Symbolic interactionism has three main tenets: (1) people act based on the meanings of things, (2) meanings arise through social interaction, and (3) social action results from individuals fitting their actions together. An individual's views can differ from societal meanings of symbols. For example, a ukulele may symbolize a couple's love rather than just being a musical instrument. The self is also an important concept, as people develop their identity through imagining how others see them and acting accordingly.
Symbolic interactionism has three main tenets: (1) people act based on the meanings of things, (2) meanings arise through social interaction, and (3) social action results from individuals fitting their actions together. An individual's views can differ from societal meanings of symbols. For example, a ukulele may symbolize a couple's love rather than just being a musical instrument. The self is also an important concept, as people develop their identity through imagining how others see them and acting accordingly.
Symbolic interactionism has three main tenets: (1) people act based on the meanings of things, (2) meanings arise through social interaction, and (3) social action results from individuals fitting their actions together. An individual's views can differ from societal meanings of symbols. For example, a ukulele may symbolize a couple's love rather than just being a musical instrument. The self is also an important concept, as people develop their identity through imagining how others see them and acting accordingly.
Catholic Christian in Principle, Benedictine in Orientation, and Filipino in Character
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
A Research Paper
Submitted by:
Grachel Gabrielle M. Enriquez
I. Summary
A. MAIN IDEA According to Mead, a gesture foreshadows action; gestures also presuppose a response on the part of the other. Mead argues that in interaction, people more often respond to a considered interpretation of gestureswhat he calls significant gestures or significant symbols. Significant gestures entail the use of symbols for specific meaning; hence, they become language. (Mead, 1962) Symbolic interactionism has three tenets: first, people act toward things based on the meanings that the things hold for them; second, the meanings of things are generated over time through human interaction; and third, meanings are modified during interaction through interpretive processes. According to symbolic interactionism, humans interpret and give meaning to the world through a complex set of symbols. The meanings for these symbols are generated through human interactions. It is through these interactions that humans develop a concept of self and larger social structures. Essentially, human society consists of people engaging in symbolic interaction. Along with symbols, meaning, and interaction, the self is a basic concept in symbolic interactionism. The foundation of all social interaction rests in the process of representing oneself to oneselfof thinking about oneself as one thinks about other objects of consciousness. Reflexivity enables humans to act toward themselves as objects, or to reflect on themselves, argue with themselves, evaluate themselves, and so forth.
B. Supporting Ideas
Meads theorization of self and of lines of action is influenced in Herbert Blumers development of a distinction between a personal I (how one sees oneself) and a social me (how one is seen by others through ones imagination). (1986, pp. 7077) Blumer calls the ongoing process of conversation between the I and the me as self-indication. This process ask the questions such as Should I say this?, Will I look good in this?, and Will I look stupid if I do this? To answer these, one must look at oneself like another person; one must take the position of another person looking back at her or him. Ones action will now be in response to her or his imagined perspective.
Mead argues that in interaction people more often respond to a considered interpretation of gestureswhat he calls significant gestures or significant symbols. Significant gestures entail the use of symbols for specific meaning; hence, they become language (Mead, 1962). For example, one must interpret whether the person shaking her or his fists is expressing anger or playfulness. Any gesture will become a significant symbol if it is interpreted as indicating forthcoming lines of actionan anticipated future. (Blumer, 2004, pp. 1820) Therefore, all objects are social products that emerge out of social interaction; the meaning of an object exists in terms of how people make it meaningful.
According to Mead, interaction pivots on three key points: first, since the interpreted meaning of an action depends upon what the action appears to portend for the future, interaction is always conducted with regard to anticipated behavior; second, in role-taking, one imaginatively rehearses the prospective action of the other personhence, the social ceases to be a purely external event and assumes an interiorized relation; third, activity is self-directed, not evokedprospective actions are not simply reactionsrather, they are intentionally chosen actions (Blumer 2004, pp. 3031). In common words, every action has a meaning and purpose. One puts ones shoes in others shoes to see what their reaction will be. For example, when one is trying on clothes, one looks at oneself but at the same time, one ponders on how others will look at her or him while wearing those clothes. In short, self-indications enable individuals to create action with a meaning and purpose; to adopt to immediate circumstances; and to visualize how others might react. In addition, the process of self-indication involves the concept of multiple selves. Humans have different personalities with different environments. (For example, at school one can be the most responsible person in the world, but, at home since she or he is the youngest, one depends on ones older siblings to do the work at home.). Since identities change over timeboth in terms of substance and meaningthey are far from being fixed or permanent. During ones youth, one does not care about anything, living ones life like there is no tomorrow. But when one becomes a parent, the center of ones world shifts from oneself to ones child. Role-taking permits people to visualize in the other's perspective, to see what ones actions might mean to the others with whom one interacts. At other times, interactionists emphasize the improvisational quality of roles, with human social behavior seen as poorly scripted and with humans as role-making improvisers. Role-making, too, is a key mechanism of interaction, for all situations and roles are inherently ambiguous, thus requiring one to create those situations and roles to some extent before one can act. George Herbert Mead describes self as "taking the role of the other," the premise for which the self is actualized. Through interaction with others, one begins to develop an identity about who one is, as well as empathy for others. This is the notion of, "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you." In respect to this, Cooley says, "The thing that moves us to pride or shame is not the mere mechanical reflection of ourselves, but an imputed sentiment, the imagined effect of this reflection upon another's mind.: In 1902, Charles Horton Cooley developed the social psychological concept of the looking glass self. The term was first used in his work, Human Nature and the Social Order. There are three main components of the looking glass self: first, one imagines how one must appear to others; second, one imagines the judgment of that appearance; third, one develops oneself through the judgments of others. In hypothesizing the framework for the looking glass self, Cooley says, "the mind is mental" because "the human mind is social." As children, humans begin to define themselves within the context of their socializations. The child learns that the symbol of his or her crying will elicit a response from his or her parents, not only when they are in need of necessitiessuch as foodbut also as a symbol to receive their attention. This perspective is also rooted in phenomenological thought. According to symbolic interactionism, the objective world has no reality for humans, only subjectively defined objects have meaning. Meanings are not entities that are bestowed on humans and learned by habituation; instead, meanings can be altered through the creative capabilities of humans, and individuals may influence the many meanings that form their society. Human society, therefore, is a social product. To conclude, all these points out that first, human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that things have for them. A cow might be food for others but a symbol of afterlife to another. Ones action toward the action will depend on its meaning to him or her. Second, these meanings arise out of social interaction. The source of the meaning is collective. Going back to the example, the cow is sacred to others because the Indian culture teachers that their ancestors sometimes reincarnate themselves as cows. Lastly, social action results from a fitting together of individual lines of action. For example, in the course of reflecting on cutting down trees, a logger may come to see trees not as lumber but as sacred objects to be protected.
II. Implication to:
A. Set as an individual in the Society
An individual will have different views even with symbols that the Society have a generic meaning. A concrete example is when one places sentimental value on objects. A ukulele might be just an instrument for the society but for a couple, it may be the symbol of their love. Every time they see a ukulele they smile at each other for they have a personal meaning for this. Every time I see a puto, I laugh. The reason behind this is because during my high school years, a funny incident happened with a puto. This has been the inside joke during my senior year. This rice cake is viewed as a delicious delicacy by the society while I myself love eating it while laughing. I also value my family over everything and anything else. If I would be asked to choose between going home early to babysit my little brother and sister or going out with my friends, I would always choose my family. They mean everything to me and I would do anything for them. In school, I always value high grades. This is in connection with my family because I always want them to be very proud of me, that is why I aim for high grades. Since I aim for high grades, I would always prefer studying more than doing anything else. The main reason for all my actions is because of the meaning of my family to me. For me family comes before anything else.
The necklace I wear everyday has a special meaning to me. It was given by my mother during the Christmas of my high school senior year. To the other people it just a big silver cross that resembles the cross of ABS CBNs telefantasya Juan Dela Cruz. But to me, it serves as my lucky charm and a symbol that my mother loves me no matter what. It was my witness in my sufferings during my senior year of high school and how I triumphed over them. In March 2016, it will be the symbol of how I triumphed over the challenges that college threw at me. It will be a testimony to the world that I survived being a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy student and it would be all because of my hard work and my mothers unfailing love and faith in me.
Normally, students smoke because they crumble under peer pressure. Even if medical science says that it causes cancer, they keep on practicing smoking. This is because of the situation that their peers create. Smoking is cool according to their peers. This makes them cool in front of their friends and they win acceptance to the group. The symbolic meaning of smoking overrides the norm of society that smoking is bad for the health. But to me, I will never smoke, not even try. I have already seen some of family members smoking and how they are now suffering the long term effects of it. I saw that quitting is possible through my grandmother. She had never smoked at all staring in the early 2000s since we pestered her to quit. I saw my cousins grandfather die because of lung failure due to lung cancer. A cigarette stick, no matter what brand or how expensive it maybe, will always be the scythe that Death carries for me.
But meanings change over time. Cutting classes during my first year of college was an unacceptable act for me. I had viewed people who do cuts as irresponsible and lazy. But as the time went by, cutting has a new meaning for me. It means more time to study on my major subjects when time is short. Cutting has now become an acceptable practice for me.
Another fruit that is explained by symbolic interactionism is racism. We are all created equal. But through our experiences and interactions we develop biases to others. My grandfathers father was killed by a Chinese. From that point to this time, he hates all Chinese. He hates their products, their songs, their food and their language. He was forced to mature at an early age since he is one of the boys in the family. He was forced to sell pan de sal and newspaper at 4am in the morning and go to school at 7am. He had to endure all these sufferings because of the death of his father caused by a Chinese. His meaning for Chinese was distorted from a person in China to an oppressor. At present, he is forcing to pass these meanings to us, his grandchildren. Symbolic interactionism is also being applied in driving. The car we drive tells something about us. The car I drive tells people that I am just from an average family. The San Beda College Alabang Sticker on the car tells the society that I am a Bedan and I am proud of it. While I am driving I have to be aware of my actions and the other drivers actions. I have to concentrate on where I am going and what the other drivers are doing. Anticipation is key here because the wrong anticipation of actions and reactions of other drivers can cause an accident. At an intersection without a stoplight, when we thought the driver is going right but he went straight ahead and we straight ahead, it will result in a collision. To conclude, I see myself in the society as a student. I want the society to know that I am a hardworking student. They get these views by looking the amount books I carry every day. I always joke with my parents that if someone will rob my car, they will only tale piles of piles of accounting books. I am a student leader and I want society to respect me. With this, I have to project a dignified image of a leader that is worthy of their respect. They see my every action as a political move than can be given different significant meanings that is why I have to watch out for my actions. The actions of an individual shapes the society since we are the society. One individuals action can influence others actions and so on and so forth creating a chain reaction that can shake society to its core for the better or worse. Which is why one must always watch what one says and does for one does not know the consequences that can come from ones actions.
B. Philippine Society as a whole The Philippines has a lot of significant icons in its culture. It ranges from politics to transportation to places to food and a lot more. It has a rich history that sets it apart from the other Southeast Asian nations.
Our culture is rich in traditions. In the Philippines, we have to add the word po and opo when we are speaking to a person older than us. It is a sign of respect in our language. We also do mano pos to show reverence to our elders. In addition, we call our older sisters and brothers ate and kuya. In other countries, these are just actions. But for us Filipinos, they are signs of respect and reverence to our elderly. When we see lechon, the first thing that comes into our mind is, What is the occasion? Lechon is always present in our tables every time we have a grand occasion to celebrate. The Philippines main religion is Catholic. From this, arouse the different fiestas that can only found in the Philippines. These fiestas symbolize the undying devotion of Filipinos to their patron saints who protect them and guide them. In the Philippines can we only see whistling a person as a way of calling him or her. Using your lips to point direction is also practiced here. As we say, only in the Philippines.
Philippine politics has a lot of symbolic icons. One of the most famous icons come from the Marcos Regime. When we hear Marcos, we associate it almost immediately to Martial Law. Meanwhile, the first thing that comes into mind when we hear Imelda is shoes. She owned hundreds and hundreds of shoes during the regime. Imeldific, a word coined after Imelda Marcos, means extravagant, because she lived an extravagant lifestyle. That is why when Filipinos hear her name, they always think of extravagance that almost rivals Marie Antoinette of France. During the time of Marcos, the famous Ninoy Aquino emerged. The Laban Sign and the yellow ribbon were born. The yellow ribbon came from a song that Ninoy Aquino used to listen to while he was the United States; it means peace. Ninoy Aquino gave it a new meaning to the Filipino people. It now means that if you wear a yellow ribbon, you support him and you want to end the Marcos regime. He visualized this as the symbol of revolution against the Marcos regime. People were hoping that someone will end the reign that lasted for 21 years. Ninoy Aquino made his move and came home to the Philippines since he expected the people to support his bid for presidency. But all was in vain when he was assassinated the Manila International Airport. He was projected as a hero. He died for the Philippines. But he was just a man who had a presidential bid. The sequence of events turned an ordinary man into a hero. Then his wife entered the picture. The Laban sign was used during her campaign. It symbolized, to her, that she wanted to continue what her husband has started and continue that fight. The Filipino people perceived this as a burning passion to achieve democracy and freedom once more. Her image, to the Filipinos, was a mother who was going to sweep all the dust and dirt out of the house. The people power came to existence. For me, this was the most powerful act of symbolic interactionism in the country to this date. It was started by the mutiny of Gringo Honasan and Fidel Ramos. Then it was followed by the Filipino people. Millions of Filipinos rushed to EDSA after the results of the elections to have a peaceful revolution and protest the reelection of Marcos. There were tanks and soldiers but they did not fire at the civilians. The civilians were armed with just rosaries. They gave rosaries and food to the soldiers. This was powerful symbol. They do not want any fighting anymore. No more blood should be shed. They just want peace. This was aired around the globe. The world was in awe with our People Power Revolution. The People asserted themselves to the government. This action screamed to the world that the people shouldnt be afraid of its government, but the government should be afraid of its people. After almost 20 years, their son became the president. He used the image of his mother and father during his political campaign to remind them that he came from that bloodline. He still wears his yellow ribbon to remind him of his parents. But to the Filipino people, it means that we should never forget the deeds of these two people. It symbolizes the freedom that was granted again after Martial Law.
In conclusion, symbolic interactionism in the Philippines is widespread. The culture in the Philippines is unique because of the interactions of its people. These interactions gave birth to symbols and icons that only Filipinos can understand and give meaning to.