SCHOOL OF EDUCATION COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

MODULE TITLE: SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION

MODULE CODE: TED-SED-221
SUBMITTED BY: GROUP 2b
MACDONALD NKHOMA EBS/21/SS/055
PATIENCE NAKWANJE EBS/21/SS/049
IVY CHIMANGENI EBS/21/SS/009
LEAH SHABA EBS/21/SS/067
ATUPELE DUWA EBS/21/SS/017
ISAAC KASISI EBS/21/SS/030
MADALITSO CHIMBULUMATA EBS/21/SS/010

SUBMITTED TO: MRS L. CHITSULO

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: MAJOR SCHOLARS IN THE FIELD OF SOCIOLOGY

DUE DATE: 20 JULY, 2023

 CHARLES HORTON COOLEY CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIOLOGY AND
APPLICATION IN EDUCATION

Charles Horton Cooley was born in 1864, Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was an American sociologist
and educator who employed a sociopyschological approach to better understand the society or the
way individuals behave the way they do (Argyle, 2023). He is considered as one of the founders
of the discipline of sociology and was also a founding member of the American Sociological
Association in 1905 and became its eighth president in 1918. As a child Cooley was somewhat
withdrawn, passive and felt intimidated by his father (Thomas Cooley). To his father’s expectation
he went on to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, but his interest
remained in philosophy and economics. In his spare time Charles studied the works of philosophers
and theorists such as Herbert Spencer, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Charles Darwin. Which
increased his interest in sociology. He later on died in 1929. Therefore this essay will discuss some
of Cooley’s contributions in sociology, such as the “looking glass-self”, symbolic interactionism
and the study of primary and secondary groups and how they have been applied in education.

Firstly, the “looking glass-self” concept. This theory describes how people get to know themselves
through the “looking glass self”. In his book Charles Horton Cooley (1902) asserted that, "In the
same way that we observe our face, body, and clothing in a mirror and are intrigued by them
because they belong to us and please or disappoint us depending on how we would like them to
be, so in the mind we view in another person's mind some thought of our looks behavior, goals,
actions, personality, friends, and other things and are differently influenced by it." Therefore, to
develop one’s self-identity Cooley used three principle elements: one is that we imagine how we
look to others, then we interpret their reaction or (how they evaluate us), lastly we develop our
self-identity based on their evaluation. This primarily indicates that our perception of ourselves is
a result of our personal self-examination as well as what others have to say about us, and that
through these experiences, we start to form a notion of who we are. As a result, our interactions
with other people establish how we define ourselves. (Jachowicz and Johnson, 2022). Cooley’s
theory in education enables teachers to be aware that their views and feedback might reflect
student’s self-perception, for instance, if a pupil responds wrong to a question in the classroom,
they may later doubt their individual knowledge or ability to adequately prepare. Therefore,
teachers are edged to provide a constructive feedback that supports student’s positive self-
awareness or self-identity. Thereby, creating a conducive environment for learning.

Secondly, Symbolic interactionism. It is one of the major sociological theoretical perspective

based on micro-level observations, Cooley’s contribution to the symbolic interactionism theory
focuses on his idea that clarifies how individuals build their identities by giving meaning to the
symbols and gestures they encounter throughout interactions (Studysmarter, 2023). Based to this
point of view, people actively influence society instead of being influenced by it since people
interact with one another through signs and language and one may understand society by looking
at these symbols. The social beliefs, traditions, and laws of a society are formed by the common
meanings. Social groups may spread particular beliefs to the rest of society through the
employment of symbols, which may in turn foster both a feeling of society's diversity and its
solidarity (Nickerson, 2023). A non-verbal gesture like a “salute” is an illustration of a commonly
used sign. In many cultures, giving a salute is a sign of respect. Additionally, Sociologist suggest
that symbols frequently influence the nature of interpersonal connections. Through symbolism
interactions, people are able to learn about family relationships and social standards and how they
should act in various situations. (Studysmarter, 2023). In this case, one can learn what is
appropriate to say to others by doing so in front of a teacher or in front of one’s siblings (family)
for example one’s boss, uncle, teacher and many more. In education use of symbols, language and
gestures in the classroom helps teachers to better understand how students interpret and create
meaning in the education context, this encourages dialogue, active listening and open
communication between students and teachers allowing students to construct their understanding
of the subject matter, thereby achieving effective learning.

Lastly, the study of primary and secondary groups by Charles Horton Cooley is one of the
fundamental distinction of social groups. Social groups are divided into primary and secondary
groups. Cooley’s main focus was on primary group relationships, which a person or a child is first
exposed to and it has the greatest impact on our learning of ideas, beliefs and ideals (Jachowicz
and Johnson, 2022). According to his definition, primary groups are those in which close, personal
interactions and interdependence prevail (Cooley, 1909), It is often a small social circle whose
members have intimate, lasting connections that are characterised by caring for one another,
engaging in common interest and cultural practices and spending a significant amount of time
together (Cooley, 1909), family, close friends and powerful social groups are few examples of
primary groups. These foundations serve as the skeleton for the development of a person social,
natural and beliefs, so as, a small group of people interact directly with each other, they interact
“face to face” for assistance, friendship and debate of common problems. They are constantly
aware of one another’s presence and thoughts. In practice, since, education institutions are
considered as a mini-society, where diverse students with different cultures, ethnic groups and
background come together to acquire knowledge. Understanding how these dynamic groups work
and co-exist with each other enables educators such as teachers to implore teaching strategies such
as, Collaborative learning which encourages students to work together in small groups or teams,
fostering primary group-like interactions. This approach encourages group collaboration,
communication, and capacity to perform well in various kinds of groups.

In conclusion, this essay has looked at some of Charles Cooley Horton contributions to the field
of sociology. As discussed above, his theory of the “looking glass-self” Which suggests that, social
interactions and other people’s perceptions shape how people perceive themselves; and symbolic
interactionism, which symbols and the meanings we give them as the cornerstone of social
existence. Lastly it is the concept of primary and secondary relationships which tries to understand
how small groups influence individual behaviours and society at large. Also the essay has looked
at how each of Cooley’s contribution to sociology have been applied in education, for example
informing educators to use collaborative learning and other teaching techniques to achieve
effective learning.
 REFERENCES

American Sociological Association. (2023). Charles H. Cooley. Asanet.org.

https://www.asanet.org/charles-h-cooley/
Argyle, M. (2023, June 30). Charles Horton Cooley.
Britannia. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Horton-Cooley
Cooley, C.H. (1902). Human nature and the social order. Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Cooley, C.H. (1909). Social organisation: A study of the larger mind. Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Jachowicz, L. & Johnson, B. (2022, January 1). Charles Cooley looking glass self-theory.
Study.com. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Horton-Cooley
Nickerson, C. (2023, May 1). Looking glass-self: Theory, Definition & Examples.
SimplyPsychology. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Horton-Cooley
Studysmarter (n.d). Charles Cooley: facts, Quotes & contributions.
https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/social-studies/famous-sociologists/charles-
cooley/