Understanding The Self

Instructional Module in Understanding the Self
Lesson Number 4
Lesson Title The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts
Brief Introduction of the Lesson An individual thinks, feels, and acts in the same
way as members of his or her community. People
are shaped by their culture, and their culture is also
shaped by it.
This module discusses why the differences
between people are markedly divergent. This
divergence is evident in the eastern and western
concept of self.
Lesson Objectives At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. Differentiate the concept of Self according to
Western though against Eastern / Oriental
Perspectives;
2. Explain the concept of Self as found in Asian
thoughts
3. Analyze the concept of cross-cultural ideals
as a Filipino
Lesson Proper
Introduction
An individual thinks, feels, and acts in the same way as members of his or her
community. Fiske, Kitayama, Markus, and Nisbett (1998) reported that people are shaped
by their culture and that their culture is also shaped by it. One of the major advocates of
cultural psychology, Richard Shweder, wrote, "Cultural traditions and social practices
regulate, express, and transform the human psyche, resulting in less in psychological unity
for humanity than in ethnic divergences in mind, self, and emotion" (1991).
Discussion
Western Concept of Self
In medieval times, the philosopher and Saint Thomas Aquinas believed that the body
constituted individuality. The individual was the focus of the Renaissance thought, with
Rene Descartes' famous "I think, therefore, Lam" as the epitome of the Western idea of
self. The western tradition is generally recognized as "imbued with a style of thinking based
on dichotomy and binary opposition".
Osychiatrist and professor Frank Johnson (1985) outlined four categories of how the
term "self" is used in the contemporary western discussion. These are:
 Analytical. Johnson meant the "tendency to see reality as an aggregate of parts."
The "self" is an observer separate and distinct from external objects (Me versus
Other).
 Monotheistic. According to Johnson, involved the tendency toward unitary
explanations of phenomena and a closed-system view of "self" as modelled after a
unitary, omnipotent power ("Man was created by God, in His image).
 Individualistic. It is a quality of western thinking where self-expression and self-
actualization are important ways of establishing who one is, as well as in finding
satisfaction in the world.
 Materialistic/Rationalistic. Western thinking tends to discredit explanations that do
not use analytic-deductive modes of thinking
(Johnson, 1985; Goldin, 2000
Eastern Concept of Self
The early religious writings in the East are the Vedas. It formed the Hindu philosophy
and the dharma (principle of cosmic order). The songs and hymns in the Vedas illustrate
the Eastern mind of a non-dual universe, but rather a creation that is completely unified
with the creator without distinction. According to these sacred Hindu texts, the true nature
of man is described as "Brahman" which is the divine universal consciousness that
encompasses the universe. Brahman is the Self that is all within us. (Watts, 1965, Wolter,
2013).
Buddhism is made up of Buddha's teachings. According to him :
 The "self" is not an entity, a substance, or essence in Buddhist traditions rather, the
"self" is a dynamic process that is interdependent and ever-changing.
 The Buddha taught a doctrine called anata that is also interpreted as Armta "no-self
or no-soul" is a notion that the sense of being unchanging self/soul "inhabits our
bodies or living our lives.
In Confucianism, Confucius discusses that :
 There is no quest for the "self" in terms of substance, of spirit, of essence body.
 The form Confucius wrote of the "self" concept is that of personality.
 The qualities which make up the character of a person are not something that
inherently exists.
 In Confucian thought, it is something that is formed by education and the
environment.
(Klemme, 1999; Ames, 1994; Graham, 1990).
Confucian philosophy introduced the idea that every person begins to be born with a
fan. These, however, do not yet include the concept of "self," but can be explained in
Western terms as a "pre-self" or a "potential self" when perceived together. These four
beginnings are:
 Heart of compassion‘ that leads to Jen;
 Heart of righteousness that leads to Yi;
 Heart of propriety that leads to Li; and
 Heart of wisdom that leads to Chill.
Proponents of Taoism discuss the following in contrast to other beliefs:
 A hierarchical conception of the self, culture, or universe is denied by Taoism. Unlike
Confucianism, Taoism does not see the "self" as an extension of social relationships
(or as defined by). Rather the "self" is only one of the Tao's innumerable
manifestations. It is an extension of the cosmos (or seen as a well-ordered whole in
the universe).
 Chuang-tzu, seen in China as a mystic of unmatched brilliance, gave an explicit
denial of the centrality of the "self." According to Chuang-tzu, "The perfect man has
no self; the spiritual man has no achievement; the true sage has no name." The
goal, then, is selflessness. In short, the idea of selfhood by Chuang-tzu includes
conscious self-transformation leading to the qualities of healthy life in harmony with
both nature and society.
Individualistic vs Collective Self

Cross-cultural ideals have become a significant part of corporate life brought on by
globalization and the growing multicultural workforce. Researchers on organizational
behavior have examined many cross-cultural principles, but none have been given as much
focus as the two assessed in this self-assessment: individualism and collectivism.
Individualistic Self
Americans tend to say "I am my own man." They feel they should show themselves and
stand up for themselves. One of their famous quotes is, "I'm the master of my destiny; I'm
the captain of my soul" believing it's the person who determines how he or she lives his /
her life.
Individualistic societies (such as in the United States; Australia, Great Britain, Canada,
the Netherlands, and New Zealand) stress the individual's moral value. Individualists
promote the declaration of one's interests and desires; individuality and self-reliance are
highly respected. They insist the individual's interests should take precedence over the
state or a social group. They also strongly condemn outside intervention on one's own
interests by society or organizations (such as the government).
Individualistic cultures are focused around the individual: that instead of having the
mind-set of identifying with a community, a person should be autonomous. Individualists
see each other only as loosely connected in interpersonal relationships and prioritize
personal objectives over group interests (Hofstede, 2001).
Collective Self
A study by Filipino psychologist and educator Patricia Licuanan determined that one of
the strengths of the Filipino character is our deep love and consideration for the family,
which includes not only spouses and children, parents and siblings, but also grandparents,
aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents and all other ceremonial relatives. For the Filipino, one’s
family is the source of personal identification, the source of material and emotional support,
and the key commitment and obligation of the individual.
Eastern culture Practiced by Asian countries (i.e., the Philippines) base their beliefs and
self-concept on a collectivist perspective. People in collectivistic cultures emphasize
interdependence and harmonious interrelationship with each other (e.g. family, colleagues,
mates, etc.). It is of the utmost importance to be part of and maintain social networks, to
maintain good relations, and to fulfil obligations.
References
Brawner, D.G. & Arcega, A.F. (2018). Understanding the self. Quezon City, Philippines:
C & E Publishing, Inc.
Gutierrez-Ang, J. (2018). Understanding the self. Manila, Philippines: Mindshapers Co.,
Inc.
Otig, V.S., Gallinero W.B., Bataga, N.U., Salado, F.B. & Visande, J.C. (2018.) A holistic
approach in understanding the self. Malabon City, Philippines: Mutya Publishing
House Inc.

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Instructional Module in Understanding the Self

Individualistic vs Collective Self

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