Factors in the

Development of the
Physical Self
Heredity (nature)
the transmission of traits or characteristics from parents to
offspring. It provides the raw materials of which the individual
is made up. Through the genes, heredity potentials like
physical, mental, social, emotional, and moral traits are passed
down to generations.
Environment (nurture)
the sum total of the forces or experiences that a person
undergoes from conception to old age. It also includes family,
friends, school, nutrition, and other agencies one is in the
contact with.
Stages in the Life
Span
An individual undergoes definite stages of development. In each phase,
the child experience certain developmental characteristics to prepare
him/her for the next.
 Stages in the Life Span
Development Stage Age
Pre-natal period Conception to birth
Infancy Birth to end of the second week
Babyhood End of the second week to end of the second
year
Early childhood or preschool age Two to six years
Late childhood or elementary age Six to ten or twelve years
Puberty or preadolescence Twelve to thirteen or fourteen years
Adolescence Thirteen or fourteen to eighteen years
Early adulthood Eighteen to forty years
Middle Age Forty to sixty years
Old age or senescence Sixty years to death
Physical Self
Physical Self
Physical Self refers to the body, this marvelous
container and complex, finely tuned, machine with which
we interface with our environment and fellow beings.
The Physical Self is the concrete dimension, the tangible
aspect of the person that can be directly observed and
examined. 
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
o Construction of self and personality makes the physical body
the core of human experience. 

oConcept of Libido
Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich
oReich took Freud’s concept of libido as his central principle.
oReich argued that mind and body are one; all psychological
processes, he postulated, are a part of physical processes, and
vice versa.
oSo for Reich, body is essential dynamic in all psychological
functioning and it plays a critical role in storing and channeling
the bioenergy, which is the basis of human existence and
experience.
William James
William James
◦ He considered body as the initial source of sensation and
necessary for the origin and maintenance of personality.
◦ However, James considered body subservient to the mind.
◦ Body is an expressive tool of indwelling consciousness and
good physical health is something that wells up from the every
part of the body of a muscularly well trained human being, and
soaks the indwelling soul in him with satisfaction
Erik Erikson
Erik Erikson
oexperience is anchored in the ground-plan of body (Erikson,
1963)
oAccording to him the role of bodily organs is especially
important in early developmental stages of a persons life.
othe development of physical as well as intellectual skills help
determine whether the individual will achieve a sense of
competence and ability to choose demanding roles in a
complex society.
Carl Gustav Jung
Carl Gustav Jung
oIn his exposition to Analytical Psychology, he didn't deal
explicitly with the role of the body and choose to direct his
efforts to analyzing the psyche only.
Abraham Maslow
Hierarchy of needs
Abraham Maslow
oAccording to Maslow's Need-Hierarchy theory once the
physiological needs of a person are met, the individual
becomes more concerned with the higher order needs.
oAsceticism, self-denial, deliberate rejection of the demands of
the organism, at least in the West, tend to produce a
diminished, stunted or crippled organism, and even in the East,
brings self-actualization to only a very few, exceptionally strong
individuals. (Maslow, 1968)
Eastern Tradition
Indian Tradition
oThe Indian tradition views growth and enlightenment as the
whole body event, which is not possible until one has a pure
and strong body. 

oOne of the most important achievement of Indian tradition is

YOGA.
Hath - Yoga
a system of health and hygiene involving both body and mind. It
aims at whole man for his full development and self realization. It
takes into account not only proper growth, strength and tone of the
different muscles of the body but also efficiency and functions of
the basic factors of the constitutional health, namely the inner
organs and the glands (Majumdar, 1964).
Buddhist Tradition
Buddhist Tradition
• concept of Middle Path is of central importance in one's
attitude towards the body.

•neither full indulgence of one's all desires nor extreme

asceticism or self-mortification. This is because both your life
and your body deserve love and respect
Taking care of my
Physical Self
Taking care of my physical self
Balance Diet

Water

Sleep