Sociology is the study of human society and social behavior, including the study of the self and how it is shaped by social processes such as socialization. Sociological theories of the self attempt to explain how social processes influence the development of the self/04%3A_The_Role_of_Socialization/4.02%3A_The_Self_and_Socialization/4.2B%3A_Sociological_Theories_of_the_Self). Here are some key concepts related to sociology and the self:

• Self: The self is the individual person, from his or her own perspective. Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals/04%3A_The_Role_of_Socialization/4.02%3A_The_Self_and_Socialization/4.2B%3A_Sociological_Theories_of_the_Self).

• Generalized other: The general notion that a person has regarding the common expectations of others within his or her social group/04%3A_The_Role_of_Socialization/4.02%3A_The_Self_and_Socialization/4.2B%3A_Sociological_Theories_of_the_Self).

• Socialization: The process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it/04%3A_The_Role_of_Socialization/4.02%3A_The_Self_and_Socialization/4.2B%3A_Sociological_Theories_of_the_Self).

• George Herbert Mead’s theory of the self: Mead conceptualizes the mind as the individual importation of the social process. Mead presented the self and the mind in terms of a social process. This process is characterized by Mead as the “I” and the “me.” The “me” is the social self and the “I” is the response to the “me.” In other words, the “I” is the response of an individual to the attitudes of others, while the “me” is the organized set of attitudes of others which an individual assumes. The “me” is the accumulated understanding of the “generalized other,” i.e. how one thinks one’s group perceives oneself/04%3A_The_Role_of_Socialization/4.02%3A_The_Self_and_Socialization/4.2B%3A_Sociological_Theories_of_the_Self).

• Self as a product of society: The sociological perspective of the self is based on the assumption that human behavior is influenced by group life. A particular view of oneself is formed through interactions with other people, groups, or social institutions. The self is not present at birth. It develops only with social experience wherein language, gestures, and objects are used to communicate meaningfully.

In summary, sociology provides a framework for understanding how social processes shape the development of the self. The self is not a fixed entity, but rather a product of social interaction and socialization.