THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF

THE SELF

Learning Outcomes • The social self refers to whom and how

a person acts on social situations.
At the end of the topic, you are
expected to: • The spiritual self refers to the most
1. Define and describe the different intimate important part of the self. James
psychological theories of self. believed that the path to understanding
2. Differentiate the various theories of the spiritual self is through self-
the self and describe their introspection.
interrelationships.
3. Explain how the theories of self CARL ROGERS’ SELF THEORY:
influence behavior. REAL AND IDEAL SELF
4. Apply theories of self in one ’s life to
develop self-awareness and self- • Another aspect of the self-
understanding.• understanding is self-concept. Self-
concept refers to the image of oneself.
This presentation will discuss the
psychological theories that influence the • Rogers suggests that there are two
way people understand the self and the components of self-concept: real self and
process to live life to the fullest. ideal self.

• Understanding of the self is successful • The real self consists of all the ideas,
when the different parts of the self including the awareness of ‘what I am’
becomes united. and ‘what I can do.’

• An important aspect of understanding • The ideal self is the person’s conception

the self is self-awareness. of what one should be or wanted to be
that includes one ’s goals and ambitions
WILLIAM JAMES' CONCEPT OF SELF: THE in life.
I-SELF AND THE ME-SELF
• The closer (congruent) the ideal self is
• The self is divided into two categories: to the real self, the more fulfilled and
the "I-Self" and the "Me- Self". happier the individual becomes. The
farther (incongruent) the ideal self is to
• The "I-Self" refers to the self that the real self leads to unhappy and
knows who he or she is and what he or dissatisfied person.
she has done in his or her life.

• The "Me-Self" is the empirical self. It

refers to describing the person’s personal
experiences and further divided into sub-
categories: material self, social self, and
spiritual self.

• The material self consists of things that

belong to a person.

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 MULTIPLE VERSUS UNIFIED SELF network of interacting systems that strive
toward harmony.
• Self-understanding in adolescents also
includes conceptualizing the self as • Central to Jung ’s theory of the self is
multiple or unified and true or false. The concept of archetype. The archetype
represents the hidden potentialities of
• The construction of multiple selves the psyche. There are four major
varies across different roles and archetypes: persona, shadow,
relationships. animus/anima, and self.

• Coping with different aspects of the self Four major archetypes: Persona,
constitutes a difficult task among Shadow,
adolescents. Thus, this contributes Animus/Anima, and Self.
heavily to the young person’s struggle for
a unified self. 1. Persona (The Social Mask) -
The persona is the mask we wear to
TRUE VERSUS FALSE SELF interact with the world, the roles we take
on in different social situations.
• Donald Winnicott suggests that the self
is composed of the true self and the false 2. Shadow (The Hidden, Repressed Self) -
self. The shadow consists of the unconscious
• The function of the false self is to hide aspects of the personality that we deny
and protect the true self. or are unaware of—often darker desires,
instincts, or emotions.
• People tend to display a false self to
impress others. The self tends to change 3. Anima/Animus (Inner Gender
depending on situations. Opposite) -
The anima is the feminine side of a man,
THE SELF AS PROACTIVE AND AGENTIC while the animus is the masculine
side of a woman. Jung believed that
• Albert Bandura suggests that humans integrating these opposites into one 's
have the ability to act and make things consciousness allows for psychological
happen. balance.

• In his theory of the self, people are 4. Self (The Unified Self) -
viewed as proactive agents of The self represents the unification of the
experiences. conscious and unconscious parts of the
psyche. It is the ultimate goal of personal
• Efficacy beliefs are the foundation of development—a sense of wholeness and
human agency. integration.

• Self-efficacy refers to the individual’s SIGMUND FREUD’S CONSTRUCTION OF

belief that he or she is capable to perform SELF AND PERSONALITY
a task.
• According to Sigmund Freud, there are
THE SELF AS THE CENTRAL ARCHETYPE three structures of personality: id, ego,
and superego which are often in conflict
• According to Carl Jung, the psyche with each other. If this constant state of
continues to develop throughout life, but conflict is unresolved, personality
the psyche starts to show a definite form problems may arise.
during adolescence.
• The id, ego, and superego develop in a
• Carl Jung conceived the structure of series of stages. Freud called these
personality (psyche) as a complex

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the psychosexual stages of development Phallic Stage (3-6 years):
which progress through five stages: oral, Example:
anal, phallic, latency, and genital. A child becomes more aware of their
body and might start feeling a sense of
Three structures of personality: rivalry with the parent of the same
Id, Ego, and Superego gender, as described in the Oedipus or
Electra complex. A boy might feel jealous
1. Id (Primal Desires) - of his father 's closeness to his mother
The id is the part of the psyche driven by (Oedipus complex). Resolving this results
basic instincts and immediate in identification with the same-sex
gratification. It operates on the pleasure parent.
principle, seeking to fulfill desires without
concern for consequences. Latency Stage (6-puberty):
Example:
2. Ego (Reality) - During this stage, sexual urges become
The ego is the rational part of the less prominent, and children focus more
personality that mediates between the on school, hobbies, and friendships. For
unrealistic demands of the id and the instance, a child might develop a strong
moralistic goals of the superego. It interest in sports or academics without
operates on the reality principle, finding any noticeable sexual feelings.
realistic ways to satisfy the id's desires.
Genital Stage (puberty onward):
3. Superego (Morality) - Example:
The superego is the moral component of In adolescence, sexual desires reawaken,
personality, often formed through and an individual seeks relationships with
parental and societal standards. It judges others. A healthy development during
actions based on right and wrong earlier stages means the person can form
and induces guilt when one behaves healthy romantic and sexual relationships
against these standards. as an adult.

The Psychosexual Stages of ERIK ERIKSON’S THEORY IN

Development UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Oral Stage (0-1 years): • Another important aspect of self-

Example: understanding involves views of identity
A baby gets pleasure from sucking, development of the self.
whether it's a bottle or their thumb. If
fixated at this stage, an adult may • In Erik Erikson’s theory, adolescence
develop habits like nail-biting or Stage is a period of identity development.
overeating as a substitute for the oral
pleasure they experienced as a child. • Identity formation is usually viewed as a
process that requires adolescents to
Anal Stage (1-3 years): distance themselves from the strong
Example: expectations imposed by parents and
A toddler learning to control bowel other family members.
movements during potty training might
take pride in mastering this control • Erikson proposes that individuals go
(leading to a healthy ego). If parents are through eight psychosocial stages of
too strict or lenient, it could result in a development.
fixation. For instance, someone with an
"anal-retentive" personality might
become overly organized and controlling,
while someone with an "anal-expulsive"
personality may be more disorganized.

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 3. Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool: 3-6
Psychosocial Stages of Development years)
Example: A preschooler who is
encouraged to take initiative, like coming
up with a new game to play, develops a
sense of initiative. For example, a child
who suggests building a fort out of chairs
and blankets and is praised for their
creativity will feel confident in taking on
new challenges.

If unresolved: If the child’s ideas are often

dismissed or criticized (e.g., being told
“That’s a silly idea”), they may develop
guilt about their natural desires to
explore and take initiative. This can lead
Psychosocial Stages of Development to a reluctance to try new things or take
risks later in life.
1. Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy: 0-1 year)
Example: A baby whose needs are 4. Industry vs. Inferiority (School Age: 6-
consistently met by their caregivers— 12 years)
such as being fed when hungry and Example: A child who is encouraged in
comforted when upset—will develop a school and praised for their achievements
sense of trust in the world. They grow up (like doing well on a test or winning in
feeling secure and confident that others sports) develops a sense of industry or
will support them. competence. They believe they can
succeed in tasks and are motivated to
If unresolved: A child whose needs are keep learning and improving.
neglected or inconsistently met may
develop mistrust, becoming anxious or If unresolved: If a child experiences
insecure in relationships later in life, failure without support, or if they are
fearing abandonment or betrayal. constantly compared to others and made
to feel inadequate, they may develop a
2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (Early sense of inferiority. For instance, a child
Childhood: 1-3 years) who struggles with math and is labeled as
Example: A toddler learning to do things "slow" might lose confidence in their
independently, like potty training or abilities, fearing they can’t measure up to
dressing themselves, will develop a sense others.
of autonomy. For example, when parents
encourage a child to dress themselves, 5. Identity vs. Role Confusion
even if it takes time, the child feels (Adolescence: 12-18 years)
capable and confident. Example: During adolescence, individuals
explore different identities, values, and
If unresolved: If a parent is overly critical goals, seeking to answer the question,
or does not allow the child to make "Who am I?" For example, a teenager
mistakes, the child may develop feelings might try out different styles, friend
of shame and doubt about their abilities. groups, hobbies, or career paths, and
Later in life, this can result in lack of self- through these explorations, they may
confidence and excessive dependence on begin to form a stable sense of identity.
others.
If unresolved: If an adolescent is unable
to explore their identity or is pressured to
conform to roles dictated by others (e.g.,
a parent insisting they follow a certain

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career path), they may experience role their life with a sense of fulfillment—
confusion. This can lead to uncertainty knowing they have lived according to
about their place in society or a lack of their values and made meaningful
direction in life. contributions—experiences integrity. For
example, a retired person who feels
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young proud of their achievements and
Adulthood: 18-40 years) relationships may face
Example: A young adult who has aging with peace and contentment.
successfully formed a clear sense of
identity and is If unresolved: A person who looks back
able to share their life with others may with regret, feeling they missed
form deep, meaningful relationships, opportunities or made poor choices, may
leading experience despair. For instance, an
to a sense of intimacy. For instance, a elderly individual who feels they wasted
young adult entering a committed their potential or failed to live
romantic relationship where they feel authentically may face feelings of
emotionally connected and supported bitterness or fear of death.
represents a positive outcome of this
stage. Source:
Go-Monilla, J., & Ramirez, N. (2018).
If unresolved: A person who struggles Understanding the self. Philippines:
with their identity or fears vulnerability C&E Publishing, Inc.
may avoid close relationships, leading to
isolation. For example, someone who is
emotionally distant and avoids
commitment out of fear of rejection or
losing independence may feel isolated.

7. Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle

Adulthood: 40-65 years)
Example: In middle adulthood, people
often seek to contribute to society in
meaningful ways, such as raising a family,
mentoring younger individuals, or
engaging in community service. A parent
who is actively involved in their children 's
lives or a professional who mentors
younger colleagues is demonstrating
generativity.

If unresolved: If a person feels that they

have not contributed meaningfully to
society or have not achieved their goals,
they may experience stagnation. For
example, someone who feels unfulfilled
in their career and believes they haven 't
made a lasting impact may feel stuck or
disconnected from others.

8. Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood:

65 years and above)
Example: In old age, individuals reflect on
their lives. Someone who looks back on

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