UTS

• Kenneth Gergen


  • Prominent American social psychologist
  • Senior Research Professor in Psychology at Swarthmore College
  • President of the Taos Institute
  • Known for his contributions to social constructionist theory, technology and cultural change, the self, aging, education, and relational theory and practices
  • Received numerous awards including honorary degrees in both the U.S. and Europe
• Saturated Self


  • Pervasive influence of societal norms, values, and interactions on an individual's self-concept
  • Individuals are bombarded with a multitude of messages and influences from various social sources, shaping their beliefs, behaviors, and identities
• Multiplicitious Self


  • Diverse roles and identities individuals adopt in different social contexts
  • People navigate through various social roles, such as parent, friend, colleague, and citizen, each demanding different behaviors and presentations of self
• Charles Horton Cooley


  • American sociologist and the son of Thomas M. Cooley
  • Studied and went on to teach economics and sociology at University of Michigan
  • Founding member and the eight president of the American Sociological Association
  • Best known for his concept the Looking Glass-Self, which is the concept that a person's self grows out of society's interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others
• Looking Glass Self


  • Refers to the interactive process by which we develop an image of ourselves based on how we imagine we appear to others
  • Other people act as a mirror, reflecting back the image a child projects through their reactions to the child's behavior
• Three Step Process of Looking Glass Self

  1. Step One: We imagine how our personality and appearance appears to others

  2. Step Two: We imagine how other people judge the appearance we think we present in Step One

  3. Step Three: We developed a self-concept base on how we feel we are judged in Step Two
• Self


  • The essence of who we are, the core of our being that encompasses our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and experiences
  • The unique blend of our individuality, shaped by our interactions with the world around us and our own introspective journey
  • Not static but ever-evolving, influenced by our relationships, experiences, and personal growth, shaping how we perceive ourselves and our place in the world
• Private Self


  • The internal aspects of one's identity that are not readily observable to others
  • Encompasses thoughts, emotions, desires, and personal values that shape individuality and inform decision-making
  • Often introspective, influencing self-perception and guiding inner dialogue
• Public Self


  • The external persona that individuals present to the outside world
  • Includes behaviors, actions, and expressions that are observable by others in social interactions and various contexts
  • Shaped by societal norms, cultural expectations, and roles, often involving adaptation and performance to meet social demands
• Collective Self


  • The aspect of our identity that emerges from our membership and participation in social groups, shaping our sense of belonging and shared identity within larger communities
  • Encompasses the shared values, norms, and beliefs that influence our behaviors and perceptions, reflecting our interconnectedness and interdependence with others in society
• Intersections of the Self


  The interconnection of the private, public, and collective self's is a fascinating study in how individuals navigate their identities within various social contexts
• Postmodernism


  A complex and multifaceted cultural and intellectual movement that has had a profound impact on the way we think about the world
• Multiplicity


  • Postmodernism rejects the idea of a fixed or essential self
  • People are seen as having multiple, often contradictory, identities that are context-dependent and these identities can change over time
• Protean


  • In the context of identity, a protean view suggests that individuals do not have a fixed or essential identity but rather a fluid and multifaceted one that can change depending on the context and the interactions they have with others
  • This challenges traditional notions of identity as something fixed and stable, suggesting instead that identity is a dynamic and evolving construct
• Reflexivity


  • Refers to the idea that knowledge, language, and culture are all intertwined and that our understanding of the world is shaped by our own perspectives and experiences
  • Suggests that there is no objective, external standpoint from which we can view the world but rather that our understanding of the world is always mediated through our own subjective lens
• Subjectivity or Relativism

  • Suggests that truth is not something that exists independently of human thought but is rather a product of human interpretation and perspective
  • Emphasizes the importance of questioning and critically examining our own beliefs and assumptions in order to gain a deeper understanding of the world
• Social and Cultural Construction


  Refers to the idea that reality, including our understanding of the world, knowledge, identity, and values, is not determined by any objective or universal truth, but is rather shaped by social and cultural factors
• Fragmentation


  • Postmodernism suggests that the self is not a unified or coherent entity but rather a collection of different identities and experiences that may be in conflict with each other
  • These different aspects of the self are often shaped by social and cultural influences
• Fluidity


  • The self is seen as fluid and constantly changing, influenced by a variety of factors such as personal experiences, social interactions, and cultural norms
  • This view contrasts with the idea of a fixed, unchanging self that is often found in traditional philosophical and psychological theories
• Social Construction


  • Emphasizes the role of social construction in shaping the self
  • The self is not seen as something that exists independently of society but is rather a product of social norms, values, and practices
  • Challenges the idea of the self as a purely individualistic and autonomous entity
• Identity and Difference


  • Emphasizes the importance of difference and diversity in shaping the self
  • The self is not seen as a singular, unified identity but rather as a multiplicity of identities that are shaped by factors such as race, gender, sexuality, and class
• Social Control


  Refers to the many ways in which our behavior, thoughts and appearance are regulated by the norms, rules, laws, and social structures of society
• George Herbert Mead's Social Self Theory

  Based on the central argument that the self is a social emergent
• Me


  • The set of personality characteristics from other individuals
  • Also called the "known"
• Coercion


  The practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats
• I


  • The set of personality characteristics from you, yourself
  • Also called the "knower"
• Social Self Theory


  • Based on the perspective that the self emerges from social interactions, such as observing others, internalizing external opinions and internal feelings about one self
  • George Herbert Mead is an American Philosopher, Sociologist and Psychologist who pioneered the development of symbolic interaction perspective
• Social Identity Theory


  • Social identity refers to the group memberships that define a person's sense of self
  • Individuals categorize themselves and others into social groups
  • In-group favoritism and out-group derogation are explained as defensive reactions to threats to group identity
  • Intersects with self-categorization theory
  • Perceived similarity or difference influences group cohesion
  • Social identity threat refers to the perception that one's group is devalued in a particular context
  • Contributes to understanding leadership dynamics by examining group norms and cohesion
  • Explains intergroup conflict through the lens of shared group identities
  • Promoting intergroup harmony involves emphasizing common group goals and identities
• Dramaturgical Analysis


  Applying terms and concepts of the theater to the breakdown and analysis of day to day life
• Impression Management


  Attempting to foster favourable impressions of one's self in the minds of others with whom one interacts
• Front Stage Behaviour


  When an actor gives a performance to put on a show
• Back Stage Behaviour


  The real thing comes out and the actor acts out without audience
• Role


  Any given social interaction there is a part that people play
• Audience


  Those who observe the performance of an individual
• Setting


  Manipulating the physical environment to create a desired impression
• Presentation of Self


  The idea of attempting to control/guide the impression that others might make of you by changing your setting, appearance, manner
• Discrepant Roles


  Roles that involve the suppression of facts that might discredit the performance
• Conformity


  Individuals may conform to social norms, expectations, or group behaviors to align themselves with the desired image
• Anthropology


  A science and philosophical description of the life form "Homo Sapien" the thinking man. The science of anthropology is "doctrinanhumanaeture" includes the bodily characteristics of human as well as their spiritual psychic and moral dignity.
• Focal Points of Anthropology


  • Man in the physical, cultural and existential features with the purpose of gaining a deeper understanding of man's place in the world.