Sociological Anthrop-Perspective

Sociological Perspective:
The Self as the Product of Society
“No man is an island”.

A human being’s entire life is spent with groups. From
infancy to adulthood, man has close contact with groups
that give his life support and meaning.
With the problems, confusions and
complexities encountered in modern
life, man has to rely more on groups for
support and satisfaction of his needs.
Sociology
logos– “study of
socios– “companion
reason”
with others”
“scientific study of human interaction

and the products of such interaction”
As a field of study, sociology is
concerned with the study of people in
a group or social context, not as
isolated individuals.
Sociology explains human
behavior in relation to social
interactions among individuals
which cause or influence their
behavior.
How do human beings act and why do they
act as they do?
These are the ultimate questions that are the

concerns of sociologists.
George Herbert Mead
The founder of the symbolic

interactionist perspective, was one of the
most important figures in American
social sciences.
Mead’s sociological analysis concentrated on the
development of the self. He proposed that we must learn to
take the roles of others in our imagination and discover
that others also have selves, and know how to see
ourselves. Pretending or playing children’s games is the
first step in the development of the self.
Mead referred to this as the generalized other
where children adapt and internalize the values,
attitudes and behaviors of others.
George Herbert Mead:
The Social Self
Mead’s central concept is the self, that part of an

individual’s personality is composed of self-awareness
and self-image.
He saw the self as the product of social experience. It is

not part of the body and does not exist at birth.
Social interaction then, according to
Mead, is taking the role of the other.
This involves seeing the self as others

see it.
Development of the Self
Infants take the role of the other, imitation without understanding
the underlying intentions, so they have no self.
As they learn to use language and other symbols, the self emerges
through play which involves taking on the roles of significant
others.
As life goes on, the self continues to change along
with social experiences. However, no matter how
much events and circumstances affect people, they
remain creative beings.
Thus, Mead concluded that people play a key role in

their own socialization.
Charles Horton Cooley:
The Looking-glass Self
According to Cooley, an individual acquires a social

self when he/she has already developed the ability to
take hold of the attitudes and roles of others and see
how others see him/her.
The process of developing a self-concept or self-identity
has three phases:
1. our imagination of how we present ourselves to others;
2. our imagination of how we are evaluated by others;

and
3. our own feelings about ourselves as we are seen by others.

The looking-glass self refers to the self-image on how people
think others see them. This means that people can see themselves
according to how others see them.
For example, if they think others see them as bright and clever,
they will think the same way of themselves – that they are bright
and clever.
The Anthropological
Conceptualization of the Self:
The Self as Embedded in Culture
Anthropology
anthrop– “human Logos – “study of

being” reason”
“the study of human races, origins, societies and

cultures”
Anthropology is a behavioral science that deals with
the study of culture.
The components, characteristics, functions, modes and
adaptation of culture as well as cultural values and
practices. Sociology and Anthropology compliment
each other as they belong to the field of humanities.
Famous Anthropologists
Ruth Benedict stressed the uniqueness of each culture,

that is, each culture must be understood in its term, free
from Western biases.
Anything which one cultural group does

is worthy of respect by another group.
Margaret Mead stressed that the early society is
dominated by cooperation and competition of social
classes.
She further agreed that war or aggression is a cultural

habit that, once learned, is passed from generation.
William Graham Summer, an evolutionary theorist
who studied Darwin’s theory of natural selection,
insisted that persons who are competitively less fit
have no moral right to resist on the already scarce
resources of society.
CULTURE
- is a very powerful force that affects the lives the members of a

society. Culture shapes and guides people’s perception of reality,
determines the food they eat and how they eat, clothing they wear,
music they listen to, the games they play. It shapes their
understanding of good and evil, love and hate, life and death, health
and sickness, among others.
In short, the individual’s culture becomes immediately
evident by his clothing, food, belief, mannerism, and
others.
Culture tells what the individual does, what to do, and

how he should do those things, and how he should relate
to other people. It is culture that makes man different
from one place to another.
KINDS OF CULTURE
Material culture – refers to the concrete and tangible

things that man creates and uses.
These concrete things increase the person’s chances for

survival and enrich his life. This culture is the area of
anthropological study.
Non-material culture – refers to intangible objects which
the person uses, follows, professes, or strives to conform.
It includes knowledge, laws, lifestyles, techniques, ideas,

customs, behaviors, among others.
These things are inherent in culture.

This kind of culture is the area of sociological study.
Non-Material Culture
1. Beliefs – these are man’s perception about the reality

of things and are shared ideas about how the
environment operates. Man’s evolution, attitudes,
values, ideology, and religion may influence man’s
belief. Superstitious beliefs are not based on scientific
evidences. They are barriers to social and technological
development.
2. Knowledge – is a body of facts and beliefs that people acquire
and accumulate over time. It consists of information about places,
events, and people. It may be natural, supernatural, technical and
magical.
3. Norms – are guides or models of behavior which tell how people

should behave in a particular situation; what people ought or not
ought to do. They set limits by which individuals achieve their
goals.
4. Sanctions – are prescribed norms of conduct exposed
by society to an individual for him to conform to moral
standards and accept those that are favorable to a group.
Formal sanctions are prescribed norms of conduct that are

written guide for individuals to conform with.
Informal sanctions are those prescribed norms of conduct which are
transmitted by word of mouth from one person or group to another.
Whether formal or informal, sanctions always imposed rewards to

those who observe the norms of conduct and punish those who
violate the norms of conduct.
Characteristics of Culture
1. Culture is learned and acquired.
2. Culture is shared and transmitted.
3. Culture is adaptive or dynamic.
4. Culture is cumulative.
5. Culture is integrative.
Modes of Acquiring Culture
1. Imitation
2. Indoctrination or suggestion
3. Conditioning
Expound on this idea by sharing your
own experience:
THE FAMILY IS THE

“NURTURER OF HUMAN
NATURE”.

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Sociological Perspective:

The Self as the Product of Society

“No man is an island”.

“scientific study of human interaction

These are the ultimate questions that are the

The founder of the symbolic

Mead’s central concept is the self, that part of an

He saw the self as the product of social experience. It is

This involves seeing the self as others

Thus, Mead concluded that people play a key role in

According to Cooley, an individual acquires a social

2. our imagination of how we are evaluated by others;

3. our own feelings about ourselves as we are seen by others.

anthrop– “human Logos – “study of

“the study of human races, origins, societies and

Ruth Benedict stressed the uniqueness of each culture,

Anything which one cultural group does

She further agreed that war or aggression is a cultural

- is a very powerful force that affects the lives the members of a

Culture tells what the individual does, what to do, and

Material culture – refers to the concrete and tangible

These concrete things increase the person’s chances for

It includes knowledge, laws, lifestyles, techniques, ideas,

These things are inherent in culture.

1. Beliefs – these are man’s perception about the reality

3. Norms – are guides or models of behavior which tell how people

Formal sanctions are prescribed norms of conduct that are

Whether formal or informal, sanctions always imposed rewards to

1. Culture is learned and acquired.

2. Culture is shared and transmitted.

3. Culture is adaptive or dynamic.

THE FAMILY IS THE

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