When meanings are shared, they are concordant. However since people may assign different meanings to the same entity, a disconnect can occur that can result in deviant behaviors.

Principle 2: Language

Language is, of course, at the core of communication, as well as miscommunication. In symbolic interactionism, language acts as a navigation tool that guides individuals through the often meandering conduit of meaning, using language to identify symbolic representation.

Principle 3: Thought

Thought is what allows individuals to go beyond the assignment and identification of symbols, and delve into the process of analysis. It is via thought that the meaning of symbols is modified in accordance with the reconstruction of self that tends to result from personal reflection.

Ultimately, symbolic interactionism uses each of these principles to explain human behavior, self-constructs and socialization in such a way that social problems become products of actions based on self-perceptions. Thus this theory...
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