In the psychological metaphor of the “looking-glass self,” what does the mirror symbolize ?
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Answer: B. the imagined judgments of others
Explanation
Charles Horton Cooley's looking-glass self posits that our self-concept depends on imagined perceptions from others. The mirror metaphor specifically symbolizes how we picture other people evaluating our appearance and behavior. Our emotional reactions and self-esteem are shaped directly by these imagined judgments of our social audience. Sociologist Charles Horton Cooley introduced the looking-glass self concept in his 1902 book Human Nature and the Social Order. The theory outlines a three-step process involving imagination, perception of judgment, and resulting self-feeling. Symbolic interactionism builds heavily on Cooley's insights regarding how social interaction constructs individual identity.
Option A is incorrect because the mirror represents our imagination of peer judgment rather than direct statements. Option C describes the emotional outcome resulting from the process rather than the symbolic mirror itself. Option D fails because only the imagined judgments serve as the direct symbolic mirror in Cooley's formulation.
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