THE

SOCIOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE
Presented by Amabel R. Sumabat
DESCRIBE
The connection between self,
society, and culture
RECOGNIZE
The social and cultural
factors that shape the self Lesson
EXAMINE
The comparisons of the self
Objectives
based on the different
societies
REFLECT
On one's development of the
self based on one's cultural
and societal backgrounds
RECAP

In the previous lesson, we discussed different philosophical

perspectives on the self.

Some philosophers argued that the self is also dualistic, dependent on

the concept of the body and soul. There are also perspectives where
there's no such thing as the self.

It is either consciousness, experience, behavior, and subjectivity

that compose who we are.
TABULA
RASA
 OUR SENSE OF SELF
Begins to develop as we
experience the world around
us

Mean Girls
The more we interact with
the outside world, the more
we develop ourselves

Mean girls 2
 SELF
Sociological and by-product of meeting
Anthropological
Perspectives of the different kinds of people,
Self and one's interaction with
the environment, and not
because of the mind or the
soul infused into us
 What is
Identity?

ARE YOU FIGURING OUT OF WHAT YOU REALLY

WANT TO BE? LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU ARE IN SEARCH
OF IDENTITY – THE CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE OF OUR
ROLE IN THE WORLD AROUND US.
 The way you see
yourself is your
self-identity.

Self- Identity vs.

Social Identity
Your self-identity is composed of
relatively permanent self-assessments such
as:
❑ knowledge of one’s skills and abilities,
❑ hobbies
❑ attitudes about life
❑ perceptions – the way you see the world
❑ values – what you think is right or wrong
❑ beliefs – what you see as true and untrue
❑ awareness of one’s physical attributes
❑ personality attributes
❑ one’s occupation
All these factors influence what you can
accomplish and where you will fit in
Social Identity
THIS IS THE WAY
OTHERS SEE YOU AND ALSO
INFLUENCED BY OTHERS’
PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES,
VALUES, AND BELIEFS.
 Stereotypes

STEREOTYPES ARE ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE

MADE ABOUT INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY
BELONG TO A PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUP.

WHEN SOMEONE BELIEVES THAT A

STEREOTYPE IS TRUE, UNFAIR JUDGMENTS ARE
MADE ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL.
 Stereotypes

▪ SOME PEOPLE EXPECT THAT WOMEN WILL TAKE

CARE OF THE CHILDREN, COOK, AND CLEAN THE
HOME, WHILE MEN TAKE CARE OF FINANCES,
WORK ON THE CAR, AND DO THE HOME REPAIRS
Stereotypes

▪ WOMEN ARE EXPECTED TO

BE THIN AND
GRACEFUL, WHILE MEN ARE
EXPECTED TO BE
TALL AND MUSCULAR.
 STEREOTYPES ARE MOST OF THE TIME
UNTRUE AND JUDGMENTS SHOULD NOT BE
MADE ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL BASED ON AN
ASSUMPTION.
 HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT
AND WHO YOU ARE?
WHAT DEFINES ONE’S
SENSE OF SELF?

Sense of Self
and Self-
Socialization
THE SELF IS DEVELOPED
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
SELF-SOCIALIZATION, A
DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS THAT
ALLOWS US TO REFLECT UPON
AND ARGUE WITH OURSELVES
FOR US TO DEVELOP AN
ACCURATE SELF-IMAGE.
 Self as a Social
Concept

Theory of the Social Self

The Looking-Glass Self
Social Identity Theory
 2 Social
Scientists who
believed in the
Process of
Self-
Socialization
IN HIS SOCIAL SELF
THEORY, BELIEVED THAT
THE SENSE OF SELF IS
DEVELOPED THROUGH
SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
SUCH AS OBSERVING AND
INTERACTING WITH OTHERS.

George
Herbert Mead
ACCORDING TO MEAD, THE SELF
IS NOT YET PRESENT AT BIRTH.
IT IS RATHER DEVELOPED OVER
TIME FROM SOCIAL EXPERIENCES
AND ACTIVITIES.

SIMPLY PUT, WHEN A BABY IS

FIRST BORN, HE DOES NOT SEEM
TO HAVE A SENSE OF WHO HE IS,
BUT THAT CHANGES AS HE GROWS

George
Herbert Mead
MEAD FOCUSED ON THE STUDY OF
THE SELF THAT EMERGE FROM
SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

3 STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
- PREPARATORY STAGE
- PLAY STAGE
- GAME STAGE
George
Herbert Mead
THE SIGNIFICANT OTHER

We know that everyone we come across has

perceptions of us, but not all of them matter.

We only value how we are perceived by the

people who are important to us.

Our significant others are our parents, lovers,

siblings, family, friends, teachers, etc.

Theory of the
Social Self
The significant others are people whose opitions
about us matter because they're important in our
lives. Who are these people in your life and in
what way did they help shape who you are?

SIGNIFICANT OTHER
THE GENERALIZED OTHER

We live based on attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors

of society.

We act based on what society expects of us.

The generalized other is society. Society's

expectations of us shape who we are today.

What societal norms greatly influenced and

continue to influence who you are?
Theory of the
Social Self
 “ME”and "I"
TO MEAD, THE “ME” IS CONSIDERED THE
SOCIALIZED ASPECT OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHICH
REPRESENTS THE LEARNED BEHAVIORS, ATTITUDES,
AND EXPECTATIONS OF OTHERS AND OF THE SOCIETY.

THIS IS KNOWN AS THE “GENERALIZED OTHER”,

WHERE CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS INTERACT WITH
SOCIETY AND ADAPT TO OTHER PEOPLE’S
EXPECTATIONS.

“I” IS THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PERSON’S

IDENTITY BASED ON THE RESPONSE TO THE “ME”.
The Looking-glass Self
Theory
 Charles
Horton
Cooley

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF?

EXAMINED THE SELF-IMAGE AND PRESENTED HOW OUR EVALUATION

OF OUR SELF-IMAGE IS DEPENDENT ON OUR SOCIAL
INTERACTIONS
 Charles
Horton
Cooley

OUR EVALUATION OF SELF-IMAGE DEPENDS ON OUR SOCIAL

INTERACTIONS AS CHARACTERIZED BY THE FOLLOWING
1. THE IMAGINATION OF OUR APPEARANCE TO OTHER PEOPLE AND
ASSOCIATED FEELINGS
2. THE IMAGINATION THAT OTHERS ARE EVALUATIN IN OUR
BEHAVIOR
3. THE DEVELOPMENT OF FEELINGS AND REACTION TO THE
IMAGINARY EVALUATIONS OF OURSELVES.

THESE ARE THE 3 SOCIAL FACTORS FROM WHICH WE EVALUATE

OUR SELF-IMAGE
 Charles
Horton
Cooley
3 ELEMENTS IN DEVELOPING THE SELF
HOW WE IMAGINE WE APPEAR TO OTHERS - WE IMAGINE HOW
OTHERS SEE US

THE JUDGMENT WE IMAGINE THAT OTHER - WE IMAGINE HOW

OTHERS JUDGE US PEOPLE MAY BE MAKING ABOUT US

OUR SELF-IMAGE BASED UPON THE

EVALUATION OF OTHERS - WE DEVELOP OUR SENSE OF SELF
ACCORDING TO THESE PERCEPTIONS
 LOOKING-GLASS THEORY

Peter feels attractive wearing his new sweater. He is

confident that Linda will notice him because of this.

Peter imagines what his appearance will be to to other

people. He also imagines that Linda will be evaluating
him

Linda sees him, but unfortunately, she did not notice any
difference.

Peter now feels low because of Linda's nonchalance. he

becomes less confident because his expectations of
Linda's reactions were not met.
Example
 LOOKING-GLASS THEORY

What could have happened if Linda reacted

positively to Peter and affirmed that he looks
attractive in his new sweater?

Self-image is enhanced because what was

imagined was eventually affirmed.

YOU SEE YOURSELF AS REFLECTED TO YOU BY

OTHER PEOPLE
 SELF-CONCEPT IS ACQUIRED AND SHAPED IN
THIS COMMUNICATIVE CONTEXT AND FORMED
IN THE REFLECTED IMAGES OF AN INTERACTIVE
MIRROR
Thank You for
Listening!