THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF: THE SELF AS A PRODUCT OF

SOCIETY
o SOCIOLOGY
 The study of society, social institutions, and social relationships
 The other way to develop self-identity is through socialization
 It can be individual, a group, or a social institution
 BEHAVIOR: this is a factor that affects the person due to influence

o SOCIOLOGIST
 Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929)
 Looking Glass Self highlights that the people whom a person interacts with
become a mirror in which he views himself
 How my friends, family, and enemies see me

 George Herbet Mead (1863-1931)

 2 Divisions
 I subjective and active
o Spontaneous and unique traits of the individual
o In response to the individual to the “me”
 ME objective
o Internalized attitudes
o What is learned in interaction with others and environment

 3-stage process
 Preparatory Stage (0-3 yrs.) copy behavior and have they had no sense
of self
 Play Stage (3=5 yrs.) role-taking and the self is developing
 Game Stage (early school) self is now present
 Generalized Other able to internalize how he or she is viewed

 Gerry Lanuza
 The attainment and stability of self-identity is freely chosen

 Jean Baudrillard (1929-2007)

 Individuals achieve self-identity through prestige symbols that they consume
ANTHROPOLOGY
o Anthropology
 Study of “being human”
 FIELDS
 PHYSICAL: Concerned with humans as a biological species
 Natural sciences
o Human Evolution
o Modern Human Variation
 ARCHELOGY
 LINGUSITIC
 How language is used
 Language and culture
 How humans acquire language
 CULTURAL/ETHNOLOFY
 Examines contemporary societies and cultures

 Self is a product between interaction of physical body and environment

 What the body has experienced

o Culture
 Way of life
 SOCIETY: a group of people who share a culture
 SUB-CULTURES: groups that share the overall culture

PSYCHOLOGY
o William James
 “to be conscious means not simply to be. But to be reported, known, to have awareness of
one;s being added to that being”
 Model of the Self
 I-Self: subjective experiential features
 Life history and experience
 Continuation over time
 Pure Ego
 Me-Self: objective materials and spiritual characteristics (social and material)

SELF-EFFICACY (Mamie Morrow)

o Influences our motivation to give action and perseverance, the fuel that drives change
o Sourcres
 Experience Success: break it down into small achievable steps
 See others Succeed: see others like yourself and a support group
  Receive Encouragement: its as if its expensive but its free, tap in daily
 Manage Negative Emotions: we have the power to manage our emotions
THE SELF AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN DIFFERINF SOCIAL CONTEXTS
o EASTERN PHILIOSPHY – THE BUDDHA
 Gautama left his life
 Childhoods reflection
 Nirvana
 Everything is unified by suffering
 Live in moderation “the middle way”
 Four Noble Truths
 There is Suffering
 Caused by our desire’s “attachment”
 We can transcend our suffering “reorient our minds”
 The Noble Eightfold Path “wisdom is a habit”

o SIX IDEAS FROM EASTERN PHILOSOPHY

 Life is Suffering: sharpens appreciate and cheerful despair
 Metta: “benevolence/kindness/tenderness” daily meditation about people that irritates
you
 Guanyin: “mummy” adults allow themselves to be vulnerable, she does not judge and
she understands what it is
 Wu Wei: Daoism “not making an effort” going with the flow, intentional surrender of the
will
 Bamboo as Wisdom: be strong
 Kintsugi: Kin “gold” Tsugi “broken” render the breaks of the pot, we are all in some
ways broken creatures

o The self is an active agent

o Aspects of the Self: Public Self, Private Self, Collective Self

o ME OR WE? CULTURAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST
 Individualistic “me”
 USA, Australia, Europe
 Each person is responsible for me
 Immediate Family

 Collectivist “we’
 China, India, Japan
 Strong parental ties
 Classmates, extend
 Take care of the group