II. Symbolic Interactionism (SI)
Three forms of Symbolic Interactionism.
Remember: Three Faces of Social Psychology
1. Psychological Social Psychology
Sociological Social Psychology
2. Symbolic Interactionism
3. Psychological Sociology
Two articles about the state of sociological social psychology
Stryker, Sheldon. 1995. Review Essay: Progress? Well, Yes and No: The States of Sociological Social Psychology. Social Psychology Quarterly. 58, 4: 326-331.
Response of House:
James, S. Gary A. Fine, and Karen S. 1995. Cook. Reply: The Promise of Sociological Social Psychology. Social Psychology Quarterly. 58, 4:336-338.
Focus of Sociological Social Psychology:
Stryker compared two standard issues:
Rosenberg, Morris and Turner. 1981, and Cook, Fine and House. 1995 to access the development in the field of Sociological Social Psychology from the1970s to the early 1990s.
Rosenberg, Morris and Turner. 1981. Social Psychology: Sociological Perspectives. New York: Basic Books.
Cook, Fine and House. 1995. Sociological Perspectives on Social Psychology. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Stryker’s interpretations of change in structural social psychology
Clearer definition of the purpose:
Weak instead of strict social constructionism:
Increased interest in language, children and emotions
The amount of qualitative research increased dramatically
Challenges within the field have changed:
From: ethnomethodology, cognitive sociology, interpretive sociology
=> anti scientific + radically empirical
To: constructionism, feminism, postmodernism, and phenomenology
=> anti scientific + radically empirical
The quarrel between quantitative and qualitative researchers has diminished. More respectful attention to qualitative research.
"Attitude of structural sociology towards social psychology moved from open antagonism to ignorance"(p.326)
- House et al disagree: "Social psychology becomes more relevant for core sociological issues... even Goffman’s writings have found an appreciative audience amongst theorists like Giddens and Collins".(p. 337)
"Support for social psychological research is under seriously increased thread"
- House et al disagree: It does not look too great in the moment for nearly everyone who looks for a research grant. However, social sciences and social psychology keep their market share.
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