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Theories Of Sociology And Symbolic Interactionism As A Major Theory Of Sociology

A theory is a set of guiding principles that can assist in providing an explanation for some aspect of the real world. For instance, the theory of evolution can help us explain a wide range of different pieces of evidence about the world, such as questions pertaining to DNA and the fossil record. There are few major theories in sociology that defines he disciple and society in general.

These are Interactionist perspective, conflict perspective and functionalist perspective. Today we will discuss about Interactionist perspective. Symbolic Interactionism Writing Services Canada helps students studying sociology in Canada to get deep knowledge on this topic.


Theories of Sociology and symbolic interactionism as a major theory of sociology
Theories of Sociology and symbolic interactionism as a major theory of sociology

Symbolic Interactionism

According to the symbolic interactionism idea, people react to aspects of their surroundings based on the subjective meanings they attach to those aspects. These meanings, for example, can be produced and modified through social interaction that involves symbolic communication with other people.

In sociology, the term "Symbolic Interactionism" refers to a theoretical framework that explains how societies are formed and kept together via the consistent behaviours of individual members of the society.

Theories are always little tricky to understand therefore writing assignment service in Canada along with assignment help Canada helps students to solve their doubts.


Principles Of Symbolic Interactionism

  • People make decisions based on the personal significance that they ascribe to various aspects of their environment. For instance, a person who places a low value on the "subject" of family may prioritise other aspects of their life and give less consideration to the part that the family plays in their overall experience.

  • For individuals, meanings originate from interactions with other individuals and with society. These meanings that an individual possesses are created and recreated through a process of interpretation that takes place whenever that individual interacts with others.

  • Interactions take place within a social and cultural context where objects, people, and situations must be defined and characterised according to individuals' subjective meanings.

Development Of Symbolic Interactionism


George Herbert Mead was the first person to put pen to paper and discuss the fundamental ideas that underpin symbolic interactionism (1934). Mead, an American philosopher, proposed that individuals construct their sense of who they are in relation to others through social interaction.

Charles Horton Cooley (1902) popularised the idea that a person's awareness of their self-concept is primarily controlled by the reaction of those who are in their immediate environment by coining the term "looking-glass self" to describe this concept. Therefore, other individuals serve as a "looking glass" (or a mirror) for us, allowing us to evaluate ourselves by looking "in" to it.


Schools Of Symbolic Interactionism

  • The Chicago School,

  • The Iowa School, and

  • The Indiana School

These are the three primary schools of thought within the Symbolic Interactionism philosophical movement. These schools of thought can be traced back to the separate contributions of Herbert Blumer, Manford Kuhn, and Sheldon Stryker. assignment help assists students to understand these three schools of thought.


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