Here's how:
* Meaning-making: They believe that individuals don't just passively react to the world around them, but actively interpret and assign meaning to their experiences. This meaning is derived through social interaction and shared symbols.
* Social construction of reality: They argue that our understanding of the world is not inherent or objective, but is constructed through social interaction. We learn how to perceive and interpret reality through our interactions with others.
Here are some key concepts related to meaning-making and social construction of reality that symbolic interactionists focus on:
* Symbols: These are objects, words, gestures, or actions that stand for something else and have shared meanings.
* Social interaction: The process of communication and exchange between individuals.
* Roles: The sets of behaviors, attitudes, and expectations associated with a particular position in society.
* Identity: Our sense of self, which is shaped through social interaction and the roles we play.
By focusing on these concepts, symbolic interactionism emphasizes the importance of understanding how individuals create and maintain their social world through communication, shared symbols, and interpretations.