Interactionism

Question 1

Interactionism

Answer 1

• Interactionists see society as the product of human interactions, and the meanings that individuals place on those interactions.
• Instead of trying to explain human behaviour in the context of large social structures (like functionalists) or fundamental conflicts in society (like Marxists), they look on a smaller level.
• acknowledging that humans have control over our own behaviourand are not swept away by forces outside their control and create their own meanings.

Question 2

Interactionist theory of crime: Blumer

Answer 2

• Blumer has three main views on how crime and deviance are socially constructed through the meaning of social interaction:
• Humans act towards things based on the meaning those things have for them. We choose what to do on the basis of how we see things.
• The interactions we make with other people change according to time, place and location.
• Society is a product of human interaction, rather than a product of the structure of society.

Question 3

Interactionist theory of crime: Becker

Answer 3

• “…social groups create deviance by making the rules all about behaviour deemed deviant and by applying those rules to particular people and labelling them as outsiders…”
• An act occurs
• Whether the act is labelled as criminal depends on WHO sees the act, HOW the act is interpreted by the audience, WHO commits the act, WHEN and WHERE the act is committed and the interaction of all these factors
  If the act is labeled as criminal
• the individual is labelled as criminal and becomes an outcast of society (as their behaviour goes against mainstream norms and values)
• These individuals start to associate with other individuals with the same label
• When more and more people think of this group as criminal, they begin to act based on their label (self fulfilling prophecy)
• The label takes master status and all responses towards this social group as based on the label they have been given

Question 4

interactionism examples

Answer 4

Blumer: For example
It might be acceptable to burp with your friends but not at a posh restaurant or while eating with your family.
Becker: For example
There has been a rise in religious hate crime in line with the rise in media reports of terrorism
Particularly Muslims have been labelled as terrorists, so people act towards anyone they believe to be a Muslim as if they are a terrorist
This is an example of labelling and master status