Mirrors, Minds, and Social Stages
Understanding Self and Society Through Sociological Theory Charles Horton Cooley, George Herbert Mead, and Erving Goffman
The Looking-Glass Self: Charles Horton Cooley
We see ourselves as we think others see us Three components: imagination of our appearance to others, imagination of their judgment, some sort of self-feeling Our self-concept is shaped by social interactions Example: A student's confidence affected by classmates' reactions
Mirror Exercise: Seeing Ourselves
Think of a recent social situation How did you think others perceived you? How did this affect your behavior? Share with a partner (optional)
George Herbert Mead: The Self and Social Interaction
The self develops through social interaction Two parts of self: 'I' (spontaneous, creative) and 'Me' (social expectations, learned responses) Role-taking: ability to see ourselves from others' perspectives Language and symbols are crucial for self-development
Mead's 'I' vs 'Me'
{"left":"The 'I' - Spontaneous, creative, impulsive responses\nThe 'I' - Source of innovation and change\nThe 'I' - Unique individual reactions","right":"The 'Me' - Organized attitudes of others we've internalized\nThe 'Me' - Social expectations and learned behaviors\nThe 'Me' - Conformity to social norms"}
Think About It
Can you think of a time when your 'I' and 'Me' were in conflict? Maybe you wanted to speak out about something (I) but worried about what others would think (Me)?
Erving Goffman: The Presentation of Self
Life is like a theatrical performance Front stage: public behavior where we perform roles Back stage: private behavior where we can relax our performance We manage impressions to control how others see us
Role Analysis Activity
List 3 different roles you play (student, friend, family member, employee, etc.) For each role, identify: Front stage behaviors, Back stage behaviors, Your 'costume' or appearance How do these roles sometimes conflict?
Connecting the Theories
'The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.' - John Dewey All three theories show us that the self is socially constructed and constantly evolving through our interactions with others.
References & Sources
Cooley, C.H. (1902). Human Nature and the Social Order Mead, G.H. (1934). Mind, Self, and Society Wikipedia: Looking-glass self concept Wikipedia: Symbolic interactionism theory Image sources: Creative Commons licensed photos Recommended Textbook Resource: Ferris, K. & Stein, J. (2020). The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology 7E, Chapter 4 (For students taking online Intro Sociology course)