UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

REVIEWER 2

• examines how individualsare shaped by society, including institutions, culture, norms and interactions.

• it argues that who we are (our identity, beliefs, and behaviors) is not just internally driven, but socially influenced.

SOCIOLOGY

• American Philosopher and Sociologist

• Known for his theory “Social Self”.

GEORGE HERBERT MEADS’S THEORY

• Spontaneous, Impulsive and creative aspect of the self.

“I”

“ME”

• Socialized as of the self, internalized attitudes, beliefs, and expectations of others.

• American Sociologist

• Looking-Glass self

CHARLES HORTON COOLEY

• Imagining how we appear to others

• Imagining how others judge us

• Developing a Self-Concept based on this

Self Reflection, Social Influence, Impact on Behavior

THREE MAIN COMPONENTS

• Represent the common behavioral expectations of society.

• Help us to understand and conform to social norms

• We learn to take the role of the other to see how we are perceived.

GENERALIZED OTHER

• Social interaction as the foundation of the self

• Identity is constructed through symbols and social interaction

• Experiences shape how we view ourselves

• We adopt based on who we interact with

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM