LESSON 6 - UNPACKING THE: PHYSICAL SELF

• INTRODUCTION

  Human beings are attracted to many things about each other - one of which is physical beauty. After they have had enough experiences together, the first layer of beauty becomes far less important than the other, less visible layers of attraction.
• PHYSICAL SELF

  • The tangible aspect of the person that can be directly observed and examined as we interact with our environment and fellow beings.
  • In other words, the physical self refers to one’s physical body (Haugen, et. Al., 2011).
  • Our body image, which includes our perception of ourselves and our own body and the manner in which we feel about our body, is influenced by a variety of factors.
  • Many aspects contribute to body image, including the environment in which we are immersed in as well as our biological make-up and genetic predisposition.
• CULTURAL TRADITIONS CAN HELP OR HURT

  1. The culture in which we are surrounded by, has a significant impact on how we feel about ourselves and the manner in which we think about our body.
  2. Depending on the culture and overall emphasis of traditions involved, a person may find his surroundings either conducive or resistant to the building of healthy body image and self-esteem.
• BEAUTY

  • Traditionally was among the ultimate values along with goodness, truth and justice.
• ST. AUGUSTINE

  • Asked whether things were beautiful because it gave delight, or whether it gave delight because it was beautiful.
• PLATO

  • Connected beauty to love and desire.
• ARISTOTLE

  • Asserted that the chief forms of beauty are order, symmetry, and definiteness.
• DAVID HUME

  • Beauty is no quality in things themselves; it exists merely in the mind which contemplates them.
• FRANCIS HUTCHESON

  • The perception of beauty does depend on the external sense of sight.
• WHAT DID PSYCHOLOGY DISCOVER ABOUT BEAUTY?

  • A person who is perceived as attractive makes more money than a person of below - average looks.
  • In politics, voters who are not actively engaged in social and political issues choses candidates based on “looks”. 
• Halo Effect

  The tendency of people to rate attractive individuals more favorably for their personality traits or characteristics compared to those who are less attractive.
• CULTURE AND PERCEPTION OF BEAUTY

  1. Culture traditions can either be a positive or negative influence on body image and on self-esteem.
  2. Ideal standards of body sizes are culturally specific.
  3. Americans have emphasized thinnes.
  4. Filipinos emphasized dieting and body appearance.
  5. People experience body dissatisfaction due to the cultural standards. 
• BODY DYSMORPHIC ORDER

  • Imagined Ugliness
  • A preoccupation with some imagined defect in appearance by someone who actually looks reasonably normal.
• EATING DISORDERS

  1. Bulimia Nervosa
  2. Anorexia Nervosa
  3. Binge
• BULIMIA NERVOSA

  • Out - of - control eating episodes or binges, are followed by self - induced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives, or attempt to purge (get rid of) the food. 
• ANOREXIA NERVOSA

  • The person eats only minimal amounts of food or exercises vigorously to offset food intake so body weight sometimes drops dangerously.
• BINGE

  • Eating disorder, individuals may binge repeatedly and find it distressing, but they do not attempt to purge the food. 
• Psychological Influences

  
  

  • Anxiety focused on appearance and presentation to others.
  • Distorted body image.
• Biological Influences

  • Inherited vulnerability (unstable or excessive neurobiological response to stress associated with impulsive eating)
• Social Influences

  • Cultural pressures to be thin
  • Family interactions/pressures re: social presentation