Symbolic Interactionism Flashcards
What is a Social Action Theory?
Conveys the way that individuals and small groups communicate and negotiate with one another.
Demonstrates how individuals interpret the social world and the components of it
Gives meanings to Objects (e.g car, phone); events (e.g marriage, graduation); behaviours (e.g angry, sympathy); and institutions (e.g law, family, economy)
It is through these interactions that shared meanings and understanding are formed.
What are universal shared meanings?
Symbols such as no smoking, disabled toilets, and fire exits are all examples of global shared meaning - this means that regardless of where you are, the symbol means the same thing.
What is the socialisation process?
Learned beahviours situated within context/culture and has a huge impact on our behaviors
Queuing - a value which is held in the UK
Forms of greeting - in the UK we shake hands, but what about in Japan?
What do objects tell us in association with Symbolic Interactionism?
Objects also hold a shared meaning
- In the UK individuals do not commonly have guns in their households
- The use of mobile phones during lectures is rude and inappropriate
What might a candle symbolise?
- Love, passion, heat, romance
- danger
- lit in times of death, signifies the light in the next world
What might a bald man symbolise?
- Dominance, authority, being in control
- tough guy image
- individuality
DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE OR THE CONTEXT, MEANINGS CAN BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
Sociological examples of differences in shared meanings
Smoking
- Medical evidence highlights the dangers of smoking VERSUS smoking is cool, projecting a positive image to peers
- For many young folks the symbolic meaning behind smoking overrules the facts regarding serious health risks s an outcome of smoking
Slavery
-At one point in history it was morally acceptable to own and use slaves VERSUS nowadays it is highly illegal and morally unacceptable to own a slave and known as a horrible trade.
Background
- George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) a key Action theorist
- His work on the social nature of the human being is called Symbolic interactionism
- SI refers to the way humans interact with each other using symbols
Language is a key symbol
Along with non-verbal communication such as body language and gestures
Using language and symbols allows us to communicate and engage in social behaviour
G.H Mead symbols
As long as we share definitions…
- This ability to use language and symbols allow us to explain our thoughts to others
- This ability to symbolise allows humans to be self-conscious - sometimes to extremes e.g pride, jealousy, embarrassment
- This ability to symbolise allows us to empathise
- We can also put ourselves in the position of others and think about how they might feel
- Links to research methods/sociology - Verstehen and sociological explanations/working environment
G.H. Mead’s Role Theory
Putting ourselves in the position of others underpins a key aspect of Mead’s approach - Role theory - By acknowledging our own roles we can acknowledge the roles of others. And see ourselves from another person point of view
- For example, think about how your tutor sees you as a student in comparison to how your friends see you.
Perception of self
-We learn our roles through: parents/carers, teachers, peer groups, workmates
- This impacts the image we have of ourselves
- If people act positively towards us then we will have a positive image of ourselves; if people are negative, this can lead to low levels of self-esteem
- If SI is right, then the society we live in, the environment we grow up in and the interactions and experiences we have are all important factors in explaining social behaviour.
Becker’s Labelling Theory
- Labelling theory, associated with Howard Becker, adds another layer to Mead’s role theory where the perception of others leads to stereotyping and stigmatization
- If people are given labels (roles associated behaviours)
- Then the way they are treated by others who apply to the label can lead to them seeing themselves in that way - and in turn, behaving in that way.
- Self-fulfilling prophecy
Strengths of Symbolic Interactionism
Good at acknowledging the role of human agency and interaction in shaping society
Good at explaining small scale social interaction between individuals and small groups
Good at explaining the meanings and motives attached to social behavior and the way it is interpreted by others
Weaknesses of Symbolic Interactionism
By focusing on micro-interaction the effect of wider social forces (structures and institutions) is overlooked
Often disregarded historical perspective or context
Overly subjective
Assumes conscious interpretation of meaning (too much emphasis on shared meaning without looking for the origins of that meanings)
