Topic > Essay on the functionalist perspective of society

Cooley calls this perspective the “mirror self” which is explained in his work “Human Nature and the Social Order”. The symbolic interactionist emphasizes psychological dynamics for individuals in small groups. Human behavior is influenced by symbolic interactions between others in society; Social interactions have been shown to shape and mold an individual's sense of self. The definition of “norms” has been established by individuals developing a sense of how they fit into society's etiquette; then they understand where they fit within that society. For example, the iPhone 5 has become so popular that almost everyone has one, earning it “norm” status among teenagers. However, there are those who do not have one due to personal preferences, money problems, or rules against owning any phone. According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, those who do not follow the rules would feel like an outsider and would believe they have a negative label compared to everyone else. This perspective is like the others in that they all attempt to define society, but is itself an outsider in the category because it attempts to pinpoint that definition rather than seeing a broader categorization of