Final answer:
George Herbert Mead referred to the important people from whom children learn about the self as significant others. His work is central to the symbolic interactionist approach in sociology, detailing how the mind and self are shaped by social interactions and societal roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
George Herbert Mead's Concept of Social Development
According to George Herbert Mead, children learn to take on the role of the other by modeling themselves after influential people in their lives, such as parents. Mead referred to these influential individuals as significant others. This concept plays a crucial part in the development of an individual's ability to imagine how they are perceived by others. It is through interaction with these significant others that children begin to develop a sense of 'self'. The process continues as they learn about the generalized other, which represents the common behavioral expectations of society at large.
George Herbert Mead's work is a foundation of the symbolic interactionist approach, focusing on how the mind and the self emerge from social interactions. By considering the roles of significant others and the generalized other, an individual becomes self-aware and begins to understand his or her identity within the context of larger societal structures.