Criticism Of Symbolic Interaction

Symbolic Interaction Symbolic interactionism is a theoretical approach to understanding the relationship between humans and society. Symbolic Interactionism is the basis that human actions and interaction are comprehensible with the interchange of significant communication or symbols. In the approach of symbolic interaction, human beings are known to act verses being acted upon. The main values of symbolic interactionism are: human beings act towards things a certain way based of the meaning the things have for them on a personal basis, which ascends out of social interaction and social action results from fitting together of individual lines of action. This approach is in contrast to the strict behaviorism of psychological theories prevalent

In this concept what is emphasized is we imagine how we must appear to others, we imagine the judgment of others, and we develop our self through the judgments of others. With the interactions, specifically with others one begins to develop a generalized identify about who one is as well as empathy for others based on the judgment one has on that specific person. The most significant restraint of the symbolic interaction theory is the fact that it overlooks macro-social structures, such as norms and culture, basically focusing on micro-level interactions primarily. Some symbolic interactionists, however, would state that the concept of role theory addresses this criticism. This can be related by to my paper because symbolic interaction emphasizes how a magazine, TV, images and other forms of media can truly make a difference and mean a lot to the female population and create cultural/gender

Feminist theories focus on gender inequality and recognize women’s location in, and experience of and social situation are not only different but also moreover unequal to men’s. Theories of gender oppression go further than theories of gender difference and gender inequality by arguing that not only are women different from or unequal to men, but that they are actively oppressed, subordinated, and even abused by men. Power is the key variable in the two main theories of gender oppression: psychoanalytic feminism and radical feminism. Structural oppression theories posit that women 's oppression and inequality are a result of capitalism, patriarchy, and racism. Socialist feminists agree with Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels that the working class is exploited as a consequence of capitalism, but they seek to extend this exploitation not just to class but also to gender. This is important for furthering my research due to the concept my research proposed is on women in media and how they are represented in both negative and positive ways, predominately