the Social & CULTURAL SELF

The Social Self

• Through interaction with their social and cultural environments, people are transformed into participating members of their society

• A person develops through interaction with society and culture.

Socialization

interactive process through which people learn

• Basic skills

• Values

• Beliefs

• Behavior patterns of a society

self

 Within socialization, a person develops a sense of

The Family

• The most pervading influential group that impacts our self in the entire course of development.

• The most influential group in shaping a person’s self throughout life.

Schools

• Form a significant part of our social self

• We harness our knowledge that we get from our mentors and apply socialization skills we got from our families in developing relationships with our school peers.

• Knowledge of our world is shaped by collaborative learning conditions as we are exposed to the insights of our learning peers

1/3

__ of our lives are spent as students of educational institutions

Communities

• From an anthropological and sociological perspective, our cultural beliefs and practices are influenced by what our communities and societies dictate

• Shapes our beliefs and practices through culture and society dictate.

Values

• faith in God

• Respect for the elderly

• Task persistence and dedication

• Love of country

Religious Practices

• Going to church and hearing mass

• Avoiding conflicts and strife with others

• Rituals and ceremonies (Weddings, baptism and other religious activities)

Social Institutions

• Religion

• Politics

• Media

• Education

• Government

Charles H. Cooley

Looking Glass Theory is developed by

Theories of Socialization

Developed idea of looking-glass self

• The interactive process by which we develop an image of ourselves based on how we imagine we appear to others.

Looking Glass Theory

3 steps

1. People imagine how they appear to other people.

2. People imagine how others are, thus judging them based on appearance and how they present themselves;

3. People imagine how others feel about them based on the judgements they make.

George Herbert Meade

• Believed that we not only see ourselves as others see us, but actually take on the roles of others.

• The way that others influence us changes across the lifetime.

• Young children see themselves as the focus of their own world.

• Young children can’t recognize other people’s perspective. But as we grow up, our beliefs widen and start to recognize the perception of others.

• Children develop skills that are necessary in order to role-take through social interaction

1. Preparatory Stage - (1 month - 3 years old)

2. Play Stage - (3 - 5 years old)

3. Game Stage (after 5 years)

3 DISTINCT Stages of the George Herbert Meade theories of Socialization

1.) Preparatory Stage – (1 month – 3 years old)

• Interact with others through imitation

• imitate what other people are doing

• No actual communication

• Not true interactions

• Example: Using of broom in cleaning, play with frying pans in cooking

2.) Play Stage – (3 – 5 years old)

• pretend play (play as other people)

• role-playing (playing as mommy, firefighters etc.)learn to use symbols (verbal and non-verbal)

• Goes beyond imitation, they are able to respond and understand

• not only mimicking social interactions but they are able to create them

Role taking

• Mentally assuming the perspective of other person and acting based on their perceived point of view.

  • EX: being a good person around grandma

    • You do so because she is a good person!

3. Game Stage (after 5 years)

• Able to understand the attitudes, beliefs of the generalized other(society as a whole) - What are expected from them

• Know, learn that people have multiple roles

  • Concern of what other’s might react to what they do (only significant people

Generalized Other

Mead says a person first individualizes significant others

• Mom

• Dad

• Sister

• Brother

As we grow older  People internalize attitudes, expectations, and viewpoints of society

“I” (Who am I)

• The unsocialized, spontaneous, self-interested component of personality.

• Is who we really are

• It is our opinion of ourselves as a whole

• Very large role in children

“Me” (What do others think about me)

• The part of our self that is aware of the expectations and attitudes of society.

• The social self

• Part in us that is careful and conscious

• Very large role in adults

Actual Self

This state is achieved if our I and Me become congruent

Culture

• Is the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, law, art, moral, custom, and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as member of society.

• Highly relative, since it varies by place, by practices, and by individual.

Urie Bronfenbrenner

BIO ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY by

Microsystem

• is the innermost layer of Bronfenbrenner's model.

• is closest to an individual and encompasses interpersonal relationships and direct interactions with immediate surroundings.

• For example, families, peers, schools, religious institutions and the immediate neighborhood.

Mesosystem

• includes interactions between various aspects of the microsystem.

• A relationship between a child's family and the child's school can be considered part of this, because these two direct influences (parts of the microsystem) may interact. Examples: PTA, Family and Parish relations

Exosystem

• does not directly affect individuals;

• rather, the exosystem encompasses aspects of structures within the microsystem. 

• For example, financial difficulties within the family of origin, parental job loss, and so forth may affect a child, but do not involve the child directly.

Marcosystem

• is the outermost layer of Bronfenbrenner's model.

• includes social or cultural ideologies and beliefs that affect an individual's environment.

• For example, laws may be incorporated into the macrosystem.

Chronosystem

• Focuses on patterns of environmental events, including sociohistorical events from a specific to a larger context.

• Examples:

  • Graduation from college would entail changes in the social self – contribution to the family and the society.

  • Social events – political rallies and elections

Individualism-Collectivism model

developed by Marckus & Kitayama, 1991

 Highlights the impact of culture to self

Individualism

as an orientation focuses on individual attributes and personal distinctiveness.

are observed to be competitive and self-reliant.

are likely to be independent in achieving their personal interest rather than dependen

Collectivism

• Values relationships and harmony

• Prioritize their relationships and subjugate their personal interests.

• Conforming, respectful of other people and cooperative in tasks.

• We are a collectivistic society as an Asian country.

• We prioritize relationships, in our beliefs and practices

• We are non-confrontational with thoughts in order not to cause discord within our groups.

• Having a hard time accepting compliments (being ashamed)