Which concept emphasizes the self as shaped by social interactions?

The concept that emphasizes the self as shaped by social interactions is the "looking-glass self." This sociological theory, developed by Charles Horton Cooley, posits that an individual's self-perception is formed through the thoughts and opinions of others. Essentially, it suggests that people imagine how they appear to others, interpret those reactions, and develop a sense of self based on those interpretations.

This process involves three main components: imagining how we appear to others, imagining how they judge that appearance, and developing a self-feeling based on how we believe others view us. Thus, the looking-glass self illustrates how our understanding of ourselves is a reflection of the social environment and interactions around us. It captures the dynamic and ongoing nature of self-identity as not only an intrinsic trait but as something continuously molded by external feedback.

The other concepts, while related to social interactions and identity, do not focus specifically on how the self is formed through interpersonal reflections in the same way. Social contract theory primarily deals with the theoretical underpinnings of societal agreements and governance, role-taking focuses on understanding perspectives of others in social situations, and the generalized other refers to the common expectations and behaviors of a larger social group rather than the personal interpretation and reflection process that the looking