Symbolic Interactionism Essays (Examples)

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Symbolic Interactionism
The objective of this study is to contrast and compare the work of Simmel and Mead on Symbolic Interactionism. Toward this end, a review of literature in this area of inquiry will be conducted.

Symbolic interactionism is a primary sociological perspective that George Herbert Mead advanced through bringing "rigorous substance to this emergent micro-level analysis." (loch, nd) From the view of symbolic interactionism, "society is the sum total of the countless daily interactions that people engage in." (loch, nd) Symbols are reported to be differentiated from signs "in that a sign is something that stands for itself." (loch, nd)

The Approach of Mead

The approach of Mead to symbolic interactionism is such that was developed through "synthesis of other schools of thought" including pragmatism which view the social world as a growing and developing creation that in order to be understood must be observed both systematically and scientifically. From this view, "truth….


Herbert Blumer, having coined the term Symbolic Interactionism, is the person who was instrumental in the development of the Symbolic Interactionism perspective. Blumer was a student of George Herbert Mead. More than writing, publishing, and popularizing Mead's ideas, Blumer built on Mead's ideas and further developed. He believed and theorized that "there was more to human behavior than influences on it by outside forces or uncontrollable psychological factors" (Bandy, Foley, Hatch, Sirle and Snook). Blumer recognized the three basic principles of Symbolic Interactionism which are meaning, language, and thought.

According to Bandy, Foley, Hatch, Sirle and Snook, it was Erving Goffman who expanded the sphere of Symbolic Interactionism. Through his work on the dramaturgical perspective helped expand the realm of Symbolic Interactionism. Erving Goffman's work on the dramaturgical perspective started with the belief that "people seem to follow scripts and play games in interaction" (Canfield). Goffman also stretched Mead's concept of….

Symbolic Interactionism
Healthcare sociological theory

Symbolic interaction theory: Healthcare (Obesity prevention)

Symbolic interaction theory "focuses attention on the way that people interact through symbols: words, gestures, rules, and roles" (Plunkett n.d.). The definition of health is an important component of the cultural language in which we operate. Although our definition of health sometimes seems self-evident, like something unchanging and unwavering across the eras, it is a culturally-constructed notion. This can be seen in how the definition of acceptable body weight that has shifted and changed and the symbolic importance given to weight. Today, being overweight is not simply considered a problem of aesthetics but also a health problem with social consequences. Being overweight is seen as 'costing' the health system -- and thus taxpayer's money -- as well as taxing one's heart.

"Extrapolating from self-reported and measured data collected over time, it is estimated that the rate of obesity among adults in Canada in….

Within this sidewalk culture, patterns of interaction emerge. An example would be Hasan's role not only as a vendor, but also as a conversationalist for his customers, discussing topics that pertain to or about the merchandise that he sells, which are second-hand books.
A second feature that reflects symbolic interactionism in sidewalk culture as determined by the author is the assignment of specific roles by its members, and this is illustrated in the story of Alice, the tradebooks and popular pocketbooks vendor, and Hasan, the "black books" seller. oth are book vendors, yet, in the sidewalk culture, Hasan maintains a more personal relationship with his customers, letting their business transaction go beyond the purchase of books to discussing issues that his customers may deem important for them to discuss with him (Hasan).

Sidewalk" assumes a symbolic interactionist perspective through its third feature, which is the temporariness of the sidewalk culture itself.….

When meanings are shared, they are concordant. However since people may assign different meanings to the same entity, a disconnect can occur that can result in deviant behaviors.
Principle 2: Language

Language is, of course, at the core of communication, as well as miscommunication. In symbolic interactionism, language acts as a navigation tool that guides individuals through the often meandering conduit of meaning, using language to identify symbolic representation.

Principle 3: Thought

Thought is what allows individuals to go beyond the assignment and identification of symbols, and delve into the process of analysis. It is via thought that the meaning of symbols is modified in accordance with the reconstruction of self that tends to result from personal reflection.

Ultimately, symbolic interactionism uses each of these principles to explain human behavior, self-constructs and socialization in such a way that social problems become products of actions based on self-perceptions. Thus this theory seems to be applicable….

Symbolic Interactionism
PAGES 4 WORDS 1405

Theoretical Treatments of Symbolic Interactionism
In order to develop a deeper understanding of sociological theories designed to describe the complexities of the cognitive process, it is essential to identify tangible examples of these as they are manifested in the real world. The concept of symbolic interactionism, while carrying varying connotations depending on the distinct school of sociological thought one embraces, is generally agreed to describe the empirical analysis of three simple premises, "that human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that the things have for them & #8230; that the meaning of such things is derived from, or arises out of, the social interaction that one has with his environment & #8230; (and) that these meanings are handled in, and modified through, an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with the things he encounters" (Blumer, 1986). hile this technical definition is sufficient in relating….

Sociology Waitress
Functionalism

Serving customers food and drinks is a fundamental function in restaurant operations. However, serving customers food and drinks constitutes the manifest function of a waitress. The manifest functions of the restaurant itself include feeding people and making a profit for its owner. The restaurant's latent functions include promoting the brand identity of its celebrity chef, and contributing to the quality of life in the community. Latent functions of a waitress depend on the restaurant and its organizational culture and mission. In this case, the latent function of the waitress is to preserve the restaurant's brand identity by maintaining a professional appearance and demeanor at all times. The waitress is like an advertisement for the restaurant, ensuring that the customers will return and spread the word to friends.

The functionalist views the job of server in a high quality restaurant as being integral to the working of the whole system. From….

By developing conceptual poetics, he was able to channel his need to make sense of all the information he encounters in his life, even going so far as to include his own body and generate information about it by taking note of his body movements every hour (resulting to the literary work Fidget).
Interestingly, Goldsmith and his conceptual poetics has successfully drawn the readers' attention from the cultural material to the act of using the cultural material itself -- that is, moving the focus from the cultural material to the user. By manipulating existing written works and recreating these works in his own way, e.g., retyping printed texts, Goldsmith makes his readers realize that magazine-reading is a routine task or activity that can be creatively reinvented, simply by using the magazine in a different way. In his case, he retyped the text, possibly exploring changes in the meaning of the….

Social Perspective
PAGES 2 WORDS 648

Sociology
Symbolic interactionism is the theory suggesting human beings are best understood in "interactive relation to their environment," (University of Twente, 2014). The three core principles of symbolic interactionism including meaning, language, and thought. Meaning refers to the fact that people ascribe meaning to their relationships, institutions, and other social structures. This meaning is what guides human emotion and cognition. Language is the symbolic type of human communication. Like meaning, language also impacts human emotional and cognitive states. Thus, the third component of symbolic interactionism is thought. How a person perceives, judges, and interacts with the world is covered by symbolic interactionism. Symbolic interactionism also suggests that the self is a mirror for others, and vice-versa in what is known as the "looking glass self," ("The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective," n.d.). Symbolic interactionism is an ideal sociological lens through which to understand how social media has transformed the nature of human relationships….

Town in Turmoil
A Town in Conflict

Every story can be told a number of different ways. Each person in a given narrative understands what went on from a particular perspective. Sometimes, if that person is especially perspicacious and especially curious, then she or he can see a particular event from the perspective or one or two other people. But the individual's perspective is always limited, and this is a good thing. If we cannot see the world from our own point-of-view then we have no hope of understanding our own virtues and vices, our own sense of cause and effect.

But it is also true that there is an important place in the world for understanding an event from a larger perspective. This is the role (or, at least, one of the roles) that scholarship plays in our lives. Scholarship provides that larger lens, that broader focus on the world that….

AbstractThis dissertation explores the effectiveness of public administration in evaluating life quality and standards across different states, utilizing specifically on qualitative methodologies. The crux of this study is predicated on the principle that effective and accountable public administration plays a crucial role in delivering essential services and shaping societal well-being. Through a semi-structured interview approach, the research examines the intricate processes and decision-making mechanisms within public administration in states with varying population sizes, geographic locations, economic capabilities, and governance structures. This approach is designed to provide a nuanced understanding of the ways in which these factors may impact policy formulation and implementation. Data collection is conducted through virtual interviews with public administrators, public service users, and stakeholders, as well as document analysis. This allows for a rich, contextual exploration into the real-world experiences and perspectives of those at the forefront of public administration. Data analysis leverages thematic coding and content….

Breaching Experiment
A Game of Twister Played at Macy's Department Store

Brief Description of the Breaching Experiment

My daughter, Kayley, who is fourteen and one of her friends, Dani, with her mother's permission, participated in a brief experiment. The experiment was to play the popular game "Twister" in a social setting that would be extremely uncommon for something like that to occur. The three of us took the game to the mall and looked for a spot in which we could play. We asked a few people to participate in the game as the game's "spinner" however each person that was asked refused to participate. Eventually we chose the department store Macy's to play the game.

When playing the game there were several odd looks that were cast in our direction; one lady shook her head in what appeared to be disgust. Shortly after the game began, a store employee promptly demanded that were….

Sociology Debate: A central debate in sociology revolves around whether the power elite or pluralist view is correct. Which do you believe and why? Explain your answer.
The Power Elite view seeks to look at the way the elites rule and influence the running of the American society as a whole in the day-to-day basis. One scholar in sociology, Smith Mark (2009) in his analysis of C. Wrights work, tries to explain the rule of the elite in terms of institution that are formed to ensure the elite has a firm hand on the power controls. He identifies three main institutions that occupy the key positions in the society; major business corporations, the federal government and the military. He says that those in command of the three institutions do and will always have the same values and interest. They coalesce and interconnect to form a single ruling minority.

Among these elites there….

Gallant, J. (2016). Alleged sex abuse victim's fight for justice turns into bureaucratic nightmare. Toronto Star. 2 Dec, 2016. Retrieved online: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/12/02/alleged-sex-abuse-victims-fight-for-justice-turns-into-bureaucratic-nightmare.html
In this article, Gallant (2016) describes the ongoing legal battle between Sveta Kholi and her former neurologist, Paul O'Connor. Kholi has accused O'Connor of sexual abuse. After the complaint was lodged formally, a complex bureaucratic process ensued whereby the entire case appears to have been stalemated. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has a committee that formally handles complaints, and the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB) is a civilian body that hears appeals specifically from that very same College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

However, the bureaucratic complications become even trickier. According to the journalist, the College of Physicians and Surgeons also has an Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee. The HPARB has ordered on two separate occasions for the Inquiries, Complaints, and Reports Committee to….

subordination of labor" a necessary condition for establishing an employment relationship? Are there other necessary conditions?
The capitalist take-over of production was at first merely formal. Capitalists took control of production methods via ownership and employed workers in their privately owned factories. Workers agreed to labor for the owners, because they believed that this was a more financially and socially beneficial relationship than working for their own farms, on their own privately owned land. The formal subordination of labor to capital thus is necessary in a situation of private enterprise, where labor can be rented cheaply to work on preexisting property owned by capitalists.

Why is the "real subordination of labor" described as a fundamental aspect of management? How does the unique nature of the human factor make this form of subordination problematic?

It is only later, in part under the pressure of workers' struggles, when capitalists begin to invest heavily in….

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5 Pages
Essay

Sociology

Symbolic Interactionism the Objective of This Study

Words: 1389
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Essay

Symbolic Interactionism The objective of this study is to contrast and compare the work of Simmel and Mead on Symbolic Interactionism. Toward this end, a review of literature in this…

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4 Pages
Essay

Sociology

Symbolic Interactionism Is a Term

Words: 1327
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Essay

Herbert Blumer, having coined the term Symbolic Interactionism, is the person who was instrumental in the development of the Symbolic Interactionism perspective. Blumer was a student of George Herbert…

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3 Pages
Essay

Not Specified

Symbolic Interactionism Healthcare Sociological Theory Symbolic Interaction

Words: 1044
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

Symbolic Interactionism Healthcare sociological theory Symbolic interaction theory: Healthcare (Obesity prevention) Symbolic interaction theory "focuses attention on the way that people interact through symbols: words, gestures, rules, and roles" (Plunkett n.d.). The…

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2 Pages
Book Report

Anthropology

Symbolic Interactionism in Sidewalk Culture

Words: 595
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Book Report

Within this sidewalk culture, patterns of interaction emerge. An example would be Hasan's role not only as a vendor, but also as a conversationalist for his customers, discussing…

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2 Pages
Research Paper

Sociology

Symbolic Interactionism Provides the Best

Words: 526
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Research Paper

When meanings are shared, they are concordant. However since people may assign different meanings to the same entity, a disconnect can occur that can result in deviant behaviors. Principle…

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4 Pages
Term Paper

Communication - Journalism

Symbolic Interactionism

Words: 1405
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Theoretical Treatments of Symbolic Interactionism In order to develop a deeper understanding of sociological theories designed to describe the complexities of the cognitive process, it is essential to identify…

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3 Pages
Essay

Agriculture

Applying Functionalism Conflict Theory Symbolic Interactionism to Waitressing

Words: 951
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

Sociology Waitress Functionalism Serving customers food and drinks is a fundamental function in restaurant operations. However, serving customers food and drinks constitutes the manifest function of a waitress. The manifest functions…

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5 Pages
Thesis

Literature

Poetics Symbolic Interactionism and the

Words: 1599
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Thesis

By developing conceptual poetics, he was able to channel his need to make sense of all the information he encounters in his life, even going so far as…

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2 Pages
Essay

Education - Computers

Social Perspective

Words: 648
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

Sociology Symbolic interactionism is the theory suggesting human beings are best understood in "interactive relation to their environment," (University of Twente, 2014). The three core principles of symbolic interactionism including…

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5 Pages
Essay

Sociology

Town in Turmoil a Town in Conflict

Words: 1516
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Essay

Town in Turmoil A Town in Conflict Every story can be told a number of different ways. Each person in a given narrative understands what went on from a particular…

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1 Pages
Essay

Government

How Public Administrators Assess Quality of Life

Words: 294
Length: 1 Pages
Type: Essay

AbstractThis dissertation explores the effectiveness of public administration in evaluating life quality and standards across different states, utilizing specifically on qualitative methodologies. The crux of this study is predicated…

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4 Pages
Term Paper

Business

Applying Contemporary Theory to Contemporary Life

Words: 1235
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Breaching Experiment A Game of Twister Played at Macy's Department Store Brief Description of the Breaching Experiment My daughter, Kayley, who is fourteen and one of her friends, Dani, with her mother's…

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6 Pages
Essay

Economics

Sociology Debate A Central Debate in Sociology

Words: 1938
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Essay

Sociology Debate: A central debate in sociology revolves around whether the power elite or pluralist view is correct. Which do you believe and why? Explain your answer. The Power Elite…

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6 Pages
Essay

Sociology - Counseling

sociology article and how it relates to a theory

Words: 1877
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Essay

Gallant, J. (2016). Alleged sex abuse victim's fight for justice turns into bureaucratic nightmare. Toronto Star. 2 Dec, 2016. Retrieved online: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/12/02/alleged-sex-abuse-victims-fight-for-justice-turns-into-bureaucratic-nightmare.html In this article, Gallant (2016) describes the ongoing…

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8 Pages
Term Paper

Business - Management

Subordination of Labor a Necessary Condition for

Words: 2582
Length: 8 Pages
Type: Term Paper

subordination of labor" a necessary condition for establishing an employment relationship? Are there other necessary conditions? The capitalist take-over of production was at first merely formal. Capitalists took control…

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