Symbolic Interaction Theory

The Symbolic Theory focuses on how belief and attitudes that shape our daily lives. I understand that we interact verbally and through gestures and body language. After viewing the content on this theory I understand why my niece would cry at a gesture I used when she was small and misbehave. When Jamealia was about two and she did anything wrong I would open my eyes wide and look at her from the corner of my eyes and she would start crying. When ask what happen she would say aunty look at me or aunty give me the eye and some time I would laugh at the point that she cries, but on the other hand she understand that what she is doing she must stop.

We live in a world of symbols. People use symbols for almost everything and we all act towards things on the basis of the meaning that they have assigned to them. When we see a pink ribbon on anything to us it means support women with breast cancer. As the theorist state “One of the most important shared meanings is known as the definition of the situation, that is, the way we perceive reality and react to it. In the case where relationship often break up because partner have different perceptions I can a test to that I was dating a man from a different country and we have so many different perceptions about thing and I just have to call it a day and move along. Thing that he does and says the way I see it or interpret it; he would always say that is not what I meant and it would cause a conflict between us and I could not deal with the constant conflict.

A popular symbol that I learn over the year is that when a man scratches female in the palm of her hands it signify that he wants to have sex with you. I understand from the theorist point that babies are not born with a predetermined ideas about who they are; they develop this through interaction with family members and even the wider society affect the way we act and behave because of the symbols link to certain things that we do.

Symbolic Interaction Perspective

In my view this is a subjective micro theory which looks at how individuals ideas, beliefs and attitudes impacts their daily lives.

It is subjective in nature in that it compares individual behaviour and reaction to symbols and their meanings and how they are communicated. This could be either  words, gestures, pictures, or symbols. Individuals who share the same view would have mutual understanding, but those who do not share the same view may have conflict arising between them. Symbols have different meanings in different societies.

The theorist also speaks of the “Significant Other” – how individuals basically see and understand things .Individuals who does not share the same understanding or meanings of certain facts, tension may arise.eg. A boy who goes out on his first date may want a kiss, but the girl would prefer to have a meaningful conversation.

We   become cognizant of certain situations because of our interaction with other people such as parents, friends, relatives etc.

The theorist also thinks that family roles are symbolic, members of families get engage in multi tasks,  eg. My sister is a mother, a grandmother and a wife.

However people roles are different based on the individual they are interacting with at the time.eg. Little Tommy would respond differently to his Grand Pa as compared to his big brother Josh.

Symbolic Interactionism

This theory speaks about the use of symbols in our everyday life. A symbol is what one puts a certain meaning to. For instance my husband spends a lot time with his friends, to me it is a sign that he doesn’t find my company interesting. I feel sad and awful that he does not spend time with me. To him this is just socializing with his friends, it is a symbol to him that not because he is married that does not mean he can no longer spend time with his friends. To me he is married and I should be his sole interest.

In this theory meanings changed in different situations by society. For example my friend’s baby father rarely shows any sign of emotions. He doesn’t say I love you neither does she. To me this is a symbol that there is no love between them while to her they are both being cautious. If it was me I would be on the next taxi out of that relationship as action speaks louder than words. This is simply showing that people have different meaning to the same thing. I believe that each person way of socialization will give him or her different symbols. One has to bare in mind how they were socialized and think about each other’s feelings so that a relationship does not end. This is going for both social and intimate relationship, as both my husband and I have different meanings to things and we have found ways and means to compromise and make things work. Also my friend and I have different meaning to things and even though we do not see eye to eye we have found ways and means make our friendship last. 

Symbolic Interactionism Theory. What are your thoughts?