since a standard has been set by
society and reinforced by the media,
any characteristics that do not
conform to the standard is labelled
as ugly.
 if there is one thing that
you would like to change
about your physical
appearance, what would it
be and why?