WHAT IS MEANT BY THE SOCIOLOGY OF

THE SELF, AND HOW HAS THIS CONCEPT

OFFERED ALTERNATIVE VIEWS OF
PEOPLE IN SOCIETY?

INTRODUCTION
The concept of the sociology of the self as a sociological concept, seeks to
describe essential qualities that constitutes a persons unique features in the
society. It assumes reciprocal relationship between the self and society as
Stryker (1980) noted. This means that the individual though lives in the
society, has his actions on daily basis, influences his rating in the society.
The self who embodies the individual, influences society through actions
and inaction. This culminates in the formation of groups, organizations,
networks, and institutions. Conversely, the society influences the self
through shared language and meanings and other socially approved means of
relationship that enable an individual engage in social interaction. The
logical import of this is that the self is a reflection of the society as
individual rating through action and inaction is directly painted within the
ambit of the sociological interaction in the society. Though an individual
action, it has a strong link with the view the society would at any point in
time, would have of the individual and this would reflect his/her rating in
societal relations.

According to Giddenss (2009), adopting a sociological imagination
allows us to see that many events which appear to concern only the
individual actually reflect larger issues. We can thus see sociology of the
self which can aptly be seen as a sociological approach that studies the nexus
between individual way of life and societal perception of same. This is better
appreciated if seen from the standpoint of the fact that the self (the
individual), emerges from the society and his way of life is apart from been
shaped, reflect the very society he emerges from. As a sociological approach
to understand the self in the issues of social relation in the society, sociology
of the self, Eliot (2001) observed, the emerging direction of contemporary
social theory is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the attention it
lavishes upon the nature of the self, self-identity, and individual
subjectivity. This view the central role societal perception of the individual
plays in shaping the very society the self emerges from a d lives in. Stryker
(1980) when he pointed out that we must also understand the society in
which the self is acting and keep in mind that the self is always acting in a
social context in which other selves exist. What can be inferred from the
above is simply the fact the individuals self conception is a product of the
structure of society and the nature of social interaction. What this means is
that actions of the individual or the self have mutual relations since the self
is first and foremost a reflexive of social interaction, Callero (2003).

In discussing the concept of the sociology of the self and how it has offered
alternative views of people in society, we will take a cursory look at the
societal perception of an individual in an everyday life scenario. Taking
Ervings (1959) analysis as a take-off point, we will but agree that the
individual self and life, is shaped by societal perception. As he observed,
when an individual enters the presence of others, they commonly
seek to acquire information about him or to bring into play
information already possessed. They will be interested in his
general socio-economic status, his conception of self, his attitude
towards them, his competence, his trustworthiness etc
From the above, one can say that the very essence of the sociology of the
self, is simply how the individuals action is rated in the society which
consequently, form societal opinion of him. It occurs on daily basis. As
Giddens equally observed, what we call individual problem, often times turn
out a societal one. If a divorce case is recorded, though it is an individual
problem, but it usually have a societal impact as people consciously or
unconsciously relate with the individual involved on the basis of the fact that
he or she is a divorcee.

Mention must also be made of the fact that an individuals self conception is
a product of the mix between the peculiar character of society and the nature
of the individual. This was the view of Stets and Burke (Undated) when they
stated that the nature of the self and what individuals do depends to a large
extent on the society within which they live. This confirms McIntyres
(2006) view that a persons self grows out of societys inter-personal
interactions and the perception of others. This can be linked to the Cooleys
social psychological theory, looking glass which sees a social self as the
reflected self in the society. The relationship that exists can be seen as a
reciprocal one. The society shape the self and the collection of all selves,
make up the society. This goes to show that though the individual is a
reflection of the society, he or she equally play a role in societal modeling
the society.

SOCIOLOGY OF THE SELF: A DISCOURSE
Discussing this will begin with an analysis of the concept of self and end
with an insight into how the concept has offered alternative views of people
in society. Conclusion will be drawn on the basis of issues carefully
considered in the course of the discourse of the concept, sociology of the
self.

From our introductory comment of the subject sociology of the self, it is
obvious that the concept embrace the whole gamut of an attempt meant to
study the individual and the society. Giddens (2009) said this much when he
posited that the individual action though a lonely one, dovetail into a societal
problem with time. It thus means that the society apart from shaping the
individual or the self also forms an opinion of the individual on the basis of
his or conducts. This is what scholars have come to term the reflexives of the
self and societal relations. It is worthy of note that the self would always be
embedded in the social structure that he help create as a member of the
society. With time, an opinion would be formed of the individual due to his
behavioural tendency and pattern.
It is this social context that an opinion is formed about the self and
relationship with the society peopled by others selves, is built. This make the
study of the self in societal relationship vital to better understand the
complexities of the individual and how well to relate with an individual
according to his temperamental composition. This places study of the
sociology of the self in the drivers seat because it opens the door of
understanding on how well the individual behaves, is perceived in the
society and how the self is treated in social relation that no man can avoid
since we are social animals with associational tendency. The mind is the
thinking part of the self and as Stets and Burke (Undated) observed, it is
covert action in which the organism points out meanings to itself and to
others. This means that sociology of the self highlights the reflective and
reflexives ability of individuals in the society to take themselves as object of
their own thought.

Scott and Gordon (2005) holds that the self evolves through
communication and symbol, thus placing the importance of language in
the discovery of the self in primed position. As individual relates with others
in the society, an opinion is formed as long as there is salience, consistency
and stability. The ability to point out meanings and to indicate them to others
and to itself is made possible by language which encapsulates meanings
symbolically.

The hallmark of this process of selfhood is reflexibility. Humans have the
ability to reflect back themselves, taking themselves as objects. They are
able to regard and evaluate themselves as well as plan accordingly to bring
about future state. In this way, Stets and Burke (Undated) conceive of
humans as processual entities that formulate and reflect within a process of
invention that is ongoing. To be clear, the responses of the self as an object
to itself come from the point of view of others to whom one interacts. By
taking the role of the other and seeing ourselves from the perspectives of
others, our responses approximate the responses of others, and the meaning
of the self becomes shared. Paradoxically therefore, as the self emerges as a
distinct object, there is at the same time, a merger of perspectives of the self
with others, thus becoming one with those one interacts. In essence, the self
can be seen as both individual and social in character as long as it engages in
societal association that culminates in a perception been formed of the
individual in the society.

Rosenberg (1979) quoted in Scott and Gordon (2005), defined the self-
concept as the totality of the individuals thoughts and feelings having
reference to himself as an object. Burke (1980) also conceived of the self
concept as the set of meanings we hold for ourselves, our inferences about
who we are, based on how others act towards us, our wishes and desires,
and our evaluations of ourselves. He also noted that the self-concept
includes not only our idealized views of who we are that changes relatively,
but our self image, views that we import into situations. This changes with
time and amenable to alteration based on situational influences. Such view
of the self, shape an individuals behavioural pattern and eventually, societal
perception.

SOCIOLOGY OF THE SELF AND ALTERNATIVE PERCEPTION
OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE SOCIETY
In stating how the sociology of the self has offered alternative views of
people in society the following points are crucial:
- The sociological approach to the study of the self-concept holds that
that the way people view themselves is a product of their conception
of not only what they think of themselves by themselves, but also
what they consider as the opinion of others as to whom they relate,
- It equally suggests that the way humans conceive of themselves
influences their interaction in society; and that it is this social
interaction that gives rise to the social structure,
- Finally, it emphasizes that the actions of humans are a reflection of
how they conceive of themselves which leads to societal perception of
them
Consequently, we can safely say that the concept of the sociology of the self
offers alternative views of people in society. This is because the behavioural
pattern of an individual, form societal perception of such an individual.
Leaning on the knowledge derivable from sociology of the self, one can
better appreciate how individual view their personality to shape their
conduct in the society. This is because the individuals act is a product of the
mix of his personal self-conception and societal perception. For example,
relying on the structural approach to the symbolic interactionist perspective,
society cannot be seen as tentatively shaped but seen as stable and durable as
reflected in the patterned regularities that characterize most human action
(Stryker, 1980). Patterns of behaviour within and between individuals have
different levels of analysis, and this is keys to understanding the link
between self and society. At one level, we can look at the patterns of
behaviour of one individual over time and come to know that individual. By
pooling several such patterns across similar individuals, we can come to
know individuals of a certain type. At still another level, we can look at the
patterns of behaviour across individuals to see how these patterns fit with the
patterns of others to create larger patterns of behaviour. It is these larger,
inter-individual patterns that constitute social structure.

As earlier noted, people act to verify that conceptions of who they are. A
scientist, for example, may act in ways that make it clear to herself as well as
others that he is careful, analytical, logical, and experimentally inclined. He
may engage in a variety of actions and interactions to convey these images.
This individual patterns of behaviour and help us understand the individual
scientist. This same pattern of behaviour may be part of a larger social
structure such that we may find for example other scientists who are equally
careful, logical, analytical and experimentally inclined. Because there is
already a behavioural pattern, the perception of the society may be entirely
different since the individuals concerned have already formed an opinion of
themselves, making it possible for the society to form a perception of them.

Individuals act but those actions exist within the context of the full set of
patterns of actions and interaction among all persons that constitute the
structure of society. Social structure do emerge from individual actions since
those actions are patterned across individuals and over time, but individual
actions also occur in the context of the social structure within which the
individuals exist. This means that the social structure is a product of the
actions of individuals which is shaped by societal conception of who an
individual is; a conception that interacts with the individuals personal self-
concept that conditions the way the individual eventually acts.

CONCLUSION
The foregoing discussion on the sociology of the self demonstrates that the
concept inadvertently offers alternative views of people in society by
acknowledging that the way an individual acts is a function of the mix
between what he thinks of himself and his conception of the views of others
about him. This ultimately leads to societal conception about the self.
Therefore, judging the actions of individuals require that we first gain
knowledge of their personal self-concept and how society thinks of him.
This to me is the crux of the sociology of the self and how it offers
alternative view to the study of people in the society.





REFERENCES
Burke, P.J. (1980). The self: Measurement Implications from a symbolic
Interactionist perspective. Social Psychology Quarterly, 43,18-29
Callero, P., (2003), The Sociology of the Self, Annual Sociology Review,
Vol 29, p115-133
Eliot, A, (2001), Concept of the Self, Cambridge, Uk, Polity
Erving, G. (1959), Presentation of Self In Everyday life, New York, Double
Anchor Books
Glddens, A (2009), Soclology, 6
th
Edltlon, Cumbrldge, Pollty Press.
Mead, G.H. (1934). Mind, self, and society, Chicago: University of Chicago
Press.
McIntyre, L,(2006), The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts In Sociology. 3
rd

Ed, New York, McGraw.
Rosenberg, M, (1979). Conceiving the Self, New York: Basic Books
Scott, J. und Gordon, M. (2005), Self, ln u Dlctlonury of
Soclology, New York, Oxford Unlverslty press.
Stets, J.E. and Burke P. J. (Undated), A sociological Approach to self and
Identity, A chapter for a book by Leary M. and Tangney J.
(eds.) titled, Handbook of self and identity, Guilford Press,
Forthcoming.
Stryker, S. (1980). Symbolic Interactionism: A Social structure version.
Menlo Park, Benjamin Cummings.