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Mead's Stages of Development

This video presents the same text shown beside it, spoken and on screen. It adds nothing the text does not say.

State

Mead described three stages: preparatory imitation, the play stage of taking one role at a time, and the game stage of holding all roles at once.

Show

A child mimics, then plays shopkeeper, then plays a team sport requiring every position in mind.

Watch for

The game stage is the arrival of the generalized other, not merely harder play.

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