Review:

Topic 1: Philosophical Perspective of the Self

Philosophy is derived from the Greek words “Philos” and “Sophia” which literally means “Love
for Wisdom”. It is the study of acquiring knowledge through rational thinking and inquiries that
involves in answering questions regarding the nature and existence of man and the world we
live in. As such, it is imperative to look into the various explanations from different philosophers
their notion of what the “Self” its nature and how it is formed in order to have a better picture
on how people develop their behaviors, attitude and actions and to be able to identify and
understand who we are and how we came to be.

Topic 2: Anthropological Perspective of the Self

Anthropology does express a unique view on the issue of selfhood: the anthropological
approach both starts and finishes with the group. The self needs to be seen as a socially defined
phenomenon, created by both the impression of the group upon the individual and the
expression of the individual upon the group. Humans have a unique relationship with other
members of their species, both communicatively and socially.

Topic 3: Psychological Perspective of the Self

Psychology has various ways of understanding a person and the therapist way of helping people
understand themselves. Self by definition is a reference by an individual to the same individual
person. Having its own or single character as a person, referring to the person as same
individual. The psychology of studying self is about either the cognitive and affective
representation of one's identity or the subject of experience.

Topic 4: The Sociological Perspective of the Self

Sociology, or the study of how human society is established, its structure and how it works, the
people’s interaction with each other and the effects they have to one another is an aspect in
which we have to consider with regards to the development of a person. It is also important to
understand that the establishment of the “Self” based on social structures could give us a
better understanding of who we are and provide reasons how our interactions can affect us as
a person.
Charles Cooley

Cooley theorized that the sense of self is formed in two ways: by one’s actual experiences and
by what one imagines others’ ideas of oneself to be—a phenomenon Cooley called the “looking
glass self.”

The looking-glass self comprises three main components that are unique to humans
(Shaffer 2005).

1. We imagine how we must appear to others in a social situation.

2. We imagine and react to what we feel their judgment of that appearance must
be.
3. We develop our sense of self and respond through these perceived judgments of
others.

The result is that individuals will change their behavior based on what they feel other
people think about them, even if not necessarily true. In this way, social interaction acts
as a "mirror" or a "looking-glass", since one's sense of self and self-esteem is built off of
others.

According to Susan Harter, self-worth in adolescents is based mainly on their peer's

approval of them. In a world of social media, seeking attention and approval from others
is how adolescents determine their self-worth. They create an image of themselves they
think others will approve of. This is in close relation to the concept of the looking glass
self. Adolescents experience anxiety and depression based on a low opinion of self-
worth. They base this self-worth off other's opinions of them.
George Herbert Mead

Two Components of the Self: (1) The “I” and (2) the “Me”

Self

“I” “Me”

- my values - my social roles and public persona

- part of self that is spontaneous, - part of self created through

creative and unpredictable socialization
- what is learned in interaction with
others and the environment

 The full development of the self is attained when the “I” and “Me” are united
 “I” and “Me” constantly interact in social interactions

Mead’s Three Role-playing Stages of Self Development

1. The Preparatory Stage (Birth – 2 years old)

- The infant is only mimicking the actions he sees without any intention or meaning of his
behavior.

2. The Play Stage (2 years old)

- Children interact with others while setting some rules themselves. In this stage, the child
starts to practice real life situations through pretend plays, and this is also the onset of
self-consciousness.

3. The Game Stage (6-9 years old)

- Here, children already understand the rules of the game and their roles and the roles of
whom they are interacting with. They also understand the implications of their actions

Erving Goffman

According to Goffman, social interaction may be likened to a theater, and people in everyday
life to actors on a stage, each playing a variety of roles. The audience consists of other
individuals who observe the role-playing and react to the performances. In social interaction,
like in theatrical performances, there is a 'front stage' region where the actors are on stage
before an audience, and their consciousness of that audience and the audience's expectations
for the role they should play influence the actor's behavior. There is also a back region, or
'backstage,' where individuals can relax, be themselves, and the role or identity that they play
when they are in front of others.

Central to the book and Goffman's theory is the idea that people, as they interact together in
social settings, are constantly engaged in the process of "impression management," wherein
each tries to present themselves and behave in a way that will prevent the embarrassment of
themselves or others. This is primarily done by each person that is part of the interaction
working to ensure that all parties have the same "definition of the situation," meaning that all
understand what is meant to happen in that situation, what to expect from the others involved,
and thus how they themselves should behave.

Gerry Lanuza

The Self as Product of Modern Society

In modern societies, the attainment and stability of self-identity are “freely chosen.” It is no
longer controlled by customs and traditions. Freedom is emphasized.

References:

 Mischel, W. (2023, August 23). Psychology. Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/science/psychology
 Form, W. and Faris, Robert E.L. (2023, June 30). Sociology. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/sociology
 Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, August 13). Charles Horton Cooley.
Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Horton-Cooley
 Esteban, Mae. (2020, September 14). Understanding the Self. Scribd.
https://www.scribd.com/document/475960631/UNDERSTANDING-THE-SELF-PRINTABLE

 Rodriguez, Camille. (2019, August 15). Understanding the Self. Scribd.

https://www.scribd.com/document/421953324/Understanding-the-Self-pdf
 Edwardes, Martin P.J.; (2019). The Origins of Self: An Anthropological Perspective. UCL
Press: London.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looking-glass_self
 https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/new-era-university/financial-
management/uts-mod3-understanding-the-self-module-3-sociological-perspective-of-
self-reviewer/34456986