Building Identity: The Social Self

Building Identity: The Social Self

• Feral Children: Deprived of mental, physical and social growth due to isolation from other humans.
• The Social Construction of Self: A psychological construct that people create to assist themselves and the world better.

Sociological Theories of the Self

• The idea about the self in socialization: Points to the central part of the socialization process.
• The concept of Psychic Wholeness: This concept suggests each person is a distinct, bounded, and coherent being.

Looking Glass Self

• Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929): People develop their self-concept through social interactions.
• Three Phases:
  • Imagining how you appear to others.
  • Imagining how others judge you.
  • Feelings generated based on those imaginings.

Two Important Dimensions

• Self-Esteem: Belief in one's own value and worth to others.
  • Process of Interaction: Observing others' behavior for information about how they appraise you.
  • Social Comparison: Evaluating yourself against others' performances, abilities, and characteristics.
• Personal Efficacy: Belief in your ability to overcome obstacles and achieve goals.
  • Nature of Personal Experience Shapes personal efficacy.

Theory of Social Behaviorism

• George Herbert Mead (1863-1931): Explains how social experiences shape one's personality.
• Three Parts of Mead's Theory:
  • The Self as Central: Composed of self-awareness and self-image.
  • Social Experience as Symbol Exchange: Meaningful interactions happen through shared symbols.