Sociology Chapter 1 - The Self

Vocab for chapter 1 of Terrible Magnificent Sociology by Lisa Wade (Second Edition)

Me

Represents our socialized self which is shaped by the generalized other. (The object of thought)

I

I represents unfiltered view of self. (The subject of thought)

Mirror Test

A test to see if an animal is cable of seeing its reflection and realizing that the figure in the mirror is themselves.

Theory of Mind

The recognition that other minds exist, followed by the realization that we can try to imagine others’ mental states.

Mirror Neurons

Cells in our brain that fire in identical ways whether we’re observing or preforming an action.

Self Awareness

The simple knowledge of our own existence.

Self Concept

Our understanding of who we are based on our personality traits, physical characteristics, ancestry, and biographies.

George Herbert Mead

A philosopher and sociologist study how and when the self takes place. Believed self is the product of symbolic interactionalism. “I” and “Me”. Self develops in preverbal stage and accelerates as kids talk.

How did George Herbert Mead think the self develop?

He thought the self develops through social interaction and role taking. (individuals learn to see themselves from the perspective of others).

Social Psychology

The study of the interface between the individual and society. (How people’s thoughts feelings and behaviors are influenced by social context)

Looking-Glass Self

The self that emerges as a consequences of seeing ourselves as we think other people see us.

Charles Horton Cooley

A founder of social psychology he beloved “society is mental” and that our self concepts emerge in the presense of others. Came up with Looking-glass self.

How did Charles Cooley think self developed?

He thought the self develops through social interaction and Looking-Glass self.

Generalized Others

Imagined members of specific social groups.

In-depth Interview

A research method that involves an intimate conversation between a researcher and a research subject.

Research Subject

A person who agrees to participate in a research project.

Coding

A process in which segments of text are identified as belonging to relevant categories.

Christopher Knight

Removed himself from society in 1986 lived in the woods and stole food and supplies from people. He no longer had a Looking-Glass self. 

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A phenomenon in which what people believe is true becomes true, even if it wasn’t originally true.

Laboratory Experiment

A research method that involves a test of a hypothesis under carefully controlled conditions.

Variable

Any measurable phenomenon that varies.

Experimental Group

The group in a laboratory experiment that undergoes the experience that researchers believe might influence the dependent variable.

Control Group

The group in a laboratory experiment that does not undergo the experience that the researches believe might influence the dependent varrible. 

Casual Claim

Assertions that an independent variable is directly and specifically responsible for producing a change in a dependent variable.

Correlational Claims

Assertions that changes in an independent variable correspond to changes in a dependent variable but not in a way that can be proven casual.

Self-narrative

A story we tell about the origin and likely future of our selves.

The Self as a Social Fact

Our past self, our present self, and are future selves are social facts. From the moment we develop self awareness we begin constructing a self concept through interactions, committing a self narrative to memory and imagining who we will be in the future.