Interactionist perspectives in social psychology

George J. McCall

pp. 3-29

in: Amanda Ward (ed), Handbook of social psychology, Berlin, Springer, 2013

Abstract

The core tradition of symbolic interactionism is presented, including its key concepts, and the history of symbolic interactionism is reviewed, from its beginnings in the works of Adam Smith to those of Erving Goffman and beyond. The special theories and methodologies that comprise several of its leading variants (such as the process, structural, dramaturgical, and postmodern traditions) are considered. The chapter concludes with a consideration of future developments in symbolic interactionism.

Cited authors

Smith Adam

Goffman Erving