The Development Of The Social Self

Drawing upon the perspective of social identity theory, The Development of the Social Self is concerned with the acquisition and development of children's social identities. In contrast to previous work on self-development, which has focused primarily on the development of the personal self, this volume makes a case for the importance of the study of the social self - that is, the self as defined through group memberships, such as gender, ethnicity, and nationality. A broad range of identity-related issues are addressed, such as ingroup identification, conceptions of social identities, prejudice, and the central role of social context. Based on contributions from leading researchers in Europe, Australia and the US, the book summarises the major research programmes conducted to date. Furthermore, the closing chapters provide commentary on this research, as well as mapping out key directions for future research. With a unique focus encompassing both social and developmental psychology, The Development of the Social Self will appeal to a broad spectrum of students and researchers in both disciplines, as well as those working in related areas such as sociology and child development.

· There is no doubt that the development of the social self of individuals generally affects society and makes it exemplary and completely free of all forms of violence. · Understanding the standards of love, emotions, personality development, self-education, sharing hopes and dreams, and stress management helps a person develop socially, personally, and professionally. · This book serves as a practical guide to solving some practical problems that may hinder a person socially during his social self-development and ways to solve those problems smoothly. · The Author, a legal researcher in social psychology, believes that developing the social self would influence the behavior of individuals in society for the better and From this standpoint, he wrote this book .

How does his social environment change an individual, and why do these changes occur? Can social institutions be shaped and molded profoundly enough to afford each member of a society his maximum potential for happiness, effective functioning, and complete development? In this new work a distinguished psychologist evolves a theory of personality and society designed to help guide the work of institutions responsible for individual growth and development. Drawing on his vast experience--as an educator, a prison psychologist, a practicing psychoanalyst, and as the director of major studies in child development, personality assessment, the social psychology of higher education, and alcoholism and related problems--Professor Sanford has designed a developmental model intended to guide work in institutions which mold the individual: from family through schools, colleges, child guidance clinics, and mental hospitals. With exceptional lucidity, he examines the central issues in furthering desirable change through intervention in individual and group processes. He achieves notable advances in integrating personality theory and sociological theory: he joins psychoanalytic "ego psychologists" and other personality theorists in developing a dynamic-organismic theory broader than that of classical psychoanalysis and more in keeping with contemporary social theory. The author's clear style and firm grasp of his subject add further to the significance of Self and Society. It will be a stimulating textbook in social psychology, personality, and culture, and personality, and will make indispensable reading for behavioral scientists, psychiatrists, and educators, as well as for all professionals who work to promote mental health, education and social welfare. Nevitt Sanford (1909-1995) was professor of psychology and education at Stanford University and director of the Institute for the Study of Human Problems. After leaving Stanford in 1968, he founded the Wright Institute. He has been president of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, and president of the Division of Personality and Social Psychology of the American Psychological Association. He has been author or coauthor of close to 200 scholarly journals as well as more than a dozen books.

What is the nature of the 'self', how do everyday experiences shape it, and how does it influence our thinking, judgements and behaviors? Such questions constitute enduring puzzles in psychology, and are also of critical practical importance for applied domains such as clinical, counseling, educational and organizational psychology. In this book a select group of eminent international researchers survey the most recent advances in research of the self. In particular, they discuss the influence of cognitive and intra-psychic processes (Part 1), interpersonal and relational variables (Part 2), and inter-group phenomena on the self (Part 3).

Leading theoreticians and researchers present current thinking about the role played by group memberships in people's sense of who they are and what they are worth. The chapters build on the assumption, developed out of social identity theory, that people create a social self that both defines them and shapes their attitudes and behaviors. The authors address new developments in the theoretical frameworks through which we understand the social self, recent research on the nature of the social self, and recent findings about the influence of social context upon the development and maintenance of the social self.

The Social Self is a multifaceted analysis of the self concept based on the social nature of the self. The emphasis is on self-esteem along with self-centrality, self-complexity, social interest, identification, power, marginality, openness, and majority identification. The book relies on an approach based upon non-verbal measures of the self concept and in which the individual is asked to locate himself in relation to a field of significant others, represented in a variety of geometric arrangements using symbols of the self and others. Comprised of nine chapters, this book begins with a description of some of the basic components of the self system including self-esteem, social interest, and marginality. The discussion moves toward more complex analyses including the alienation syndrome and the political personality involving two or more of the components of the social self. The next section focuses on the development of the self concept and examines such variables as socioeconomic background and the history of geographic mobility of the child. A theory of self-other orientation is also considered, along with a helical theory of personal change. This monograph is intended for students of social psychology, personality, sociology, and education who are interested in the self concept, its measurement, and theoretical considerations.

Much discussion in recent years has centred on the status of the self, identity and subjectivity in the light of powerful arguments about the social origins of personhood. The Social Self presents many dimensions of the debate, spanning psychology, philosophy, politics and feminist theory, and provides a critical overview of the key themes involved. The internationally renowned contributors examine the senses in which we are `social selves' whose very identities are intimately bound up with the communities and cultures in which we live. Drawing on Wittgenstein, Marx, Foucault, Bakhtin, Gilligan and MacIntyre, among others, the chapters show the diversity of influences that have shaped this exciting and controversial

This innovative text sheds light on how people work -- why they sometimes function well and, at other times, behave in ways that are self-defeating or destructive. The author presents her groundbreaking research on adaptive and maladaptive cognitive-motivational patterns and shows: * How these patterns originate in people's self-theories * Their consequences for the person -- for achievement, social relationships, and emotional well-being * Their consequences for society, from issues of human potential to stereotyping and intergroup relations * The experiences that create them This outstanding text is a must-read for researchers in social psychology, child development, and education, and is appropriate for both graduate and senior undergraduate students in these areas.