The Nature of

Human Nature
By:
Maureen Kris R. Dionisio
Journeying Back to Self
The first step that must be undertaken in values
education is to journey back to one’s own self. In this
process, it is important for anyone to understand
himself and his nature.

Coleman and Hammen gave a beautiful account of

human nature in the following:

“Human nature is anything a group of people share

certain emotions and feelings. It seems funny that such
opposite traits could all be common in everyone, but
that’s what makes us tick”
“Most people are selfish and self centered, that
they don’t think of consequences, just their
immediate satisfaction. Human beings are
basically good in nature: helpful, generous, but if
he is deprived of his share through some
unintentional circumstances, he may likewise try
to deprive others”
Do We Have Free Will or
Are We Predetermined?
Some philosophers believe that human
beings are pawns of fate.
The Calvinist doctrine of
predestination, which holds that at
birth every individual has already been
elected to salvation or condemned to
damnation.
“What will be, will be” and we are only
puppets who play our part as it is
written with no chance of altering the
script”
However, this hard determinism is refuted by
many. They claim that each person believes
that he is capable of exercising some measure
of control over his own destiny. He is capable
of making decisions and of selecting among
alternative lines of action. It is this
widespread belief that provides the basis for
the doctrine of “free will” and for the concept
of moral responsibility.
 LIBETARIAN HARD
FREE WILL DETERMINISM

The Belief that some The Theory that

human actions human behaviour
are freely chosen and actions are
wholly determined
and therefore
humans do not have
free will.
Different Psychosocial Models

Psychoanalytic Model

This model is based on the pioneering works of Sigmund

Freud.
Fundamental to this model is the concept that behavior
results from the interaction of three key subsystems
within the personality

id
ego
super ego
Id
The id contains the innate, primitive, biological
drives such as hunger, thirst and aggression.
According to Sigmund Freud, id is the
personality component made up of unconscious
psychic energy that works to satisfy basic urges,
needs, and desires. The id operates based on the
pleasure principle, which demands immediate
gratification of needs.
Ego

Mediates between the unrealistic id. It is the decision-

making component of personality. Ideally, the ego works
by reason, whereas the id is chaotic and unreasonable.

The ego operates according to the reality principle,

working out realistic ways of satisfying the id’s demands,
often compromising or postponing satisfaction to avoid
negative consequences of society. The ego considers social
realities and norms, etiquette and rules in deciding how
to behave.
Superego

is the part of a person's mind that helps keep the id in

check, guiding the person to follow learned rules rather
than impulses.

The super-ego works in contradiction to the id. The super-

ego strives to act in a socially appropriate manner,
whereas the id just wants instant self-gratification. The
super-ego controls our sense of right and wrong and
guilt.
 Id Superego
“I want to do it “It’s not right to
right now” do that”

Ego
“Maybe we can
compromise”
The Behavioristic Model

Originated from the early works of John Watson who

insisted that if psychology were ever to become science
of behavior, it must limit itself to the study of events
that could be observed objectively. Watson was not
particularly concerned with thought, cognition,
introspection, or other forms of internal consciousness.
He thought it was foolish to interpret the inner
workings of the mind and believed psychologists
should concern with only what they could see.
However, this view was expanded by B.F skinner and
other Psychologist. This model makes allowance for
behavior which is good or evil, rational or irrational,
depending upon individual’s conditioning. Rather than
attribute the causes of behavior to inferred constructs,
such as an ego and superego, the behaviorist look for the
causes in the reinforcement history of the individual.
Thank you!