week 2: Self & Identity & theroetical perspectives

What is identity according to this perspective?

Identity is a fluid, social process that develops through interaction with others.

Is identity static or fixed?

No, identity is changeable and continuously shaped through social interaction.

How is identity defined?

A set of integrated ideas about the self, social roles, and unique personal qualities.

What are social roles in identity?

Behaviors based on social status and expectations.

What is the self?

A social process that is fluid and changeable.

How does the self develop?

Through symbolic interaction with others.

Who proposed the four features of identity?

Richard Jenkins.

What is similarity in identity?

A sense of belonging or sameness with others.

What is difference in identity?

The qualities that make an individual unique.

What is reflexivity in identity?

Thinking about yourself and your identity.

What does process mean in identity?

Actively constructing identity rather than having a fixed one.

Which two theorists explain the self through others’ perspectives?

Charles Horton Cooley and George Herbert Mead.

Who developed the Looking Glass Self?

Charles Horton Cooley.

What is the Looking Glass Self?

The idea that the self develops from how we think others see us.

What is the first element of the Looking Glass Self?

Imagining how we appear to others.

What is the second element of the Looking Glass Self?

Imagining how others judge our appearance.

What is the third element of the Looking Glass Self?

Developing feelings based on imagined judgments.

What emotions are involved in the Looking Glass Self?

Emotions like pride, shame, or embarrassment.

Who developed the concepts of the I, the Me, and the Generalized Other?

George Herbert Mead.

How did Mead describe the self?

As parts that communicate through internal conversation.

What is the "I"?

The impulsive, creative, and unpredictable part of the self.

What is the "Me"?

The socialized part of the self guided by societal expectations.

What is the Generalized Other?

The internalized expectations of society or the community.

What does the Generalized Other represent?

Understanding how society expects us to behave.

What is Symbolic Interactionism?

A theory focused on meaning-making through symbols and interactions.

What does Symbolic Interactionism emphasize?

Meanings, symbols, and gestures over objective facts.

Who developed the key principles of Symbolic Interactionism?

Herbert Blumer.

What is Blumer’s first premise?

People act based on the meanings things have for them.

What is Blumer’s second premise?

Meanings emerge from social interaction.

What is Blumer’s third premise?

Meanings are modified through interpretation.

What is the Chicago School of Symbolic Interactionism?

Traditional SI focusing on unpredictability and change.

How does Traditional SI view social life?

As unpredictable and constantly changing.

How does Traditional SI view the self?

As emerging from society but becoming independent.

What research method does Traditional SI emphasize?

Qualitative research.

What is the key tool of Traditional SI?

Observation of unfolding interactions.

What is the Iowa School of Symbolic Interactionism?

Structural SI emphasizing stability and patterns.

How does Structural SI view social life?

As relatively stable and generalizable.

How does Structural SI view the self?

As a conduit for reproducing social structures.

What research method does Structural SI emphasize?

Quantitative research.

What is the key tool of Structural SI?

The Twenty Statements Test.

Who developed the Twenty Statements Test?

Manford Kuhn.

What is dramaturgy in sociology?

A theory that compares social interaction to theater.

Who developed dramaturgical theory?

Erving Goffman.

What metaphor does Goffman use to explain identity?

A theater performance.

What is impression management?

Controlling how others perceive us.

What is the front stage?

Where individuals perform roles for an audience.

What happens on the front stage?

Public behavior that follows social expectations.

What is the backstage?

Where individuals drop public roles and relax.

What happens in the backstage?

Rehearsing roles and behaving more freely.

What is situated identity performance?

Collaborative identity performances that define situations.

What does situated identity performance maintain?

A shared definition of the situation.

What is Identity Theory?

A theory linking self-concept to social relationships.

What does Identity Theory focus on?

The relationship between internal identity and social roles.

What is identity salience?

The importance of an identity to one’s self-concept.

What increases identity salience?

When social relationships depend heavily on a role.

Give an example of high identity salience.

Being a student when many relationships depend on that role.

What is the self-verification loop?

Comparing others’ reactions to internal identity standards.

Why is self-verification important?

It confirms who we believe we are.

How do emotions function in Identity Theory?

As signals about identity verification.

What do positive emotions indicate?

A match between identity standards and reality.

What do negative emotions indicate?

A mismatch between identity standards and reality.

What is the Twenty Statements Test?

A method asking “Who am I?” twenty times to assess self-concept.

What is identity trajectory?

The idea that identity unfolds over time like a career.

What shapes identity trajectories?

Labels, roles, and institutions.

What is social reciprocity?

Mutual identity verification that sustains social structures.

How do people engage in social reciprocity?

By successfully verifying identities with others.