Sociological - Self - Edit 2

Sociology
Understanding the Self

Objectives
a. compare and contrast the different views of the

self
b. examine the two components of self
c. describe the concept of the looking-glass self and
how it affects self-concept
d. explain the concept of social comparison and
why it is important to human behavior.
What is Sociology?
Meaning of Sociology
 Is a social science that studies human

societies, their interactions, and the
processes that preserve and change them.
 Study of human relationships and

institutions
SOCIOLOGICAL VIEWS OF
THE SELF
A.1 The Self as Product of Modern Society
Among Others
A.2 Self as Necessary Fiction
A.3 Post-modern View of the Self
A.1 The Self as Product of
Modern Society Among Others
 With modernization, the self becomes a
“delocalized” self which is free to seek its own
identity; defining religion, theological tradition;
free from customary constraints hence,
deviating from the traditional way of life.
The Self as Product of Modern
Society Among Others
 Clifford Geertz (1973) believes that the struggle for one's
individuality is only possible in modern society where religio-
theological traditions are gradually replaced by rational
and scientific calculations; and the intimate personal
affiliations are replaced by exceedingly impersonal
associations brought about by urbanized way of life.
The Self as Product of Modern
Society Among Others
Conditions of the self in the Modern Society
That poses certain problem as:
1. The newfound freedom threatens the very authenticity
of the self (e.g. love).
2. Alienation (Marx) – human beings haunted by the
very images they have created
3. Objectification of the body (e.g. medical practice)
4. Dehumanization of self
A.2 Self as Necessary Fiction
 Self is nothing more than a metaphor, a

representation of something abstract;
symbolic.
 A true given self is not what unites these
experiences, but it is the presumed unity
of these experiences that gave rise to a
concept of the self.
 Self is a product of modern discourse that is

historically and socially imprisoned by what is
acceptable by norms.
 Self is “digitalized” in cyberspace, a virtual
version of who we are (Greene, 2017).
The following are the manifestations:
1. Information technology dislocates the self, thus,

self is “digitalized” in cyberspace.
2. Global migration produces multicultural identities.
3. Post-modern selves are “pluralized” selves .
Social Construction of the Self:
A.4 Rewriting the Self as an Artistic

Creation
A.5 Self Creation and Collective Identity
A.6 Self Creation and the struggle for
cultural recognition
A.4 Rewriting the Self as an
Artistic Creation
 It states that the unity of the self is not pre-given
but accomplished through conscious effort -
transform self through beautiful work of art
(Nietzsche).
 Contingencies of selfhood – conceal the “ugly” by

reinterpreting the overall aesthetic contours of the
self (Rorty).
A.5 Self Creation and Collective
Identity
 Memory and forgetting are most important powers
in recreating a person's identity.
 Such memories of the past include pain, triumph,
etc.
 Such experiences of the past can be linked
with social transformation.
 Selves obtain their nature from cultural
traditions, embodied in various social
institutions.
A.6 Self Creation and the struggle
for cultural recognition
 Self creation is necessarily grounded on
collective solidarities.
 We create ourselves by struggling with
cultural hassles then owning the created
self.
 We hide the ugly part of our cultural
nature.
Beyond Self Creation
 The quest or search for self-identity is a

product of modern society but this is
complicated by the socio-cultural
sensibilities of postmodernity
 The self constantly lives in this paradox:
to pursue self creation within pre-given,
not willfully chosen social circumstances.
B. Mead’s Theory of Self
B.1 Mead’s Three Stages of Development of

Self
B.2 The Looking-Glass Self: Our Sense of
Self is Influenced by Others’ Views of Us
B.3 Social Comparison Theory: Our Sense
of Self Is Influenced by Comparisons with
Others
Who is Mead?
 George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) is an
American sociologist best known as a founder
of American pragmatism, a pioneer of symbolic
interaction theory, and as one of the founders of
social psychology.
 Mead's theory of the self maintains that the
conception a person holds of himself/herself in
his/her mind emerges from social interaction
with others.
Mead’s Theory of Self
The self according to Mead has 2
Components
“Me” “I”
• Represents the • It is the response to the
expectations and attitudes
“me”, or the persons
of others organized into a
social self individuality
• The individual defines • It is the essence of
his/her own behavior with agency in human action.
reference to the • The “I” is the
generalized attitude of the individuals impulses
social group(s) he/she • “I” is the self as subject
occupies
B.1 Mead’s Three Stages of Development of Self
Stage 1: PREPARATORY STAGE

 Birth- 2 years old.
 In this stage children mimic those around them
 This is why parents of young children typically do not want
you to use foul language around them (Rath, 2016)
Stage 2: THE PLAY STAGE
 2- 6 years old
 During this stage, children play pretend and do not adhere to the rules
in organized games like patintero or basketball (Rath, 2016)
 Playing a game with children of this age is far easier to just go with any
“rules” they come up with during the course of the game than trying to
enforce any rules upon them
 They play ‘pretend’ as the significant other.
 This mean that when they play “bahay-bahayan”, they are literally
pretending to be the mommy or the daddy that they know.
Stage 3: THE GAME STAGE
 7years old- onwards
 Children can begin to understand and adhere to the rules of
games
 They can begin to play more formalized games because
they begin to understand other people’s perspective.
B.2 The Looking-Glass Self: Our Sense of Self is
Influenced by Others’ Views of Us
 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
believed other people think of you.
 Sometimes, the influence of others people’s appraisals
of ourselves on our self- concept may be so strong that we
end up internalizing them
 The labeling bias occurs when we are labaled, and others’
views and expectations of us are affected by that labeling
(Fox & Sinnett, 1996)
 If we are repeatedly labeled and evaluated by others, then
self- labeling may occur, which happens when we adopt
others’ labels explicitly into our self- concept.
 Internalized Prejudice, which occurs when individuals
turn prejudice directed toward them by others onto
themselves
 Internalized Prejudice, has been found to predict more
negative self concept and poorer psychological
adjustment in members of various groups, including
sexual minorities (Carter, 2012) and racial minorities
(Szymanski & Obiri, 2011)
B.3 Social Comparison Theory: Our Sense of Self Is
Influenced by Comparisons with Others
 Self-concept and self-esteem are also heavily influenced
by the process of social comparison (Blunk, et.al 2007).
 Social comparison occurs when we learn about our
abilities and skills, about the appropriateness and validity
of our opinions, and about our relative social status by
comparing our own attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors with
those of others.
 These comparisons can be with people who we
know and interact with, with those whom we
read about or see on TV.
 However, the most meaningful comparisons we
make tend to be with those we see as similar to
ourselves (Festingr, 1954)

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Sociology

Understanding the Self

a. compare and contrast the different views of the

 Is a social science that studies human

 Study of human relationships and

 Self is nothing more than a metaphor, a

 Self is a product of modern discourse that is

The following are the manifestations:

1. Information technology dislocates the self, thus,

A.4 Rewriting the Self as an Artistic

 Contingencies of selfhood – conceal the “ugly” by

 The quest or search for self-identity is a

B.1 Mead’s Three Stages of Development of

Stage 1: PREPARATORY STAGE

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