William James and Symbolic Interactionism

Abstract

Central themes of the symbolic interactionist perspective are identified, and the relationships among such pioneers of this tradition as James, Cooley, Mead, and Dewey are briefly described. It is suggested that James's framework for self theory fits quite well with recent work by both proponents and critics of symbolic interactionism, although his view of the linkage of self to society provides only a small beginning for later work in this area.