An engaging text that enables readers to understand the world through symbolic interactionismThis lively and accessible book offers an introduction to sociological social psychology through the lens of symbolic interactionism. It provides students with an accessible understanding of this perspective to illuminate their worlds and deepen their knowledge of other people's lives, as well as their own. Written by noted experts in the field, the book explores the core concepts of social psychology and examines a collection of captivating empirical studies. The book also highlights everyday life--putting the focus on the issues and concerns that are most relevant to the readers' social context.The Social Self and Everyday Life bridges classical theories and contemporary ideas, joins abstract concepts with concrete examples, and integrates theory with empirical evidence. It covers a range of topics including the body, emotions, health and illness, the family, technology, and inequality. Best of all, it gets students involved in applying concepts in their daily lives.* Demonstrates how to use students' social worlds, experiences, and concerns to illustrate key interactionist concepts in a way that they can emulate* Develops key concepts such as meaning, self, and identity throughout the text to further students' understanding and ability to use them* Introduces students to symbolic interactionism, a major theoretical and research tradition within sociology* Helps to involve students in familiar experiences and issues and shows how a symbolic interactionist perspective illuminates them* Combines the best features of authoritative summaries, clear definitions of key terms, with enticing empirical excerpts and attention to popular ideasClear and inviting in its presentation, The Social Self and Everyday Life: Understanding the World Through Symbolic Interactionism is an excellent book for undergraduate students in sociology, social psychology, and social interaction.

Preface ixAcknowledgments xi1 An Invitation to Learn about Self, Situation, and Society 1# ThisIsWhatAnxietyFeelsLike 2Sociology, Psychology, and Social Psychology 3Symbolic Interactionism and Other Perspectives 4Overview of the Book 8Chapter Previews 9Note 13References 132 Looking at Life from the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 16Symbolic Interactionism as a Theoretical Perspective 19Assumptions about Human Nature and Social Life 21Premises of the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 24The Development of Self 28Society, Self, and Mind: The Social Psychology of George Herbert Mead 28Charles Horton Cooley's "Looking Glass Self" 32Self, Self-Concept, and Identity 34Defining the Situation, Naming, and Knowing 35W.I. Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas's Theorem 35Anselm Strauss and Naming and Knowing 36Erving Goffman's Metaphor of the Theater: Dramaturgical Analysis 38Conclusion 42Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 43Notes 44References 453 Socialization: Becoming Ourselves 48What Is Socialization? 50Sociological Perspectives on Socialization 50ConceptualizingSocialization 52Theoretical Perspectives of Socialization 52Types of Socializing Experiences 56Socialization in Childhood 57Infants and Agency 57Parents and Children 59Peers and Socialization 62Adult Socialization 66Involvements and Evolvements 66Total Institutions and Remaking the Self 68Conclusion 70Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 71Notes 72References 734 The Social Body: Appearances and Experiences 76Bodily Appearances 77Coping with Bodily Stigma 81Defining Stigma 81Responding to Being Stigmatized 85InterpretingBodily Experiences 87Conclusion 92Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 92Notes 94References 945 Health, Illness, and Disability 96Meanings of Health, Illness, and Disability 97Maintaining Health 99Individual vs. Social Responsibility for Health 101Individual Responsibility for Health 102Gender and Individual Responsibility for Health 102Extending Individual Responsibility through Online Participation 103Social Responsibility for Health 105Individual Responsibility and Neoliberalism 105How Individual Responsibility for Health Complements Neoliberalism 105Moral Failure and Victim-Blaming 107Experiencing Serious Illness 108The Diagnostic Quest 109Biographical Disruption and Loss of Self 111Living with Illness and Disability 114Medicalization, Biomedicalization, and Risk 118Conclusion 119Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 120Notes 121References 1216 Emotion Norms, Emotion Management, and Emotional Labor 125Emotion Norms 126Emotion Management 131Interpersonal Emotion Management 135Emotional Labor 137Controlling Employees' Emotions 138The Unequal Distribution of Emotional Labor 141Conclusion 144Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 145Notes 146References 1467 All Our Families: Diverse Forms, Diverse Meanings 150The Cultural Relativity of Family 152Three Ways of Answering the Question "What Is Family?" 154Family Discourse as Meaning-Making 156The Social Shaping of Family Descriptions 160Who Knows Best about Families? 162Conclusion 164Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 165Notes 167References 1678 "Always On/Always On Us": Technology, Interaction, and the Self 170The Cyberbased Generalized Other and the Mediated Looking Glass 173Music as a Technology of the Self 176The Quantified Self 179Conclusion 183Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 183Notes 184References 1859 Amplifying Social Problems: Claimsmakers and Their Contexts 190Objectivist and Interactionist Approaches to Social Problems 192Amplifying Social Problems 196The Contexts of Claimsmaking 201Conclusion 205Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 206Notes 207References 20710 Individuals and Institutions 209How Institutions Shape Individuals 214Creating "Good Ford Men" 217Responses to Constraint 219The Loss of Institutional Anchors 221"Who am I Now?" 222The Role of Place 223Conclusion 225Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 226Note 227References 22711 Inequality in Interaction 232Studying Inequality 233Reproducing Inequality through Interaction 238Boundary Maintenance 239Othering 240Microaggressions 242Subordinate Adaptation 243Emotion Management 245Resisting and Challenging Inequality 247Conclusion 248Learning by Using the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 248Notes 249References 25012 Conclusion: The Benefits of Studying Symbolic Interaction 254The Value of Studying Symbolic Interactionism 254Social Interaction Is a Ubiquitous (and Enjoyable) Topic 254SI Provides a Useful Vocabulary for Understanding Social Life, Via Its Focus on Generic Social Processes 255SI Can Assist in Self-Improvement 257Altruism 258Final Thoughts 259References 259Index 261