CHARLES HORTON COOLEY

BIOGRAPHY
Born on Aug. 17, 1864,
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan
 Earned his PhD from the University of Michigan
Contributed to the development of the
Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
In 1905, he founded the American Sociological Association
1907 became a full professor of sociology at the University of
Michigan
Created the looking-glass self concept
 Coined the term Primary Groups
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the relationship between
humans and society
Studies how people interact with one another
in society
Human nature is a product of society
Interactions through use of symbols
PRIMARY GROUPS
Cooley’s Major Contribution to sociology
Examples:
Family
Friends
Love Relationships
THE LOOKING-GLASS SELF
Cooley developed this idea by watching his own children at
play
Children learn to judge themselves based on how they
imagine others will react to them
A self concept based on how you think people look at you
Self concept: an image of yourself as having an identity
separate from other people
 THE LOOKING-GLASS SELF
There are three phases to the development of self,
according to the looking glass self theory:
1.) We imagine how others see us.
2.) We imagine the judgments others make about us.
3.) We create our self-image according to the
comments of others.
WHO IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT MIRROR?
Friends?
Teachers?
Girlfriend/Boyfriend?
Family?
The public?