Lesson - 03 - The - Sociological - Self - PPTX (4) (Autosaved)

LEC 4: THE SELF FROM
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
◦Lesson Objectives
1. explain the relationship between and among
the self, society and culture
2. describe the ways by which society and
culture shape the self
◦ There is a vibrant relationship between the self and external
reality.
◦ This perspective is known as social constructionist

perspective: merged view of the person and their social
context where the boundaries of one cannot easily be
separated from the boundaries of the other (Stevens,
1996).
◦The social constructionist argues that the self should
not be seen as a static entity that stays constant
through and through.
◦The self in a constant struggle with external reality.

◦Its identity is subjected to influences of the social
world.
◦Thus, the self is truly multifaceted (we play different
roles, act in different ways depending on our
circumstances).
◦I. Looking Glass Self: How Our Self-image is
Shaped by Society by Charles Horton Cooley
◦ The concept of the looking glass-self theory constitutes the
cornerstone of the sociological theory of socialization.
◦ According to the American sociologist Charles Horton
Cooley (1864-1929), the degree of personal insecurity you
display in social situations is determined by what you
believe other people think of you.
◦ Cooley´s concept of the looking glass self, states that a
person’s self grows out of a person´s social interactions with
others.
◦ The view of ourselves comes from the contemplation of

personal qualities and impressions of how others perceive us.
◦ Hence, how we see ourselves does not come from who we really
are, but rather from how we
believe others see us.
◦ The idea is that people in our close environment serve as the
“mirrors” that reflect images of ourselves.
According to Cooley, this process has three steps.

◦ First, we imagine how we appear to another person.
◦ Second, we imagine what judgments people make of us based on our
appearance.
◦ Lastly, we imagine how the person feels about us, based on the
judgments made of us.
The ultimate result is that we often change our behavior based on how
we feel people perceive us.
◦ The concept of the looking glass self offers insight not
only into our own thinking, but also to how we form our
identity based on how others see us.
◦ As long as we are interacting with others we are vulnerable for

changing our own self-image, a process that will continue
throughout our lives.
◦ Our challenge:
Hence, we should develop a self-image that is more

based on our own evaluations rather than how we believe
others look at us.
II. The Theory of the Social Self by
George Herbert Mead
 is based on the perspective that the
self emerges from social interactions,
such as observing & interacting with
others, responding to others' opinions about oneself &
internalizing external opinions & internal feelings about
oneself.
• The self consists of 'me' and 'I'.
• The self is not there from birth, it is
developed over time from social
experiences and activities
• The self is not evident at birth but
emerges over time through
language, play, and games.
◦
Development of Self thru: language, play,
and games
Language
• develops self by allowing individuals to
respond to each other through symbols,
gestures, words, and sounds
• conveys others' attitudes and opinions
toward a subject or person.
• emotions, such as anger, happiness, and
confusion, are conveyed through language.
Play
•develops self by allowing
individuals to take on different
roles, pretend, and express
expectation of others
•develops one's self-consciousness
through role-playing.
•during role-play, a person is able to
internalize the perspective of
others and develop an
understanding of how others feel
about themselves and others in a
variety of social situations
Games
• develop self by allowing
individuals to understand
and adhere to the rules of
the activity
◦ Mead continued…
The two sides of Self
“Me” has been developed by the

knowledge of society & social
interactions that the individual
has gained.
'me' is considered a phase in the self

that is in the past
“I” is the present and future phase of the self
“I” allows the individual to express creativity and
individualism
The society says “I” should behave & socially interact and
the “I” think I should act the same or perhaps different.
◦ III. The role of language by Lev Vygotsky
◦ Lev Vygotsky treat the human mind as something that is made,

constituted through language as experienced in the external world and
as encountered in dialogs with others.
◦ A young child internalizes the values, norms and practices and social
beliefs through exposure to these dialogs that will eventually become
part of his individual world.
◦
◦ For Vygotsky, a child internalizes real life dialogs that he has had
with others, with his family, his primary caregiver, or his playmates.
They apply this to their mental and practical problems along with
the social and cultural infusions brought about by said dialogs.
Ref:
◦ Alata, et al, 2016. Understanding the Self. Manila: Rex Bookstore.
◦ Cooley, Charles Horton 1998. On Self and Social Organization. University Of
Chicago Press. 1 edition.
◦ www.popularsocialscience.com/category/articles/

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LEC 4: THE SELF FROM

◦ This perspective is known as social constructionist

◦The self in a constant struggle with external reality.

◦ The view of ourselves comes from the contemplation of

According to Cooley, this process has three steps.

◦ As long as we are interacting with others we are vulnerable for

Hence, we should develop a self-image that is more

The two sides of Self

“Me” has been developed by the

'me' is considered a phase in the self

◦ Lev Vygotsky treat the human mind as something that is made,

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