Reference no: EM133489159

Question

Symbolic Interactionism and the psycho-sociological interpretation of behavior: From the point of view of the inhabitants of Salem Village, what exactly was/is a "witch"? Symbolic Interactionism holds that people act on the basis of the meanings of symbols and other content that they themselves have interpreted as valid. The point is not whether anyone is mistaken or not, but rather why they interpret their social situation/environment in the way that they do. How can the application of this sociological paradigm help us to understand how people respond to unusual circumstances? Please take note of the fact that, while most of those accused of witchcraft were women, not all were? What, if anything, did those who were accused have in common? What about the fate of Tituba, the Black African slave? How important is the role, played by the Village's religious leader, the Reverend Samuel Parris, in the interpretation of witchcraft behavior?