According to George Herbert Mead, as children progress beyond the game stage, they develop a more comprehensive understanding of societal rules and norms. This cognitive and social development enables them to internalize the expectations of the broader community, refining their ability to regulate behavior.
Consistent participation in organized activities is crucial in helping children recognize that their actions are not isolated but contribute to a more significant, interconnected group effort. Through these experiences, they cultivate what is known as "the generalized other." This concept involves developing an awareness of the shared attitudes and expectations within organized groups. When children think about a group's expectations for them, they begin to take on the role of the generalized other. Their actions increasingly reflect the viewpoint of the generalized other, allowing them to exercise self-discipline and resist impulsive tendencies or external pressures. For example, children learn to raise their hands before speaking in the classroom and regulate their behavior, which helps them resist impulsive urges like shouting out answers.
In addition, children incorporate these shared societal attitudes into their self-concepts, shaping their identities based on collective norms and values. A child who is encouraged to speak up at home but is silenced in class may struggle to know when to speak.
Response misinterpretation can arise from limited role-taking abilities, leading to inaccurate assessments of how others form impressions. Inconsistent or contradictory feedback further complicates the development of self-concept. Reflected appraisals that conflict with existing self-views or personal experiences are often met with resistance.
For instance, being labeled negatively by peers may be rejected if the label contradicts a previously formed self-image. A specific memory of a courageous act, such as standing up for someone else, may reinforce a belief in that trait, reducing the influence of opposing social feedback. This shows how direct experience can protect against the impact of conflicting evaluations from others.
George Herbert Mead proposed that children develop a deeper understanding of societal rules and norms as they move beyond the game stage.
Repeated participation in organized activities, such as those of a school or sports team, helps children recognize that their actions contribute to a larger, interdependent group.
Through this experience, children develop "the generalized other"—an awareness of the shared attitudes and expectations within organized groups.
As children consider what the group expects of them, they adopt the role of the generalized other, such as raising their hands before speaking in the classroom and regulating their behavior, which helps them resist impulsive urges like shouting out answers.
Children incorporate shared attitudes into their self-concepts but may misinterpret contradictory views. For example, a child who is encouraged to speak up at home but is silenced in class may struggle to know when to speak.
Likewise, when new perspectives contradict their self-concepts or experiences, children may resist accepting them, such as a boy rejecting being called weak by recalling a time he stood up for a friend to show courage.
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