Three Major Perspectives in Sociology

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Perspective

Level of Analysis

Focus

1. Symbolic Interactionism

Micro

Use of symbols; Face-to-face interactions

2. Functionalism

Macro

Relationship between the parts of society; How aspects of society are functional (adaptive)

3. Conflict Theory

Macro

Competition for scarce resources; How the elite control the poor and weak

The symbolic interactionist perspective

The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic interactionism, directs sociologists to consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each other. Although symbolic interactionism traces its origins to Max Weber's assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world, the American philosopher George H. Mead (1863 - 1931) introduced this perspective to American sociology in the 1920s.

According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, people attach ...

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meanings to these symbols, but individuals also maintain their own perceptions of what these and other symbols mean. For example, one of the spouses may see their circular wedding rings as symbolizing "never ending love," while the other may see them as a mere financial expense. Much faulty communication can result from differences in the perception of the same events and symbols.

Critics claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro level of social interpretation -- the "big picture." In other words, symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on the "trees" (for example, the size of the diamond in the wedding ring) rather than the ...

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