Symbolic Interaction Theory
Terms
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- Looking glass self process
- imagine how others see us, imagine judgments people make about us, incorporate these perceptions into our idea of self
- Overview
- Self is created through personal and environmental interactions. It continoulsy changes. Identity created through shared meanings
- Symbols
- Facilitates human interaction, language is the key
- Socialization
- how people learn the norms values, roles, skills and expectations of society, helps people develop their sense of self
- the mind's abilities
- (mead) creates and names symbols and objects, gives ability to think and do imaginitive rehearsal (go over events in head prior to happening), use feelings to make decisions
- role strain
- cant fulfill because of conflict, ambiguity or inability to meet demands
- I part
- irrational, spontaneous, responds to attitudes of others
- Role complementarity
- different roles compliment each other-not burdens but work together-example mom and wife- cooking dinner
- Mead's stage 1
- Stage of imitative acts (learn to point) 0-2
- Looking Glass self
- Cooley- dont see yourself as you are but as you perceive others see you
- generalized other
- (mead) part of self that guides behavior, develop personality through assuming this- includes the I and the ME
- techniques to move past stigma
- pass (conceal or change it), adaptive technique (highlight other parts of self)
- Me
- develop thru completion of game stage, more rational-correct social roles, set of attitudes a person assumes
- role
- social category or position with expected behaviors, learned through socialization, can be ascribed (inherit) or achieved (by choice)
- Difference between this and behavioral theory
- Humans interpret symbols, dont just respond to them
- Mead's main idea
- mind and self are social products-developed through interaction with others, individual doesn't exist separate from society
- possible self
- person we could be if we tried
- History
- 1800's/early 1900's, American theory
- total institution
- where a person is stripped of identity in order to take on a new one (military, prison)
- stigma types
- abominations of the body (weight issue), blemish on character (bad mom), tribal stigma
- self-image
- how we attempt to present ourselves to others
- Dramaturgical approach
- person presents himself differently in society depending on setting much like an actor - adapt to situation, different selves- hide somethings (backstage)
- Main Theorist
- George Herbert Mead (Chicago School)
- Influences in creation
- City life: urbanization, immigration, industrialization and the Settlement Houses
- ideal self
- person we want to be
- mead's stage 3
- game stage (4-7) learn and incorporate rules into games (ex: learn different positions of baseball), take in societal rules
- stigma
- characteristics or behaviors CULTURE defines as undesirable, normal people use them to justify poor treatment
- role conflict
- roles have incompatible expectations (working mom)
- Mead's stage 2
- Play stage - learn language, act out others roles in play (house) 2-4