Symbolic Interactionism, Dramatism, & Narrative Theory

• It’s a dance--communication is, we work it out

• We create signs, symbols, meanings messages, discourses, though not a waltz

• Interactionists claim it’s a tango, never done by just one person

More Introduction

• There’s structure, but it’s dam building or barn raising

• It’s on the job or at the party’s bunch bowl that communication is constructed. Messages and even meanings are constructed

• Past theories had a strong psychologically bases.• These have a sociologically bases.

Even More Introduction

• Watch Children at play--they create all sorts of symbols, meaning games, dances

• Dramatististic/Narrative approaches claim that interactionism produces dramas/stories.

• Key theorists: Bormann, Burke, Fisher

The Assumptions of the Symbolic Interactionists

• Human understanding is achieved by assigning meaning to experience.

• Meanings are learned in interactions.

– e.g. Texas 55

• All social structures and institutions are created by interaction between individuals.

– e.g. MSU-Billings

More on Assumptions

• Social realities are created and recreated by interaction– Burkes stove

• Mind is a mirror of interaction between persons.– Thoughts reflect life in society or your looking

at your/our mind

More on Assumptions

• Behavior is enacted in the social group through interaction. (Created during experience)– ex. Acting out or “alone I would never . . .”

• Behavior can only be understood by ascertaining the individual’s meanings for the behavior and the meaning is in the symbolic interaction mirror, thus motive

So . . .

• Follows nicely from systems theory

• Families and stories– Religion and my family

• Marketing

• Chaining, Fantasy Themes, Rhetorical Visions

• Cultures

First Ernest Bormann

• Convergence Theory

• Studied Group Communication--Bales and Yale U. ‘72

• “Then one day while looking at coherence in groups . . .”

More on Bormann

• Chaining

• Peoples visions of reality formed by stories created interaction

• Fantasy Themes are stories told in small groups

• Fantasy Themes get chained out in society

Fantasy Themes

• Cheyenne Chronicle– Manifest Destiny

• Your best friends

• Mayoral Elections – e.g. Cragan and Shields

• Sonja and the ERA

Bormann Applied

• Marketing or how to make money with Bormann

• The Iowa Firm

Kenneth Burke

• The Unending Conversation

• A little background and some fun

Burke’s Ideas

• Wide ranging powerful theory of symbols and interaction

• Distinguishes action (purposeful or choice) from motion or non-purposeful communication e.g. animals

• Action involves symbol use• Reality is mediated through symbols and

their meanings

More

• Symbols expiate guilt

• Guilt is caused by the negative or the proscriptive nature of language

• Guilt is caused by the perception of imperfection or the perfection principle

• Perfection is also caused by social hierarchy

• It leads to mystification

More on Burke

• Major function of communication is to rid ourselves of guilt

• Communication involves consubstantiality or sharing of substance

• Communication and persuasion are increased when identification results between people

More on Burke

• Three kinds of identification– Material--objects ex. fishing– Idealistic--ideas ex. Religion– Formal--forms of communication e.g. novels

And More on Burke

• Communication can also result in division or separation between people

• Mystification occurs when one identifies with a charismatic person much higher in the hierarchy

• Strategies are used to achieve identification or division

Even More on Burke

• Actions using symbols results in drama• To analysis dramas he uses the pentad

– Act=what is done– Agent=who done it– Scene=where it was done– Agency=vehicle through which the act is

accomplished– Purpose= reason for the act

Lets do one . . .

• I kings 3:16 “The Wise King”– Act?– Agent?– Scene?– Agency?– Purpose?

Weighing Ratios

• Which of the elements is dominant?

• Compare and contrast through a calculus

• So, which element is dominant?

Now for a Philosophy

• Corresponding philosophic terminology– Act=realism– Agent=idealism– Scene=materialism– Agency=pragmaticism– Purpose=mysticism

What about you and me?

• Would you analysis your own communication?

• How could you?

Fisher

• Homo Narran

• All rationality is based on narrative

• Persuasion is based on the acceptance of good reasons

• Two Criteria for judging stories– Coherence--Holds together– Fidelity--Rings true

Let’s tell a story

• Once upon a time . . .