Module 2

What is Sociology?

Sociology is the study of the role of society in shaping behavior. The sociological perspective of
the self looks into self as a social construction, which means that who you are as a person all
through your lifetime is developed under the influence of people, meaning, the self is shaped
through interaction with other people in a society. Through socialization, we develop our
personalities and potentialities with the influence of our culture and society. Socialization takes
place through the interaction with various agents of socialization, like peer groups and families,
plus both formal and informal social institutions, like schools and clubs.

While we were born with a genetic makeup and biological traits, who we are as human beings,
however, develops through social interaction. Sociology is the study of the role of society in
shaping behavior. It focuses on how different aspects of society contribute to an individual’s
relationship with his world. It tends to look outward (social institutions, cultural norms,
interactions with others) to understand human behavior. This part of the module will be focused
on the self as perceived by sociologists. We will look into the role of society in how we were
shaped as to who we are today.

The Self as a Social Construction

Now let us start to explore the “self” as a social construction. Social construction means that
individuals develop a sense of self-based on how they think other people see and judge them.
They see themselves and construct a sense of identity, by interpreting what they think they see
reflected about themselves in others' opinions and reactions. They incorporate these ideas into
their sense of self. The classical sociological perspective of the self holds that the self is a
relatively stable set of perceptions of who we are or our identity is in relation to ourselves,
others, and the social world. Our self is socially constructed in the sense that it is shaped
through our interaction with other people. The sociological theories of the self try to explain how
social processes such as socialization influence the development of the self.

Socialization is the process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it. In other words, it
is the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group and behave in a way that is
approved by the group. Through socialization, we develop our personalities and potentialities
with the influence of our culture and society. As with socialization in general, we are not passive
participants in this process but rather, have a powerful influence over how this process develops
and its circumstances. The person can also be an agent of socialization. The self is constructed
based on social roles through socialization agents (family, school, community, etc.). How people
understand their sense of selves is closely tied to how they understand the world around them
or their relationship with others.
The Self and the Social Agencies

Our development is largely influenced by the membership to crucial social groups that shape
various aspects of our self; from our beliefs system, values orientation, and manifest behavior.
Indeed, we are born into a family and toward the end of our lives, we evaluate our self in the
context of our contribution to society, the quality of our social relationships, and how we have
helped touch the lives of people we have directly encountered.

At the beginning of life, we are surrounded by our family. It is the most pervading, influential
social group that impacts ourselves in the entire course of development. The conceptions we
hold about our world, the values we uphold in making choices and decisions, and our habits and
persistent behavior have been formed in the context of our respective families.

Next to family, schools form a significant part of our social self. Our world perspectives go
bigger as we get exposed to more people and a formal set of standards; but this time, we are
expected to meet certain criteria of achievement and oftentimes, in collaborative learning
conditions. We harness the knowledge that we get from our mentors and apply the socialization
skills we got from our families in developing relationships with our school peers. The
information we glean from books, lectures of our mentors, insights from our classmates is
assimilated and imbibed consequently in the inner recesses of our self.

Aside from one’s family and school, our communities also shape our social self to a large
extent. From an anthropological and sociological perspective, our cultural beliefs and practices
are influenced by what our communities and societies dictate. Values such as faith in God,
respect for the elderly, task persistence & dedication, and love for our country are often the
products of communal settings we belong to and societal expectations imposed on us.

George Herbert Mead: The"I" Self and "Me" Self Theory

George Herbert Mead is an American Sociologist, and he is considered as the Father of

American pragmatism, and one of the pioneers in the field of social psychology because of his
contributions to the development of the person relating to various social factors. Mead is a
well-known sociologist for his theory of the social self. It is based on the perspective that the self
emerges from social interactions, such as observing and interacting with others, responding to
others’ opinions about oneself, and internalizing them together with one’s feelings about oneself.
For Mead, our self is not there at birth, but it is developed over time from social experiences and
activities.

The social aspect of self is an important distinction because other sociologists and
psychologists of Mead's time felt that the self was based on biological factors and inherited
traits. According to Mead, the self is not there from birth, but it is developed over time from
social experiences and activities.

Two Sides of the Self: The “I” and the “Me” Self

According to his theory, the self has two sides or phases: 'me' and 'I.' The 'me' is considered
the socialized aspect of the individual. The 'me' represents learned behaviors, attitudes, and
expectations of others and of society. This is sometimes referred to as the generalized other.
The 'me' is considered a phase of the self that is in the past. The 'me' has been developed by
the knowledge of society and social interactions that the individual has gained.

The 'I', can be considered the present and future phase of the self. The 'I' represents the
individual's identity based on response to the 'me.' The 'I' says, 'Okay. Society says I should
behave and socially interact one way, and I think I should act the same (or perhaps different),'
and that notion becomes self.

The 'me' and the 'I' have a didactic relationship, like a system of checks and balances. The 'me'
exercises societal control over one's self. The 'me' is what prevents someone from breaking the
rules or boundaries of societal expectations. The 'I' allows the individual to still express creativity
and individualism and understand when to possibly bend and stretch the rules that govern social
interactions

Therefore,

● The “Me” are the characteristics, behavior, and or actions done by a person that
follows the “generalized others” that person interacts with. The “Me” is the attitudes,
and behavior of the person with reference to their social environment
● The “I” is the reaction of the individual to the attitude of others, as well as the
manifestation of the individuality of the person. The “I” is one’s response to the
established attitude and behavior that a person assumes in reference to their social
interactions.

"Our selves are not created in isolation; we are not born with perceptions of ourselves as shy,
interested in jazz, or charitable to others. Rather, these beliefs are determined by our
observations of and interactions with others".

With the idea of Mead with regards to the establishment of the sense of self, socialization is a
lifetime endeavor, and the people one interacts with will change throughout a person’s life. As
such, considering the social environment one belongs to, along with the changes in the person’s
development be it at school, home, or work, as well as the interactions, and experiences the
person acquires from those people and situations, it helps define a more concrete identity
and sense of self.
Cooley and the Looking-Glass Self Theory

When it comes to understanding ourselves, social interaction plays a more important role than
many of us realize. According to sociologist Charles Horton Cooley, individuals develop their
concept of self by observing how they are perceived by others, a concept Cooley coined as the
“looking-glass self.” This process, particularly when applied to the digital age, raises questions
about the nature of identity, socialization, and the changing landscape of self. The looking-glass
self describes 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 judgments they
receive from others to measure their own worth, values, and behavior.
Cooley’s theory is notable because it suggests that self-concept is built not in solitude, but rather
within social settings. In this way, society and individuals are not separate, but rather two
complementary aspects of the same phenomenon. As one of the pioneer contributors to
sociological perspectives, he asserted that people’s self-understanding is constructed, in part,
by their perception of how others view them—a process termed “the looking glass self.” For
Cooley, we gradually figure out who we are as we grow up. You figure out what you look like by
looking in a mirror. However, you figure out who you are through social interactions.

The people you interact with become your “mirrors.” You see what they think of you when you
interact with them, and it changes the way you think of yourself. According to Society in Focus,
the process of discovering the looking-glass self occurs in three steps:

● An individual in a social situation imagines how they appear to others.

● That individual imagines others’ judgment of that appearance.
● The individual develops feelings about and responds to those perceived judgments.

The process of the looking-glass self is further complicated by the context of each interaction
and the nature of the people involved. Not all feedback carries the same weight, for instance.
People may take the responses from those whom they trust more seriously than those of
strangers. Signals may be misinterpreted. People also usually take their own value systems into
consideration when thinking through any changes to their behavior or views of self.

Ultimately, the process of the looking-glass self is one of alignment. People constantly seek to
create consistency between their internal and external worlds and, therefore, continue to
perceive, adjust, and strive for equilibrium throughout their lives.

Summary

● In summary, the looking-glass self describes 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 judgments they receive
from others to measure their own worth, values, and behavior.
● Cooley’s theory is notable because it suggests that self-concept is built not in
solitude, but rather within social settings. In this way, society and individuals are not
separate, but rather two complementary aspects of the same phenomenon.
● The process of the looking-glass self is further complicated by the context of each
interaction and the nature of the people involved.
● Not all feedback carries the same weight, for instance. People may take the
responses from those whom they trust more seriously than those of strangers.
● Signals may be misinterpreted. People also usually take their own value systems
into consideration when thinking through any changes to their behavior or views of
self. Ultimately, the process of the looking-glass self is one of alignment.
● People constantly seek to create consistency between their internal and external
worlds and, therefore, continue to perceive, adjust, and strive for equilibrium
throughout their lives.
The Self Embedded in Culture

Culture influences what will affect you emotionally, as well as how you express yourself, such as
showing your feelings in public or keeping it private. Anthropologists believe that culture is the
full range of learned behavior patterns, as Sir Edward B. Taylor, founder of cultural anthropology,
defined. Culture as 'a complex whole that includes knowledge, beliefs, morals, law,
customs, arts, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by a human as a member of
society. Likewise, characteristics of culture include culture is shared, symbolic, natural, learned,
integrated, encompassing and maladaptive, and adaptive

Culture is everything that makes up the way a group of people lives. It includes their beliefs,
values, and traditions. The experiences we go through in life are facilitated by the culture we live
in because culture provides the environment which allows all these experiences to take place.

There are two components of culture that are essential in understanding how the self is
being influenced by it:

● Material culture consists of human technology - all the things that people make and
use. These are the physical manifestations of culture. The goods and products we
buy and the products we use are also included here.
● Non-material culture includes intangible human creations like beliefs, values,
norms, morals, rules, language, and organizations. This also helps shape our
perspective of the society of ourselves, and even of the material world.

Culture helps us define how we see ourselves and how we relate to others. Remember that we
differ in many ways: language diversity, cultural diversity, gender diversity, religious diversity,
and economic diversity. All these aspects of diversity work together to form our sense of self.
Always remember that it is important for you to respect others' cultures and acknowledge and
understand that individuals may not develop a sense of self in the same manner. A family’s
cultural values shape the development of the child’s self-concept.

Culture shapes how we each see ourselves and others. For instance, some cultures prefer
children to be quiet and respectful when around adults. This does not mean that a quiet child
lacks self-confidence. Young children learn from stories told to them that often emphasize a
family’s values and affect how a child develops his self-concept. Every family influences a
child’s self-concept within their cultural context. Young children may describe themselves based
on their family’s values, beliefs, and morals

Now, take a moment to reflect on the influence your culture has had on your sense of self. To
find yourself and truly know who you are, knowing your roots is just the foundation. Remember,
culture influences us in more ways than we may know. So, take a moment and reflect on who
you are, where you come from, and what you believe in. Self-reflection is the first step of
self-discovery.
The Elements of Culture

Culture is made up of many elements which are interrelated and unified in order for all its
aspects to function effectively:

● Knowledge - The total range of what has been learned or perceived as true. This
body of information is accumulated through experience, study, or investigation.
Culture includes natural, supernatural, technical (technological), and magical
knowledge.
● Social Norms - Norms are rules or group expectations of how one should behave or
act in certain situations. They define what behavior is required, acceptable, or
appropriate in particular situations. Any departure from the norm is followed by some
kind of punishment or sanction.
● Folkways - Folkways are commonly known as the customs, traditions, and
conventions of society. They are the general rules, customary and habitual ways,
and patterns of expected behavior within the society where they are followed, without
much thought given to the matter. Folkways include innumerable group expectations
like rules of eating, drinking, dressing, sleeping, dancing, and working, forms of
greetings, rituals, and polite behavior in institutional settings.
● Mores - Mores are special folkways that are important to the welfare of the people
and their values. They are social norms associated with strong moral sanctions,
they are the “must” and “should” of a society. Observance of mores is compulsory.
They embody the codes of ethics and standards of morality in a society. Most of the
mores have been enacted into laws.
● Laws - Laws are formalized norms, enacted by people who are vested with
government power and enforced by political and legal authorities designated by the
government. Laws are enforced by formal sanctions like fines, imprisonment, or
death.