Possible Question for Consideration

2.  Toward the formulation of a functional
structure upon which data on Filipino
psychology may be based, it is advisable for
a researcher to construct inquiries that can
be tested and verified through surveys and
statistical determiners. As an aid to the
inquiry one can suggest the following
questions as basic to research in this area:

3.  1. What is the average of intelligence among
our people and how far does the I.Q. range if
our countrymen deviate (if it all) from that of
the population of other countries where such
surveys have been carried out?

4.  2. What are the personal, social, and cultural
values which our people as a whole
considers of primary significance? To what
extent do these values actually motivate our
people to action?

5.  3. On the average, are our people governed
in their motives and actuations more by
intellectual or by affective goals? In any
case, what specific or particular goal in life
proves to be greatest incidence among our
people?

6.  4. What is the comparative incidence of
personality instabilities and mental disorders
among our population? Is there a definite or
specific factor of a local or typical quality that
contributes especially to such an incidence?

7.  5. Among the different dynamics of behavior
– as rationalization, fixation, transference,
compensations, etc. – are they any special
kinds of mental mechanism for which our
people possess a predilection or disposition?
If so, what are these dynamics and why are
we more disposed to them?

8.  In view of inadequate data, we cannot
presume off-hand to present answers to all
these questions. However, we can at least
create the initial energy for studies by
presenting two observations:

9.  1. The intelligence of the Filipinos is
generally no different in level and range from
those foreign individuals.

10.  2. from deductions based on observational
premises, one can be quite safe in assuming
that among out more civilized populations,
significant cultural and social values tend
more towards the Western rather than
Eastern sphere of influence. Some
indications of these may be glimpsed from
the following facts:

11.  A. We never pride ourselves as having once
belonged to the Shri-Vijayan empire or to
kingdom of madjapahit. We should rather be
knowns as the “democratic showcase of the
east” and “the only Christian nation in the
East”

12.  B. Whenever we can afford to travel we would
rather go to such as New york, London or Paris
rather than to such locales as Java, Colombo,
Singapore or Cambodia. When we prefer to go
to the latter places it is usually due to the fact
that our finances would run short. Indeed, when
one of our politicians visited Bali and was later
asked as to what he thought of the place, he
offered the remark that it was all Bali-hoo!

13.  C. In our system if education as well as in
social circles, a diploma from Harvard,
Cambridge or Freiburg always counts ten
times better than a diploma from Far Eastern
University, the University of Kyushu or the
University of Panempom.

14.  D. Regardless of merits and demerits, we
are prone to importing our fashions from
California, Paris, and Rome rather than from
Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan or Australia.

15.  The Philippines is a country rich in the
resources of customs, creeds, and folkways.
As the year progress, however, more and
more of the ancient traditional observances
are giving way to new habits and practices
brought about both my memories and by the
intermingling of native with foreign cultures.

16.  Thanks for Listening 