Assess The Interactionist Perspective

There are three different theoretical perspectives. Functionalist perspective, which emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability. Functionalists see the contribution that it makes to society. The conflict perspective, assumes that social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources, and political representation. The interactionalist perspective, which generalize about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole (Schaefer).

The Interactionist theory views society as composed of symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate with one another. This theory consists of face to face interactions. For this reason, this perspective theory applies to the Yanomamo society since they members of this culture tend to socialize with one another since their villages are small. One of the obvious examples seen in the film is the way Yanomamo people communicate to each other. They communicate with spoken words and body language. Another obvious example of symbolic interactionism can usually be found in religion or certain culture beliefs, groups like the Yanomamo societies, who live

I choose the symbolic interactionism for my theoretical perspective. From sociological perspective, symbolic interactionism most concerned with the face-to-face interaction between members of society. Symbolic interaction reminds us that culture is a human creation.

Prompt One: Honors Intensive English Midterm Gavin Guerrette “A Visit for Charity” by Eudora Welty follows an obligatory visit that Marian, a campfire girl, pays to two elderly women in an old ladies’ home. Welty utilizes a progressive variation in sentence length ( syntax ) throughout the plot of her short story to develop pacing that contributes most to its explosive climax where short sentences feel like the incessant pounding of a drum during the culmination of a symphony, vibrating your entire body. Syntax is the way in which sentences are structured to control verbal pacing and focus. Eudora Welty begins her piece with long, descriptive sentences such as the following, “ She stopped for a moment beside one of those prickly dark

There are three theories that sociologist hold responsible to explain and describe what’s going on in the world. The three theories are functionalist theory, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism theory. Each theory has a different perspective for how the world works. Functionalist look at different parts of society to see how each part of society can function effectively. By looking at different parts of society functionalist try to achieve balance and harmony. The conflict theory sees society as being in a competition for scarce resources. Conflict theorists consider everything that is limited not just money. Lastly, the Symbolic interactionism theory sees society as being recreated everyday by having social interactions with one another. Symbols are what make society what it is. For instance Language is a symbol used constantly to communicate with one another. From what I have learned this semester in sociology, I believe that the Functionalist theory explains how the world works. Without one of the five basic social institutions: family, economy, education, religion and government, society would fall apart. Religion and education shapes families and depicts ones morals and values. Religion also plays a role in families political views. Without politics there would be no government and without government there would be no economy. Each social institution plays a huge effect on one another.

Julia’s complete acceptance of what the Party says is due to her own laziness and lack of interest concerning anything about the Party. She doesn’t believe there should be any protest to the Party because it is all a lie anyways, and it shouldn’t matter. That is where she is incredibly wrong, and just as much lazy. It is easy to agree, to just accept anything that is told to you without any thought or consideration, and it is difficult to challenge an opposing idea. The only way a person can protest is if they know how to create their own idea, and, personally speaking, she is lazy. Others are unaware, and it’s the Party’s actions that make other unaware; however, Julia has the ability and knowledge to be aware of the lies that the Party control,

The interactionist theory views society on a microlevel, it considers the relations between individuals on a one to one small scale level, and how these relations are interpreted, and influences one behavior. Also called symbolic interactionism, it covers how people are surrounded by symbols in the form of non-verbal communication, actions and even dress codes. Employers and employees interact through the giving of instructions and the carrying out of said instructions by the employees. Employers might award a job well done through a verbal praise ‘well done,’ nonverbal communication such as a smile, or an

Symbolic interactionism perspective is a theory that is used to study social life. To do this, this theory relies on studying and observing the interactions among people and how they form meanings to things from those interactions. Although, there is much more to this theory than that. Blumer, the man who invented the term symbolic interactionism, presented three premises which help to understand this theory. The first one is, people act a certain way towards things depending on their meaning for that thing. The second premise is that we get meanings from social interaction, so we are taught meanings or we witness them from others. Lastly, the third premise is that meanings are able to change because people have the mental capacity to

Symbolic Interactionism Theory “sees interactions and meanings as central to society, and assumes that meanings are not inherent, but are created through interactions” (Chp. 1 Theory). An example of Symbolic Interactionism Theory is smoking (informal). Smoking is harmful to your health. A person may associate a meaning for smoking. They might use smoking for means as a way to meet a new friend. When two smokers meet, and one offers the other a cigarette, that is a way to become acquainted with someone. The gesture here is the offer of a cigarette from one person to another. This gesture is positively sanctioned because the person makes a new friend. The negative sanction is the harmful effects that a cigarette has on a person’s

To begin, symbolic interactionism places meaning, interaction, and individuals at the center of understanding social life. It places emphasis with the meanings that people give to actions and events, stressing that people create, negotiate, and change social meanings through the means of interaction. It is through interaction that human beings learn what things mean, and it emerges from the social processes of interpretation, communication, and role taking. To add, symbolic interactionism asserts that individuals have the ability to think and use symbols, therefore being able to exercise their freedom to interpret, act toward, and give meaning to objects, events, and situations around them. Interactionists also assert that human beings live in a named world, and they

Symbolic interactionism as a term was coined by Herbert Blumer to further develop the theories of George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley. This perspective gives priority to the importance of understanding the meanings of social action. This framework works with the belief that human social behaviour is based on symbolic meanings that are found within a given situation (Tepperman et al., 2013 p.369). Symbolic interactionism, being a form of microsociology, focuses attention on the smallest systems of society, being individual people and their interaction. Symbolic interactionists, like all microsociologists, see society

The symbolic interactionism approach is interpretive; the linguistic work of assigning meaning or value to communicative texts, believes that multiple truths are possible. ( Em Griffin/Andrew Ledbetter/Glenn Sparks pg.15) The tradition is socio-cultural tradition, it’s based on the premise that as people talk, they produce and reproduce culture. ( Em Griffin/Andrew Ledbetter/Glenn Sparks

Social conflict also focuses on macro-sociology. Symbolic interaction paradigm says society functions well through interactions. Communication is spreaded through symbols created by society. Social interaction is important, because it causes social change. Many variables such as behavior events are explained through social contact with others. The people are the ones who determine what is reality, and what is not reality. Life works in a dramatization point of view. Symbolic interaction paradigm focuses on the small issues that affect communities in society, therefore making it a micro-level orientation. Functionalist paradigm sees society as a well integrated, self-regulating system that meets people’s needs. While Social conflict views society having many groups that are self reliant, with their own goals and needs. Symbolic interaction explains society is shaped, and constructed through interaction, and communication with others.

The typical interactionist point of view, otherwise called typical interactionism, guides sociologists to consider the images and subtle elements of regular day to day existence, what these images mean, and how individuals connect with each other.

Founded by George Herbert Mead, Symbolic Interactionism is the theory symbols are the key to understanding how we view the world and communicate with each other. We attach meaning and value to these symbols based on interaction and includes our social lives, cultures and relationships. A symbolic interaction examines an individual’s life in society and the interaction they have with others. If you were to remove symbols, our behavior would be similar to animals. Humans use symbols as guidelines to help us understand who we are. Another sociologist that associates with this theory is Horton Cooley. Mead and Cooley both helped create the idea of symbolism being necessary in our daily lives. (Henslin, J.M 2013)