Understanding of the Looking Glass Self

639 Words3 Pages
“The Looking-Glass Self” by Charles Horton Cooley, is an article that elucidates the concept that people shape themselves on others opinion. Cooley who was born August 17, 1864 and died May 8, 1929. Cooley attended the University of Michigan for political economics and sociology where he acquired a Ph.D.. Cooley also taught economics and sociology at the University of Michigan. Best known for “The Looking-Glass Self” a concept that emphasizes the social determination of the self, Cooley had a plethora of major works such as “The Theory Of Transportation”, one of his first economic theory pieces. Cooley's major contribution to the field of sociology was his idea of the "The Looking-Glass Self". He wrote Human Nature and the Social Order (1902, rev. ed. 1922), Social Organization (1909), Social Process (1918), and Sociological Theory and Social Research (1930). Cooley believed that social reality was qualitatively different from physical reality and was therefore less amenable to measurement. Looking-glass self and it can be found in everyday life; it is a part of our literature, television, and especially movies. People in these cases perceive themselves as others perceive and respond to them, what social psychologists call “reflected appraisals.” It can have both positive and negative impacts on how one sees and relates to oneself and influences one’s self-image. Another example of getting knowledge about oneself is through feedback. It starts during childhood, where parents give constant feedback about one’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, one comes to internalize good and bad qualities, such as being "good" at languages and "not being much" of an athlete. In fact, there is a strong relationship between parents’ perception of their children’s abilities and the self-concept that the child holds. Later, one relies more heavily upon the opinions
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