UTS Series: Self From Sociological Perspective

Sir PG

18 Jul 202417:07

Summary

TLDRThis class discusses the development of self from sociological perspectives, focusing on three key theories: the Looking Glass Self by Charles Horton Cooley, the Generalized Other by George Herbert Mead, and Impression Management by Erving Goffman. The self is seen as a social construct, shaped by interactions with society. Cooley's theory emphasizes how others' perceptions influence self-identity, Mead's theory explores the roles of the 'me' and 'I' in social interactions, and Goffman's theory describes how individuals manage impressions based on different social contexts. The lesson highlights how self-identity evolves through these perspectives.

Takeaways

📚 The class topic is the development of self from sociological perspectives, focusing on three key theories: the Looking Glass Self, the Generalized Other, and Impression Management.
🔍 Students are expected to understand the development of self, construct their own concept of self based on sociological perspectives, and gain a deeper understanding of their identity.
🌐 Sociology is defined as the scientific study of society, including social relationships, interactions, and culture.
🤔 The self, from a sociological perspective, is a social construct that emerges through social interaction and is shaped by society.
🪞 The Looking Glass Self theory suggests that our self-perception is based on how we believe others perceive us, using others as a mirror to form our self-concept.
🧩 George Herbert Mead's theory of the Generalized Other posits that the self is composed of the 'me' (attitudes of others) and the 'I' (individual response), shaping our social self and individuality.
🎭 Mead also introduces the concept of stages in learning social roles, starting from the preparatory stage, moving to the play stage, and finally the game stage where individuals take on mature roles seriously.
🎭 Irving Goffman's Impression Management theory likens life to a theater where we are actors, audiences, and have front-stage performances and backstage selves, managing how we want to be perceived.
👁‍🗨 The self is not just a passive recipient but actively controls the impressions we make and how we present ourselves based on different audiences and roles we play.
🏆 The assignment for the class is to construct one's concept of self based on the sociological perspectives studied, emphasizing the social construct of self and its emergence through interaction with society and generalized others.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the class?
-The main topic of the class is the development of self from different sociological perspectives.
What are the three important sociological theories discussed in the lecture?
-The three important sociological theories discussed are the Looking Glass Self, the concept of Generalized Others, and Impression Management.
How does sociology define the 'self'?
-According to sociology, the 'self' is a social construct that emerges from our interactions and relationships with society. The self is shaped by how we relate to others and how society influences our identity.
What is the 'Looking Glass Self' theory by Charles Horton Cooley?
-The Looking Glass Self theory suggests that our self-concept is shaped by how we believe others perceive us. We form an idea of ourselves based on the reactions and perceptions of others towards us.
What are the key steps in forming self-identity according to the Looking Glass Self theory?
-The key steps include imagining how we appear to others, interpreting their reactions, and developing our self-concept based on these interpretations.
What is George Herbert Mead’s concept of the 'Generalized Other'?
-Mead’s concept of the 'Generalized Other' refers to the internalized attitudes, values, and expectations of society that shape the 'self'. This includes influences from parents, authority figures, and societal norms.
How does Mead differentiate between the 'Me' and the 'I' in his theory of self?
-In Mead's theory, the 'Me' represents the socialized aspect of the self, influenced by the expectations of society, while the 'I' is the individual's response to these expectations, representing personal individuality.
What are the stages through which a person learns societal roles according to Mead?
-The stages include the preparatory stage (where the child imitates others), the play stage (where the child plays roles but does not yet follow rules), and the game stage (where the child understands and adheres to social expectations).
What is the concept of 'Impression Management' as explained by Erving Goffman?
-Impression Management is the process by which individuals control how they present themselves in different social situations, adjusting their behavior to fit the expectations of the audience in front of them.
How does Goffman describe life as a theater in relation to the 'self'?
-Goffman likens life to a theater, where individuals are actors performing different roles on the 'front stage' (public life) for an audience, while their true self is revealed in the 'backstage' (private life), away from the public eye.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Sociology and the Concept of Self

The speaker introduces the topic of the class, which is the development of self from a sociological perspective. The goal is for students to understand three key theories: the Looking Glass Self, the Generalized Others, and Impression Management. The lesson aims to help students explain how the self develops in society, construct a personal concept of self based on these theories, and deepen their understanding of who they are. Sociology is defined as the scientific study of society, which includes social relationships, interactions, and culture. According to sociology, the self is a social construct, meaning it is shaped by the society one lives in.

05:05

🔍 The Looking Glass Self: Shaping Identity Through Others

This section focuses on Charles Horton Cooley's Looking Glass Self theory. The idea is that people form their self-perception based on how they believe others perceive them. The speaker explains that individuals use others as a 'mirror,' interpreting their reactions, facial expressions, and behaviors. These perceptions shape one's self-identity, whether the feedback is positive or negative. The self-concept develops based on how others react to us, and our understanding of who we are is influenced by these interactions.

10:07

🧠 Generalized Others and the Formation of Self

Here, the speaker discusses George Herbert Mead's concept of the Generalized Other. According to Mead, the self is composed of two components: the 'me,' which represents the attitudes and expectations of society, and the 'I,' which is the individual's response to these societal norms. The 'me' includes influences from family, authority figures, customs, and values, while the 'I' represents personal individuality. The speaker explains that learning societal roles happens in stages, starting with the Preparatory Stage (imitation), followed by the Play Stage (role-playing), and ending with the Game Stage (understanding societal expectations).

15:09

🎭 Impression Management: Life as a Performance

The speaker introduces Erving Goffman's theory of Impression Management, where life is compared to a theater. People are like actors, performing roles depending on the situation and audience. There is a 'front stage' where individuals present a managed version of themselves to others, and a 'backstage' where they can be their true selves. People control the impressions they give based on their audience, such as family, friends, or colleagues. Different roles are performed in different contexts, and the self emerges from these performances, depending on the impressions we want others to have of us.

🔄 Conclusion: Self as a Social Construct

In conclusion, the speaker emphasizes that the self is a social construct, shaped by interactions within society. Whether through the Looking Glass Self, Generalized Others, or Impression Management, our sense of self emerges through our relationships with others and society at large. The assignment encourages students to reflect on these theories and construct their own concept of self based on what they have learned.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of society, focusing on patterns of social relationships, interactions, and culture. In the video, it serves as the foundation for understanding the development of self from various sociological perspectives. Sociology explains how individual identities are formed and influenced by social contexts and interactions.

💡Self

In the sociological context, 'self' is seen as a social construct, which means it develops through interactions with society and is shaped by social relationships and experiences. The video highlights that the self is not inherent but emerges based on how individuals perceive society's expectations and reactions.

💡Looking Glass Self

The 'Looking Glass Self' is a concept developed by Charles Horton Cooley, suggesting that individuals form their self-concept based on how they believe others perceive them. The video illustrates this idea by explaining that our self-image is influenced by others’ opinions, reactions, and even their facial expressions, using them as a 'mirror' to see ourselves.

💡Generalized Others

The term 'Generalized Others' comes from George Herbert Mead's theory, referring to the collective attitudes, values, and expectations of society that influence an individual's behavior. The video describes how the self is shaped by the attitudes of others, such as parents, authority figures, and societal norms, and how individuals internalize these attitudes to form their social selves.

💡Me and I

Mead’s concept of 'Me and I' represents two components of the self. The 'Me' is the organized set of attitudes of others that the individual internalizes, while the 'I' is the response of the person to the 'Me.' The video explains this dynamic by showing how individuals adjust their actions based on societal expectations ('Me') and their personal individuality ('I').

💡Social Construct

A social construct is an idea or concept that emerges and is maintained through social interactions and shared understanding within a society. The video mentions that the self is a social construct, meaning it does not exist independently but is created and shaped by societal influences and perceptions.

💡Impression Management

Impression management, a concept by Erving Goffman, refers to the process by which individuals attempt to control the perceptions others have of them. The video uses the analogy of life as a theater, where people play different roles in front of different audiences, shaping their self-presentation to align with the expectations of those around them.

💡Front Stage and Backstage

Front stage and backstage are terms used by Goffman to describe how individuals present themselves in different contexts. The 'front stage' is where one performs a role to meet societal expectations, while the 'backstage' is where one can relax and be their true self. The video explains that the self changes depending on whether a person is 'performing' in front of others or is alone.

💡Preparatory Stage

The preparatory stage is the first of three stages in Mead’s theory of self-development. In this stage, children imitate others without understanding the meaning behind the actions. The video explains how this stage involves children merely copying behaviors they observe, which serves as the foundation for learning social roles and expectations.

💡Play Stage

The play stage is the second stage in Mead’s theory, where children begin to take on the roles of specific others, like pretending to be a parent or a teacher. The video describes how children start to engage in role-playing activities, helping them understand the perspectives of others and developing their concept of self in relation to these roles.

💡Game Stage

The game stage is the final stage in Mead’s theory, where individuals learn to understand and adhere to the rules of society and take into account the expectations of the generalized other. The video emphasizes that in this stage, children can see themselves from the perspective of the broader community and adjust their behavior accordingly, which signifies a mature understanding of social roles and norms.

Highlights

The class introduces the topic of self from the sociological perspectives, focusing on three key theories: the looking glass self, generalized others, and impression management.

The objective of the lesson is to explain the development of self through sociological perspectives and to allow students to construct their own concept of self.

Sociology is defined as the scientific study of society, including social relationships, interactions, and culture.

From a sociological perspective, self is considered a social construct that emerges through interaction with society.

Charles Horton Cooley's 'Looking Glass Self' theory suggests that our self-perception is shaped by how we think others see us.

The three steps in the Looking Glass Self are: imagining how we appear to others, interpreting their reactions, and developing a self-concept based on those interpretations.

George Herbert Mead's concept of self is composed of two parts: the 'me' (society’s influence) and the 'I' (individual response).

The 'me' represents the generalized others, which include societal expectations, norms, and the influences of parents and authorities.

The 'I' represents individual identity and how one responds to societal norms and expectations.

Mead's theory includes three stages of self-development: the preparatory stage (imitating others), the play stage (role-playing), and the game stage (understanding societal roles).

Irving Goffman's 'Impression Management' theory likens life to a theater where individuals control the impressions they make based on their audience.

In Goffman’s view, the self emerges based on the role we play in different situations, with different audiences demanding different self-presentations.

Goffman describes the front stage (public performance) and the backstage (private self), highlighting how individuals adapt depending on the social context.

The self is a social construct that is continuously shaped through our interactions with society and the roles we play.

Students are asked to reflect on and construct their concept of self based on the sociological perspectives discussed in the lesson.