1 Social Psychology of Groups Study Guide for Required Readings Exam 1 Symbols Selves and Social Reality 1 The Meaning of Symbolic Interactionism pg 1 15 2 The Interactionist Toolkit 20 24 Not the whole chapter 1 From what philosophical tradition did symbolic interactionism SI grow out of Pragmatism What are the basic assumptions of this tradition which differentiate it from classical rationalism The natures of reality conceive reality as dynamic unfinished and always in the making The nature of human knower acquires knowledge through ongoing experiences which consist of active engages in our physical and social environment The relationship between facts values truth and knowledge facts are not out there to be discovered by scientists but scientists actively carve facts out of reality depending on their own interests and purposes The role of science possibility of human progress facilitated by a scientifically informed process of social reconstruction 2 How did George Herbert Mead develop SI 3 themes Emergence process and agency 3 According to Blumer what are the three guiding assumptions of SI 1 human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings those things have for them 2 the meaning of such things are derived from or arises out of the social interaction one has with one s fellows and 3 these meanings are handled in and modified through an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with the things they encounter 4 Additional Assumptions a How are our actions constrained We act toward situations we build up and construct our behavior based on the meaning we attribute to the situation in which we find ourselves b What is society A fluid but structured process that consists of individuals interacting with one another c What is the role of emotions The central aspect of the self Emotions shaped by feeling rules social guidelines for how we should feel in particular situations d What should be the fundamental unit of social psychological analysis The social act a What is the Social Act or Joint Action Behavior that in some way takes account of others and is guided by what they do it s formulated so that it fits together with the behavior of another person group or social organization It depends on and emerged through processes of communication and interpretation b What are joint actions three key features It s often routine and repetitive it s typically linked to a larger and complex network of actions and it s connected to previous contexts and forms of conduct 7 6 How might SI be relevant and beneficial to your life Deepen understanding of social psychology and also understanding of yourself and those around you 1 help you to gain a better understand of how and why you think feel and act in the ways that you do 2 give you helpful insights into how others affect your behavior and how your behavior affects others particularly as you engage in joint actions a What is SI s primary humanistic methodology Naturalistic inquiry if you want to develop an adequate understanding of human behavior you need to put yourself in the position of those engaging in this behavior so you can understand what meanings they attribute to it b Why It s called naturalistic because it focuses on people s behavior in natural social settings and advocated the use of informal and unobtrusive techniques to acquire first hand understanding of this behavior c What are its two key phases Exploration and inspection 8 What is grounded theory Methodological approaches to collect inspect and analyze data When guided by this approach researchers engage in the processes of collecting and analyzing data simultaneously working back and forth between there processes to develop theoretical explanations of the data they are gathering In doing so researchers take part in open and focused coding memo writing theoretical sampling and creating and linking theoretical categories 5 Symbols Selves and Social Reality Film clips Billy Eliot 3 Socialization The Creation of Meaning and Identity 77 79 80 88 Not the whole chapter 1 How do interactionists view socialization They stress the dynamic reciprocal and unpredictable nature of socialization View people as active agents who significantly influence the contents and outcomes of their own socialization As people participate in the socialization process they acquire resources and skills that enhance their creativity and autonomy 2 What are Mead s three stages of development and how does the generalized other fit in The preparatory stage the play stage and the game stage The generalized other refers to the perspectives and expectations of a network of others or of the community as a whole These older players have acquired the crucial capacity to take the role of several others and to combine these roles into a consistent symbolic perspective When assuming this perspective we respond in terms of the organized roles of others and their shared standards We see ourselves from the vantage point of the community and embrace their rules expectations and perspectives 2 3 Is socialization completely predictable No Does it lead to conformity No Why or why not Young children learn how to think talk understand play roles and fashion selves through socialization In developing these capacities they influence and often resist the goals hopes and actions of adults which then teach adults what they should expect from them In doing so they act as agents of socialization as well as targets of this process 4 What are the components of the dialectical self 5 What are the phases of the looking glass self First the child imagines how she appears to others around her especially important to others such as her parents and family members She tries to see herself through their eyes Second the child imagines how others judge her Based on their actions and expressions she gauges whether they see her as good or bad or as lovable or bothersome Third guided by her interpretations of others reactions and judgments the child develops a self feeling If she sees her parents respond to her as a good loveable child she will internalize their responses and feel gratified In contrast if she sees her parents reacting to her as a bad bothersome child she will judge herself unfavorable and feel ashamed 6 What s the difference between primary and secondary socialization Primary socialization refers to the process by which children learn to become mature responsible members of their society This learning occurs