Summary
Contents
Subject index
The Eighth Edition of this classic text provides a basic introduction to the field of social psychology. Taking a critical symbolic interactionist approach, Social Psychology helps students understand the very nature of how individuals do things together in today's society. The book has been significantly revised taking into consideration a number of recent turns in the field, such as: the increased sense that American social psychology is deeply embedded in world culture; that postmodernism has much to offer the sudy of the social world; and that new theories on sexuality, identity, deviance and the body provide a fascinating viewpoint on a person within society.
The Development of Self
The Development of Self
Consistent with our symbolic interactionist orientation, we hold that any theory of socialization and interaction must ultimately consider the question of how the newborn infant becomes a self-conscious participant in the interaction process. As Miller (1996) observes, “All children grow up to be cultural beings. … Child development is thus inextricably bound to the process of orienting oneself within systems of meaning, a process known variously as ‘socialization’” (p. 183).
In this chapter we review the social conditions that give rise to the development of self in early childhood. We locate the origins of self in early childhood experiences with adult caretakers. We conclude the chapter with a discussion of various developmental theories, including those of interpersonal psychiatrist Harry ...
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