Understanding The Self

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
Self as a Social Construct
• The self as a social construct is derived

from the idea that society which takes part
in its shaping is a social construction.
• Through language, they privately and

publicly utilize or share symbols within
their interactions. This creates a pattern that
shapes and influences who they are, how
they behave and think.
The Self and Society
In 1996, Steven (cited by Alata, EJ et. al., 2018) found in his
literature reviews that self has been characterized as separate,
self-contained, independent, consistent, unitary and private.
• self is isolated from the

external world.
• the discipline of Sociology asserts that humans cannot
be understood apart from it social context.
• As a result, an individual is capable of seeing through

his/her experiences and the larger society called
sociological imagination in which society creates
opportunities for him/her to think and act as well as
limiting his/her thoughts and actions.
Sociological Theories of the Self
A.The Looking Glass Self

-Charles Cooley
- individuals develop their concept of self by
looking at how others perceive them
- Using the view of others, Cooley denotes that
understanding of self is socially constructed
This process involves the following steps:
1.An individual in a social situation imagines how they appear
to others.
2.That individual imagines others’ judgment of that appearance.
3.The individual develops feelings (of pride or shame) and
responds to those perceived judgments.
B. Theory of the Self-Development
- George Herbert Mead
- . As a prerequisite of being able to understand the self,
one has to develop self-awareness. This can be derived
from looking at ourselves from the perspective of others.
- If social interaction is absent particularly in one’s early

experiences, he/she will find difficulty in developing an
ability to see him/herself as others would see him/her.
By stages, Mead states that self
develops through social interaction.
1. Preparatory Stage: Children in this stage are only
capable of imitating actions of others (i.e. people they
particularly in contact with such as their family members).
They have no ability to imagine yet how others see things.
2.Play Stage: At this stage, children begin to try to take on
the role of other person by acting out grown up behaviors,
dressing like adults, etc.
3.Game Stage: While children learn about several roles of
others, they understand how these roles interact with each
other in this stage. They learn to understand complex
interactions involving different people with variety of
purpose. In a restaurant for instance, a child understands
different responsibilities of people who work together for a
smooth sailing experience. He/she understands that someone
from the restaurant takes orders, others wash dishes, cook
the food, etc.).
4. Generalized other: In this stage, children
develop, understand and learn the idea of the
common behavioral expectations of the general
society. They are able to imagine how they are
viewed by one or many. Mead pointed out that
“self” in this stage is being developed
The Self and Culture
The self should not be seen as a static entity

which remains constant through time. It
persistently struggles with its external
reality and is malleable in dealing with it.
Being active participant in its social world,
the self, through interaction, is made and
remade. As it continuously interacts with
others, society is continually changing and
dynamic, so thus self.
The Moi and Personne Self
• Marcel Mauss
PERSONNE MOI
composed of the social concepts of what refers to a person’s sense of who

it means, to be who he is. It has much to he is, his body and his basic
do with what it means to live in a identity, his biological givennes.
particular institution, a particular family, It is a person’s basic identity.
a particular religion, a particular
nationality, and how to behave given
expectations and influences from others.
Various personne can be illustrated across culture.
In the Philippines, part of the Filipino personne-of
who they are-- is their territory.
-Language is also an interesting aspect of who
Filipinos are.
The “I” and the “Me” Self
- George Herbert Mead characterized the self as “I” and “Me”

- Based on the theory, an individual imports from the social
process.
- The process according to Mead involves the creation of the
two facets of self.
I ME
response to the “me”. social self
the one responding to the attitudes the result of the “I” assuming the
of the others organized set of attitudes of the
others
learns about the “me” (the the known

knower)
Together with George Herbert Mead, Lev Vygotsky
stressed the important role of language acquisition and
interaction with others in human development.
According to them, mind is made or constituted through
language that one acquires or experiences with his/her
external world.
Self in Families
• As the basic social institution, the family is the primary

provider or source of a child’s needs (human, social,
economic). It is also the main avenue for teaching young
individuals the basic things that they need to learn in order
to fit in the society. It has also the capacity to develop or
encourage the actualization of one’s potentials.
• A child learns ways of living, his/her selfhood, by being
with the family.
Self in Families
• Through rewards and punishments, some behaviors and
attitudes are indirectly taught to a child.
Another important aspect of social process within the
family is the learning of gender by a child. Gender partly
determines how one sees him/herself in the world.

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UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Self as a Social Construct

• The self as a social construct is derived

• Through language, they privately and

• self is isolated from the

• As a result, an individual is capable of seeing through

A.The Looking Glass Self

- If social interaction is absent particularly in one’s early

The self should not be seen as a static entity

composed of the social concepts of what refers to a person’s sense of who

- George Herbert Mead characterized the self as “I” and “Me”

response to the “me”. social self

learns about the “me” (the the known

• As the basic social institution, the family is the primary

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