George Herbert Mead's Theory of Self and Socialization

George Herbert Mead and the Theory of the Social Self

• Background of the Theory:

  • George Herbert Mead was a prominent sociologist active during the late 1800s.

  • He is most famous for his development of the theory of the social self, which focuses on how an individual's identity is formed.

  • The core of his theory revolves around three specific concepts: the "self," the "me," and the "I."

  • Mead focused significantly on the process of how the self is developed through social interaction.

• Defining the Social Self:

  • The self is not an inherent or biological construct; Mead posited that the self is not present at birth.

  • The self emerges over time through various social experiences and activities. This process includes:

    • Observing others.

    • Interacting with others.

    • Responding to the opinions others hold regarding oneself.

    • Internalizing external opinions alongside internal feelings about oneself.

  • Mead's perspective was a major departure from other sociologists and psychologists of his era, who argued that the self was primarily rooted in biological factors and inherited traits.

The Three Activities in the Development of Self

According to Mead, there are three primary activities through which the self is developed: language, play, and games.

• Language:

  • Language allows individuals to respond to one another using symbols, gestures, words, and sounds.

  • It serves as a vehicle for conveying the attitudes and opinions of others regarding a specific subject or the person themselves.

  • Specific emotions, such as anger, happiness, and confusion, are communicated through language, helping the individual understand social context.

• Play:

  • Play involves individuals taking on different roles and engaging in "pretend" scenarios.

  • Through play, individuals express the expectations of others, which helps develop self-consciousness.

  • Role-playing allows a person to internalize the perspectives of others, granting them an understanding of how others feel about themselves and about various social situations.

• Games:

  • Games require individuals to understand and adhere to the specific rules of an activity.

  • The development of the self in this context comes from the realization that one must abide by rules to win the game or be successful in the activity.

The Two Sides of Self: "Me" and "I"

Mead's theory suggests that the self is composed of two distinct phases or sides: the "me" and the "I."

• The "Me":

  • Definition: The socialized aspect of the individual.

  • Function: It represents the learned behaviors, attitudes, and expectations of society and of others.

  • Sociological Term: Often referred to as the "generalized other."

  • Temporal Aspect: The "me" is considered a phase of the self that exists in the past, having been built from the knowledge of society and past social interactions.

  • Control: The "me" exercises societal control. It is the mechanism that prevents an individual from breaking social rules or deviating from societal expectations.

• The "I":

  • Definition: The individual's identity based on their response to the socialized "me."

  • Function: The "I" processes social expectations. It essentially thinks: "Society says I should behave one way, and I think I should act the same (or perhaps different)."

  • Temporal Aspect: The "I" is considered the present and future phase of the self.

  • Individualism: The "I" allows for the expression of creativity, individualism, and the ability to know when to bend or stretch social rules.

• The Didactic Relationship:

  • The "me" and the "I" exist in a system of checks and balances.

  • Together, these two phases constitute the complete self.

Charles Cooley and the Looking-Glass Self

Sociologist Charles Cooley expanded upon Mead's work by introducing the concept of the looking-glass self. This concept suggests that the self develops continuously throughout a person's life until social experiences cease.

• Overview of the Looking-Glass Self:

  • The self begins to develop after birth and changes through three specific stages of behavioral and personality development: imagining, interpreting, and developing self-concept.

• Stage 1: Imagining:

  • Individuals judge their own appearance and actions based on how they believe family, friends, and teachers view them.

  • Internal Monologue: "My mom sees me this way," or "My friends see me this way."

  • Summary: This is described as the "this is how I must appear to others" stage.

• Stage 2: Interpreting:

  • This is a learned ability where the individual draws conclusions from past experiences and the perceived thoughts of others.

  • The individual kemudian reacts to the judgments of those external views.

• Stage 3: Developing Self-Concept:

  • The individual synthesizes all the gathered information from past experiences and the reactions of others.

  • This synthesis results in a stable sense of self-image.

  • Summary: This is described as the "this is who I am" stage.