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Starbucks Symbolic Interaction Theory

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Introduction In this report, I will be discussing two different Starbucks coffee shop locations, and I will be examining these two locations using the symbolic interactionism social theory. One of the locations I visited and examined was the Starbucks on the University of Arkansas Campus. The other Starbucks that I observed was in Rogers, Arkansas. During my observational periods, I took note of the differences in how the two shops looked, the differences in the people frequenting the shop, the levels of communication that people were comfortable with, developed a few concepts about the research I conducted, and developed an ideal type.
Method
I visited the Starbucks on campus on January 22nd, February 6th, and February 19th. These dates …show more content…

During one of my visits, I attempted to ask a gentleman my age what kind of drink he had, and he responses were very short in nature, indicating that he did not want to engage in conversation with me. Another time, I complimented a woman on her shirt, and she was quick to thank me, but the conversation did not progress past that. The volume at this location was also much lower. Any conversations that were being had were whispered and murmured.
Discussion
Looking at the symbolic interactionism theory, it emphasizes that people interpret the world around them in their own way, and they assign symbolic meaning and understanding to certain concepts in their environment. The way people interact with the world around them is how they develop their thoughts on people and objects in their environment. The ideal type created for this research is based on the average coffee shop. The ideal type includes: caffeinated beverages, dark counters and tables, dimly lit rooms, quiet conversations, and a warm atmosphere. One concept that was helpful when looking at this research was the willingness of the patrons to communicate. When I attempted to start conversations with people, they had to make a decision about how the perceived me and the interaction was trying to initiate. The symbolic meaning they assigned to the interaction influenced how they decided to respond to me and my

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