For graduate school

1. A REPORT ON SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF EDUCATION (MAED 001)
Lesson 2: Developing Social Self
Reported by: GLENDA C JAMERO
Professor: Ritchie Macalanda Ed.D
CHARLES H. COOLEY’S
THE LOOKING GLASS SELF
GEORGE HERBERT MEAD
ON SOCIALTHEORY

2. Charles Horton Cooley, an American
sociologist who employed a
sociopsychological approach to the
understanding of society.
Cooley believed that social reality was
qualitatively different from physical reality
and was therefore less amenable to
measurement.

3. Because of this view, he was more productive as a
social theorist than as a research scientist.
His Human Nature and the Social Order (1902,
reprinted 1956) discussed the determination of
the self through interaction with others.
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.”
This dual conception contributed to Cooley’s
fundamental theory that the mind is social and that
society is a mental construct.
REFERENCE: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Horton-Cooley

4. According to Cooley, our self-image is not solely a
result of how we see ourselves but is significantly
shaped by how we believe others perceive us. The
theory is based on the idea that we imagine how
we appear to others, we imagine how others
judge our appearance, and then we develop
feelings about ourselves based on these perceived
judgments.

7. It's important to note that the looking-
glass self is a sociological concept and
focuses on the role of social interactions
in shaping our self-concept. Cooley's
theory emphasizes the impact of social
relationships, feedback from others, and
the social context on the development of
one's self-identity.

8. To social psychology, Mead’s main contribution
was his attempt to show how the human self
arises in the process of social interaction. He
thought that spoken language played a central
role in this development. Through language the
child can take the role of other persons and
guide his behaviour in terms of the effect his
contemplated behaviour will have upon others.
Thus Mead’s psychological approach was
behaviouristic.
Reference:https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Herbert-Mead
George Herbert Mead was an American
philosopher, sociologist, and psychologist
who made significant contributions to the
field of social theory. He is best known for
his work on symbolic interactionism, a
sociological perspective that emphasizes
the role of symbols, communication, and
social interaction in shaping human
behavior and society.

9. Mead's social theory revolves around several key
concepts:
1. Symbolic Interactionism: Mead's most influential idea is the
theory of symbolic interactionism, which suggests that
individuals develop a sense of self through social
interactions and communication. He believed that humans
use symbols (such as language, gestures, and signs) to give
meaning to their experiences and to understand the
perspectives of others.
2.Self and the "I" and "Me": Mead proposed a concept of
self that is a product of social interactions. He argued
that the self is composed of two parts: the "I" and the
"Me." The "I" represents the spontaneous and creative
aspect of the self, while the "Me" represents the
internalized social expectations and norms.

10. 3.Role Taking: Mead emphasized the importance of role-
taking in social interactions. He suggested that
individuals learn to understand others' perspectives by
mentally putting themselves in others' shoes and
adopting the roles of others. This process of role-taking
enables individuals to anticipate the reactions of others
and adjust their behavior accordingly.
4.The Generalized Other: Mead introduced the concept of
the "generalized other," which refers to the collective
understanding of the norms, values, and expectations of
a particular social group. The generalized other plays a
crucial role in shaping individuals' behavior as they
internalize societal norms.

11. 5.Mind, Self, and Society: Mead's ideas about the
relationship between mind, self, and society are central
to his social theory. He argued that the mind and self
emerge through social interaction and that society is
not a static entity but a dynamic and evolving process.
Mead's work laid the foundation for the development
of symbolic interactionism as a major theoretical
perspective in sociology. His ideas have influenced
various fields, including sociology, psychology,
communication studies, and social psychology, and
continue to be relevant in contemporary social theory.

13. In summary, while both Cooley's "the looking-
glass self" and Mead's social theory explore the
role of social interactions in self-development,
Cooley's theory focuses on the influence of
perceived judgments from others on the self-
image, while Mead's theory delves into the
process of symbolic interaction, role-taking, and
the development of the self-concept as a
dynamic interplay between the "I" and the "Me."