Other Symbolic Interactionism and Self-Concept

• - Traditional: Definition of the situation is fluid-- redefine everything
• - Characterized by qualitative methods ( in-depth understanding of novel situations and grounded theory)

• -Situational: Function of interaction.
• - Constrains interactions and behavior (expectations types of selves, social construction)
• - Interaction is structured and behavior is a function of meaning.

• - Constrains interactions and behavior (expectations, types of seles, social construction)
• - rules and expectations for conduct. It creates boundaries for types of interactions.
• - Created and recreated in interaction

Objects DO NOT inherent meaning. Meaning is developed and maintained in interaction.

Process of encoding objects with meaning. Meaning elicits response. Evaluative or emotive.

Ability to change/adjust meaning. New meaning can be associated with existing objects/symbols. Create new meaning when there is a need for it.

We can choose our own actions. Constrained by the social structure.

• - Situations defined as real are real in their consequences.
• - Developed definition of the situation.

• People act in line how you treat them
• - Self Concept: view of self, thoughts, feelings we have about the self (as an object). We know about ourselves throught feedback from others.

A prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true, due to positive feedback between belief and behavior

Creates obstacles for performance by underachieving or withholding effort.

Believe no control over an situation. "Nothing I can do.."

Continue trying to succeed after you definitely fail. Overly committed to situation.

• Psychological Perspective: Internal influences on behavior. How self- esteem influence what we do.
• Sociological: External.

- Role-Taking/Looking Glass Self

Perceptions of other's views of us. Honest feedback hard to get.

• Comparing own ability to others.
• -reference group: provides the standard. If you're better than standard, you'll feel good.
• - tend to compare ourselves to similar others. Better chance of doing well.

• What causes "X" to happen
• Internal: X happend because of something about self.
• External: Something in the situation caused the outcome.
• Self-Serving Bias: Tend to attribute good things to internal attribution, bad things to external attributes. Good to self, bad to others.

• Degree of commitment/importance of self-view(s)
• More important is the weight in self view (self-evaluation)
• Self-concept is multi-dimensional