Foundations of Interactionism
This micro-sociological perspective argues that society is constructed through everyday face-to-face interactions that shape social meanings and behavior.
What is Interactionism?
A student erupting in raw, emotional shouting immediately following a failed examination is an empirical example of this Weberian action category.
What is Affective Action?
This theorist coined the term "Symbolic Interactionism" and identified its three basic principles: ascribed meanings, communication, and interpretation.
Who is Herbert Blumer?
This key sociological figure developed the concept of the "Looking Glass Self".
Who is Charles Horton Cooley?
This theorist pioneered Dramaturgy, presenting the view that social interaction is highly similar to actors performing in a play.
Who is Erving Goffman?
Max Weber explicitly denies the ontological existence of this concept, which macro-sociologists argue fundamentally dictates human behavior.
What is a rigid social structure?
This type of action is guided by established customs, habits, or long-standing practices, like standing for the national anthem.
What is Traditional Action?
According to George Herbert Mead, this part of the self represents the unique traits of each person and the individual's spontaneous notion of oneself.
What is the "I"?
The core of Looking-Glass theory argues that our self-concept is shaped by this process.
What is how we believe others perceive us?
This is the process by which individuals attempt to consciously control the image they present to others during interactions.
What is impression management?
According to Mohammed (2014), this specific study of interpretation and meaning functions as the core philosophical pillar of the interactionist school of thought
What is Hermeneutics?
This type of action is carried out with a clear awareness of a specific goal and the most efficient means to achieve it.
What is Rational Action?
In Mead's theory, this part of the self represents the internalized expectations, attitudes, norms, and values of society as a whole.
What is the "Me"?
Cooley emphasized that our internalization of others' reactions is often more important than this form of factual reality.
What is objective reality?
Clue: In dramaturgy, this specific region is where the actor formally performs, follows social conventions, and behaves knowing they are being observed.
What is the front stage?
Max Weber used this term to describe the process of understanding an action by interpreting the motives behind it, essentially putting oneself in someone else's shoes.
What is Verstehen?
Weber used this famous metaphor to describe a society where individuals are trapped by rules, procedures, and the relentless pursuit of efficiency.
What is the "iron cage"?
Mead called this developmental process learning to see ourselves from the viewpoint of other people.
What is role-taking?
This is the first principal step or element in developing the looking-glass self.
What is imagining how one appears to others?
The dramaturgical concept that warns the audience how a performer will act, which structural critics argue ignores wider macro-systems like class and government .
What is manner?
Aside from Social Action and Symbolic Interactionism, these are two other branches of Interpretive Sociology
What are Ethnomethodology, Phenomenology, or Dramaturgy? (Any two)
According to Weber, rationalization causes the world to become this—meaning it is stripped of mystery and deeper meaning.
What is disenchanted?
These are the two developmental childhood stages Mead outlined where children first act out individual roles (like a parent) and later learn organized social rules.
What are the play stage and the game stage?
Internalizing others' judgments through reflection can lead to these two contrasting emotional feelings
What are pride and embarrassment?
Critics argue that because Interactionism focuses entirely on micro-level spaces, it completely neglects the influence of these wider systems.
What are wider social structures (like class, government, or institutions)?