George Herbert Mead: Social Behaviorism Quiz

What did Cooley believe were the three stages in developing a self?

In Erving Goffman's view, what did people in early interactions learn to do?

What term did Erving Goffman use to describe the aspect of maintaining a proper image of self?

How can wrong perceptions about oneself change?

What influenced the perception of oneself according to the text?

What was one of the stages in Cooley's theory of developing a self?

What is the primary difference between self-awareness and consciousness?

During which stage of self-formation does role-taking take place?

In Charles Horton Cooley's concept of the looking-glass self, what does the term 'looking-glass' primarily represent?

Which stage of self-formation involves understanding cultural norms, beliefs, and values through interactions with others?

What is the key difference between the 'I self' and 'Me self' according to George Herbert Mead?

How does the generalized other concept explain behavior according to George Herbert Mead?

Self-awareness is the experience of one's own personality or individuality, distinct from consciousness.
Self-image is the personal view or mental picture that we have of ourselves, functioning as an "internal dictionary" describing characteristics such as intelligent, beautiful, ugly, talented, selfish, and kind.

Stages of Self Formation

Preparatory stage: children's actions are primarily based on imitation.
Play stage: role-taking occurs, where individuals assume the perspective of another person to understand their behavior or response.
Game stage: individuals consider other people's perspectives, incorporating cultural norms, beliefs, and values into their self-evaluation.

The "I" and "Me"

"I" self: the subjective element of the self, where the person initiates and the self functions as a subject.
"Me" self: the objective element of the self, where the person takes on the role of the other, and the self functions as an object.

Charles Horton Cooley's Looking-Glass Self

The looking-glass self produces social interactions based on how others perceive us.
Cooley's three stages of self development:
- Imagine how one presents oneself to others (ages 4-6/7).
- Develop feelings about oneself based on others' impressions.
- Develop self-identities based on perceived opinions of others, which can change with positive social experiences.

Erving Goffman's Presentation of the Self

People learn to slant their self-representations to create preferred appearances and satisfy others (impression management).
Face-work: the process of maintaining a proper image of self, especially in embarrassing or frustrating situations.

Test your knowledge on the concepts of self-awareness, consciousness, and self-image as explained by George Herbert Mead's Social Behaviorism theory. Explore how the environment of the self influences human behavior.