Major Premises of Symbolic Interaction Theory

1. Human beings act toward things on the basis of the meaning they have

§ These things do not have an inherent or unvarying meaning

§ Rather, their meanings differ depending on how we define and respond to them

§ how we define, or give meaning to the things we encounter will shape our actions toward them

§ Therefore, if we wish to understand human behavior we must know how people define the things— objects, events, individuals, groups, structures—they encounter in their environment

2. The meaning attributed to those things arises out of social interaction with others

§ We are not born knowing the meanings of things

§ We don’t learn these meanings simply through individual experiences, but rather through the interactions with others

3. These meanings are modified through an interpretive process

§ the meanings of the things we encounter, though formed by social interaction, are altered through our understandings

§ An individual’s interpretation of the meaning will guide and determine action

7 Major Assumptions of Symbolic Interactionism Theory

1. People are unique creatures because of their ability to use symbols.

2. People become distinctively human through their interaction with others.

3. People are conscious and self-reflective beings who actively shape their own behavior.

4. People are purposful creatures who act in and toward situations.

5. Human society consists of people engaging in symbolic interaction.

6. The ‘social act’ should be the fundamental unit of social psychological analysis.

7. To understand people’s social acts, we need to use methods that enable us to discern the meanings they attribute to these acts.

· Naming or Labeling - Name-calling can be devastating because it forces us to view ourselves. through a warped mirror. Name calling like stupid can lead to a self – fulfilling prophecy. If a person sees himself as stupid he is likely to act stupid.

· Roles refer to “collections of expectations that define regularized patterns of behavior within family life” (Peterson, 1986, p. 22). Roles within the family may include but not be limited to the following: nurturer, socializer, provider, and decision-maker.

· Role-taking is the ability to see oneself as an object, in other words, to be able to see how others perceive oneself. Role-taking allows the individual to monitor and coordinate personal behavior in order to facilitate interaction with others and also to anticipate the responses of other individuals.

· Role conflict refers to the situation in which there are conflicting expectations about a specified role.

· Role making is the “process of improvising, exploring, and judging what is appropriate on the basis of the situation and the response of others at the moment” (Peterson, 1986, p. 23).