SOCIOLOGICAL

PERSPECTIVE: THE SELF

AS A PRODUCT OF
SOCIETY
Chapter 2
SOCIOLOGY
is the study of society and human behavior in groups. It looks at
how people connect, interact, and influence each other in
different settings—like families, schools, workplaces, and
communities.
Example: A sociologist might study why some schools perform
better than others, how social media affects friendships, or how
culture shapes traditions in a community.
Sociology
Its the scientific study of social groups and
human relationships. It helps us see how our
lives are deeply connected with others.

Sociologists create theories to explain how the

self, who we are , develops through our
interactions and experiences with people
around us.

In short: We become who we are because of our

social experiences with family, friends, school,
and society.
 Sociological
Perspective
The sociological perspective of the self
says that who we are is shaped by the
groups we belong to and the people we
interact with. Our behavior, values, and
even how we see ourselves are influenced
by family, friends, schools, media, and other
social institutions.

Example: You may see yourself as

“hardworking” because your teachers,
classmates, and parents encourage and
expect you to be that way.
CHARLES
COOLEY
He is perhaps best known for his concept of the

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looking glass self, which is the concept that a
person's self grows out of society's interpersonal
interactions and the perceptions of others.

The concept of the "looking glass-self" is

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undoubtedly his most famous, and is
known and accepted by most
psychologists and sociologists today.

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The term "looking glass self" was first
used by Cooley in his work, Human
Nature and the Social Order in 1902.
The looking-glass self means we develop
our self-image by imagining how other
people see us. In other words, we think
about what others might say or feel about
us, and that shapes how we see ourselves.
Example: If you think your classmates
see you as confident, you’ll start to see
yourself that way too.
STEPS IN LOOKING
GLASS SELF

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You imagine how you look to
others. ("Do they like my outfit?")

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You imagine their judgment.
("They think I look silly.")

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You feel happy or ashamed
based on that judgment.
GEORGE HERBERT MEAD
Mead’s theory of the self says that the self is not something we are
born with—it develops through social interaction. We learn who we are

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by:
1. Interacting with others (family, friends, groups).
2. Reflecting on those interactions.
3. Imagining how others see us.
Through this process, we build an image of ourselves based on society’s
feedback.

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Mead theorized that the self has two
parts: Self-awareness and Self-image.

✨ Self-awareness is knowing yourself—your personality, values, emotions,

thoughts, and actions. It’s your ability to reflect on who you are and why you

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act the way you do.
Example: Realizing you get nervous when speaking in front of the class and
understanding why.
Self-image is the picture you have of yourself in your mind. It’s how you see
your own appearance, abilities, and worth.
👉 Example: Thinking “I am good at sports” or “I’m not confident in math.”
 Mead details the development of the
self in a three-stage process:
Game Stage – Here, children learn to
1. Preparatory Stage – This is when Play Stage – At this stage, children start follow rules and take on multiple roles at
very young children imitate others role-playing. They pretend to be once. They begin to understand how their
important figures in their lives and learn actions fit into a larger group.
without fully understanding. Example: A child playing soccer learns
Example: A baby waves or smiles just because how others might act.
they see others do it. Example: A child pretends to be a the rules and sees how teammates and
teacher, a parent, or a superhero. opponents work together in the game.
 The generalized other is the stage when a person learns to
see themselves from the perspective of society as a whole.
It means being able to understand society’s rules, values,
and expectations, and knowing what role you are expected
to play in it.
This is the final stage in the development of the self
because it shows that a person can act not just based on
what family or friends think, but based on what society
expects in general.

George Herbert Mead’s theory of the social self explains that our
identity has two sides:

The “Me” – This is the social side of a person. It represents how we

learn and follow the rules, values, and expectations of society. It’s
shaped by the attitudes of others and how they expect us to
behave.
The “I” – This is the active, creative, and spontaneous side of a
person. It’s the part that shows individuality and personal choices,
even when society has expectations.
Together, the “I” and the “Me” make up the self: the “Me” keeps us
aware of social rules, while the “I” allows us to express our uniqueness.

Example: A student may want to crack a joke during class (the “I”), but
also knows to stay respectful because the teacher and classmates
expect proper behavior (the “Me”).
George Herbert Mead believed that we don’t
develop a sense of self just by being born—it
grows because of our interactions with other
people. He explained that the self has two sides:
The “I” – This is the personal side of you. It is
active, creative, and shows your unique traits.
It’s the part that says, “This is what I want to
do.”
The “Me” – This is the social side of you. It
develops from the expectations and rules of
society. It’s the part that says, “What will others
think if I do this?”
For Mead, a complete self is formed when both
the “I” (your individuality) and the “Me” (society’s
influence) work together.
Example: A student might want to speak out in
class (the “I”), but also thinks about being
respectful and waiting for their turn (the “Me”).
 ERVING GOFFMAN
We use impression management to shape
how others see us, presenting ourselves in
the way we want to be perceived. This idea
is central to dramaturgy, where each social
situation is viewed as a new scene and we
perform different roles depending on who is
present.
In his theory of dramaturgical analysis,
Erving Goffman explained that people live
their everyday lives much like actors
performing on a stage, constantly adjusting
their behavior to fit the audience and the
situation
Dramaturgy is a sociological perspective on identity that uses the metaphor of theater to
explain how people create and reshape their identities. It views social life as a performance,
where there is always a place, a moment, and an audience to whom a person presents
themselves.
For example, a student may act respectful and studious in front of teachers, but
playful and relaxed when with friends.

Erving Goffman described two main stages in this performance. The back stage is the
private space where individuals prepare for their role—
for instance, practicing what to say before a job interview or deciding what outfit to wear for
a date.

The front stage is where the actual social interaction happens, such as during the interview
itself when the applicant presents themselves as confident and professional.

Interaction Orders are the shared rules and expectations that people in a group follow to
organize their daily social interactions and make sense of one another. These are often the
unspoken, taken-for-granted practices that are tied to a specific place and situation.
👉 Examples:
In a classroom, students raise their hands before speaking to show respect and order.
In a church, people stay quiet and solemn as part of proper behavior.
In a canteen, students line up to buy food instead of rushing to the counter.
In a library, everyone keeps their voices low so others can study.
 AGENTS OF
SOCIALIZATION
Socialization is the way people learn
how to live in society by picking up the
rules, values, and behaviors that a
group accepts. It teaches us how to act
so we can get along with others.
AGENTS OF
SOCIALIZATION
The family
is the first agent of socialization because it teaches children the basic
rules, values, and behaviors of society. Socialization can differ depending
on background.
For example, by race, a family may teach a child to celebrate their cultural
traditions; by gender, parents might give dolls to girls and toy cars to boys;
and by class, wealthy families may emphasize college education, while
poorer families may stress the importance of hard work.

School is an important agent of socialization where teachers

and classmates set expectations that shape how children
think and act.
For example, students learn to follow rules like raising
their hand before speaking, working in groups, or
respecting deadlines, which teaches discipline and
cooperation.
AGENTS OF
SOCIALIZATION
PEERS
Peer culture helps shape a person’s identity. By interacting with
friends, children learn who they are, practice social skills, and
develop values and attitudes.
For example, a child may learn teamwork by playing basketball
with peers or pick up certain styles of speaking and dressing to
feel accepted in the group.

MEDIA
The average young person, ages 8 to 19, spends nearly 7 hours each
day using different forms of media, often using more than one at the
same time. Social media is now the dominant medium, and about half of
all youth also use gadgets like smartphones, tablets, or computers daily.
For example, a teenager may scroll through TikTok while listening to
music on Spotify and chatting with friends online, all at the same time.
AGENTS OF
SOCIALIZATION
RELIGION
Children usually adopt the religious beliefs of their
parents, since family is the first source of faith and
values. Even if some turn away from religion while
growing up, many return to their original faith later
in life—especially when they maintain close family
ties or start families of their own.
For example, a young adult who stopped attending
church may begin going again after getting married
or having children, because religion becomes a way
to connect with family traditions.