SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE: THE
SELF AS A PRODUCT OF SOCIETY
Sociological Perspective of the Self
- 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
Sociology
- As a scientific study of social groups
and human relationships, it generates
new insights to the interconnectedness
between ourselves and other people
- Sociologists offer theories to explain
how the self emerges as a product of
social experience
Socialization
- The way in which individuals can learn
skills, values, motives, and roles
appropriate to their position or group in
society
- The process by which people learn how
to act; learn norms, values, attitudes,
behaviors of their group
THE PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS OF
WELL KNOWN SOCIOLOGISTS
Charles Horton Cooley
- Introduced the phrase looking-glass
self to highlight that the people whom
we interact become a mirror in which
we view ourselves
- Believed that our sense of self
develops through our perception of
others’ evaluations and appraisals of us
The Looking-glass Self
- The process wherein individuals base
their sense of self on how they believe
others view them
- Using social interaction as a type of
“mirror”, people use the judgements
they receive from others to measure
their own worth, values, and behavior
- Stating that a person’s self grows out of
society's interpersonal interactions and
the perceptions of others
- We learn who we are by interacting
with other people
- Our view of ourselves comes from
contemplation of personal qualities and
our impressions of how others perceive
us
- The self is the product of our social
interactions with other people
- “I am what I think you think I am”
- All in all, your self-esteem does
correlate with what you perceive others
think of you
- In order to boost your self-esteem, you
need to: Think positive & Avoid
overthinking
Three Stages of the Looking-glass Self
1. Imagining - the imagination of our
appearance to other people and
associated feelings (we imagine how
we present ourselves to others)
2. Interpreting - imagining that others
are evaluating our behavior (we
imagine how others evaluate us)
3. Developing self-concept - we
develop feeling and react to the
imaginary evaluations of ourselves
as objects (we develop some sort of
feeling about ourselves)
George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)
- An American sociologists known as
one of the founders of social
psychology
- Expanded Cooley’s idea
- Also believed that the self was created
through social interaction and that this
process started in childhood (self
emerges from social interaction)
- The self is not there from birth, it is
developed over time from social
experiences and activities
- When we perform our own particular
role, we become self-aware
- Other sociologists and psychologists
felt that the self was based on
biological factors and inherited traits
- Generalized other
- MIND: People are born tabula rasa
— a Latin phrase often translated as
“blank state” in English and
originates from the Roman tabula
used for notes, which was blanked
by heating the wax and then
smoothing it
- SELF: “Selves can only exist in definite
relationships to other selves”.
Remember Genie: feral child
- SOCIETY: Society emerges from the
interactions of individuals
The Development of the Self
- The self is our personal identity that is
separate and different from all other
people
- Sociologists believe the self is created
and modified through interaction in our
lives
Three Stages of Theory of Development
1. Preparatory stage (0-3 years old)
Children imitate people around
them, especially family members
with whom they have daily
interaction.
But they copy behavior without
understanding underlying intentions,
and so at this stage, they have no
sense of self.
During this stage, children are just
preparing for role-taking
2. Play stage (3-5 years old)
Children start to view themselves in
relation to others as they learn to
communicate through language and
other symbols.
At this stage, role-taking is exhibited,
however, children do not perceive
role-taking as something expected of
them.
The self emerges as children
pretend to take roles of specific
people or significant others, those
individuals who are important agents
of socialization.
In this stage, the self is developing
3. Game stage (begins in the early
school years; 8 or 9 years old)
Children understand not only their
own social position but also those of
others around them
At this stage, children become
concerned about and take into
account in their behavior the
generalized others which refer to the
attitudes, viewpoints, demands and
expectations of the society which
include cultural norms and values
 we use as references in evaluating
ourselves
This time, they can have a more
sophisticated look of people and an
ability to respond to respond to
numerous members of the social
environment
During this stage, the self is now
present
Three Activities to Develop the Self
1. Language - develops self by
allowing individuals to respond to
each other through symbols,
gestures, words and sounds
2. Play - develops self by allowing
individuals to take on different roles,
pretend and express expectations of
others. Role-taking — mentally
assuming the perspective of another
and responding from that imagined
viewpoint (understand the world
from others’ viewpoint).
3. Games - develop self by allowing
individuals to understand and
adhere to the rules of the activity
The “Me” and the “I”
“Me” - the first side of the self
The objective element of the self. It
represents the internalized attitudes and
demands of other people and the
individual’s awareness of those standards
Represents learned behaviors, attitudes and
expectations of others and of society; face
of the self from the past
More socially aware; more deliberative and
consciously symbolic
There is no “me” at birth, but only comes
through repeated social interaction with
others
“I” - the second side of the self
The subjective elements and the active side
of the self. It represents the spontaneous,
and unique traits of the individual
Represents the individual’s identity based
on response to “me”
Spontaneous and more instinctual; less
concerned with what other people think
Jean Baudrillard
- Posits that in the postmodern society,
the self is found in the prestige symbols
of goods consumed by man
- Exposes the negative consequences of
postmodernity to individuals in the
society
- The cultural process 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 self may be a never-ending search
for prestige in the postmodern society
The Self as a Product of Modern and
Postmodern Societies
In Postmodern societies, the attainment
and stability of self-identity is freely
chosen
- It is no longer restricted by customs
and traditions.
- While this newfound freedom offers
infinite possibilities for self-cultivation,
problems such as alienation and
dehumanization of the self also appear
which hinder the full development of
human potentials.
- Hence there is a need to discover the
“authentic core” of the self for the
individual to freely work towards self-
realization
In postmodern societies, self-identity
continuously change due to the
demands of multitude of social contexts,
new information technologies, and
globalization
- Whereas the dissolution of traditional
values and communities in modern
society has led the individual to
construct a solid and stable self-
identity, the postmodern individual
welcomes all possibilities for self-
improvement
AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL
CONCEPTUALIZATION OF SELF: THE
SELF EMBEDDED IN CULTURE
Anthropology
- ETYMOLOGY: Greek — Anthropos
(man, human being) + Logos (study)
- Discipline of infinite curiosity about
human beings
- The scientific study of the origins of
humans, how we changed over the
years, and how we relate to each other,
both within our culture and with people
from other cultures
- Anthropology is Arts and Science
Anthropology holds a holistic view of
human nature
- It is concerned with how cultural and
biological processes interact to shape
human experience
- Compared with other disciplines
possesses a holistic and integrated
approach to examine human nature
- Contemporary anthropologists believe
that culture and self are complementary
concepts that are to be understood in
relation to one another
James L. Peacock (anthropology
professor)
“Anthropology encroaches on the territory of
the sciences as well as the humanities, and
transcends the conventional boundaries of
both while addressing questions to the
distant past and the pressing present –
perhaps with implications for the future”
This definition of anthropology emphasizes
that it is an academic field for understanding
their interconnections and interdependence
of biological and cultural aspects of the
human experience in all times and places
Four Main Subdivisions of Anthropology
1. Physical Anthropology
Also known as biological
anthropology, is a scientific
discipline concerned with the
biological and behavioral aspects of
human beings, their related non-
human primates and their extinct
hominin ancestors
Physical anthropologists focus on
the evolution of human anatomy and
physiology, rather than culture
2. Linguistic Anthropology
It seeks to understand human
language, written and non-written,
spoken and non-verbal. The study of
how languages change over time is
termed historical linguistics
Explores how language shapes
communication, forms social identity
and group membership, organizes
 large-scale cultural beliefs and
ideologies, and develops a common
cultural representation of natural and
social worlds
3. Cultural Anthropology
A branch of anthropology focuses on
the study of cultural variation among
humans and is in contrast to social
anthropology which perceives
cultural variation as a subset of the
anthropological constant
Cultural anthropologists study such
topics as how people make their
living, how people interact with each
other, what beliefs people hold, and
what institution organizes people in
the society
4. Archaeology
The study of the ancient and recent
human past through material
remains. It is a subfield of
anthropology, the study of all human
culture
Archaeology offers a unique
perspective on human history and
culture
The Self as Embedded in Culture
Clifford Geertz (1973)
- An American anthropologist, offered a
reformulation of the concept of culture
which favors a symbolic interpretative
model of culture
- Defines culture as “a system of
inherited conceptions expressed in
symbolic forms by means of which men
communicate, perpetuate, and develop
their knowledge and attitudes toward
life”
- Emphasized that human nature is
interdependent with culture: “Without
men, no culture, certainly; but equally,
and more significantly, without culture,
no men”
Symbolic Anthropology
- The study of cultural symbols and how
those symbols can be used to gain a
better understanding of a particular
society
- Prominent symbolic anthropologists
include Clifford Geertz, David
Schneider, Victor Turner and Mary
Douglas
The concept of culture has its impact on
the concept of man
- Geerts agrees with Max weber, that
“man is an animal suspended in webs
of significance he himself has spun,”
wherein those webs were taken as
symbols of culture
- Man is defined by his genetic potentials
shaped into actual accomplishments
which is made possible by culture
Most of Clifford Geerts’ works aims:
To provide an understanding and
acknowledgment of “thick description” that
exists within cultures; understanding other
people’s understanding of things
“Thick Description: Toward an
Interpretative Theory of Culture” 1973
- The role and aim of ethnographers are
to observe, record, and analyze a
culture
- Specifically, he or she must interpret
signs to gain their meaning within the
culture itself
- This interpretation must be based on
the “thick description” of a sign in order
to see all the possible meanings
Major Themes/Concepts
● Thin description - only about behavior
and is without interpretation. A wink is
merely the contraction of an eyelid
● Thick description - the behavior with
the interpretation semiotic term
Crossing your fingers can mean a
symbol for goodluck, or it can be
represent that the person isn’t telling
the truth
● Culture is public - because the
meaning behind the actions is public
● Semiotics (also called semiotic
studies) - the study of meaning-
making, the study of meaningful
communication, and sign process
(semiosis). Through semiotics, after
discovering how these signs and
symbols communicate, this awareness
opens the door to understanding
different cultures
Many common signs and hand gestures
have completely different meanings in
different parts of the world due to cultural
differences.
Gestures have such a profound influence
on communication that it is really best to
JUST keep your fingers to yourself.
Almost every gesture using fingers is sure
to offend someone, womewhere, at some
time.
As a rule of thumb, it is best to avoid using
any single finger as a gesture — unless you
are absolutely sure it is appropriate for a
particular culture or country.
Open-handed gestures, with all fingers
generally together, is usually considered the
safest approach.
Thumbs Up (good job, approval)
Highly offensive, middle finger (in parts of
Arab world, Middle East)
Pointing with the index finger
Rude and impolite, ‘you’re singling them
out’, ‘making fun of them’ (in parts of Middle
East)
Crossing legs
Highly offensive, bottom of the foot is
considered the dirtiest part of the body,
don’t cross your legs so that the sole of your
shoe is facing another person (Middle East)
Especially, sitting opposite from someone
who is older than you, disrespect, sign of
arrogance & defiance when done in front of
people who hold a higher social or
professional position
Fig (forming a fis with the thumb tucked
under the index finger)
Offensive, middle finger (Turkey)
Moutza (open palm)
Highly offensive, in Byzantine used to
shame criminals, most traditional gesture of
insult among Greeks, closer to face more
threatening (Middle East, in parts of Africa &
in Pakistan)
“OK” gesture
Middle finger (Brazil) - never touch any food
with your fingers
EVEN number of flowers
Given at funerals, giving as a gift is like
inviting death (Russia)
Woman greeting a man in public
Immoral, associating with a man except her
husband without escort (Sharia religious
laws)
Greeting someone with your left hand
Highly offensive, left hand is unclean and
devilish (Middle East)
Finishing every last bite of your meal
Not given enough (China) - good to talk with
your mouth full and to burp after your meal
(also Singaporeans)
VS
Finish your meal
(Thailand, Philippines, China?)
Never give a clock to a Chinese person
Word ‘clock’ is identical to ‘death’
Don’t wrap gift on white paper
Suggests funerals (China?)
Don’t give white flowers
People will be obliged to buy a spade and
bury themselves (Bangladesh)
Cultural Construction of Identity
The Importance of Self
- As we become who we are, we learn
how we stand in relation to others. We
learn how we relate to others as a son,
daughter, student, friend, or lover, etc.
- The society is a collection of social
identities
Social Identities
- Views that people have their own
positions in society
- Individuals seek confirmation from
others that they occupy the positions
on the social landscape that they claim
to occupy
The Concept of self varies from society
to society:
Egocentric view
- Self as an autonomous, discrete
individual
- A view of the self that defines each
person as a replica of all humanity, and
is capable of acting independently from
others
Narcissist
- A psychological disorder which is
achieved by a person’s physical or
mental behavior and show excessive
admiration or self love
- Constantly seeks admiration from
others with a need to feel important and
valued
Some similarities between Egocentric
and Narcissist
● Focus on own perception an dominion
● Lack of empathy
● Inability to recognize needs of others
● Excessive thoughts of how others
might view them
● Decision making around the needs of
self
Egocentric vs Narcissist
● A person who is Egocentric believes
he/she is the center of attention like a
Narcissist, but does not receive
gratification by one’s admiration
● Narcissists are people whose egos are
greatly influenced by the approval of
others. This may not or may not be true
to Egocentrists
Sociocentric view
- Self as contingent on a situation or
social setting
- A view of the self that is context
dependent; there is no intrinsic self that
can posses enduring qualities
- This view is often taken by social
scientists who are in interested in social
processes by which social identities are
formed and maintained

Sociocentrism
- Occurs when a person puts the needs
and concerns of a social group ahead
of his or her own needs and concerns
- From Socio meaning ‘relating to
society’ and centric refers to ‘being at
the center’
- Together, these words create the basis
for sociocentrism: society at the center

According to Jean Piaget and his theory

of cognitive development,
Egocentrism occurs from the sensorimotor
stage through the preoperational stage

However, as children develop and begin to

socialize, they become more sociocentric

Adolescent Egocentrism
The characteristic of adolescent thinking
that leads young people (teenagers) to
focus on themselves to the exclusion of
others

A young person might believe that his or her

thoughts, feelings, and experiences are
unique, more wonderful or awful than
anyone else’s

The Personal fable

The imaginary Audience