FILPSYCH

• Psychology in the Philippines refers to a series of events related to the field of psychology in the Philippines
• Filipino Psychology is a psychology based on the true thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of Filipinos, derived from Indigenous Filipino sources, language, and methods
• Psychology of Filipinos refers to any theories or knowledge of Filipino nature regardless of the source, whether western or local
• Filipino Psychology refers to the psychology born out of the experience, thought, and orientation of Filipinos, based on the full use of Filipino culture and language
• Sikolohiyang Filipino (SP) was a protest against colonization or Philippine colonial education, pushing towards the indigenization of Psychology in the Philippines
• SP is part of a worldwide indigenization movement that began in the 60’s
• The Philippines is considered to have the strongest and most articulate indigenous psychology in Asia
• In 1970, Filipino Psychology emerged to address colonial psychology during Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship
• Virgilio Enriquez introduced the concept of Filipino Psychology/Sikolohiyang Pilipino
• The Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino (National Association for Filipino Psychology) was formalized in 1975
• Four traditions identified in Philippine psychology: Academic Scientific Psychology, Academic Philosophic Psychology, Ethnic Psychology, Psycho-medical Religious Psychology
• Core value in Filipino Psychology is Kapwa (shared inner self/togetherness) - hindi ka nag-iisa
• Core construct of Filipino psychology has two categories: Ibang Tao (outsider/other people) and Hindi ibang tao (one of us/no other people)
• Filipinos value conformity due to Confucian influence in their culture
• Ibang Tao (outsider/other people) has 5 interaction levels:

  • Pakikitungo/civility
  • Pakikisalamuha/act of mixing
  • Pakikilahok/act of joining
  • Pakikibagay/conformity
  • Pakikisama/being united with the group
• Hindi ibang tao (one of us/not other people) has 3 interaction levels:

  • Pakikipagpalagayang loob/act of mutual trust
  • Pakikisangkot/act of joining others
  • Pakikipagkaisa/being one with others
• Pivotal interpersonal value is Pakiramdam: shared inner perceptions
• Linking socio-personal value is Kagandahang-Loob: shared humanity
• Accommodative surface values include:

  • Hiya: sense of propriety
  • Utang na loob: norm of reciprocity
• Confrontative surface values include:

  • Bahala na: leave it up to God
  • Lakas ng loob: being courageous
  • Pakikibaka: ability to undertake revolutions and uprisings
• Societal values include:

  • Karangalan: dignity
  • Puri: external aspect of dignity
  • Dangal: internal aspect of dignity
  • Katarungan: justice
  • Kalayaan: freedom and mobility
• Approaches and methods in Filipino Psychology involve equal status between researchers and participants (kalahok)
• Psychopathology in Filipino context includes:

  • Amok: Malayan mood disorder
  • Bangungot: sudden loss of control leading to death
• Psycho-medicine and Faith Healers practices include:

  • Hilot: massage for pregnant mothers
  • Kulam: hex or bewitchment
  • Lihi: intense craving during pregnancy
  • Pasma: illness due to heat and cold
  • Susto: soul-flight
• Pagtatawas: diagnosing illness using alum

  • Usog: mysterious illness in babies
  • Gabâ or gabaa: negative Karma concept
• History of Sikolohiyang Pilipino: SP was a protest against colonization or Philippine colonial education; hence, the push towards indigenization of Psychology in the Philippines
• Enriquez: 'The definition of psychology takes into account the study of emotions and experienced knowledge (kalooban and kamalayan), awareness of one’s surroundings (ulirat), information and understanding (isip), habits and behavior (another meaning of diwa), and the soul (kaluluwa) which is the way to learning about people’s conscience. (Enriquez, 1976)'
• Psychology of Filipinos refers to any theories of knowledge of Filipino nature regardless of source, western or local
• Sikolohiyang Pilipino


  • Identity and national consciousness
  • Against a psychology that perpetuates colonial status of the Filipino
  • Psychological practice in a Philippine context, concerned with both science and humanistic approaches
  • Maintains mentalism-behaviorism approach
  • Not inconsistent with a universal psychology
• Filipino Psychology


  • Indigenous Asian psychology emphasizing identity and national consciousness, social awareness and involvement, psychology of language and culture, and applications
• Psychology in the Philippines refers to a series of events related to the field of psychology in the Philippines, including all studies, books, and psychology seen in the Philippines, whether foreign or Filipino
• SP can be viewed as part of worldwide indigenization movement
• SP stressed the need for psychology to be ethical or respectful of the Filipino (makatao), to be relevant to Filipino social realities (makabuluhan), and to be culturally appropriate (angkop sa kultura)
• 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
• Western psychology is taught in Filipino schools. Schools started to adapt American psychology although it is unresponsive or not right to Philippine culture. Thus, starts the hegemony/dominance of western American psychology known as “colonial psychology”. As a result, western scholars’ impressions/opinions about the Filipinos are very critical (in a negative way) and impressionistic (their opinion is opposite of what we value. Therefore, Filipinos suffered from the comparison because of the blatant imposition of the “American ways” to Filipinos
• Filipino Psychology was spearheaded by Virgilio Enriquez who introduced the concept of Filipino Psychology/Sikolohiyang Pilipino together with Dr. Alfredo V. Lagmay, Chair dept. of psychology-UP
• Kontekso

  lipunan
• The indigenization movement was a reaction to the domination of Western, especially American, mainstream psychology and a reflection of a global concern for making psychological knowledge culturally appropriate (Yang, 2020)
• Application of concepts and measurements which are not appropriate in a particular culture (or context) may result in an incorrect interpretation of one’s behavior and thinking
• Efforts to address/correct the problems brought about by colonial psychology failed because Filipino scholars are not united or passive in trying to improve the system