mead

Question 1

Who is George Herbert Mead?

Answer 1

A pioneer of the symbolic interactionist school of sociological thought.

Question 2

What is Mead’s theory primarily focused on?

Answer 2

The emergence of self and mind through social interaction.

Question 3

Define Symbolic Interactionism.

Answer 3

A sociological perspective that understands human behavior through symbols, language, and interactions.

Question 4

What is the ‘Problem of the Self’ according to Mead?

Answer 4

How individuals come to see themselves as objects and become self-aware.

Question 5

What is a gesture in Mead’s theory?

Answer 5

A symbolic movement that elicits a response in another.

Question 6

How does Mead define a human being?

Answer 6

A social, symbolic, reflexive, and communicative creature.

Question 7

What philosophical influence did Utilitarianism have on Mead?

Answer 7

It emphasizes intentionality and meaning rather than just utility.

Question 8

What does Pragmatism emphasize in Mead’s theory?

Answer 8

Truth is found in practical consequences and knowledge comes from experience.

Question 9

What is Social Behaviorism?

Answer 9

Mead’s version of behaviorism focused on social acts that create meaning.

Question 10

What is ‘Infrahuman Behavior’?

Answer 10

Basic non-symbolic behavior found in animals or infants responding to gestures.

Question 11

Define Significant Symbols.

Answer 11

Gestures that mean the same thing to both sender and receiver.

Question 12

What is the ‘Generalized Other’?

Answer 12

The collective viewpoint of society that we internalize.

Question 13

What does Reflexivity mean in Mead’s theory?

Answer 13

The ability to turn attention back onto oneself and reflect on one’s own behavior.

Question 14

What are the ‘I’ and the ‘Me’ in Mead’s dialectic of the self?

Answer 14

• The ‘Me’: internalized expectations of others.
• The ‘I’: spontaneous, unpredictable response.

Question 15

What are the stages of Self Emergence according to Mead?

Answer 15

• Preparatory Stage: infant mimics others.
• Play Stage: child takes role of specific others.
• Game Stage: child understands roles in organized activities.

Question 16

What is the Triadic Matrix?

Answer 16

The minimal unit of social interaction: gesture made, other responds, initial actor adjusts behavior.

Question 17

What is Mead’s major work?

Answer 17

Mind, Self, and Society.

Question 18

What is the main concern of Mead’s theory of the self?

Answer 18

Understanding the self as a social being without reducing it to individual psychology or social determinism.

Question 19

What does Mead’s dialectical theory propose?

Answer 19

Society depends on individual action but also acts back upon individuals.

Question 20

What is the influence of Darwinism on Mead’s theory?

Answer 20

Emphasizes that humans adapt to their environments through symbolic behavior.

Question 21

How does Mead’s view differ from traditional behaviorism?

Answer 21

Mead includes both overt and covert behaviors, accounting for thought and reflection.

Question 22

What role do symbols play in Mead’s theory?

Answer 22

Symbols are shared resources that help coordinate interactions.

Question 23

True or False: Mead believed that self-awareness is innate.

Answer 23

False.

Question 24

Fill in the blank: The mind is a tool for _______.

Answer 24

navigating social situations.

Question 25

Who is George Herbert Mead?

Answer 25

An influential sociologist known for his work on social behaviorism and symbolic interactionism. ## Footnote Mead's theories bridge the gap between self and society through social acts and interactions.

Question 26

What are the four major books attributed to Mead?

Answer 26

1. Mind, Self, and Society (1934) 2. The Philosophy of the Act 3. The Social Self 4. Movements of Thought in the Nineteenth Century ## Footnote These works were compiled posthumously from his lecture notes.

Question 27

What is traditional behaviorism?

Answer 27

A psychological approach that generalizes across all animals, focusing on observable stimulus-response patterns. ## Footnote Exemplified by Watson, it treats human behavior as infra-human.

Question 28

What distinguishes Mead's social behaviorism from traditional behaviorism?

Answer 28

It emphasizes the social act and incorporates both overt and covert behavior, recognizing the imaginative and cognitive aspects of humans. ## Footnote Mead's approach focuses on the uniquely human capacity for social interaction.

Question 29

What are the three core levels of analysis in Mead's social psychology?

Answer 29

1. Mind 2. Self 3. Society ## Footnote These elements are interrelated and essential for understanding social behavior.

Question 30

How does Mead differentiate human behavior from that of insects and animals?

Answer 30

Human behavior is intentional and strategic, involving reflexivity and the reading of intentions, unlike fixed physiological responses in animals. ## Footnote This distinction highlights the complexity of human social interactions.

Question 31

What is reflexivity in Mead's theory?

Answer 31

The ability to interpret gestures and engage in symbolic interaction, allowing individuals to respond creatively rather than mechanically. ## Footnote This process is essential for meaningful social interaction.

Question 32

What is role taking?

Answer 32

The ability to imagine oneself in another's role and anticipate their responses, facilitating coordinated social behavior. ## Footnote It allows for stability and predictability in interactions.

Question 33

True or False: Mead believed that human behavior could be reduced to mere stimulus-response mechanisms.

Answer 33

False ## Footnote Mead rejected the reduction of human behavior to simple mechanics, focusing instead on reflective and imaginative processes.

Question 34

What is the significance of significant symbols in Mead's theory?

Answer 34

They enable shared meanings and facilitate social interaction, allowing individuals to coordinate behaviors symbolically. ## Footnote Examples include language and gestures that carry common meanings.

Question 35

Fill in the blank: Society, self, and mind are _______ in Mead's social theory.

Answer 35

interconnected ## Footnote They co-constitute each other, forming a dynamic relationship.

Question 36

What are the three stages of the self's development according to Mead?

Answer 36

1. Preparatory Stage 2. Play Stage 3. Game Stage ## Footnote These stages reflect increasing complexity and reflexivity in the formation of the self.

Question 37

What do the 'I' and 'Me' represent in Mead's theory?

Answer 37

'I' represents spontaneity and creativity, while 'Me' represents the regulatory and reflective aspects of the self. ## Footnote This dialectical relationship is crucial for self-regulation and social behavior.

Question 38

How does Mead define the mind?

Answer 38

The mind is a social process involving internal conversations based on internalized gestures, not merely cognitive functions. ## Footnote It emerges through social interaction, particularly via language.

Question 39

What is the triadic matrix in Mead's theory?

Answer 39

A process where one organism emits a gesture, another responds, and the first organism adjusts its behavior accordingly. ## Footnote This illustrates the dynamic nature of social interactions.

Question 40

What role does language play in Mead's conception of the mind?

Answer 40

Language is essential for the emergence of the mind, enabling symbolic manipulation and adaptation to social environments. ## Footnote Without language, the capacity for reflective thought and social interaction is limited.

Question 41

What is symbolic interactionism?

Answer 41

A framework that locates the self and mind in social acts, emphasizing the role of symbols in human interaction. ## Footnote Mead's theory is foundational to this sociological perspective.

Question 42

What does Mead suggest about the nature of society?

Answer 42

Society is a complex set of meanings that dictate expectations for behavior and is reproduced through interaction and context. ## Footnote It is not a fixed structure but a dynamic process.

Question 43

How does Mead's view of society differ from that of Durkheim?

Answer 43

Mead focuses on internal processes forming bonds and attachments, while Durkheim sees society as external and existing as social facts. ## Footnote Mead emphasizes the role of individual interactions in shaping society.

Question 44

In what way does Mead's theory reflect optimism about human agency?

Answer 44

Mead emphasizes a dynamic self that is less determined by social structure, highlighting individual creativity and agency. ## Footnote This contrasts with views of social atomization and egoism in modernity.

Question 45

What is the dialectical relationship between self and mind?

Answer 45

You cannot have a self without a mind, and vice versa; they emerge and interact through social acts. ## Footnote This relationship is fundamental to understanding Mead's psychological framework.

Question 46

What is the first step in the development of the self?

Answer 46

Emerges through social interaction and role-play ## Footnote This process allows individuals to develop reflective awareness and adapt to their social environment.

Question 47

What forms the Triadic Dialectic?

Answer 47

Mind, Self, and Society ## Footnote This concept highlights the interdependence of these three elements, indicating that society cannot exist without mind and self, and vice versa.

Question 48

What is the nature of the relationship between mind, self, and society?

Answer 48

Circular relationship; no cause or effect ## Footnote Each element depends on the others, illustrating a form of central correlationism.

Question 49

What does the Triadic Dialectic describe?

Answer 49

How parts of society sustain each other ## Footnote It emphasizes the interconnectedness of social elements rather than a theory of origins.

Question 50

What philosophical approach does Mead represent?

Answer 50

Pragmatism ## Footnote This perspective begins analysis with a fully-formed society.

Question 51

What type of theory does Mead offer?

Answer 51

Snapshot theory ## Footnote It describes how individuals operate within society rather than focusing on grand theories.

Question 52

What is a critique of Mead's theory?

Answer 52

Doesn’t fully explain how society itself emerges ## Footnote Critics argue it can be seen as incomplete due to the lack of a macro-theoretical framework.

Question 53

What does Mead focus on in his analysis?

Answer 53

Micro-processes of socialization and interaction ## Footnote This focus contrasts with the approaches of theorists like Marx, Durkheim, or Weber.

Question 54

What is the conclusion of Mead’s work?

Answer 54

A theory of social development, not social origins ## Footnote It emphasizes that mind and self are created through social acts, rather than being innate or biological.

Question 55

What framework does Mead offer?

Answer 55

Flexible framework ## Footnote His ideas can complement broader theories without requiring exclusive adherence to any single framework.

Question 56

Fill in the blank: Mead's work shows that mind and self are created through _______.

Answer 56

social acts ## Footnote This highlights the importance of social interaction in personal development.