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Charles Cooley and George Herbert Mead both have theories on how individuals develop and modify their sense of self. What makes these theories DIFFERENT from one another?
Cooley's theory is more about our interactions with others; Mead's is more about our role-taking.
Cooley's theory has four distinct stages; Mead's has three distinct stages.
Cooley's theory stresses human interaction; Mead's stresses personal reflection.
Cooley's theory involves children; Mead's involves adults.

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Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Answer: "Cooley's theory is more about our interactions with others; Mead's is more about our role-taking."

Why: Cooley's looking-glass self explains the self as formed by imagining how others see and judge us and then internalizing those impressions. Mead focuses on role-taking (the preparatory, play, and game stages), the generalized other, and the interplay of the "I" and the "Me" as the mechanism by which the self develops. Both stress social interaction, but Cooley emphasizes perceived judgments of others while Mead emphasizes taking others' perspectives and internalizing social roles.