Describe theories of self-development

How did you develop your sense of identity, and what makes you you? While psychologists generally focus on how the mind and internal thought processes lead to the development of the self, sociologists focus their study on the role of society and social interaction in self-development. How did the environment and others shape who you are today? When, and how, did you develop a concept of right and wrong?

In this section, you’ll examine the work of Charles Cooley, George Mead, Lawrence Kohlberg and Carol Gilligan and consider what factors influence your self-identity and awareness.

What you’ll learn to do:

• Understand the difference between psychological and sociological theories of self-development
• Explain the process of moral development

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

The learning activities for this section include:

• Reading: Theories of Self-Development
• Reading: Moral Development
• Self-Check: Self-Development

Take time to review and reflect on each of these activities in order to improve your performance on the assessment for this section.