Generalized Other as a Sociological Concept Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

The generalized other is a concept generated to educate people that as much as they are taking care of themselves, they ought to mind others and do right by them. Mead argued that the concept represents a collection of attitudes and roles used by people as a reference for figuring out how to act in a specific situation (Ritzer & Stepnisky, 2018). Therefore, when individuals behave according to the expectations of others, they are taking the concept of generalized other. According to Beeman (2020), as people grow during life stages, they continue to know each other and eventually start being concerned about others. In the explanation of the stages of life, people in their early-stage focus on the ‘I’ aspect because they have not yet developed an interest in others. Also, they are not aware of how they look at this stage. However, when growing up, they start focusing on the self. On the contrary, as they become aware of the self, they also acknowledge their behavior to society hence acting while considering the judgment of others.

One of the major roles of mass media to individuals’ growth is giving them a platform to interact and share ideas. In interaction, individuals get to form relationships with each other get attention and affection. This helps people build confidence in themselves hence acquiring high self-esteem. As such, individuals will start recognizing their worth and appreciate themselves. Based on the concept of generalized other, individuals tend to look for affirmation from the society using the media. They feel approved and wanted from this affirmation, thus building their confidence in how they look. Social media also has much information that can build self. For instance, education knowledge can help one to feel important after learning. It gives people confidence and the ability to recognize their potential.

References

Beeman, P. A. (2020). Lecture on mead: I, me, and generalized other [Video File]. YouTube. Web.

Ritzer, G., & Stepnisky, J. (2018). Classical sociological theory (7th ed.). SAGE.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2023, January 4). Generalized Other as a Sociological Concept. https://ivypanda.com/essays/generalized-other-as-a-sociological-concept/

Work Cited

"Generalized Other as a Sociological Concept." IvyPanda, 4 Jan. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/generalized-other-as-a-sociological-concept/.

References

IvyPanda. (2023) 'Generalized Other as a Sociological Concept'. 4 January.

References

IvyPanda. 2023. "Generalized Other as a Sociological Concept." January 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/generalized-other-as-a-sociological-concept/.

1. IvyPanda. "Generalized Other as a Sociological Concept." January 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/generalized-other-as-a-sociological-concept/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Generalized Other as a Sociological Concept." January 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/generalized-other-as-a-sociological-concept/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1