Symbolic Interactionism: Impression Management, Social Definitions, and Communication
Impression Management
Definition: The technique of managing the impressions one is giving off and interpreting the impressions one is receiving from others.
Core Concept in Symbolic Interactionism: Individuals constantly pay attention to the impressions they create for others.
Two Parts of Impressions:
The information itself.
How one interprets the information.
Types of Information (Communication)
Type One: Verbal Information
Nature: Usually intentional and direct.
Traditional Method: The primary way humans traditionally communicate (e.g., talking).
Assumption: Most verbal communication is intentional.
Type Two: Nonverbal Information
Nature: Often unintentional, but still communicates meaning.
Examples:
Appearance: Clothes worn.
Body Language: How one carries oneself, movements made.
Paralinguistics (Nonverbal Parts of Speech): Speed of talking, vocal pitch (up/down), loudness, softness, whispering. These elements communicate meaning beyond the words themselves.
Sprezzatura
Origin: An Italian term from the Renaissance.
Meaning: The art of appearing effortless, not trying too hard. It involves deliberately making minor imperfections to avoid looking too perfect or contrived.
Application: For example, a slightly crooked tie or tussled hair, making an outfit seem more natural and less forced.
Verbal and Nonverbal Status Signaling (Mafia Example)
Context: Old-school mafia used complex systems of status signaling in social settings.
Nonverbal Hierarchy (Ascending Order of Status):
Smile and wave.
Brief vocal greeting (e.g., "Hey, how you doing?").
Brief handshake (sometimes accompanied by giving a 20 bill).
Handshake and full arm embrace, with a slap on the back.
Hug and kiss on both cheeks: Signifies a "made guy" or top-level member of the mafia.
Verbal Signaling: Subtle use of pronouns to indicate insider status.
"He's a friend of ours": Indicates the person is a member of the group.
"He's a friend of mine": Indicates the person is not a member of the group, allowing others to speak freely or filter information.
Definition of the Situation & Thomas Theorem
Definition of the Situation (Sociological Term): The interpretation of the immediate set of circumstances within which social interaction takes place. It's a shared understanding of what's happening (e.g., a lecture class).
Thomas Theorem (W.I. Thomas):
Statement: "If people define situations as real, then they are real in their consequences."
Significance: Consequences stem from how situations are defined, not necessarily from objective reality. Shared definitions lead to predictable behaviors (e.g., defining a classroom as a "lecture class" leads to specific student-teacher interactions).
Connection to Relativism: This theorem is sometimes misinterpreted as pure relativism, but it emphasizes that social definitions have tangible impacts, not that truth itself is nonexistent.
Consistency and Cultural Differences in Communication
Need for Consistency: People desire consistent definitions of situations to understand how to act and what to expect.
Cross-Cultural Communication Example (South India):
Behavior: A side-to-side head wobble, which in India means "yes" or acknowledgement ("uh-huh").
Mishap: To Westerners, this gesture can be misinterpreted as "no" or disagreement, causing disconcertion due to inconsistent definitions.
Interviewer Training: Professional interviewers are trained to avoid verbal affirmations ("uh-huh," "right") to prevent talking over interviewees, instead using nonverbal cues like eye contact and nodding to show interest.
Job Interviews: Assess nonverbal behavior while waiting and during the interview, as these cues contribute to the definition of the candidate's character.
Learning to Get High (Howard Becker Study)
Research: Howard Becker's famous study examined how people learn to get high on marijuana.
Counterintuitive Finding: Getting high is not solely a physiological response; it is a learned social process.
Process: Individuals learn to interpret their bodily sensations as "being high" by observing and interacting with others who are also getting high (e.g., observing giggling, desire for snacks). Initial experiences may not produce the desired effect until the social interpretation is learned.
Relationship Termination Norms (Cultural Lag)
Changing Landscape: New technologies (texting, social media) provide new possibilities for relationship termination.
Cultural Lag: There's a mismatch between available technological options and established social norms for how to politely end relationships.
Current Norms:
"Ghosting" (No Response): Widely practiced, but generally not considered civil or polite.
Face-to-Face: Often considered the most personal and respectful option, allowing for explanation.
Phone/Social Messaging: Other common possibilities.
Combination: Sometimes, a layered approach is preferred.
Challenge: People are unsure how to navigate these options without violating unestablished or evolving social rules.
Working Consensus
Definition: A superficial or surface-level agreement that allows individuals, especially strangers, to interact securely and move forward.
Purpose: Enables smooth social interaction by creating a temporary, accepted understanding of the situation, even if not fully explored or agreed upon deeply.
Mechanisms:
Small Talk: Topics like weather or sports serve as "safe" conversation starters, signaling normalcy and trustworthiness without requiring deep engagement.
Cultural Differences in Small Talk: Some Europeans observe Americans as tending to move too quickly from small talk to personal disclosures ("oversharing"), compared to cultures that can sustain superficial conversations for longer.
Working Consensus about the Self:
Principle: It is considered impolite to dispute a person's claims about who they are (e.g., their profession, identity).
Implication: In social interactions, people generally accept others' self-claims without demanding detailed evidence or open contradiction.
Summary of Symbolic Interactionism
Central Focus: How individuals define reality and make sense of the world.
Methodology: Often involves observation or asking questions to understand this interpretive process.
Learning Meanings: As individuals interact beyond their immediate family (in work, education), they learn the shared meanings attached to situations, objects (cultural or technological), and symbols.
Everyday Situations: Symbolic interactionism excels at analyzing micro-level, everyday interactions rather than grand generalizations.
Critique of Generalizations: Caution against broad, unsupported claims (e.g., "intuition is scientifically proven to be right 90\% of the time"), as context matters significantly.
Authenticity vs. Flexibility
Challenging the Notion of a "Real Self": Symbolic interactionism suggests that there isn't one fixed, authentic "real self" that must be maintained.
Alternative View: The "real self" is the sum of an individual's behaviors across all the various situations they encounter.
Implication: Being flexible and adaptable, acting the part required by each situation, can be more beneficial than rigidly adhering to a notion of authenticity, which can be restricting.
Note: Flexibility does not equate to dishonesty or deception.
Short Assignment Instructions (Due Thursday)
Task: Record a short conversation (audio only is fine).
Technical Details: Use a phone voice memo or other recording device. Video feed is not required.
Submission Format: Transcribe approximately half a page (around eight lines, back and forth) of the conversation. Submit as a Word document or similar typed format.
Content: Any casual conversation with a friend is acceptable, but avoid overly personal topics or long monologues from one person; focus on back-and-forth dialogue.
Purpose: The transcription will be used for in-class analysis.