1. Symbolic Interactionism
Jill Conniff and Roberto Cortes Ortiz

2. Evolution & Pragmatism
Charles Darwin’s model provides the means of understanding and discovering all behaviors, those of humans included.
Mead’s attraction to Darwin rests on his emphasis on process, specifically, the idea that process gives rise to different forms.
Although Mead would become one of the key figures in the development of pragmatism, he was initially introduced to it by John Dewey, William James, and James Baldwin.
“If Dewey gave range and vision, Mead gave analytical depth and scientific precision.”

3. George Robert Mead ( )
Was born in Massachusetts and entered Oberlin College at the age of 16.
After graduation, earned his graduate degree from Harvard.
Taught philosophy and psychology at the University of Michigan. After taught at the University of Chicago until his death.
Believed people have the capacity to think and decide on their own how they should act in certain situations.
Their reactions are based on their perceptions and definitions of the situation.
People cope with the reality of things according to their comprehension of the situation.

4. Views the mind as a process, a conversation within itself.
Mind, Self, and Society
Views the mind as a process, a conversation within itself.
People have the capacity to control their responses to the environment.
Self involves the process where actors reflect on themselves as objects.
Develops from social forces and social experience.
Society cannot exist without minds and self.
Humans have ability to manipulate environment so multiple societies exist.
The ‘I’ and ‘Me’
I is source of creativity and spontaneity.
Me is formed from the perceptions others’ actions and views, including own thoughts on oneself.

5. Development of Self
Imitation stage- understanding gestures.
Play stage- learned use of language and meanings of certain symbols.
Game stage- understanding the roles of others and abiding by the rules.
The Act
Impulse- gut reactions or the need to do something.
Perception- use of senses and mental images to satisfy the impulse.
Manipulation- taking some conscious effort in regard of impulse.
Consummation- act of satisfying the impulse.

6. The Social Act and Gestures
The stimulus creates an impulse that triggers possible reactions by people in the environment.
Mead emphasizes the importance of the vocal gesture (verbal communication).
Shared language increases efficiency.
Can hear ourselves talking, therefore carries same meaning between listener and speaker.

7. Herbert Blumer ( )
Taught sociology at the University of Chicago from 1927 to 1952.
Completed doctoral dissertation in 1928 under guidance of Ellsworth Faris, a disciple of George Herbert Mead.
Blumer was one of sociology’s most prominent and esteemed practitioners.
Leading spokesperson for the Chicago style of symbolic interactionism for an entire generation.
Believed that humans construct their own actions and are free of internal drives.
Additionally, actions are a consequence of reflexive and deliberate processes determined by an individual in response to their environment.

8. Blumer (Cont.) Symbolic Interactionism
is a term that was coined by Blumer in 1937.
“humans act toward things on the basis of meanings” Blumer insisted its importance, while peers downplayed it.
Blumer views symbolic interactionism as “a uniquely human process” one which we must completely understand through language and gestures.
Must share a language to communicate effectively.
The importance of the fact that people act depending on meanings of objects for them, which creates profound methodological implications.

9. Blumer & Social Theory
Blumer’s focus was limited to theories grounded in empirical science.
Acknowledged the role structure in human society:
I.e. social roles, statues positions, rank orders, social codes, norms, values, etc.
Stated: “social interaction is obviously an interaction between people and not between roles...”
Theoretical schemes are essentially proposals as to the nature of relations between persons and their social environments.
Wrote Industrialization as an Agent of Social Change in an attempt to explain the role of industrialization as a cause of social change.
Published posthumously in 1990 by Maines and Morrione.

10. Erving Goffman (1922-1982) Was born in Alberta, Canada.
Attended the University of Toronto and completed his graduate studies at the University of Chicago.
Taught sociology at Berkeley, and anthropology and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania until his death.
Influenced by W. Lloyd Warner and Georg Simmel.
Believed an individual becomes attached to society through ritual.

11. Presentation of Self
Individuals are actively reflecting on how to present themselves in varied social environments.
When interacting with new people, individuals can present themselves as they wish because there is not past knowledge of each other and cannot be discredited.
Dramaturgy
Method of placing society into form of plays or dramas, individuals are actors.
Front stage- where individuals perform role as they wish to be perceived.
Backstage- individuals act as they really are and let their guard down.
Role distance- degree to which individuals separate themselves between frontstage and backstage.

12. A mark of disgrace or dishonor.
Stigma
Gross physical defects, defects in character, and membership in a social class or group that is not acceptable.
A mark of disgrace or dishonor.
Deviance from the normal.
Not always physical markings.
Perception of weakness, dishonesty, distrustful, or cowardly.
May be acquired at birth or during life time.
Can be found at macro level as well.

13. Arlie Russell Hochschild (1940-_)

14. Arlie Russell Hochschild (1940-_)
Graduated from Swarthmore College and earned her master's and Ph. D. from the University of California at Berkeley.
Taught at the University of California at Santa Cruz and currently teaches sociology at Berkeley.
Unlike advantages that women have today, Hochschild had to jump through obstacles that women faced at the time during the 1960s and early 1970s (i.e. graduate study, academic job, and child care.)
Her focus on emotions was inspired by the “collective consciousness” of the women’s movement of the time and by Goffman’s work.
Extended Goffman’s work in two ways:
She expanded on his study of embarrassment and shame, where she incorporated a range of emotional responses. Also, examines the inner emotional life of the self, whereas, Goffman only studied the outward signs of emotional response, respectively.

15. Emotion Culture and Work
Emotion culture consists of a series of ideas about how and what people are supposed to experience in given situations.
Two broad types of emotion work:
Evocation, an actor’s cognitive focus is on a desired feeling that is initially absent; and,
Suppression, an actor’s cognitive focus is on an undesired feeling which is initially present.
In gerontology, theory of disengagement, where people grow older and “die” socially before they die biologically.
Working at home has become ideal however, with children, working from home may tack on additional “work.”
This trend is causing implications where few people feel totally secure at work or home.

16. Relevancy
Micro-oriented sociological theory of symbolic interactionism analyzed.
Diverse influences from both European and American influences.
E.g. George Herbert Mead, Herbert Blumer, and Erving Goffman.
The strongest influence on symbolic interactionism remains George Herbert Mead.
Although the symbolic interactionist approach has merit, it still receives critical attacks from all sides.
Critical attacks including but not limited to psychologist, mainstream sociology, and ethnomethodologists.
Notwithstanding, symbolic interactionism is one of the “big three” of sociological theories.
Its relevance will remain indefinitely in sociological theory.

17. For the exam...
Define these terms as they are used by symbolic interactionists:
Presentation of self (Goffman): An identity that one presents to others in an attempt to manage their impression of him or her. We act a certain way so others view us in this certain way.
Dramaturgy (Goffman): Method of analyzing social interactions in the form of a play. We are the actors, we present ourselves in a specific way in the front stage and act as we truly are in the back stage.
Stigma (Goffman): Describes a mark of disgrace. Sometimes in physical form other times as poor personality traits (weak or dishonest).
Emotion culture (Hochschild): A series of ideas about how and what people are supposed to experience in given situations.
Describe how Herbert Blumer defines the relationship between symbolic interactionism and social methodology.
Symbolic interactionism is the idea that humans act toward objects on the basis of the meanings that the things have for them. And the meaning of the objects is brought on by the social interaction with one’s peers. Blumer’s social methodology took a naturalistic approach (study of conduct and group life as these occur in everyday existence). He also stressed the need for exploratory studies.
Describe the key perspective by which symbolic interactionists view society.
The presentation of self and the fact that human communication, through gestures and language, and interaction often involve attempts to manage one’s image and evironment.
What do sociologists gain by viewing society from the perspective of symbolic interactionism?
Process of interaction is best-understood dimension of the social universe because of the social methodology. Social methodology allows researchers to be flexible and form comprehensive acquaintance with a study that is unknown to them.
Describe one key limitation to the way that the symbolic interactionists view society.
Ignores class structure and socioeconomic factors.