Final answer:
The critique of symbolic interactionism is that it focuses on interpersonal interactions at the expense of understanding broader societal structures. It explores the micro-level of social analysis, emphasizing day-to-day interactions over macro-level patterns, which critics argue may not provide a complete picture of society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The critique of symbolic interactionism most accurately aligns with option 1: It focuses on interactions between people rather than observing society as a whole. This perspective is concerned with the micro-level of social analysis, emphasizing the day-to-day interactions and how individuals shape their social reality through these interactions. Critics argue that its narrow focus on the symbolic aspects of social interaction may lead to findings that are not generalizable to society on a broader scale. Instead of examining wide-scale structural issues or macro-level patterns, symbolic interactionism delves deep into the nuances of interpersonal communication and the interpretation of symbols, which can be seen as a limitation when it comes to understanding societal dynamics at large.
Symbolic interactionists view society as composed of the meanings that are created and upheld through people's interactions. The use of qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews or participant observation makes sense in this context, as it aligns with the theory's emphasis on understanding the complexities and subjective experiences of individual actors within society. However, this micro-level focus means that symbolic interactionism may understate the influence of large-scale structures and forces in shaping social life.