Professor George Mead from the University of Chicago taught philosophy and was a social constructionist. Symbolic Interactionism is a theory proposed by a man named Georger Herbert Mead, a philosopher at the University of Chicago in the early twientieth century. Cooley was intrigued by the idea of “self” and how this sense of “self” is developed throughout life and which factors contribute to that development. His concept of the “generalized other” can be explained as an individual being able to see himself and gaining self-consciousness of herself from the perspective of the “generalized other,” meaning the organized social group the belong to. Thus, our language is made up of symbols: letters, words, and phrases that are representative of the meanings we assign them. How about receiving a customized one? Language: Meaning arises out of the social interaction that people have with each other. Herbert Blumer was actually a student of Mead, and he expanded on Mead’s discussion of the self in relation to social behavior. Males at a young age have been raised to be tough and show less sensitivity compared to women. Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/symbolic-interactionism-essay, Type: Mahwah. Without this interactions, the individuals belonging to a dominant group would not hold any racial views (Trevino et al1990). These terms, concepts and theories include the social construction of reality, sociological perspective, observational research, operational definition and debunking. Although, there is much more to this theory than that. Gingrich, Paul. Now whether or not others that are not in their society agree with these rules, this is what works for that particular group and how social order is maintained. “Sociology 319 .” Symbolic Interactionism (2001). Symbolic interaction consists of three parts: meaning; language, the symbols through … Symbolic interaction Theory and family provides an individual with the symbolic guidelines of norms and values that can be applied to the outside world. A symbol is defined as a stimulus that has a learned meaning and value for people. Well, according to symbolic interactionism, nothing in his behavior indicated that he had a positive response to you, which in turn made you define yourself, in that moment, negatively. This theory consists of how people associate with one another using specific symbols like hand gestures. After his death in 1934, his students compiled his work and published a book called Mind, Self, and Society in his name. One of his most devout students, Herbert Blumer… To put this component of the theory in perspective, consider this: It’s your first day of high school. Symbolic Interactionism. 4.7 Among other characteristics, theories that bear the hallmark of the SI perspective typically devote attention to micro-level social dynamics & the micropolitics of everyday interaction. According to symbolic interactionism, you feel confident in this scenario (at least in that moment) because his smile was warm and genuine, he looked you in the eye, and you felt that his response to you was accepting. So you, in turn, defined yourself in a positive way in this moment. But why? Taking the example of the selfie today, we can say that "I" take a selfie and share it in order to make "me" available to the world. Symbolic interaction theory defines gender by social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. Some of the interactionists argue that race is not a cause of racism but symbols of race. For instance, in American culture it is considered respectful to make eye contact while engaging in conversation. The interactions contribute to the abstract picture of some subordinate groups which gives the dominant group a mandate to support its views of the given subordinate group. How this society functions, and how it is maintained go hand in hand with each other. One of the most fundamental aspects of Symbolic Interactionism is that without social interaction, meanings are virtually unattainable. They sometimes hope to influence others to partake in their society and their norms. In this particular sub group, society functions in their own ways have their own rules, and roles. It is only when people understand and use a common language, whether it is words, gestures, or roles, that social life and communication is possible. However, symbolic interaction showcases that America is more of a “fruit salad,” a mixture of different cultures and sub-cultures that learn to co-exist within one another. An example is youths behaving in a bad behavior might be seen as being delinquent as long as they come from poor background while those originating from upper class families might be seen as good kids who are just exploring their lives. They may also feel like the outside society is dysfunctional and chaotic. Blumer, Herbert (1969). Symbolic interactionists describe “thinking” as an inner conversation by use of the word. He stops typing, turns his chair to face you, and remarks, ‘Okay, I’ve got a conference call in fifteen minutes so we’ll have to make this quick.’ Still feeling confident? Symbolic Interaction theorist would say today’s family is a great example of their theory. It suggests that people act and behave towards the other people and things based upon the meaning that they have given to them. Mead also found that the “self” is made up of two separate sides, the “I” and “me,” “The ‘me’ represents the expectations and attitudes of the ‘generalized other’.” Conversely, “The ‘I’ is the response to the ‘me,’ or the person’s individuality” (Crossman). The self breaks down into two processes or phases that take place in any human interaction: Along with his friend Mead, Charles H. Cooley helped originate symbolic interaction theory. Quite the contrary when applied to Japanese culture, which considers eye contact as an act of disrespect. Individuals are influenced by society. When people who are accustomed to these norms step outside their society, they may feel social disorder, unwanted, anxiety, or just feel out of place. We’ll explore its history and development as a theory as well as some examples of how to apply the theory to our everyday lives. “Charles Horton Cooley.” 2012. http://www.asanet.org. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy, Categories Society, Sociological Theories. Along with any social norms, which govern dress codes, actions, and language, social order is also involved with in any society that uses symbolic interactionism. Those adjustments that you’re making can be explained by symbolic interaction theory, also called symbolic interactionism, a theory about social behavior and interaction. When you are in public, do you ever catch yourself changing your stance, adjusting your look, or the way you speak based on how you think other people are looking at you? Would you like to get a custom essay? 3. How Is Racism Explained From A Symbolic Interactionist Perspective? When you are in public, do you ever catch yourself changing your stance, adjusting your look, or the way you speak based on how you think other people are looking at you? One of the debates regarding social exclusion is whether it is the fault of the excluded, or a result of the social system (structural phenomenon). Another early American sociologist, Charles Horton Cooley, wrote about "me" as "the looking-glass self," and in doing so, also made important contributions to symbolic interactionism.
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