Psychology Dictionary of Arguments

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Symbolic interactionism: Symbolic interactionism is a theory that emphasizes the role of symbols and language in human interaction and the construction of self-identity. It posits that individuals create meaning through their interactions with others, and these meanings influence their behavior and perception of self. This perspective highlights the subjective nature of social reality and the importance of communication in understanding human behavior. See also Behavior, Communication, Symbolic communication, Social behavior, Meaning, Symbols, Language.
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Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments.

 
Author Concept Summary/Quotes Sources

George Herbert Mead on Symbolic Interactionism - Dictionary of Arguments

Upton I 83
Symbolic Interactionism/Mead/Upton: According to symbolic interactionist theory, the self and the social world are inextricably bound together (Mead, 1934)(1). The self is essentially a social structure that can arise only through social experiences. Mead believed that children begin to assume the perceptions that others have of them through their use of language, their games and their play. It is through doing this that they become capable of reflecting on themselves.
>Self
, >World.
Evidence to support this view comes from cases of extreme social deprivation early in life, for example so-called feral children or children such as Genie, a girl who was kept locked in a room for several years by her abusive father (Rymer, 1993)(2). These children have been shown to have poor communication skills and only a limited understanding of self.
>Psychological theories of development stages, >Developmental psychology.


1. Mead, G.H. (1934) Mind, Self and Society from the Standpoint of a Social Behaviourist. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
2. Rymer, R (1993) Genie: Escape from a silent childhood. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.

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Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments
The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition.

Mead I
George Herbert Mead
Mind, Self, and Society from the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist (Works of George Herbert Mead, Vol. 1), Chicago 1967
German Edition:
Geist, Identität und Gesellschaft aus der Sicht des Sozialbehaviorismus Frankfurt 1973

Upton I
Penney Upton
Developmental Psychology 2011


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