Empirical tests of the looking glass approach to self construction have largely focused on the congruence between how any person ego views herself and how others alter view ego. Cooleys 1902 looking glass self posits that the self concept is built, in part, by how a person. Just like the reflections in a mirror, the self depends on the perceived responses of others. The weaknesses of the concept include the insistence on the subjective society to cause people to behave in a certain way possibly forcing them to ignore their values to please others. The looking glass self got its start in 1902 in the human nature and the social order, which was published work by cooley.
Using social interaction as a type of mirror, people use the judgments they receive from others to measure their own worth, values, and behavior. Lookingglass self article about lookingglass self by the. The concept of looking glass self and its importance can also be seen through the growing social media. Special emphasis is given to the pragmatics of speech acts, the presentation of self in interaction rituals, the accounts given by actors in justification of their actions, and the role of social norms and conformity in the largescale justification systems commonly called. Process whereby an individual develops his identity or selfconcept. He noted the reflexive self consciousness of our experience, how we continually monitor our self from the point of view of others. Through the looking glass of telecopresent others shanyang zhao temple university the impact of others in telecopresence on the formation of self has not been well studied, and existing research on the self in cyberspace has focused mostly on. The concept of the looking glass self offers insight not only into our own thinking, but also to how we. Process whereby an individual develops his identity or self concept. We imagine what judgements that person makes of us. In a very large and interesting class of cases the social reference takes the form of a somewhat definite imagination of how ones self that is, any idea he. According to cooley, the individual comes to know or define himself through the process of.
If we follow the cooley quote i am not who you think i am. Lookingglass self definition the lookingglass self is the process by which people evaluate themselves based on how others see them. Through the lookingglass by lewis carroll free ebook. This was probably the most awkward thing that i have ever done in my entire life. The looking glass self is a social psychological concept, created by charles horton cooley in 1902 mcintyre 2006, stating that a persons self grows out of societys interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others. Looking glass self is a term coined by the sociologist charles horton cooley, and refers to his proposal that the individuals perception of himself is based on how he believes that others perceive him. Project looking glass did see september 11, then there is a very real possibility that it actually made it happen. I have read the looking glass self with delight and instruction. A social self of this sort might be called the reflected or looking glass self. This work made the looking glass self the main topic in sociology on self concept. This idea states that ones identity is the result of interpersonal interactions. Looking glass self the mental image that results from. Researchers have generally assumed that any congruence found, which we shall term the looking glass effect, is the result of a process of internalization gecas 1982. Cooleys concept of a lookingglass self is both compelling and very straightforward.
Charles cooley and the looking glass self we see our self as someone that others see we imagine how those others judge, evaluate, or assess our self we react to that imagined judgment, evaluation, or assessment. The notion of the lookingglass self is composed of three principal elements. The imagination of our appearance to the other person, the imagination of his judgment of that appearance, and some sort of selffeeling, such as pride or mortification. Students will be able to define and understand the concept of cooleys looking glass self and gain a sense for the larger sociological concept of symbolic interaction approaches. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. There are actually two effects that basically describe the same thing. The looking glass self california state university, northridge. Being tough impressed certain girls, and earned the respect of my homeboys. The heart of the device is a machine called a transiator or time transiator. Nellie, the daughter of a landowner and general, a young and pretty girl, dreaming day and night of being married, was sitting in her room, gazing with exhausted, halfclosed eyes into the lookingglass. Pdf marginalized through the looking glass self the. Created by charles horton cooley in 1902 mcintyre 2006, the lookingglass self is a social psychological concept that a persons self grows out of societys interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of. The looking glass self is a concept drawn originally from the work of george herbert mead, encapsulating the idea that our self image the mental idea we have of who and how we are is shaped by our interactions with others. Apr 07, 20 psychology definition of looking glass self.
The work was what got the looking glass self into the minds of sociologists. The liabilities of a looking glass selforientation among young adolescents, selfworth in adolescents is based mainly on their peers approval of. According to susan harters the perceived directionality of the link between approval and self worth. Sep 01, 2016 students will be able to define and understand the concept of cooleys looking glass self and gain a sense for the larger sociological concept of symbolic interaction approaches. The notion of the looking glass self is composed of three principal elements.
In a very large and interesting class of cases the social reference takes the form of a somewhat definite imagination of how ones selfthat is, any idea he. According to susan harters the perceived directionality of the link between approval and selfworth. He describes that ones perception of self is dependent on the thoughts of others. The lookingglass self is a concept drawn originally from the work of george herbert mead, encapsulating the idea that our selfimage the mental idea we have of who and how we are is shaped by our interactions with others. May 27, 2014 he is perhaps best known for his concept of the looking glass self, which is the concept that a persons self grows out of societys interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others. The lookingglass self describes the process wherein individuals base their sense of self on how they believe others view them.
From mirror self recognition to the looking glass self. Hence, we should develop a self image that is more based on our own evaluations rather than how we believe others look at us. Nov 7, 2014 this board will discuss the concept of how our self image is a reflection of how we believe other people see us. The concept disregards the existing differences between the groups of people in the society, implying that people overlook their likes. In the eyes of the other punks on the block, i was the man. Second, they imagine how others judge them based on that appearance. Knowingly or unknowingly, your behavior and self esteem are dictated by your predictions of how you will be perceived by others. Marginalized through the looking glass self the development of stereotypes and labeling article pdf available may 2010 with 6,047 reads how we measure reads. Understanding charles cooleys looking glass self tim. The looking glass self 3 sympathy and understanding of anothers plight. Looking glass self definition, the self image an individual forms by imagining what others think of his or her behavior and appearance.
He went on to propose that self monitoring is only the first step of a dynamic social and psychological process. Sociologist charles cooley, in an excerpt of his writings included in spencer cahills inside social life. It does not work by looking into the future directly. He is perhaps best known for his concept of the looking glass self, which is the concept that a persons self grows out of societys interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others. Cooley i will be talking about the looking glass self, made famous by famed american sociologist charles horton cooley. The concept of the looking glass self offers insight not only into our own thinking, but also to how we form our identity based on how others see us. The lookingglass by anton chekhov online literature. The liabilities of a looking glass self orientation among young adolescents, self worth in adolescents is based mainly on their peers approval of. They act as the mirror to people where they seek for judgments and feedbacks from other people. Charles horton cooley august 17, 1864 may 8, 1929 was an american sociologist. I liked that lookingglass self of threatening thug. In mean girls 2004, cadys self concept reflects the nice, intelligent girl that she once was.
Cooley noted what read bain confirmed in the 1930sthat children know other people as objects, and call others by name, before they sense themselves as separate entities. In shibutanis view, the lookingglass self means simply that each persons orientation toward himself is a reflection of the manner in which he is treated. Charles cooleys 1922 idea of the looking glass self lgs is an accepted part of modern sociology. Looking at relationship as the mechanism of change in case management of persons with severe mental illness. Looking glass self the mental image that results from taking the role of the other. The lookingglass self theory helps us understand how our selfimage is developed, and this quizworksheet combo will help test your understanding of it and its components. Looking glass self a key idea that contributed to the development of symbolic interactionism is the work of the sociologist charles cooley on the looking glass the term looking glass self is the idea that a persons sense of self grows out of societys interactions with that person and how others perceive them. The idea behind the lookingglass theory, or lookingglass self, was created by charles horton cooley 1902. He suggests that one formulates an idea of ones self based upon information gathered from the reactions of and interactions with others. People would clutch their belongings tighter when i passed them on the street.
Through the looking glass of telecopresent others shanyang zhao temple university the impact of others in telecopresence on the formation of self has not been well studied, and existing research on the self in cyberspace has focused mostly on issues related to the presentation of self. Part of thehigher education and teaching commons,social psychology commons, and the. Brief, 12 page takehome response essay defining and detailing how the concept of the looking glass self applies to the students lives. I have read the lookingglass self with delight and instruction. Mertons selffulfilling prophecy and cooleys lookingglass self robert merton robert merton was an american sociologist who won the 1994 national medal of science for his founding of the sociology of science. See more ideas about looking glass self, self image and self.
Third, people have an emotional reaction to that imagined judgment, such as. This study brought an enduring social psychology theory into the era of mass selfcommunication. The idea behind the looking glass theory, or looking glass self, was created by charles horton cooley 1902. According to this theory, people first imagine how they appear to others. From mirror selfrecognition to the lookingglass self. Looking glass self the lookingglass self is a social psychological concept, created by charles horton cooley in 1902. The term refers to people shaping themselves based on other peoples perception, which leads the. Hence, we should develop a selfimage that is more based on our own evaluations rather than how we believe others look at us. Cooleys 1902 looking glass self posits that the selfconcept is built, in part, by how a person. The self arises in a social process of communicative interchange as it is reflected in a.
Introduced and edited by daniel sharp, looking glass self is a new spec. Nellie, the daughter of a landowner and general, a young and pretty girl, dreaming day and night of being married, was sitting in her room, gazing with exhausted, halfclosed eyes into the looking glass. 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. The lookingglass self is a social psychological concept, created by charles horton cooley in 1902 mcintyre 2006, stating that a persons self grows out of societys interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others. Readings in sociological psychology and microsociology, chapter 4, writes. Back from the looking glass steps to a peaceful home kim and steve coopers steps to end the marital fights and heartache and protect yourself from abuse, whether you leave or stay. Its a social psychological theory created by charles cooley in 1902, and more than a century later, its still relevant. According to cooley, the individual comes to know or define himself through the process of internalizing his. The looking glass self can cause feelings of insufficient self worth and mental health issues. Lookingglass self definition, the selfimage an individual forms by imagining what others think of his or her behavior and appearance. This study brought an enduring social psychology theory into the era of mass self communication.
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