GECO2 - Understanding the Self

PRELIM

Sociological and

Anthropological Perspectives

of the Self
JOANNA RODESSA R. CAPILITAN, RGC
Instructor
 rning outcomes
Lea
Recognize how sociology and

anthropology tells about understanding

the self;
appreciate your own social experiences that have

been particularly helpful in understanding the self;

understand how culture and self are

complementary concepts;
 Understanding of the self only

arises in relationship, in watching

yourself in relationship to people,

ideas, and things; to trees, the

earth, and the world around you

and within you.

- Jiddu Krishnamurti
 The Study of Sociology
Etymology:
“Socius (Latin) – Society in interaction/ companion
“Logos” (Greek) – knowledge / study
The study of society in interaction
It is the study of man and his interaction with

individuals in the social groups and society of which

he is a member.
It is the scientific or systematic study of society,

including patterns of social relationships, social

interaction and culture.

Sociology (and Anthropology) is considered a

branch of social science.

Sociological perspective of the self is based on

the assumption that human behavior is influenced

by group life.
Mead and Cooley, does not depend on biological

perspectives, rather, it is a product of social

interaction.
Looking Glass Self by Charles Horton Cooley
Theory of Social Self by George Herbert

Mead
 Looking-Glass Self (Cooley)
People whom a person interacts with,

become a mirror in which he or she views

himself or herself.
Self-identity or self-image is achieved

through a threefold event which begins by

conceiving an:
idea of how a person presents himself or

herself to others;
how he/she analyzes how others perceive

him/her; and
how he/she creates an image of

himself/herself.
 Mead's theory of Social Self
Supports the views that a person develops a

sense of self through social interaction

The self has two divisions: the "I and ME"
The "I" is the subjective element and the active

of the self. It is spontaneous and has unique

traits of the individual.

The "ME" is the objective element, internalized

attitudes and demands of other people and the

individual's awareness of those demands.

 Mead's theory of Social Self
Role-taking: a person infers people's intention

or direction of action, which may lead him to

understand the world from others' point of

view.
Then he creates his own role and anticipates

how others will respond.

The self continues to change along with his

social experience.
No matter how much the world shapes a

person, he will always remain a creative being,

and be able to react to the world around him.

 The Study of Anthropology
Etymology:
“Anthropos’’ (Greek)
human being/ man
“Logos’’ (Greek)
to study/ Knowledge
The study of man or human beings
The study of the origin, development and nature of the

human species
The science of man, his behavior, works and production

since his appearance on earth

Science of human kind
 Anthropological Perspectives of Self

Anthropology is concerned with how cultural and

biological processes interact to shape human
experience.
Anthropology considers human experience as an
interplay of "nature", referring to genetic inheritance
which sets the individual's potentials, and "nurture",
referring to the sociocultural environment.
Also, the work of Otig, Gallinero, Bataga, et al., (2018),
reported that how individuals see themselves, how they
relate to other people, and how they relate to the
environment are deeply defined by culture.
 Anthropological Perspectives of Self

Culture is a complex whole which includes knowledge,

belief, art, morals, law, customs, and any other
capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member
of society.
It is not a behavior itself but the shared understandings
that guide behavior and are expressed in behavior.
How people make sense of their experiences and
behave according to socially shared ideas, values, and
perceptions.
The concept of self can be viewed in two ways:
egocentric and sociocentric.
Egocentric - self is seen an autonomous and distinct
individual.
Sociocentric - self is considered as contingent on a
situation on social setting
Personal names in all societies represent the self.
Individuals tend to experience identity struggles when
there is a discrepancy between a person's assumed
identity and the identity imposed by others and the
society.
References
Understanding the Self
By Ma. Jocelyn A. Go-Monilla
Normaliza C. Ramirez
 ACTIVITY 1: Sociological Perspective

Consider Mead's concepts of the I and ME self.

Using the graphic organizer below, make a list of
your characteristics for each of these two
categories. Which one better describes your social
self?
 ACTIVITY 2: Anthropological Perspective

How is yourself and identity constructed

and influenced by your culture? Include

at least three things you discovered

about your cultural identity.