Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic Interactionism
Content Cooley: Looking-glass self and social self Thomas the definition of the situation Mead: play, game and the generalized other References for Erving Goffman
Content • Cooley: Looking-glass self and social self • Thomas: the definition of the situation • Mead: play, game and the generalized other • References for Erving Goffman
Cooley: Looking-Glass Self Self: each to each a looking-glass, reflects the other thar tn A social self might be called the reflected or looking-glas doth pass As we see our face, figure, and dress in the glaSs, and are interested in them because they are ours, and pleased or otherwise with them according as they do or do not answer to what we should like them to be: so in imagination we perceive in anothers mind some thought of our appearance, manners, aims, deeds, character, friends, and so on, and are variously affected by it
Cooley: Looking-Glass Self • A social self might be called the reflected or looking-glass self: each to each a looking-glass, reflects the other that doth pass. • As we see our face, figure, and dress in the glass, and are interested in them because they are ours, and pleased or otherwise with them according as they do or do not answer to what we should like them to be; so in imagination we perceive in another’s mind some thought of our appearance, manners, aims, deeds, character, friends, and so on, and are variously affected by it
Three Principal Elements of Self-ldea The imagination of our appearance to the other person, The imagination of his judgment of that appearance and some sort of self-feeling, such as pride or mortification
Three Principal Elements of Self-Idea • The imagination of our appearance to the other person; • The imagination of his judgment of that appearance and some sort of self-feeling, such as pride or mortification
Thomas: Definition of the situation The higher animals, and above all man, have the power of refusing to obey a stimulation which they followed at an earlier time Response to the earlier stimulation may have had painful consequences and so the rule or habit in this situation is changed We call this ability the power of inhibition, and it is dependent on the fact that the nervous system carries memories or records of past experiences. At this point the determination of action no longer comes exclusively from outside sources but is located within the organism itself. Preliminary to any self-determined act of behavior there is always a stage of examination and deliberation which we may call the definition of the situation and actually not only concrete acts are dependent on the definition of the situation, but gradually a whole life-polity and the personality of the individual himself follow from a series of such definitions
Thomas: Definition of the Situation • The higher animals, and above all man, have the power of refusing to obey a stimulation which they followed at an earlier time. Response to the earlier stimulation may have had painful consequences and so the rule or habit in this situation is changed. We call this ability the power of inhibition, and it is dependent on the fact that the nervous system carries memories or records of past experiences. At this point the determination of action no longer comes exclusively from outside sources but is located within the organism itself. • Preliminary to any self-determined act of behavior there is always a stage of examination and deliberation which we may call the definition of the situation. And actually not only concrete acts are dependent on the definition of the situation, but gradually a whole life-polity and the personality of the individual himself follow from a series of such definitions