Herbert Blumer

From Geography

Assignment 5

Herbert Blumer

March 7, 1900 - April 13, 1987

Blumer invented the term symbolic interactionism [1] in 1937. In this he was continuing the work of George Herbert Mead [2], his tutor. According to Blumer, people interact with each other by interpreting other persons actions. So interaction is based on symbolic interpreted reactions instead of physical direct (re)actions. Blumer was also influenced by John Dewey [3], who insisted that human beings are best understood in relation to their environment. Blumer's idea is criticized for putting too much emphasis on day-to-day life and the social formation of the individual while ignoring social structure

Bernard Jansen & Sonny Joziasse