Relevance of the Hebert Mead's Ideas of Social Self - Essay Example

George Hebert Mead and the Concept of Social Self Name: Course: Institution: Date: George Hebert Mead and the Concept of Social Self Introduction George Hebert Mead was a 19th century sociologist who developed the theory of social self. This theoretical assumption is founded on the understanding that the concept of self emanates from interactions between an individual and the society. The techniques of interaction include observation and interaction with others as a mode of communication and learning (Carreira 2013, p.15). Furthermore, response to opinions provided by other members of the society and individual opinions also pay a role in eth definition of an individual. Self in the view of Mead does not exist at birth but it is developed overtime through social activities and experiences (Carreira 2013, p.15). The main objective of this essay is to critically assess Mead’s theory of social self. This will be through an analysis of the steps involved in the development of the concept of self and an assessment of the relevance of Mead’s theory in the contemporary society. Stages of the development of self The concept of self in the view of Hebert Mead is developed through three stages. These include the preparatory stage, play state and game stage. These stages are not isolated form one another but they are experienced in the socialization process. The stages of development of self in the view of Mead are therefore most appropriate when understood in the early stages of child development. The preparatory stage This stage begins at birth and ends at three years of age. One of the outstanding elements that define social interaction at this stage is imitation. A child observes and mirrors the actions of other members of the society such as facial expressions. At this stage, the child is learning about himself and other members especially on how to behave or act based on the activities of other individuals. Children at this stage often imitate the parents (Carreira 2013, p.18). The level of development of a child at this stage can be analysed and determined based on the activities that a child is able to perform. In the preparatory stage, the child understands and imitates gestures and symbols in the form of language forms the main goal of a child at three years old (Alkana 2015, p. 123). It is through imitation that children learn how to respond to language. An understanding of language provides systems of communicating attitudes and opinions towards a specific topic. Furthermore, it is also through language emotions such as happiness can be conveyed and understood by the children. Play stage This stage occurs between the age of three and five years. At this stage, the child begins to learn the concept of self and interactions by assuming pretentious roles in the society in the form of play. This stage is critical in the development of a child because, he begins to learn however to behave in a particular way when they experience similar problems in different parts of the society (Carreira 2013, p.19). The element of role-play defines activities in play help in the development of self-concept. The process of role play allows a child to conceptualize and internalize the perspectives of other members of the society which facilitates an understanding of how an individual feel about himself and of other members of the society in different social contexts (Alkana 2015, p. 124). For instance when a four-year-old girl is playing while putting on her mothers’ lipstick and shoes, the girl though in a pretentious manner is actively playing the role of the mother and can view her world from the perspective of her mother. This in the view of Hebert Mead allows the child to understand the roles and responsibilities of her mother in the society. The consequences of this stage are that the child may develop some connection with the role-played or he may rebel against the role leading to an element of role confusion in the future stages of development (Mizruchi 1972, p. 182). Game stage The lasts stage in the development of the concept of self occurs when a child is six and nine years of age. During this stage, a child begins to consider his role and his own positions as a way of representing his self. It is at this stage that a child develops the realization that his viewpoint must always be developed in relation to that of the wholes society (Alkana 2015, p. 128). It is at this age that a child begins to understand the relevance of rules in regulating their activities within the society. The child understands that for co-existence to be realized in the society, there are rules that they must respect to emerge as winners in the game of life (Alkana 2015, p. 128). Failure to abide by the rules often leads to the consequence of punishment by authority in the society. This is the school going age where children are expected to co-exist and abide by the school rules and regulations that define time management, environmental conservation, and social interaction. The school therefore plays a fundamental role in the development of the concept of self among children (Mizruchi 1972, p. 183). Relevance of the ideas by Hebert Mead The concept of the relationship between man and society is essential in understanding the role of the individual in the society from the perspective of Hebert mead. Indusial in the society comprise those who have existed in different times. For instance members of the society who existed in earlier years often socialize a child. Such a child may be accustomed into embracing changes in the society that did not exist earlier. This does not make an individual better or greater than the society. It also does not make the individual society an end in itself. Instead, the role of the individual in the contemporary society is to play part in societal development. Individuals play the role of different stones in building a house (Elias 2001, p. 11). Despite their divergence in terms of personalities, the concept of the self as presented by Mead only brings out the differences in the attributes of the individual and the essence of these differences in building one society (Elias 2001, p. 7). Homosexuality has been considered as an emerging trend that defines the dynamic nature of the contemporary society in relation to the concept of self in the contemporary society. From a sociological perspective, the socialization process is an essential determinant of the mode of sexual expression among different individuals. This is because the expression of any sexual desires involves an understanding of behaviour that is learning through the socialization process with reference to law, religion and the media (Perry & Perry 2015, p. 228). It is possible to use Mead’s understanding of the relationship between the concept of self and the socialization process with regard to its contributions to the expression of sexual desires. According to Mead, an outstanding element in the development of the concept of self is language (Carreira 2013, p. 22). This is derived from the understanding that human beings communicate through symbols that are representative of objects in the mind. From the childhood days, an individual learns to think in the form of object. It is through language that an individual understands the meaning of symbols and their essence in forging the sense of self in the society. It is through language that an individual can individual can focus on his own thoughts and attitudes and relate it to that of others (Perry & Perry 2015, p. 228). The interaction between language and sexuality emanates from an understanding that sexual expression is a lifelong process characterized by the inheritance and dissemination of societal norms. Upon understanding of the role of emotions and feelings, it is possible to argue from Mead’s perspective that the desire to communicate sexual feelings to another member of the society may failure to realize its objectives especially when the most appropriate language and symbols are not used (Carreira 2013, p. 28). This will limit an individual’s ability to engage in future interactions with members of the opposite sex. Such an individual will seek the comfort of another person of the same gender and an expression of these feelings often leads to the development of sexual affection between the said individuals hence the rise and popularity of homosexuality (Peterson et al 2015, p. 24). The process of interacting with different agents of socialization such as the family can also contribute to the development of socialization. In the second stage of development of self, Hebert mead argues that children learn by assuming roles of other members in the society. This means that a boy will assume the role of a father buy wearing his hat of shoes. At this stage, the boy will be acting in the position of the father and will view the world from his father’s perspective (Alkana 2015, p. 129). Furthermore, during this stage, children play roles of heterosexual relationships between their parents as a technique of developing the sense of self. This assumption by Hebert Mead can be used in explaining the development of homosexual feelings towards members of the same sexual orientation. For instance, when a child is denies an opportunity of interacting with members of the opposite sex, such a child will be isolated from the rest of the society and this will make it relatively difficult to role-play and develop an understanding of his responsibilities in relation to those of other members of the society. Role confusion in relation to the expression of sexual feelings to other members of the society can be used in explaining the development of homosexuality in the contemporary society (Perry & Perry 2015, p. 228). The media is one of the most influential agents of socialization in the contemporary society. This is because it has the ability of influencing the element of role-playing in relation to the attitudes and feelings developed by members of the society. It is through the media that an individual can be socialized into the replication of sexual behaviour as expressed on different media channels (Perry & Perry 2015, p. 228). Pornography is a media element that enhances the development of homosexual attributes since it provides individuals with the desire of incorporating the actions expressed in pornographic films in their own lives (Jarvis et al 2003, p. 47). The element of role-playing as defined by Hebert Mead can be used in the explanation of development of homosexuality feelings since continuous practice of such sexual practices often lead to the development of behaviour (Carreira 2013, p. 33). The rampant nature of homosexuality is therefore explainable through an understanding of the role of different media channels in depicting activities that necessitate curiosity among members of the society (Peterson et al 2015, p. 23). The society in the view of George Hebert Mead operates on specific rules and regulations that define behaviour. For effective development of the concept of self, Mead argues that it is the responsibility of an individual to develop the concept of self by considering the thoughts, attitudes, and feelings of other members of the society (Alkana 2015, p. 130). This perceptive by Mead facilitates the development of an argument that the self is a product of symbolic interaction. Rules in the society act as points of reference that refrain an individual from acting without considering the thoughts and feelings of other members of the society. Rules are formulated based on the desirable attributes and wrongdoings in the society. Prior to the introduction of laws safeguarding homosexuals in the society, this approach to sexuality was considered as some form of deviance. However, the introduction and incorporation of human rights in societies such as the US provided a platform for justifying the actions of homosexuals. This facilitates the process of developing laws in support of homosexuals (Perry & Perry 2015, p. 229). The US for instance is currently divided into those in support and those against homosexuality. Despite these differences the govern ant has the responsibility of protecting the rights of every members of the society so long as they are operating in accordance with the requirements of the law (Peterson et al 2015, p. 26). With the enactment of laws supporting the activities of homosexuals in different stages within the US, it has become relatively easier for the younger generation to develop this attitude towards sexuality (Peterson et al 2015, p. 26). This in the view of Mead is crucial to the socialization process with regard to child development. Mead argues that small children learn about their world through social interactions. The popularity of homosexuality among the younger generation is because of their ability to play within the existing laws, which enable the adoption of desires of social roles with respect to expression of their sexuality (Alkana 2015, p. 135). Conclusion In the process of developing the concept of self, Mead makes a distinction between the element of “I” and “Me.” “I” in the view of Mead refers to the unsocialized self that only focuses on the realization of personal desires. “Me” refers to the socialized individual who considered his personal desires in relation that of other members of the city. The relevance of Mead’s theory of self in understanding homosexuality in the contemporary society emanates from its deterministic nature. Mead argues that every individual responds to the process of social interaction in unique way and these accounts for the differences between individual in terms of expression of their sexuality. References Alkana, Joseph. 2015. The social self-Hawthorne, Howells, William James, and nineteenth- Century psychology. Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky. http://books.google.com/books?id=z7RZAAAAMAAJ Carreira da Silva, Filipe. 2013. G.H. Mead A Critical Introduction. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:101:1-201412207220. Elias, Nobert. 2001. The Society of Individuals. The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc: New York Jarvis, Peter., Holford, John & Griffin, Colin. 2003. The Theory and Practice of Learning. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge Mizruchi, Emphraim. 1972, The Substance of Sociology: Code, Conduct and Consequence. Appleton Century Croft: NewYork Perry, John & Perry, Ema. 2015. Contemporary Society: An Introduction to Social Science. Routledge: London Peterson, Dana, and Vanessa R. Panfil. 2014. Handbook of LGBT communities, crime, and justice. http://alltitles.ebrary.com/Doc?id=10815801. Read More