Modern Social Theory 7: Symbolic Interactionism

Front 1

Define Symbolic Interactionism:

Back 1

A microsociological approach which puts emphasis on the individual and subjective meaning. We are active decision makers who experience the world differently depending on how we experience and define it.

influenced by Weber, the Chicago School.

Against rules, structure, stimulus response behaviourism, and functionalism.

Front 2

What are the 3 steps opf Charles Horton Cooley's Looking-Glass Self?

Back 2

1. Imagine how you appear
2. Imagine judgement
3. Feel Pride or Shame

Front 3

Explain Mead's Things VS Objects:

Back 3

Things: without meaning
Objects: a thing becomse an object when we apply or associate meaning to it.

Front 4

Explain the difference between Mead's "I" and the "Me":

Back 4

The "I" is the acting part of your subject which acts spontaneously in response to community.

The "Me" is the passice socially controlled object that acts in compliance to how you have been socialized.

The I and the Me are to phases of the self which interact when making decisions.

Front 5

Internal Conversations:

Back 5

Before we act we have internal conversations with ourselves where we talk over the consequences.

Front 6

List and define Mead's 3 stages children go through as part of the development of the Self:

Back 6

1. Pre-Play Stage: Age Two - Meaningless imitative acts

2. Play Stage: child can put themselves in the position of one other player but can't relate to roles/motives

3. Game Stage: Member of a team - child can put themselves in multiple roles and understand their motivations and attitudes of others.

Front 7

Mead's Generalized Other:

Back 7

This is the final stage of the development of the self when the individual is properly socialized then believe in the generalized other. It is an imaginary person or people who represent the whole community and it's accepted structure and roles.

eg. "I can't do that, can you imagine what would people say?"

Front 8

Mead's Fragmented Selves:

Back 8

People aren't themselves when they are in different social situations, rather they act as different selves.

Depending on the situation you act as a different self to fit that situation and all your different parts of the self are like a Jigsaw Puzzle that all fit together to make up who you are.

There is a purely internal part of the self that you never let out and only truly act as when you are alone.

Front 9

Blumer's adaptation to the Stimulus Response Model:

Back 9

Stimulus->Interpretation->Response

You use internal conversation to place self in other's shoes to understand the social symbols and this leads to self-indication (how you think people will respond to your actions).

Front 10

Blumer's Three (3) Premises of Symbolic Interactionism:

Back 10

1. Action and Meaning
2. Meaning from Social Interaction
3. Interpretation

Front 11

Blumer's premise of SI of Action and Meaning states:

Back 11

Human beings act toward thing on the basis of the meaning we have for them.

Contemporary science falsifies behaviour into roles and norms but in reality social action comes from the meaning we attach to things.

We are conscious actors.

Front 12

Blumer's premise of SI of Meaning from Social Interaction states:

Back 12

The Meaning of things arises out of the social interactions on has with others.

Meaning is a social product and is subjective. Meaning comes from interaction.

Front 13

Blumer's premise of SI of Interpretation states:

Back 13

These meanings are hendled in and modified through an interpretive process a person uses in dealing with the things he or she encounters.

Meaning comes from a process of interpretation.

Front 14

Symbolic Interactionists see structure as a ____________ and not as _____________.

Back 14

Symbolic Interactionists see structure as a STRAIGHT-JACKET and not as DETERMINISTIC.

It can restrict an individual's choices like a straight-jacket but it does not choose for us.

Front 15

Goffman's Role Distance:

Back 15

You are doing a job but you don't really see yourself/believe that is your role. You don't feel like you belong, but rather that you should be somewhere else doing something else.

eg. Student Disengagement