Page 139 - Essencials of Sociology

112 CHAPTER 4 Social Structure and Social Interaction

Symbolic Interaction

Symbolic interactionists are especially interested in how people view things and how this,
in turn, affects their behavior and orientations to life. Of the many areas of social life
that symbolic interactionists study, let’s look at just a few aspects of social interaction—
stereotypes, personal space, eye contact, smiling, and body language.
Stereotypes in Everyday Life. You are familiar with how important first impres-
sions are, how they set the tone for interaction. You also know that when you first meet
someone, you notice certain features of the individual, especially the person’s sex, race–
ethnicity, age, height, body shape, and clothing. But did you know that this sets off a
circular, self-feeding reaction? Your assumptions about these characteristics—many of
which you don’t even know you have—shape not only your first impressions but also
how you act toward that person. This, in turn, influences how that person acts toward
you, which then affects how you react, and so on. Most of this self-feeding cycle occurs
without your being aware of it.
In the Down-to-Earth Sociology box on the next page, let’s look at how beauty or
people’s attractiveness sets off this reciprocal reaction.

Personal Space. We all surround ourselves with a “personal bubble” that we go to
great lengths to protect. We open the bubble to intimates—to our friends, children, and
parents—but we’re careful to keep most people out of this space. In a crowded hallway
between classes, we might walk with our books clasped in front of us (a strategy often
chosen by females). When we stand in line, we make certain there is enough space so that
we don’t touch the person in front of us and aren’t touched by the person behind us.
At times, we extend our personal space. In the library, for example, you might place
your coat on the chair next to you—claiming that space for yourself even though you
aren’t using it. If you want to really extend your space, you might even spread books in
front of the other chairs, keeping the whole table to yourself by giving the impression
that others have just stepped away.
The amount of space that people prefer varies from one culture to another. South
Americans, for example, like to be closer when they talk to others than do people reared
in the United States. Anthropologist Edward Hall (1959; Hall and Hall 2014) recounts
a conversation with a man from South America who had attended one of his lectures.
He came to the front of the class at the end of the lecture....We started out facing each
other, and as he talked I became dimly aware that he was standing a little too close and
that I was beginning to back up. Fortunately I was able to suppress my first impulse and

How people use space as they interact is studied by sociologists who have a microsociological focus. What do you seen in common in these
two photos?