MTP - Symbolic-Interaction Approach Lesson

 

Symbolic-Interaction Approach Lesson

Both the Structural-Functional and Social-Conflict Approaches have a macro-level orientation in their applications to sociology. This means that they take a broad view of the social structures that shape society as a whole and some sociologists find this approach too generalized and too consumed with the "big picture." The last major theoretical perspective to be discussed in this unit is the Symbolic-Interaction Approach  and addresses some of the criticisms of the first two approaches. This third approach has a micro-level orientation; which means that the Symbolic-Interaction Approach employs a "close-up" view on social interactions within specific situations to study human society and behavior. The Symbolic-Interaction Approach is a theory framework that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals.

As the Symbolic-Interaction Approach is concerned with the patterns of behavior that emerge from everyday interactions, it is the approach that is the least rigid of the three major theoretical perspectives and, perhaps, the one that has been used and adapted by the most sociologists to understand socialization.

Major Theoretical Perspectives: Max Weber 

In order to understand the meaning and uses of this approach, we'll need to start with Max Weber  and the approach's roots in verstehen.

Major Theoretical Perspectives: George Herbert Mead

Whereas Symbolic-Interactionism has its roots in Max Weber's scholarship, the rest of the Symbolic-Interaction Approach grew under the nurturing of two twentieth-century American sociologists- George Herbert Mead and George Blumer. George Herbert Mead was a professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago for almost four decades during the early twentieth century.  He was particularly interested in the way social communication could be used to explain the development of the individual.  After his death, Mead's students published some of his articles in Mind, Self and Society in 1934.  From this work, we can gain an understanding of what Mead meant when he said that the human experience could best be understood from the "standpoint of communication as essential to the social order."

Look at the slideshow below to learn more.

Major Theoretical Perspectives: Herbert George Blumer

Herbert George Blumer was a colleague and supporter of Mead at the University of Chicago. When Mead died, Blumer picked up the mantle for the Symbolic-Interaction Approach and is credited with actually coining the title "Symbolic-Interaction" for the approach.  Based on his own and Mead's work, Blumer created three basic principles for the Symbolic-Interaction Approach which guide the approach today.

Select on the images below to read about those principles.

Blumer was not the last sociologist to contribute to the Symbolic-Interaction Approach.  Naturally, over the years, many other notable sociologists have added their contributions to the handling of this perspective.  

Major Theoretical Perspectives: Symbolic-Interactionist Additions 

Select through the activity below to become familiar with the expansions added to the Symbolic-Interactionist framework.

Thus, from the works of Weber, Mead, Blumer, and many others we now have a succinct picture of the Symbolic-Interaction Approach.  Simply put, the Symbolic-Interaction Approach breaks down and explains society by studying the subjective meanings that people impose on objects, events, and behaviors. Unlike the Structural-Functional and Social-Conflict Approaches, Symbolic-Interactionism places higher importance on symbolism and meanings within society- in other words, communication- over social structure.  This is because, according to the symbolic-interactionist, society is thought to be established through human interpretation rather than from social institutions. The symbolic-interactionist would argue that people interpret one another's behavior and it is these interpretations that form the social bonds that create society and not the social institutions that are credited by the functionalist or the competitions for resources that are credited by the conflict theorist. Therefore, the Symbolic-Interaction Approach is a form of interpretive sociology.

Critics of the Symbolic-Interaction Approach would argue that it is the ignoring of social structure or institutions in understanding society that undermines the usefulness of this perspective- it is often pointed out that this approach is missing the forest by focusing on the trees too much.  However, this criticism can be handled in the same manner as the criticisms for the other two theoretical perspectives- sociologists can work within the framework of their chosen perspective and then add to their study with bits from the other perspectives. These perspectives are just guides, really. For example, concerning the field of economics- you would be hard-pressed to find a current example of a true market or true command economy anywhere in the world, economists have found that a blending of the two types works best for their nations. The recipe of the blending changes depending on the political system of the nation you are studying, which is why you will still hear of economic systems described as command or market since they lean towards one or the other- but they are no longer of the pure variety. The same can be said for the sociological theoretical perspectives. Often current sociologists will blend the perspectives in order to address all of the issues that are being studied. Take C. Wright Mills for example- his work on the power elite in America would neatly stamp him in the Social-Conflict Approach camp and yet his work on the sociological imagination brought him to the neighborhood of the Symbolic-Interaction Approach.   When you are studying humans and society, there is a lot of gray areas even within the existence of major theoretical frameworks.

Symbolic Interaction Approach Video

Watch the Video on the Symbiotic Interaction Approach.

Key Terms Review Activity

In order to prepare for your key terms quiz, work through the exercise below.

 

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