The self and the person in the contemporary Anthropology

Summary

This anthropology lesson delves into the concept of the self, exploring its dynamic nature and cultural influences. It discusses how the self encompasses physical, psychological, and social attributes, with theories by Catherine Ewing and Joseph LeDoux highlighting its implicit and explicit aspects. The self is portrayed as non-static, shaped by experiences and forgetting, and is culturally constructed through self-representations that shift across contexts. The video also contrasts independent and interdependent self-construals, emphasizing the impact of culture on relationships, personality traits, achievements, and emotional expression, ultimately questioning the universality of self-perception.

Takeaways

• 📚 Anthropology is the study of humans, their evolution, and the differences among cultures over time, focusing on the cultural aspects of the human condition.
• 🤔 The concept of 'self' in anthropology is multifaceted, with various definitions and theories attempting to explain its development and nature.
• 🧠 Catherine Ewing described the self as encompassing physical, psychological, and social attributes, highlighting the interplay of biological and cultural processes.
• 💡 Joseph LeDoux emphasized the implicit and explicit aspects of the self, suggesting that our conscious awareness of self is only part of a larger, unconscious self that is constantly evolving.
• 🔄 The self is not static; it is influenced by factors such as genetic maturation, learning, forgetting, stress, and diseases, affecting both implicit and explicit aspects.
• 🌐 Katherine Ewing asserted that the self is illusory and forever shifting, with individuals constructing a series of self-representations based on cultural concepts and personal memories.
• 🏠 The self-representation is influenced by the context and culture, with people projecting different identities depending on their environment and social interactions.
• 🌟 Cultural anthropologists argue that the self is culturally shaped and infinitely variable, with cultural traditions and social practices having a profound impact on the human psyche.
• 🔍 Two main ways the self is constructed are identified: independent (typical of individualistic cultures) and interdependent (typical of collectivistic cultures) self-construals.
• 🌐 Katherine Reeve's work suggests that culture influences our views on relationships, personality traits, achievement, and emotional expression, varying significantly across different societies.
• 🏆 The definition of success and the value placed on individual versus group achievements differ across cultures, reflecting the impact of cultural norms and values on personal goals and aspirations.

Q & A

What is the definition of anthropology according to the script?

Anthropology is the study of people, past and present, focusing on understanding the human condition in its cultural aspect. It is concerned with how humans evolved and how they differ from one another across time.

What are the two main aspects of the self according to Joseph LeDoux?

The two main aspects of the self according to Joseph LeDoux are the explicit self, which includes aspects that one is consciously aware of, and the implicit self, which includes aspects that one is not consciously aware of.

How does Katherine Ewing define the self?

Katherine Ewing defines the self as encompassing not just the physical organism but also possessing psychological functioning and social attributes, existing in the mind and comprised of psychological, biological, and cultural processes.

What is the concept of 'soft representations' as described by Katherine Ewing?

Soft representations, as described by Katherine Ewing, are the illusory and forever shifting mental constructs that people create based on selected cultural concepts of a person and personal memories. These representations change with different contexts or scenarios.

How does the script explain the development of the self in relation to cultural practices?

The script explains that cultural traditions and social practices can regulate, express, and even transform the human psyche, resulting in ethnic divergence in mind, self, and emotions. The principles of how the mind works are as varied as the cultures and traditions people practice.

What are the two types of self-construals described in the script?

The two types of self-construals described in the script are independent and interdependent constructs. Independent construct is characteristic of individualistic cultures, emphasizing internal attributes, while interdependent construct is typical of collectivistic cultures, emphasizing the connection between the individual and the community.

How does the script relate the concept of the self to cultural differences?

The script relates the concept of the self to cultural differences by stating that cultural anthropologists argue the self is culturally shaped and infinitely variable. Different cultures influence how individuals view relationships, personality traits, achievement, and the expression of emotions.

What is the difference between individualistic and collectivistic cultures in terms of how they view the self?

In individualistic cultures, the self is viewed as separate from the community with an emphasis on internal attributes, traits, skills, and values. In contrast, collectivistic cultures stress the essential connection between the individual and the community, with a high sense of conformity and fear of social rejection.

How does the script describe the impact of culture on the way we view relationships?

The script describes that culture influences how we enter into and maintain relationships, which may be voluntary or duty-based. For example, Western societies value the freedom to choose a partner, while some Eastern societies still practice arranged marriages.

What is the role of cultural traditions in shaping the self according to the script?

According to the script, cultural traditions play a significant role in shaping the self by influencing how individuals view themselves, relate to others, and perceive their environment. These traditions can regulate, express, and transform the human psyche, leading to differences in self-concept across cultures.

How does the script connect the concept of the self to the idea of genetic maturation and learning?

The script connects the concept of the self to genetic maturation and learning by stating that the self is not static and is constantly affected by factors such as aging, cognitive development, and experiences. This includes both the implicit and explicit aspects of the self.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Anthropology and the Self

The script begins by introducing the field of anthropology as the study of humans past and present, with a focus on understanding the human condition through cultural aspects. It emphasizes the dynamic nature of anthropology and its exploration of how humans have evolved and differ across time. The concept of the self is highlighted as a key area of study, with various definitions and theories to be explored throughout the lesson. The self is described as a complex entity involving psychological, biological, and cultural processes, and is characterized by both explicit and implicit aspects.

05:02

🧠 The Development and Nature of the Self

This paragraph delves into the development of the self, referencing the work of Joseph LeDoux, who conceptualizes the self with both implicit and explicit aspects. The self is portrayed as not being static but rather constantly evolving due to factors such as genetic maturation, learning, forgetting, stress, and diseases. The influence of both biochemical and inorganic factors on the self is discussed, highlighting the self's dynamic and ever-changing nature.

10:05

🌐 Katherine Ewing's View on Self-Representation

The script discusses Katherine Ewing's assertion that the self is illusory and forever shifting, with individuals constructing a series of self-representations based on cultural concepts and personal memories. Each self-concept is experienced as whole and continuous, despite the shifts that occur with changes in context or scenarios. The self-representations are culturally shaped and can vary significantly across different situations, with people being able to project different identities depending on their environment.

15:07

🌏 The Self Embedded in Culture

The paragraph explores how the self is deeply influenced by culture, with cultural traditions and social practices regulating and transforming the human psyche. It argues against the universality of the self, stating that the principles of how the mind works vary as much as the cultures and traditions around the world. The self is seen as a product of society, with cultural differences influencing the development and understanding of individual personalities.

20:09

🔄 Cultural Constructs of the Self: Independent and Interdependent

This section examines the cultural constructs of the self, distinguishing between independent and interdependent self-construals. Independent self-construals are characteristic of individualistic cultures, such as North America and Europe, where the self is seen as separate from the community with an emphasis on personal attributes. In contrast, interdependent self-construals are typical of collectivistic cultures, like those in East Asia, where there is a strong connection between the individual and the community, with a focus on group mentality and conformity.

25:12

🌱 Cultural Influences on Relationships, Personality, and Achievement

The final paragraph discusses how culture influences various aspects of life, including relationships, personality traits, and achievement. It highlights that cultural differences can affect how relationships are entered into and maintained, the value placed on certain personality traits, and the definition of success and achievement. The script contrasts individualistic cultures that value independence and self-reliance with collectivistic cultures that emphasize group success and conformity.

Keywords

💡Anthropology

Anthropology is the scientific study of human beings, their cultures, and their development over time. It encompasses understanding the human condition in its cultural, biological, and social aspects. In the video, anthropology is presented as a dynamic field that offers various definitions of the self and seeks to understand how humans evolved and differ from one another across time. The script uses anthropology to frame the discussion on the self in contemporary society.

💡Self

The 'self' refers to the totality of the individual's being, encompassing physical, psychological, and social attributes. In the script, the self is described as having both implicit and explicit aspects, and it is portrayed as being shaped by biological, cognitive, and social factors. The concept of the self is central to the video's theme, as it explores how the self develops and is represented across different cultures.

💡Catherine Ewing

Catherine Ewing is an anthropologist mentioned in the script who contributed to the understanding of the self. She defined the self as not just the physical organism but also possessing psychological functioning and social attributes. Her assertion is used in the video to illustrate the multifaceted nature of the self, including its psychological and social dimensions.

💡Joseph LeDoux

Joseph LeDoux is a neuroscientist known for his work on the implicit and explicit aspects of the self. In the video, his conceptualization of the self is discussed, emphasizing that the self is not only what we are consciously aware of (explicit self) but also includes aspects that we are not fully conscious of (implicit self). His views are used to explain how the self is shaped and maintained biologically and cognitively.

💡Implicit and Explicit Self

The terms 'implicit' and 'explicit' are used to describe different aspects of the self. The explicit self refers to the aspects that an individual is consciously aware of, while the implicit self consists of aspects that are not at the forefront of consciousness. The script discusses how both aspects are shaped by various factors and are crucial to understanding the development and representation of the self.

💡Self-Representation

Self-representation refers to the mental images or concepts individuals have about themselves, which are influenced by cultural norms and personal experiences. The script explains that self-representations are illusory and constantly shifting, with people being unaware of these shifts. Katherine Ewing's assertion about self-representations is used to illustrate how individuals construct their self-concept based on cultural and personal memories.

💡Cultural Anthropologists

Cultural anthropologists are scholars who study the impact of culture on human societies. In the script, they argue that the self is culturally shaped and infinitely variable. They emphasize that cultural traditions and social practices can regulate, express, and transform the human psyche, resulting in diverse self-concepts and emotional responses across cultures.

💡Independent and Interdependent Constructs

These constructs refer to different ways in which the self is perceived and constructed within cultures. The independent construct is characteristic of individualistic cultures, emphasizing the self as separate from the community with a focus on personal attributes. The interdependent construct is typical of collectivistic cultures, stressing the connection between the individual and the community. The script uses these constructs to discuss cultural differences in self-perception and social interaction.

💡Collectivistic Culture

A collectivistic culture is one that emphasizes the importance of the group over the individual. In the script, collectivistic cultures like those in East Asia are contrasted with individualistic cultures, highlighting the emphasis on group success, conformity, and the interconnectedness of individuals within the community. The concept is used to explain cultural differences in self-concept and social behavior.

💡Individualistic Culture

An individualistic culture is one that prioritizes personal goals and independence over group goals. The script discusses how in individualistic cultures, such as those in North America and Europe, individuals are encouraged to be self-reliant and value personal achievements. This concept is used to contrast with collectivistic cultures and to explore how cultural values shape the self.

💡Cultural Influence

Cultural influence refers to the way in which a society's norms, values, and practices shape the behavior, beliefs, and attitudes of its members. In the script, cultural influence is discussed in relation to how it affects relationships, personality traits, achievement, and emotional expression. The concept is central to understanding the diversity of self-concepts and behaviors across different cultures.

Highlights

Anthropology is the study of people past and present, focusing on understanding the human condition in its cultural aspect.

Anthropology is concerned with how humans evolved and differ from one another across timelines.

Anthropology is a dynamic field with various definitions of the self.

Anthropologists study other societies to gain a clear perspective on our own.

The self is defined as encompassing not just the physical organism but also psychological functioning and social attributes.

The self includes our ability to convey and express emotions and feelings of attachment.

Joseph LeDoux conceptualized the implicit and explicit aspects of the self.

The self is shaped and maintained biologically, mentally, and socially.

The self is not static and is constantly affected by factors such as genetic maturation, learning, and forgetting.

Katherine Ewing asserts that the self is illusory and forever shifting.

People construct a series of self-representations based on cultural concepts and personal memories.

Self-representations are experienced as whole and continuous despite constantly shifting.

Cultural traditions and social practices regulate, express, and transform the human psyche.

Cultural psychologists distinguish between independent and interdependent constructs of the self.

Independent construct is characteristic of individualistic cultures, emphasizing internal attributes.

Interdependent construct is typical of collectivistic cultures, stressing the connection between the individual and community.

Culture influences how we view relationships, valuing them as voluntary or duty-based.

Culture influences the value and perception of personality traits such as humility and assertiveness.

Achievement is defined differently across cultures, with some valuing individual success and others group achievement.

Success is defined variably, with some cultures associating it with wealth and others with personal fulfillment.

Transcripts

[Music]

so good morning everyone we will proceed

to another lesson

which is the self and the person in

contemporary anthropology

okay

first what is anthropology

what is its view about the concept of

the self

now

these two questions we will try to

answer

them

as we progress now anthropology is the

study of people past and present it

focuses on

understanding the human condition in its

cultural aspect okay so in general sense

anthropology is concerned with

understanding how humans okay how we

evolved and how we differ from one

another

across timelines

furthermore anthropology

is a

very dynamic field and anthropological

literature offers several definitions of

the self

and

as we progress in this lesson we will

know one or two theories that

try

to define okay try to explain how the

self develops

so basically guys

anthropology is the study of what makes

us human

and these anthropologists

they study other societies to gain a

clear perspective on our own

so to make it

more simpler

anthropology study the past in order for

us to help interpret

the present

so

one definition of self in modern

anthropology characterized the term in

its most general ordinary and everyday

use

particularly

catherine ewing which was

a professor and anthropologist

who described who tried to describe the

self as

encompassing

not just the physical organisms but

possessing psychological functioning and

social attributes

this definition portrayed the self as

implicitly and explicitly existing in

the mind comprised of psychological

biological and

cultural

processes you can say

encompassing physical attributes because

we are not just an organism that has

two eyes two ears one mouth that can

uh

walk run jog or swim

but we also have psychological

functioning which

is

we are able to

convey okay we are able to

express our emotions and at the same

time we can feel

okay we can feel

attachment we can feel the love

of

the people we are

interacting with

furthermore

okay another

near scientist joseph ledoux

conceptualized the implicit and explicit

aspects of the self

now here

the aspects of the self that you are

consciously aware of are

the explicit self

while

those aspects of ourselves that we are

not

uh

really conscious of

is the implicit aspect okay

now these ideas

can be traced back to the famous

psychologist

from our previous lesson which was simon

freud's okay particularly simon freud's

level of consciousness however according

to joseph ledoux

leduc's views on how the self was

developed

how the self was developed asserted that

it is

framed okay it is being shaped is being

maintained and constantly affected

biologically

as we mature

mentally our cognitive thinking and

socially our interaction with the

immediate environment

furthermore

joseph

claims that the self is not static

meaning it is not stable

it it is added to and subtracted from by

genetic maturation

as we

uh grow up as we grow old okay that's

aging

so

our self is not static because it is

constantly being affected by many

factors such as genetic maturation if i

develop them bones tissues muscles

learning okay as the person learns

from his or her experience and from the

experiences of others

the self is not static because it is

being affected also by forgetting even

stress

and diseases such as organic and

inorganic diseases such as

biochemical

neurotransmitters brain okay

inorganic diseases such as accidents

distress

too much anxiety fears

[Music]

this is true of both the implicit and

explicit aspects of the self

now the next topic would be the soft as

representation

okay for this topic we will try to

elaborate

katherine ewing's assertion about the

self

so here

katherine ewing asserted that

ourself okay the concept of our self is

illusory

it is forever shifting okay so rather

people construct a series of soft

representations that are

based on

selected cultural concepts of person

okay of a person and selected chains of

personal memories

and we will try to elaborate that

further later now each self-concept is

experienced as whole and continuous and

spontaneous at the same time with its

own history and memories that emerge in

a specific context to be replaced by

another self-representation when okay

take note when

the context changes or when a particular

scenario changes

by self-representation ewing

culturally shaped self-concept

so we try to represent

the way we see ourselves the way we

project ourselves depending on

our culture

our culture okay where we come from

and also

we try to make a symbolic representation

of ourselves depending on

our personal memories

the way we

try to present ourselves

later we will try to discuss it further

now here by self-representation even

when culturally shaped self-concepts

that one applies to oneself okay for her

it is the mental entities that are

supposed to represent the self

here according to her people from all

cultures have been observed to be able

to rapidly project different soft

representations

so across culture we have a lot of

self-representations

depending on the context of the

situation okay take note

unself accordingly gathering ewing is

illusory

and shifting okay constantly shifts from

one

self-representation to another

the person is unaware of these shifts

like i say

he or she still experiences wholeness

and continuity despite these shifts okay

so for for example

by what we meant self-representations

okay let's try to use melford spiro's

own interpretation of

the assertion of catherine ewing which

is the individual's

mental representation of his own person

okay these appear to be composed

of minimally

labels okay minimally of labels such as

beautiful daughter or clever politician

now here

the way we

present ourselves

depended on

the lugar for example within the circle

of

our family okay we try to represent

ourselves as a dutiful daughter a

dutiful son

okay

while

pagnet

outside of your family for example you

are in your office you are

within the context of your career

or your ambition okay

you will be able to represent yourself

okay you will try to project yourself as

a clever politician

okay he need a dutiful daughter

okay

so for another example would be

within the context of the school

for example

as a student okay

your uh the way you represent yourself

within the context of the school is that

you are a studious student okay but

outside the school however if you have

for example

a musical band okay

the way

you represent yourself

is a funky rocker

so the way we present ourselves across

scenarios very differently

situations

so ibang situations demand

different

representation of who we are

okay and for catherine ewing

we still experience wholeness

because a young constant when it comes

to representing ourselves

shifting

now the next one is the self embedded in

culture

so for this particular topic guys

okay

how we

see ourselves

and how we relate to other people and

how we relate to them

to our environment is

deeply

defined

and it is deeply framed by our culture

so if one finds the view that the self

is a product of society then

it is possible enough that the ways okay

that the ways of how

the self is developed are bound to

cultural differences as well

okay so as

you may have observed

about different

personalities

depend on

what type of society you come from

cultural differences

influence

different personalities of individuals

as well

singapore

[Music]

now furthermore

cultural anthropologists have argued

that the self

is culturally shaped and infinitely

variable

so for them cultural traditions and

social practices regulate

again cultural traditions and social

practices control can regulate

express and even transform the human

psyche even transform the way we think

resulting less in psychic utility for

humankind than in

ethnic divergence in mind self and

emotions now the very basic idea

is that the principles of how

our mind works okay so the principle of

how our mind works

cannot be conceived as universal we

cannot really define

uh

the self uh in a

two

sentences universal uh

in a universal two sentence

meaning or paragraph or i know two

sentences

uh definition

we

varied differently

we

come from different culture

the basic idea is that the principles

of how the mind works cannot be

conceived of as universal but that it is

okay but that it is

as varied as the culture and traditions

that people practice all over the world

about

the meaning of the self okay about

the meaning of a personality of a person

and

so here

cultural psychologists distinguish two

ways of how the self is constructed

these are independent and interdependent

constructs now these self construals

are also embedded in culture now what do

we mean by construal

now construal is an interpretation of

the meaning of something the way we

interpret okay based on the meaning of a

particular thing okay or a particular

concept

so in this sense

the meaning of self

so the independent construct is

a characteristic of an individualistic

culture

so

individualistic culture are those

uh

countries like north america and europe

so here

individualistic culture represents the

self as the stinkbug

separate from the community

with emphasis on internal attributes

traits skills and values

on the other hand

the interdependent construct is typical

of the collectivistic culture like the

philippines okay countries around

countries around east asia

wherein

there's a great emphasis okay

stressing the

essential connection between the

individual to other people between the

individual and his community

okay

so here

in an individualistic culture

okay people are considered good if they

are independent if they are self-reliant

now at the age of 18 move out

okay stand on your own

have

work

or jobs part time while studying about

items of collectivist culture

okay

35 years old you're still living with

your parents

okay you manga practices at the same

time where in details individualistic

culture

okay individuals

honor competition

okay

in in an individualistic culture

emphasis on

individual achievements rather than

teamwork

wherein

men's collectivistic culture hindi

mashadunya emphasizing individual

achievement but

team success or group mentality

and thus in a collectivistic culture

there is a high sense of

mandatory

conformity

we fear of social rejection so we can

relate uh both uh interdependent and

dependent constructs based in social

groups not in

organic and rational

so the next one

you

now let's try to

dig in deeper okay

about some aspects that

are different from culture to culture

so here we will try to know about

katherine reeve now who is katherine

reeve now she is a developmental

psychologist

who believed that culture

that

culture can influence how we view the

following

aspects okay so here again

uh catherine beef believe that

culture can influence how we view

relationships how we view personality

traits achievement

and even expressing emotions okay so

let's move to the first one

relationships

okay it says here that culture

influences how you enter into okay so

our culture influences

us how we enter

into and maintain our relationships so

for example

relationships may be as voluntary or as

duty-based but be willful but didn't

mandatory or we are obliged okay so for

example in western societies

it is

important for a person to choose whom to

marry

they are very liberated in a way that

they can choose whoever

guston

well some eastern societies okay so some

asian countries and eastern societies

still practice arranged marriage so my

duty based

okay so

i think if

other countries in the east part of the

globe still practice

arrange marriages

[Music]

but we are thankful enough that here in

the philippines

pre-arranged marriage but for some

culture of course london

and we have to respect that cause

now the second one is personality traits

culture

influences whether and how we value some

traits

like humility self-esteem assertiveness

even politeness of a person

as well as how we perceive

hardship and

how we feel about relying on others

we try to put it into more context

individualistic culture

value independence okay self-reliance

while

then of course

the more the merrier

when it comes to

when it comes to

tasks or activities

a personality

that

before we try to make a decision

we must first consult okay the advices

of our

with

the other parties like our parents our

siblings

so the next one is achievement

culturally influences how you define

success and whether you value certain

types of individual and group

achievements so you name kanina

similar to the personality traits

that are

varied across culture

that

the way we

uh

perceive achievement may vary

differently based on the culture that we

are exposed to for example so

individuals the culture and individual

achievement not trying to outshine each

other and young competition not emerge

as one

number one okay

okay no other

emphasizing how unique they are

well literally

eastern countries

asian countries

we value group achievement

that

mas maganda if

would get all the credit because a

teamwork a team effort

and also

how we define success

varies among cultural culture

so let's um try to ask yourselves guys

how um how do you define

success

so some countries okay some people

in other countries they value success as

being able to really reach

okay

reach and make your dreams come true

okay

well other countries okay other people

okay so i'm not trying to generalize but

some people from other countries try to

define

success as

the uh

depending on how much money they have in

their bank accounts

how

uh the number of their cars okay the

number of their houses okay

so for you is money equivalent to

success is power