George Herbert Mead Early Life Sociology Essay

George Herbert Mead Early Life Sociology EssayHigher studyMead graduated from Oberlin College in 1883 and matriculated at Harvard from 1887-1888 where he studying philosophy and sociology and graduated with a Masters degree.Although he belonged to a deeply religious family, Mead became a devout naturalist and non-believer after attending college.After leaving Harvard, he voiceicipated in many causes and was an ardent doingivist of any progressive causes.He marched in favour of the womens suffragette and took part in several civic duties in Chicago.The Chicago Philosopers Club1896Mead was workd by Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution which is evident in his theories as a naturalist.At Harvard, Mead analyse with Josiah Royce who was a major influence in his life, andWilliam James, whose children he tutored.In 1888, Mead left Harvard and travelled to Germany.There, he studied with psychologist Wilhelm Wundt who was his influence for the concept of the gesture, which would soon be a n important aspect of his work.In 1891 he married Helen Kingsbury Castle.He taught at the University of Michigan and then the University of California.Mead wrote intensively oer a 40-year career, however he didnt publish any books.He published over 100 scholarly articles.Mead died of heart failure on April 26, 1931.Following his death, his students put together a collection of his nones, unpublished letter and lessons, and finally published a book of his thoughts and teachings.Epistemology OntologyHe observed that mass arrived knowledge closely behavior based on what they observe and acquire from society.The principle of amicableity is theontologicalfoundation ofMeadsconcept. The distinction between mind and count and that between consciousness and the physiological organism is a distinction which is cadaverous between contents which may appear on either expression of the line.Mead noted that there is more than what meets in the eye in term of human interactions. This mean s, that there are reasons behind certain actions, which can be brought out through micro-investigations of human interaction.People who influenced MeadMead was influenced by his friend tush Dewey who led him into educational opening. However Meads thinking diverged from that of Dewey and he developed the famous psychological theories of mind, self and society.This idea was in like manner greatly influenced by Wilhelm Wundt who Mead met when he went to Germany to study psychologyAt Harvard, Mead studied with an American idealist philosopher Josiah Royce who also was an influence.Mead was influenced by Adam Smith and thus identified the complaisant act of economic exchange.In Meads writing I and the Me Mead takes William Jamess distinction between the I and the Me and develops it further. William James was a renowned pragmatist philosopher.The prominent sociologist Charles Cooley (A philosopher) also influenced Meads thinking.People who were influenced by MeadHerbert Blumer, a sociologist who studied at the University of Chicago was influenced by Mead. He took over Meads lecturing responsibilities and went on to chair the Department of Sociology at the University of California Berkeley. He is often referred to as the heir of George Herbert Mead.During the second half of the twentieth Century, Meads theory of symbolic interactionism was separated into two distinct branches The Chicago school to a lower situate Herbert Blumer and the Iowa school under Manford Kuhn. Both of whom were influenced by Mead.Norman Denzin and Sheldon Stryker also go along to develop the Symbolic Interactionism theory of Mead.Ervin Goffmans so-called dramaturgical sociology is also passing influenced by Mead.Major PublicationsMind, Self, and Society (1934)The Philosophy of the Act (1938)The Philosophy of the yield (1932)Basic Sociological Concepts twice Centre of Gravity winning the subroutine of the oppositeSelf tuitionThe SelfThe self emerges from social knowIndividual selves are the products of social interaction and not the biological or logical preconditions of the mentioned interactionHence The self is not part of the body, and it does not exist at birthExplaining further in the absence of social interaction (i.e. isolated children) the body may grow but no self will develop.Social experience involves communication and exchange of symbols frankfurter example A dog responds to what you do, but humans respond to what you harbor in mind as you do it.Social interaction involves see ourselves as new(prenominal)s see us taking the contribution of the other (Mead). range of a function Centre of GravityIn Meads concept of the self, he expressed Double Centre of Gravity by dividing the self in to the I and the Me.The I and the MeThe I and the Me are derived from the self.The Self is the intercourseship between I and MeThe Me is the internalization of others perspective of ourselves the perspective we get of ourselves from how others treat and interact with us.The I is the part of us that responds to these internalized attitudes.Explaining further the Me is the social self that takes into account the reactions of others, while the I is the indistinctive part of the self which has ideas and imagination and is independent to social norms.Taking the role of the otherMead suggested that socialization derived primarily from batchs ability to take the role of the other.Taking the role of the other means pose yourself in another(prenominal) persons place to think/reflect about yourself.Taking the role of the other helps to fuse the unmarried with organized social processesBy taking the role of the other, Mead meant putting oneself in the place of another individual in such a manner that one arouses the same response in both.Self DevelopmentAccording to Mead, developing the self is learning to take the role of the otherThe first dress is PrepChildren imitate and develop to understand symbols such as languages and gestures The Second Stage is Play Children role-play and pretend to be another person. Play involves assuming roles of significant others, helping kids see the world from others points of view.The one-third stage is GameChildren, at 7 or 8 begin to understand others roles and responsibilities, making games possible.The fundamental difference between the game stage and its antecedent play stage lies in the childs ability to take the roles of septuple people at the same timeGeneralized OtherThe norms, values, attitudes and expectations of people in general the childs ability to take the role of generalized other is a significant step in the development of a self.The individual defines his or her own behavior with reference to the generalized attitude of the social group(s) they occupy.Significant otherAn Individual who significantly influences someone elses life. i.e. Individuals who are just about important in development of the self. (e.g. parent)MEADS CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIOLOGYMead is one of the most authoritative and acclaimed sociologist of the 20th CenturyPraised by Critics throughout the world as a pioneer and a StalwartHas had several books published posthumously about his teachingsthe individual mind can exist only in relation to other minds with shared meanings(Mead 1982 5)CRITICISMTHE END