Understanding the Self: Sociology Lesson 2 Quiz

Which sociologist introduced the concept of the looking-glass self?

What did Charles Horton Cooley believe are the three phases involved in the process of developing a self?

Which concept refers to the altering of how a person presents themselves to others, as discussed in the text?

What did Erving Goffman observe about people early in their social interactions?

How did Macionis (2012) suggest individuals deal with life circumstances that can reshape the self?

Which term is used to describe the process of individuals learning who they are through social interaction with others?

What is the main focus of Sociology according to the text?

What does Mead's term 'generalized other' refer to?

According to Mead, at what stage does the self begin to see other people and consider their reactions?

At what age is the self typically not present?

What is the main characteristic of the play stage in Mead's social self stages?

When does the process of socialization end?

The Self and Life Circumstances

Life events like death, disease, or disability can reshape the self, although individuals have control over how they react and deal with these events.
These reactions are an important aspect of the self.

Charles Horton Cooley's Looking-Glass Self

People learn who they are through social interaction with others.
The self is influenced by the impression and perception of others.
The process of developing a self has three phases:
- Imagining how one presents themselves to others.
- Imagining how others evaluate them.
- Developing a feeling about themselves based on those impressions.

Erving Goffman's Impression Management

People learn to alter their presentation of themselves to create preferred appearances and satisfy particular people.
Impression management is the process of altering how one presents themselves to others.

Understanding the Self in Sociology

Sociology aims to discover how the social environment influences people's thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Social Behaviorism is an approach that describes the power of the environment in shaping human behavior.

Mead's approach describes the self as a dimension of personality made up of self-awareness and self-image.
The self develops through three stages:
- Preparatory Stage: Imitates another.
- Play Stage: Role-taking.
- Game Stage: Generalized other.

The Development of Self

The self is not present at birth but begins to develop as a central character in a child's world.
Children initially see themselves as the center of their universe and struggle to understand others.
As they grow and mature, they begin to see other people and become concerned about people's reactions.
The formation of the self continues throughout a person's life as they are influenced by significant others.

Test your knowledge on how sociology explores the impact of social surroundings on individuals' thoughts and behavior, focusing on George Herbert Mead's theory of the social self and Social Behaviorism.