Looking glass self Theory

ANS: - The “looking - glass self” is undoubtedly Cooley’s most famous concept, and is widely
known and accepted by psychologists and sociologists today. It expanded William James’s idea
of self to include the capacity of reflection on its own behavior. Other people's views build,
change and maintain our self–image; thus, there is an interaction between how we see
ourselves and how others see us. Through these interactions, human beings develop an idea of
who they are. He argued that when we feel shame or pride, it is due to what we think others
view us as. He also mentions that we do not always perceive someone’s impressions correctly.
For example, if a student incorrectly answers a question in class, they might later question their
own intelligence or capacity to prepare sufficiently. The notion of the looking – glass self applies
throughout an individual's life: interactions with new people time and again encourage self –
evaluation based on a presumed impression given off. In other words, one’s self – identity can
be socially constructed.

Human Nature and the Social Order “ ...somewhat definite imagination of how
one's self – that is, any idea he appropriates – appears in a particular mind, and the kind of self
– feeling one has is determined by the attitude toward this attributed to that other mind... So,
in imagination, we perceive in another's mind some thought of our appearance, manners, aims,
deeds, character, friends, and so on, and are variously affected by it.”
Thus, the three stages observed in the looking – glass self are outlines as:
1 You imagine how you appear to the other person.
2 You imagine the judgment of the other person.

3 You feel some sense of pride, happiness, guilt, or shame.

In line with William James’s thoughts, the concept of the looking glass self – contributed to an
increasing abandonment of the so-called Cartesian disjunction between the human mind and
the external social world.