George Herbert MeadSocial Behaviorism

(1863-1931)

Social Behaviorism

• Explains how social experience creates individual personality

• John B. Watson (Behaviorism of Psychology) focus = outward behavior

• Mead focuses on inward thinking

The Self

• Mead’s central concept

• The Self = the part of an individual’s personality composed of self-awareness and self image

Info about The Self

1. Self develops only with social experienceMead “self develops only as an individual interacts with other”

2. Social experience is the exchange of symbolsDog (Example)

3. (Role Taking) Understanding intention requires the situation from the other’s point of viewMead “a process called taking the role of the other”

3. Role Taking Stages

• Imitation Stage– Children begin to imitate behaviors without

understanding them.

• Play Stage– Children act in ways they imagine other

people would.

• Game Stage– Children anticipate the actions of others

based on social rules.

3. Looking – Glass Self“Charles Horton Cooley”

• A self-image on how we think others see us

• How we think others view us; is how we will think of ourselves!

• Self Concept = an image of yourself as having an identity separate from other people.

• Demonstration

4. The I and Me

• By taking the role of the other we become self-aware.Mead “ “I” is the active part of self and “Me” is the objective side of self”

We initiate an action with “I”

We continue the action based on how other respond “Me”

Development of Self

• Baby = Imitations/No self

• Children = language and symbols “Self develops”

• Children = play/take the role of others

• Children = Take the role of several others at 1 time

Significant other =

Generalized other =

Criticisms

• No Biological elements

• Everything is based off Social