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    GH Mead NOTES 1696511833464

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    Pranav Gupta
    George Herbert Mead argued that the self is a social construct that emerges through social interaction and communication with others. He believed that humans develop a self through role-taking, where one imagines themselves in another's perspective, which allows them to view themselves objectively. Mead outlined two stages of developing a self through role-taking - a play stage where children take on pretend roles, and a game stage where children coordinate with others. A key concept is the "generalized other", where one understands themselves through the perspective of their whole community.

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    GH Mead NOTES 1696511833464

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    Pranav Gupta
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    George Herbert Mead argued that the self is a social construct that emerges through social interaction and communication with others. He believed that humans develop a self through role-taking, where one imagines themselves in another's perspective, which allows them to view themselves objectively. Mead outlined two stages of developing a self through role-taking - a play stage where children take on pretend roles, and a game stage where children coordinate with others. A key concept is the "generalized other", where one understands themselves through the perspective of their whole community.

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    George Herbert Mead argued that the self is a social construct that emerges through social interaction and communication with others. He believed that humans develop a self through role-taking, where one imagines themselves in another's perspective, which allows them to view themselves objectively. Mead outlined two stages of developing a self through role-taking - a play stage where children take on pretend roles, and a game stage where children coordinate with others. A key concept is the "generalized other", where one understands themselves through the perspective of their whole community.

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    42 views2 pages

    GH Mead NOTES 1696511833464

    Uploaded by

    Pranav Gupta
    George Herbert Mead argued that the self is a social construct that emerges through social interaction and communication with others. He believed that humans develop a self through role-taking, where one imagines themselves in another's perspective, which allows them to view themselves objectively. Mead outlined two stages of developing a self through role-taking - a play stage where children take on pretend roles, and a game stage where children coordinate with others. A key concept is the "generalized other", where one understands themselves through the perspective of their whole community.

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    SOCIOLOGICAL THINKERS

    GEORGE HERBERT MEAD

    Along with Max Weber, the American social behaviourist George Herbert Mead is
    credited as laying the foundations for a general approach to sociology called
    Interactionism. Symbolic Interactionism focuses on micro-level interaction and the
    way in which meanings are constructed and transmitted across the members of
    society. G. H. Mead argued that the individual’s self is a social self, produced in the
    process of interaction rather than being biologically given. Mead’s theory traces the
    emergence and development of the self through a series of stages in childhood and his
    ideas on the social-self underpins much interactionist research.

    Symbolic Interactionism:
    In Mead’s view, human thought, experience and conduct are essentially social. They
    owe their nature to the fact that human beings interact in terms of symbols, the most
    important of which are contained in language. A symbol does not simply stand for an
    object or event: it defines them in a particular way and indicates a response to them.
    Without symbols there would be no human interaction and no human society.
    Symbolic interactionism is necessary since man has no instincts to direct his
    behaviour. He is not genetically programmed to react automatically to particular
    stimuli. In order to survive he must therefore construct and live within a world of
    meaning. Thus, symbols provide the means whereby man can interact meaningfully
    with his natural; and social environment.

    Social life can be only proceeded if the meanings of symbols are largely shared by
    members of society. If this were not the case meaningful communication would be
    impossible. In order for interaction to proceed each person involved must interpret
    the meanings and intentions of others.

    This is made possible by the existence of common symbols, but actually


    accomplished by means of a process which mead terms ‘role taking’. The process of
    role taking involves the individual taking on the role of another by imaginatively
    placing himself in the position of the person with whom he is interacting. On the
    basis of this interpretation he will make his response to the action of the other.

    Self & Identity:


    Mead argues that through the process of role taking the individual develops a concept
    of ‘self’. By placing himself in the position of others he is able to look back upon
    himself. Mead claims that the idea of a self can only develop if the individual can get
    outside (experimentally) in such a way as to become an object to himself. To do this
    he must observe himself from the standpoint of others. Therefore the origin and
    development of a concept of self lies in the ability to take the role of another.
    The notion of self is not inborn, it is learned during childhood. Mead sees two main
    stages in its development;
    > PLAY STAGE: It involves the child playing roles which are not his own. For
    example, the child may play at being mother or father, a doctor or a nurse. In doing so
    he becomes aware that there is a difference between himself and the role that he is
    playing. Thus, the idea of a self is developed as the child takes the role of a make-
    believe other.
    > GAME STAGE: In playing a game, the child comes to see himself from the
    perspective of various other participants. In order to play a game, the child must
    become aware of his relationship to the other players. He must place himself in their
    roles in order to appreciate his particular role in the game. In Mead’s terminology he
    sees himself from the perspective of the generalized other.

    The game stage yields one of Mead’s best known concepts, the Generalized Other.
    The generalized other is the attitude of the entire community. The ability to take the
    role of the generalized other is essential to the self: “only in so far as he takes the
    attitude of the organized social group to which he belongs toward the organized, co-
    operative social activity or set of such activities in which that group is engaged, does
    he develop a complete self”. In other words, to have a self, one must be a member of
    a community and be directed by the attitudes common to the community.

    While play requires only pieces of selves, the game requires a coherent self. Not only
    is taking the role of the generalized other essential to the self, it also is crucial for the
    development of organised group activities. A group requires that individuals direct
    their activities in accord with the attitudes of the generalized other. The generalized
    other also represents Mead’s familiar propensity to give priority to the social, because
    it is through the generalized other that the group influences the behaviour of
    individuals.

    Food for thought

    • According to Mead, “We play a key role in our own socialisation.” Explain.
    • Do you think ‘I’ and ‘Me’ are central terms in Mead’s work?
    • “Self and Society are twin born”. Examine the statement of Mead.

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