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29 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Symbolic Interaction
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Examines how phenomena are interpreted by social actors
process by which meanings are constructed through interaction with others and the environment *We must understand the MEANINGS actors assign to phenomena to understand behaviour (meanings emerge through interaction so they are mutually understood) |
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Symbolic Interaction Assumptions (5)
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1. Culture is composed of commonly shared SIGNS/SYMBOLS from which actors derive meaning
2. Behaviour must be understood by the meanings of the actor 3. Actors define the meaning of context and situation which guides us in the actions/solutions we undertake 4. Individuals think 5. Society precedes the individual as we cannot conceptualize without symbols |
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History of Symbolic Interaction
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DARWIN - evolution, brains -> vocal chords -> sound -> language -> reason -> adapt (dynamic not static)
JAMES - self in relation to environment COOLEY - looking glass self (capable of reflection) MEAD - Self is socially constructed and by sharing symbols humans can adapt and survive |
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WARRINER
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stable human view vs. emergent human view
stable: past -> causes action in the present (ex. attachment orientation -> adult attachment) emergent: immediate situation -> causes action in the present (ex. perception of current situation -> relationship outcomes) |
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SHUBUTANI
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Reference gourps:
the group within which the individual communicates and whose perspective is used - an individual's society (ex. class, community, peer group_ - Can have several simultaneous social worlds |
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Sign
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Stands for something else and accompany one another so that they are associated (smoke=fire) *necessary for the development of a symbol |
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Actions
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- are the result of ongoing social interaction
- is a result of the present situation - humans are active beings and control what we do |
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Symbol - Conventional Sign
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-man-made symbol that must be shared and learned/taught
-can be used in the absence of the thing/event they signify (ex. miror represents vanity) -to communicate soemthing (smile represents happiness) -language is our biggest symbol system -defined in interaction (developed to refer to something) -allow us to interpret what exists out there -transforms the physical to things we can interpret, discuss, understans -ties present to the bigger picture |
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Objects
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-something out there that we can react to or have a goal towards
a. the process of referring to or acting toward what it 'out there' ex. cup - material action b. a goal or purpose of an activity ex. to have a cup of coffee symbols can be objects |
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Acts
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a unit of behaviour that represents a unit in a stream of behaviour (defined by us)
ex. kissed, ate breakfast - have a beginning and an end point which are arbitrarily defined -oriented towards objects |
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Stages of Acts (MEAD) ipmc
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. impulse - start; when the previous act is interrupted
2. perception - name object occuring and give our acts direction (cognitive component) 3. manipulation - concrete steps to reach our goal (physical action) 4. consummation - adjustment to the situation is restored and you go back to the original activity or pursue a new one * be able to come up with own examples |
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social act
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social interaction that creates social objects (ex. a conversation)
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Self
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a symbolic representation of that which did and act (I - subject) and that which was acted on (me - object)
- we are both subject and object -sense of self is combination of I and Me - I and Me occur at the same time |
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Socialization
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process of taking in of social symbols, beliefs, attitudes of our culture
MEAD- "importation of social symbols into the mind" - how we learn rules 2 stages: 1. play stage: child learns and practices role taking as pretending to be someone/something 2. game stage: child incorporates seld in an activity trough the lens of the generalized other (aware of other's POV) |
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Roles
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most basic concept to SI but most problematic to define
- a configuration of ideas about what to do in a particular situation - Role taking: put oneself in the place of an actor and take into account the rules actor is expected to follow -Role strain: occurs when an actor doesn't have sufficient resources to fulfill a role |
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Definition of the Situation
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Overall grasp of the setting, activities that have taken place, will repeat, objects and others
-organization of perceptions -perceptions forms behaviour *MEAD: problem solving interactions with the environment not just mental processes |
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Propositions - Role fulfillment and Strain (4)
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1. You are satisfied with your situation if you are doing good in your appropriate role (ie. good student -> like the class)
2. You can better fulfill a role acceptably when it is clearly define 3. The more agreement on how to fulfill a role, less role strain - if conflicting role expectation, strain 4. multiple roles = less consensus the person will perceive in the expectation about those roles, greater strain |
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central issue with interactions
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are they a product of expectations residing in the social structure or created and negotiated by actors in each interaction
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structural approach (kuhn role theorists)
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social roles are learned and enacted by people when they occupy social positions
*criticism: adaptive nature of humans lost |
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interactional approach (blumer)
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Patterns developed through interaction
-society provides a broad outline for behaviour -individuals make the role through interaction and contect -emphasized problem solving dimension of roles -society/culture CREATED BY interacting actors |
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Microinteractional approach
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focused on individual/self
-fluidity of roles (backstage reality and onstage reality) -roles contingent on interactions with others and thus organized by rules |
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Phenomenology
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examines how taken for granted meanings are created and maintained
-assumptions/schemas -intersubjective meanings examined - meanings shared in a set of actors |
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Critiques
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1. structural and interactional perspectives are merging
2. vague conceptual definitions 3. can symbol-specific theory be cross-culturally relevant? 4. Does not deal effectively with emotions 5. Meaning of roles constantly changing in society |
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social reality
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our perspective is formed through interaction with others
-We define a situation ‘as it exists’ through the use of symbols -Physical objects are defined, categorized and interpreted -We learn through interaction what objects are -Therefore they are ‘social objects’ |
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social objects
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-named to determine use
-can have multiple uses/meanings -constantly being redefined -importance based on social importance -mutually understood by others *symbols are social objects |
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intentional use of a social object
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a symbol TO THE USER
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understanding of the social object
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a symbol TO THE RECEIVER
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symbols are the building blocks of society
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1. individuals are socialized through symbols
2. symbols help us share culture 3. symbols help us communicate and thus cooperate (decide on roles) 4. symbols help us maintain past knowledge (thru written and oral history( |
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importance of symbols
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1.naming, memory, categorization
2. perspective 3. thinking 4. problem solving 5. transcending space and time 6. transcending self (see from others perspectives) 7. abstract reality (ethics, spirituality) 8. creativity (able to redefine) 9. self-direction |
