The Self in Oriental/Eastern Thought & Mead's Social Self

Vocabulary flashcards covering Buddhism, Confucianism, and Mead’s Self theory, including key terms and their meanings.

Buddhism

A religion/way of life originated about 2,500 years ago with Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha); emphasizes a moral life, mindfulness, and wisdom; foundational teachings include the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Four Noble Truths

The core Buddhist teachings: life involves suffering; suffering is caused by craving and aversion; suffering can be overcome; following the Noble Eightfold Path leads to an end of suffering.

Suffering (dukkha)

The first noble truth describing physical and psychological pain and dissatisfaction inherent in life.

Craving and Aversion

Causes suffering; wanting things to be a certain way and resisting what is not desired; releasing craving leads toward happiness.

Nirvana

The end of suffering and a state of true happiness and freedom from craving, attained by following the Eightfold Path.

Noble Eightfold Path

The Buddhist path to end suffering, encompassing morality, concentration, and wisdom.

Confucianism

A way of life (rujiao) taught by Confucius (Kong Fuzi) in China (6th–5th c. BCE); emphasizes ethics, social harmony, and moral order rather than traditional religious beliefs.

Confucius (Kong Fuzi)

Chinese philosopher who promoted virtue, social order, and harmony; his teachings stress personal cultivation and ethical conduct.

The Life of the Moral Man

Confucian idea that happiness and social order come from the virtuous life and harmonious social relationships.

The Superior Man

A Confucian ideal: modest in speech but rich in deeds, embodying virtue and ethical conduct.

Self (Mead)

George Herbert Mead’s concept that the self develops through social interaction and consists of the 'I' and the 'Me'.

Me (the self)

The socialized aspect of the self; learned attitudes and behaviors reflecting others and society; often considered the past perspective.

I (the self)

The active, spontaneous aspect of the self; present/future identity that responds to the 'Me'.

Generalized Other

The attitude, viewpoint, and expectations of society as a whole that individuals internalize to develop a complete self.

Language (Mead)

A mechanism for developing self; enables individuals to respond to others through symbols, gestures, and words and to convey attitudes.

Play

A stage in self-development where individuals take on roles and internalize others’ perspectives, fostering self-consciousness.

Games

Structured activities with rules that teach social role understanding and adherence to norms, contributing to the development of the generalized other.