A Social Behaviorist Interpretation of the Meadian "I"'

The concept "I" in George Herbert Mead's theory of social self has been an object of considerable discussion and dispute. This paper argues that the two most common interpretations of the Meadian "I" misconsture Mead's intent by failing to place the concept within the context of Mead's philosophy of social behaviorism. Consequently, these interpreters have critized positions that are attributed to Mead but which he did not propose. The social behaviorist interpretation of the "I" is more consistent with the textual evidence. By extending and slightly reformulating Mead's theory, the latter part of the paper aims to show that the social behaviorist interpretation is also more theoretically fertile and methodologically applicable.