Theory Sociology of human consciousness

1 theory

1.1 human consciousness reflective activity
1.2 individual consciousness
1.3 construction of selves through reflectivity

theory

the sociological approach emphasizes importance of language, collective representations, self-conceptions, , self-reflectivity. theoretical approach argues shape , feel of human consciousness heavily social, , no less true of our experiences of collective consciousness of our experiences of individual consciousness.

the theory suggests problem of consciousness can approached fruitfully beginning human group , collective phenomena: community, language, language-based communication, institutional, , cultural arrangements. collective group or population of individuals possesses or develops through communication collective representations or models of opposed them : group, community, organization, or nation contrasted other ; values , goals, structure , modes of operating, relation environment , other agents, potentialities , weaknesses, strategies , developments, , on.

a collective has capacity in collective representations , communications characterizes it, or (and how) self perceives, judges, or does, or can (and cannot) do, or should (or should not do). monitors activities, achievements , failures, , greater or lesser extent, analyzes , discusses defined , developing collective agent.

this meant self-reflectivity. such reflectivity encoded in language , developed in conversations collective selves (as discuss below, there conversations selves of individuals, defining, justifying, , stigmatizing them).

human consciousness reflective activity

human consciousness in @ least 1 major sense type of reflective activity. entails capacity observe, monitor, judge, , decide collective self. basis maintaining particular collective understood or represented; basis re-orienting , re-organizing collective self in response performance failings or profound crisis (economic, political, cultural).

collective reflectivity emerges function of group or organization producing , making use of collective representations of self in discussions, critical reflections, planning, , actions.

individual consciousness

individual consciousness normal outcome of processes of collective naming, classifying, monitoring, judging, , reflecting on individual members of group or organization. , individual in collective context learns participate in discussions , discourses themself , is, group reflections on themself, appearance, orientations , attitudes, strategies , conduct. thus, individual learns (in line george herbert mead s earlier formulations) naming , classification of themself (self-description , identity) , characterization of judgments, actions, , predispositions.

in acquiring language , conceptual framework mode of activity along experience , skills in reflective discussion develop capability of inner reflection , inner dialog themself. these characteristic features of particular type of individual consciousness . conception points socially constructed character of key properties of human mind, realized through processes of social interaction , social construction. in sum, individual self-representation, self-reference, self-reflectivity, , experiences of consciousness, derive collective experience.

construction of selves through reflectivity

self-reflectivity type of consciousness facililtates critical examination , re-construction of selves, collective individual. plays essential role in human communities (as individual beings) in face of systematic or highly risky performance failures or new types of problems. through self-reflection, agents may manage in course of directed problem-solving develop more effective institutional arrangements, instance, large-scale means of social coordination such administration, democratic association, or markets.