Final answer:
Sociologists like Erving Goffman and Clifford Geertz, as well as the concept of symbolic interactionism, have shown that symbols have multiple meanings within a society and that their interpretations can change over time or vary across different cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question 'Firth demonstrated that symbols only have one meaning in a society' is based on a misunderstanding; in social studies, sociologists and anthropologists, such as Erving Goffman and Clifford Geertz, have demonstrated that symbols are multifaceted and can carry different meanings in different contexts within a society. The meanings attached to symbols are socially created, dynamic, and interpreted differently based on cultural and social factors. Symbols are crucial in shaping our reality and our interactions, as we ascribe meanings to them based on our experiences and societal interactions.
For instance, the work of George Herbert Mead and his concept of symbolic interactionism suggests that we interact with symbols based on the meanings we learn through socialization. The meaning of a symbol can evolve over time within a society, as seen with the word 'gay,' which has undergone significant changes in connotation over the decades. Additionally, different cultures may assign different meanings to the same symbol, indicating that symbols do not carry universal, singular interpretations.