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  • Essay / Looking Glass Self: How Social Interactions Shape Our Identities

    The term Looking Glass Self was coined by Charles Horton Cooley in his essay on human nature and social order. He was an American sociologist who used the term to describe it as our reflection of how we think we appear to others. Explaining further would be how oneself imagines how others perceive them. For example, a mother would view her child as perfect, while another person would think differently. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Charles Horton Cooley considers three steps when using “the mirror of self.” The first step is how we imagine ourselves looking at others. The second step is to imagine judging others based on how you think they perceive them. The third step is to think about how the person perceives it based on their previous judgments. The mirror consists of three main elements that are unique to humans. We imagine how we should appear to others in a social situation. We imagine and react to what we think their judgment of that appearance must be. We develop our sense of self and respond through these perceived judgments of others. The result is that individuals will change their behavior based on what they think others think of them, even if it is not necessarily true. In this way, social interaction acts as a "mirror" or "mirror", since one's sense of self and self-esteem are constructed from others. For example, a person may walk into a job interview feeling confident and attempt to show that confidence. A person in this situation most often examines the reactions of interviewers to see whether they react positively or negatively. If the individual notices positive reactions, such as nodding or smiling, this could further develop their sense of self-confidence. If the individual notices negative reactions, such as a lack of interest, this self-confidence is often shaken and reformed in order to improve, even if the perceived judgments were not necessarily true. There is an example of how this term can work in everyday situations. As a child, I vividly remember feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment when my parents praised me for my accomplishments or good behavior. I also remember feeling shame or embarrassment when I received criticism or negative comments. These experiences shaped my perception of myself and influenced how I viewed myself in relation to others. As I grew older, my experiences with the mirror became more complex. I began to internalize the expectations and standards of my peers and social groups, and I felt pressure to conform to these standards. This often led to feelings of anxiety and insecurity, as I struggled to fit in and be accepted by others. For example, in high school, I was part of a group of popular friends who focused on status and appearance. I felt pressure to dress a certain way, act a certain way, and conform to their standards in order to be accepted. This led to a cycle of comparison and self-doubt, as I was constantly evaluating myself based on the reactions and opinions of my peers. Over time, however, I began to recognize the limitations of the mirror self. I realized that relying solely on external validation and approval could be detrimental to.