STRAW PERSON: JOHN

Meet John

John is a 20 year old college student He attends a 4 year university

John is the only child of his overprotective mother and overworking father.

Does well in school, but has too high of expectations placed on him by his family and himself.

John spends all of his time studying and trying to make up for not going to a top school.

John has very few friends because he makes no effort in any relationship, always focused on school and work. Doesn’t like to share emotions with others, feels it’s

better to just internalize them.

The Looking Glass Theory

Definition: We see ourselves through the eyes of

other people, even to the extent of incorporating their views of us into our own self-concept

The Looking Glass Theory

The term refers to people shaping themselves based on other people's perception, which leads the people to reinforce other people's perspectives on themselves. People shape themselves based on what other people perceive and confirm other people's opinion on themselves.

In the looking-glass self a person views himself or herself through others' perceptions in society and in turn gains identity. Identity, or self, is the result of the concept in which we learn to see ourselves as others do (Yeung & Martin 2003).

The Looking Glass self

The thing that moves us to pride or shame is not the mere mechanical reflection of ourselves, but an imputed sentiment, the imagined effect of this reflection upon another's mind.

ERVING GOFFMANStigma Theory

Theory of Social Stigma

Stigma is an attribute, behavior, or reputation which is socially discrediting in a particular way: it causes an individual to be mentally classified by others in an undesirable, rejected stereotype rather than in an accepted, normal one.

Goffman defined stigma ‘The process by which the reaction of others spoils normal identity’

Cont…

Goffman, defined stigma as a special kind of gap between virtual social identity and actual social identity

Virtual Social Identity - assumed demands and character we impute to the individual.

Actual Social Identity - The category and attributes that could in fact be proved to possess.

Goffman’s 3 Forms of Stigma The experience of a mental illness

(or the imposition of such a diagnosis);

a physical form of deformity or an undesired differentness;

or an association with a particular race, religion, belief, etc.

Mental illness (Scars), Physical Disabilities (Anorexia Nervosa) and Diseases (Herpes)

Impact of Shame and Deceit

“Withholding information about one's feelings, thoughts and desires is

subtly shaming; the others feels cut off and excluded, even when it is not

clear what is being withheld.” (Scheff, 2000)

Feelings of shame hides the real feelings!

Impact of Shame and Deceit

“There are many words that can be used as substitutes for shame and embarrassment: feeling insecure, blank, anxious, ridiculous, foolish, silly, stupid, or absurd are some

examples.”(Scheff,2000)

He fears of being stigmatized as crazy, broken or a failure.

Impact of Shame and Deceit

Goffman"One assumes that embarrassment is a normal part of

normal social life, the individual becoming uneasy not because he is personally maladjusted but rather

because he is not… embarrassment is not an irrational impulse breaking through social prescribed

behavior, but part of this orderly behavior itself" (1967, p. 109 and 111).

SIGNIFICANT OTHERSGeorge Herbert Mead

What Is It?

People who are of sufficient importance in an individual's life to affect the individual's emotions, behavior, and sense of self.

Focuses on the impact significant people have on the development of the self.

Significance can be attached to people who have had a positive or negative impact on the life.

Examples in Straw Person

Significant Others are his Family Members His Mother’s overprotective ways make

him reflect inadequacies back onto himself.

His Father always choosing work over the family causes him to feel unimportant.

Father also inspired work before all else, causing him to over work and to be disappointed with his achievements.