PSYCHOLOGICAL

PERSPECTIVE
of the Self
“ For a young person, it is almost
a sin, or at least a danger, to be
too preoccupied with himself;
but for the ageing person, it is a
duty and a necessity to devote
serious attention to himself.”-
Carl Jung

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 Psychological Perspectives of the Self

 The development of self-understanding in

adolescence - self, identity, and personality.
 Theories provide the individual with a sense of

identity and a source of orientation to the world.

 According to Carl Rogers’ theory of the self, an

important aspect of understanding the self is self-

awareness.

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 1
WILLIAM JAMES’
CONCEPT OF THE SELF
The Me-Self and the I-self
 Categories of the Self
● Duality of self:
■ Self as object that can be observed- I have
property x
● “me”
■ Self as agent doing the observing- Self as the
perceiver
● “I”- Related to consciousness: the “I” does
the perceiving, feeling

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Categories of the Self
● The “I-Self”
- Refers to the self that knows who he or she is.
- The thinking self
- Reflects the soul of a person or what is now thought
of as a mind and is called the PURE EGO.

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● The “Me-Self”
- The empirical self
- Refers to describing the person’s personal
experiences
> material self
> social self
> spiritual self

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“Me-Self”
MATERIAL SELF SOCIAL SELF SPIRITUAL SELF
Consists of things that Refers to who and Refers to the most
belong to a person how of a person acts intimate and most
such as the body, on social situations. important part of the
family, clothes, money,
-the self as known by moral behavior.
house etc. that
contributes to one’s others. -inner self
self-image. -evaluative

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 2
CARL ROGERS’ SELF
THEORY:
Real and Ideal Self
SELF CONCEPT
o refers to the image of oneself.
o SELF – flexible and changing
perception of personal identity.
- center of experience.
o Suggests that the self develops from
interactions with others and
awareness of one’s own
characteristics and level of
functioning.

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● According to Rogers, human
beings are always striving for
self-fulfilment, or self-
actualization.

● Central to achieving self-

actualization is the
development of self-concept.

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2 components of self-concept:
 REAL SELF
- Consists of all the ideas, including the self-awareness
of “what I am” and “what I can do”
 IDEAL SELF
- The person’s conception of what one should be or
wanted to be that includes one’s goals and ambitions in
life.

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IDEALIZED SELF REAL SELF

NORMAL

IDEALIZED SELF REAL SELF

NEUROTIC
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MULTIPLE VERSUS
UNIFIED SELF, TRUE
VERSUS FALSE SELF
 Self-understanding in adolescents also
includes conceptualizing the self as multiple
or unified and true or false.
 The construction of multiple selves varies
across different roles and relationships.
 Given the enormous challenges of self-
integration, it is important that adolescents
are supported in their effort to create a
consistent, coherent, or unified theory of the
self.
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● Self is composed of
the true self and the
false self. (Winnicott)
● The function of the
false self is to hide
and protect the true
self
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Example:

On a date vs. With friends

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THE SELF AS
PROACTIVE AND
AGENTIC
For Albert Bandura…
 Humans have the ability to act and make
things happen.
 In his theory of the self, people are viewed
as proactive agents of experiences.
 The core features of agency enable people
to play a part in their self-development,
adaptation, and self-renewal with changing
times. 19
Main agentic features of human
agency:
● Intentionality
● Forethought

● Self-reactiveness
● Self-reflectiveness

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1. Intentionality
 refers to acts done
intentionally. Intentions
center on plans of action.
It would require
omniscience to anticipate
every outcome.
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2. Forethought
 enables the person
to anticipate the likely
consequences of
prospective actions.

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3. Self-reactiveness
 involves making choices
and choosing
appropriate courses of
action as well as
motivating and regulating
their execution.
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4. Self-reflectiveness
 gives the person the
ability to reflect upon
oneself and the
adequacy of one’s
thoughts and actions.

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 Self-efficacy
● refers to the individual’s belief
that he or she is capable to
perform a task.
● it influences whether people
think pessimistically or
optimistically and in ways that
are self-enhancing or self-
hindering.
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Self-regulation
● The ability to control one’s
behavior without having to
rely on others for help.

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THE SELF AS THE
CENTRAL ARCHETYPE
 CARL JUNG
● Two layers of the unconscious:
○ Personal unconscious: contains
repressed memories
○ Collective unconscious: a level of
unconscious shared with other
members of the human species
comprising latent memories from
our ancestral and evolutionary
past

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 CARL JUNG
● ARCHETYPE – is the predisposition of
individuals to respond to the world.
● the archetype represents the hidden
potentialities of the psyche, or total
personality.

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● To Jung, archetypes reside in the
personal unconscious (forgotten
experiences) that is common to all
human beings, known as the
COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS.
● 4 major archetypes:
> persona > anima/animus
> shadow > self
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4 major archetypes:
o PERSONA – refers to the social roles that individuals
present to others.
o SHADOW – refers to the repressed thoughts that are
unacceptable.
o ANIMA – feminine side of the male psyche;
o ANIMUS -the masculine side of the female psyche.
o SELF – the central archetype that unites all parts of the
psyche.

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 6
SIGMUND FREUD’S
CONSTRUCTION OF
SELF AND PERSONALITY
3 structures of personality
● ID – “core of our being”
○ Include instincts and drives that motivate
individuals as well as the genetic
inheritance and reflexes and capacities to
respond.
○ Pleasure-seeking side
● EGO – refers to the “I”
○ Works on the reality principle, controls the
id, and can delay pleasure.
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3 structures of personality
● SUPEREGO – refers to the
“conscience” and “moral judge” of
conduct.
○ it strives for perfection rather than
pleasure.

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 Stages of personality development
(Psychosexual stages)

Oral Stage: Ages 0-1. Most of infant’s pleasure comes

from stimulation of the mouth. If a child is overfed or
frustrated, oral traits will develop.
• Oral Dependent Personality: Gullible, passive,
and need lots of attention. Fixations create oral-
aggressive adults who like to argue and exploit
others.
• Erogenous zone: mouth (oral)
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 Stages of personality development
(Psychosexual stages)
Anal Stage: Ages 1-3. Attention turns to process of
elimination. Child can gain approval or express
aggression by letting go or holding on. Ego develops.
Harsh or lenient toilet training can make a child either:
• Anal Retentive: Stubborn, stingy, orderly, and
compulsively clean
• Anal Expulsive: Disorderly, messy, destructive, or
cruel
• Erogenous zone: anus
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Phallic Stage: Ages 3-6. Child now notices and is physically
attracted to opposite sex parent. Can lead to:
● Oedipus Conflict: For boys only. Boy feels rivalry with his father
for his mother’s affection. Boy may feel threatened by father
(castration anxiety). To resolve, boy must identify with his father
(i.e., become more like him and adopt his heterosexual beliefs).
● Electra Conflict: Girl loves her father and competes with her
mother. Girl identifies with her mother more slowly because she
already feels castrated.
Erogenous zone: phallus/genital organ

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● Latency: Ages 6-Puberty. Psychosexual
development is dormant. Same sex friendships and
play occur here.

● Genital Stage: Puberty-on. Realization of full adult

sexuality occurs here; sexual urges re-awaken.

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THE ROLE OF ERIK
6
ERIKSON’S THEORY IN
UNDERTANDING THE
SELF
To achieve INDIVIDUAL
IDENTITY, one must create a
vision of the self that is authentic,
that is, a sense of having hold of
one’s destiny in an effort to reach
goals that are personally
meaningful.

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1 BASIC TRUST VS. MISTRUST

2 AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT

3 INITIATIVE VS. GUILT

4 INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY

5 IDENTITY VS. IDENTITY CONFUSION

6 INTIMACY VS. ISOLATION

7 GENERATIVITY VS. STAGNATION

8 INTEGRITY VS. DESPAIR

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1. TRUST VERSUS MISTRUST
● Infancy ( 1 – 2 years )
● If the infants’ pattern of accepting things
corresponds with their culture’s way of
giving
things, then infants learn basic trust. In
contrast, they learn basic mistrust if they
have no correspondence between their
needs and their environment.

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2. AUTONOMY VERSUS SHAME AND
DOUBT
● Early Childhood ( 1 - 3 years )
● if parents allow their children to
explore, the children will become
more confident and secure in their
own abilities. If not, children may
become overly dependent and feel
a sense of shame or doubt.

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3. INITIATIVE VERSUS GUILT
● Play Age (3 – 5 years)
● A child who made to feel irresponsible
might develop guilt feelings.

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4. INDUSTRY VERSUS INFERIORITY

● School Age ( 6 - 12 years )

● As children learn to do things well, they
develop a sense of industry. Especially
when children are encouraged in their
efforts. But if children receive little or no
encouragement from parents or teachers,
they acquire a sense of inferiority.
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Pop Quiz!
The crisis that arises during play age is
concerned with:

A
Trust vs. Mistrust C
Initiative vs. Guilt

B
Autonomy vs. Shame D
Industry vs. Inferiority
and Doubt

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Pop Quiz!
The crisis that arises during play age is
concerned with:

A
Trust vs. Mistrust C
Initiative vs. Guilt

B
Autonomy vs. Shame D
Industry vs. Inferiority
and Doubt

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Pop Quiz!
If a child struggles to do well in school, what
problem might emerge:

A Struggles with C
Develop a poor self-
feelings of inferiority identity

Experience a sense Begin to mistrust the

B D
of guilt people around them

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Pop Quiz!
If a child struggles to do well in school, what
problem might emerge:

A Struggles with C
Develop a poor self-
feelings of inferiority identity

Experience a sense Begin to mistrust the

B D
of guilt people around them

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5. IDENTITY VERSUS IDENTITY
CONFUSION
● Adolescence ( 13 - 19 years )
● Adolescence is an adaptive phase of
personality development, a period of trial
and error.
● They are confronted with many roles and
responsibilities
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identity
crisis
a turning point, a
crucial period of
increased
vulnerability and
heightened potential.
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Some people experience
doubt and confusion about
who they are before they
can evolve to a stable
identity.

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“ If parents provide support,
adolescents will develop a
positive identity. If not, they will
feel insecure and identity
confusion will likely occur.”
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6. INTIMACY VERSUS ISOLATION
● Early Adulthood ( 20 - 40 years )
● Erikson believed that it is vital for people to
develop intimate relationship with others.
● Those who are successful at this stage will
form relationships that are stable and
successful. If not, mistrust and isolation may
develop.
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alone
or not? #forever #foreveralone
7. GENERATIVITY VERSUS STAGNATION
● Adulthood ( 40 - 65 years )
● The time when people begin to take their place in
society and assume responsibility for whatever
society produces.
● Those who fail to attain generativity will feel worthless.

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 8. INTEGRITY VERSUS DESPAIR
● Old Age ( 65 – above )
● HOW HAVE I DONE?
● At this stage, individuals reflect on the important
events of their lives. If they are satisfied and feel
proud of their accomplishments, they will feel a
sense of integrity. Those who are unsuccessful
during this stage will feel that their life has been
wasted and will experience regrets and despair.
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 Stage Psychosocial Basic Strength
Crisis
Infancy Basic Trust vs. Mistrust Hope

Early Childhood Autonomy vs. Shame and Will

Doubt
Play Age Initiative vs. Guilt Purpose
School Age Industry vs. Inferiority Competence
Adolescence Identity vs. Identity Fidelity
Confusion
Early Adulthood Intimacy vs. Isolation Love
Adulthood Generativity vs. Stagnation Care
Old Age Integrity vs. Despair Wisdom
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Thank you!
Any questions?

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