Human Behavior: Symbolic Interaction - Essay Example

Through the use of effective communication skills, Mead explained that the active participation of each person within a social structure is merely an instrument to know more about the personal experiences and conduct of each individual (p. 301). In line with this, Mead’s theory of social psychology is heavily based on ‘social behaviorism’. It simply means that the ‘inner experiences’ of each individual significantly affect their behavior or action (p. 301). Often times, cultural practices or patterns can be observed within a given social structure.

For this reason, I strongly agree and support the theory of Mead such that the way each person would interact with other human beings can affect not only their unique personal experiences in life but also how they manage to develop a set of attitudes and behavior. It is not every day that all people can get a positive feeling or experience when they communicate with other people. For this reason, not everybody can develop a strong positive relationship with other people. This is true because people who have gone through harsh or negative experiences in life can unconsciously develop negative feelings such as hatred or anger.

Eventually, feelings of hatred or anger can indirectly affect the way a person would behave with other people.This chapter clearly explained that self-conception or the personality of each person is deeply rooted in the social process and structure (p. 299). As a result of day-to-day experiences in life, each person is able to feel and act in response to their personal experiences with other people. Aside from molding how a person would behave in public, the quality of social interaction an individual will have with another person or a group of people can also shape how they will perceive or view themselves as a person (p. 301). In my day-to-day living, I am exposed to a large group of people with different backgrounds and nationalities.

It is good that the people I usually deal with the value of the uniqueness and special talent of each person in the class. My friends value the importance of diversity and respecting other students for who they are. For this reason, I managed to feel more confident about myself as a person. In case I am exposed to a crowd that strongly discriminate people because of their social status in life, race, or gender, I may have ended up feeling less confident about myself.