Hi all,

I am earning about Sociology & have read about structural theory and symbolic interactionism.

I believe I understand the premise of the meanings of them (that Structural theory is that human behaviour is a product of the social conditions (structures) that we have been exposed to where as symbolic interactionism is the creation of the conditions (symbols) based upon our human behaviour)

But I am trying to think of some examples of which would help me understand it fully.

For example is the below along the right lines?

Race/Class - We cannot help which race or class we are born in to - however structural theory would say that this factor determines who we are, what we learn, how to act, behaviour, speak, judgements faced, etc, but symbolic interactionists would say that it would be up to us to learn how to act, behave, speak because being born in to a certain race/class does not automatically have to define how we act and behave.

Just want to make sure I have the right end of the stick for how I am approaching it.

Many thanks

Rachael