Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences– Grade 11

Quarter 1 – Module 9: Key Concepts and Ideas of Symbolic-Interactionism Approach in

the Social Science
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, Section 176 states that no copyright shall subsist in any
work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the
government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for
exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things,
impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand

names, trademarks, etc.) included in this module are owned by their respective
copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use
these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors
do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Published by the Department of Education - Schools Division of Pasig City

Development Team of the Self-Learning Module

Writer: Dr. Marjorie Z. Rondilla
Editor: Irene J. Mondejar
Reviewers: Irene J. Mondejar
Illustrator:
Layout Artist: Clifchard D. Valente
Management Team: Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin
OIC-Schools Division Superintendent
Aurelio G. Alfonso EdD
OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Victor M. Javeña EdD
Chief, School Governance and Operations Division and
OIC-Chief, Curriculum Implementation Division

Education Program Supervisors

Librada L. Agon EdD (EPP/TLE/TVL/TVE)

Liza A. Alvarez (Science/STEM/SSP)
Bernard R. Balitao (AP/HUMSS)
Joselito E. Calios (English/SPFL/GAS)
Norlyn D. Conde EdD (MAPEH/SPA/SPS/HOPE/A&D/Sports)
Wilma Q. Del Rosario (LRMDS/ADM)
Ma. Teresita E. Herrera EdD (Filipino/GAS/Piling Larang)
Perlita M. Ignacio PhD (EsP)
Dulce O. Santos PhD (Kindergarten/MTB-MLE)
Teresita P. Tagulao EdD (Mathematics/ABM)

Printed in the Philippines by Department of Education – Schools Division of

Pasig City
 DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS
IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES 11
Quarter 1
Self-Learning Module 9
Key Concepts and Ideas of Symbolic-
Interactionism Approach in the Social Science
Introductory Message

For the Facilitator:

Welcome to the Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences Grade 11 Self-
Learning Module on Key Concepts and Ideas of Symbolic Interactionism Approach
in the Social Science!

This Self-Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed and

reviewed by educators from the Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its
Officer-in-Charge Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A.
Agustin, in partnership with the City Government of Pasig through its mayor,
Honorable Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K
to 12 Curriculum using the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) in
developing this instructional resource.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners in guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims to help learners
acquire the needed 21st century skills especially the 5 Cs, namely: Communication,
Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Character while taking into
consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their own learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist the
learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
 For the Learner:

Welcome to the Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences Self-Learning

Module on Key Concepts and Ideas of Symbolic Interactionism Approach in the
Social Science!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You
will be enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an active
learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectations - This points to the set of knowledge and skills

that you will learn after completing the module.

Pretest - This measures your prior knowledge about the lesson

at hand.

Recap - This part of the module provides a review of concepts

and skills that you already know about a previous lesson.

Lesson - This section discusses the topic in the module.

Activities - This is a set of activities that you need to perform.

Wrap-Up - This section summarizes the concepts and

application of the lesson.

Valuing - This part integrates a desirable moral value in the

lesson.

Posttest - This measure how much you have learned from the
entire module.
 EXPECTATIONS

Learning Objectives:
In this lesson, you are expected to:
1. identify the importance of good and effective communication in
symbolic interaction;
2. cite meaningful experiences that shape one’s concept of “self”; and
3. value and internalize lessons learned in life.

PRE-TEST

Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided for.
1. It is a part of the individuals’ personality that is composed of self-
awareness and self-image.
A. Gestures B. Interaction C. Self

2. This term refers to the art and science of interpretation.

A. Conflict Theory B. Symbolic Interactionism C. Structural Functionalism

3. The organized set of information that the individual carries in his/her

head about the general expectation and attitudes of the social group are
is called _____.
A. minding B. generalized other C. looking glass self

4. He is the proponent of the threefold usage of gestures in communication.

A. Robert Merton B. George Herbert Mead C. Karl Marx

5. Which term describes how we construct our sense of self by imagining

how we look to another person.
A. looking glass self B. transacting C. minding

RECAP
Let’s try to remember the things that you have learned in Lesson No. 8 on
Marxism.
Directions: Write the letter of your answer on the space provided for.
_____1. Which two philosophers developed the principal concept of
materialism?
A. Marx and Aristotle B. Marx and Engels C. Engels and Voltaire

_____2. What word did Marx label the Working Class with?
A. Landlords B. Proletariat C. Bourgeoisie

_____3. What is Marxism’s most important unit of social organization?

A. Social Class B. Nation C. Family

_____4. What does the Marxist view directly oppose to? And what does it try
to establish among the people in the society?
A. Freedom, Imperialism B. Society, Anarchy C. Capitalism, Communism

_____5. In Marxist theory, those who own property and the means of
production is the _____.
A. Wealthy B. Proletariat C. Bourgeoisie

LESSON

Symbolic Interactionism- is a sociological framework that focuses on the

different meanings’ individuals attach to objects, peoples and interactions as
well as corresponding behaviors that reflect those meanings and/or
interpretations.

Symbolic interactionism looks at individual and group meaning, focusing on

human action instead of large-scale social structures.
Proponents of Symbolic Interactionism and their Contributions

1. George Herbert Mead pioneered the development of symbolic

interactionism perspective. He argued that people’s selves are social products
but these selves are also purposive and creative. Gestures is our means
towards self-discovery and self-development.

Mead’s approach to symbolic interaction rested on three basic premises:

1. People act toward the things they encounter on the basis of what those
things mean to them and this is called the imitation stage.

2. Play stage is when people learn what things are by observing how other
people respond to them, which is through social interaction.

3. As a result of the ongoing interaction, the sounds, gestures, facial

expressions, and body postures we use in dealing with others acquire
symbolic meanings that are shared by people who belong to the same culture
and this characterizes the game stage.

Mead emphasized the importance of the vocal gesture (verbal

communication) because it increases efficiency in sharing meaning between
the listener and speaker.

2. Charles H. Cooley was an American sociologist who studied and went on

to teach at University of Michigan. He is best known for his socio-
psychological concept self wherein, he explained that a person’s SELF grows
out of society’s interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others. He
named this concept as looking glass self which involved three basic steps:
 a. You imagine how you appear to the other person.
b. You imagine the judgment of the other person.
c. You feel some sense of pride, happiness, guilt or shame.

3. Herbert Blumer was a former pupil of George Herbert Mead and views
symbolic interactionism as “a uniquely human process” which can be
understood through language and gestures.

Blumer explained that communication is a “meaning making activity or

interaction”. The meaning to communication must be assigned, who will
determine its meaning should be identified and the meaning assigned must
be used for a particular purpose.

An example is when somebody says, “Hey you look pretty, have you lost
a lot of weight?”, this could mean differently depending on who is the receiver.
It can be taken as a compliment or a negative remark. Thus, the meaning we
give to what was said to us is the determining factor of how we react to what
they say.

With this, Blumer came out with his three basic principles on symbolic
interactionism: Meaning, Language and Thought.

4. Erving Goffman was a famous sociologist and he argued that everyone is

constantly negotiating with others to publicly define our identity and the
nature of creating reality to the situation. Wherein, reality creation is a
delicate and fragile thing that can be shuttered.

All these concepts on symbolic interactionism explained how

communication affects the development of one’s self which lead to the
development of the following ideas:

a. Generalized Other is described as the combined mental image of

others in a community, their expectations, and possible responses to one’s
self.

b. Symbol Manipulation, a process in which symbols incite people to

unite into action.

c. Self-fulfilling Prophecy wherein, the expectations of a person evoke

responses that confirm what was originally anticipated.

ACTIVITIES
Activity 16
Directions: Read the statements carefully and choose the letter of the correct
answer.
_______1. Which term describes the inner conversation that accompanies
thinking.
A. language B. minding C. transacting

_______2. Which is part of the theory of the looking-glass self?

A. we create our self-image according to the comments of others
B. we create our self-image by matching our appearance with
others’ appearance
C. self-image is not important

_______3. Mead suggests that the self is an ongoing process that combines the
“I” and the “Me”. The “I” refers to_______.
A. the spontaneous force that fosters the unpredictable behavior
B. the image we have of how other people react to us
C. both A and B

_______4. The organized set of information that the individual carries in her
or his head about what the general expectation and attitudes of the
social group are is called
A. Minding B. Looking Glass Self C. Generalized Other

_______5. Mead believed that the self can be impacted by

A. the comments others make about us
B. the thoughts we entertain
C. both A and B

Activity 17
Directions: Read the statements carefully and choose the letter of the correct
answer.
_______1. Based on Mead's discussion of the generalized other, which of the
following statements is true?
A. There is no "me" at birth, it is formed through continual symbolic
interaction.
B. The "I" is more important than the "me" in forming our sense of self.
C. The generalized other is really who we are, we just don't understand what
Mead is saying.
D. Societal expectations have little impact on who we think we are.

_______2. According to symbolic interactionists, human beings differ from

animals
A. because humans show greater affection than animals.
B. because human beings have the ability to take the role of the other.
C. because humans are only proactive and not reactive like animals.
D. all of the above
_______3. The process of naming is important to understanding symbolic
interactionists because
A. we can only understand things we have a name for.
B. words can confine us by how many we know.
C. words have a default assumption that influences how we interpret the
world.
D. all of the above.

_______4. Based on your understanding of Mead's theory, which of the

following statements is accurate?
A. There isn't really much difference between the way that animals and
humans think.
B. Once people define a situation as real, its consequences become real.
C. The act of naming something has little impact on how we behave toward it.
D. All of the above.

_______5. Symbolic interactionism is based on the principles of meaning,

language and thought.
A. Yes
B. No
C. Maybe
D. Sometimes

WRAP UP
Directions: Using the concepts of symbolic interactionism, accomplish the
Johari Window below to show a clearer and better understanding of yourself.
 VALUING
Directions: In a scale of 1-5, 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest, rate how
your interaction with others made you a better person.

POST TEST
Directions: Read the statements carefully and write the letter of the correct
answer.
_____1. Which social theorist is credited for developing and expanding on the
concept of “self” in symbolic interaction theory?
A. Herbert Blumer B. George Herbert Mead C. Charles H. Cooley

_____2. How many parts make up the concept of looking glass self?
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3
_____3. The biggest problem about Mead’s theory is that
A. it suffers by trying to do so much.
B. it is too clear in the way that it allows you to explain different events.
C. it accurately explains the nature of psychosis.

______4. Mead suggests that the self is an ongoing process that combines the
“I” and the “Me”. The “Me” refers to_______.
A. the spontaneous force that fosters the unpredictable behavior
B. the image we have of how other people react to us
C. both A and B

______5. This term describes how we construct our George Herbert Mead
. sense of self by imagining how we look to another person.
A. Generalized Other C. Looking Glass Self
B. Symbolic Interactionism

KEY TO CORRECTION
5. C 5. A 5. C 5. A 5. C
4. A 4. B 4. C 4. B 4. C
3. B 3. D 3. B 3. B 3. A
2. B 2. B 2. B 2. B 2. B
1. B 1. A 1. B 1. C 1. B
POST TEST ACTIVITY 18 ACTIVITY 17 PRE-TEST RECAP

References

https://www.slideshare.net/marianmj7/symbolic-interactionism-77372356

http://novella.mhhe.com/sites/007248392x/student_view0/chapter4/mult
iple_choice.html

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/487936940855608858/

https://www.slideshare.net/huxaifaqureshi5/self-cooleys-looking-glass-self

https://www.slideshare.net/Mahadmuhib/symbollic-interactionism-in-
sociology

http://novella.mhhe.com/sites/007248392x/student_view0/chapter4/mult
iple_choice.html