UTS LESSON 3 - UNFOLDING THE SOCIAL SELF

• Self

• Society

• Social Self

• Influence

4 Social Agencies of the Self

Self

refers to the totality of an individual, including the characteristics and attributes that contribute to personal identity, being, and experience.

Self

In psychology it is:

• both conscious and unconscious

• mental aspects

• physical aspects

Society

is an organized group of people whose members interact with one another and share systems, institutions, rules, practices, and ways of organizing their collective life.

Social Self

aspects of one’s identity or self-concept that are important to, or influenced by interpersonal relationships and the reactions of other people.

Social Self

a person’s characteristic behavior in social situations and, in some contexts, the social image or presentation a person shows to other

The Self

it develops through social interactions with family, peers, and society, which teach us language, values, and social roles

• Socialization

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Social Comparison

• Institutions & Culture

• Modern Influences

5 factors that affect the Society-Self Relationship

Socialization

From birth, individuals learn language, values, and norms through family, peers, school, and media

Symbolic Interactionism

Identity emerges through role-taking and interaction

Charles Horton Cooley’s Looking-Glass Self

We see ourselves through others reactions

George Herbert Mead’s “I” and “Me”

The “I” is spontaneous, while the “Me” reflects societies expectations

Social Comparison

People define self-concept and self-esteem by comparing themselves with others (upward or downward)

Durkheim

who said that “The self is rooted in collective conscience, rituals, traditions, and moral norms

Marx

who said that “Economic structures shape identity, e.g. workers defining themselves through labor roles

Weber

who said that “Religion and bureaucracy mold disciplined, rational selves”

Digital selves

social media creates curated identities, shaped by likes, comments, and algorithmic visiblity

Intersectionality

Gender, class, and ethnicity intersect to form multiple, context-dependent selves

Culture

is the shared set of learned beliefs, values, and practices that a social group transmits across generations. Rather than being biologically inherited, it shapes how individuals interpret the world, communicate, and behave.

Edward Tylor (1871)

He said that “culture is the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, law, art, moral, custom, and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society”

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1935)

He created the Bioecological Systems Theory

Bioecological Systems Theory

explains an individual’s social development, using biological, environmental, and ecological lenses. It explains the bidirectional influence of individual systems to each other and posits five specific systems that shape an individual’s sense of self

• Microsystem

• Mesosystem

• Exosystem

• Macrosystem

• Chronosystem

5 parts of the Bronfenbrenner Ecological Model

Microsystem

this system refers to the institutions and social groups that the individual has direct contact and interaction with, including families, peers, schools, religious institutions, and the immediate community

Mesosystem

This system refers to the interconnection among aspects of the microsystems affecting the individual

Exosystem

This system refers to the social setting that an individual has no direct interaction with but nevertheless affects his or her development

Macrosystem

This system encompasses the larger cultural context in which the individual resides in. A cultural context may include the country’s socioeconomic status, ethnicity, societal values, cultural beliefs and practices handed down from generation to generation, and how all these affects any ones behavior and opportunities in the society

Chronosystem

This system focuses on patterns of environmental events, including socio-historical events from a specific to general context

Individualism-Collectivism Model

explains how culture shapes the way people define themselves

individualist societies

these societies emphasize autonomy and personal goals

collectivist societies

these societies highlight group harmony and shared identity

Individualism-Collectivism Model

This framework is crucial for analyzing how cultural contexts influence self-construal, behavior, and values

Individualism

A cultural orientation that prioritizes the individual over the group

Individualism

Self concept: Identity is based on personal traits, achievements, and choices

• Independence

• Autonomy

• Freedom

• Self-expression

4 Values of Individualism

Individualism

Behavior: Decisions are made according to personal goals; competition and uniqueness are emphasized

Collectivism

A cultural orientation that prioritizes the group over the individual

Collectivism

Self-concept: Identity is rooted in family, community, and social roles

• Loyalty

• Harmony

• Duty

• Interdependence

4 values of Collectivism

Collectivism

Behavior: Decisions are made to maintain group welfare; cooperation and consensus are emphasized

George Herbert Mead’s

In psychology and philosophy, the distinction between “I” and “Me” comes from _____ _____ ____ Theory of the self.

The “I”

The spontaneous, active, and subjective aspect of the self

The “I”

Role: Represents personal responses, creativity, and individuality

The “I”

Nature: Unpredictable, impulsive, and initiates action

The “Me”

The socialized, reflective, and objective aspect of the self

The “Me”

Role: represents internalized norms, expectations, and roles from society

The “Me”

Nature: Organized, rule-following, and shaped by social interactions

Culture

_____ shapes the self by providing the values, beliefs, and practices that guide how individuals define their identity, regulate emotions, and interact with others. It influences whether people see themselves as independent (focused on autonomy and personal goals) or interdependent (focused on relationships and group harmony)

• Independent vs Interdependent Self

• Religion and Traditions

• Cultural Values

• Language and Communication

• Socialization Practices

5 factors that affect the culture-self relationship

Hazel Markus & Shinobu Kitayama (1991)

They coined the term Independent vs Interdependent Self

Independent Self

Individualist cultures

Interdependent Self

Collectivist Cultures

Socialization Practices

Culture dictates how children are raised, what behaviors are rewarded, and what roles are expected

Language

it encodes cultural values

Direct Communication

Individualist

Indirect, polite communication

collectivist

Religion & Traditions

provide meaning and reinforce identity

Socio-Digital Self

refers to the way a person’s identity is developed, expressed, and experienced through digital environments and online interactions. It includes how individuals present themselves, communicate with others, and participate in digital spaces such as social media, online communities, and other virtual platforms

Socio-Digital Self

can be understood as an extension of the Social Self into the digital environment.

Material / Economic Self

refers to the aspect of identity influenced by a person’s possessions, resources, economic circumstances, and material environment. It recognizes that what people own, the resources available to them, and their economic circumstances can influence how they see themselves, express their identity, and experience their place in society

Social Self and Material / Economic Self

are interconnected because our social environment can give meaning to the things we own and to our economic circumstances.

At the same time, our material and economic conditions can influence our social roles, opportunities, relationships, and participation in society.

Thus, material and economic factors can become part of how individuals experience and express their social identity

Social Self

Application: Notice how your identity changes depending on roles (student, teacher, friend)

Cultural Self

Application: Reflect on how traditions, values, and language shape your worldview

Socio-Digital Self

Application: Examine how your online presence (social media, digital profiles) reflects or reshapes your identity

Material / Economic Self

Application: Reflect on how possessions and resources influence your sense of self

Social Self

shows how others shape us

Cultural Self

roots us in traditions and values

Socio-Digital Self

reflects our online identity

Material / economic self

highlights possessions and resources