Wednesday 22 October 2014

Study Task 01- Symbolic interactionist theories of identity

In both texts they discuss the relation of social identity, Sheldon’s Stryker’s theory focus’ on social scenario’s where as McCall and Simmons targets the ideal self.

Stryker explains the social change in the way we act in different social environments, the emotions that are portrayed that form the structure of a person’s identity. We mold and change according to our social group and learn what identity to adopt in a given social scenario. This is very true, we change within different social structures and are constantly evolving to keep up with the change in life. Stryker discuss’ the salience hierarchy, the hierarchy of identities based on the success and import to the individual. He hints that we are constantly performing and evolving with the different versions of ourselves. Stryker also talks about the identity and emotions of interactionist theorizing shaping subsequent role in performances. He mentions when people judge each other and their role behavior whether their performance is acceptable or un acceptable, he talks in detail about reading gestures and whether a positive or negative emotion will come of it and the ‘affect’ the emotional reaction. Also, we as individuals judge and get emotional over role performances to make sure we are performing correctly in a given situation.

In contrast George J McCall and J L Simmons discuss things on more of a self-basis, an idealized version of ourselves. They speak as we always have some disatifisfication for ourselves as we hold such high standards, constantly expecting more. We are constantly worried about our self-image opposed to other people; a good example of this is the way we make ourselves look on social media, the idealized version of ourselves.

There are similarities and connections between both Stryker and McCall and Simmons as they both discuss how we all put on almost an act and how we change socially in different situations for example we wouldn’t act the same at work as we would at a party. I agree with both of the theories, I think that individuals do mold to different social groups and learn and adapt to them. McCall and Simmons have a very valid point about our egos always trying to make our identity’s better.


I think they both relate in terms of design, I think people design with Strykers theory in mind, seeing how their design fits in and get accepted, but tend to have McCalls and Simmons theory in the back of their heads the idea of how it is going to boost their ego.

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