Symbolic Interaction TheorySymbolic Interaction Theory

Key ConceptsKey Concepts• Symbolic Interaction: social construction of genderSymbolic Interaction: social construction of gender

Key ConceptsKey Concepts• Symbolic Interaction: social construction of genderSymbolic Interaction: social construction of gender• Conversation Of GesturesConversation Of Gestures

• Random movementsRandom movements

• Responses to movementsResponses to movements

• Role-takingRole-taking

• Meaningful responsesMeaningful responses

• Significant symbolsSignificant symbols

• Vocal gesturesVocal gestures

How Meaning Is MadeHow Meaning Is Made

RoleTakingRole

Taking

A Response ToThe MovementA Response ToThe Movement Random

MovementRandom

Movement

MeaningfulGesture

MeaningfulGesture

SignificantSymbol

SignificantSymbol

The development of meaning relies on symbols shared by many people in a culture.The development of meaning relies on symbols shared by many people in a culture.

VOCALVOCALGESTURESGESTURES

Don’t RequireDon’t RequireAs Much RoleAs Much Role

TakingTaking

VOCALVOCALGESTURESGESTURES

Don’t RequireDon’t RequireAs Much RoleAs Much Role

TakingTaking

How Meaning Is MadeHow Meaning Is Made

RoleTakingRole

Taking

A Response ToThe MovementA Response ToThe Movement Random

MovementRandom

Movement

MeaningfulGesture

MeaningfulGesture

SignificantSymbol

SignificantSymbol

SharedSymbolsShared

Symbols

The development of meaning relies on symbols shared by many people in a culture.The development of meaning relies on symbols shared by many people in a culture.

VOCALVOCALGESTURESGESTURES

Don’t RequireDon’t RequireAs Much RoleAs Much Role

TakingTaking

VOCALVOCALGESTURESGESTURES

Don’t RequireDon’t RequireAs Much RoleAs Much Role

TakingTaking

Key ConceptsKey Concepts• Symbolic Interaction: social construction of genderSymbolic Interaction: social construction of gender• Conversation Of GesturesConversation Of Gestures

• Random movementsRandom movements

• Responses to movementsResponses to movements

• Role-takingRole-taking

• Meaningful responsesMeaningful responses

• Significant symbolsSignificant symbols

• Vocal gesturesVocal gestures

• Shared Symbols and SocietyShared Symbols and Society• We don’t automatically respond to stimuli. We respond to stimuli’s meaning.We don’t automatically respond to stimuli. We respond to stimuli’s meaning.

• Facial expressions, physical proximity, paralinguistic signalsFacial expressions, physical proximity, paralinguistic signals

• Gesture differences across culturesGesture differences across cultures

• The importance of “assumption”The importance of “assumption”

• It isn’t about the concrete property of symbols.It isn’t about the concrete property of symbols.