SYMBOLIC

INTERACTIONISM
Dela Pena, Delson, Jao, Lina
DEFINITION: Symbolic Interactionism

 Focuses on the small scale perspective between individuals,

society, and their interactions with others.
 Analyzes society by addressing the subjective meanings
that people impose on objects, events, and behaviors.
 Through Symbolic Interactionism, it can explain social
orders and change.
KEY CONCEPT: Symbolic Interactionism

 Subjective Meaning
 Given primacy because it is believed that people behave
based on what they believe and not just on what is
objectively true.
GEORGE HERBERT MEAD

 Started the foundation behind this theory in the early 20th

century.
 Believed that development of the individual is a social
process as well as the meanings of objects assigned by
individuals. (Where people change based on their
interactions with everything in their environment and
assign meaning to things to know how to act.)
HERBERT BLUMER

 Labeled the social theory created by Mead as “Symbolic

Interactionism”
 Three Tenets of Symbolic Interactionism
1. Action depends on meaning
2. Different meanings for different people
3. Meaning is not permanent
DEFINITION: Criticism

 Restricted only on small scales between individuals.

 References

Brown, S. (n.d.). Symbolic Interactionism. Khan Academy. Retrieved on

09/24/19 from https://www.khanacademy.org/test-
prep/mcat/society-and-culture/social-
structures/v/symbolic-interactionism
Crossman, A. (2018, December 27). What is Symbolic Interactionism?
ThoughtCo. Retrieved 09/24/19 from
https://www.thoughtco.com/symbolic-interaction-theory-
3026633