Sociology 1201 Sociology 1201: Week Three 1. Symbolic Interactionism 2. What Does Marriage Mean 3....

Sociology 1201Sociology 1201

Sociology 1201: Week Sociology 1201: Week ThreeThree

1.1. Symbolic InteractionismSymbolic Interactionism

2.2. What Does Marriage MeanWhat Does Marriage Mean

3.3. Gender Roles and Contradictions Gender Roles and Contradictions


Symbolic Interactionism as a Symbolic Interactionism as a sociological perspectivesociological perspective

Our world is a social construction, Our world is a social construction, built through the web of social built through the web of social relationships and meanings.relationships and meanings.

We react to the meaning of social We react to the meaning of social things and not to the things things and not to the things themselves.themselves.

Our self (selves?) in important part a Our self (selves?) in important part a social construction social construction


Charles Horton Cooley: Looking Charles Horton Cooley: Looking glass selfglass self

““Society is an interweaving and Society is an interweaving and interworking of mental selves. I interworking of mental selves. I imagine your mind and especially imagine your mind and especially what your mind thinks about my what your mind thinks about my mind. I dress my mind before you mind. I dress my mind before you and expect that you will dress yours and expect that you will dress yours before mine. Whoever cannot or will before mine. Whoever cannot or will not do this is not properly in the not do this is not properly in the game.” game.”


Primary Groups Primary Groups

Lewis Coser: “Sensitivity to the Lewis Coser: “Sensitivity to the thought of others, responsiveness to thought of others, responsiveness to their attitudes, values and their attitudes, values and judgments--that is the mark of the judgments--that is the mark of the mature man (or woman) according to mature man (or woman) according to Cooley. This can be cultivated and Cooley. This can be cultivated and fostered only in the close and fostered only in the close and intimate associations of the primary intimate associations of the primary group.” group.”


George Herbert Mead: the George Herbert Mead: the “me” and the “I” “me” and the “I”

Mind, self and societyMind, self and society Mind = my communication with Mind = my communication with

myselfmyself Two parts to the selfTwo parts to the self

– the “me”—very similar to Cooley’s the “me”—very similar to Cooley’s looking glass selflooking glass self

– The “I”—individual and unique part of The “I”—individual and unique part of me, probably in part biological me, probably in part biological


Herbert Blumer’s synthesisHerbert Blumer’s synthesis

““Humans act toward a thing on the Humans act toward a thing on the basis of the meaning they assign to the basis of the meaning they assign to the thing.” thing.”

““Meaning are socially derived, which is Meaning are socially derived, which is to say that meaning is not inherent in a to say that meaning is not inherent in a state of nature…. Meaning is negotiated state of nature…. Meaning is negotiated through interaction with others.” through interaction with others.”

““The perception and interpretation of The perception and interpretation of social symbols are modified by the social symbols are modified by the individual’s own thought process.” individual’s own thought process.”


Key concepts in the Key concepts in the construction of self and societyconstruction of self and society Culture: a design for living passed Culture: a design for living passed

from one generation to the nextfrom one generation to the next Norms: rules defining expected Norms: rules defining expected

situations and appropriate behaviorssituations and appropriate behaviors Socialization: Socialization:

– 1. the process of learning the norms of 1. the process of learning the norms of your cultureyour culture

– 2. the process of learning who you are2. the process of learning who you areFamilies particularly central to this Families particularly central to this

process. process.


Sex and genderSex and gender

Sex the biological distinction Sex the biological distinction between male and femalebetween male and female

Gender the culturally elaborated Gender the culturally elaborated distinction between masculine and distinction between masculine and feminine… differs across culture and feminine… differs across culture and across historyacross history

Groups: “Because I am a Fe(male)Groups: “Because I am a Fe(male)


Gender Roles and Gender Roles and ContradictionsContradictions

“ “Betwixt and Between:” Interviews with Betwixt and Between:” Interviews with middle schoolers in a Southeastern citymiddle schoolers in a Southeastern city

Research question: How Free Are Middle Research question: How Free Are Middle School boys and girls to form identities School boys and girls to form identities outside the constraining gender outside the constraining gender expectations that have traditionally expectations that have traditionally disadvantaged girls in the public sphere disadvantaged girls in the public sphere and repressed boys from expressing their and repressed boys from expressing their emotions. emotions.

GROUPS: 2 Discussion QuestionsGROUPS: 2 Discussion Questions

““Tweenagers”Tweenagers”

What are the implications of that What are the implications of that word? Do you think it’s useful?word? Do you think it’s useful?

Do peers become more important as Do peers become more important as a reference group as we reach that a reference group as we reach that middle school age? middle school age?

Interviewed 44 middle schoolers who Interviewed 44 middle schoolers who were not yet teens (males and were not yet teens (males and females)females)


Less lattitude for boysLess lattitude for boys

Pascoe: “Multiple Masculinities (text, Pascoe: “Multiple Masculinities (text, 547)547)– ““Fag discourse:” primary use (function) of Fag discourse:” primary use (function) of

homophobia not to expose potential homophobia not to expose potential homosexuals but to police boys behaviorhomosexuals but to police boys behavior

Methods of this study: p. 344-46… the only Methods of this study: p. 344-46… the only time I will quote at length in talking about time I will quote at length in talking about the article you were assigned to read… the article you were assigned to read… methods particularly significant in sociology methods particularly significant in sociology


Between Tomboy and Girly-Between Tomboy and Girly-GirlGirl

Surprise (to me)… no one volunteered a Surprise (to me)… no one volunteered a positive definition of a girly girl …most positive definition of a girly girl …most common phrase ”prissy”—common phrase ”prissy”—

Yes when researchers asked explicitly Yes when researchers asked explicitly whether being a girly-girl was a good or whether being a girly-girl was a good or bad thing, kids were dividedbad thing, kids were divided

None of the girls identified themselves None of the girls identified themselves as exclusivly “girly-girl” as exclusivly “girly-girl”


FemininityFemininity

Some kids saw being girly as making Some kids saw being girly as making a girl populara girl popular

The girls , black and white, felt that The girls , black and white, felt that girls should display some level of girls should display some level of femininityfemininity

Being too much of a tomboy also not Being too much of a tomboy also not a good thinga good thing

Variety by race: p. 351-352Variety by race: p. 351-352


Policing masculinityPolicing masculinity

Respondents described masculinity Respondents described masculinity in very narrow and uniform ways: in very narrow and uniform ways: spots, competitiveness, video games, spots, competitiveness, video games, rowdinessrowdiness

““A boy who is perceived as feminine A boy who is perceived as feminine is subject to much more ridicule than is subject to much more ridicule than a girl who is seen as either overly a girl who is seen as either overly masculine or overly feminine.” (Why? masculine or overly feminine.” (Why? What does this mean?)What does this mean?)


Policing heterosexualityPolicing heterosexuality

What if a friend revealed he or she What if a friend revealed he or she was gay? was gay?

How would your life change if you How would your life change if you woke up one day and found out you woke up one day and found out you were gay? 34 students answered one were gay? 34 students answered one or both questions… majority very or both questions… majority very negative (“I would be suicidal”), negative (“I would be suicidal”), though also a substantial minority though also a substantial minority (11) that expressed tolerant views(11) that expressed tolerant views


Scenario in which a boy, Scenario in which a boy, Marcus, becomes a Marcus, becomes a

cheerleadercheerleader Krista: “People think a male Krista: “People think a male

cheerleader is always gay.”cheerleader is always gay.” Dierdre: “If they’d been friends, she Dierdre: “If they’d been friends, she

wouldn’t stay close friends… If I hang wouldn’t stay close friends… If I hang around with him, they’d be like, ‘ew, around with him, they’d be like, ‘ew, you’re gay too.”you’re gay too.”

Most kids told us their peers severely Most kids told us their peers severely tease gender nonconformity. tease gender nonconformity.


Sexuality and sex rolesSexuality and sex roles

““One male student told us that if he were One male student told us that if he were gay, he would no longer like sports.”gay, he would no longer like sports.”

Tendency to conflate sexuality and Tendency to conflate sexuality and femininityfemininity

Some suggestive evidence that if a Some suggestive evidence that if a person actually does embrace a gay person actually does embrace a gay identity, he or she is freer to cross gender identity, he or she is freer to cross gender boundaries and to enjoy activities limited boundaries and to enjoy activities limited to the other sex. to the other sex.


Worse for boys than girls?Worse for boys than girls?

Jeffrey: No comparable world for boys Jeffrey: No comparable world for boys who act like girls the way tomboy who act like girls the way tomboy describes girls who act like boys.” describes girls who act like boys.” Maybe “fruit.” Maybe “fruit.”

Instructor: Is tomboy really a negative?Instructor: Is tomboy really a negative?“The stigmatizing of Marcus is in sharp “The stigmatizing of Marcus is in sharp contrast to the hypothetical scenario contrast to the hypothetical scenario about Jasmine, the girl who wanted to about Jasmine, the girl who wanted to start a girls’ football team.”start a girls’ football team.”


What about Jo?What about Jo?

Mallory: “Jo is openly gay and friends Mallory: “Jo is openly gay and friends with half the seventh grade… though with half the seventh grade… though some people hate him.”some people hate him.”

““Everybody knows Jo’s going to do Everybody knows Jo’s going to do something like that (breaking the something like that (breaking the gender rules), so nobody really gender rules), so nobody really cares…”cares…”

Openly gay kids not harrassed the Openly gay kids not harrassed the same way for gender nonconformity.same way for gender nonconformity.


People we know vs. People we know vs. hypothetical people hypothetical people

““It is notable that all three examples It is notable that all three examples of exempting gays and lesbians from of exempting gays and lesbians from sustained harassment in this study sustained harassment in this study refer to a specific person the refer to a specific person the respondent knew, whereas the respondent knew, whereas the predictions of harassment referred to predictions of harassment referred to hypothetical people.”hypothetical people.”


Boys vs girls again Boys vs girls again

““Our findings confirm other studies Our findings confirm other studies about the narrow confines in which about the narrow confines in which boys need to stay to avoid being boys need to stay to avoid being teased by their peers.”teased by their peers.”

““What is perhaps more unexepcted is What is perhaps more unexepcted is that girls are now stigmatized for that girls are now stigmatized for displaying some of the traditional displaying some of the traditional markers of femininity.”markers of femininity.”


Deutsch: “Undoing gender” Deutsch: “Undoing gender”

A concept that thus far applies A concept that thus far applies primarily to girls. See quotes, pp. primarily to girls. See quotes, pp. 358-359358-359


““On the other hand…” On the other hand…”

““Boys gain no social approval for Boys gain no social approval for deviating from traditional definitions deviating from traditional definitions of masculinity. Any behavior of masculinity. Any behavior remotely stereotyped as feminine is remotely stereotyped as feminine is intensely policed by other boys and intensely policed by other boys and by some girls.”by some girls.”

Last words: “Boys need a feminist Last words: “Boys need a feminist revolution of their own.” revolution of their own.”


What Marriage MeansWhat Marriage Means

Groups: Discussion questions for Groups: Discussion questions for chapters 3 and 4 of Promiseschapters 3 and 4 of Promises– Trajectory: Courtship, birth, and ….Trajectory: Courtship, birth, and ….

--What Marriage Means: a symbolic --What Marriage Means: a symbolic interactionist analysis interactionist analysis



Groups Groups

Discussion: Questions from chapters Discussion: Questions from chapters 3 and 4 of 3 and 4 of Promises I Can KeepPromises I Can Keep

When you finish, attach the group When you finish, attach the group questions from each member of your questions from each member of your group to the group worksheet and group to the group worksheet and turn it in turn it in

Sociology 1201 Sociology 1201: Week Three 1. Symbolic Interactionism 2. What Does Marriage Mean 3....

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