Sociological Perspective of the Self

What is Sociology?

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.
 THE SELF AS A PRODUCTION OF
SOCIAL INTERACTION
• The sociology perspective of the self is based on the assumption that human
behavior is influenced by group life.
• The self is not present at birth. It develops only with social language, gestures and
objects are used to communicate meaningfully.
• For sociologists like George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley, the self is
not dependent on biological presdispositions; rather, it is product of social
interaction.
 Charles Horton Cooley  (August 17,
1864 – May 7, 1929)
• Cooley is known in sociology for his contribution to the
development of the interactionist perspective and for his
development of the looking glass self. He was one of
the first to define the importance of society in forming the
individual or self and the importance of primary groups.
• Cooley introduced the looking-glass self to highlight that people whom person
interacts become a mirror in which he view himself.
• It would critical others judge him unfavorably because he could develop a
negative self-image.
• Since these perceptions are subjective, there might have wrong interpretations of
how other people evaluate him.
George Herbert Mead
 (1863–1931)

An American Sociologist, he is considered

as the Father of American pragmatism, and
one of the pioneers in the field of social
psychology because of his contributions on
the development of the person relating to
various social factors.
 George Herbert Mead and the Social Self
The “I” and the “Me”
Mead proposes that there are two components of the self which the
person has, these components are the “I” and the “Me”
The “Me” are the characteristics, behavior, and or actions done by a
person that follows the “generalized others” that person interacts
with, while the “I” is the reaction of the individual to the attitude of
others, as well as the manifestation of the individuality of the person.
According to Mead the concept the “I” is one’s response to the
established attitude, and behavior that a person assumes in
reference to their social interactions while the “Me” are the
attitudes, and behavior of the person with reference to their social
environment.
Mead’s Three Role-playing Stages of Self
Development
Mead proposed that there a three stages in which a person has to go
through for one to develop one’s self. These stages are the
Preparation/Language Stage, Play stage, and Game stage.
 The Preparatory Stage (Birth – 2 years Old)
According to Mead, during this stage the infant simply imitates the
actions and behaviors of the people that the infant interacts with.
Because the child is only mimicking what he or she observes from his or
her environment their actions are only the reflection of what they can
remember without any intention or meaning behind their actions or
behavior
 The Play Stage (2 – 6 years old)
For the Play stage, it is the time where children begins to interact with
other with which certain rules apply, these rules often time does not
adhere to any set or standards but rather are rules that are set by the
children themselves. Also, this is the stage where the child practices
real life situations through pretend play and is the onset of self-
consciousness. The development of the self in this stage occurs through
the preliminary experiences that serves as practice for the child.
 The Game Stage (6-9 years old)
• The final stage of self-development according to Mead where are
characterized by the ability of the children to recognize the rules of
the game and be able to identify their roles and the roles of the
others that is playing with them. With this, the children at this stage
learns the implications of their actions as well as the understanding or
taking into account how one can take into account the view point of
the society on the attitudes and actions.
With the idea of Mead with regards to the establishment of the
sense of self, socialization is a lifetime endeavor, and the people one
interacts with will change throughout a person’s life, as such,
considering the social environment one belongs to along with the
changes on the person’s development, may it be at school, home, or
work, the interactions and experiences the person acquires from
those people and situations helps define a more concrete identity and
sense of self. That idea of “Self” may be based on the general
attitudes and behaviors of other people or the individuality of the
person that manifests as a response to those attitudes and behaviors
of others.
Sociological Perspectives
The self is socially constructed in the sense that it is shaped through interaction
with other people. As with socialization in general, the individual is not a passive
participant in this process and have a powerful influence over how this process and
its consequences develop.
Involves recognizing and evaluating the effects of social relationships and social
structures and forces, considering the present day in historical context and takes
for granted that society is socially constructed and thus changeable.
Sociology also helps us understand ourselves better. Without the sociological
perspective (which has been called the "sociological imagination"), people see the
world through their limited experience of a small orbit of family, friends, co-
workers.
 The Self as a product of Modern and
Postmodern societies
The modern societies the attainment and stability of self identity is freely
chosen according to Gerry Lazuna. It is no longer restricted by customs
and tradition.
Post modern societies, self-identity continuously change due to the
demands of multitude of social contexts, new information technologies
and globalization
For instance, the limitation of close interaction if we choose not to
socialize because that’s the identity we developed. Another concept from
a sociologist Jean Baudrillard, individual achieve self-identity through
prestige symbols and we consume goods that will give us a feeling of
goodness instead of choosing our needs.
 Jean Baudrillard (27 July
1929 – 6 March 2007) 
• Post modern societies, individuals achieve self- identify
through prestige symbols that they consume, according to
sociologist Jean Baudrillard 
• The Cultural practices of advertising and mass media
greatly influence individuals to consume goods not for
their primary value and utility but to give them a feeling
of goodness and power when compared with others.
• The postmodern personal has become an insatiable
consumer and may never be satisfied in his life.
• Thus, self maybe never-ending search for prestige in
the postmodern society.
 Questions:
• 1. according to sociologist_____ Post modern societies, individuals achieve self-
identify through prestige symbols that they consume
• 2. it is the time where children begins to interact with other with which certain
rules apply
• 3. He is American Sociologist, he is considered as the Father of American
pragmatism
• 4.according to mead The final stage of self-development where are characterized
by the ability of the children to recognize the rules of the game
• 5.He is known in sociology for his contribution to the development of the
interactionist perspective and f.or his development of the looking glass self