- Are you confused by academic jargon? - Do you know your `discourse' from your `dialectic'? - Can you tell the difference between `anomie' and `alienation'? The Social Science Jargon Buster tackles the most confusing concepts in the social sciences, brea

Symbolic Interactionism

Core definition

Sociological perspective that focuses on the way individuals interpret social symbols (gestures, signs, and language) and subsequently interact with each other to create social realities.

Longer explanation

What would happen if you were pinched? Well, if a pinch is simply a stimulus, then the reaction might be ‘ouch!’ But a symbolic interactionist would ...

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