Symbolic Interactionism Creating the Human Reality Paper

Symbolic Interactionism – Creating the human reality
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September 25, 2016
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Symbolic Interactionism – Creating the human reality
As one of the most prominent theories in Sociology, Symbolic Interactionism (aka Symbolic Interaction theory) provides one of the most widely accepted and all-encompassing explanation as to how humans understand reality, create it, and act according to it (Crossman, 2016). Initially conceptualized by Max Weber, this theory takes its ranks in American sociology through its introduction by “George Herbert Mead in the 1920s” (Crossman, 2016). According to this perspective, humans see an objective reality and put subjective meanings through experiencing it. Then, these subjective meanings that they create, would then guide them as to how to act in particular meanings and situations. In turn, the collectivity of meanings and the appropriate actions that they create would form the ‘social bond’ (Crossman, 2016). Thus, in this theory, culture, social interactions, and experiences could be seen as a part of the cycle of processes that would, in turn, create meanings for the individuals which would later guide them in acting accordingly. As an example, if a foreigner – completely unaware of the practices of a country – sees a man cross on the street after the red light turns to green (the “do not walk sign”), then he associate the meaning that he is only allowed to pass when the green light appears again. Thus, t...