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Lesson 3 Symbolic Interaction Theory

Symbolic Interaction Theory focuses on how meanings are constructed through social interaction and how these meanings inform people's identities and behaviors. It has three main themes: 1) how meanings shape human behavior, 2) the importance of self-concept developed through interactions with others, and 3) the relationship between individuals and the societies/cultures that influence them. The theory was developed by George Herbert Mead and focuses on the question of how people develop a sense of self.

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Thiviya Ramesh
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165 views

Lesson 3 Symbolic Interaction Theory

Symbolic Interaction Theory focuses on how meanings are constructed through social interaction and how these meanings inform people's identities and behaviors. It has three main themes: 1) how meanings shape human behavior, 2) the importance of self-concept developed through interactions with others, and 3) the relationship between individuals and the societies/cultures that influence them. The theory was developed by George Herbert Mead and focuses on the question of how people develop a sense of self.

Uploaded by

Thiviya Ramesh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Symbolic

Interaction Theory
Lesson 5
 Some categorized as interpersonal
and some as intrapersonal
communication
 SIT focuses on question “WHO
AM I”
 SIT is associated with the work of
George Herbert Mead. Introduction
 It is an interplay between self &
society argue that people act
toward other people or events on
the basis of meaning assign to
them.
Themes and
LaRossa and Reitzes (1993) outline 7 Assumptions of
themes of SIT that cluster around 3 SIT
themes.

Theme 1: The importance of meanings for human


behaviors

Theme 2: The importance of self concept

Theme 3: The relationship between the individual


and society
Themes and
Assumptions of SIT
Theme 1 The importance of
meanings for human behavior

Humans act toward others on the basis of


meanings those individuals have for them

Meaning is created in interaction with


people

Meaning are modified through an


interpretive process
Wedding vows
Themes and
Assumptions of SIT

Theme 2 The importance of self


concept

Individuals often develop self-concepts


through interaction with others

Self-concepts provide an important


motive for behavior
Theme 2: The importance of self concept
Themes and
Assumptions of SIT
Theme 3 The relationship between
individual and society

People and groups are influence by culture and


processes

Social culture is worked out through


social interaction
Assumptions

Theme 3 The • People and groups are influence by


culture and processes
relationship between • Social culture is worked out through
individual and society • social interaction

Theme 2 The • Individuals often develop self-concepts


through interaction with others
importance of self • Self-concepts provide an important
concept motive for behavior

• Humans act toward others on the


Theme 1 The basis of meanings those individuals
importance of have for them
• Meaning is created in interaction with
meanings for human people
• Meaning are modified through an
behavior interpretive process
Key concepts
• Society is defined as the web of social
relationships that humans create

Society • Particular others- individuals who are


significant to others
• Generalized others – attitude of the whole
community

• Self is the ability to reflect on ourselves from


the perspective of others
• Looking glass self – self image

Self • Pygmalion - living up or down to the


expectation of others
• ‘I’ – spontaneous, creative self; inner needs
and desires, regardless of social norms.
• ‘Me’ – from the social perspectives of others.

• Ability to use common symbol (common


meaning) and developed through interaction
with others

Mind • It allows individuals to engage in role playing


or the ability to symbolically place oneself in
an imagine self of another person
Looking at
the glass self-
ability to see
ourselves as
another sees us

Pygmalion effect
-Living
up or down to
another
expectation
‘I’ & ‘Me’

‘I’ –
spontaneous,
creative self; inner
needs and desires,
regardless of
social norms.

“Me” – more
At a common walkway, a guy says to the girl, “ I want to reflective from the
hold your hands.” social
The girl sensing other people are looking at them replied, perspectives of
“Oh no, not now, other people are looking at me.” others.
Particular others
- individuals who
are significant to
others

Grandma & grandpa – significant to


many of us especially Gen Y & Z.

Generalized others
– attitude of the
whole community
In collectivists culture, the society thought us
to respect people older than us.
Areas Theory evaluations

Scope and a. Symbolic interaction is too broad


boundaries to fully explain the meaning-making
(Breadth & process and communication
limitations) behaviors.
b. Breadth is helpful, but a theory
that tries to do too much can be
vague.
EVALUATING
Logical Symbolic Interaction is logical in its
consistency development. COMMUNICATION
THEORY/ what
Utility a. Symbolic interaction places too
(usefulness much emphasis on the power of makes a good
/ clear) the actor to create reality and
ignores the extent to which people theory
live in a world not of their own
making.
b. Because some important
concepts are ignored (e.g.,
emotions and self-esteem), the
theory is less useful than it could be
in explaining the self.
Areas Theory evaluations

Testability a. Critics say the broad


(accuracy) scope makes its concepts
too vague.
b. The many nominal
concepts are difficult to
test. EVALUATING
COMMUNICATION
THEORY/ what
Heurism (new Symbolic Interaction is makes a good
thinking/ additional heuristic, with
research) applications in a variety of theory
contexts.

Test of time Symbolic Interaction has


stood the test of time.

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