Sociology 333
The Self and Social Interaction
Winter, 2012
Dr. Keith A. Roberts
Office: 203 F. O. B.
robertsk@hanover.edu
Office Phone: 866-7353
Home Phone: 866-2449
Purpose and Focus of the Course
Micro sociology is concerned with processes of interpersonal interaction, with the emergence of the “self,” with group
processes, with the ways in which societal structures and norms interface with micro-processes. The self is formed through
social processes, yet “selfhood” is at the very core of the human experience and is the central distinction between humans
and other animals. Becoming "human" is a learned process, and that learned process is awesome and wonderful. It is
fascinating to examine, in part because it inspires much personal insight and reflection. In this course we will investigate the
interaction between the individual and her/his social environment. While exchange theory, cognitive developmentalism and
other paradigms will be used, the primary theoretical perspective of the course will be symbolic interactionism (sometimes
called social constructionism).
Since this is a 300 level course, I do not expect students to memorize and rehash concepts. Recognition and recall learning
will not suffice. We will be learning to apply concepts, to engage in comparison, contrast, and critique of theory, and to
develop our own syntheses.
Deep Learning Objectives
By the end of the semester, each student who has successfully completed the course will be able to:
 expand their role-taking abilities: increase their capacity to step outside of their own cultural context in order to
critique it.
 cultivate skills in independent thinking by developing their own thesis statement, supporting that thesis with logical
rationale and appropriate evidence, and presenting the thesis in a convincing fashion, either orally or in writing.
 be able to illustrate the fact that, regarding human behavior, causality is often complex and multivariate.
 develop an awareness that what any given society holds as truth is, at least partially, socially constructed. On the
other hand, commitment to rigorous analysis and to a systematic methodology can lead us to knowing certain things
with a degree of confidence.
Specific Course Objectives
By the conclusion of the course, students who are successful will be able to
 discuss the central assumptions and insights of symbolic interactionism and exchange theory.
 compare, contrast, and apply several micro theories of the self.
 describe and illustrate how social processes affect individual psychological processes and development.
 discuss and document research on the social psychology of human interaction and inter-group conflict.
 apply concepts and theories in micro sociology to their own everyday experience.
 reflect meaningfully on the emergence of the self.
 reflect meaningfully on their own processes of personality formation, thought development, and decision-making.
 understand the value and the limitations of qualitative research in micro-sociology.
If the professor is successful by the conclusion of the course, students will be able to accomplish these goals and be inclined
to describe micro sociology as a fascinating, enjoyable, and highly relevant field of study.
Course Procedure
Lectures, guided discussions, simulation exercises, and videos will all be employed as learning techniques in this course. I
am responsible for the basic design and materials. However, the class procedure will not be strictly didactic. If this is to be
a truly stimulating and dynamic course, your active involvement is critical.
Readings will be assigned for specific class periods and students are expected to come prepared to ask questions and discuss
the assigned material. Students should be learning to take themselves and their colleagues seriously as scholars. Class
participation will be counted in the final grade.
Finally, it is my intent that the course will be enjoyable. I expect persons in the course to be diligent and thorough in their
work, but the format of the course is rather flexible. If some aspect of the course is not helpful, it can be changed. The
course is here for us to learn. Let's create an interesting course together!
Course Requirements
Required Reading
•
•
•
•
•
Spencer Cahill. Inside Social Life, 5th edition
Kai T. Erikson. Everything In Its Path.
Helen Rose Ebaugh. Becoming an EX.
Microsociologies: A Reader.
Selected articles or passages from the following (on reserve in Duggan Library):
Jodi O’Brien and Peter Kollock. The Production of Reality.
Penelope Eckert. Jocks and Burnouts: Social Categories and Identity in the High School
Stephen Bertman. Hyperculture: The Human Cost of Speed
Arlene Russell Hochschild. The Managed Heart: The Commercialization of Human Feeling.
You may note that this course involves monographs and articles; there is no textbook. Students in the past have liked
this format. The one complaint has been that it would be helpful to have a textbook only to have (a) a more complete
summary of the propositions of the major theoretical paradigms, (b) historical background on the development of each
paradigm, and (c) some critique of each theory. Therefore the following works will be on reserve in the library as a
reference.
Jodi O’Brien and Peter Kollock. The Production of Reality, pp. 19-30.
Joel Charon, Symbolic Interactionism, especially pp 23-28 on premises and history of symbolic interactionism.
John P. Hewitt, Self and Society, pp. 11-23.
Analysis and Synthesis Essays
These short papers involve systematic reflections on the material we are covering. Essays should reflect on, apply, and
analyze readings, including comparison and contrast of theories and perhaps efforts to synthesize these contrasting
perspectives. Essays will be submitted seven times during the term. (There are thirteen due dates; each student will pick
any seven of the thirteen). A series of questions are provided, and students select issues to focus on in their essays each
time they are submitted. Thus, essays involve multiple options.
All essays should be typed. I am not focusing primarily on length, but it would be difficult to answer any of these
questions in less than a page and a half. In no case should an essay exceed three pages, and normally papers will
probably run about two pages. Please begin each essay by typing the question at the outset.
All papers will be graded blind—that is, without the evaluator knowing the identity of the author. To accomplish this,
please write your name and unit number on the back of the last page of the paper.
Criteria for evaluation:
1. Ability to relate concepts and theories from the readings to a new situation (application).
2. Sophistication (conceptual complexity) of reflections on theory, including comparison, contrast, and synthesis of
perspectives.
3. Depth/originality of analysis.
4. Quality of prose/composition.
2
One Research Report
Each student will report on one assigned research article for the class. The purpose is to summarize the article, indicate
the research method that was used, and indicate why it is relevant to other assigned reading for that day. These reports
will be no more than five minutes in length. However, it would probably be a good idea to have some sort of visual
aid—an overhead or a handout that summarizes key points or that provides a “graphic organizer” which enhances
understanding. Some of these are in Inside Social Life; others are on reserve in previous editions of Inside Social Life.
Observational Study Project
One option for this project involves observation of children—with at least five observations—at the Hanover Child
Care Center. Students will be looking for development of concepts of self in young children and will be gathering data
to test a theory in the social psychology of development of selfhood. Observational notes should be attached to the back
of the paper as an appendix.
Alternatively, students may do a qualitative study of a setting of their choice. Possibilities might include the dugout of a
high school girls softball team, the visitation lounge of a home for senior citizens, afternoon programming for Girls
Incorporated in Madison, fraternity parties on a college campus, a hospital emergency room, the Horner Center weight
room, or a college classroom. The setting should be cleared first with the instructor and permission must be obtained
from the host organization. This project involves at least ten hours of observation in no fewer than five visits and will
involve gathering data to test a theory in micro-sociology. Observational notes should be attached to the back of the
paper as an appendix.
The paper should be organized like a research paper:
 Introduction – including clarification of the central question, important subsidiary questions, and relevant
theories.
 Literature Review – discussing what other scholars who have investigated this or similar issues have found.
 Methodology – describing the setting and the sample of people observed.
 Findings – describing what you learned through gathering this data.
 Discussion – analyzing the findings and relating them to sociological theories, and exploring possible
weaknesses in this particular study.
 Conclusion – summarizing what the study suggests about the topic, how you answer the central question, and
what questions remain unanswered.
One step in this process is the review of literature. Before undertaking any original piece of research, scholars always
read research by others who have studied your particular setting or your particular topic. The review of literature helps
one to put any new study in a larger context of social science inquiry; it also enables the researcher to see what gaps
still exist in what we know and what theories have been used to explain the behavior or relationships in the past. About
a third of the way through the course you will be expected to submit the review of literature section of this paper
(which will be worth up to 20 points). This may help clarify a literature review:
A literature review is a short summary of the key findings of a specific empirical study. You need to find journal
articles or anthologies (readers) rather than textbook summaries. If relevant, it may be useful to summarize the
method of gathering data, but more important is to point out the key findings that are relevant to your own
investigation. You need not report everything that was found in the study; just summarize the things that matter for
your investigation. If you need a sample of a literature review, ask me for one and I can provide a good example.
The final paragraph of a literature review should point out what theories, questions, or perspectives have not yet
been answered by the current research. It may be that you are repeating a study done in Minneapolis, and you are
interested in seeing whether the same findings hold true in southern Indiana or whether findings from 1982 still
seem try in the early twenty-first century. Alternatively, you may find that no one has asked exactly the kind of
question that interests you and you wish to test a hypothesis or formulate a grounded-theory that evolves from the
empirical data. In short, a literature review needs to be done before you get too far into the project so you can
benefit by what others have already learned. The lit review will help you to ask better questions and will help you
with your interpretation. (Incidentally, if you use web sites for information they should be .gov or .edu sites and
they should comprise no more than 20% of your references—unless an entire scholarly article is available via the
web. In the event that you use the internet to find resources, you may find the guidelines in Appendix 3 useful.)
The audience for this paper will be the NCSA Undergraduate Student Paper Competition Committee. The best papers
may well be sent off to that committee, so take this seriously. If the paper is one of the three award-winners, the author
will be asked to present the paper at the annual meeting of the North Central Sociological Association meeting in April
for next year.
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All papers will be graded blind—that is, without the evaluator knowing the identity of the author. To accomplish this,
please write your name and unit number on the back of the last page of the paper.
Criteria for evaluation:
1. Evidence of careful collection of qualitative data; detailed observations.
2. Indications of accurate application of a micro-sociological theory to a new setting and use of the data to reflect
on the efficacy of the theory.
3. Quality of analysis of data and explanation of behavior.
4. Effectiveness of scholarly investigation (asking a good question, lit review, sensitivity to shortcomings of the
methodology, etc.)
5. Quality of prose and composition.
Assessment of Learning and Competence
• Daily evaluation regarding class attendance, preparation, and participation.
• Frequent essays reflecting on, applying, and analyzing readings.
• A final examination at the end of the term.
• An "Observational Study Project" in which each student uses concepts and theories from the course to analyze a
group of children or another social setting of the student’s choice.
Relative values of various assignments are as follows:
Analysis and Synthesis Essays: (40 points each)
Class attendance and participation (or alternative):
Research Reports:
Micro Sociology Observational Study Project:
Term Project Literature Review:
Final Examination:
280
200
20
100
20
80
TOTAL
points
points
points
points
points
points
700 points
Grading Scale
92.5
90
87.5
82.5
80
77.5
-
100%
92.5%
90 %
87.5%
82.5%
80 %
A
AB+
B
BC+
72.5
70
67.5
62.5
60
below 60%
77.5%
72.5%
70 %
67.5%
62.5%
C
CD+
D
DF
Course Policy on Plagiarism
All scholarly endeavor is based on one fundamental principle—the honesty and integrity of those engaged in the search for
truth. If a researcher fabricates facts or intentionally distorts materials in interpreting data, a great disservice has been done
to his or her colleagues and to the academic discipline in question. Truth and knowledge cannot be attained in an
atmosphere of dishonesty and distrust. As persons engaged in academic work, I expect students to adhere to this ethic of
honesty in writing papers and taking exams. Plagiarism (copying the work of someone else or having someone else write
one's papers) is such a gross violation of the integrity of academia, that its incidence could result in the failure of the entire
course for the student(s) involved. I trust that the above is unnecessary information for this group.
Course Outline and Assignments
(Reading assignments are indicted by the bullets)
Jan. 10 (Tues.): Introduction to the Course; Negotiation of the Course Contract;
Brief Review of Micro-Sociology Theories
Jan. 12 (Thur): Introduction to Micro Sociology: Theories and Perspectives
 O’Brien and Kollock, “Shared Meaning as the Basis of Humanness.”
The Production of Reality 2nd edition: pp. 57-63 or 3rd edition pp. 63-70. (On Reserve in Duggan Lib)
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Jan. 17 (Tues.): Introduction to Micro Sociology: Theories and Perspectives
Social Dilemma Simulation
 Benjamin Lee Whorf. “The Name of the Situation as Affecting Behavior” The Production of Reality,
2nd edition: pp. 83-84. (On Reserve in Duggan Library)
 Robert Moore. “Racism in the English Language” The Production of Reality 3rd edition pp. 171-78. (On
Reserve in Duggan)
Jan. 19 (Thur): Symbolic Interaction and Construction of Reality
Definition of Reality
 Howard Becker, “The Social Basis of Drug-Induced Experience.” Microsociologies
 Martin S. Weinberg. “The Nudist Management of Respectability.” The Production of Reality 2nd ed.:
pp. 511-19 or 3rd ed.: pp. 452-460. (On Reserve in Duggan)
Jan. 24 (Tues.): The Creation of Selfhood
 Charles Horton Cooley, “The Self as Sentiment and Reflection.” Inside Social Life, pp. 26-30.
 George Herbert Mead, “The Self as Social Structure.” Inside Social Life, pp. 31-36.
 Patricia Adler and Peter Adler, “The Gloried Self.” Inside Social Life, pp. 129-138.
Individual Research Reports
 Spencer Cahill, “Fashioning Gender Identity.” Inside Social Life, 3rd edition: 26-32.
 Douglas Mason-Schrock, “Constructing Transsexual Selves.” Inside Social Life, 3rd edition: 100-111.
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #1 Due
Jan. 26 (Thur): Applications of Micro-Sociology to the College Classroom
 David A Karps and William C. Yoels. “The College Classroom: Observations on the Meanings of
Student Participation.” Microsociologies
 Keith A. Roberts. "Ironies of Effective Teaching" Microsociologies.
 Heads up: (there is a larger reading assignment than usual for our next class, so you might want to get a
head start for next week).
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #2 Due
Jan. 31 (Tues.): Qualitative Research: Methods in Participant Observation
 “A Guide to Field Research” Microsociologies
 “Ethical Issues Regarding Participants in Research” Microsociologies
 (Light on reading for today, but heavier on Thursday, so you might want to start those assignments.)
Feb. 2 (Thur): Emotions and Self
 Candace Clark. “Sympathy, Biography, and Relationships” Microsociologies.
 Peter Stearns, “The Historical Transformation of American Grief.” Inside Social Life, pp. 72-85.
 Spencer Cahill and Robin Eggleston, “Wheelchair Users’ Interpersonal Management of Emotions.”
Inside Social Life, pp. 176-187.
 Arnold Arluke. “Managing Emotions in an Animal Shelter.” Inside Social Life, pp. 337-351.
Individual Research Reports
 Amy Wilkins. “Collective Emotions and Boundary Work Among Evangelical Christians.’” Inside
Social Life, 6th edition pp. 311-325.
 David A. Karp. “Caring for and about the Mentally Ill.” Inside Social Life: 226-41.
 Allen Smith & Sherryl Kleinman, “Managing Emotions in Medical School.” Inside Social Life: 92-105.
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #3 Due
Feb. 7 (Tues.): Sports Teams, Symbols of Identity, and Alienation
Video: In Whose Honor?
Feb. 9 (Thur): The Self and Social Disaster
 Kai Erikson, Everything In Its Path, pp. 9-48 and 135-185
Feb. 14 (Tues.): The Self, Community, and Mental Health
 Kai Erikson, Everything In Its Path, pp.186-259.
 David Snow & Leon Anderson, “Salvaging the Self from Homelessness.” Microsociologies.
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #4 Due
5
Feb. 16 (Thur): Maintenance of Institutions and Their Realities
Video: The Holy Ghost People
 Keith A. Roberts “Maintenance of Institutions and Their Realities” Microsociologies.
Micro Sociology Observational Study Project Literature Review
Feb 21 (Tues.): Socialization and the Reproduction of Institutions;
Unconventional Constructions and Change
 Herbert Blumer. “Society in Action.” Inside Social Life, pp. 312-316.
 Leslie Irvine, “Narratives of Self in Codependents Anonymous.” Inside Social Life,: 139-152.
Individual Research Report
 Kathryn Fox. “Self Change and Resistance in Prison.” Inside Social Life: 364-378.
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #5 Due
Feb 23 (Thur.): Institutional Analysis: Religious Conversion and Commitment;
Cognitive Development and Symbolic Interactionist Perspectives
 Keith A. Roberts. Religion in Sociological Perspective—selections from chapters 5 and 6 of the 3rd
edition, in Microsociologies
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #6 Due
Feb 27-Mar. 4:
No Classes; Winter Break.
Mar. 6 (Tues): Cohort Analysis and Value Systems
Video: What You Are Is Where You Were When
Mar. 8 (Thur): Culture and Gender Messages—from Elementary School through College
 Barrie Thorne, “Borderwork among Boys and Girls.” Inside Social Life, pp. 317-325.
 Alexandra Berkowitz and Irene Padavic. “The Contrasting Agendas of Black and White Sororities.”
Inside Social Life: 273-286.
Individual Research Reports
 Adam Howard, “Breaking the Silence: Power, Conflict, and Contested frames within an Affluent High
School” (available from Keith) (This article is about extreme affluence, homosexuality, and harassment
in schools)
 Rose Weitz, “Women, Power, and Hair.” Inside Social Life, 3rd edition: pp. 351-365.
Mar. 13 (Tues): Self, Microcultures, and Institutions
 Penelope Eckert, Jocks and Burnouts, Chaps 1 & 4. (on reserve in Duggan Library)
Individual Research Report
 Gary Alan Fine. “Culture Creation and Diffusion among Preadolescents.” Inside Social Life, 3rd edition:
pp. 191-196.
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #7 Due
Mar. 15 (Thur): Self and Exits from Important Social Statuses
 Helen Rose Ebaugh. Becoming an EX.. Chapters 1-2 (pp. 1-86)
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #8 Due
Mar. 20 (Tues): Self and Changes in Social Statuses
 Helen Rose Ebaugh. Becoming an EX. Prepare, as a group, to present the core ideas (in about ten
minutes) of your chapter to the rest of the class, and then lead a discussion that helps the class apply the
ideas of that chapter:
 Chapter 3 (Bladen, Cairns, Ferriell, Helms, Mahin)
 Chapter 4 (Mulvaney, Ooley, Oglesby, Padgett, Schroeder)
 Chapter 5 (Stewart, Tarlton, Wilson, Wood, Young)
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #9 Due
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Mar. 22 (Thur): We, They, and Identity: Understanding Prejudice
 Langson Hughes. “That Powerful Drop” The Production of Reality 2nd edition: p 40 or 3rd edition pp.
86. (On Reserve in Duggan Library)
 Brent Staples. “Black Men and Public Space” The Production of Reality 2nd edition: pp. 228-30 or 3rd
edition pp. 244-246. (On Reserve in Duggan)
 Elijah Anderson. “The Black Male in Public.” Inside Social Life, pp. 326-336.
 Elijah Anderson. “Making It ‘Decent’ on the Streets” Inside Social Life, pp. 298-310.
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #10 Due
Consultations on Observational Study Project (make an appointment)
Mar. 27 (Tues): Self, Marginality, and Alienation
Video: Yidl in the Middle
Mar. 29 (Thur): McDonaldization (Modernization) of Society, Locus of Control, and Selfhood
Video: Food Inc
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #11 Due
Apr. 3 (Tues): Modernization, Attribution, and the Self
Video: Slim Hopes
 There is no reading assignment today, but do note that there is a substantial amount of reading for
Tuesday, so get started on that.
Individual Research Report
 Melissa Milkie “Media Images' Influence on Adolescent Girls’ Self-Concept” Inside Social Life: 50-64.
Apr. 5 (Thur): Modernism, Consumerism, Western Concepts of Time, and McDonalization of Society
 Jodi O’Brien and Peter Kollock. “Boundaries and Contradictions” The Production of Reality 2nd
edition: pp. 461-80 or 3rd edition pp. 485-509. (On Reserve in Duggan)
 Stephen Bertman. Hyperculture: The Human Cost of Speed, pp. 1-14; 41-62. (On Reserve in Library)
Individual Research Report
 Timothy Diamond. “Everyday Life in Nursing Homes.’” Inside Social Life, 3rd edition. pp. 197-204.
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #12 Due
Apr. 10 (Tues): Commercialism, Consumerism, and the Self;
Professionalism vs Bureaucratization: The Professional Self;
 Arlie Russell Hochschild, The Managed Heart, pp. 3-23; 132-136; 162-181
 Keith A. Roberts and Karen A. Donahue. “Professing Professionalism: Bureaucratization and
Deprofessionalization in the Academy.” Microsociologies
Individual Research Report
 Gretta Foff Paules. “Working and Resisting at Route Restaurant.” Inside Social Life: pp. 287-297.
Observational Study Project Due
Apr. 12 (Thur): Altruistic Behavior
Social Constructions of Social Problems
 Joel Best. "The Evolution of Road Rage.” Inside Social Life: 379-389.
Individual Research Reports
 Joel Best. "The Rise and Fall of the Freeway Shootings Problem.” Inside Social Life, 3rd edition pp.
269-279.
 Mitchell Duneier. “Competing Legalities on Sixth Avenue.” Inside Social Life, 4th edition: pp. 304-318.
Analysis and Synthesis Essay #13 Due
Week of Apr. 16th: Final Exam
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Appendix 1
Social Psychology: Paradigms and Theories
Behaviorism (Learning Theory):
Behaviorism is a psychological theory that is primarily concerned with the stimuli that impinge on an organism's sense
organs and the responses that these stimuli elicit.
The focus of behaviorism is on stimulus
response conditioning. The emphasis is on positive rewards; continued
reinforcement through rewards is necessary to sustain desired behavior.
The human person is viewed as a black box, for no one can see what happens inside. Concern with intentions,
motives, beliefs, or concepts of self identity are viewed as ill-founded and unscientific, for they cannot be measured or
systematically observed. Only behavior is legitimate data for scientific theory.
Cognitive Structuralism
Cognitive Structural is a theory regarding perception and thinking processes which posits the existence of sequential
stages of growth in the ability to think. For the purposes of social psychology, one of the most important measures of
stage change is the ability to role-take. The capacities to move through the stages and the order of their occurrence is
believed to be innate. However, the social environment may either retard or stimulate growth. Some people, even as
adults, never reach the higher stages. One prerequisite to growth is cognitive (intellectual) dissonance. In the largest
sense, cognitive structuralism is a form of developmental theory.
Exchange Theory
Exchange theory is based on the view that people, as they effect relationships with one another, are engaged in a sort of
mental bookkeeping that involves a ledger of rewards, costs, and profits. Like behaviorism, the focus is on rewards and
costs. Unlike behaviorism, the process is viewed as a rational process based on careful calculation of self-interest.
Behaviorists would say that a person can be programmed or trained to be altruistic. For exchange theorists, the bottom
line in human behavior is self interest. Persons may help each other, but there must be some form of reciprocity or it
will not last.
Cohort Analysis
Cohort analysis asserts that people are shaped by the historical events that occur when a person is most impressionable.
Unlike the Freudians who focus on the very early years, cohort analysts place primary stress on the teenage years. Also
unlike the Freudians, the primary impacts are not seen as family interactions in a micro-environment, but macro events
and cultural trends in the larger society. Thus, an entire generation is thought to have similar imprints on their values
and outlooks on life. People who were adolescents during the depression developed certain attitudes toward money and
frugality. The generation that experienced their youthful years during World War II became highly patriotic and tend to
believe the leaders of the country. People who were teens during the Viet Nam war and the Watergate scandal
developed high levels of skepticism about the integrity and trustworthiness of the American government. More recently,
the generation that has experienced very high levels of parental divorce may be skeptical about the permanence of
marriage and may be hesitant to make personal commitments to relationships. Thus, each cohort is thought to have
experienced similar events that shape the values and the character of that generation.
Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic interactionism is a school of thought based on the view that our humanness derives from the mutual impact
we have upon each other. Humans act toward things on the basis of the meanings that the things have for them. The
meanings are derived by individuals as they interact with others. Hence, humans are above all symbol creating and
symbol modifying creatures, for symbols are these acts or objects which have meaning beyond their own fleeting
existence. Symbols are the key to understanding human life, for we go about the task of fitting our actions together
because of shared perceptions or shared meanings. Meaning is not inherent in events, but is created by individuals and
communicated among them. Through internal manipulation of symbols and interpretation of meaning, we define
situations and determine how we should act.
When persons create symbols, such as a flag or a new greeting ("give me five"), the process is called externalization.
Once externalized, symbols come to be objectified--they have an existence and importance which is independent of the
original creator. They may long outlive the symbol-maker. Who was it that designed the "star of David" and gave it
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meaning? Who determined that an eagle should symbolize the United States? Most people don't know-but they do
know what the symbol stands for. They do share with others the meaning of this object. In fact they may feel intense
loyalty to the symbol. An entire history of a people may be recalled and a set of values rekindled when the symbol is
displayed. This is because other people have internalized the objectified symbol. By this process, symbols are created,
transmitted, and modified.
Symbolic interactionism depicts humans as active agents who consciously, deliberately, and directly fashion their
personal and collective histories. It emphasizes the part that language and gestures play in the formation of the mind,
the self, and society. More than any other theory in the social sciences, symbolic interactionism stresses the agency-the active decision-making role--of humans within their societies.
Dramaturgical analysis is one approach to symbolic interaction, focusing on the manipulation of symbols by people to
present a particular image to others. The idea is that people try to “manage an impression,” much like actors in a play
use symbolic representations to create an image in the minds of others.
Appendix 2
Analysis and Synthesis Essays
S & A #1
A.
B.
C.
S & A #2
A.
B.
S & A #3
A.
B.
Compare and contrast the basic principles of symbolic interaction and exchange theory (i.e. how are they similar and
how do they differ?).
How might a symbolic interactionist and an exchange theorist differ in their approaches to (pick two of the
following): gender identity, fame as an athlete, and/or use of hallucinogenic drugs?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of symbolic interactionism and exchange theory?
How might micro sociology theories help us understand student participation in a classroom? Given these insights,
list and discuss three specific strategies that instructors might use to increase classroom participation.
Write your own question about the sociology of the college classroom and answer it.
Reflect on the four applications in your reading assignments regarding the sociology of emotions. Using these
analyses as models, analyze an emotionally laden situation you have experienced utilizing a symbolic interaction or
exchange theory perspective.
From a symbolic interaction and an exchange theory perspective, what are the issues regarding naming sports teams
after ethnic groups? Given what you know, how to you assess the prospects for change? Explain your position.
S & A #4
A.
B.
How does Kai Erikson employ principles of symbolic interaction in his analysis of a disaster in Buffalo Creek?
What does Erikson’s study of the aftermath of a flood say to us about the role of a well-connected community in the
mental health of humans?
S & A #5
A.
How does micro sociology help us to understand institutions (e.g. the political and economic systems, religion,
education) and large-scale social organizations and especially the way these institutions/organizations sustain
themselves over time?
How might one use principles of symbolic interactionism or exchange theory to make sense of what we saw among
The Holy Ghost People?
B.
S & A #6
A.
B.
How would a symbolic interactionist critique Fowler or Kohlberg’s model of moral/faith development?
How would a cognitive developmentalist (Fowler or Kohlberg) critique a symbolic interactionist and an exchange
theorist explanation of human behavior?
S & A #7
A.
How do symbolic interaction and exchange theory each help us to understand the processes of gender socialization
and the sustainability of notions of gender over time?
Explain the relationship between the micro-level of student interactions, the meso-level of the school as an
organization, and the macro-level of the larger society.
B.
S & A #8
A.
B.
C.
S & A #9
A.
B.
Compare and contrast how symbolic interactionism and exchange theory would each illuminate the micro-cultures of
a high school.
What does Eckert’s study tell us that might be relevant to understanding high school shootings of jocks that have
been occurring in the past decade?
Write your own question regarding Eckert’s study and write an essay about it. Be sure to engage micro theory.
Examine a status exit process with which you have some familiarity and explain how the variables discussed by
Ebaugh play out in this situation. What theory is relevant to your explanation? Why?
Take two or three micro theories in sociology and show how these theories would examine changes in social statuses
differently. What would be the difference in how theories in these different schools of thought approach status
change?
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S & A #10
A.
Write an analysis of the massive changes in the bureaucratization (McDonalizatin) of our food production process
and what this says about the connection of the micro level of the self and the macro level systems that produce our
food. Explain what micro theory informs your analysis.
S & A #11
A.
Compare and contrast how a cognitive developmentalist, a cohort analyst, and a symbolic interactionist would each
analyze the root causes of racism.
How might the experience of being black in America impact the sense of self? Relate your answer to core ideas in
symbolic interactionism regarding the self.
Write your own question regarding micro processes of race, white privilege, and racism, and write an essay about it.
Be sure to engage micro-sociological theory.
B.
C.
S & A #12
A.
B.
S & A #13
Is the modern western concept of time an issue for selfhood and for quality of life? Do we modern people actually
face different issues than our ancestors? Explain your answer, your reasoning, and the evidence that you find
compelling in support of your answer.
What do you see as the most difficult contradictions or struggles in everyday life of people in modern societies? Why
do these issues create a crisis for a sense of self?
A.
What are the implications of the commercialization of emotions for sense of self of employees required to perform
“emotional work?”
B. How might “professionalism” influence the way one approaches interaction with others on the job and the way one
relates “self” to work. Feel free to explore your own career aspirations and the meaning of vocation or
professionalism to that specific field.
C. After a trip to the mall using the projects provided, write your own question about the underlying social messages in
an American mall and answer it.
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Appendix 3
Accessing Information Using Library Internet Resources
The Duggan Library currently provides to its users many online databases and indexes and other sources of
information. While many full-text databases and citation indexes are appropriate for finding information in a
number of fields, four are particularly useful for finding articles in sociology. MasterFILE Premier, Academic
Search Premier, and Sociological Abstracts are available through EBSCOhost, and can be accessed from the
library’s webpage through both their individual title links and the EBSCOhost link. Social Sciences Abstracts
is no longer available. Online help is available from both of these interfaces. Click on the “?” button at the top
of the screen. All of these databases are available from the Duggan Library homepage on the World Wide Web.
Go to the Hanover College Web Page, then click “Duggan Library” or link directly to
http://www.hanover.edu/Library. Under “Shortcuts”, choose the link for “A-Z List of Electronic Resources”
and then click on the link for whichever database you wish to access.
Relevant indexes:
1. Sociological Abstracts. This index provides access to article citations for over 1800 journals. Brief
abstracts and citations to book reviews are also provided, but there is no full text. (Cambridge Scientific
Abstracts)
2. Social Sciences Abstracts. The Library no longer subscribes to this database. This index is the online
version of Social Science Index, available in print at the index tables in Duggan Library. 350 core journals
are indexed and abstracted. This is primarily a citation database although some full text may be available.
(FirstSearch)
3. Academic Search Premier. This provides indexing and abstracts for over 8000 scholarly journals, of which
over 3500 are peer reviewed. Nearly 4600 journals in the database have full text. (EBSCOhost)
4. MasterFILE Premier. This provides indexing and abstracts for over 2700 general and academic magazines
and journals. Of that, the full text of articles from 2050 of the journals is included. (EBSCOhost)
Instructions for Using Sociological Abstracts (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts), MasterFILE Premier,
and Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost)
Selecting the database:
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At the Library’s homepage, click on the “A-Z List of Electronic Resources” link.
Choose a database by name or use the “EBSCOhost” link.
You will be given three services to select from. Choose “EBSCOhost Web”.
Once the list of databases appears, click in the box next to the name of each database you wish to search
and then click on the “Enter” button at the top (or bottom) of the screen. You may search multiple
databases simultaneously, though some advanced search strategies may be limited if you choose multiple
databases.
Searching the database:
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Think about your topic and choose words that will give focused, specific results.
In the green navigation bar at the top of the screen, click on “Advanced Search”.
The screen will give you multiple boxes to help you formulate your search. Type your keywords into the
boxes in the middle column. The third column lets you select a particular part of the record for searching
(i.e. only in the abstract or only in the title). The first column allows you to combine your search terms
using boolean operators (“and,” “or,” and “not”).
Click on the “Search” button.
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Limiting the Search:
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Limiters are available and vary according to database.
Included in the limiting options are source (i.e. journal name), dates of publication, and only full-text
articles.
Select the limits you want to apply, enter the keywords you wish to search, and click “Search”.
Viewing Results:
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Use the scroll bar on the right of your to move through the list. There will be 10 results per page. To move
between pages, use the arrow buttons.
Click on the underlined title to show all of the information about the article and the summary abstract.
Click in the box on the left of the record to mark that item to be printed, e-mailed or saved.
If a “Full Text” link appears below the title, the entire text and sometimes pictures are available. Click the
link to view the full text. The text can be printed, saved to a disk, or e-mailed.
If your search did not produce the results you had expected, you can click on “Refine Search” and make the
necessary adjustments.
Click “Advanced Search” to begin a new search.
Printing, E-mailing, and Saving Records:
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You may print, e-mail, or save to disk individual records, or multiple records if you have marked any.
To mail the records or full text to yourself, click the “Email” button above the record.
In the Email Manager, choose the format you want your records mailed as (citation only, citation with full
text, etc.), enter your complete e-mail address (i.e. yourusername@hanover.edu), and a subject, then click
the “E-mail” button.
To print records, click on the “Print” button. In the Print Manager, choose whether you want to print
citations only or citations with full text, then click “Print”. Your record(s) will be displayed without frames
for faster printing. Use the browser’s Print function to send the record(s) to the printer.
To save record(s) to disk, click on the “Save” button. In the Save Manager, choose a format for saving the
record(s), then click “Save”. Use the browser’s Save function to save your items to your hard drive, or to a
floppy disk if you are in the Library. Diskettes are available for purchase in the Library if you get caught
without one.
SFX
The Duggan Library has implemented SFX technology, allowing a direct link from search results within any
database to the library catalog. Upon retrieving your search results, choose a citation. In addition to the
bibliographic information, there will be this symbol:
. A click on it will open a new window,
allowing you to search the Duggan Library catalog. Click on the symbol to retrieve local search results
(which allows you to determine whether the journal in question is held in-house).
Some Closing Thoughts:
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All of these databases update their graphics and search interfaces from time to time, and all of the above
information is subject to change. Take the time to look at how each databases is set up and become
familiar with it.
If you need any additional assistance with using these databases, any of the Reference Librarians will
be happy to assist you.
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