Symbolic interactionism in its simplest form is symbols + interaction. The meanings we give our actions is important to society. Shaking hands for example may mean nothing to someone from another part of the world but to Americans it can mean many different things. It could mean two people are meeting for the first time, it could be a greeting or a farewell, or possibly the symbol of closing a deal. We ascribe a meaning to the symbol of hand shaking which is a fundamental interaction in our society. Not knowing the meaning of our social symbols can result in confusion for both people and can hinder functioning in a different society.
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