SOCIALIZATION INTO THE SELF AND MIND

Sociology – Chapter 3 – Mrs. Madison

Cooley & Looking-Glass Self

Our sense of self develops from interaction with others.

Looking-Glass Self: The process by which our self develops through internalizing others’ reactions to us 1. We imagine how we appear to those

around us. 2. We interpret others’ reactions. 3. We develop a self-concept.

Mead and Role-Taking

Play is crucial to the development of a self.

In play, children learn to take the role of the other Putting oneself in someone else’s shoes Understanding how someone else feels and

thinks and thus anticipating how that person will act

First able to take only the role of significant others, but eventually extends to the “group as a whole”, or generalized other.

Mead and Role-Taking

Stages of Learning to Take the Role of the Other Imitation:

Mead and Role-Taking

Stages of Learning to Take the Role of the Other Play (Ages 3-6)

Play “pretend others”

Mead and Role-Taking

Stages of Learning to Take the Role of the Other Team Games (After about age 6 or 7)

Individual must be able to take multiple roles

Mead and Role-Taking

Mead said there are two parts to the self: The “I”

The self as a subject The active, creative, spontaneous part of a self

The “Me” The self as an object Attitudes we internalize from actions with others

Ex: “I shoved him.” versus “He shoved me.” Both the self and human mind are social

products

Piaget & the Development of Reasoning Concluded children go through four stages as

they learn how to reason.

Sensorimotor Stage: (Birth through about age 2) Understanding is limited to direct contact with

environment – sucking, touching, listening, looking.

Infants do not recognize they are separate beings. Infants can not recognize cause and effect.

Piaget & the Development of Reasoning Preoperational Stage: (About age 2 to

7) Children develop the ability to use symbols Do not understand concepts such as size,

speed, or causation Do not have the ability to take the role of

others

Piaget & the Development of Reasoning Concrete Operational Stage: (About

Age 7-12) Reasoning abilities are more developed, but

concrete Children can understand number, causation,

speed Children can take the role of others Unable to talk about concepts such as truth,

honesty, and justice without concrete examples.

Piaget & the Development of Reasoning Formal Operational Stage: (After the age

of about 12) Children are capable of abstract thinking. Can talk about concepts, come to conclusions

based on general principles, and use rules to solve abstract problems.

Some people never reach this stage.