Define Symbolic Interaction Theory?

Sociological theory has been contributed by several sociologists historically. The emergence of the discipline can be traced back to the industrialization of Europe. The social change in the European context made the academicians develop an interest in studying the factors that lead to the social change process and the consequences it brought to the people in society.

Symbolic interaction theory is associated with G.H.Mead. It says that the facts are based on the symbol and are even directed by them. He believes in the mind and self as the product of society. He says that symbols develop in mind and are also used as the means to think and communicate. He focused on how the people interact between themselves through the symbols and how they create the order and their meaning. The meaning is differentiated into two ways. 1- the meaning is attributed to objects, events, etc. 2- meaning is a physical attachment imposed by the humans on the objects. It is a condition that emerges due to the interaction between the people. There are core principles to the perspective of the symbolic interaction—the meaning, which is the center of human behavior. The languages provide meaning to humans using symbols. The symbols are the one that differentiates the social relations of the humans. This theory is developed based on the three propositions,

1. humans develop their attitude or orientation towards particular things based on the meaning that the things proposed to them.
2. these meanings are acquired from the interactions of one of them.
3. these meanings will change within the interpretive process.

For example, in a social movement in which the people express their voice in the protest, the people use language and symbols like the placards and posters to represent their voice in the symbols. The symbolic interactionism will focus on these symbols and the signs that are used to represent their voice and how the people in the group have attached the meanings to these symbols.