The self According to Western and Eastern Thought

INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST

MARKUS AND KITAYAMA
• Pointed out that the primary method in which cultural values influence
psychological process is in terms of how individuals define their selves and how
they see themselves in relations to others in their social network.
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
INDIVIDUALIST
- Subscribe to individualistic values see themselves as
separate entities from others - They believe that they are independent from
others and
therefore can think, decide, and exist on their own - Have stable personality traits
that characterize their uniqueness
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
INDIVIDUALIST
Place a premium on individual effort, performance and needs over
that of cultural norms and standards - In an individualist culture; expected to
prioritize the expressions of self and identify to stand out, to be best in whatever
they do and to be successful Most westerns work and strive for their goals and
dreams for themselves, they may want to contribute to society or their
communities and families but their primary motivation is for their own gratification
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
INDIVIDUALIST
- In terms of emotions and mental health
- Said to be happier, because westerners tend to work towards
their personal hapiness - Have better self-enhancement beliefs - Less personal
responsibility for failures - Experience emotions directly related to their sense of
self
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
INDIVIDUALIST
- In terms of emotions and mental health
Are less affected by failure and feelings of shame and guilt because they attribute
these externally and hence protect their sense of self - When they experience
success, they attribute this to their own
strength and perseverance - They may experience greater feelings of frustrations
and
isolations which may cause depression and a poor sense of selfworth
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
COLLECTIVIST
- Do not exist independently of their society, family and
culture - Believe that each one is highly interdependent in one's
family, tribe, community and culture - Each one contributes to the success and
well-being of the
family - Primary motivation for achieving one's goal is always for the honor of the
family
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
COLLECTIVIST
- Filipinos are largely collectivist, in the study of “Pagkataong Pilipino” it was
reported that collectivist values such as strong family ties, national identity and
sense of national pride are all high
Filipinos appear to share individualist values such as being independent,
self-reliant and self-sufficient are also high. Thus to some degree Filipinos share
individualist traits with other westerners
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
COLLECTIVIST
- Filipinos do refer to themselves in relation to other people
"kapwa" – does not refer to others, but rather as like one
- Kapwa-tao - or sa aking kapwa, they are also reffering to their sense of
self
- Filipinos are also placing value on hard-work, being internally motivated,
uniqueness and excellence, but these are always in relation to their family and
religion/spirituality
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
COLLECTIVIST
- In terms of emotions and mental health
Tend to be less happy when it comes to personal endeavors as they often have
to consider the needs and plans of their elders and family members
Tend to experience greater feelings of shame and guilt as they are afraid to bring
dishonor to their families
INDIVIDUALIST VS. COLLECTIVIST
COLLECTIVIST
- In terms of success, attribute this to situational factors and downplay their own
efforts but tend to take responsibility for failures as challenge to do better
- Base their emotional expressions on the outcome of their actions
They feel positive emotions when they are able to contribute to the betterment of
other people
- The self in a collectivist culture is buffered by social networks and
family that lessens the possibility of depression and other mental health issues
SELF AS SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION
Who we are and who we become is heavily influenced by our environment and
the relationships we have in it
- SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION - As much as self is a mental representation of the
totality of who we are Would refer to how our reality is shared and influenced by
our interactions with others The conceptualization of the self is dependent on
experiences that the individual had with other people
SELF AS SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION - Can be examined along the lenses of shared
knowledge and language
Knowledge - Endowed to the knower of self What is known is brought about by a
shared knowledge of what is truth, objectives, rational and moral - What we
consider to be the truth depends on the rules and practices in a society
SELF AS SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION - Can be examined along the lenses of shared
knowledge and language
LANGUAGE Refers to the signs and symbols that any given society use to
transmit information and knowledge - Primary means of communicating with
others - Emojis & acronyms: means of self-expression and communication
SELF AS SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION
Self does not emerge as a separate entity and then relates to others, rather, it is
through the relations and transactions with others that the self is formed
- Quest in understanding the self; look into your own interactions with your family,
parents and siblings, as they clearly have an impact on your beliefs about
yourself
SELF IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT
Confucius - Became a spiritual symbol and has become venerated as some sort
of teacher, leader and mentor
Oriental Philosophy - Concerned with how experience is able to transform the
individual, not with formal tenets and logic
Eastern ideas - The self emphasize the greater good, intuition, experiences and
personal relationships
SELF IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT
Confucianism - Both a philosophical way of life and a spiritual-religious
system of belief - This system of thought began 200 BC during the Han
dynasty - Systematically laid out the tenet of Chinese philosophy which
emphasized correct behavior, obedience and loyalty
SELF IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT
Confucianism
- Defines the self in terms of the five most important cardinal relationships that an
individual has - Between ruler and minister - Between father and son - Between
husband and wife - Between brothers - Between friends
These relationships must be nurtured by adopting and demonstrating proper
behavior which is composed of reciprocity, interdependence and interrelatedness
SELF IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT
Confucianism
The focus of Confucianism is relational identity which is the identity of the self as
it is defined by the individual's significant relationships with others. The roles that
we take on define and dictates the proper behavior that we should exhibit, not
from our personalities
SELF IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT
Confucianism
Self is embedded in the collective identity of the group or family to which the
individual belongs - The individual shares in the pride and shame of the group
and thus the individual must act in the best possible way to be obedient and loyal
to the group, so as not to commit acts that would bring shame to the group
SELF IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT
Confucianism
- Self should have an unwavering commitment to goodness
and to observe propriety and sincerity in one's behavior - To sacrifice oneself and
to act in propriety is the highest
virtue - To sacrifice oneself is the ability to act in accordance with
social requirements and obligations and to disregard individual desires and
needs
SELF IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT
Confucianism
- OFW's – they have taken on the role of providers - Provider has to be a good
provider, one that will put everyone
else's needs and desires ahead of their own - Parents: primary goal is to provide
a good and stable future
- Filial piety: refers to the obligation of the child to take care of his parents
- It is important to examine the self in terms of various
perspectives that will help in gaining a better understanding of our own selfhood
and identity

Student as a student
Marrying someone parents disapprove, maburos at a young age