Which of the following best defines this statement situations that are defined as real are real in their consequences?

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Requirements:
Limits:
Sources:

Definition of the situation

core definition

Definition of the situation refers to the way people define the setting and context in which they are located before undertaking any action.

explanatory context

Definition of the situation refers to the idea, first proposed by W. I. Thomas in the early 1900s, that people act in given circumstances on the basis of the way that they define the situation they are in. The definition of a situation will depend on experience. Where individuals do not have the appropriate experience, or where that experience is called into question, then they have to work out anew what the situation means. This process of defining the situation, in complex circumstances, can be aided by having someone else provide a definition. This is precisely the role that some media analysts say that the mass media play in mass society.

analytical review

W.I.Thomas (1923) who developed the concept of definition of the situation wrote:

Preliminary to any self-determined act of behavior there is always a stage of examination and deliberation which we may call the definition of the situation. And actually not only concrete acts are dependent on the definition of the situation, but gradually a whole life-policy and the personality of the individual himself follow from a series of such definitions

According to Crossman (2013):

The definition of the situation is what people use to know what is expected of them and what is expected of others in a situation. Through the definition of the situation, people obtain a sense of the statuses and roles of those involved in the situation so that they know how to behave.

Bakker (2007) writes :

The term “definition of the situation” has come to signify the “Thomas theorem,” the idea expressed by W. I. Thomas as follows: “If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences” (Thomas & Thomas, 1928 : 571–2). That is, when the phrase is used, it usually carries with it the connotation of the whole theorem. However, the phrase “definition of the situation” predates Thomas's famous theorem. The more general conceptualization seems to be closely related to the concept of norms and culture. The interpretation of collective norms is important for all social action. It is only in certain situations where the agent chooses to redefine the norms. Park and Burgess (1921: 763–9) cite a Carnegie study (1919) where the term is used to discuss the topic of assimilation to American society, especially in terms of “Americanization”: “common participation in common activities implies a common ‘definition of the situation.’ In fact, every single act, and eventually all moral life, is dependent upon the definition of the situation. A definition of the situation precedes and limits any possible action, and a redefinition of the situation changes the character of the action.”

The McGraw-Hill (2004) Sociological Theory site Glossary parpahrases Thomas and Thomas (1928) and defines the definition of the situation as:

The idea that if people define situations as real, then those definitions are real in their consequences. (Chicago School)

associated issues

related areas

See also

interactionism

Researching the Real World Section 2.3.1.2.2

Sources

Bakker, J.I., 2007, Definition of the Situation, available at http://www.sociologyencyclopedia.com/public/tocnode?id=g9781405124331_yr2011_chunk_g978140512433110_ss1-12, accessed 16 January 2013, page not available 17 December 2016.

Crossman, A., 2013, 'Definition of the situation' available on the About.com Sociology site at http://sociology.about.com/od/D_Index/g/Definition-Situation.htm, accessed16 January 2013, updated 4 January 2018 and entitled 'Assessing a Situation, in Terms of Sociology' available 3 June 2019.

McGraw-Hill, 2004, Sociological Theory: Glossary , available at http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072817186/student_view0/glossary.html, accessed 14 May 2013, page not available 17 December 2016.

Thomas, W.I., 1923, The Unadjusted Girl. Boston: Little, Brown . An excerpt can be found at http://www.sociosite.net/topics/texts/thomas.php, accesed 16 January 2013, still available 3 June 2019.

copyright Lee Harvey 2012–2023

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It is generally known that humans do not make decisions that are entirely rational. In addition, it seems likely that different people will act differently even when presented with the same situation. Although there a multitude of concepts and phenomenon that can be studied regarding this in the field of psychology, at a society-level is it summarised in a simple statement. Sociologists William and Dorothy Thomas stated the following: “if men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences”.

The Thomas Theorem is an observation in behavioural sociology.

The Thomas Theorem is a brief representation of a broader sociological school of thought called symbolic interactionism. For the purposes of this article, the two concepts can be considered interchangeable. As a sociological school of thought, it has explanations and predictions for the behaviour of an individual based on the ‘roles’ an individual believes they have and meaning they attribute to symbols and events they interact with.

Requirements:

The Thomas Theorem is relevant in all parts of society, whenever individual or group decision-making is being analysed. It is an explanation of human behaviour and is thus ubiquitous. Applying it for predictive purposes requires an extensive understanding of the agent in question, but patterns can be ascertained from an aggregated perspective.

Mechanics:

The Thomas Theorem states that behaviour and decision-making are driven by an interpretation of events by intelligent agents, as opposed to events themselves. Therefore, all behaviour and decision-making occur as a result of a subjective perspective and various biases and constraints. This is sometimes known as the social construction of reality. This can lead to situations like self-fulfilling prophecies.

Progression:

Herbert Blumer (1969) originated much of the foundational thinking related to symbolic interactionism, and presented three premises of the perspective:

“Human act towards things based on the meaning they ascribe to those things.” This is a restatement of the Thomas Theorem, human behaviour from a psychological and sociological perspective is a function of the meaning they attribute to concepts, objects and artefacts in the real world.
“The meaning of such things is derived from...the social interaction that one has with others and the society.” Reactions people have to other peoples’ actions is based not purely on the actions themselves, but rather the meaning they attribute to other peoples’ actions.
“The meanings are handled in, and modified through, an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with the things he/she encounters.” A subjective conversation with the self occurs when developing, determining and adjusting meanings. An emphasis on available language and symbols significantly shape this process. The idea of role-taking also exists which allows a person to place themselves in someone else’s shoes in order to further influence the meaning they are determining.

Principles:

From various sources, here are a number of principles which are implicit in the application of the Thomas Theorem.

Human agency. People are able to autonomously act in order to achieve their desires.
Symbolisation. As an object, concept or event accumalates meaning, such that eventually the meaning overtakes the importance of the reality of the object, concept or event itself.
Concrete v abstract. The Thomas Theorem lends heavy support to the idea that abstract concepts have just as much if not more of an effect on behaviour than concrete events.

Limits:

Psychological biases and heuristic decision-making in the real world severely distort how particular humans build meaning as compared to the average. Incomplete or inconsistent information within the interaction can also distort the resultant behaviour. Common criticisms of the Thomas Theorem and symbolic interactionism more generally is that it is too abstract to be applicable and more of an aphorism than a theory. This stems primarily from its lack of testability and difficulty in making predictions.