Question

George Herbert Mead argued that the self develops through interactions with others. Do you think that your personality or self developed through your interactions with others (parents, friends, teachers) or was it something that you were born with? Give an example from your life to support your view.

Answer 1

G. Herbert Mead argues that personality is developed through activities that involve communication and social interaction.

He uses the concept of "play" and "game". As a baby observes from others, first with parents, he is in the "play" phase. This is in the early stages of development. Later on when a young is playing "to be a mother" for a doll, for example, the girl is learning how this is related to the general socio-economical structure. She learns the rules and the implications that are taken in such a role.

When this process is completed, the "game" is when the girl can imagine at the same time different roles in different situations for different people involved. For example she at the same time, sees the role of being a daughter, a mother, a nurse, etc.. The girl or the boy is already able to understand the feelings and toughts of the other participants.

Basically he states that interactions constitute the base, the key for forming what he understand as "the self". This self is the essence of an individual personality. He later develops "the significant other"  thesis where he focuses in comprehnsion between "self" and "other(s)." Being able to see, read feelings from others in order to interact is the cornerstone of his work.