Unfolding The Social Self

MODULE 3
Unfolding the Social Self
I. THE SOCIAL SELF
Social Self
➢ refers to how we perceive ourselves in relation to others.

➢ It involves relationship building, empathizing, and communicating.
➢ defined as how an individual interacts with the social world presented to him and
how he approaches the formation of relationships.
Human Development is largely influenced by membership in crucial social groups that

shape various aspects of the self: from belief system values orientation, and behaviors.
Different social groups that shaped one’s social self:
First social group: Family

➢ Pervading influential social groups that impact the self in its entire course of
development. Mentioned below are the aspects that are formed in the context of
one’s family and home environment.
● The views about the world
● Values upheld in making choices and decisions
● Habits and persistent behavior that one carries
Parents = our first teachers

➔ Creates our initial impressions of the world and the first barometer in
determining which acts are good and rewarded and those that are
unacceptable for which one is reprimanded and punished.
Siblings = our first friends and playmates
➔ Relationships with them harnesses our socialization skills, specifically in
play and quarrel moments that will mold one’s conflict resolution skills
that can be applied throughout one’s life.
Second social group: Schools and General academic environment

➢ Worldviews expand as one gets exposed to more people (mentors, relatives, and
peers) in different social learning environments. One’s knowledge of the world is
shaped by collaborative learning conditions, as one is exposed to the insights of
his or her learning peers such as:
● Values of social harmony
● Emotional sensitivity to the needs of other people
● Behavior towards personal space of others
➢ Roughly, about a third of people’s lives are spent as students. The experiences
an individual gains in an academic environment shape his or her social self as he
or she embarks on the stage of development.
Third social group: Communities

➢ Communities also shape one’s social self to a large extent. One’s cultural beliefs
and practices are influenced by what communities and societies dictate. Specific
values and practices of the community are roughly embedded in one’s social self
as it is the product of communal settings one belongs to and societal
expectations imposed on him or her such as:
● Respect for the elderly
● Persistence and dedication for tasks
● Love of one’s country
● Attending worship
● Avoiding conflicts with others
● Taking part in rituals and ceremonies
➢ Social institutions that directly impact one’s social self:
● Religion
● Politics
● Media
● Education
● Government
The social self inevitably changes as one accommodates and eventually assimilates
beliefs promoted by the society as he or she thinks, appreciates, and behaves
according to standards set by micro and macrosystems.
Culture
“Culture is the complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, law, art, moral,
custom, and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society”
- Edward Taylor (1871)
Culture has a significant impact on a human being and this is manifested on his or her
thoughts, behaviors, and expression. A dominant characteristic of culture is that it is
socially transmitted and learned by groups of people, bound by ethnicity, geography,
and personal orientations. To further understand the influences of culture on oneself, the
following different models illustrate how culture functions in relation to one’s social self.
Bioecological Systems Theory

➢ Explains an individual's social development using biological, environmental, and
ecological lenses. Moreover, it also explains the bidirectional influence of
individual systems to each other.
5 Systems that shape an individual’s sense of self:
1. Microsystem - refers to the institutions and social groups that the individual has
direct contact and interaction with.
2. Mesosystem - refers to the interconnections among aspects of the microsystem
affecting the individual.
3. Exosystem - refers to the social setting that an individual has no direct
interaction with but nevertheless affects his or her development
4. Macrosystem - encompasses the larger cultural context in which the individual
resides.
5. Chronosystem - focuses on patterns of environmental events, including
socio-historical events from a specific to a general context.
Individualism-Collectivism Model
➢ A model that highlights the impact of culture to the self.
➢ Notions of individualism and collectivism show how the self is directly influenced
by the society and its standards. Being part of social groups impacts one's
thoughts and values and also affects one's social behavior.
INDIVIDUALISM COLLECTIVISM
● focuses on one's individual ● values relationship and harmony.

attributes & personal ● likely to be adaptive to other people
distinctiveness. & cooperative to group tasks.
● are competitive, self-reliant, ● are self-sacrificing, dependable, &
assertive, and independent. helpful to others.
● Value independence ● Value belonging
● Personal opinion & mind ● Dwell with shared values, ideas &
● Working for the benefit of self opinions
● Task over relationship ● Working for the benefit of group
● Think in terms “I” ● Relationship over task
● Think in terms “We”
I vs. Me
Different situations trigger particular behavior because of differing social expectations.
Theory of Social Self by Herbet Mead (1934)

Self is divided into two parts:
“I” “Me”
● Unsocialized self ● Socialized self
● Who an individual really is ● Awareness of how others expect
● One’s opinion of one’s self as a one to behave
whole ● A.k.a. Social self
● Manifested when one acts ● Careful and conscious part of self
naturally for one’s motivation
Based on Mead’s model, the state of the actual self

is achieved when the “I” and “Me” become congruent.
The three different models present ideas on the process of the self’s social
development. It is important to note that culture plays an important role in one’s social
development. Studying these models will help humans in understanding oneself and
other people. It is not ideal, however, to generalize a certain culture based on these
models. Individual differences should always be considered and respect should always
be fostered among one another.
II. THE SOCIO-DIGITAL SELF
With the rise of technology, ways of socializing have significantly changed. One of the
innovations that improved people’s interaction and socialization processes is social
media.
Social Media
➢ refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share,
and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.
➢ Has features that allow people to communicate to specific groups sharing
common interests which enables efficient ways of socializing and communicating
with others as well as enabling these communities to impact thoughts and
behavior.
Online Disembodiment
➢ It is an idea that once the user is online, the need for the body is no longer
required, and the user can participate separately from it and thus creates digital
identities.
➢ Individuals are prone to create digital identities, which are different from their
“real selves”
Digital Identity
➢ defined as the identity a person claims in cyberspace.

➢ Allows a person to be part of a virtual community that goes beyond physical and
geographical boundaries.
➢ the technology we use to identify ourselves, it consists of our information in the
digital world.
Ex: when we log into our accounts on a computer or smartphone

Digital identity is rapidly integrating into our daily lives, but we need to get used to its
concepts first. Each person has a unique digital identity that incorporates their biometric
data and history.
In cyberspace, people are capable of creating multiple digital identities. Social media
enables individuals to adopt identities independent of one’s physical image.
Turkle (1995) - People can redefine themselves on the internet.
People tend to resort to creating fake digital identities so that they may be capable of
doing inappropriate acts without being identified.
Online Disinhibition Effect
➢ When people adopt fake identities, they are likely to engage in behaviors that
they would not do in real-life interactions. This effect is known as online
disinhibition (Suler, 2004).
There are two main categories of behavior that fall under online disinhibition
effect:
Benign Disinhibition Toxic Disinhibition
It occurs when people tend to It occurs when people use rude

self disclose more on the language , bully or threaten others on
internet than they would in real online platforms , and go to the
life or go out their way to help websites with contents of violence,
someone or show kindness. crime, and pornography.
Factors why people engage in online disinhibition includes:
● the advantage of anonymity

● virtual invisibility
● asynchronous communication
● personal introjection
Somethow, these factors contribute to bridging social gaps and

expressing oneself in a way that one will not do in face-to-face
interactions.
Managing Responsible Online Behavior
It is important to regulate online behavior. Cyberbullying happens because of individuals

who display irresponsible and inappropriate online behavior. Suggestions on how to
behave responsibly online:
★ Do not post or send anything that will embarrass you.

★ Avoid posting statements when experiencing strong emotions.
★ Be careful with oversharing, especially confidential information that may be used
irresponsibly.
★ Do not hang out with the "wrong crowd" online & offline.
★ Respect other people in the online community.
★ Online conversations leave digital traces that may remain indefinitely for others to
see. Thus, people should exercise decorum online, in the same way they
exercise decorum in real life.
III. THE MATERIAL/ECONOMIC SELF

★ Material possession signifies some aspects of one's sense of self and identity.
For example, most millennials have laptops and cellphones and are familiar with
different technological innovations because of their inclination to be immersed in the
digital which follows the idea why they are known as digital natives.
Possessions tell a lot about their owners. Things are bought because of personal
association.
Thus, one's sense of self and identity is influential on how he/she makes economic
decisions that will address his or her personal and social needs.
Factors of Economic Decision
● Financial Constraints
● Availability of items and services
● The influence of family and friends
The most important factor: Needs and Wants
Needs - things important for survival such as food, clothing, and shelter
Wants - synonymous with luxuries such as buying cellphones and other gadgets.
People sometimes purchase items to build how they want to be perceived by others.
Regardless of whether the things that people have are needs or wants, material
possessions tell something of the personality and social values of those who own them.
Possessions are extended versions of oneself.
In the process of acquiring material goods, people generally consider two things:
Utility - is concerned with how things serve a practical purpose.

Significance - is concerned with the meaning assigned to the object.
Significance in contrast to utility, has more to do with expression and meaning.

Meanings are often culturally determined.
To further understand the term significance,
Roland Barthes
● Studied the concept of semiology or the study of signs.

● One of the first philosophers to analyze the relationship between people and
objects.
● Through objects that people assert their identities.
Objects are reflections of the wider lives of communities and individuals and also signify
relationships of people with others based on what they possess.
The possession of material things also indicates one's status in the society. People can
tell whether the owner is part of a wealthy family or in the middle class. One's perceived
as personal choices that define people to a certain extent. These personal choices build
one's material and economic self which is an extension of his or her social identity.

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MODULE 3

I. THE SOCIAL SELF

➢ refers to how we perceive ourselves in relation to others.

Human Development is largely influenced by membership in crucial social groups that

Different social groups that shaped one’s social self:

First social group: Family

Parents = our first teachers

Second social group: Schools and General academic environment

Third social group: Communities

Bioecological Systems Theory

5 Systems that shape an individual’s sense of self:

● focuses on one's individual ● values relationship and harmony.

Theory of Social Self by Herbet Mead (1934)

Based on Mead’s model, the state of the actual self

II. THE SOCIO-DIGITAL SELF

➢ defined as the identity a person claims in cyberspace.

Ex: when we log into our accounts on a computer or smartphone

Turkle (1995) - People can redefine themselves on the internet.

Online Disinhibition Effect

Benign Disinhibition Toxic Disinhibition

It occurs when people tend to It occurs when people use rude

Factors why people engage in online disinhibition includes:

● the advantage of anonymity

Somethow, these factors contribute to bridging social gaps and

It is important to regulate online behavior. Cyberbullying happens because of individuals

★ Do not post or send anything that will embarrass you.

III. THE MATERIAL/ECONOMIC SELF

Factors of Economic Decision

The most important factor: Needs and Wants

Utility - is concerned with how things serve a practical purpose.

Significance in contrast to utility, has more to do with expression and meaning.

To further understand the term significance,

● Studied the concept of semiology or the study of signs.

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