Symbolic Interactionism as Defined by Herbert Blumer.

Herbert Blumer, originator of the term "symbolic interactionism," had a profound effect on social theory and methodology. A respected critic and devotee of George Herbert Mead, Blumer expounded with fervour on the importance of meaning to the individual as an acting entity, the primacy of direct empirical observation as a methodology, and the centrality of the "definition of the situation" introduced by W. I. Thomas. Blumer's thought was also heavily influenced by John Dewey, the noted Pragmatist. This discussion of Blumer's thought will be preceded by a brief overview of both Dewey's a…