Which term describes the process of self-development through social reflection?

• A. Looking glass self
• B. Socialization
• C. Anomie
• D. Cultural capital

Answer: (A)

Self-concept through social feedback describes how people develop their sense of self by imagining how others see them, interpreting those imagined judgments, and feeling pride or shame accordingly. This process, known as the looking-glass self, comes from Charles Horton Cooley and highlights that who we think we are is shaped by social reflection rather than just internal feelings or fixed norms. The other terms refer to broader ideas: socialization is the long process of internalizing a culture’s norms and roles; anomie is a state of normlessness or disintegration; cultural capital concerns the non-financial assets that help someone move within social hierarchies. Because the question focuses on self-development arising from social reflection, the looking-glass self is the best fit.