CHAPTER 4 REFLECTION 1

Chapter 4: Lenses for Conceptualizing Problems and Interventions: Sociocultural Dimensions

Kamryn Mattison

SOWK 341

Professor Reisman

September 20, 2022

Chapter 4: Lenses for Conceptualizing Problems and Interventions: Sociocultural Dimensions

Description

This chapter introduced The Symbolic Interaction Theory, which is made up of

symbolic/non-symbolic reaction, and Social Constructionism. The Symbolic interaction Theory

centers around how things in society connect with each other and the aspects of the interactions

between people and/or systems. “Symbolic reaction” being our interpretation of interactions that

we have with others. This also refers to our perception on the significance that other people’s

behaviors hold. Symbolic reaction is a delayed response that comes from finishing and thinking

on the interaction. On the other hand, “non-symbolic reaction” is the response that we give in the

moment that an interaction happens. Social Constructionism, much like The Symbolic

Interaction Theory, states that, because everyone perceives things differently based on our own

experiences and background, there is more than one “reality.” Furthermore, it says that our

identities are formed from how we think we present ourselves to others, how we feel others see

us, and the emotions that go along with how we think others view our presentations of ourselves.

Significance

The Symbolic Interaction Theory and Social Constructionism is important to my life

because I think about the interactions that I have with other people/my environment/society a lot.

My anxiety can get bad in a lot of situations; I am pretty good at hiding it and working through

it, but, despite what others may think, it can be a problem for me. I tend to overthink any

situation or interaction that I have. In other words, I create symbolic reactions to every single

situation that I experience. However, many of my interpretations that I have for these interactions

turn negative because, even if one part of me feels like everything was fine, another part of me
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feels like I probably said or did something wrong. Furthermore, how I feel others view my

presentation is always in my head; I don’t necessarily care about how others view me, but I do

think a lot about it because of my interactions. For example, if I have an interaction with

someone where I start to feel like I said or did something “wrong,” the “wrong” refers to a

certain behavior or action during the interaction that possibly made that person feel negatively

about me. With that being said, I tend to debate in my head how I think someone feels about me

or views me as a person after I have an interaction with them. The Symbolic Interaction Theory

and Social Constructionism play a big role in my everyday life, and I think my brain tends to

emphasize the feelings that the theories talk about.

Application to Journal Article

The Symbolic Interaction Theory connects with Hispanic Culture and Relational

Cultural Theory by Elizabeth Ruiz because her article talks about how people interact with each

other and the effects that people have on each other. While talking about mutual empathy, Ruiz

adds that, “individuals recognize that they have an impact on each other.” The symbolic

interaction theory and Social Constructionism both talk about the meaning and feelings that

people get because of their interactions with others, which correlates to what Ruiz mentioned in

this part of her article. She then goes on to talk about five ways that growth can happen due to a

specific interaction between two people, which I took as meaning the result of the symbolic

reactions of an interaction where two people have mutual empathy for each other. She also

speaks about the negative emotions that can be felt during the connection and symbolic

interaction of the two.

Ruiz’ article also connects with Social Constructionism because she has a whole section

about the factors of a culture that can influence personality. This is directly apart of Social
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Constructionism because as it says in Human Behavior in the Social Environment by Anissa

Taun Rogers, “how we perceive our interactions is a reflection of our culture, history, language,

and experiences… Social constructionism thus focuses on the process of how we go about

constructing our own realities… the emphasis is on people as actors and how they make sense of

interactions to form their individual realities.” To be specific, Social Constructionism states

culture as one of the important components of how someone comes to be who they are and how

they view the world. Ruiz specifies in her article what parts of culture Constructionism is

referring to when it talks about culture affecting one’s reality/identity.

References

Rogers, A.T. (2019). Human Behavior in the Social Environment (5thh ed.). New York:

Routledge.

Ruiz, E (2005). Hispanic Culture and Relational Cultural Theory.