Chapter 2

Course Topic: SOCIOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE SELF

Educational Objectives of the chapter:
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:

1. Explain about the nature, concept and meaning of the self.

2. Describe the nature of the self from your own point of view.
3. Reflect on the importance of our society in developing our self.

Discussion:

Sociological Perspective

 Self-is the subject of one’s own experience of phenomena, perception, emotions, thoughts
 Components of the self:
Self-concept (self-identity, self-concept, self-perspective) - is a collection of beliefs
about oneself.
- It answers the question “Who am I?”
Self-knowledge- this is the knowledge of one’s mental states including one’s beliefs
and desires.
- It answers the question “What am I like?”
Self-esteem- refers to having esteem in one’s self (having self-confidence and feeling
good about yourself).
 Social Self- is a part of the self that engages face to face in relation to others.
Social self can include gender, place of residence, age, or any other categorization that
helps to characterize a person identity.

1. The Self as a Product of Social Interaction

 The self is not present at birth. It develops only with social experience wherein language,
gestures, and objects are used to communicate meaningfully.
 The sociological perspective of the self is based on the assumption that human behavior is
influenced by group life.
 A particular view of oneself is formed through interactions with other people, groups, or
social institutions
 For sociologists like George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley, the self is not
dependent on biological predispositions; rather, it is a product of social interaction.

Sociologist Charles Horton Cooley introduced the looking – glass self to highlight that the
people whom a person interacts become a mirror in which he views himself.

 Since these perceptions are subjective, there might have wrong interpretations of how other
people evaluate him.
 It would be critical if he thinks others judge him unfavorably because he could develop a
negative self – image.
George Herbert Mead’s theory of the social self, explained that the self has two divisions: the
“I” and the “me”

 The “I” is the subjective element and the active side of the self
 It represents the spontaneous, and unique traits of the individual
 The “I” is the response of the individual to the “Me”
 The “Me” is the objective element of the self. It represents the “internalized” attitudes,
expectations, and demands of other people.
 The “Me” is what is learned in interaction with others and with the environment.
 The full development of the self is attained when the “I” and the “me” are united.

2. The Self as a Product of Modern and Postmodern Societies

According to Gerry Lanuza, in modern societies the attainment and stability of self – identity is
freely chosen. It is no longer restricted by customs and traditions.

 In postmodern societies, self – identity continuously change due to the demands of

multitude of social contexts, new information technologies, and globalization.
 These freedom and changes offer opportunities for self – cultivation but problems may also
arise (e.g., alienation and dehumanization).
 For instance, it limits the face to face, close relationships with others especially among
family members.
 It limits close contact and communication with others.

According to Sociologist Jean Baudrillard, in postmodern societies, individuals achieve self –

identity through prestige symbols that they consume.

 The cultural practices of advertising and mass media greatly influence individuals to
consume goods not for their primary value and utility but to give them a feeling of goodness
and power when compared with others.
 The postmodern person has become an insatiable consumer and may never be satisfied in his
life.
 Thus, the self may be a never – ending search for prestige in the postmodern society.

ASSIGNMENT: Reflection Paper #2

How Society helps us shape who we are. What will happen if one is separated to the society.
*Short bond paper. It could be type written or hand written. Minimum of 1 Page not more than 3 pages.
- type written: Times New Roman, 12, normal, single-spaced, justified
- hand written: print legibly
*Submit your work (Hard copy or soft copy) and for any question, email me at
jemuelbucudlagarto@gmail.com

UNDERSTANDING MYSELF

https://www.eriesd.org/Page/13051 GE FOUNDATION WORKPLACE SKILLS

PROGRAM

ACTIVITY # 3

A Portrait of Yourself
• The best thing(s) I ever did was (were) _____________________________________________
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• I wish I could lose my fear of ____________________________________________________
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• I know I have the talent to _______________________________________________________
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• I enjoy people who ____________________________________________________________
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• I admire______________________________________________________________________
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• I feel most productive when _____________________________________________________
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• I am motivated by _____________________________________________________________
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• I almost never ________________________________________________________________
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• My idea of fun is ______________________________________________________________
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• Studying is exciting when _______________________________________________________
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• The best advice I ever got was ___________________________________________________
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• The thing I value most is ________________________________________________________
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• It is easy for me to focus on ______________________________________________________
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• My idea of a perfect life is _______________________________________________________
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• My best days are ______________________________________________________________
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• My dream is __________________________________________________________________
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• I always wanted to _____________________________________________________________
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• I look forward to ______________________________________________________________
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• I spent too much time __________________________________________________________
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• The thing my friends like about me is _____________________________________________
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• When I try to change something __________________________________________________
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• In a group I like to be __________________________________________________________
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• If I ever win a prize it will be for __________________________________________________
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