9780132276917

Using a unique step-by-step, integrated approach, Symbolic Interactionism: An Introduction, an Interpretation organizes the basic concepts of symbolic interactionism in such a way that the reader clearly understands the concepts and is able toapply them to their own lives. It emphasizes theactiveside of human beings-humans as definers and users of the environment, humans as problem solvers and in control of their own actions-and it shows students how society makesus, and how we in turnshapesociety.

Preface

xi

1 The Nature of Perspective

1

(13)

New Perspectives Mean New Realities

6

(3)

Perspectives Are Socially Created

9

(1)

Are All Perspectives Created Equal?

9

(2)

Summary

11

(1)

Some Examples of Perspectives: Informal and Formal Perspectives

11

(3)

2 The Perspective of Social Science

14

(14)

Five Ways of Knowing

14

(1)

Science as a Perspective

15

(2)

Social Science as a Perspective

17

(9)

Sociology As a Perspective

18

(2)

Psychology As a Perspective

20

(1)

Commonalities and Differences Between Sociology and Psychology

21

(1)

The Perspective of Social Psychology in Psychology

22

(2)

The Perspective of Social Psychology in Sociology

24

(2)

Summary

26

(2)

3 Symbolic Interactionism As a Perspective

28

(15)

Introduction: Five Central Ideas

29

(1)

General Historical Background of Symbolic Interactionism

30

(5)

Mead and Pragmatism

31

(1)

Mead and Darwin

32

(2)

Mead and Behaviorism

34

(1)

A Contrast with Other Perspectives: Warriner

35

(1)

Shibutani: Reference Groups as Perspectives

36

(3)

Attitudes Versus Perspectives

39

(2)

Summary

41

(2)

4 The Meaning of the Symbol

43

(16)

The Nature of Reality

44

(2)

Importance of a Socially Defined Reality

45

(1)

Objects as "Social Objects"

46

(2)

The Meaning of Symbols

48

(3)

Some Types of Symbols

51

(1)

Language

52

(2)

Words Are Categories

53

(1)

Nonsymbolic Animals

54

(3)

How Animals Approach Environment

55

(1)

Symbols Versus Signs

56

(1)

Summary

57

(2)

5 The Importance of the Symbol

59

(12)

Symbols and Social Reality

60

(1)

Symbols and Human Social Life

61

(2)

Symbols and the Individual

63

(6)

Naming, Memory, Categorizing

64

(1)

Perception

64

(1)

Thinking

65

(1)

Deliberation and Problem Solving

65

(1)

Transcendence of Space and Time

66

(1)

Transcendence of One's Own Person 67 Abstract Reality

67

(1)

Creativity

68

(1)

Self-Direction

68

(1)

The Importance of Symbols: A Summary

69

(2)

6 The Nature of the Self

71

(22)

Self as a Social Object

72

(2)

Self as Social: Four Social Stages for Self-Development

74

(4)

The Preparatory Stage

75

(1)

The Play Stage

75

(1)

The Game Stage

76

(1)

The Reference Group Stage

77

(1)

Selves as Ever-Changing Social Objects

78

(1)

Self as Object

79

(1)

1. Action Toward Self: Self-Communication

80

(1)

2. Action Toward Self: Self-Perception

81

(7)

Self-Perception: Assessment of Our Own Action

81

(1)

Self-Perception: The Development of Self-Concept

82

(1)

Self-Perception: Self-Judgment

82

(4)

Self-Perception: Identity

86

(2)

3. Action Toward Self: Self-Control

88

(2)

Central Ideas about the Self

90

(1)

The "I" and the "Me"

91

(2)

7 The Human Mind

93

(11)

The Meaning of Mind: Symbolic Interaction Toward Self

94

(1)

Mind Action: Making Indications Toward Self

95

(1)

Mind Action: The Ability to Control Overt Action

96

(1)

Mind Action: The Ability to Problem Solve

97

(3)

Mind Action Is Part of All Social Interaction

100

(2)

Summary

102

(2)

8 Taking the Role of the Other

104

(12)

Imagination and Taking the Role of the Other

105

(1)

Symbols, Self, Mind, and Taking the Role of the Other

106

(1)

The Meaning of "Taking the Role of the Other"

107

(2)

Taking the Role of the Other: Significant Others, Generalized Other, and Others in the Situation

109

(2)

The Importance of Taking the Role of the Other

111

(3)

Summary

114

(2)

9 Human Action

116

(24)

The "Stream of Action"

118

(2)

The Act

120

(2)

Action, Goals, and Social Objects

122

(1)

Mead's Four Stages of the Act

123

(3)

Another Look at Mead's Four Stages of the Act

125

(1)

Locating the "Cause" of Human Action

126

(2)

The Definition of the Situation

128

(2)

Habitual Action

130

(1)

The Role of the Past in Human Action

131

(1)

The Role of the Future in Human Action

132

(1)

Action and Motives

133

(2)

Action and Emotions

135

(2)

Human Action and Free Choice

137

(1)

Summary

138

(2)

10 Social Interaction

140

(14)

The Meaning of Social Interaction

141

(3)

Social Interaction Develops Out of Social Action

141

(1)

Social Interaction Is Ongoing Social Action Among Actors

142

(2)

The General Importance of Social Interaction

144

(1)

1. Social Interaction Forms Our Basic Human Qualities

144

(1)

2. Social Interaction Is an Importance Cause of Human Action

145

(3)

3. Social Interaction Shapes Identities

148

(5)

4. Social Interaction Creates Society

153

(1)

Summary

153

(1)

11 Society

154

(20)

Two Views of Society

155

(1)

Groups, Organizations, Social Worlds, and Societies

156

(1)

1. Society Is Symbolic Interaction

157

(2)

2. Society Is Symbolic Interaction That Is Characterized by Cooperative Action

159

(3)

3. Society Is Social Interaction That Is Symbolic, That Is Characterized by Cooperation, and That Develops Culture

162

(5)

Culture Is a Shared Perspective

162

(1)

Culture Is a Generalized Other

163

(1)

Culture Maintains Society

164

(1)

Culture Is Ever-changing

165

(2)

The Meaning of Society: A Summary

167

(2)

The Individual Exists Within Many Societies

169

(2)

The Active Human Being in Society

171

(1)

Summary

172

(2)

12 Erving Goffman

174

(15)

Goffman and Symbolic Interactionism

174

(1)

Drama in Interaction

175

(4)

Impressions and Performance

175

(2)

Performance Teams

177

(1)

Reaction to Goffman's Dramaturgical View

178

(1)

The Self of Social Interaction

179

(3)

Goffman's View of Self

179

(1)

Social Control and Self

180

(2)

Rituals of Interaction

182

(3)

The Meaning of Ritual

182

(2)

The Importance of Ritual

184

(1)

The Environments of Social Interaction

185

(2)

Summary

187

(2)

13 Symbolic Interactionism: A Final Assessment

189

(28)

Symbolic Interactionism and Human Freedom: A Review

190

(2)

Symbolic Interactionism and Science

192

(4)

Symbolic Interactionism: Some Representative Studies

196

(9)

A Study of Pregnant Drug Users

196

(1)

A Study of Sam's Definition of Pain and Injury

197

(1)

A Study of Identity Formation in a Maximum-Security Prison

198

(2)

A Study of First-time Tattooees

200

(1)

A Study of Compulsive Gamblers

201

(1)

A Study of Student Anxiety: Not Studying Hegel So Much as Doing Laundry

202

(3)

Symbolic Interactionism: Some Examples of Application

205

(9)

An Understanding of Society

206

(1)

An Understanding of Racism in Society

207

(2)

An Understanding of Gender Differences

209

(2)

An Understanding of Childhood Socialization

211

(2)

Symbolic Interactionism: A View of the College Experience

213

(1)

Symbolic Interactionism: A Final Look at Application

213

(1)

The Importance of the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

214

(2)

Summary

216

(1)

References

217

(12)

Index

229

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Preface For many students a book entitled symbolic interactionism” might be too academic, or too much like jargon, or a forbidding mystery. To me, however, it is exactly on the money. That is because this whole book is a description of a social psychology that focuses on the importance of interaction as the basis for what individuals and societies are made of, and that interaction is always symbolic. I like symbolic interactionism because it addresses so many of the issues that are important for those people who wrestle with what the human being is and why the human being acts. It is a unique perspective in that it is part of what we call social science, yet it is very probablistic in its predictions. That is, it does not normally identify a single cause” when it understands human action. Instead, its studies focus on the history of action, the many decisions and choices people make as they act. Interaction with others is almost always important, but interaction takes us one way, then the other. It treats the human being not as a passive responder to the environment, a being who is conditioned, who is pushed around by environment and biology. Instead, people are active in their environment, determining to a great extent what they do, think, and become. Symbolic interactionism is a context within which we can understand both the uniqueness of humankind and the ways human beings are similar to to other animals. The first edition of this book attempted to fulfill a promise I made to myself in graduate school: to write a clear, organized, and interesting introduction to symbolic interaction, a perspective that seemed to have interesting ideas and studies, but did not seem to hold together. Integration of the ideas became central to this book. I hope you will find this perspective interesting, organized, and useful. This is the ninth edition. Each time I attempt to improve on what I have written before, it brings a certain humility to my work. Each time I revise I wonder hhow in the world I could ever have written what I had previously. The publisher this time chose excellent reviewers, and many of their suggestions were made. I try to update, correct errors and ambiguities, and reorganize chapters so that they make better sense. In this edition I have made changes in almost every chapter, and I have redone large parts of chapters 4 (The Meaning of Symbols), 6 (The Nature of the Self), 9 (Human Action) and 10 (Social Interaction). Because of a suggestion by a reviewer I decided to add interesting and relevant introductions to each chapter, highlighting the importance of what the chapter is. I believe this makes the book far more attractive to the student and is a good pedagogical tool. Always I try to appeal to students who think sociologically and students who are attracted to the world of ideas. This book is an attempt to contribute to the mystery of what human beings are, their essence. I dedicate this book to my wife, Susan, who continues to be my best friend and greatest supporter. Joel M. Charon Professor Emeritus Minnesota State University Moorhead

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Symbolic Interactionism : An Introduction, an Interpretation, an Integration

Symbolic Interactionism : An Introduction, an Interpretation, an Integration

0132276917

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