Assess the usefulness of interactionist approaches to the study of society. (33marks)

Interactionism is an action approach, which focuses on the individual, and tries to understand and interpret human behaviour. They focus on the study of individuals, and how society is constructed by members’ interactions and meanings. They also focus on how human action is meaningful and can be interpreted by an observer. Therefore they take an opposite approach to structural theories and believe individuals have the ability to create society through choice, meaning and action.

Symbolic interactionism is concerned with explaining social actions in terms of the meanings that people give to them. Interactions are based on meanings we give to situations. We express these meanings through symbols, especially language. Meanings and symbols allow people to carry out human action and interactions. Language and communication deepens our capacity to become self-aware and aware of others. In addition to ‘talking to others’ we engage in talking to ourselves’, that is, engaging in internal conversations when we are making decisions. Mead (1863-1931) states that humans use symbols as a mean of interacting. Without these symbols there would be no human interaction and human society. Symbolic interaction is necessary since humans have no instincts to direct their behaviour.

Mead recognized that people had the capacity to reflect on their own actions. This is because everyone has a self which consists of two parts: the ‘I’ is the reflective part that plans actions and evaluates our actions; the ‘Me’ is part of the self that exists for others in interactions such as roles. For people to engage in interaction, they must understand symbols and reflect on their own performance, but must also take on role of others. This is where an individual places themselves in the position of