The question that arose from our discussion concerns whether the concept of self is formed through the interaction with others or if it is solely based on the individual. As we go through life, nothing stays consistent, we come across new situations, we develop and we progress. We learn about other people's perspective regarding us through the action of meeting and bonding with others that are uniquely different. This in return has an impact regarding how we perceive ourselves and the role of the interpersonal self and the social self. The way society thinks of us and how we think about ourselves are intertwined and that's what makes up our concept of the self.
To understand this concept, the difference between the interpersonal self and the social self had to be clear. The interpersonal self is oneself occupied with a social contact with someone else. This personal interaction can only be done when there are 2 or more people involved and engaged as this is the meaning of “inter” in the interpersonal self. In relation to the interpersonal self, there is also the social self. The social self is the idea that through interactions people create self images. As we experience different situations and engage with others, we also develop an awareness of the self.
The people we surround ourselves with will have an impact on us whether we are aware of it or not. Communicating with others and being emotionally responsive is not the only way to create an interpersonal self, it is additionally done through the action of encountering and internalizing other individuals perspective about oneself. What other people think of us shape who we are and the way we think and act are greatly influenced by our surroundings containing the social forces. Through this discussion, it was evident that the concept of self cannot be established through isolation. The concept of self discovery is done through the process of realizing how people view you. It is represented through the essential act of people “collecting” information about themselves. It is known that an individual has the automatic action to depend on others to give a social reality, this enables them to figure out what to do, think, and feel. We are known as the interpersonal self and many factors account into who we are as we are connected with the social world around us. For example, when we receive feedback from others regarding how we did, we tend to look upon that and potentially change ourselves. Their responses can impact our self esteem as well as self concept. This cannot be avoided and this interaction helps us become who we are in life.
George Herbert Mead believed other individuals contribute a major role in the way we see ourselves. His perspective on how that may occur differed from what people normally think. Most people believe every single person we encounter throughout our life makes an impact on our identity. On the other hand, Mead believed it was more of a restricted process in terms of certain people and time that could have an impact on the self. In addition, his view focused on how the influence of others has a different impact on us as we grow. Looking into the life stages, babies reside in their own world as they do not care about the perspective of others. Their self concept was based on the concept of an intentional agent where they were able to imitate others. As life progresses, the perspective people have on other individuals matter and is more prominent in one’s life. Their self concept relied more on the concept of a reflective agent where they were able to have beliefs and reflective thoughts. It was also based on the concept of a mental agent where they were able to self regulate dialogue with themselves. This belief leads to the development of the two-part self concept. It involved the balance between both “I” and “me.” The “me” involves how others view me and the “I” represents how I view myself. The concept of “I” and “me” are joined together to produce the concept of self. This is important as we should be aware of how we would want ourselves to be perceived as and how we would like to see ourselves from our own perspective.
In summary, the concept of comprehending ourselves through the way of other individuals adds to the collection revolving around self-hood with another element. The self is said to have significance only in a social setting, and it is right to state that our idea of self and perception are characterized by the social environment. This adds value as it goes beyond the true self and explores the view of ourselves from another individual.