Symbolic Interactionism and Psychoanalysis: Sociological Perspective &theorists /dominant Approaches in Social Sciences

Sociological Perspective &Theorists
/Dominant Approaches in Social Sciences
Symbolic Interactionism
and Psychoanalysis
• Is a major framework of sociological theory
• This perspective relies on the symbolic
meaning that people develop and rely
upon in the process of social interaction.
• It analyzes society by addressing the
subjective meanings that people impose
on objects, events and behaviors
• Studies of relationships, race, deviance
and symbolic interactionist approach.
For example, why would young people
smoke cigarettes even when all objective
medical evidence points to the dangers of
doing so?
George Herbert Mead
• Symbolic Interactionism is the brainchild
of George Herbert Mead
• In the Mind, Self and Society
• We then use these symbols to develop a
sense of self or identity.
• Our selves can change and they do
change based on how we interpret the
symbols thrown our way.
Self Evaluation
• According to Mead, you couldn’t have a
self without symbols or without someone
to pass those symbols to you.
• Mead proposed that symbols build
society.
• Symbols have meanings and meaning
directs our lives.
Erving Goffman
• He developed a theory called
Dramaturgy.
• Dramaturgy a theory of interaction in
which all life is like acting.
• People are constantly “acting” in order to
convince people of the character they wish
to portray to the outside world.
Howard Becker
• Becker suggests that human action is
related to the labels attached to it.
• In his book, Outsiders: Studies in the

Sociology of Deviance, Becker suggests
that a label is attached to a certain
behavior when a group with powerful
social status labels it deviant.
Classical Psychoanalysis and
Sigmund Freud
• Sigmund Freud, the influential German
Psychologist of the early 20th century,
provided not only a revolutionary way of
understanding human personality but also
how society affects our psychology.
• The famous neurologist is also known as

the Father of Psychoanalysis.
OVERVIEW OF
PSYCHOANALYSIS
• A set of philosophical of human nature
• Psychoanalysis is both an approach to

therapy and a theory of personality
• Emphasizes unconscious motivation the

main cause of behavior lie in unconscious
mind
Based on Freud’s Formulation
• The individual mind is the source of your
subjectivity, created by social and cultural
forces that operate beneath the level of the
unconscious self.
• In Freudian perspective, Socialization, the

lifelong process of learning the way and
behavior appropriate to a particular society,
is not only an external or structural process
but also internal, mental process.
Structure of Personality
• Consist of three parts:
1.Id – Pleasure
2.Ego – Reality
3.Superego – For perfection/ideal

ID
• Latin word of Id is ‘It’ Id is the original
source of personality, which is present in a
newborn.
• Infants are born with Id intact
• Operates on PLEASURE PRINCIPE – to
gain pleasure, avoid pain
• Driven by sexual and aggressive urge
Ego
• The Latin word of ego is ‘I’ which means
‘self’.
• The ego acts as a mediator or balancer
between the demands of Id and superego.
• The rational level of personality
• Operates on REALITY PRINCIPLES –
does realistic and logical thinking
Super Ego
• The superego is that part of personality
that represents internalized value, ideals
and moral attitude of society.
• Partially unconscious
• Operates on MORAL PRINCIPLES - Able
to differentiate between good and bad,
right and wrong
• If people follow their superego, they will
feel proud but if they don’t follow, they will
feel guilty and anxious
EXAMPLES
EGO
• I want to eat • Eats a small • I am on a
chocolate! bar of super diet!
chocolate
ID SUPEREGO
LEVEL OF AWARENESS
1. UNCONSCIOUS
is the largest part of mind (9/10).
It is hidden part of iceberg that floats
under water. It contains repressed ideas
and affects.
It is storehouse for all the memories,
feelings and responses experienced by
the individual during his entire life.
Example: Slip of tongue, dreams,
wishes
LEVEL OF AWARENESS
2. PRECONSCIOUS
is described as that part of mind in
which ideas and reactions are stored
and partially forgotten.
It also acts as a watchman because it

prevents certain painful, unpleasant,
unacceptable, distributing unconscious
memories from reaching the conscious
mind.
LEVEL OF AWARENESS
2. PRECONSCIOUS
Example: A person will never think of
her home address at that moment but
when her friend ask for it, she can easily
recall it.
LEVEL OF AWARENESS
3. CONSCIOUS
which relates to the awareness of an
individual to his environment.
It function when the individual is awake.
It is concerned with thought, feelings
and sensations, memory, IQ. Conscious
as sense organ of attention.
It is only 1/9 of total mind.
Activities
• Answer the following questions:
1. Does symbolic interactionism affect our daily life?
Why?
2. How can we interpret symbols in day-to-day
interactions in our society?
3. How can these perspectives on Symbolic
Interactionism be applied in daily living in the aspect
of:
a. Culture
b. Social Classes
c. Societal Aspect
d. Political Aspect
Activities
• Answer the following questions:
4. Are there any instances that you have
experience either one of these three
levels of awareness? In what particular
situation did you experience these levels of
awareness?
5. Construct/ draw your own representation
of the level of awareness creatively. Briefly
explain on your own words.

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Sociological Perspective &Theorists

/Dominant Approaches in Social Sciences

• In his book, Outsiders: Studies in the

• The famous neurologist is also known as

• Psychoanalysis is both an approach to

• Emphasizes unconscious motivation the

• In Freudian perspective, Socialization, the

3.Superego – For perfection/ideal

It also acts as a watchman because it

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