Mead’s Theory
of Social Behaviorism
Sociologist George Herbert Mead believed that people develop self-images through interactions with other people. He argued that the self, which is the part of a person’s personality consisting of self-awareness and self-image, is a product of social experience.
Which sociological perspective is associated with George Herbert Mead?
Although
symbolic interactionism
traces its origins to Max Weber’s assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world, the American philosopher George Herbert Mead introduced this perspective to American sociology in the 1920s.
Who is George Herbert Mead and what was his contribution to sociology?
To social psychology, Mead’s main contribution was
his attempt to show how the human self arises in the process of social interaction
. He thought that spoken language played a central role in this development.
What did George Herbert Mead mean by the concept generalized other?
Generalized other is Mead’s (1962: 154–8) term
for the collection of roles and attitudes that people use as a reference point for figuring out how to behave in a given situation
. This term is often used in discussions of the play and game stages of development.
What is Mead referring to when he theorizes about the generalized other?
It is the general notion that a person has of the common expectations that others have about actions and thoughts within a particular society. … The attitude of the generalized other is
the attitude of the larger community
. According to Mead, the generalized ther is the vehicle by which we are linked to society.
What is the contribution of George Herbert Mead?
Mead’s major contribution to the field of social psychology was
his attempt to show how the human self arises in the process of social interaction
, especially by way of linguistic communication (“symbolic interaction”). In philosophy, as already mentioned, Mead was one of the major American Pragmatists.
What is the philosophical point of view on self of George Herbert Mead?
Mead’s fundamental view is that
the tradition of philosophy has gotten the relationship backwards
; philosophers have built the social from the individual, but actually the self is in some important way the sum of its social relations.
Who published the teachings of George Herbert Mead?
Four years later,
John W. Petras
published George Herbert Mead: Essays on his Social Psychology, a collection of fifteen articles that included previously unpublished manuscripts.
What is the difference between I and me in George Herbert Mead’s theory?
This process is characterized by Mead as the “I” and the “me. ” The “me” is the social self and
the “I” is the response to the “me
. ” In other words, the “I” is the response of an individual to the attitudes of others, while the “me” is the organized set of attitudes of others which an individual assumes.
To understand this topic, he developed a theory of moral development that includes three levels:
preconventional, conventional, and postconventional
.
In Mead’s words, “The organized community or social group which gives to the individual his unity of self may be called ‘
the generalized other’
.”21 In these cases the self is the “me,” and it can be understood as a complex set of behaviors or roles systemically organized. We can have multiple selves of this sort.
What is the sociological definition of significant others?
any individual who has a profound influence on another person, particularly on his or her self-image and socialization
. Although the term most often denotes a spouse or other person with whom one has a committed romantic relationship, it is also used in psychology and sociology to refer to parents, peers, and others.
Why does the family have such a powerful impact as an agent of socialization?
Families begin the socialization process before there are any other competing influences
. Lifelong process by which people learn the norms, values, and beliefs of their culture. … Individuals learn and internalize the values and norms.
agents of socialization: Agents of socialization, or
institutions that can impress social norms upon an individual
, include the family, religion, peer groups, economic systems, legal systems, penal systems, language, and the media.
What are the four stages of self According to Mead?
Lesson Summary
The stages of self are
imitation, play, game, and generalized other
.
How did George Herbert Mead view society?
Mead’s Theory of Social Behaviorism
Sociologist George Herbert Mead believed
that people develop self-images through interactions with other people
. He argued that the self, which is the part of a person’s personality consisting of self-awareness and self-image, is a product of social experience.
