Sociological Perspectives

Sociological Perspectives

The self is a relatively stable set of perceptions of who we are in relation to ourselves, others, and to social systems. The self is socially constructed in the sense that it is shaped through interaction with other people.

Charles Cooley

Looking glass Self. People’s self understanding is constructed, in part, by their perception of how others view them. Explains how people develop their sense of self based on how they think others see them. A phenomenon that we view ourselves as others view us.

1. Imagining how others see you

2. Imagining how others respond to what they see

3. Imagining how others feel about their response

The three steps of the looking-glass self theory are:

Significant Others

Cooley also distinguished between primary and secondary groups. Primary groups are small, intimate, and relatively permanent, and are usually made up of family or close friends, whom their reactions and judgements had a significant impact in your personality.

Carl Rogers

Self-concept. The image that we have of ourselves. This image develops in a number of ways but is particularly influenced by our interactions with important people in our lives. It is 'a fluid but consistent pattern of perceptions of the 'I' or 'me' in relation to the environment, personal values, goals and ideals.

Identity Formation

The development of the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity (known as personal continuity) in a particular stage of life in which individual characteristics are possessed and by which a person is recognized or known.

1. Self-image

2. Self-esteem

3. Ideal self

Components of self-concept

Self-image

How you see yourself in the present moment, based on your physical characteristics, personality, and social roles.

Self-esteem

How much you value yourself. How we compare ourselves to others and how others respond to us.

Ideal self

It refers to the person you want to be, with the qualities you aspire to have.

Congruence

Occurs when self-concept is fairly well aligned with reality.

Self-actualization

Occurs when a person's “ideal self” (i.e., who they would like to be) is congruent with their actual behavior (self-image).

Incongruence

Happens when reality does not match up to our self-concept.

George Herbert Mead

Social Self. Self, is a person’s distinct identity that is developed through social interaction. Through socialization we learn to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and look at the world through their perspective.

1. Preparatory

2. Play

3. Game

Three stages of Mead’s social self:

Social Self Theory

Includes the concepts of 'self,' 'me,' and 'I’. It is based on the perspective that the self emerges from social interactions, such as observing and interacting with others, responding to others' opinions about oneself, and internalizing external opinions and internal feelings about oneself.

Language

Develops self by allowing individuals to respond to each other through symbols, gestures, words, and sounds. It conveys others' attitudes and opinions toward a subject or the person. Emotions, such as anger, happiness, and confusion, are conveyed through language.

Play

Develops self by allowing individuals to take on different roles, pretend, and express expectation of others. It develops one's self-consciousness through role-playing.

Games

Develop self by allowing individuals to understand and adhere to the rules of the activity. Self is developed by understanding that there are rules in which one must abide by in order to win the game or be successful at an activity.

1. Me

2. I

Two sides of self:

Me

This is sometimes the socialized aspect of the individual. Represents learned behaviors, attitudes, and expectations of others and of society. Referred to as the generalized other. A phase of the self that is in the past.

I

The individual's identity of the present and future phase of the self based on response to the 'me.' Represents the individual’s identity based on the response to those societal behaviors and expectations.