Question

In a bullet point format compare/contrast Mead, Cooley, and Goffman’s notions of identity development, using course resources/personal experience. Include a minimum of four key points and one example of each notion in the response.

Then, in a second paragraph respond to the question – What does Cooley's notion of the looking-glass self-tell you about identity development? Also, discuss how you can use this learning in a future professional setting.

Answer 1

• A major similarity between Mead and Cooley is that they both contributed to thetheory of the social self, an idea that has several facets.
• Mead's theory of self-According to Mead, the self, the part of one's personality composed of self-awareness and self-image, emerges through social interaction. Mead made several assumptions in proposing this idea: 1) that the self develops only through social interaction; 2) that social interaction involves the exchange of symbols; 3) that understanding symbols involves being able to take the role role of another.
• Mead extended Cooley's self concept to role taking where a person tries to assume the mind of another and understanding the world from that person's point of view.
• According to Mead's theory, the self has two sides or phases: 'me' and 'I.'
• The 'me' is considered the socialized aspect of the individual. The 'me' represents learned behaviors, attitudes, and expectations of others and of society. This is sometimes referred to as the generalized other. The 'me' is considered a phase of the self that is in the past. The 'me' has been developed by the knowledge of society and social interactions that the individual has gained.
• The 'I', therefore, can be considered the present and future phase of the self. The 'I' represents the individual's identity based on response to the 'me.' The 'I' says, 'Okay. Society says I should behave and socially interact one way, and I think I should act the same (or perhaps different),' and that notion becomes self.
• Cooley's looking glass self-Cooley argued that the self is a product of our social interactions with other people that involves three steps: 1) The imagination of our appearance to other people and associated feelings; 2) Imagining that others are evaluating our behavior; 3) We develop feelings and react to the imaginary evaluations of ourselves as objects.
• For example,I was talking to a group of people in my company and I stated something and everyone startd to laugh at me, even calling me stupid, after sometime with this reaction I actually started to see myself as stupid. This is looking glass, the mirror image of myself that is being reflected back to me by others.
• Self is the Mead's central concept which forms part of an individual's personality and which is composed of self awareness and self image,wheres Cooley's central concept is Looking Glass self,which represents self image in the basis of what we perceive others see us.
• According to Cooley,the developmeent of self does not emanate from an accurate information,while Mead believes that people acquire the skill of "taking the role of other" gradually as early as during childhood by first doing this with significant others and later expanded to the genderalized others.
• Irving Goffman Conception of Dramaturgical Action-Goffman puts into use the detail of individual identity, group behavior, the effect on the surrounding, and the interactive meaning of any information. The perspectives of the sociologist make it easier to understand the psychology of every human being.
• The dramaturgical perspective also emphasizes the importance of the "setting," or context, in shaping the performance, the role a person's "appearance" plays in social interaction, and how the "manner" of a person's behavior shapes interaction and fits into and influences the overall performance.
• Comparisons between Mead and Goffman are not hard to come by. When it comes to the “I” and the “me,” it can be compared to the front stage and the backstage. Front stage would be most closely associated with the “me” because it public encounters of social situations are how people start perceiving you. The backstage could be related to the “I” because the time spent by yourself is how you begin to see yourself.
• From Goffman's view, "front stage" behavior is what we do when we know that others are watching or aware of us. In other words, it's how we behave and interact when we have an audience. Front stage behavior reflects internalized norms and expectations for our behavior that are shaped in part by the setting, the particular role we play within it, and our physical appearance.
• For example,when we waiting in line for getting tickets, boarding a bus and flashing a transit pass, and exchanging pleasantries about the weekend with colleagues when back to office are all examples of highly routinized and scripted front stage performances,that we do everyday.
• The routines of our daily lives that take place outside of our homes—like traveling to and from work, shopping, dining out or going to a cultural exhibit or performance— all fall into the category of front stage behavior. The "performances" we put together with those around us follow familiar rules and expectations for what we do, what we talk about, and how we interact with each other in each setting. We engage in front stage behavior in less public places too, like among colleagues at work and as students in classrooms, for example.
• How we behave back stage is freed from the expectations and norms that shape our behavior when we are front stage. Being at home instead of out in public, or at work or school, is the clearest demarcation of the difference between front and back stage in social life. Given this, we are often more relaxed and comfortable when back stage, we let our guard down, and we might be what we consider our uninhibited or "true" selves.
• At home with family we are ourselves,we say and behave however we like without the fear of someone judging us,since our family knows who we are as an individual.For example,In my family,we all talk very loudly and laugh loudly,but outside with colleagues or clients,this behaviour is submissive and my behaviour is more dignified and respectful,since it is a work setting and I am doing a job.
• Due to time limit,remaining questions as be asked as another question,they will be answered,thankyou for your cooperation