Wk 13.3 Looking-Glass Self

The concept of the looking-glass self is vital in understanding the construction and development of self. One’s self-concept is built upon learning about oneself through one’s interpersonal relationships, especially within interactions with those others who may “appraise” that person, which forms who one is: good characteristics, bad faults, where one fits into society. When someone gives a comment to a person about an aspect of that person, one would tend to begin take notice about that aspect and react accordingly. As Trenholm notes, this begins a cyclical process as one’s response triggers additional reactions from others, which may reinforce the idea that one is this, thus building up one’s self-concept. Parents may tell their children that they are smart, or that they are pretty or give them complements about a certain aspect, and from this positive reactions and given attention, these children may play up these characteristics and within this cyclical process, gradually enforce that particular aspect of themselves within their self-concept. The concept of the looking-glass self is interesting because just as one gains knowledge and understanding of the world through learning, especially from our important others and society, one also learns who one is through interactions within one’s interpersonal relationships.