Symbols, Selves, and Social Reality A Symbolic Interactionist Approach to Social Psychology and Sociology

by Sandstrom, Kent L.; Martin, Daniel D.; Fine, Gary Alan

• ISBN13: 9780195385663
• ISBN10: 0195385667
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-03-25
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The classroom is a dynamic, interactive environment in which students are continually evaluating, questioning, debating, and in turn, shaping social reality. Symbols, Selves, and Social Reality: A Symbolic Interactionist Approach to Social Psychology and Sociology, Third Edition, provides students with a succinct, engaging, and affordable introduction to symbolic interactionism, the perspective that social reality is created, negotiated, and changed through the process of social interaction. Focusing on how elements of race and gender affect identity, authors Kent L. Sandstrom, Daniel D. Martin, and Gary Alan Fine use interesting, relevant real-world examples to discuss the personal significance of symbolic interactionism, its expanding theoretical scope, and its relationship to other prominent perspectives in sociology and social psychology. They skillfully cover empirical research topics that are inherently interesting to students, such as the dynamics of self-development, impression management, identity transformation, gender play, rumor transmission, and collective action. Thoroughly revised and updated in the third edition, this best-selling book now offers additional group assignments and activities at the end of each chapter in order to encourage student participation. Featuring updated case studies throughout, this edition also moves the section on theoretical perspectives to the beginning of the text, thereby providing students with a more thorough conceptual framework from the outset. Rich in pedagogical tools--including end-of-chapter summaries, key points and concepts, glossaries, readings lists, and discussion questions--Symbols, Selves, and Social Reality: A Symbolic Interactionist Approach to Social Psychology and Sociology, Third Edition, effectively demonstrates the tremendous power people have in determining social reality. Ideal for courses in symbolic interaction, individual and society, and social psychology, this unique text helps students understand how symbolic interactionism works, both in theory and in practice.

Author Biography

Kent L. Sandstrom is Professor of Sociology and Head of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology at the University of Northern Iowa.
Daniel D. Martin is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
Gary Alan Fine is Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Acknowledgments	p. ix
About the Authors	p. xi
The Meaning of Symbolic Interactionism	p. 1
The Origins and Development of Symbolic Interactionism	p. 2
Pragmatism and Sociology: The Contributions of George Herbert Mead	p. 4
The Emergence of Symbolic Interactionism	p. 7
Guiding Assumptions of the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective	p. 7
How Is Interactionism Relevant and Beneficial to You?	p. 13
Understanding Yourself and Your Choices	p. 13
Understanding Joint Action	p. 14
Summary	p. 15
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 16
Questions for Reflection or Assignment	p. 17
Suggested Readings for Further Study	p. 17
The Interactionist Toolkit: Methods, Strategies, and Relevant Perspectives	p. 20
Methodological Traditions and Practices	p. 20
Changing Directions in Interactionist Ethnography	p. 22
Alternatives to Ethnography: The Iowa School and Conventional Scientific Methods	p. 28
Related Social Psychological Perspectives	p. 30
Dramaturgical Theory	p. 30
Exchange Theory	p. 32
Social Cognition Theory and Cognitive Sociology	p. 33
Ethnomethodology	p. 35
Emerging Voices and Perspectives Within Interactionism	p. 37
Feminism	p. 37
Conflict Theory	p. 38
Postmodernism	p. 40
Summary	p. 41
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 41
Questions for Reflection or Assignment	p. 44
Suggested Readings for Further Study	p. 44
People As Symbol Makers and Users: Language and the Creation of Reality	p. 48
Creating and Transforming Reality	p. 48
Sensation	p. 49
Conceptualization and Categorization	p. 51
Symbols, Signs, and Meanings	p. 52
The Importance of Symbols	p. 53
Naming "Reality" and Creating Meaningful Objects	p. 54
Language, Naming, and the Construction of Reality	p. 55
The Necessity of Language	p. 58
Language, Naming, and Our Constructions of Others	p. 59
Language, Naming, and the Construction of 'Inner' Reality: Emotional Experience	p. 68
Summary	p. 71
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 72
Questions for Reflection or Assignment	p. 73
Suggested Readings for Further Study	p. 73
Socialization: The Creation of Meaning and Identity	p. 77
Self-Development and the Stages of Socialization	p. 79
The Preparatory Stage	p. 82
The Play Stage	p. 83
The Game Stage	p. 83
Refinements of Mead's Theory of Socialization and Self-Development	p. 85
Socialization and the Creation of Gender Identity	p. 88
Creating Gender Identity in Early Childhood	p. 88
Re-creating Gender Identity: Preadolescent Culture and Play	p. 89
Boys and Girls Together: Learning and Maintaining Gender Boundaries	p. 94
Socialization as an Ongoing Process: Turning Points in Identity	p. 98
Passage to Adulthood	p. 99
Turning Points and Epiphanies: The Case of HIV/AIDS	p. 101
Summary	p. 103
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 105
Questions for Reflection or Assignment	p. 106
Suggested Readings for Further Study	p. 107
The Nature and Significance of the Self	p. 111
What Is the Self?	p. 113
The Self as Social Process	p. 115
The Self as Social Structure	p. 117
The Self-Concept: Its Structure and Contents	p. 118
Self-Esteem and Its Sources: Beyond the Looking-Glass Self	p. 122
The Impact of the Self-Concept	p. 124
The Self as Dramatic Effect	p. 125
Staging the Self in Everyday Life	p. 125
Regions of Self-Presentation	p. 128
The Self as Situated Identity	p. 129
Beyond Goffman: The Drama of Self Versus the Experience of Self	p. 133
The Experience of Self in Postmodern Society	p. 134
Summary	p. 137
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 138
Questions for Reflection or Assignment	p. 140
Suggested Readings for Further Study	p. 141
Role Taking, Role Making, and the Coordination of Action	p. 145
Defining Situations and Their Reality	p. 145
Roles, Role Taking, and Role Making	p. 148
Role Taking	p. 149
Role Making	p. 150
The Coordination of Social Behavior: Aligning Actions	p. 152
Aligning Actions and Motive Talk	p. 153
Emotions and the Coordination of Behavior	p. 154
Emotions and Role Attachments: Role Embracement Versus Role Distance	p. 155
Power, Constraint, and the Coordination of Behavior	p. 156
Relationships, Power, and Constraint	p. 158
The Characteristics of Asymmetrical Relationships	p. 158
Social Life as a Negotiated Order	p. 162
Summary	p. 164
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 165
Questions for Reflection or Assignment	p. 167
Suggested Readings for Further Study	p. 167
The Politics of Social Reality: Constructing and Negotiating Deviance	p. 170
What Is Deviance?	p. 171
The Absolutist View	p. 172
The Relativist View	p. 172
Labeling Theory and the Social Construction of Deviance	p. 173
The Banning Process: Moral Entrepreneurs and the Making of Deviance	p. 174
The Detection Process: Seeing Deviance and Deviants	p. 176
The Attribution Process: Imputing Motives and Negotiating Identities	p. 180
The Reaction Process: Sanctioning and Its Effects	p. 185
Challenging and Transforming Deviant Labels: Tertiary Deviance	p. 186
Limitations and Extensions of Labeling Theory	p. 189
The Construction of Social Problems	p. 191
The Media and the Construction of Terrorism	p. 192
Summary	p. 194
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 195
Questions for Reflection or Assignment	p. 197
Suggested Readings for Further Study	p. 199
Collective Behavior and Social Movements	p. 203
Collective Behavior	p. 203
Riots	p. 205
Rumors	p. 208
Panics	p. 211
Social Movements	p. 214
How Do Social Movements Emerge, and Why Do People Join Them?	p. 214
Strategies and Bases of Movement Recruitment	p. 215
Ideology, Identity, and Commitment	p. 217
Emerging Directions in Interactionist Analysis of Social Movements	p. 219
Frame Analysis and Alignment	p. 219
The Culture of Social Movements	p. 222
Conclusions	p. 226
Summary	p. 227
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 228
Questions for Reflection or Assignment	p. 230
Suggested Readings for Further Study	p. 230
Author Index	p. 235
Subject Index	p. 237
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