Week 3- Summary Of Symbolic Interactionism Reading

-Roberts, B. 2006, 'Symbolic Interactionism 2- Developments,' in Micro Social Theory, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.46-61.

Okay, this is my first blog and a rough summary of Symbolic Interactionism, which I am still struggling to get my head around !

So, Symbolic Interactionism was a concept created by Herbert Blumer in 1937. He applied it to the micro sociological study of social interaction and social encounters, such as face-to-face interaction.

Some Brief points.

• Symbolic Interactionism refers to the particular features of interaction that take place between people.
• To consider the concept involves the idea that individuals' action is constructed. Individuals have selves and can refer to themselves. Group action is an outcome of the bringing together of individuals' interpretations of each other.

Blumer cared more about the intricate discussion of the nature of social interaction.

"Human interaction is mediated by the use of symbols by interpretation or  by ascertaining the meaning of one another's actions" (Blumer, 1969:79).

Three important Aspects of Symbolic Interaction !! (according to Blumer)

1. It is a formative process.
2. The reliance on symbolic interaction makes human group like a developing process.
3. By analysing Symbolic Interaction it is possible to study the whole range of human relationships.

In summary, humans act towards things based on the the meanings they construct for the things. The meanings of such things develop from social interaction.

The 'Iowa School' attempted to show that the central ideas of symbolic interactionism can be applied and verified through empirical research.

Some criticisms.

• Symbolic Interactionism lacks consistency/ clarity and relies on certain insufficiently examined assumptions of social life.
• It led to an over-concern with deviant aspects of social life.
• 'Outside' criticisms- It is non-economic, ahistorical, culturally limited, and ideologically biased, has a limited view of social power.

New Developments of Symbolic Interactionism.

• Since the mid-1980s, people have struggled to show the vitality of symbolic interactionism- as a lively, developing body of work.
• Progress was made in the area of interpretive procedures, which point out that symbolic interactionism was influenced by feminism (or the 'feminist turn') in the cultural construction and reproduction of gender.
• The examination of overlooked aspects of the "founders" of symbolic interactionism. 
• Postmodernist writings have affected interpretive work of symbolic interaction.

In conclusion..

Symbolic interactionism has majorly contributed to micro social theory. It continues to develop new areas for investigation and conceptualisation.