DVM (GNED 08) Undestanding the self chap 1

Sociology

The scientific study of human social
relations or group life.

Sociology

Is a study of human interactions,
the relationships that occur within the
group and the results of these
interactions.

George Herbert Mead

Born February 1863 in Massachusetts, USA. Graduated and taught grade school in Oberlin College. In 1887, he enrolled at Harvard University and his main interests
were Philosophy and Psychology.

Social Behaviorism

• The power of the environment in shaping
human behavior
• Described the self as a 'dimension of personality
that is made-up of the individual's self-awareness
and self-image'
• Self cannot be separated from the society

The Preparatory Stage (0 to 2 years age)

• Children imitate the behaviors of
people around them

• At this stage, children starts to know
and understand the symbols

• The symbols are the bases of
communication. Ex. Language,
gestures, objects

The Play Stage (3 to years age)

• Skills at knowing and understanding
the symbols of communication is
important for socialization

• Children begin to role play and
pretend to be other people

• Role-taking is the process of mentally
assuming the perspective of another
and see how the person respond in a
given situation

The Game Stage (8 to 9 years age)

• The child begins to consider
several tasks and various types of
relationships simultaneously

• Begins to see not only the own
perspective but also the
perspective of other people

• 'Generalized other' is the behavior
of the person when he sees/
considers other people in the course of his actions.

Mead's Theory of the Self

• The self is not present at birth but
begins as a central character in a
child's world

• Children see themselves as the
center of their 'universe'

• As the child grow and mature, they
begin to see other people and now
concerned about people's reactions

• Significant others is the family who
play a major role in the formation
of the self

I self

• When the person initiates or performs a social
action, the self functions as a subject

• It represents the individual's identity based on
the response in his own experience

Ex. I am 20 years old
I am this. I am that

Me self

• When the person takes the role of the other, the
self function as an object

• It represents learned behaviors, attitudes and
expectations of others and of society

Ex. Students around school voted for me.
They chose me as class president.

• Ex. If you accidentally put your hand to the fire
then your "I self" expresses how you react to the
pain
• But the "me self" expresses how to choose to
express that pain and your reaction will be
conditioned by:

Charles Horton Cooley

• Was an American Sociologist

• Made use of the sociopsychological
approach to understanding how societies
work

• People learn who they are through their
social interaction with people

• Our view of ourselves comes from
contemplation of personal qualities and by
the impression and perception of others

• Looking-glass self or the self that is a
product of social interaction

Three Phases of Developing a Self

1. People imagine how they
present themselves to
other

2. People imagine how
others evaluate them

3. People develop some sort
of feeling about
themselves as a result of
those impressions

Erving Goffman

• a Canadian-American sociologist

• Known for his development of
Modern American Sociology

• One of his popular work was The
Presentation of the Self in Everyday
Life

• He observed that people learn to
slant their presentation of
themselves in order to create
preferred appearances and satisfy
particular audience

Impression Management

• The process of altering how the person
presents himself to others

• Similarities of real social interaction to a
theatrical presentation

• Also termed as dramaturgical approach

Ex. A food waiter conceal his anger
towards rude customer

Face-work

• Another aspect of the self

• Is the need to maintain proper image of the
self to continue social interaction

• Helps achieve success in interpersonal
communication

Ex. Poise