A theory that human interaction and communication is facilitated by words, gestures, and other symbols that have acquired conventionalized meanings. Personal roles help determine the symbolic interactions that have an impact that help us understand society on an ever changing level. Symbolic interactions can have general commonalities and ripple out like a drop in a pond.
“Without symbols our social life would be no more sophisticated than that of animals.” Familial relationships are a foundation that is learned and grows. Say for instance a mother daughter relationship, the mother is the example or guidance point. The daughter sees her mother as a role model and will often mimic her behavior and share the same morals and values. Symbolic interactions within religion examine symbols as rituals and religious experience. This will also vary from culture, race and religion. Symbolic interaction provides an alternate perspective in conflict and functional perspectives. Some cultures practice objectivity to where familiarity roles don’t matter as much.
“Without symbols our social life would be no more sophisticated than that of animals.” Familial relationships are a foundation that is learned and grows. Say for instance a mother daughter relationship, the mother is the example or guidance point. The daughter sees her mother as a role model and will often mimic her behavior and share the same morals and values. Symbolic interactions within religion examine symbols as rituals and religious experience. This will also vary from culture, race and religion. Symbolic interaction provides an alternate perspective in conflict and functional perspectives. Some cultures practice objectivity to where familiarity roles don’t matter as much.
In this clip symbolic
interaction is displayed between father and daughter. In the African American
household Oliva's role as a daughter starts to come into focus and her previous
self slightly fades as all of her teachings and upbringing are brought out by
her father. Her father is trying to protect her from a situation but their
roles conflict. Olivia is displayed
as a daughter first answering to her father.
This is symbolic in that even
after years of life being separated she still holds to his teachings and values close
as she recites that she must be twice as good to get half as far. This can also
be seen as conflict and feminist theory.
With this clip the lack of resources afforded to black culture shines bright in
the eyes of her father. Education means
more in his eye because the best is seen as a luxury.
In any culture the man typically is defined as
powerful and assertive or as the leader, but with African American households
the mother or woman in high standards is also seen as powerful, as
a matriarch family structure. Olivia is conflicted within herself because
she wants to be an independent in their relationship but she also respects her
father’s role as a patriarch.
Respect in these individual roles contribute to either a harmonious or
conflict-filled relationship. Respect in itself is symbolic, in that it is entwined in
the way we communicate, our gestures and
is often given to elders without being “earned.” It is a right that exists
until it doesn’t.
References:
Henslin, James M. Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, 12th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2014.
Olivia & Rowan: "You have to be twice as good as them to get half of what they have!" YouTube. Uploaded by CollegeGirlKEY 5 Oct 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgpq2Rqjg4c
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| Chief Journalist Christina Wilson |
Christina is majoring in Nursing. Sociology is a prerequisite for the Nursing program and though it is a required class to take she finds herself enjoying it. This class will help her career because she will be working with a lot of people from different backgrounds. She is a visual learner and loves gadgets and tech toys. Her favorite, Teslas, are equipped with lots of technology creating an easy interface for its drivers.
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