A Critical Analysis of Interpersonal Communication in Modern Times of the Concept “ Looking Glass Self (1902) ” By Charles Horton Cooley (original) (raw)

Self-concept change and self-presentation: The looking glass self is also a magnifying glass

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1992

Studies 1 and 2 showed that identical behaviors had greater impact on the self-concept when performed publicly rather than privately. That is, the self-concept is more likely to change by internalizing public behavior than by internalizing behavior that is identical but lacks the interpersonal context. The self-concept change extends even to behavioral changes and occurs even when participants are unaware of being observed. In addition, those who are high in self-monitoring are more likely to internalize their behavior than those who are low in self-monitoring. Study 3 provided evidence about what components of a public situation affect the internalization of behavior. Choice about making the self-portrayal, drawing on episodes from one's own past rather than relying on a yoked script, and expecting future interaction with the audience all increased the internalization of a public behavior.

Social Comparison, Self-Consistency and the Presentation of Self

1967

Ever since Cooley (1964) hung up his picture of the "looking glass self". and Mead (1934) figured out exactly how it worked (at least, theroetically!), it has become almost a truism to social psychologists that in individual's concept of himself is constructed by somehow assimilating the ways he thinks others picture him. The windfall of theoretical and empirical studies generated by the works of Mead and Cooley has overshadowed another important way in which an individual may evaluate hirself; that is, by comparing himself with others. According to Festinger's (1954) theory of "social comparison," individuals have a basic drive to test the validity of their notions about the world and about themselves. Direct, physical tests are often either impossible or very dangerous (as in the case of bombing China to see under what conditions she will enter the Viet Nam war). As an alternative, individuals will usually evaluate their opinions and abilities by comparing themselves with others in their social environment. The empirical literature on social comparison has had little to say, however, about how the characteristics of Others (0) might affect a Person's (P) self-concept. The present study, therefore, focused on the way the positive or U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE

The Concept of Self in Interpersonal Communication.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH CULTURE SOCIETY, 2024

The paper presents a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between communication, self-theory, and interpersonal dynamics. It begins by addressing the omnipresence of communication in human life. Communication, an integral aspect of human life, permeates all spheres of existence, encompassing both intrapersonal reflections and interpersonal interactions. The paper further explores the dilemma of communication, delineating between self-confirmation needs and those reliant on external validation. Then, the concept of self is examined, highlighting its formation through cognitive processes and social interactions, and its continuous evolution through experiences and developmental processes. The study delves into the crucial aspect of self-maintenance in communication, elucidating strategies individuals employ to safeguard their self-worth in interpersonal interactions. It discusses the role of personal characteristics, such as knowledge, motives, attitudes, personality traits, and emotions, in shaping communication dynamics and influencing interpersonal interactions. Moreover, the paper discusses the purpose of interpersonal communication, which emphasizes on self-awareness enhancement, social relationship improvement, and personal development. It distinguishes interpersonal communication from casual conversation and also explores the significance of interpersonal communication in building personal characteristics and fostering self-identification. Overall, the paper offers valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of communication and its profound implications for self-development, social connection, collective well-being and enriched lived experiences.

Effects of self-presentation on the phenomenal self

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1986

We examined the effects of strategic self-enhancement or self-deprecation on private self-appraisal. Previous work (Jones, Rhodewalt, Berglas, & Skelton, 1981) indicated that self-perception variables (whether subjects self-referenced) best account for elevations in self-esteem after self-enhancing behavior, whereas cognitive dissonance variables (whether subjects were given a clear choice to engage in the behavior) best account for decreases in self-esteem after self-deprecating behavior. We proposed that these findings can be accommodated by a model that represents the phenomenal self as a latitude of acceptance that incorporates both positive and negative self-referent material, and as latitudes of rejection containing potential positive and negative material not currently stored in self-referent form. An individual-difference approach (level of depression) was taken in order to test the prediction that self-perception would account for positive and negative shifts in self-esteem within subjects' latitudes of acceptance, and cognitive dissonance would explain positive and negative shifts in self-esteem within subjects' latitudes of rejection. Accordingly, depressed and nondepressed subjects were instructed to self-reference or to role-play self-enhancement or self-deprecation during an interview while under high-or low-choice instructions. In support of the model, the results indicated that self-perception processes mediated subsequent shifts in self-esteem for self-enhancing nondepressed and self-deprecating depressed subjects. Cognitive dissonance processes mediated subsequent shifts in self-esteem for selfdeprecating nondepressed and self-enhancing depressed subjects. Our concern in this article is the effect of self-presentational behavior on the phenomenal self (Jones & Gerard, 1967). In Jones and Gerard's usage, the phenomenal self refers to "a person's awareness, arising out of his [or her] interactions with the environment, of his [or her] own beliefs, values, attitudes, the links between them, and their implications for his behavior" (Jones & Gerard, 1967, p. 716). In their view, people have available an integrated representation of who they are that may be used for the interpretation of present behavior and serves as a guide for future acts. When in awareness, the phenomenal self represents a summary statement of the self-relevant information currently accessible. 1 Stability is facilitated through one's interactions with others who see one in terms of stable traits or attributes. However, because one's available self-knowledge is too vast to fit into awareness at any one moment, situational and motivational cues render certain aspects more accessible than others and lead to moment-to-moment shifts in the phenomenal self. At the same time, as Jones and Pittman (1982) noted, the phenomenal self evolves over time to incorporate new behaviors. Although our senses of identity feel stable over time, we also recognize that we are not as liberal or extraverted, but more easygoing than we once were. Self-Presentation and the Phenomenal Self Jones, Rhodewalt, Berglas, and Skelton (1981) coined the term carryover effect to refer to the finding that engaging in strategic We wish to thank Russ Fazio, Edward E. Jones, and Carol Sansone for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this research.

“Constructive Urge for Self-Presentation-Mediating between the Past and the Future”

Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 2018

I further develop the dialogical self theory (DST) by elaborating on temporal dimensions, emphasizing the human need for self-presentation. The self is seen as the subjective center of a multicentered semiotic net, one that mediates between the past and future. A person is an operational entity that occasionally reconstructs him-or herself through the negotiation of internal and external BI-positions.^The conceptual differentiation of a future time zone is proposed by means of elaborating on the zone of distant development (ZDD). The ZDD, along with the zone of proximal development (ZPD), constitutes the future. The ZDD is distanced from the ZPD by an undefined time gap, and the former constructs and involves space around, and even beyond, the semiotic horizon. Major aspirations projected to the ZDD provide a general sense to life in the present time. Futuredirectedness is revealed in the constructive urge for self-presentation. Humans want to matter and to leave a trace of themselves behind, especially in other people's lives. The strive for self-presentation is considered one of the most significant urges for people; it is expressed in taking care of others, spreading ideas, creating art, craftsmanship, and so forth. People desire to be signified in a surrounding semiotic system, even after death. So they insert their legacy-signs in the external environment, forming their representatives. The strive for self-presentation emanates from the bilateral nature of interaction between the self and one's surrounding environment. Also, this strive reveals another semiotic visible field of the indissoluble connection between personal and social identities. In essence, the urge for self-presentation drives procreative thinking and actions.