The document discusses interactionist theory, focusing on symbolic interactionism and the dynamics of human interactions as analyzed by key sociologists like George Herbert Mead and Herbert Blumer. It emphasizes how social processes are shaped by individual interactions and the meanings people assign to their experiences. Additionally, the text introduces dramaturgical theory by Erving Goffman, which views human behavior as theatrical, distinguishing between front stage (public persona) and back stage (true self).

1. INTERACTIONIST
THEORY
Exploring the Dynamics of Symbolic Interactions
Mahima Mahat
Rajeshwari Prajapati
Shiwani Mahat
MSW 1st Semester

2. Introduction
Explanation and Example
Principle
02
04
01
Purpose
Purpose of
Interactionism Theory
Symbolic Interactionism
03
Dramaturgical Theory
Founder
Explanation
References
05
Table of contents
Interaction
Interactionism
Interactionist Theory
Interactionism Perspective

3. Introduction
01

4. INTERACTION
● A face-to-face process
consisting of actions, reactions,
and mutual adaptation between
two or more individuals.
● Also includes animal interaction
such as mating.
● Includes all language (including
body language) and
mannerisms.

5. • Process where the ability to think is both developed
and expressed.
• In most interaction, actors must take others into
consideration and decide if and how to fit their
activities to others.

6. Interactionism
• Is a theoretical perspective that derives
social processes (such as conflict,
cooperation, identity formation) from
human interaction.
• It is the study of how individuals act within
society.

7. Interactionist Theories
• Interactionist Theory has its origin in
the social psychology of early
twentieth century sociologist George
Herbert Mead and Charles Horton
Cooley.
• Mead and Cooley examined the ways
in which the individual in related to
society through ongoing social
interactions.

10. Purpose
02

11. • Interactionist Theories attempt to take
the “commonplace strange” by turning
on their heads everyday taken-for-
granted behaviors and interactions
between students and students and
between teachers and students.
• It is exactly what most people do not
question that is most problematic to the
interactionist.

12. For example, the processes by which students
are labelled “gifted” or “learning disabled” are,
from an interactionist point of view, important
to analyze because such processes carry with
them many implicit assumptions about
learning and children.

13. Symbolic Interactionism
03

14. • He was an American sociologist whose main
scholarly interests were in symbolic
interactionism and methods of social research.
• He was an aid interpreter and proponent of
George Herbert Mead's social psychology that
he labeled as 'symbolic interactionism'.
Herbert George Blumer
(March 7, 1900 - April 13, 1987)

15. Blumer’s Three Basic Premise
Herbert Blumer (1969) set out three basic premises of the perspective:
• “Humans act toward things on the basis of the meaning they ascribe to
those things”.
• “ The meaning of such things is derived from or arises out of the social
interaction that one has with others and the society.” (same thing could
have different meaning to different people.)
• “ These meaning are handled in, and modified through, an interpretation
process used by the person in dealing with the things he/she encounters”.
(The meaning we give to something is not permanent)

17. - Individual is related to society through on
going social interactions.
- Views the self as socially constructed in
relation to social forces and structures and
the product of on going negotiations of
meanings.
- Thus the social self is and active product of
human agency rather than a deterministic
product of social structure.
Symbols
Establish
Meanings
Develop
their
views
Communicate
with each
other
Society

18. Symbolic
Interactionism
Which requires mental processes

19. Principles of Symbolic Interactionism
● Human beings unlike lower animals are endowed with a capacity for
thought.
● The capacity for thought is shaped by social interaction.
● In social interaction, people learn the meanings and symbols that allow
them to exercise their distinctively human capacity for thought.
● Meanings and symbols allow people to carry on distinctive human action
and interaction.
● People are able to modify or alter meanings and symbols that they use in
action and interaction on the basis of their interpretation of the situation.

20. Dramaturgical Theory
04

21. Ervin Goffman( 1922-1982)
• Canadian born American Sociologist.
• Main theorist of the Dramaturgical Theory.
• Schooled in Symbolic Interaction Theory.
• Extended Mead's basic insights by viewing everyday human behavior as
distinctly dramatic, or theatrical.
“Life itself is a dramatically enacted thing.”

22. Dramaturgical Theory
• The theatrical representation of
life.
• Consists of the Front stage
(Pretend) and the Back stage
(Real self)
• Uses Impression management as
tool.

23. ● Ahillon, B. (2023). Interactionist theory. SlideShare.
https://www.slideshare.net/badongahillon/interactionist-theory
● Blumer, H. (2017). The nature of symbolic interactions. In Communication
theory (pp. 102-120). Routledge.
● Carter, M. J., & Fuller, C. (2015). Symbolic interactionism. Sociopedia.isa, 1(1),
1-17.
References

24. References
● LibreTexts. (n.d.). 1.3D: The symbolic interactionist perspective. In
Introduction to sociology (Boundless). LibreTexts.
https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Sociology/Introduction_to_Soci
ology/Sociology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Sociology/1.03%3A_Theoretical_Persp
ectives_in_Sociology/1.3D%3A_The_Symbolic_Interactionist_Perspective
● Smith, J. A. (2020). Understanding social work practices. Journal of
Sociology and Social Work, 15(2), 123-145.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1295&context
=jssw

25. References
• Stebbins, R. A. (2013). Interactionist theories. In C. D. Bryant & D. L. Peck
(Eds.), 21st century sociology: A reference handbook (Vol. 2, pp. 148-155).
SAGE Publications. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272151465_Interactionist_theorie
s
• Utzumi, F. C., Lacerda, M. R., Bernardino, E., Gomes, I. M., Aued, G. K., &
Sousa, S. M. D. (2018). Continuity of care and the symbolic interactionism: a
possible understanding. Texto & Contexto-Enfermagem, 27(2).

26. ● Võsu, E. (2010). Metaphorical analogies in approaches of Victor Turner and
Erving Goffman: Dramaturgy in social interaction and dramas of social
life. Σημειωτκή-Sign Systems Studies, 38(1-4), 130-166.
References