Symbolic Interactionism Essay

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Coms 2350 | Step-Mom | Analysis through the lens of Symbolic Interactionism | | Rachel Weygandt | 11/26/2012 | [Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.] | My paper will examine Symbolic Interactionism; a theory initiated by George Herbert Meade, and subsequently published through the eyes and understanding of his teachings, by his students, after his death in 1931. One student in particular, Herbert Blumer, is noted for coining the term Symbolic Interactionism in a1937 publication. (Loconto & Jones-Pruett, 2006) Symbolic Interactionism is an interpretive theory claiming that communication takes place between people through symbols, and their talking to, and with one another. (Griffin, 2009, p. 60) There are 3 fundamental axioms in Symbolic Interactionism: meaning, language, and thought; these 3 principles aid in an individual’s creation of self and their socialization into their community. Meaning is how a person constructs their social reality through interacting with others; people act towards others and situations based on the ‘meanings’ they have assigned to them. Language is simply the symbols that we use to communicate or negotiate meaning. Thought is engaging in the act of putting oneself in another’s role, in order to better understand their interpretation of symbols; an inner conversation where one pictures themselves doing something beforehand. A person’s sense of self is not present at birth, but rather, constructed through the interactions that they have with others during their lifetime. (Griffin, 2009) People are constantly changing, with their past being more influential, than determinate, on their current state of
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