Looking glass self

The looking-glass self is a social psychological concept introduced by Charles Horton Cooley in 1902 (McIntyre 2006). The concept of the looking-glass self describes the development of one's self and of one's identity through one's interpersonal interactions within the context of society. Cooley clarified that society is an interweaving and inter-working of mental selves. The term "looking glass self" was coined by Cooley in his work, Human Nature and the Social Order in 1902.

The looking-glass self has three major components and is unique to humans (Shaffer 2005). According to Lisa McIntyre’s The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts in Sociology, the concept of the looking-glass self expresses the tendency for one to understand oneself through their own understanding of the perception which others may hold of them. This process is theorized to develop one's sense of identity. Therefore identity, or self, is the result of learning to see ourselves as others do (Yeung & Martin 2003).

The looking-glass self begins at an early age, continuing throughout the entirety of one's life as one will never stop modifying their self unless all social interactions are ceased. Some sociologists believe that the effects of the looking-glass self wane as one ages. Others note that few studies have been conducted with a large number of subjects in natural settings.

In hypothesizing the framework for the looking glass self, Cooley stated, "the mind is mental" because "the human mind is social." From the time they are born, humans define themselves within the context of their social interactions. The child learns that the symbol of his/her crying will elicit a response from his/her caregivers, not only when they are in need of necessities such as food or a diaper change, but is also a symbol that signals to caregivers that the child is in need of attention. Schubert references in Cooley's On Self and Social Organization, "a growing solidarity between mother and child parallels the child's increasing competence in using significant symbols. This simultaneous development is itself a necessary prerequisite for the child's ability to adopt the perspectives of other participants in social relationships and, thus, for the child's capacity to develop a social self."

George Herbert Mead described the creation of the self as the outcome of "taking the role of the other," the premise for which the self is actualized. Through interaction with others, we begin to develop an identity of our own as well as developing a capacity to empathize with others. As stated by Cooley, "The thing that moves us to pride or shame is not the mere mechanical reflection of ourselves, but an imputed sentiment, the imagined effect of this reflection upon another's mind." (Cooley 1964)

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