Which of the following is a primary focus for symbolic interactionists in social psychology?

• A. The ways individuals interpret and give meaning to social symbols during interactions
• B. The role of unconscious motives in shaping personality
• C. The influence of genetic factors on social behavior
• D. The impact of large-scale social structures on group dynamics

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that symbolic interactionism is a theoretical perspective in social psychology that emphasizes how individuals create and interpret meanings through social interactions.
2. Recognize that symbolic interactionists focus on the micro-level of social interaction, particularly how people use symbols (like language, gestures, and objects) to communicate and make sense of their social world.
3. Identify that the primary concern is how individuals interpret and give meaning to these social symbols during their interactions with others.
4. Contrast this focus with other perspectives: unconscious motives relate more to psychoanalytic theory, genetic factors pertain to biological psychology, and large-scale social structures are the focus of sociological theories like functionalism or conflict theory.
5. Conclude that the correct focus for symbolic interactionists is the process by which individuals interpret and give meaning to social symbols during interactions.