Ge 1: Understanding The Self: Chapter 2: Sociological Perspective: The Self As A Product of Society

GE 1: UNDERSTANDING
THE SELF
MODULE 1
CHAPTER 2: SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE:
THE SELF AS A PRODUCT OF SOCIETY
FIRST SEMESTER
PRELIM
S.Y. 2020-2021
1ST EDITION
GE 1 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

COURSE CODE GE 1
COURSE TITLE Understanding the Self
COURSE CREDIT 3 UNIT
MODULE NO.
TOPIC Sociological Perspective: The self as a product of society
LEARNING By the end of this course, you should have been able to:
OUTCOMES  Recognize what sociology tells about understanding
the self and others;
 Discuss how individual views the self as a product of
socializations;
 Explain George Herbert Mead’s theory of the social
self;
 Discuss the self as a product of modern and
postmodern societies; and
 Appreciate your own social experiences that have been
particularly helpful in understanding the self.
REFERENCE Understanding the Self C & E Publishing, Inc., copyright © 2018’;
utsged101portpolio.wordpress.com
TIME ALLOTMENT 1 week
INSTRUCTOR Zerhan S. Laarin
CONTACT NUMBER +639753072789
Gmail and FB zerhanlaarinsiddik@gmail.com
Account Zerhan Siddik Laarin
Chapter 2 Sociological Perspective: The Self as a Product of Society
Understanding the self only arises in relationship, in watching yourself in relationship to

people, ideas and things; to tress, the earth, and the world around you and within you.
Relationship is the mirror in which the self is revealed. Without self-knowledge there is
no basis for right thought and action.
-Jiddu Krishnamurti
Lesson 1: What Social science says about the self?
Sociological Perspective of the self is based on the assumption that human behaviour
is influenced by group life. A particular view of oneself is formed through interactions with others
people, groups, or social institutions. Sociologist Mead and Cooley suggest that the self does
not depend on biological predispositions; rather, it is a product of social interaction. The sense
of the self emerges as the individual partakes in the society. While the individual seeks for solid
and stable self-identity in modern society, the postmodern individual tries to avoid fixation and
keeps the options open for self-improvement. French sociologist Jean Baudrillard posits that in
the postmodern society, the self is found in the prestige symbols of goods consumed by people.
The postmodern person has become an insatiable consumer. Therefore, if people desire to be
satisfied with things in life, they should not be persuaded by the postmodern culture of
advertisement and mass media which suggest false needs.
Sociology as a scientific study of social groups and human relationships generates new
insights into the interconnectedness between the self and other people. Hence sociologist offers
theories to explain how the self emerges as a product of social experience.
Sociologist Charles Horton Cooley in 1992 introduces the looking-glass self to

highlights that the people whom, a person interacts with become a mirror in which he or she
views himself or herself. Self-identity or self-image is achieved through a threefold event which
begins by conceiving an idea flow of how a person presents himself or herself to others, how he
or she analyses how others perceive him or her, and how he or she creates a image of himself
or herself.

George Herbert Mead, support the view that a person develops a sense of self through
social interaction and not biological precondition of that interaction. Mead’s theory of the social
self explained that the self has two divisions: the “I” and the “me”. The “I” is the subject
elements and the active side of the self. It represents the spontaneous and unique traits of the
individual. The “me” on the other hand, is the object elements of the self that represents the
internalized attitudes and demands of other people and the individual’s awareness of those
demands.
The full development of the self is attained when the “I” and “me” are united. According
to Mead, the self is not present at birth. It develops only with social experience in which
language, gestures, and objects are used to communicate meaningfully.
Meads details the development of the self in three-stage process:
1. Preparatory stage (0-3 years old)

 Children imitate around them
 They copy behavior without understanding underlying intentions
 They have no sense of the self
 Children are just preparing for role-taking
2. Play stage (3-5 years old)

 Children start to view themselves in relation to others.
 Role-taking is exhibited; however, children do not perceive role-taking as
something expected of them.
 The self emerges as children pretend to take the roles of specific people or
significant others, those individuals who are important agents of socialization.
 The self is developing.
3. Game stage (begins in the early school years; about 8 or 9 years old)
 Children understand not only their own social position but also those of others
around them.
 Concerned about take into account in their behaviour which referring to attitudes,
viewpoints, demands and self expectations of the society.
 They can have more sophisticated look of people and an ability to response to
numerous members of social environment.
 The self is now present.
THE SELF AS A PRODUCT OF MODERN

AND POSTMODERN SOCIETIES
Gerry Lazuna’s (2004) article, “The Constitution of the Self” discusses the relationship
between society and the individual.
 According to him, in modern societies the attainment and stability of the self-identity are
freely chosen. It no longer restricted by customs and tradition.
While this newfound freedom offers infinite possibilities for self-cultivation, problems such as
alienation and dehumanization of the self also appears which hinder the full development of
human potentials. Hence, there is no need to discover the “authentic core” of the self for the
individual to freely works towards self-realization.
The postmodern individuals welcome all possibilities for self-improvement. In postmodern

societies, self-identity continuously changes due too the demands of multitude of social
contexts, new information technologies and globalization.
French sociologist Jean Baudrillard exposes the negative consequences of postmodernity

to individuals in the society (Demetrio, 2013).
 For him, consumption structures the postmodern society. The postmodern individuals
seek for a position in society through the quality of prestige symbols that they can’t
afford to consume.

The cultural practices of advertising and mass media greatly influence individuals to
consume goods not for their primary value and quality but for the feeling of goodness and power
when compared with others.
The self may be in a never-ending search for prestige in the postmodern society.
Critical Questions for Discussion
Use the answer sheet provided.
1. Discuss Mead’s stages of the self. Describe how the development of self is unique for
every individual, and cite a personal experience showing how Mead’s stages of the self
relate to your experiences.
2. What is the most expensive thing you have bought so far? Analyze the reason why you
choose that item instead of a cheaper brand. Are you satisfied with the expensive
possession of yours? Do you still consider buying another one when a new model
comes out in the market? Justify your answer. How do you think the sense of self is
achieved in our present society wherein consumption has been the main organizing
elements? Focus your discussion on Baudrillard’s theory on the impact of postmodern
society on social life.

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GE 1: UNDERSTANDING

GE 1 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Chapter 2 Sociological Perspective: The Self as a Product of Society

Understanding the self only arises in relationship, in watching yourself in relationship to

Lesson 1: What Social science says about the self?

Sociologist Charles Horton Cooley in 1992 introduces the looking-glass self to

GE 1 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Meads details the development of the self in three-stage process:

1. Preparatory stage (0-3 years old)

2. Play stage (3-5 years old)

THE SELF AS A PRODUCT OF MODERN

The postmodern individuals welcome all possibilities for self-improvement. In postmodern

French sociologist Jean Baudrillard exposes the negative consequences of postmodernity

GE 1 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

GE 1 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

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