DEFINING THE SELF: Personal and Developmental Perspectives on Self and Identity
Sociological Perspective of the Self
Society - A society is a group of individuals
involved in persistent social interaction, on a
large social group sharing the same
geographical or social territory, typically subject
to the same political authority and dominant
cultural expectations.
The Self and the Social World
Men and women are born with particularities that
they can no longer change.
MEAD and VGOTSKY – “The way that
humans develop is with the use of language
acquisition and interact with others.”
A young child internalizes values, norms, practices,
and social beliefs and more thru exposure to
interaction that would eventually become part of his
individual world.
A child internalizes real-life dialogs that he has had
with others, with his family, his primary caregiver, or
his playmates.
The Self as Product of Modern Society
among others
Clifford Geertz (1973) believes that the struggle
for one’s individuality is only possible in modern
society where religion-theological traditions are
gradually replaced by rational and scientific
calculations, and intimate personal affiliations
are replaced by exceedingly impersonal
associations brought about by an urbanized way
of life.
Modernization or the destruction of the
traditional way of life “delocalizes” the self.
This poses certain problems as:
1. The newfound freedom threatens the very
authenticity of the self (e.g. love)
2. Alienation (Marx) – human beings haunted
by the very images they have created
3. Objectification of the body (e.g. medical
practice)
4. Dehumanization of self
Solution:
For the individual to discover the “true” and
“authentic” part of him/herself to realize his/her
potentials, there is a need to abolish
repressive social constraints.
Self as Necessary Fiction
SELF for NIETZSCHE is the sum of an
individual’s actions, thoughts, and feelings. Self
is nothing more than a metaphor, a
representation of something abstract, and
symbolic.
Post-Modern View of the Self
Self in post modernity is complicated with
electronic mediated virtual interaction of cyber
self such as change in appearance (in the
cyberspace). According to N. Green, self is
“digitalized” in cyberspace, a virtual version of
who we are. The self is seen in websites or
social media – fb, twitter, instagram, etc.
The following below are the manifestations:
1. Information technology dislocates the
self, thus, self is “digitalized” in
cyberspace.
2. Global migration produces multicultural
identities.
3. Post-modern selves are “pluralized”
selves.
Self-Construction of the Self
Self is not discovered; it is made thru the
socialization process. BUT, individuals are not
just hapless victims of socialization. (Ikaw ang
gumagawa ng kung ano ka). Self is acquired
socially thru language. We construct ourselves
based on our social roles thru socialization
agents – family, school, community, etc.
Rewriting the Self as an Artistic Creation
Nietzsche states that the unity of the self is not
pre-given but accomplished thru conscious effort
– transform self thru beautiful work of art.
Individuals must fashion care for and cultivate
themselves. We can recreate ourselves to get
hold of the present, forgive the past and plan the
future.
Self - Creation and the Struggle for Cultural
Recognition
This is a challenge of self-identity amidst
recognition of racial and ethnic identities.
Self-creation is necessarily grounded on
collective solidarities. We create ourselves by
struggling with cultural hassles then owning the
created self. We hide the ugly part of our cultural
nature. We learn to adjust.
GEORGE HERBERT MEAD (1863-1931)
An American Sociologist best known as founder
of American Pragmatism, a pioneer of symbolic
interaction theory, and as one of the founders of
social psychology.
Mead’s Theory
Mead’s theory of the self maintains that the
conception of a person holds himself/herself in
his/her mind emerges from social interaction
with others. The self is neither initially there at
birth nor necessarily at the beginning of the
social interaction, but is constructed and re-
constructed in the process of social experience
and activity.
Three reasons why self and identity are
social products:
1. We do not create ourselves out of anything.
2. Whether we like it or not, we need others to
affirm and reinforce who we think we are.
3. What we think is important to us may also
have been influenced by what is important in
our social or historical context.
Mead’s Stages of Development of the Self
1. PREPARATORY STAGE
Starts from the time we are born until we are
about age two. In this stage, children mimic
those around them.
2. PLAY STAGE
From about 2-6, children are in the play stage.
During the play stage, children play pretend and
do not adhere to the rules in organized games
like patintero or basketball.
3. GAME STAGE
From about age 7 onwards. In this stage,
children can begin to understand and adhere
to the rules of games. They can begin to play
more formalized games because they begin to
understand other people’s perspective – or the
perspective of the generalized others.
Looking-Glass Self: Our Sense of Self
“Part of how we see ourselves comes from
our perceptions of how others sees us.” –
Charles Horton Cooley (1902)
Main Components of Looking-Glass Self
1.We imagine how much we appear to others in a
social situation.
2. We imagine and react to what we feel their
judgment of that appearance must be.
3. We develop our sense of self and respond thru this
perceived judgment of others.
Social Comparison Theory: Our Sense of
Self is Influenced by Comparisons with
Others
SOCIAL COMPARISON occurs when we learn
about our abilities and skills, about the
appropriateness and validity of our behaviors
with those of others.
Nancy Chodorow, a feminist, argues that
because mothers take the role of taking care of
children, there is a tendency for girls to imitate
the same and reproduce the same kind of
mentality as women as care provides in the
family.
Men on the other hand, in the periphery of their
own family, are taught early on how to behave
like a man. This normally includes holding in
one’s emotion, being tough, fatalistic, not to
worry about danger, and admiration for hard
physical labor.
“Man’s life is independent. He is born not for
the development of the society alone, but for
the development of his self.” - B. R.
Ambedkar