Martinez 1

Martinez,Caleb
Prof.Adams
ENC213565
November28th,2016
Research Proposal
The topic area that I am considering for my research project lies in the field of
Psychology. The subject area is one that has always captivated my attention and provoked
genuine interest. All my life, I have had a fixation on human behavior and the fascinating world
behind it. There are many aspects of human behavior that are worth studying, but the one that I
am most interested in is that of Charles Cooleys psychological theory of the Looking Glass-Self,
a theory that explains the chameleonistic nature of humans and their tendency to mirror the
attitude that they believe will get them accepted into whatever group it is that theyre admiring.
At this current time, there is a lot of psychological studies and theories that are being revised as
time goes on. There is a lot of support for this specific psychological theory across the world of
psychology, but it is not universally accepted like other theories. By having its criticisms, the
theory gains credibility by being able to provide explanation for its counterarguments. In the
amount of time allotted for project two, I believe that I can conduct adequate research that will
be able to cover the subject matter and its branching questions to a reasonable degree. The
relevance of the psychological theory to our current day is another one of the main motivators in
my pursuit in this topic. Around the country, there are tons of people that are afflicted by
pressures of acceptance and perfectionism within the American culture. Because of people being
unable to reach the unrealistic goals that they set for themselves, negative thoughts and body
opinions begin to form, leading to other serious conditions and mood disorders.

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NegativeSelfImage:ThePlagueSlowlyOvertakingAmerica
Inourcurrentdayandage,thereisataboothatsurroundstheincreasingamountof
negativeselfimagethatseemstoafflictalargeportionofouradolescentfemalepopulation.
Everywheretheyturn,ourteensseemtothinkthatthebestwaytotryandbecomecloserwitha
certaingroupofpeopleisbymirroringthesortofbehaviorthattheythinkthegroupwouldfind
themostappealing.ThisconceptcoversthebasicsphereofCharlesHortonCooleystheoryof
TheLookingGlassSelf.Thistheoryclearlycoversoursocietyinthemoderndaybecauseofthe
majorfocuscenteredaroundpersonalpresentationandappearance,especiallyamongstthe
femaleteenagepopulation.Bothofthesecharacteristicsarestaplesinourselfcenteredsociety.
Weaspeoplearebeginningtodrawmorefocusonthewaythatwethinkpeoplethinkofus,as
opposedtoanyimagethatwemayholdofourselves.Wenolongervaluepositiveselfimage,
insteadplacingmajorimportanceontheopinionsofothers.TheAmericanpeoplegettheirsense
ofselfworththroughtheacceptanceofothers,resultinginanoverwhelmingworryonthe
opinionsofothers,attimes,evenoveronesownopinionofoneself.Thepurposeofthis
researchpaperistoprovideexplanationfortheincreasingamountofnegativeselfimagethat
affectsournationinthemoderndaybyapplyingapopularpsychologicalphenomenonasan
explanationforthissocialproblem.
InCooleystheoryofselfimage,hestatesthatthepersonalself,oronesperceptionof
ourselves,growsfromthesocialinteractionsthatwehaveeveryday.(Isaksen,TheLooking
Glass)Thistheorygoesagainstthecommonideathatonesselfimagegrowsoutofwhatwe
thinkofourselves,butCooleypresentsthatalternateideathatmaybeourpersonalideaofour
selfimagedoesnotplayascriticalofaroleaspreviouslyimagined,insteadproposingthat

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whateverwethinkothersthinkofusservesasthefoundationofourselfimageandselfworth.
Followingthisideology,Cooleystheory,TheLookingGlassSelf,suggeststhataperson
introducedintoanenvironmentwhereeveryoneviewsthemasanintelligentbeingwillbemore
likelytothinkofhim/herselfasintelligentincomparisontoanenvironmentwheretheyarenot
viewedashighly,resultinginanegativeselfimage.(Isaksen)
Inoursociety,Cooleystheoryplaysabigrolethatisnotacknowledgedasfrequentlyas
itshouldbe.Americanculturehasahugefocusaroundselfpresentation;resultingintonsof
Americansbeingobsessedovertheirsocialstatusorsocialimage.Inreactiontotheculture,
manypeoplegotogreatlengthstoearntheapprovalofothersthroughtheirsocialimage,some
goingasfarasalteringtheirnaturalbodiestogainmorewidelyfavoredcharacteristics.
Unfortunately,thealterationsdontstopatsimplephysicalmodifications,peopleundergo
complianceandeventualacceptanceofideologiesthatmaygoagainstanypersonalbeliefsthat
theyhold.Thisgroupthinkphenomenontendstoafflictthosethatareinsearchofapprovalof
theirpeers;resultingindeopinionatedmassesthatjustgoalongwithwhatevertrendissurgingat
thetime.
CooleystheoryofTheLookingGlassSelfpresentsanexplanationbehindtheself
imagesthatwebuildinourminds.Byapplyingthatsametheorytoanadolescentagegroup,we
areabletoseethatmanyteensarenotaslikelytobuildtheirownselfimageswiththeirown
opinions,butinsteadturntotheopinionsoftheirpeerstogivethemanysortofsenseofself
worth.Teensalsotendtohavebiggerabiggerpresenceonmediumslikesocialnetworkingsites
suchasInstagram,Snapchat,Etc.Allofthesesocialnetworksbuildoffofuserspublishingtheir
livestotheinternet,openlyinvitingcriticismfromanyonewithakeyboardorphone.Becauseof

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this,avidusersofsaidSocialNetworkingSitestendtobecautiousofwhattheypost,making
surethatanypicture,video,etc.willbewellreceivedbytheirpeersandvaultthemhigheronthe
socialchain.Thisinfatuationwiththeacceptancefromthosearoundthemmakesteensmore
vulnerabletobuildinganegativeselfimageofthemselvesduetothevariouscommentsthatthey
hearaboutthemselvesthroughsaidSocialNetworkingSites.
InastudydoneonfemaleteenagegirlsonbodydissatisfactionincorrelationtoSocial
Networkusage,theresearchershowsthatahighpercentageofteenagegirlsareactiveonSocial
MediaSites,witharound90%beingactivealmostdaily.(Heiken,3136)Byapplyingthis
researchtotheadolescentpopulation,wecanfindthattherearesimilarpercentagesofteens
usingdifferentSocialNetworkingSitesasaprimarymeansofcommunication,regardlessof
gender.Theincreasedamountofcommunicationoccurringbetweenadolescentsresultsina
higheramountofcommentsbeingspread,whichinturncouldresultintheincreasingamountsof
negativeselfimagesthatarebeingbuiltacrossAmerica.Thisideaissupportedinpartbythe
researchpreviouslymention.Heikenshowsthatgirlsthatreportthattheyhavelowselfesteem
(calculatedbyRosenbergsSelfEsteemScale),reportedmoredissatisfactionwiththeirbodies.
Whilesomeofthedatadidnotsupportthecorrelationbetweensocialnetworkingsitesandbody
dissatisfaction,itisunreasonabletosaythatthesesocialmediumsdonotplayaroleintheway
thatadolescentsviewtheirbodies.
Youmayaskyourself,justhowbadistheproblemofnegativeselfimagesinAmerica?
InastudydonebyHeartofLeadership,aresourceforWomenandTeensstrugglingwithSelf
image,itisshownthat98%ofgirlsfeelthatthereisapressurefromexternalsourcestolooka
certainway.Addingontothat,1in4girlstodayfallintoaclinicaldiagnosisdepression,eating

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disorders,andothermental/emotionaldisorders.Attheyoungageof17,78%ofgirlsreportthat
theyareunhappywiththeirbodies,withtheratebeingashighas53%attheageof13.After
havingtherateofteensuicidesanddepressionfallinthelate1990s,therateofteens
committingsuicideandreportingdepressionhasskyrocketedwithinthepastfewyears.Serving
asacomplimenttotheincreasingrateofteenagedepression,astudydonebythePewResearch
Centershowsthat71%ofteensaged1317usemorethanonesocialmediasite,withahigh
percentageusingasmanyas34.Thisstudywaspublishedin2014,whensocialnetworkingwas
thehighestofitstime.Whilethetwostudiesmaybepurelycoincidental,itispossibletosaythat
anincreasedamountofsocialmediamayplayapartintheincreasingamountsofteensuicides
anddepressionrates.
Nowthequestionstilllingeringiswhetherornotsocialmediaistoblamefortheplague
ofnegativeselfimage.Whilesocialmediasitesplayamajorroleinthecommunicationthat
adolescentshavebetweeneachother,itisnottheentireexplanationbehindtheincreasingrates
ofnegativeselfimage.Socialmediasitesservesolelyasaliaisonbetweenteens.While
communicationisatanalltimehighinthecurrentday,itcannotbedecidedasthesolecreator
ofthisproblem.Negativeselfimagehasitsrootsplantedinthenegativecommentsthatteens
spitoutateachotherthroughtheircommunicationmediums.Inthepast,thesemediumswere
morepersonalmethodssuchasfacetofacecommunication,butastechnologyevolves,sodoes
thewaythatweinteractwitheachother.Asaresultofthefacilitationofcommunication,wecan
seethewaythatteensaremorelikelytospreadslanderandhatespeechamongsteachotherin
searchofapprovalfromathirdparty.

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Thisexplanationfortheincreasingrateofnegativeselfimageisonlyfurthersupported
bytheresearchdonebyHeiken.Sheshowsthatwhilemanygirlsareactivelypartakinginsocial
mediasites,theyarenotthereasonthatthesegirlshaveasenseofbodydissatisfaction.That
issuegoesfartherthananyexternalmeasurethatcouldactuponthem.Itemergesfromalow
selfesteembuiltbytheperceptionthattheseteengirlshaveofthemselves.Byreceiving
negativecommentsaboutthemselves,teensaremorelikelytostartbelievingthattheyare
actuallyworthless.Teengirlsdonotvaluetheirdistinctionsfortheuniquenessthattheybringto
theircharacter,insteadtheyseethesedifferencesasobstaclesthatdistancethemfromtheirmore
popularpeers.
ThereisalsoasenseofcautionaroundtheadaptabilityoftheworkdonebyCooleyinthe
early1900stothemodernday.TheLookingGlassSelfcametopopularityinthelatterhalfof
the20thcentury,onlyrecentlybecomingwidelyknowninbothpsychologicalandsociological
application.Toreallydeterminetheadaptabilityofthispsychologicaltheory,thetheoryitself
hastobeanalyzedunderthecurrentsocialworld.Theinternalthriveforacceptanceformothers
willneverchange.Regardlessofhowcontentpeoplemaybewiththemselves,selfacceptance
willneverserveasenoughofasatisfaction.Nomatterhowmuchitmaybedenied,thehuman
raceisthemostsocialspeciesonthefaceofthisearth.Becauseofthat,wewillalwayssearch
forourpositionamongsttherestofthespecies,whetherthatbeinregardtosocial,moral,or
economicposition.Becauseofthisinterspeciescomparison,wewillalwaysneedtobereassured
ofourpositionbytheapprovalorjealousyofourpeers.Thisneedforreassuranceresultsinthe
extrememeasuresthatpeopleingeneralwilltaketofindthis.Whetheritbethroughjoining
friendgroups,findingajob,enteringafraternity,etc.peopletendtomirrortheimagethatthey

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believewillcomeoffasthemostattractivetosaidgroup,therebyreflectinganimageof
themselvesthattheybelievewillbethemostlikeabletowhichevergroupofpeopletheyare
searchingtheapprovalof.
ThesepointsserveasthemaingroundsforthetheorybyCharlesHortonCooley.Cooley
arguesthatpeopleseekpeerapprovalthroughchameleonlikequalitiesthathelpthemadaptto
differentsituationsandbuildadifferentsenseofselftoaccommodatethegroupofpeoplethat
theyareseekingtheapprovalof.Cooleygoesontoarguethatpeoplebegintoworrymoreabout
whattheybelievethatothersthinkofthem.Throughsuspicionsofaperceivedsocialimage,
people(morespecifically,teens)begintoreflecttheirpersonalityandtheirsenseofselfthrough
theselfthattheybelieveeveryoneelseperceivesthemas.(Isaksen,TheLookingGlass)
Thistheoryhitshardespeciallywiththegroupunderfocusforthisresearchpaper,teen
girls.Peopleingeneralundergomassivechangesintheiradolescentyears.Withthemassive
overhaulthatpubertybrings,socialcuesonlyaffectthesechangesevenmore.Itisthroughthese
adolescentyearsthatmostteensbegintheirperiodofselfdiscovery,aphaseintheirlifein
whichteensaremosteasilysusceptibletooutsideinfluenceontheirpersona.Inrelationtogirls,
perfectionismplaysahugeroleintheidentitythatteensbegintoform.Allteenagegirlsfeelasif
thoughtheyhavetobuildtheidealimagefortherestoftheworld,resultinginthembecoming
moreandmoredissatisfiedwhentheyareunabletoachievethissenseofperfection.Itiseasyto
seethewaythatselfimagebeginstospiraloutofcontrolwhenteengirlsareunabletofitthe
perfectrolethattheyarepressuredintofilling,andbecauseofthis,CharlesHortonCooleys
theoryoftheLookingGlassSelfservesastheperfectexplanationfortheincreasingamountof
negativeselfimageculminatingwithinthefemaleadolescentpopulation.

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SelfReflection
ThewritingprocessforthisdraftissomethingthatIthoroughlyenjoyed.Theabilityto
pickanysubjectmattertowritethisresearchessayonissomethingthatmadetheprocessmuch
moreenjoyable.TheresearchstrategiesthatwereceivedinourworkshopatStrozierfacilitated
theresearchprocessoftheprojectmucheasier,andbybeingabletoquicklyreferencethe
BedfordBookofGenres,thestructureofthepaperwasalsoeasytocreate.Becauseofmebeing
abletoresearchatopicthatIwasalreadythoroughlyinterestedin,Iwasabletomakeeffective
rhetoricalappealsthatallowedmetomakeamuchmoreeffectiveargumentforthe
psychologicaltheory.Therelatabilitytothesubjectmattertoawideaudienceissomethingthat
allowedfortheuseofEthosandPathosthroughoutmyresearchessay.Bybeingabletoappealto
areadersemotionalandrationalsideswhilestillprovidingallofthenecessaryinformationto
makemyargumentlogical,Iwasabletoconnectwithallthreeaspectsofrhetoric,thereby
creatinganeffectiveandconcisepaperthatcommunicatedmypointandinformedmyaudience
ofpsychologicaltheorythatexplainsalotofthenegativitythatcanbeseenamongstthe
adolescentpopulation.Throughrevisionsoftheessayatmultipletimesthroughoutthewriting

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period,myessaywasabletoevolveintothebestpossibleworkthatIwasabletocreate.By
beingabletosubmitmultipledifferentdrafts,Iwasabletotryoutdifferentdecisionsinmy
writingandseewhichonesconnectedbestwithanaudience,byhearingbackfrommypeerson
thedecisionsthatIwasmakingthroughoutthepaper,Iwasabletomodifyanyroughpatches
thatemergedinmyessay.Theresearchandwritingprocessesofthisessayallowedmetolearn
variousnewtechniquesinwritingaresearchessaythatwouldbeeffectivetoavarietyof
differentaudiencesandnewtechniquesinobtainingresearchfromcredible,peerreviewed,
sourcesthatincreasethecredibilityandimpactthatmyresearchessaycouldmake.
AnnotatedBibliography
Brown, B., Heather Bank, and Laurence Steinberg. "Smoke in the Looking Glass: Effects of
Discordance between Self- and Peer Rated Crowd Affiliation on Adolescent Anxiety,
Depression and Self-Feelings." Journal of Youth & Adolescence, vol. 37, no. 10, 2008, pp.
1163-1177.
This writing covers a lot of the rating concern that children take in their adolescent phase.
It also covers a lot of the phenomena that play into the looking glass self, thereby
providing useful information that plays into the background behind Cooleys theory. It
also provides a clear explanation for what the looking glass self actually is, effectively
providing a source from which I would be able to define the theory for my audience.
Franks, David D., and Viktor Gecas. "Autonomy and Conformity in Cooley's Self-Theory: The
Looking-Glass Self and Beyond." Symbolic Interaction, vol. 15, no. 1, 1992, pp. 49-68.

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This writing covers a lot of the points that were missed browns writing. Along with this,
the writing also does an amazing job at presenting two other factors that play their part in
Cooleys theory. This writing covers a lot of the first argument that I plan on
implementing into the essay. By covering Conformity and Autonomy in Cooleys theory,
there is more clarity around the subject of the theory.
Heiken,Elisa.TheRelationshipbetweenSelfEsteem,OnlinePeerInfluence,SocialNetworking
SiteUsageandBodySatisfactionforTeenGirlsintheUnitedStates,2013.
This source contains a lot of the statistics that are used in my paragraph that builds the
main support for the argument occurring in this research essay. This source also supplies
plenty of support and material in a gender specific research paper such as this one.

WorksCited
Gamble,WendyC.,andJeongJ.Yu."AdolescentSiblings'LookingGlassSelfOrientations:
PatternsofLiabilitiesandAssociationswithParenting."JournalofYouthandAdolescence,
vol.37,no.7,2008.,pp.860874.
Harter,Susan,ClareStocker,andNancyS.Robinson."ThePerceivedDirectionalityoftheLink
betweenApprovalandSelfWorth:TheLiabilitiesofaLookingGlassSelfOrientation
amongYoungAdolescents."JournalofResearchonAdolescence,vol.6,no.3,1996.,pp.
285308.

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Isaksen,JoachimV."theLookingGlassSelf:HowourSelfImageisShapedbySociety.",May
27th2013.
Tice,DianneM."SelfConceptChangeandSelfPresentation:TheLookingGlassSelfisalsoa
MagnifyingGlass."Journalofpersonalityandsocialpsychology,vol.63,no.3,1992.,pp.
435451.
Unknown."StatisticsonGirls&WomensSelfEsteem,Pressures&Leadership."2015.