Symbolic Interactionism

Symbolic interactionism

How people create, interpret, and understand society by symbols, language, and interaction

George Herbert Mead

Created the theory of “Symbolic Interaction”. Also made an idea of “the self”.

The self

Self comes out with social interactions, there’s 2 different aspects

I, aspect 1

The spontaneous, creative, and individual aspects of a person

Me, aspect 2

Socialized aspects, shaped by societal norms and rules

Role taking

Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand their experiences

Generalized other

Internalised norms that guide your behaviour

Herbet Blumer

Gave Mead’s theory the name of “symbolic interaction”. He systemized Mead’s ideas

Blumer’s ideas

Human behaviour towards life is based off of the meanings given to objects or experiences in life

Charles Horton Cooley

Created the “looking glass self” idea, humans develop their worth based on what we believe others think about us

Looking glass self

Imagining how we look to other people. Interpreting others’ reactions to us. Making our self worth based on those interpretations

Erving Goffman

Made “dramaturgical approach”, social interactions can be compared to a theatre performance

Front stage (DA)

Public roles

Back stage (DA)

Dropping the public role for a private role

Impression management (DA)

Controlling how other people view you

Symbols/meanings

Symbols are the foundation of human connections/interactions. Meanings are socially dependent and may vary w/ context

Social construction of reality

Reality isn’t fixed; made w/ shared meanings and on-going interactions

Self/identity

Self develops w/ social interaction. People make identities based on roles played and the feedback from others

Setting (DA)

Physical/social space where interaction occurs

Props (DA)

Objects to reinforce the role played

Team performance (DA)

Major efforts made by a large group to keep an impression alive

Role taking

The ability to see yourself from another perspective. Important to know societal expectations & navigating social roles

Interaction as a process

Interaction is a dynamic, constant negociation/re-interpretation of topics

Education (APPLI IRL)

Teacher interaction w/ students help shape their academic self worth

Family (APPLI IRL)

Family roles/relationships are made with interaction over time

Religion (APPLI IRL)

Symbols/rituals get meaning w/ collective interpretation

Media (APPLI IRL)

Helps shape roles w/ social symbols and their meanings

Health/illness (APPLI IRL)

Health conditions are constructed, their meanings may vary in different cultures

Qualitative research (methods)

Emphasizes the in depth understandings of subjective experiences

Case studies (method)

Focused exploration of specific social phenomena

Grounded theory (method)

Making theories from observed patterns in qualitative data

Overemphasis on the micro level (crit of SI)

Neglects the broader structural forces that shape interactions, like economic inequality

Subjectivity (crit of SI)

Make your own interpretation; inconsistent data

Limited focus on power dynamics (crit of SI)

Underplays how power/privilege influence interactions/meanings

Simplification of reality (crit of SI)

Oversimplifies complex social processes, focuses on individual/small group interactions

Rich insights (<3 for SI)

Nuanced understanding of everyday social interactions

Focus on agency (<3 for SI)

Highlights individuals’ roles in shaping their reality

Broad applicability (<3 for SI)

Can be applied to diverse fields; education, family, healthcare..