Symbolic Interactionism

Haley HuttonNick Larsen

Soc 401

•Term "Symbolic Interactionism" coined by Herbert Blumero Wanted to clarify how social psych. was

largely interested in the social development of the individual

o Central task is to study how individuals develop socially as a result of participating in group life

o Focuses on issue of "self" and small group interactions

Background

•Charles Darwin's Evolution o Led Symbolic Interactionists to believe

behavior is not accidental, but formed by interaction with others in social environments

•Scottish Moralistso Believed "mind" and "self" were social

products of individuals actions with others

Intellectual Influences

•German Idealismo Humans construct their own realities

All consciousness is conscious of something, therefore the subject and object are inevitably related

•Pragmatismo One "true reality" does not existo Reality is actively created by human

beingso The meaning placed depends on the

purpose of the act, context in which it's performed, and the reaction of others to the act

Intellectual Influences cont.

•Behaviorismo Need to find as simple an approach to

the study of the experience of individuals from the point of view of their conduct

Intellectual Influences cont.

•Based on the idea that social reality is constructed in each human interaction through the use of symbols - words, gestures, and communicating through language

•Studying social interaction is key to understanding human behavior

•Ability of actors to modify their behaviors to meet the needs of the present and immediate environment

What is Symbolic Interactionism?

•Canadian-born sociologist and writer

o The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959)

•Heavily Influenced by Durkheim, Freud, Mead, Simmel

Erving Goffman (1922-1982)

•Presentation of Selfo Focus on the individual as active and

reflectiveo Individual determines how the self

should be presented in social situationso Society is viewed as a stage, and

humans are actors performing for audiences

Erving Goffman cont.

•Stigma

o Mark of disgrace or dishonoro Person lacks social acceptance and

their self identity is negatively affected by the label Example: Arabs & Muslims after 9/11

Erving Goffman cont.

Symbolic Interactionist and Social Researcher

•Played pro football while getting his doctorate!

•Huge proponent of Mead, and believed the creation of realityis a continuous process

•"Humans act toward things on the basics of meanings"

Herbert Blumer (1900-1987)

•Naturalistic Approach - Study of conduct and group life, as these occur naturally in the everyday existence of people.

•Need for exploratory studies...o A great deal of human group life is hidden

from immediate noticeo Social scientists generally do not have first

hand, intimate familiarity with the group life they propose to study

o Focuses on the importance of in-depth knowledge of the group using interviews and observations, and steering away from vagueness when defining concepts

Herbert Blumer Methodology

•American sociologisto Bachelors, Masters and PH.D from

Berkley The Unexpected Community - 1973 The Managed Heart - 1983 The Time Bind: When work becomes home

and home becomes work - 1997

•Founder of the sociology of emotions•Emotions are a biologically given

senseo Means by which we know about our

relation to the worldo Critical for survival of humans in group

life

Arlie Russell Hochschild

•Emotion Worko Trying to change, in degree or quality,

an emotion or feeling

•Emotion Cultureo Consists of a series of ideas about how and what

people are supposed to experience in given situations

o Individuals are often put in situations where emotion work needs to be performed

o Culture is filled with ideologies about the behaviors, attitudes and feelings that members should share

Arlie Russell Hochschild cont

•Overly committed the study of everyday life and social formation of the self, while ignoring social structure

•Overlooked class relations and constraints in favor of a more optimistic view of an open society

Criticism of Symbolic Interactionism