Sociology for Everyone

SOCIAL THEORY

SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONIS
M
1-1
 Sociology for Everyone

UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

SOCIOLOGY & ITS CLASSICAL THEORETICAL

FOUNDATIONS
The Functionalist
Perspective

The Conflict Theory

Perspective

The Symbolic
Interactionist
Perspective
Sociology for Everyone SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM

EMPHASIZES HOW
INTERACTIONS
BETWEEN PEOPLE CREATE
SOCIAL
STRUCTURE AND SOCIETY.

THOMAS THEOREM
• WHAT IS DEFINED AS REAL IS
REAL IN ITS CONSEQUENCES
• IE. BEAUTY STANDARDS
• IE. RACIAL PROFILING
• BASED ON THE WORK OF
C.H. COOLEY, AND G.H
MEAD
Sociology for Everyone

PUBLIC/PRIVATE SELF

BACKSTAGE INTERACTIONS
• FREE OF EXPECTATIONS
• NO REGULATION BY NORMS

FRONTSTAGE INTERACTIONS
• PERFORMANCE ACCORDING TO
SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS
• SHOW AND HIDE PARTS OF
OURSELVES
 Sociology for Everyone

SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
RITZER’S SEVEN PRINCIPLES (SEE PP. 24-
25)
1. HUMANS HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR
THOUGHT

2. HUMAN THINKING IS SHAPED BY

SOCIAL INTERACTION

3. PEOPLE LEARN MEANINGS AND

SYMBOLS IN SOCIAL SETTINGS 1-5

Copyright © 2011 by Pearson Canada Inc.

Sociology for Everyone

SYMBOLS

1-6
 Sociology for Everyone
SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
RITZER’S SEVEN PRINCIPLES
4. Meanings and symbols enable people to
carry on uniquely human actions and
interactions

5. People are able to change meanings

and symbols

6. Humans have the unique ability to

interact with self

7. Culmination of interaction and

patterns of action make up society