Sociological Perspectives of The Self

SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF THE SELF
•Concept of sociology
Self is emphasized as social by nature.
Beginning from birth, it continuously
interacts with its external world that
determines what it might be, what it can be
and what it will be.
The Self as a Social Construct
Believes that it is through social interaction

and active understanding that man is able to
create pattern that shapes and influences
who we are, how we behave and think.
Believes also that the self is an active
participant in social life.
The Self and Society
Believes that the individual and society are
connected and dependent on each other.
People who are living together share the same
cultures and predispose to institutions which provide
their physical, social and psychological needs and
maintain order and values of the culture.
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF THE
SELF
Charles Cooley “The Looking Glass”
Asserted that individual develop their concept of self by looking at
how others perceive them.
It is through interaction with others that one’s sense of self is
mirrored from the judgment they received from others to measure
their own worth, values and behaviour.
Judgment from others and value system are important in
understanding the behaviour of people
Cooley believe that people seek to create consistency between
their internal and external worlds in order to strive for equilibrium
throughout their lives.
Process involved in social construing
• An individual in social situation imagines how
they appear to others.
• The individual imagines others’ judgment of that
appearance.
• The individual develops feelings (of pride or
shame) and responds to those perceived
judgments.
George Herbert Mead
“Theory of Self Development”
Emphasized also on other’s perspective in

view of one’s self through social interaction.
Believe that one should develop self –
awareness based from the perspective of
others.
Stages of self Development through
Social Interaction
• PREPARATORY STAGE
• The stage of imitation. This mostly engage children
imitating their family members.
PLAY STAGE
• At this stage the individual acts out grown up behaviors,
dressings like adults.
• GAME STAGE
• At this stage, the person is able to understand roles as
he/she interacts with others. He learn and
understand the complex interactions involving
different people with variety of purpose.
GENERALIZED OTHER
• At this stage, the individual learn common
behavioural expectations of the general society.
Mead believe that at this stage the “self” is already
being developed.
The “I” and the “ME” Self – by Mead
The “I”
• It is the response of a person to the community attitude.
• It is unsocialized and spontaneous that represents the drives and
impulse of a person.
ME
• This is the social self.
• It is the product of what the person has learned while interacting
with others and with the environment. These are learned
behaviors, attitudes and even expectations. It exercises social
control over the self.
Marcel Mauss “ The Moi and Personne
Self”
• Asserted that the self adapts to its everyday social
condition.
• The human behaviour of an individual and the way
he/she perceived herself in daily life is influenced by
the environment and seasonal variations.
• More so, Cultural identity is intertwined with space
and time making one’s self determined according to
its circumstances and context.
The Two Faces of the Self
MOI
• It refers to the person’s sense of who he is, his body,
and his basic identity and his biological givenness.
• It refers to the person’s basic identity
PERSONNE
• Refers to social concepts of what it means, to be who
he is such as particular family, religion, and nationality.
• This self can shift from time to time to adapt to his
social situation.
LEV VYGOTSKY
• Believes culture has a major impact on a
child’s development specially the role of
language and interaction with others.
• It is through language that man is able to
acquire or experiences his environment and
internalized it thus becoming part of the
individual.
Important concept of Vygotsky
• Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Vygotsky
stated that children should be taught in the
ZPD, which occurs when they can almost perform a
task, but not quite on their own without assistance.
• Scaffolding is the temporary support that parents or
teachers give a child to do a task.
ACTIVITY
• Make a reflection on how society mold as who you are today. Give at
least 2 to 3 most important influence of society to you and why? (15
pts)

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SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

Believes that it is through social interaction

Emphasized also on other’s perspective in

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