This document discusses understanding oneself. It defines self-understanding as being aware of one's own thoughts, actions, attitudes, motives, strengths and weaknesses. The self is not static but develops over time through conscious and unconscious perceptions. Self-understanding allows individuals to make effective decisions, lead authentically, and function well in groups. It also discusses self-concept as one's set of beliefs about personal attributes including what one is and can do, as well as an ideal self. Understanding how others perceive us through social comparisons and a "looking glass self" allows self-reflection to change and adapt.

1. Knowing Oneself
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
A. Identify characteristics as selling points about you;
B. Emulate values from parents’ lessons checking on your character;
C. Exemplify awareness, understanding, appreciation and acceptance of the Self;
D. Explain the fundamental concepts of the Self and the basic dynamics of self-development
Understanding the self is the awareness of and the ability to understand one’s own
thoughts and actions. It entails the ability to attain insights into one’s attitudes, motives,
defenses, reactions, together with the weaknesses and strengths. It is subjective sense of the
self and a complex mixture of conscious and unconscious thoughts, attitudes and
perceptions.
Understanding self represents the sum total of people’s conscious perception of their
identity as distinct from others. The self is not a static phenomenon but continues to
develop and change throughout lives—(George Herbert Mead)
Self-understanding has been recognized as a competency for individuals to function
efficiently in any group of organization. It influences the individual’s ability to make key
decisions about self and other people around him. Understanding self equips individuals
with making more effective career and life choice, the ability to lead, guide and inspire with
authenticity.
SELF-CONCEPT
It is the set of beliefs that would hold about who we are. It is the sum total of an individual’s
beliefs about his or her own personal attributes. It is basically the individual’s image of the
kind of person he or she is which includes the awareness of being (what I am) and
awareness of function (what I can do). Self-concept includes not only our perceptions of
what we are but also of what we think, we ought to be and would like to be. The latter
component of the self is called the ideal self that represents the self-concept that an
individual would ideally want to possess.
Source: Slideshare.net produced by: Sabnam Basu
Our self-concept is “what we perceive ourselves to be,” and involves aspects of image and
esteem. How we see ourselves and how we feel about ourselves influences how we
communicate with others. What you are thinking now and how you communicate impacts

2. and influences how others treat you. Charles Cooley calls this concept the looking-glass
self.We look at how others treat us, what they say and how they say it, for clues about how
they view us to gain insight into our own identity. Leon Festinger added that we engage
in social comparisons, evaluating ourselves in relation to our peers of similar status, similar
characteristics, or similar qualities.
The ability to think about how, what, and when we think, and why, is critical to intrapersonal
communication. Animals may use language and tools, but can they reflect on their own
thinking? Self-reflection is a trait that allows us to adapt and change to our context or
environment, to accept or reject messages, to examine our concept of ourselves and choose
to improve.
JOHARI WINDOW
1. THE OPEN SELF
2. THE BLIND SELF
3. HIDDEN SELF
4.
In the first quadrant of the figure, information is known to you and others, such as your
height or weight. The second quadrant represents things others observe about us that we
are unaware of, like how many times we say “umm” in the space of five minutes. The third
quadrant involves information that you know, but do not reveal to others. It may involve
actively hiding or withholding information, or may involve social tact, such as thanking your
Aunt Martha for the large purple hat she’s given you that you know you will never wear.
Finally, the fourth quadrant involves information that is unknown to you and your
conversational partners. For example, a childhood experience that has been long forgotten
or repressed may still motivate you. As another example, how will you handle an emergency
after you’ve received first aid training? No one knows because it has not happened.