Arwa AbulabanCOM 5100First Draft Symbolic Interactionism by George Herbert MeadDr. Page24 March 2014Symbolic InteractionismIntroduction:Symbolic interactionism is a sociological perception significant in many areas of the discipline. This is particularly important in microsociology and social phycology. Symbolic interactionism is derived from American pragmatism and in particular the work of George Herbert Mead (1934), who argued that people's selves are a social product, but are also determinate and creative. Mead's student and interpreter Herbert Blumer coined the term "symbolic interactionism" and offered an influential summary of this perspective: people act toward things based on the meaning those things have for them; and these meanings are derived from social interaction and modified by interpretation. Sociologists working in this tradition have studied a wide range of topics using a variety of research methods. However, the majority of interactionist research uses qualitative research methods, such as participant observation, to study some aspect of (1) social interaction and/or (2) individuals' self. For example, “People are often motivated to purchase a good or service in the market. on the basis of what it represents to themselves and to others with whom they associate or to a societal referent” (p.1)HistorySymbolic interactionism arose from two key theorists, George Herbert Mead, and Charles George Herbert Mead was a supporter. theory and assumed that the true test of any theory was that it “was useful in solving complex social problems” (Griffin 59). Mead's influence on symbolic interactionism was considered so powerful that other sociologists considered him...intermediate. of paper...an identifiable "self", constructed through past interactions, and as we speak, we adapt to the topic we are discussing and the people we are speaking with, and we are changed by what happens. to us when we communicate” (30). In (Belmont: Wadsworth, 2011), Ronald Adler and Russ Proctor discussed self-perception and perspective taking based on Mead's theory. Conclusion We may be a little confused about how the concepts of symbolic interactionism work in our lives, but it can be helpful to know how to deal with it and learn more about how this meaning puts us under the microscope. The conclusion is that symbolic interactionism can pose a real challenge to certain aspects of our lives as to what it means to say that meaning is not inherent but socially constructed. It is interesting how an arbitrary symbol can take on great meaning based on a socially assigned meaning..