-- ++++Please note change of address++++ AlanC+ “suddenly it was evening” libra@netcomuk.co.uk --------------4B9D30D269A9 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; name="SELF.TXT" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="SELF.TXT" The Development of the Self One of the most important aspects of personal development is the way in which we see ourselves. As a child grows he becomes aware, through his experiences, initially within the family, and later also outside in his society, of who and what he is. This realty not only represents his present situation but also acts as a stepping-stone towards his future development. This of course includes some degree of self-regard, for as Horney, 1950 and Rogers, 1951 have indicated, unless an individual loves himself, he will feel a basic hostility towards others. Additionally it has been suggested that there are theoretical and empirical connections between low self-esteem and depression. , Mead (1934) believed that a child is born without a sense of self and that this gradually develops through experiences with parents, siblings, and others. The rôle of social interaction is central: “The self, as that which can be an object to itself, is essentially a social structure, and it arises in social experience . . . it is impossible to conceive of a self arising outside social experience.” (pp., 40) Mead introduced the idea that, over time, the child extends his view of others to form a “generalized other” (i.e., others in general, society at large) and comes to view the self as seen by this “generalized other.” He stated, “We are more or less consciously seeing ourselves as others see us.” (pp., 272) Mead believed that although the self acts differently in different settings, there is an underlying unified self. This notion is necessary if we believe in the construct of global self-esteem. Later considerations by Sullivan (1953), placed the emphasis on significant others rather than generalized others. He believed that these developments occurred long before the acquisition of language, and [301 lines left ... full text available at <url:http://www.reference.com/cgi-bin/pn/go?choice=message&table=05_1997&mid=1034868&hilit=CULTURE+FUTURE> ] -------------------------------- Article-ID: 05_1997&1070002 Score: 80 Subject: Re: How can truth be communicated? (was: Nothing But The Lie)