Comm Lecture 5 Not on test for Friday Objectives Symbolic Interaction Theory Goal purpose of SIT SIT s concepts and explanations Research generated from SIT How SIT defines communication What are SIT s meta theoretical assumptions Evaluating SIT Symbolic Interaction Theory George Herbert Mead Mead Fascinated by Human s ability to use symbols o Mind Self and Society 1934 o Hebert Blumer Symbolic Interaction Goal o To explain how humans through interaction with one another create symbolic worlds and how these worlds affect behavior Assumption regarding meanings and behavior o People act based on symbolic meanings created between them Meaning is created through interaction between people Meaning is modified through an interpretive process Created meaning affects behavior Key concepts o Mind Ability to use symbols that have common social meanings We can not interact with other until we learn language Language shared system of verbal and nonverbal symbols organized in patterns to express thoughts and feeling Language uses significant symbols symbols with shared Meanings Through language we Share meanings Anticipate responses of others Mind reflects and creates society Use language to learn norms of society Change norms Mind allows though inner conversation this is why it is considered an intra personal communication theory With out social interaction we cant think Thought allows Role taking taking the perspective of others o Role taking leads to Empathy The development of self o Self ability to reflect o n ourselves from the perspective of others Self develops from role taking taking the perspective of others Looking glass self Cooley 1912 Pygmalion effect we live up to other peoples labels for us o Society the web of social relationships humans create Exists prior to individuals Created by individuals interacting Creates individuals self s Particular others significant others Generalized others society as a whole Mind Self and Society 1934 Chicago school university of Chicago o Mead and Blumer Iowa school university of Iowa o Manford Kuhn 20 statement test New Iowa School o Carl couch Apply to family relationships and communication between o Research related to SIT Irving Goffman 1967 1974 Interaction rituals Larossa Reitzes the families Evaluation of SIT main criticisms o Scope Too broad o Precision ignores important concepts Self esteem evaluation of self How does SIT define communication o Intentional o Correspondence o Successful o Ethical Honest o Symbolic Actions Cognition thought perception o Human to human o Ontological Do humans make real choices Is human experience basically individual or social Social Is human experience contextualized Context does matter o Epistemological o Axiological
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