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0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in GE1 - Understanding the Self with Personality Development Module No.2_

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. ___
CHAPTER I: THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
B. SOCIOLOGY
MODULE OVERVIEW

In the advent and growth of social sciences, new approaches in examining the nature of the self
becomes possible. In the sociological views of understanding the self, social situations becomes a great deal in
defining the individual’s self concept and self esteem as well.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the module, you should be able to:

1. Compare and contrast the different views of the self;

2. Examine the two components of the self;
3. Describe the concept of the looking-glass self and how it affects self concept;
4. Explain the concept of social comparison and why it is important to human behavior.

LEARNING CONTENTS

I. The Self as Product of Modern Society Among Others

With the modern society people is facing at present, life becomes urbanized. And with such situation,
people tend to be more impersonal and leads to destruction of the traditional way of life. From the limitations
impose by the society before, people nowadays are already free to seek their own identity. Thus, their selves
gets “delocalize”. Such instances that Clifford Geertz (1973) believes that struggle for individuality can already
be possible. And having a delocalized self as a product poses certain problems such as:

a. The authenticity of self is threatened as a result of the new found freedom

b. According to Marx, human beings are being haunted and gets alienated to their own self as an effect to the
images they created.
c. The objectification of the body removes human qualities in man.
d. Dehumanization of self.

II. Mead’s Theory of the Self

George Herbert Mead is known for his theory of the social self which stands on the point that the self
is not initially there at birth. Instead, it arises out of one’s social communication, our activities such as observing
and interacting with others, responding to others’ opinions, and internalizing external opinions and internal
feelings about oneself.

According to Mead’s theory, the self has two sides of phases: the “I” and “me”. The represents the self
as subject, and the individual’s impulse, while the “me” is considered to be the socialized component of the
individual that represents the learned behaviors, expectations and attitude of others organized into a social self.
It is referred as the “generalized other” as one acts according to the generalized attitude of the social group the
person occupies. When one is able to be aware as to how other view him / her, then full sense of “me” is
attained.

Moreover, three activities are identified the results to the development of the self, the language, play,
and game.

At the age of 0 to 2 years old, children tends to imitate the language used by people that are around
them. Thus, the symbols, gestures, words, and sound for children at this stage are mere words and sound and
does not have any meaning. Hence, since children at these ages are on preparatory stage, it is important that

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language conveyed on them are screened as eventually these language could already be understood as a child
grows older.
During ages 2 to 6 years old, play develops the one’s self consciousness through role playing. It
develops the self by allowing people to take on different roles, pretend, and express expectations of others. The
play done at these ages are far easier as children do not adhere to any roles. During role-play, a child is able to
internalize the view of others and develop an understanding of how other people feel about themselves and
others in different situations.

The game activity that is engaged by children ages 7 years old onwards allows the child to understand
and adhere to the roles of the games which as a result may lead to the development of self. To add, self will be
developed when a child understands that rules of the game are existing and that these rules should be followed
to possibly win the game. The game stage results to what Mead identifies as one side of the self, the “me” or the
generalized other.

III. The Looking-Glass Self

Social interaction plays an important role to individual’s understanding of self, thus, behavior and a
person’s self esteem may be dictated by how they will predict how others perceived them. American sociologist
Charles Horton Cooley coined the concept “looking-glass self” as pertaining to an individual’s development of
self concept based on their observation of how other people sees them. The social interaction people have are
used as “mirror” to measure their own worth, values, and behavior.

Hence, not all feedback made by others carries the same weight, How one perceived the self will
depend on the context of the interaction and the nature of the people involved. One may be seen as according
to labels put by other people towards us. These labels sometimes are derived from different factors one may be
associated with. In example, the milk commercial pertaining to the boys doubting a girls capacity to play soccer
with them, “eh babae ka eh, baka umiyak ka lang?’, or Ilocanos are tight-fisted, and you are an Ilocano, so
people will see you as tight-fisted individual. Labeling bias occurs when we are labeled, and others’ views and
expectations of us are affected by that labeling (Fox & Stinnet, 1996). But when the degree of appraisals are
great, it may happen that an individual will adopt such appraisal into their selves. Self labeling may occur when
one take into their self concept those labels and evaluation made by others for them. At times labels appears to
be exaggerated that it goes beyond the usual, and internalized prejudice happens when people instill such
label unto themselves which may lead to poor self concept.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

ASSESSMENT

Name: ___________________________ Course/Year/Section: ___________ Date: _______

Direction: Choose the letter that corresponds to your answer. Write the letter of your choice on the space
provided before each number

_____ 1. It refers to the “self” as subject, and individual’s impulse.

A. “I” B. “Me” C. “Others” D. “You”

_____ 2. He was the American sociologist who coined the concept of the “looking-glass self”.

A. Mead B. William James C. Colley D. Gergen

_____ 3. It occurs when we are labeled, and others’ views and expectations of us are affected by that
labeling.

A. Labeling Bias B. Self Labeling C. Internalized Prejudice D. A and B

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_____ 4. It occurs when people instill label made by others unto themselves which may lead to poor self
concept.

A. Labeling Bias B. Self Labeling C. Internalized Prejudice D. Reflection

_____ 5. It occur when one take into their self concept those labels and evaluation made by others for them.

A. Labeling Bias B. Self Labeling C. Internalized Prejudice D. Self Bias

_____ 6.Amira thinks that her teacher and classmates see her as intelligent. She takes on this view and reacts
to them. Which self is this according to Mead?

A. “I” B. “Me” C. “generalize others” D. myself

_____ 7. Jaden has very low self-esteem, she always see herself incapable of doing things on her own and
always relies on others. Which self is this according to Mead?

A. “I” B . “Me” C. “generalize others” D. myself

_____ 8. In which Mead’s stages of the self do children merely imitate the people around them?

A. Play B. Game C. Language D. A and B

_____ 9. George Herbert Mead’s “I” refers to:

A. The “what do I want”? C. Individual cultural origin

B. How others interpret our action D. The symbol that others give us

_____ 10.George Herbert Mead’s “Me” refers to:

A. The “what do I want”? C.How my internalized view has been created

B. How others interpret our action D. How my personal beliefs affects others

Base on Salvacion Villafuerte’s Assessment Questionnaire p.26 and Faith Medenilla Cuevo’s Understanding the self Test Your Knowledge
Questionnaire p.25

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

ESSAY

Describe some aspects of your self-concept that have been created through social comparison.
Write down your thought and feelings in no less than 300 words.

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Base on Salvacion Villafuerte’s Understanding the Self Essay Activity. p.27

SUMMARY

The classical sociological perspective the self is viewed as a relatively fix set of views of who a person is in
relation to one’s self, other people, and to social systems. Our self is constructed through interaction with other
people. Thus, we are not mere a passive participants in the process of social interaction, rather we have the power
to influence how the process of socialization and its consequences will develop.

REFERENCES

Alata, E., et. al. (2018), Understanding the Self, Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI), Quezon City
Cuevo, F., et. al. (2018), Understanding the Self, St. Andrew Publishing House, Bulacan
Johnson, B. (2003), Charles Horton Cooley: Looking Glass Self and the Effect of Primary Group,
www.study.com
Villafuerte, S., et. al. (2018), Understanding the Self, Nieme Publishing House Co. Ltd.
Quezon City

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Wozniak, M. (2018), “I” and “Me”: The Self in the Context of Consciousness, www.frontiersin.org

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