Interactionist theory views social processes as emerging from human interaction. It focuses on how people act and influence each other in face-to-face encounters and ongoing social interactions. Two key founders were George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley, who examined how individuals relate to society through interaction. Interaction can involve symbolic mental processes (symbolic interactionism) or happen without thinking (non-symbolic interactionism). A core idea is that people understand objects and themselves based on how others respond during social interactions.

1. Interactionist
Theory

2. Interaction
Is a face-to-face process
consisting of actions, reactions, and
mutual adaptation between two or
more individuals. It also includes
animal interaction such as mating.
The interaction includes all
language (including body language)
and mannerisms.

4. 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.

5. Interactionist Theories

6. Interactionist theory has its origin in
the social psychology of early
twentienth century sociologiss 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

12. Symbolic Interactionism
Which require mental
processes

15. Non-Symbolic Interactionism
The differentiation made by Blumer
(following Mead) between two basic
forms of social interaction is relevant
here. The first, nonsymbolic interaction -
Mead’s conversation of gestures – does
not involve thinking. The second symbolic
interaction does not require mental
processes (Ritzer, 2000)

16. Mead’s approach to symbolic
interaction rested on 3 basic
premises
1. The first is that people act toward the things that they
encounter on the basis of what those things mean to them.
2. Second, we learn what things are by observing how other
people respond to them, that is through social interaction.
3. Third, as a result of ongoing interaction, the sound (or words),
gestures, facial expressions, and body postures we use in
dealing with others acquire symbolic meanings that are by
shared by people who belong to the same culture.The meaning
of a symbolic gesture extends beyond the act itself. A
handshake for instance, is a symbolic gesture f greeting among
Filipinos. As such, it conveys more than just a mutual grasping
of fingers and palms. It expresses both parties’ shared
understanding that a social interaction is beginning.

17. Blumer differentiates among
three types of objects:
1.PHYSICAL OBJECTS -
CHAIR AND A TREE
2.SOCIAL OBJECT -
STUDENT OR A MOTHER
3.ABSTRACT OBJECTS -
IDEA OR MORAL
PRINCIPLE

18. LOOKING GLASS SELF
My
mother
sees me
(bad)
My
Father
Sees me
My
Girlfriend
Sees me
(Good)
ME