LEC 2: The Sociological Perspective

French; sociologies

The word sociology is from the ___ word “___”

Isidore Auguste Comte

Coined the term sociology

Latin “socius” (companion) and Greek “logos” (knowledge)

Root words of sociology

Sociologie

The study of or knowledge of companions

Sociology

Study of social life, social changes, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior; Investigation of the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and how people interact within those contexts; People have an innate need for companionship

human behavior; group life

The sociological perspective of the self is based on the assumption that our ___ ___ is formed from ___ ___

Charles Horton Cooley, George Herbert Mead, Gerry Lanuza, Jean Baudrillard

4 Sociologists that Define the Self Through the Sociological Lense

Looking Glass Self

Major Idea of Charles Horton Cooley

Charles Horton Cooley

Founded the Idea of the Looking Glass Self

Looking Glass Self

According to Cooley, this is people who we interact with become a mirror on how we view ourselves

Anticipate, Assess, and Emulate

According to Cooley, 3 Components of the Looking Glass Self

Anticipate

According to Cooley, component of the Looking Glass Self in which we imagine how we must appear to others in a social situation

Assess

According to Cooley, component of the Looking Glass Self in which we imagine and react to what we feel their judgment of that appearance must be

Emulate

According to Cooley, component of the Looking Glass Self in which we develop our sense of self and respond through these perceived judgements of others

others’ opinions; imagine those opinions are

According to Cooley, we are not influenced by ___ ___, rather by what we ___ ___ ___ ___

George Herbert Mead

Founded the Theory of the Social Self, Role-Taking, 3 Activities that Develop the Self, the Me & I

Theory of the Social Self

According to Mead, self emerges from social interactions and develops only with social experience where language, gestures, and objects are used to communicate meaningfully

Role-Taking

According to Mead, in which we do the giving of the opinion since we assess and observe the personality of other people and adjust by giving a version of ourself

Preparatory, Play, Game

According to Mead 3 Activities that Develop the Self

Preparatory

According to Mead, stage at 0-3 yrs old; where children imitate the people around them, especially those they spend most of their time with; do not understand what they are imitating; no sense of self

Play

According to Mead, stage at 3-5 yrs old; where children start to view themselves in relation to others as they learn to communicate through language and other symbols; self is developing

Game

According to Mead, stage at 8-9 yrs old; children understand not only own social position but others; children become concerned about and take into account their behavior towards others; self is now present

The Me & I

According to Mead, the two sides of the Self

Me Self

According to Mead, the side of the self that is the socialized aspect of the individual; represents behaviors, attitudes, and expectations of others and of society; considered a phase of the self that is in the past; combo of LGS and Role-Making; exterior, shown outside

I Self

According to Mead, the side of the self that is the present and future phase of the self; individual identity based on the response of the “me”; how one knows themself; subjective element and active side of the self and represents the spontaneous unique traits of the individual; how one is behind the scenes

Gerry Lanuza

Philosopher believing that people can choose their self identity regardless of societal expectation but the full development of the self can be hindered due to problems encouraged by people, like dehumanization and alienation

The Constitution of the Self

Written by Gerry Lanuza in which the relationship between society and individual is discussed

choosing our self identity; no longer bound; traditions; custom

According to Lanuza, in post-modern society, we have the freedom of ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ by the ___ and ___ of our society

continuously changes; social context; new information technologies; globalization

According to Lanuza, in post-modern society, self-identity ___ ___ due to demands of ___ ___, ___ ___ ___, and ___

plethora of problems; hinder; full development

According to Lanuza, in modern societies, people encourage a ___ __ ___, which ___ the ___ ___ of their self

Jean Baudrillard

Philosopher that emphasized the negative effects of materialism on the self

prestige symbols

According to Baudrillard, postmodern individuals achieve self-identity through ___ ___ that they can afford to consume

advertising; mass media; goodness; power

According to Baudrillard, cultural practices of ___ and ___ __ influence individuals to consume goods NOT for their primary value and utility but for the feeling of ____ and ___ when compared to others

insatiable consumers

According to Baudrillard, postmodern people are ___ ___ and may never be satisfied in their lives