Answer :
Final answer:
Our social behavior is shaped by situational influences, social roles, norms, the process of self-development, and how we are perceived by others. Symbolic interactionism, specifically the 'looking glass self', plays a significant role in shaping self-awareness and identity. Prosocial behavior is a positive outcome of these social interactions.
Explanation:
Myers points out that our social behavior is shaped by a multitude of factors, including situational influences, social roles, social norms, and scripts. These elements contribute to how we perceive and interact with the world around us. Additionally, symbolic interactionism stresses the importance of social interactions in the development of the self, where individuals gain self-awareness by viewing themselves through the eyes of others. This perspective is supported by scholars such as George Herbert Mead, who theorized on the development of the self through this process of taking the role of the other, leading to the concept of the 'looking glass self' as described by Charles Cooley.
Prosocial behavior and altruism are also key components studied within social psychology, focusing on the positive aspects of social interaction, such as what causes individuals to form relationships and help each other. The interplay between our environment, including cultural and social factors, and our biological traits is a persistent theme in the debate of nature versus nurture, with both aspects contributing to who we are as individuals.
