The Sociological Perspective and the Anthropological Conceptualization of

the Self
Anthropology Sociology
study of humans and the ways they live. studies the ways groups of people interact with
each other and how their behavior is influenced by
social structures, categories (rage, gender,
sexuality), and institutions.

American Anthropological Association defines Columbia University notes that sociological

Anthropology as the study of humans, past and thinking involves the relationships among people -
present. - or more specifically, the associations between
people and the products of human interaction such
as organizations, technologies, economies, cities,
culture, media and religion.
examines culture more at the micro-level of the tends to look at the bigger picture, often studying
individual, which the anthropologist generally institutions (educational, political, religious),
takes as an example of the larger culture. organizations, political movements, and the power
relations of different groups with each other.
studies human behavior more at the individual focuses more on group behavior and relations with
level social structures and institutions.
conduct research using ethnography (a qualitative use both qualitative and quantitative methods
research method)
Primary goal is to understand human diversity and Primary goal is more solution- oriented with the
cultural difference goal of fixing social problems through policy.
Anthropological viewpoints are inspired by is the study of social life, social change and the
observing cross- cultural differences in social social causes and consequences of human
institutions, cultural beliefs and communication behavior.
styles
The Sociological Perspective of the Self
1. Bioecological Systems Perspectives to Understanding the Self
Interdependence and Reciprocity
- Individual can only be understood in the context of his or her environment; elements are
interdependent, reciprocally related.
- The "environment" is phenomenologically experienced (Alampay, 2018).

Urie Bronfenbrenner Bioecological Systems

- Russian-born American psychologist
- best known for having developed human ecology theory (ecological systems theory)
- Ecology of Human development (1979) is a complex system.
- When we say that it is a complex system, it can be said that it is comprised of mutually
overlapping subsystems. These systems interact in a dynamic processes, transactions, and
interaction.
- This can be understood further in the Process-Person-Context-Time Model (PPCT).
- The First idea in this model refers to the Proximal Process, which can be defined here as: Human
development takes place through processes of progressively more complex reciprocal interaction
between an active, evolving biopsychological human organism and the persons, objects, and
symbols in its immediate external environment.
- To be effective, the human interaction must occur on a fairly regular basis over extended
periods of time. Such enduring forms of interaction in the immediate environment are referred to
as proximal processes (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998).
- Second to this model is the idea of Person, which refers to the idea of demand, resource and
force.
- The idea of demand pertains to the personal characteristics of the person such as gender, age,
race, etc. that may influence interactions because of expectations.
- The resource pertains to the mental, emotional, and material capability and opportunities, or even
the inadequacy of the aforementioned. This can be in the form of intelligence, skills education,
and family life.
- The force on the one hand, refers to the inherent differences in temperament, motivation, drive,
and persistence
Subsystem of Bronfenbrenner
Ecological Systems
Context systems:
1. Microsystem
2. Mesosystem
3. Exosystem
4. Macrosystem
Subsystem of Bronfenbrenner
Microsystem - refers to the patterns of activities and interaction experienced by the individual immediate
setting.
- These interactions occur from parent to child, and from child to teacher vis a vis as the main
character of this interaction.
- In these activities and interactions, we can say that the proximal processes are said to occur.

Mesosystem - refers to the interrelations of parent-teacher, work and home environment.

- In this subsystem, the child environment is expanding, and how this relationship may bring a
change in behavior in the way the parent, teacher, and student interact with each other
reciprocally.

Exosystem - refers to social structure, which may have direct influence on the behavior of the individual
such us school administration and parent's workplace.

Macrosystem - refers to the influence of culture,

- socioeconomic standing, religion, government regulations and enactment of laws.
- This wired social connections have significant effect on the individual behavior as a member of
society subject to the dominions of one's culture, economic status, and government policies
(Tudge, Mokrova, Hatfield, & Karnik, 2009).

In Corollary to the subsystems, the Chronosystems however, entails life transition over the course of
historical time and sociohistorical events.
- This life transition is inevitable, and this could be the impact of information technology, historical
events, culture, and economic status, which transpired across microtime and macrotime.
2. Globalizing World: Implications to self and identity
- Are we what we are because of who we are?
- Or there are forces and events shaping who we are?
- If the latter is in fact true, then what are these events and forces influencing the development of
the self?
3. The Self in a Compressing World
- In the era of globalization, it is true to say that despite of improving international relations among
countries, it is observed that the self is living in a self-compressing world.
- There are clear demarcation and border between countries of different race and nationality.
Individuals are separating from each other based on interest and creating demarcation line
based on race and identity.

4. Culture Shapes individual Mindset

- Rokeach's (1960) classic study Open and Close Mind, scholars have unfolded in response to the
border crossing in globalizing world, individuals and groups are opening and closing its doors
based on their needs, interest, wishes, anxieties, or uncertainties.
- The Dialogical Theory, Mead (1934) - Renewal of self-renews society (with the self being part
of society and society being made up of many selves).
- The main requirement for innovation and renewal is openness to each other among individuals,
groups, and countries. Openness will bring us to the social positions of other groups, cultures, and
communities as part of a globalizing society, and for the development of demarcated self of
individual person.
-
5. Self and identity as Sociocultural and Sociohistorical Phenomena: the Impact of Globalization
- According to Hermans and Hermans-Konopka (2010) globalization can be liken to Janus-faced,
a face to the right leading to creativity and innovation of self and identity, and the left face
leading to identity confusion and marginalization.
*Examples of Globalization which violates social mores and tradition?
- We can define globalization as the process by which cultures influence each other through
channels such as trade, immigration, and the exchange of information via mass media and
technologies (Hermans, 2010).
- Self and society are shaping each other in a continual process. Society is penetrating the self, and
self is introducing innovation, and social change.

6. Internet Implication to Self and Identity

- The use of internet has become revolutionary in the process of globalization. It has the capacity to
broaden one's vision even without leaving the comfort of one's home. The internet now a days are
accessible in any locations in schools, workplace, train station, or even at home. The internet has
allowed users to have access to unlimited type of information.
- Give examples on how the internet can be used in a positive and negative way.
7. Individualism and Collectivism
- Individualism and collectivism are conceptualized as syndromes of beliefs and attitudes that
distinguish different cultural populations.
- What do you think are its main distinctions from each other?
- Which countries are considered collectivist, and which are individualistic by nature?

Individualism Collectivism
individuals as ends in themselves who should emphasis on the views, needs, and goals of one's
realize their own selves and cultivate their own in-group as having priority over one's own personal
judgment. views, needs, and goals, and a readiness to
cooperate with in- group members
individualistic cultures (in-groups) are seen as In-groups are assumed to influence a broad range
providing only limited norms, with individuals of behaviors, with individuals experiencing
readily able to enter and exit in-groups: The pressure to conform to in-group norms or leave the
relationship of individuals with their in-groups is groups
of limited intensity (Millon et al., 2005).

8. Other Relevant Theories Regarding the Social Self

8.1 George Herbert Mead: Social Self Theory
George Herbert Mead, a sociologist from the late 1800s, is well known for his theory of the
social self, which includes the concepts of 'self,' 'me,' and 'I.'

According to Mead, the self is not there from birth, but it is developed over time from social
experiences and activities.

8.2 Charles Horton Cooley: Looking Glass Self

The looking-glass self describes the process wherein individuals base their sense of self on how
they believe others view them.

Using social interaction as a type of "mirror," people use the judgments they receive from others to
measure their own worth, values, and behavior.
The Anthropological Conceptualization of the Self

1. How is the term, identity, conceptualized in the context of Anthropology?

- Identity as a disposition is an enduring characteristic gained from childhood experiences and
carried over to adult life. Self-identity must be consistent and fixed over a certain period of
time, and at the same time it can also be dynamic.
When can we say that one is experiencing Identity Crisis?
- However, in social anthropology, the term, identity, was commonly used to refer as “ethnic
identity” in its collective connotation. Identity in this sense does refer to the individuality, but
collective similarity of the self with others.

2. The Self as a Self-Representation

- By self-representations, Ewing means culturally shaped concepts of self that one applies to
oneself – or, as Melford Spiro elsewhere puts it, 'the individual's mental representation of his
own person' (1993).
- These appear to be composed minimally of labels (such as 'dutiful daughter' or 'clever politician'
in her case study to be discussed later) and images,
- but doubtless also of other knowledge, accumulated memories of self-relevant experiences of all
kinds – particularly early experiences of identification with others (Ewing, 1990).
- Importantly, self- representations in Ewing's terms are multiple and constantly shifting. Since
the self is composed of these multiple, shifting representations, any sense or experience that
individuals have of a cohesive, continuous self is illusory.

3. Anthropology's Denial of Others' Selves

- People in India, would hardly deny that Indians have identities. Contrary to the meaning of ties.
In this understanding, then, Indians have an identity instead of a self.
- Anthropologists generally do not apply this understanding of identity to themselves and members
of their own society. People who have only such an identity are not autonomous, independent,
and pursuing their own goals; they are dependent on their cultural/ social group and behave
according to the prescriptions and interests of that group. Cultural and social determinism
lurks behind this conceptualization of non-Western selves.

4. Egocentric and Sociocentric Concept of the Self

In various societies, there are two views of the self, the egocentric view and the sociocentric view of the
self.

Egocentric View Sociocentric View

the self is viewed as free and independent, and refers to the sameness of the individual person to
unique from other people. He can act in ways other people; thus, there are similarities among
different from others that make distinct his men in terms of personal characters and traits.
personal traits and character
5. A Sense of Self in a Multicultural and Dynamic Situations
- The Identity toolbox refers to the characteristics of personal identity that the individual chooses
to form his social self.
- Family and Religion affiliation is an important element of sense of belonging in a group. It
governs the same manner of thinking and belief held together by the dogmatic teaching of a
religion.
- Another important element of ethnic identity is the name given to a person that will make him
different in many aspects from other people. It is a mark of ancestral membership, that
determines his place and position in society. Furthermore, it is important in human collective
experiences to give meaning to these experiences.
- The Filipino identity is a byproduct of historical events, that will determine our identity as a
Filipino. Our cultural heritage, our values and norms (Nature) are shaped by our cultural
experiences (Nurture).