SYMBOLIC

INTERACTIONISM
COMMUNICATION THEORY Joana Cerejo | 2017
all communication is symbolic and based upon interaction and meaning

George Herbert Mead

 r

LANGUAGE SYMBOLS MEANING

To Life Experiences
Symbolic interactionism tends to focus on the LANGUAGE and
SYMBOLS that help us give MEANING to the experiences in our life.
Herbert Blumer,
Mead’s pupil,
further developed
his theory and
coined it MIND

SYMBOLIC SELF

INTERACTIONISM SOCIETY

George H. Mead
1894

1863
HE NEVER

PUBLISHED I
D
E
After his dead, his students
A
//
published his teachings.
S
 x

George H. Charles H. Herbert Erving

Mead Cooley Blumer Goffman
1863 - 1931 1864 - 1929 1900 - 1987 1922 - 1982
 Theory In form of
meaning

PROCESS
IS

INTERACTION
 opposed

COLLECTIVE
INDIVIDUALS Behavior
Behavior
SYMBOLIC INTERACTION

CONSISTS

3 PRINCIPLES
MEANING LANGUAGE THOUGHT
 3 elements
The concept of
can be framed. THE SELF
SMOKING
The objective health
consequences would
prevent anyone from
smoking.
HOWEVER
Through SYMBOLIC
INTERACTION, a person
may find a social meaning
behind smoking.
We spend time thinking about
what we will do next and adjust
our approach depending on how
we believe others perceive us.
 PAST

INDIVIDUALS COLLECTIVE
Behavior Behavior
 PRESENT

DIGITAL
Online
INTERACTIONS
More Types
F
R
A
01 Theory is to wide-ranging

M
E
W
CRITICISMS 02 No clear understanding
of reality
O
R 03 Qualitative Data
K