11

Disciplines and
Ideas in Social
Sciences
Module 7

DISSQ1W7 Page 1
 EXPECTATIONS

A. Content Standards
The learners demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts and approaches in the
Social Sciences.

B. Performance Standards
The learners shall be able to:
 Interpret personal and social experiences using relevant approaches in the Social
Sciences and;
 Evaluate the strength and weaknesses of the approach

C. Most Essential Learning Competency

 Analyze the basic concepts and principles of the major social science theories:
a. Structural-Functionalism
b. Marxism
c. Symbolic Interactionism
 Apply the major social science theories and its importance in examining socio-
cultural, economic, and political conditions.

1. Learning Objectives:
At the end of the module, the students will be able to:
 Define symbolic interactionism as the assigning of meanings to phenomena
through interpretive human interaction.
 Identify the development of symbolic interactionism through the contributions
of Mead, Cooley and Blumer.
 Recognize the idea of self as a product of interaction.

PRE-TEST

A. Write “True” if the statement is true and write “False” if the statement is false.
1. Symbolic interactionism is a view in which the meaning of everything
came from the interpretations of humans interacting.
2. The development of language is closely bound to the development of
self.
3. The significance of gesture is for the benefit of the second party to
anticipate how the first party shall respond.
 4. The generalized others is that which influences the roles and behaviors
an individual should do in order to complete or to unify the self.
5. The looking glass self is the process of seeing others by the way they
react to how we present ourselves.
6. Blumer‟s idea of symbolic interactionism is that thing exist independent
from humans and that its‟ meaning is universal or the same to all
mankind.
7. Symbol is any kind of physical phenomenon to which we assign a
meaning, a name or a value. For example, a wedding ring is romantic.
8. The negotiated order is the existing system of expected behavior
whenever we enter into interaction with others.
9. The uniqueness of an individual or the self is actually a product of society
because the state of uniqueness is always trying to impress the others
and thus share the same foundation with the social world.
10. According to Blumer the meaning of phenomenon may vary from humans
and the meaning will remain the same once it is interpreted by the
individual who encountered it.

LOOKING BACK

A. What is the difference between the structural-functionalist view of society and the conflict
view of society? How do the two social structures operate?

Structural-Functionalist
VS Conflict view of Society
View of Society

INTRODUCTION OF THE LESSON

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

Introduction

According to Snow, (2002) symbolic interactionism came from the philosophy of

American pragmatism. It analyzes the situated, interactive, and interpretative character of
human social behavior. It is because of the idea that the meanings of phenomena are assigned
through interpretive process as humans interact. Since the meaning is interpreted, it may vary
depending on the situation or the social context. Here, the self is the central mechanism for
interpretations because of its capacity to reflect. These conditions support that human is an
active organism and an important agency in understanding society.
 The theory of symbolic theory was a reaction against functionalism, which is about how
order and stability in society maintained through performing functions; and against conflict
theory which talks about who benefits at whose expense from a particular social arrangement.
Thus it offers an alternative way of looking at society. The focus of this theory is on daily social
interaction because it tries to find out how meaning is created out of individuals‟ experience,
interpretation, influence, and responses as they interact with each other (Ferrante, 2011).

Contributors

The major contributors of symbolic interactionism are George Herbert Mead, Charles
Horton Cooley, and Herbert Blumer.

George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

Based from Aboulafia, (2020), according to Mead the development of the self is
closely bound to the development of language. Let us use the example of a barking dog,
somewhere near is another dog that will respond to the barking and may bark too or run. This
response of the second dog is called gesture. These dogs though both responded do not
understand the meaning of their gestures. For a gesture to be significant, it must have the same
meaning for both parties so that the first party can anticipate how the second party will
respond.

This capacity to respond is possible in vocal gesture through the use of word or phrase.
Mead added that both the person making the sound responds along with the person hearing the
sound. For example, when you see someone about to get hit by a ball, you might shout to the
other person to look out, but you react as well as if you are about to experience the pain of
being hit by a ball by making face or by uttering “ouch”. Such gestures become significant
symbols because it aroused same responses to both of you. With that sharing of same reaction
by both the speaker and the respondents, Mead believes that language is crucial in the
development of human experience (Aboulafia, 2020). In other words, the meanings of things or
the way we experience things, which we react to, can be passed through language.

The biological process also allows individuals to hear their own gestures. So if I
suddenly shouted to scare you, I might be scaring myself too. In other words, vocal gestures
can allow you to speak to yourself when there is no one around to anticipate how the other
would react. For Mead, this loop of speaking and hearing the experience at the same time is
what allows the mind to develop. Though being alone but imitates another person, it should
follow that the mind is a social phenomenon. Aside from vocal gestures, mind can be developed
as well through taking of roles. The habitual, unconscious experience is the most common way
of how we live in this world. This habitual world includes our beliefs and assumptions (Aboulafia,
2020).
 With all that, Mead said that the self is essentially social and cognitive. The self
(cognitive) and the individual (non-cognitive) are two different things. However, this individual
begins to be the self when it begins to take roles and learn the behaviors required by the
generalized other. The generalized other is the organized community or social group that gives
a unity of self. A school club is an example of a generalized other because it enters into the
experience of each student members of that club (Aboulafia, 2020). For example, an officer or a
member of HUMSS club, will likely act and behave in accordance to what is expected from an
officer or a member of that club.

Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929)

Cooley‟s contribution in symbolic interaction is his idea of the “Looking-Glass Self”. It is

described as the process of using other individuals as mirrors to see the reflection of the self
and conceptualize it during social interaction (Thompson, Hickey, Thompson, 2017). This
process happens in this succession:

1. First, we imagine how we appear in others.

2. Then, we imagine how others judge our appearance.
3. Finally, we develop feelings and responses about ourselves from that perceived
judgment.

To give an example, a comedian is aware that he/she is giving an impression. The

comedian thought that he/she is funny, witty, and so on. During the interaction or the delivery of
the act, the comedian assesses how the audience judges the act. If the audience laughs, the
feeling is affirmed and he/she may proceed in such manner but if they don‟t, the comedian
might reassess his/her feelings of himself/herself and wonder what is lacking. Another example
is bullying, the bully‟s idea of self-affirmation was fulfilled once the people around laugh at the
one bullied or a choreographer will feel amazing about himself/herself if his/her group always
wins.

Our feelings about ourselves emanate from our interpretations on how others see us. So
the concept of self is actually a product of social interactions. Since we encounter different
people in various conditions and situations, it should follow that we have multiple selves. This
self that emerges from various situation is called “Situated Self” (Thompson et.al. 2017).

That self-gratification or self-satisfaction is tied to others. Another thought on this is that

society and individual is not separate phenomena but aspects of the same thing. In the
developmental process, humans tend to reach out, interact, or socialize to the world. This
development creates uniqueness of an individual and manifests in the use of the terms such as
„me, „mine‟, or „myself‟. On the other hand, this uniqueness or difference of self from others is
not separate from the general life because it is always trying to impress the others and thus
sharing the same foundation. If the sense of self is tied to society, then history and the class
structure will definitely affect the sense of self or self-feeling. However, present generation views
that the former generation is oppressive which is contradictory. The solution according to
Cooley is self-feeling and social feelings must be harmonized because self-feeling and social
life is two sides of the same coin. If they are just the same phenomena, then freedom should not
be viewed as absence of constraint. This does not mean that one will be lost and be absorbed
by the society but rather it suggests that one should responsibly examine the actions that might
affect others (Rousseau, 1957).

Herbert Blumer (1900-1987)

Blumer was a student of Mead and influenced by him. His theory of symbolic
interactionism came from the idea that through social interaction, meaning is created and re-
created. His 3 main principles of social interactionism are:

1. Humans respond to the things based from its meanings.

2. Meanings are created through one‟s interaction with another.
3. Humans interpret the meaning to assess, formulate, and modify such meaning every
time the person encounters it.

Blumer believes that things exist independent from humans. To determine the meaning
of things, it has to be interpreted through human interaction. In other words, the meaning of an
object is being assigned by humans through interactive interpretive process. Since interaction
causes the creation of meaning, he conceptualized basic ideas he called root images
(Contemporary Authors, 2020). These root images are the self, object, social action, social
interaction and joint action (Dupont, 1993).

Concepts Related to Social Interactionism

Symbolic interactionism focuses on social interaction and related concepts of self-

awareness/reflexive thinking, symbols, and negotiated order (Ferrante, 2011).

 Self-awareness or reflexive thinking

- This is the process of observing and evaluating the self, based from the view of
another person. For example, when you go out with your new clothes, or do a certain
gesture, people may like or dislike your clothes or your gesture. This view of people
towards you gives you an idea of yourself. Your reaction might insist with what you
want, change outfit, say sorry and so on. According to Blumer and Mead, people
interpret others actions, words, and gestures first and respond based from their
interpretations.

 Symbols
- Symbol is any kind of physical phenomenon such as a word, an object, a color, a
sound, a feeling, an odor, a gesture, or a bodily movement, to which people assign a
name, a meaning, or a value. For example, anything gold is elegant and valuable,
opening a door for a lady is a sign of being a gentleman, red rose is more romantic
 than white rose, or girls may find it more romantic to receive a real flower but they
probably won‟t find it romantic to receive a real bear.
 Negotiated Order
- The shared meanings guide our interaction. We respond in accordance with the
existing system of expected behavior whenever we enter into interaction with others.
For example, when we say “bayad po” inside the jeepney, the people nearer the
driver will just pass the payment until it gets to the driver. There is already an
established order in the interaction. However, there are instances when the order
must be rearranged to fit the new need and this is called negotiated order.
Negotiated order is the newly negotiated expectations, rules, or anything binding
between the two parties to guide their interactions. For example, teaching in the old
time is teacher-centered so students are expected to just listen on what the teacher
says but nowadays teachers make tasks on how students shall participate in the
improvement of the lessons in exchange of good grades. This new binding
agreement or order, which everyone understands, is an example of negotiated order.

ACTIVITY

A. Identification
1. It is the newly negotiated expectations, rules, or anything binding
between the two parties to guide their interactions.
2. This is the process of observing and evaluating the self, based from
the view of another person.
3. It is the organized community or social group that gives a unity of
self.
4. His theory of symbolic interactionism came from the idea that through
social interaction, meaning is created and re-created.
5. It analyzes the situated, interactive, and interpretative character of
human social behavior.
6. It is described as the process of using other individuals as mirrors to
see the reflection of the self and conceptualize it during social
interaction.
7. Any kind of physical phenomenon such as a word, an object, a color,
a sound, a feeling, an odor, a gesture, or a bodily movement, to
which people assign a name, a meaning, or a value.
8. The development of the self is tied to what phenomena?
9. Who coined the idea of the “Looking-glass Self”?
10. Who said that gestures must have significance to anticipate the
reaction of another party?
 B. Review Questions

1. How come that the mind is a social phenomenon?

2. Why people should define freedom as not free from constraints but rather freedom
as a responsible examining of choices that might affect others?
3. How come that the development of self is tied to the development of language?
4. Why is it said that there are many selves?
5. What is the importance of symbolic interactionism in understanding society?

C. Testing Mead‟s Claims

1. Write an experience about a time when you say something to a person which made
you respond the same way with the response of the person you are talking with.
2. Have you experienced or saw somebody else speak with himself/herself? What is
the topic about? Have you or the person you saw, anticipated the response of the
imaginary person? How?

D. Get to know yourself base from Cooley‟s Looking-glass Self using your own experience

COOLEY’S LOOKING-GLASS SELF Your Actual Experience

You imagine how you appear in others

You imagine how others judge your appearance

Your developed feelings and responses from that

perceived judgment

E. Blumer‟s Created and Recreated Meaning

1. Cite a scenario about your understanding about a particular thing but was suddenly
changed when you encountered it again.

REMEMBER

Symbolic interactionism is an analysis of the situated, interactive, and interpretive

character of human social behavior. The meaning, name, or value of a phenomena or symbol is
assigned through interpretations during human interactions. Symbolic interactionism views “self”
as always within the society because self can be realized through others. With these shared
meanings, our response is in accord with the existing system of expected behavior every time
we enter into interaction with others. However, this order or the set of behaviors may be
negotiated so long as it is binding and understood by the two parties.

CHECKING YOUR UNDERSTANDING

A. How symbolic interactionism can be used in economic transactions?

B. Cite actual examples on how our society and culture serve as the basis for our decisions
and actions.

C. How does the Local Government Unit operate using symbolic interactionism or affected
by symbolic interactionism?

D. What do you think are the strength and weaknesses of symbolic interactionism?
 E. Choose 2 of your classmates. Think and write what could be their first impressions about
you. What did you feel about yourself from that impression of them based from what you
think they think of you?
Next, ask your actual 2 classmates you have chosen and ask about their actual first
impressions about you. What did you feel about their impressions on you?

What you thought Your feelings towards What is the actual Your feelings towards
your classmates think what you thought is impressions of your their actual
of you their impression classmates on you impressions on you
1

1. Based from the feelings you have out of the impressions, what do you think are the
characteristics of yourself now?

POST TEST

A. Write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided

1. What gestures shall become if it is understood by both the speaker and the receiver?
a. Anticipated b. Self c. Significant d. Symbol
2. It is the organized community or social group that gives a unity of self.
a. Generalized other b. Individual c. Self d. Society
3. How can speaking to yourself is a sign of social phenomenon?
a. Because you try to imitate others
b. Because you are a product of society
c. Because what you say about came from society
d. Because your behavior follows a set of rules by the others
4. How a gesture can be significant to two people talking?
a. When they have the same meaning
b. When they have the same question
c. When of both them anticipate both reactions
d. When the respondent anticipate the reaction of the speaker
5. How do we know ourselves based from Charles Horton Cooley?
a. From others interpretations about ourselves.
b. From our imagination about others judging our appearance.
c. From our imagination of how we present ourselves to others.
d. From the feelings and responses we develop from our perceived judgment of others.
6. Our feelings about ourselves emanate from our interpretation on how others see us.
Since we encounter different people in various conditions and situations, what is its
implication to the concept of self?
a. The self is static
b. Self is developing
c. There are various “self” depending on the situation
d. One‟s identity shall manifest no matter what the situation is.
7. How being different or unique is still tied to society, according to Cooley?
a. Because uniqueness is a rule guided by social norms
b. Because the uniqueness of self is always trying to impress others.
c. Because social feeling and social life is two sides of the same coin
d. Because history and the class structure will always affect the sense of self
8. What is the way to know the things around us according to Blumer?
a. Through Interaction
b. Through human interpretation
c. Through interaction during interpreting
d. Through human interpretation during interaction
9. What is the central mechanism for interpretations?
a. Individual b. Others c. Self d. Society
10.Arranging a binding agreement that everyone understands is an example of what
concept?
a. Negotiated Order b. Reflexive Thinking c. Self-awareness d. Symbols