3.2.2. Micro-Sociological Theories

Micro-sociological theories are those that aim to explain interactions between individuals and groups and propose that societal processes result from these human interactions [6]. These theories tend to favour highly interpretivist analyses, such as those grounded in hermeneutics. This is exemplified by symbolic interactionism (SI). This sociological theory posits that an individual's behaviour toward others is predicated on the meanings they have constructed about these persons [10]. These meanings are derived from individuals' social interactions with other individuals and society. Symbolic interactionism posits that a physical reality exists only through a person's social understanding of that reality. Thus, when people act in relation to their surroundings, they do not do so directly, but rather indirectly through the lens of their social understanding [11,12]. There are four main principles of SI. First, individuals act according to their social understanding of "objects" in their environment. For example, a person who views the "object" of the family as relatively unimportant will de-emphasize the importance of family in their decisions and actions. Second, interactions occur in a social and cultural context in which objects, people, and

situations must be defined and characterized based on an individual's social understanding. Third, social understanding is created through interactions with other individuals and society. Fourth, these social understandings are created and recreated through a process of interpretation that occurs each time a person interacts with others [13].
