SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE:
THE SELF AS A PRODUCT OF SOCIETY
LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Recognize what sociology tells about understanding the self and others;
• Discuss how individuals view the self as a product of socialization;
• Explain George Herbert Mead’s theory of the social self;
• Discuss the self as a product of modern and postmodern societies; and
• Appreciate your own social experiences that have particularly helpful in
understanding the self.
SOCIOLOGY
• A social science that studies human societies, their interactions, and
the processes that preserve and change them.
• Comes from the Latin word “socius” which means “companion”, and
the Greek word “logos”, which means “study of”, and literally
translates to “the study of companionship.”
CHARLES HORTON COOLEY
• He is perhaps best known for his concept of the looking glass self, which is the
concept that a person’s self grows out of society’s interpersonal interactions
and the perception of others.
• The concept of the “looking glass-self” is undoubtedly his most famous, ad is
known and accepted by most psychologists and sociologists today.
• Theterm “looking glass-self” was first used by Cooley in his work, Human
Nature and the Social Order in 1902.
STEPS IN LOOKING GLASS SELF
1. You imagine how you appear to the other person.
2. You imagine the judgment of the other person.
3. You feel some sense of pride, happiness, guilt, or shame.
GEORGE HERBERT MEAD
• Mead’s theory of the self is completely social. Yourself develops through
interacting with others, through reflecting on that interaction, to thinking how
others are perceiving you, and that helps your generate an image of your
self.
• Mead theorized that the self has two parts: Self-awareness and Self-image.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF
• PREPARATORY STAGE (0-3 years old): Language develops self by allowing
individuals to responds to each other through symbols, gestures, words and
sounds.
• PLAY STAGE (3 to 5 years old): Play develops self by allowing individuals to
take on different roles, pretend and express expectation of others. Play
develops one’s self-consciousness through role-playing.
• GAME STAGE (begins in the early school years; about 8 or 9 years old):
Games develops self by allowing individuals to understand and adhere to the
rules of the activity. Self is developed by understanding that there are rules in
which one must abide by in order to win the game or be successful.
THEORY OF THE SOCIAL SELF INCLUDES THE
CONCEPTS OF “I” AND “ME”
• The “I” is the subjective element and the active side of the self.
• The “ME”, on the other hand, is the objective element of the self that
represents the internalized attitudes and demands of other people and the
individual’s awareness of those demands.
• The full development of the self is attained when the “I” and the “ME” are
united.
ERVING GOFFMAN
• We use “impression management” to present ourselves t others as we hope to
be perceived. DRAMATURGY
• Each situation is a new scene and we perform different roles depending on
who is present.
• In his theory of dramaturgical analysis, he argued that people live their lives
much like actors performing on a stage.
THE SELF AS A PRODUCT OF MODERN AND
POSTMODERN SOCIETIES
• GERRY LANUZA’s (2004) article, :The Constitution of the Self,” discusses the
relationship between society and the individual. According to him, in modern
societies the attainment and stability of self-identity are freely chosen.
• French sociologist JEAN BAUDRILLARD exposes the negative consequences of
postmodernity to individuals in the society (Demeterio, 2013). The
postmodern individuals achieve self-identity through prestige symbols that
they consume.
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
1. FAMILY: Families introduce children to the expectations of society.
Socialization is different based on race, gender and class.
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
2. SCHOOL: In school, teachers and other students are the source of
expectations that encourage children to think and behave in particular ways.
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
3. PEERS: Peer culture is an important source of identity. Through interaction with
peers, children learn concepts of self, gain social skills, and form values and
attitudes.
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
4. MEDIA: The average young person (age 8-19) spends almost 7 hours per
day immersed in media in various forms, often using multiple media forms
simultaneously.
Television is the dominant medium, although half of all youth use a computer
daily.
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
5. RELIGION: Children tend to develop the same religious beliefs as their
parents. Very often those who disavow religion return to their original faith at
some point in their life, especially if they have strong ties to their family at
origin and after they form families of their own.
SUMMARY
• The concept of the self as a product of society suggests that our identity,
beliefs, values, and behaviors are shaped by the social environment we live in.
This idea is rooted in sociological and social psychological theories that
emphasize the role of socialization, culture, and interactions with others in
forming our sense of self.
• Some key points to consider:
• [Link]: We learn about ourselves and our place in the world through
interactions with family, peers, media, and other social institutions.
• [Link] influence: Our culture shapes our values, norms, and expectations,
which in turn influence our self-concept and behavior. 3. Social roles: We
occupy various roles in society, such as student, worker, or parent, which can
shape our identity and behavior.
• [Link] comparison: We evaluate ourselves by comparing ourselves to others,
which can influence our self-esteem and sense of identity.
• Some notable thinkers who have contributed to this idea include:
• [Link] Herbert Mead: He argued that the self emerges through social
interaction and communication, and that our sense of self is shaped by the
perspectives and expectations of others.
• [Link] Goffman: He suggested that we present ourselves to others through
"impression management," and that our self-presentation is influenced by
social norms and expectations.
• Charles Cooley: He introduced the concept of the "looking-glass self," which
suggests that our self-concept is shaped by how we imagine others perceive
us. Overall, the idea that the self is a product of society highlights the complex
and dynamic nature of identity formation, and how our sense of self is shaped
by the social context in which we live.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS YOUR I VS. ME BEHAVIOR
APPLIES IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS