SOCIOLOGY and ME

For freedom Christ has set us

free. Stand firm, then, and do
not be subject again to the
yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:1
 SOCIOLOGY
• Sociology is the systematic study of
social life and behavior, specially in
relation to social systems --- how
they work, how they change, the
consequences they produce and their
complex relation to people’s lives.
 Sociologist’s Stand

•Neutrality is
not an
option!
 Sociological Imagination
•Individuals should have a mindset
that enables them to see the
relationship between events in
their society and events in their
personal life.
Sociology aims to discover the
ways by which the social
environment influences
people’s thoughts, feelings and
behavior.
Sociology is one of the disciplines in the social sciences
which aims to discover the ways by which the social
surrounding/environment influences people's thoughts,
feelings and behavior.
Though the main focus is in understanding human societies,
the need to know and be aware of social processes may
make people see themselves better when they realize how
the social world impacts on their existence.
In this part, the thoughts and observations of some
sociologists will be discussed for the learners to further
comprehend the significant role other people play in the
development of the self.
 GEORGE HERBERT MEAD
1863-1931, American sociologist

Social Behaviorism – the approach used to describe

the power of the environment in shaping human
behavior.

Self – dimension of the personality that is made up of

the individual’s self-awareness and self-image
:
1. THE PREPARATORY STAGE - the self did
not exist at birth. Its development is
dependent on social interaction and social
experience.
a. behavior of children are based on
imitation
b. knowing the symbols (verbal and non-
verbal) are important since these will be
used all throughout life.
2. THE PLAY STAGE - children begin
to role play and pretend to be other
people.
Role taking is the process of mentally
assuming the perspective of another
person to see how this person might
behave in a given situation.
3. The Game Stage – final stage,
the child now has the ability to
respond not just to one but
several members of his social
environment
 Generalized other – the behavior
of a person when he
sees/considers others in the
course of his actions, forms the
basis for self-evaluation
 The term 'generalized other' was what
Mead used to explain the behavior of the
person when he sees/considers other people
in the course of his actions. Through the
generalized other, the person realizes that
people in society have cultural norms,
beliefs and values which are incorporated
into each self. This realization forms the
basis of how the person may evaluate
himself (self-evaluation).
Mead’s Theory of Self
* self not present at birth
* self as the central character of the
self’s life
* begins to observe others reactions
* some people become the significant
others, strongly influence development
of the self
STAGES OF SELF
Two Parts of the Self
1. I Self – subjective element of the
self, initiates or performs action
2. Me Self – objective element of the
self, takes the role of the other
-- socialization continues as long as
the person is alive
Charles Horton Cooley –
sociopsychological approach to
understanding how societies work
-- published the book “Human
Nature and the SocialOrder” where
self forms through interaction
 Charles Horton Cooley
• Cooley stated that people learn who they are through
their social interaction with other people, Although
seeing oneself is based on contemplating one's personal
qualities, the view of the self is also significantly
influenced by the impression and perception of others.
• Cooley called this the looking-glass self or the self that is
a product of social interaction.
 LOOKING-GLASS SELF PROCESS
1. People imagine how they present themselves to others.

Example:
You dress-up elegantly for the prom.
You greet your teachers politely in the school's hallway.
•2. People imagine how others evaluate them.
Example:
Others will see you as pretty and attractive by the way you yourself .
Others will see you as courteous and well-bred.
 LOOKING-GLASS SELF PROCESS
• 3. People develop some sort of feeling about themselves as
a result of those impressions.
Example: You may see yourself as confident or inferior.
• It is noticed that Cooley in his three phases made use of the
word imagine. This may mean that there is a possibility that
people develop self-identities based on the wrong perception
of how others see them. Wrong perceptions, however, can still
change based on positive social experiences.
 ERVING GOFFMAN
He was a Canadian-American sociologist known for his
role in the development of Modern American Sociology.
Goffman was the 73rd president of the American
Sociological Association. His best-
known contribution to social theory is his study of
symbolic interaction. This took the form of
dramaturgical analysis, beginning with his 1956 book
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life.
Erwin Goffman
* impression management – people
alter the way they present
themselves in order to create
preferred appearances and satisfy
particular people
Erwin Goffman
* dramaturgical approach – real
situations are similar to theatrical
presentations
* face-work – face saving measures
are used to maintain a good image
and to save self from embarassment
Get to know
who you are!