Instruction: Create a reflection paper of the psychological perspective of the
Self with 200 words and emphasize your self-discoveries.
Theories from various psychologists have been made, and several pieces of research have been
conducted concerning the psychological perspective of the Self. As I am in my early adulthood
stage, according to Erik Erikson's developmental theory, confusion and questions arise in my
mind about everything, including my perspective, identity, and myself. How are these theories
essential to understanding oneself who is in the adolescence stage?
Consciousness and awareness are significant, especially to someone like me, since at this stage,
our minds are open to a wide range of society which may influence our way of thinking and the
way we view things. With all the chaos between different cultures, personalities, and identities
we encounter, it is definitely a must to understand and scrutinize ourselves in all manner to
become the ideal Self we aspire to be, as termed in Carl Rogers' theory.
I believe in the quotation I have read last time "We do not drastically change as we grow up.
The only difference between a child and an adult is that the former does not know who she is;
the latter does." It tells us that we do not wholly change as individuals; we hence integrate and
innovate the things we acquire in the environment we are in. At this point, we are no longer kids
whose only role is to play and to study. It is a must to know, identify and develop who we are,
our true selves (Santrock, 2002).
Moreover, I am convinced of Biblical study that states that ourselves comprise three components:
the body, the soul, and the spirit. The concept is accurate to me, as it is somehow related to the
id, ego, and superego of Sigmund Freud's theory. Therefore, we construct ourselves by filtering,
identifying, and choosing what we want to acquire from the variety we are surrounded by
It is indeed significant to be open to different theories of understanding ourselves because it
helps us to truly comprehend and communicate with our inner self. It wakes ourselves to be
conscious not just of what is happening in front of us, but also of what is happening inside of us.