The document discusses several sociological theories of the self. It explains that the self is shaped by social interactions and one's social environment. The self develops through looking at how others perceive us (Cooley's looking glass self) and learning to see ourselves through the perspectives of others (Mead's theory of self-development). Culture and social institutions like the family also influence the development of one's sense of self or identity.

1. UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

2. Self as a Social Construct
• The self as a social construct is
derived from the idea that society
which takes part in its shaping is a
social construction.
• Through language, they privately and
publicly utilize or share symbols
within their interactions. This creates
a pattern that shapes and influences
who they are, how they behave and
think.

3. The Self and Society
•self is isolated from the
external world.
In 1996, Steven (cited by Alata, EJ et. al., 2018)
found in his literature reviews that self has been
characterized as separate, self-contained,
independent, consistent, unitary and private.

4. • the discipline of Sociology asserts that humans cannot
be understood apart from it social context.
• As a result, an individual is capable of seeing through
his/her experiences and the larger society called
sociological imagination in which society creates
creates opportunities for him/her to think and act as
well as limiting his/her thoughts and actions.

5. Sociological Theories of the Self
A.The Looking Glass Self
-Charles Cooley
- individuals develop their concept of self by
looking at how others perceive them
- Using the view of others, Cooley denotes
that understanding of self is socially

6. This process involves the following steps:
1.An individual in a social situation imagines how they appear
to others.
2.That individual imagines others’ judgment of that appearance.
3.The individual develops feelings (of pride or shame) and
responds to those perceived judgments.

7. B. Theory of the Self-Development
- George Herbert Mead
- . As a prerequisite of being able to
self, one has to develop self-awareness. This
derived from looking at ourselves from the
perspective of others.
- If social interaction is absent particularly in
early experiences, he/she will find difficulty
developing an ability to see him/herself as
would see him/her.

8. By stages, Mead states that self
develops through social interaction.
1. Preparatory Stage: Children in this stage are
only capable of imitating actions of others (i.e. people
they particularly in contact with such as their family
members). They have no ability to imagine yet how
others see things.
2.Play Stage: At this stage, children begin to try to
take on the role of other person by acting out grown
up behaviors, dressing like adults, etc.

9. 3.Game Stage: While children learn about several
roles of others, they understand how these roles
each other in this stage. They learn to understand
interactions involving different people with variety
purpose. In a restaurant for instance, a child
different responsibilities of people who work
smooth sailing experience. He/she understands that
from the restaurant takes orders, others wash
the food, etc.).

10. 4. Generalized other: In this stage, children
develop, understand and learn the idea of the
common behavioral expectations of the general
society. They are able to imagine how they are
viewed by one or many. Mead pointed out that
“self” in this stage is being developed

11. The Self and Culture
The self should not be seen as a static
entity which remains constant
through time. It persistently
struggles with its external reality and
is malleable in dealing with it. Being
active participant in its social world,
the self, through interaction, is made
and remade. As it continuously
interacts with others, society is
continually changing and dynamic, so

12. The Moi and Personne Self
• Marcel Mauss
PERSONNE MOI
composed of the social concepts of
it means, to be who he is. It has
do with what it means to live in a
particular institution, a particular
a particular religion, a particular
nationality, and how to behave
expectations and influences from
refers to a person’s sense of
he is, his body and his basic
identity, his biological
It is a person’s basic identity.

13. Various personne can be illustrated across culture.
In the Philippines, part of the Filipino personne-of
who they are-- is their territory.
-Language is also an interesting aspect of who
Filipinos are.

14. The “I” and the “Me” Self
- George Herbert Mead characterized the self as “I”
and “Me”
- Based on the theory, an individual imports from the
social process.
- The process according to Mead involves the creation
of the two facets of self.

15. I ME
response to the “me”. social self
the one responding to the
of the others
the result of the “I” assuming
organized set of attitudes of
others
learns about the “me” (the
knower)
the known

16. Together with George Herbert Mead, Lev Vygotsky
stressed the important role of language acquisition and
interaction with others in human development.
According to them, mind is made or constituted through
language that one acquires or experiences with his/her
external world.

17. Self in Families
• As the basic social institution, the family is the
primary provider or source of a child’s needs
(human, social, economic). It is also the main
avenue for teaching young individuals the basic
things that they need to learn in order to fit in
the society. It has also the capacity to develop or
encourage the actualization of one’s potentials.
• A child learns ways of living, his/her selfhood, by
being with the family.

18. • Through rewards and punishments, some behaviors and
attitudes are indirectly taught to a child.
Another important aspect of social process within the
family is the learning of gender by a child. Gender partly
determines how one sees him/herself in the world.
Self in Families