Mind, Self and Society: From the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist

Re-publication of the original edition. 'Mind, Self and Society' (1934), edited from George Herbert Mead's lectures, establishes the foundation of symbolic interactionism, arguing that the mind and self are social products emerging from communication and social processes. Mead's social behaviorism posits that human self-consciousness arises through taking the role of the other, using language/gestures, and distinguishing between the "e;I"e; (active subject) and "e;Me"e; (social self). The self is not present at birth but develops through social interaction and experiences. The "e;I"e; is the immediate, creative response of the individual, while the "e;Me"e; is the organized set of attitudes of others that the individual assumes. The individual takes on the attitudes of the entire community or social group, crucial for developing a complete self. The mind arises when individuals use significant symbols (language) to indicate things to themselves and others. Mead explains individual behavior in terms of the organized social whole, rather than building social behavior from individual parts. Mead died in 1931 and 'Mind, Self and Society' was published posthumously three years later by his students.