Essay On Social Construction Of Reality

Social construction of reality is a theory that refers to the way we present ourselves to others; it examines our interactions with others. Our life experiences, and how we were raised, can lead to beliefs that affect us as individuals. Our perceptions of reality are a product of our backgrounds and beliefs. First, we should have a clear understanding of the main principles, and the issues of human nature. Human nature is defined by ("Human Nature." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.) as the general psychological characteristics, behavioral traits and feelings of humankind. How can one differentiate what is real from what’s not? It can be done through one’s perception of the world, which is mostly based on learned interpretation. It is social learning. We are learning from each other. We learn by cultural myths, signs, actions and etc. This gives us a sense of understanding of how the world works, why things are the way that they are, what is most valuable and why. We then start to have a sense of who we …show more content…
If society and the essential conventions weren’t required, man would not be able to define the reality he understands. Also, the social language that has become popular around us would not have existed. The reality is that this language does exist and that is where the important meaning of sociology arises. W.I. Thompson (1928) opined that, “ If men define a situation as real, it is real in its consequences”. This means that man makes distinct choices about what is reality. Viewing the world as something that is solid then changes man’s comprehension of the way things are perceived. Changes of opinions and judgments can be embedded so deeply in societal conventions, it is almost viewed as unlearned. Because we as human beings, can exercise the freedom of choice, this means that what we consider reality can