Symbolic Interactionism

Symbolic interactionism focuses on how individuals communicate with one another, the basis of that communication, and the results and consequences of each interaction. Symbolic interactionism focuses on everyday interactions and how people perceive and define events.

George Herbert Mead is the father of symbolic interactionism. Mead said, “Humans should be understood in terms of their behaviors.” In other words, we understand others in terms of how they behave. In any interaction we are observing others behaviors and coming to specific conclusions about others and about the interaction itself. (Image courtesy of Keattikorn/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Interactionism specifically focuses on the following:

Interactions or face-to-face encounters

Each interaction has an effect on us and affect any subsequent interactions

We all come in to each interaction with our own perspectives

It is as if our past comes with us into each interaction

We all have specific expectations of what should happen in each interaction

Behaviors are a large part of the interactions and how people behave affects each interaction

Symbols or meanings of behaviors

Interpretations: we are constantly interpreting each interaction

We all interpret situations differently, this is why two people who are part of the same interaction will explain what happened differently

MORE ON INTERPRETATIONS:

Definition of the situation (W.I. Thomas) explains that something happens as we perceive it happened.

“If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences” (William and Dorothy Thomas, 1928)

Our perceptions and interpretations dictate our definition of each situation. We live in a world that is created not only by ourselves but by others as well.

HOW WE INTERACT IS AFFECTED BY:

Culture: Do different cultures interact differently? How do individuals greet one another? How is eye contact affected by culture? What does it mean if a person does not look you in the eye? He or she is dishonest? Disrespectful? Shy? Or, is the person showing you respect (as in some Asian cultures) when he or she does not make eye contact?

Socialization: We have all been socialized differently. Our environment has taught each of us the acceptable ways to interact with others.

Family unit: Do we interact in ways similar to our parents? When faced with conflict do we find ourselves interacting or dealing with the situation in the ways in which we viewed from our families? Does our family composition affect the way we interact with others?

Self-concept: Do individuals with a positive self-concept interact differently than those with a negative self-concept? How are our self-concepts developed?

Roles: Does the specific role we are in dictate how we behave in our interactions? How many different roles does a specific person occupy?

Labels: Labels affect our expectations as well as influence our own behaviors.

INTERACTIONS ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY:

Personal Space and Touching: We allow different people different levels of personal space. Touching is acceptable in certain relationships. Think about how you feel if someone invades your personal space or touches you, especially if you are not a “touchy person.”

Status and Roles: What status do you occupy in each relationship you have? What is your role in your interactions? Do you interact and behave differently depending on the status or role you are occupying?

Stereotypes: Stereotypes affect our first impressions of others. It may be that we notice a person’s distinct features and make assumptions about that person, all of which dictates how we act toward that person.

What is the self-fulfilling prophecy?

We hold stereotypes, treat the person a specific way based on the stereotypes we hold, then the person reacts according to how we are treating them or we provide an environment in which they can only become the stereotype, and the person become exactly what was expected of them.

For example: A person is a manager of a five individuals in a specific corporation. That person believes that all people that belong to a particular racial group are “lazy.” One of the people he/she is managing belongs to that specific racial group. Now the manager has to designate specific cases to these individuals; some of the cases require a lot of work and involve special “clients.” Is that manager going to give the “lazy” person any of the important cases? The manager assigns that person to the menial cases. At the end of the year the manager assess what each individual has done throughout the year and decides that the “lazy” person really did not do much and realizes that the person always left work at 5:00 p.m. while the others worked overtime on their “important” cases and says to him/herself, “I was right, that person is lazy.” Do you see how the person became the stereotype?

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Social Problems must be defined or recognized as a social problem for it to be a social problem. Essentially social problems are socially constructed.

Think about our definition of “social problem” (previous lecture) and answer the following question:

Is drunk driving a social problem?

Why is this a social problem? (societal recognition, social legitimation, mobilization of action, and development and implementation of a plan). Keep in mind that those in a position of power/control affect our definition of a social problem.

Gender Identity Formation

We are taught (via socialization and interactions with significant others) what the acceptable and expected gender-related behaviors are. Children internalize these gender roles and behave accordingly. Now, is this a social problem? If these gender role expectations are restricting opportunities and contributing to social inequality then, yes, it is a social problem. Can you think of examples, past and present, of this?

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