Lesson 1 - Concepts and Methods in Filipino Psychology

• Filipino Psychology - It is an indigenous psychology
• Filipino Psychology - The scientific study of the ethnicity, society and culture of a people and the application to psychological practice of indigenous knowledge rooted in the people’s ethnic heritage and consciousness.
• Dr. Virgilio “Doc E, Ver” Enriquez - Pioneer of Sikolohiyang Pilipino; Father of Filipino Psychology
• Psychology as an academic discipline in the Philippines started in the early 1900s when the U.S. colonized the country. Scientifically, it was generally viewed as a continuation of the development of psychology in the West.
• In the early 1970s, however, there came a turning point in the lives of Filipinos. It was a period marked by a high degree of nationalism, brought about by the declaration of the Martial Law. It was ironic that the father of Philippine Psychology was, at that time, a recent Ph.D. graduate of Northwestern University in the U.S.
• It was precisely his Western education that made Sikolohiyang Pilipino founder Virgilio Enriquez realize the need to have a psychology based on the experience, ideas, and orientation of the Filipinos. Together with three other colleagues—Prospero Covar (anthropologist), and Zeus Salazar (historian), and Alfredo Lagmay (psychologist)—they helped establish the foundation for a psychology of and for the Filipinos.
• Enriquez had been a professor of Psychology in the University of the Philippines in Diliman in 1963, but left in 1966 for the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in Social Psychology. From there, he watched the disenchantment of young student activists in the Philippines over the deteriorating political and social conditions of the country.
• When Enriquez returned to the Philippines in 1971, he embarked on a research study with Lagmay into the historical and cultural roots of Philippine Psychology, which included identifying indigenous concepts and approaches. Four years later, he chaired the first national conference on Filipino Psychology. In this conference, the ideas, concepts, and formulations of Sikolohiyang Pilipino were formally articulated.
• Distinctions among the forms of Psychology in the Philippines:

  • Sikolohiya sa Pilipinas (Psychology in the Philippines)

  • Sikolohiya ng mga Pilipino (Psychology of Filipinos)

  • Sikolohiyang Filipino (Filipino Psychology)
• Sikolohiya sa Pilipinas (Psychology in the Philippines) - Refers to a series of events related to the field of psychology in the Philippines. (e.g. number of degree programs and journals, the amount of research conducted)
• Sikolohiya sa Pilipinas (Psychology in the Philippines) - Ang pinakamalaki o kabuuang anyo ng sikolohiya sa kontekstong Pilipino.
• Sikolohiya ng mga Pilipino (Psychology of Filipinos) - Refers to any theories or knowledge of Filipino nature regardless of source, Western or local.
• Sikolohiya ng mga Pilipino (Psychology of Filipinos) - Palasak na anyo sapagkat pinakakaraniwan o madaling makita.
• Sikolohiyang Filipino (Filipino Psychology) - Refers to a psychology based on the Filipino’s true thoughts, feelings, behaviors and must derive from indigenous Filipino sources, language, and methods.
• Sikolohiyang Filipino (Filipino Psychology) - Nilalayong anyo, sikolohiyang bunga ng karanasan, kaisipan at oryentasyong Pilipino.
• Basic Tenets of Filipino Psychology: Core value or Kapwa (togetherness)

  Kapwa, meaning 'togetherness', is the core construct of Filipino Psychology. Kapwa refers to community; not doing things alone. Kapwa has two categories, Ibang Tao (other people) and Hindi Ibang tao (Not other people). Filipinos value conformity because unlike non-Asian countries, its culture is predominantly Christian. This runs into conflict with individualism (kanya-kanya which was brought about by Western colonialism.
• Ibang Tao ("outsider") - There are five domains in this construct:

  • Pakikisama: being united with the group.

  • Pakikibagay: conformity

  • Pakikilahok: act of joining

  • Pakikisalamuha: act of mixing

  • Pakikitungo: civility
• Pakikitungo: In Confucian ethics, right behavior meant right demeanor towards authorities (Parents. Elders, etc.).
• Pakikisalamuha: act of mixing - This is a social value that is primarily communitarian and Confucian. It espouses the ability to adapt.
• Pakikilahok: act of joining - This translates to participation of the entire community.
• Pakikibagay: Conformity - This runs into conflict with individuality which many Filipinos in fact willingly throw away in favor of conformity with demands of those who are in charge.
• Pakikisama: being united with the group
• Hindi ibang Tao ("one-of-us") - There are three domains in this construct:

  • Pakikipagpalagayang-loob: act of mutual trust

  • Pakikisangkot: act of joining others

  • Pakikipagkaisa: being one with others
• Pivotal Interpersonal value:

  Pakiramdam: Shared inner perceptions. Filipinos use damdam, or the inner perception of others' emotions, as a basic tool to guide his dealings with other people.
• Linking socio-personal value:

  Kagandahang-Loob: Shared humanity. This refers to being able to help other people in dire need due to a perception of being together as a part of one Filipino humanity.
• Accommodative surface values:

  • Utang na Loob: Norm of reciprocity. Filipinos are expected by their neighbors to return favors—whether these were asked for or not—when it is needed or wanted.

  • Pakikisama and Pakikipagkapwa: Smooth Interpersonal Relationship, or SIR, as coined by Lynch (1961 and 1973). This attitude is primarily guided by conformity with the majority.

  • Hiya: Loosely translated as “shyness”
• Confrontative surface values:

  • Lakas ng Loob: This attitude is characterized by being courageous in the midst of problems and uncertainties.

  • Pakikibaka: Literally in English, it means concurrent clashes. It refers to the ability of the Filipino to undertake revolutions and uprisings against a common enemy.

  • Bahala Na: Bahala Na translates literally as "leave it up to God (Bathala)" and it is used as an expression, almost universally, in Filipino culture. Filipinos engage in the bahala na attitude as a culture-influenced adaptive coping strategy when faced with challenging situations.
• Societal Values:

  • Puri: the external aspect of dignity. May refer to how other people judge a person of his/her worth. This compels a common Filipino to conform to social norms, regardless how obsolete they are.

  • Karangalan: Loosely translated to dignity, this actually refers to what other people see in a person and how they use that information to make a stand or judge about his/her worth.
• Societal Values:

  • Kalayaan: Freedom and mobility. Ironically, this may clash with the less important value of pakikisama or pakikibagay.

  • Katarungan: Loosely translated to justice, this actually refers to equity in giving rewards to a person.

  • Dangal: the internal aspect of dignity. May refer to how a person judges his own worth.