What is George Herbert Mead meaning of the self?

George Herbert Mead believed that one acquired a sense of 'self' through taking the role of the "other", basically putting ourselves in another person's position. He believed this occurred in three stages: the Play, the Game, and the Generalized Other.

Play can be described as two kids playing a game of catch. In this situation, it only works out if you know what the other person expects. One must imagine other interactions which require taking someone else's perspective. For example, if you are throwing a ball at someone who has no idea what you are doing, then things are not going to end well.

The game is like catch versus Baseball. There are more people, more rules, and you must coordinate your actions with others. In doing this, you are taking into account the expectations for appropriate behavior, which may differ depending ont he role or situation. Without being able to realize these expectations, playing the game is frustrating and confusing.

The third and final stage according to Mead is the Generalized Other, where one must take the role of society. This is far more complex than the other two, because it require staking the role of an abstract concept rather than a person. From this stage we learn to interact in new settings and to understand what is generally expected in a group of people. Oftentimes it is these generalized assumptions which we fall back on in new situations, such as when experiencing cultureshock.

It is important, too, to note that Mead did not believe that these made society predictable, but did make it possible.