George Herbert Mead

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George Herbert Meads Symbolic Interactionism

• Chris Walden

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Introduction

• George Herbert Mead was born in South Hadley,
  Massachusetts in February of 1863.
• In 1894 , Mead moved from The University of
  Michigan to Chicago, Illinois, where he would
  later become the center of the sociological
  department at The University of Chicago.

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Introduction Contd

• After Meads death in 1931 his students at the
  University published his Mind, Self, and Society
  teachings.
• Herbert Blumer, Meads pupil, further developed
  his theory and coined it Symbolic
  Interactionism.

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Introduction Contd

• This theory is the process of interaction in the
  formation of meanings for individuals.
• In simple form, people act based on symbolic
  meanings they find within a given situation.
• The goals of our interactions are to create a
  shared meaning.

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• Herbert Blumer came up with three basic
  principles for his theory.
• Meaning, Language, and Thought.
• These three principles lead to conclusions about
  the creation of a persons self and socialization
  into a larger community.

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1st Principle

• Meaning Making is a community project
• Meaning is something that has to be assigned and
  who assigns it?
• The definition of this word states that it is a
  intention for a particular purpose or
  destination.
• Blumer says that the principle of meaning is
  central in human behavior

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Meaning Contd

• Meaning is based on human interaction and how we
  act towards other people.
• We as humans, base things upon the meanings that
  they have been given.
• An example would be me saying, Hey you look
  great, have you lost a lot of weight? This
  statement could be taken a lot of different ways.
  Perhaps the person that I said this to takes it
  in the way of a compliment, (Which is what I was
  giving them) or a negative remark. The meaning
  that we assign to the statement is how we react
  to people and what they say.

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Meaning Contd

• This theory tells us that its how people
  interpret messages and statements.
• Each one of us has a different meaning assigned
  to different things.
• To us humans the word grass is something that
  can be defined as green, or something needed to
  be cut. To animals, the word grass could mean
  shelter or food.
• Now in the case of symbols, meanings also depend
  on the number of consensual responses of those
  who use it. If someone uses a particular word
  such as hey, to those that use it a lot, it means
  hello. Now for those people that are ambiguous to
  it, it could mean a totally different thing to
  them.

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2nd Principle

• Language Symbolic naming for the human society
• Language gives humans a means by which to
  negotiate meaning through symbols.
• Mead believed that when you named something, it
  is assigned a meaning. An example of this would
  be me naming my dog Lucifer. The meaning of this
  name would be the devil, because maybe the dog is
  extremely mean or bites people all of the time.

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Language

• In simple terms, this principle says that when we
  talk to each other, symbolic interaction means
  that humans identify meaning, or naming, and then
  they develop discourse, which is communication
  orally

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3rd Principle

• Thought Interpretation of symbols
• Thought is based on language. While in a
  conversation, your mind is imagining or thinking
  about the different points of view or meanings to
  what the other person is saying to you.
• What this means is that once your hear someone
  say something, you automatically start thinking
  about what you are going to say next.

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Language

• Mead believes that We naturally talk to
  ourselves in order to sort out the meaning of a
  difficult situation.
• Whatever you think of before acting to an action
  or responding to a phrase is your thought. We do
  this all the time without knowing or realizing
  it. It is your own personal meaning that you put
  on words.

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Conclusion

• George Herbert Mead was a professor whose
  teachings were transformed into a theory that is
  well known and taught throughout the world.
• Symbolic Interactionism has only one variable in
  it. The individual has its own set of meanings
  for things and people.
• A problem with this theory is that it does not
  state whether or not an individual wants to win
  and get their own way or not. Sometimes we think
  that people can also construct a sample and ask
  someone if they should have a certain meaning for
  this and a meaning for that.

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• This theory doesnt tell you if you think this
  way because a person told you to or if you think
  a certain way because you feel that you need to.
• George Herbert Mead died in 1931. Although he
  never got around to publishing his own teachings,
  he still is considered to be one of the top
  sociological theorists that have ever walked this
  earth.

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Language and Thought

• Mark Krebs

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Symbolic Interactionism

• Language
• Dealing with Meaning
• Thought
• Where interpretation is modified.

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Things to Keep in Mind

• Both Language and Thought arise out of people
  socializing with one another (Symbolic
  Interactionism).
• Much of the time Language and Thought go hand in
  hand.
• I like to teach with examples.

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• Love
• Unlike boom, smack, and thump- words usually
  have no logical connection to the objects they
  describe.

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Language

• Language is the source of meaning.
• Everything in life has a different meaning.
• All objects, people, and abstract ideas have been
  assigned certain names.
• Meaning has never been inherent.

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• 
  
  Sportslogos.net

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• Spoken words, written words, and pictures are all
  apart of our language.
• Each word or picture means different things to
  each individual.
• Each persons language is shaped by other people.
  

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Thought

• Humans come equipped with a mind wired for
  thought.
• That mind allows everyone to interpret the
  symbols of our language.

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Minding

• Minding is the two-second delay where individuals
  rehearse the next move and anticipate how others
  will react.
• George Herbert Mead
  

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Thought

• According to Blumer
• We as humans have the ability to take the role of
  the other.
• This allows us chances to find new meaning and
  different perspectives in life.

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Taking the Role of the Other

• This is seeing the world through anothers eyes.
• Walking in someone elses shoes
• Grown up version of having imaginary friends and
  talking to yourself.

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To conclude

• Symbolic Interactionism and its premises are
  built upon communication between individuals.
• Language and Thought are vital in the
  interpretation of symbols.
• We have and always will be affected by Language
  and Thought.

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The Looking-Glass Self and The Generalized Other

• Clara Hartlaub

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• The self is a basic concept in symbolic
  interactionism, which requires the understanding
  of meaning, language and thought.
• It allows humans to reflect on themselves and
  argue with themselves helping to develop an
  accurate self image.
• The looking-glass self and the generalized other
  are parts of a larger tool which helps
  individuals develop their self concepts.
• These concepts help form who we are as
  individuals and lead to conclusions about the
  creation of a persons self and socialization
  into a larger community.

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Reflections in a Looking Glass

• We develop who we are based on ideas that come
  from, taking the role of the other, imagining
  how we look to another person.
• Interactionists call this mental image the
  looking-glass self.
• The self is a combination of I and me. The
  I refers to what is unpredictable and
  unorganized about the self while the me is the
  image of the self seen through the looking glass
  or other peoples perceptions.

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Real-Life Application of the Looking-Glass Self

• Looking-glass self is the process of developing a
  self-image on the basis of the messages we get
  from others, as we understand them.
• There are three components to the looking glass
  self 1.Imagine how we appear to others 2.
  Imagine what their judgment of that appearance
  must be 3. Develop some self-feeling, such as
  pride or mortification, as a result of our
  imagining others' judgment.

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Generalized Other

• Over-arching looking-glass self that we put
  together from the reflection we see in everyone
  we know or the expectations of society that
  influence every conversation that takes place in
  peoples minds.
• Shapes how we think and act within a community.
• As the generalized other develops, children often
  have imaginary friends that grow into an internal
  conversational partner which helps children
  participate in their own socialization. The
  child then gradually takes on the roles of the
  community.

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Real Life Application of the Generalized Other

• Negative responses can consequently reduce a
  person to nothing.
• Cipher in the Snow
• Harry Potter
• Through the looking-glass self and the
  generalized other a person is able to define
  their self image and develop who they are as an
  individual.

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Applied Symbolic Interaction

• Sarah Buschmann

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Symbolic Interactionism

• The characteristics of this approach are human
  interaction, interpretation or definition rather
  than mere reaction, response based on meaning,
  use of symbols, and interpretation between
  stimulus and response
• It is concerned with the interaction order of
  daily life and experiences, rather than the
  structure.

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Six Applications of Symbolic Interactionism

• There are six different applications within the
  theory of symbolic interactionism
• creating reality
• meaning-ful research
• generalized other
• naming
• symbol manipulation
• the self-fulfilling prophecy

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Creating Reality

• Sociologist Erving Goffman argues that everyone
  is constantly negotiating with others to publicly
  define our identity and the nature of the
  situation in the creating reality application.
• The impression of reality is a delicate and
  fragile thing that can be shattered.

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Meaning-ful research

• In meaning-ful research, Mead claims that
  research occurs through participant observation.
• Mead believes that behavioral experimental and
  survey research are void of the meaning of the
  experience.

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Generalized other

• Generalized other is described as the combined
  mental image of others in a community, their
  expectations, and possible responses to ones
  self.
• In symbolic interaction, there is a tragic
  potential of negative responses consequently
  reducing a person to perceiving themselves as
  nothing.
• The generalized other is a combination of all of
  the looking glass selves that others give us.
• The looking glass self is imaging how we look to
  others.

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Naming

• Naming is what we would call name-calling, such
  as retard, slut, liar, ugly, etc.
• Name-calling can be devastating because it forces
  us to view ourselves through a warped mirror.
• These grotesque images are not easily dispelled
  and can be very hurtful and damaging. This is
  shown in a clip from the T.V. show South Park.
• http//youtube.com/watch?vLGBYVnkSqis

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Symbol manipulation

• Symbol Manipulation is the process in which
  symbols incite people to unite into action.

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Self-fulfilling prophecy

• Each and everyone of us affects how others view
  themselves.
• Predictions in the self-fulfilling prophecy may
  be false but made true by ones actions. Ones
  prophecy is simply a possibility that is made
  into probability by ones unconscious or
  conscious actions.
• Our expectations evoke responses that confirm
  what we originally anticipated, resulting in a
  self-fulfilling prophecy.

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Social Penetration TheoryChapter 8

• Bridget Carroll and Derek Oldham
• April 10th, 2007

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The Social Penetration Theory

• Explains relational closeness through the process
  of honest self-disclosure and social exchange.
• Griffin, E. (2007). A first look at communication
  theory (6th ed.). New York McGraw-Hill.

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Close Relationships and Intimacy

• Three categories of personal bonds
• Friendships
• Romantic Relationships
• Family
• Intimacy can provide enjoyment, trust, sharing of
  confidences, respect, mutual assistance, and
  spontaneity.

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Depth of Penetration

• Four observations
• Peripheral items are exchanged more frequently
  and sooner than private info
• Self-disclosure is reciprocal where there is an
  equal exchange of openness
• Penetration is rapid at the start, but slows down
  as inner layers are reached
• Depenetration occurs by a gradual process of
  layer-by-layer withdrawal

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Social Exchange and Comparison Level

• The closeness of a relationship is dependent upon
  the cost-benefit analysis of social exchange,
  where people weigh the risks and rewards of
  self-disclosure.
• The Comparison Level evaluates social outcomes
  through two standards
• Relative satisfaction (how happy or sad it makes
  you feel)
• By judging outcomes based on past experiences and
  their sequence.

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Part II Application

• You already know
• The Social Penetration theory is an approach to
  how and why relationships form.
• Each person has inner values and emotions that
  must be revealed through a process of
  self-disclosure.
• This process of revelation is fundamental in
  forming friendships, romantic relationships, and
  family bonds.

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How do relationships form?

• Bonds form through revealing each persons inner
  self (self-disclosure).
• A basic understanding of the personality
  structure an onion,
• And how this model works.

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Why do relationships form?

• You just want a coffee date!

• Intimate bonds can provide enjoyment, trust,
  sharing of fears and dreams
• One decides that the benefits must outweigh the
  costs (you can get something out of it).
• The formation of bonds is a human characteristic
  that we naturally experience throughout our lives.

Or a buddy to fish with you.
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What does this mean to me?

• By understanding how and why relationships form,
  we can deepen our current ones and be prepared
  for the future bonds that will form.
• The first step in allowing closeness is letting
  your guard down.

• As we eventually let people in, we are allowing
  penetration

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What does this mean to me?

• We gain closeness through
• 1. Honest self-disclosure
• --Dont wear masks!
• --Let your guard down!
• 2. Understanding people and their complexity

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The Personality Structure

• The outer layers are the first to be penetrated
  and include more public information.
• Gradual disclosure will lead to more
  understanding of each individual.
• Once penetrated, it will be easier to return to
  inner layers.

Preferences in food, music, clothes
Goals and aspirations
Biographical data
Religious views
Deeply held fears and fantasies
Concept of self
Source Griffen, E. (2007). A first look at
communication theory (6th ed.). New York
McGraw-Hill.
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Other Observations of SPT

• The Law of Reciprocity is important when
  disclosing emotional equity between the two
  people.
• ?Take turns revealing layers
• Penetration is rapid at the start, but slows as
  inner layers are reached. Intimate layers take
  years to be revealed and some may never be
  disclosed.
• --Griffen, E. (2007). A first look at
  communication theory (6th ed.). New York
  McGraw-Hill.

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Other Observations of SPT cont.

• Depenetration is a gradual process of layer by
  layer withdrawal.
• It is usually mutual and characterized by lack of
  care and enjoyment.
• Areas of ones life are closed off from the other
  and no new information is shared.
• --Griffen, E. (2007). A first look at
  communication theory (6th ed.). New York
  McGraw-Hill.

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Conclusion

• Humans reveal information in order to gain
  closeness in relationships. The process of
  penetrating layers helps them to grow deeper and
  have a better understanding of each other.
• One will choose a relationship when it is
  beneficial or they find the other person
  interesting.
• Questions??