Mead and The Social Self

George Herbert Mead is well known for his theory of the social self. Wherein it is based on the
perspective that the self emerges from social interactions. According to him, the self is not there from
birth, but is developed over time from social experiences and activities.

Mead insisted that it is normal to have multiple personalities. Since we come across with different
people, we tend to have different selves to meet various social reactions that are positive.
Moreover, he also mentioned that there are two stages to develop fully the self. The first is the
organization of viewpoints of others towards the person. While the second one is the organization of
viewpoints of the social group which a person belongs to. He called this concept of the self as “I” and
“me”.

Mead’s theory has helped me understand further the nature and formation of self through its
characteristics and details of how the self is formed. It made me reflect on my daily activities and
relationship with others. Hence, the truth on the statement that we tend to have different selves when
interacting with other people. Moreover, the formation of self is an on-going process in life.

The idea of play and game as a part of developing the self allows me to realize that such is indeed
true. During my childhood years, I tend to play ballgames such as basketball, play musical instruments and
copy the acts done by the artists during their live concerts. Additionally, it allowed me to relate myself to
the broader sense of social groups and the society.

Mead also mentioned that attitudes and behaviors of selves reflect the general pattern of the
social group. One of the personal examples is that when I was in secondary school, I remembered that
teachers always remind us to behave ourselves after dismissal. This is because while we are wearing our
uniform, we represent the school, and our every act and the way we talk affects how the public think of
our school. If I behave indecently, people will have a bad impression on the whole school.

To conclude, I have known the characteristics and formation of self from Mead, and I have deeper
understanding towards the relationship between human and the society. By knowing how people think
and interact, it is easier for us to communicate and gain acceptance in the society. Also, by knowing our
own identities and our roles, we can fulfill our responsibilities and turn our society into a better place.