Symbolic interactionism is a sociological perspective that emphasizes the importance of symbols, meanings, and interactions in shaping social life. According to this perspective, social life is possible because individuals are able to create and interpret shared meanings through communication and interaction with others.
Through communication, individuals are able to share their experiences, perspectives, and emotions with others, and in doing so, they are able to construct a shared understanding of the world around them. This shared understanding, or shared symbolic meanings, forms the basis of social interaction, and enables individuals to coordinate their actions and navigate social situations.
Symbolic interactionists argue that social life is not determined by external forces such as social structures, institutions, or cultural norms, but is instead shaped by the everyday interactions and negotiations of individuals. This perspective emphasizes the agency of individuals in shaping their own social realities, and highlights the importance of communication and interaction in creating and sustaining social order.
Overall, symbolic interactionism provides a framework for understanding how individuals create, interpret, and negotiate shared meanings, and how these meanings shape social life. It highlights the importance of communication and interaction in enabling individuals to coordinate their actions, navigate social situations, and create social order.