StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Symbolic interactionism - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The perspective is influential in many areas of sociology. The philosopher argued that people act towards things based on the meaning that those…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.8% of users find it useful
Symbolic interactionism
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Symbolic interactionism"

Symbolic Interactionsim Symbolic interactionism was coined by Blumer Herbert, an interpreter and a philosopher, and was later progressed by his students. The perspective is influential in many areas of sociology. The philosopher argued that people act towards things based on the meaning that those things have for them. The meanings are derivatives of social interaction and may be modified through interpretation. A situation or event only has real consequences when people define it as real. The definition and attribution of reality are based on the expression of language that leads to the sense of self, thought, and the socializing aspect of the society within the individual.

Based on the relationship between the individual and the society, symbolic interactionism brings the issue of coordinated management of meaning. Individuals in a communication process tend to construct social realities of the world they create to shape them. The definition and management of meaning to reflect reality is a two-way process that is enhanced by effective communication. The things that individuals say matter because they are a reflection of their thoughts and implications of reality.

Symbolic interactionism succeeds in the social perspective when people cease to violate the interpersonal expectations of other people and work towards conformity. Even when the definition of social interactionism was being made, the modern ways and theories of communication were still in place. Only those philosophers had not identified them, or none had talked about them openly. For instance, the theory of social penetration applies all the time in the communication process, whether or not the communicators are aware of the existence of the theory.

At the same time, in order to socialize and interact in a healthy manner, symbolic interactionism only reflects the reality it claims to symbolize when there is a reduction of uncertainty in the socialization process and pathway. It is through the reduction of uncertainty that people can socialize and share experiences that are foundations for the formation of friendship. In any social perspective, there must be contradictions and understandings between people based on their symbolic understanding of reality, as coined by the philosopher and his students.

Although people believe that they have the right to control and make their information confidential, social interactions require sharing of information and ideas as one of the primary ways of the development of friendship. The continuous aspect of communication and interaction in communication can be well understood from the life of the philosopher who coined the symbolic interactionism theory. It is after his death that his students collected all the communication that they had and class notes that led to the popularization of the theory (Griffin 5).

The philosopher initiated the inner structure of the theory while the students progressed it to higher levels and made it a popular theory in the understanding of the modern communication strategies. As we continue in the twenty-first century, symbolic interactionism continues to take shape and depicts the way of communication between individuals. The term was coined in the earlier days by earlier philosophers but continues to be of significance.Works CitedGriffin, Em. A first look at communication theory 9th edition.

Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Symbolic interactionism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Symbolic interactionism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/journalism-communication/1684142-symbolic-interactionism
(Symbolic Interactionism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
Symbolic Interactionism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words. https://studentshare.org/journalism-communication/1684142-symbolic-interactionism.
“Symbolic Interactionism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/journalism-communication/1684142-symbolic-interactionism.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Symbolic interactionism

The Struggle by Allied Health Practitioners to Achieve Professional Status

Theoretical Perspective symbolic interactionism is a sociological theory that centers on the manner of interaction of individuals through different symbols.... The symbolic interactionism perspective defines the allied health and nursing profession as a “dirty work.... On the other hand, with the help of symbolic interactionism, the struggle of allied health practitioners to achieve professional status can be understood with the “The Looking Glass Self....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

Symbolic Interactionism in Healthcare

The paper "symbolic interactionism in Healthcare" discusses that the means by which the individual understands healthcare and interacts with it are both determined as a result of current societal understands, interactions, and the means by which rational thought defines the current environment.... Firstly before delving too deeply into the topics of healthcare and the broad societal disparities that exist with relation to its availability, it is necessary to come to an understanding of the theory of symbolic interactionism....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

Communication theory related to a famous song

One specific artifact, Livvi… This artifact further offers insight into what occurs in the mind of a once-partnered female in the event that a previous partner has symbolic interactionism: “Now I'm that Chick” BY YOU YOUR SCHOOL HERE YOUR HERE HERE symbolic interactionism: “Now I'm that Chick” Description of the Artifact Some contemporary song lyrics tend to over-emphasize how people in society view their relationships when they have either turned sour or have produced outcomes that were less than what was originally expected at the onset of the partnership....
2 Pages (500 words) Research Paper

Book Review of Original Work-Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method by Blumer

His book entitled, symbolic interactionism: perspective and method, gave him much popularity among the sociologists who conducted grave studies and contributed much… Blumer, in his book writes, “The term “symbolic interactionism” has come into use as a label for a relatively distinctive approach to the study of human group life and human conduct” (p.... At the very opening The author could find out differences as well as similarities, (especially as a study on human group life) in the findings of the sociologists regarding symbolic interactionism....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Symbolic Interactionism: A Social Structural Version

These theorists postulated that human… According to these theorists, people communicate by interpreting their actual actions with respect to their immediate environment instead of symbolic interactionism symbolic interactionism refers to the theory that provides asystematic explanation of the activities involved during social interactions.... Application of the symbolic interactionism concepts facilitates the process of comprehending human interactions within their immediate environment (Stryker 56)....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Structural-Functional and Symbolic Interactionism Theory as Applied to a Personal Experience

"Structural-Functional and symbolic interactionism Theory Applied to a Personal Experience and in the Movie Crash" paper argues that no matter how different we all are outside, deep down, we are all the same, wanting to be treated right.... This is what the present is, under all that thick wrapping....
8 Pages (2000 words) Term Paper

Sociology of Higher Education - Symbolic Interactionism

This paper "Sociology of Higher Education - symbolic interactionism" focuses on the fact that higher education is a fascinating subject to analyze from a sociological perspective.... We will begin by defining three sociological theories, namely Functionalism, symbolic interactionism, and Conflict Theory.... While Functionalism, symbolic interactionism and Conflict Theory all differ, each theory, when applied appropriately, provides a unique perspective on society and sociological phenomena....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Social Constructivism, Symbolic interactionism, and Structuralism

The "Social Constructivism, symbolic interactionism and Structuralism" paper focuses on social constructivism, an approach to psychology that in general, refers to a position that stems from epistemology, or the meaning and power behind communications.... hellip; symbolic interactionism can be applied in the context of bilingual education, to demonstrate how differences in context and understanding of meaning can influence attitudes to a particular subject.... ymbolic interactionism is an important theory that has been advocated in the context of social constructivism and its association with learning....
5 Pages (1250 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us