1. Social Interaction MeaningIdentitiesRolesInteractionsContexts

2. Symbolic Interactionism Symbols: items that meaningfully stand for or represent other things we see, hear, or feel Key Assumption: Symbols – which are given meaning by social interaction – are key to our sense of self and society. Symbols define and shape us.

3. How Meaning Is Made Role Taking Role Taking A Response To The Movement A Response To The Movement Random Movement Random Movement Meaningful Gesture Meaningful Gesture Significant Symbol Significant Symbol Shared Symbols Shared Symbols

4. Components Of Interaction CONTEXTSCONTEXTS INTERACTIONSINTERACTIONS ROLESROLES IDENTITIESIDENTITIES Salience and Commitment Specific and Generalized Others Role Strain and Role Conflict Socialization and Impression Management Role Distancing And Role Exits Situations and Definitions Of Situations Identity is a socially defined character we develop as occupants of particular social positions Salience is an identity’s position in the identity set hierarchy Commitment is based on the number of ties and emotional strength of ties to other people who treat us like a holder of the identity Roles are sets of prescriptions and proscriptions for behavior tied to our positions Role Making is society’s move to create/modify roles in order to make them more explicit Role Strain is an inability to enact competing expectations of a single role Role Conflict is an inability to manage competing expectations of a multiple roles Primary Groups are those we have regular contact and enduring relationships with Secondary Groups are those we interact with in impersonal ways, usually to carry out a specific task Role Distancing is an attempt to seem less committed to a role Role Exit is disengagement from a central role