Symbolic behavior is “a person’s capacity to respond to or use a system of significant symbols” (Faules & Alexander, 1978, p. 5). The symbolic behavior perspective argues that the reality of an organization is socially constructed through communication (Cheney & Christensen, 2000; Putnam, Phillips, & Chapman, 1996). Symbolic messages are used by individuals to understand their environment and create a social reality (Faules & Alexander, 1978; Mills, 2002). When faced with uncertainty, individuals continually organize themselves within their group based reality and respond within that reality (Weick, 1995).
Read more about Symbolic Behavior: History, Symbolic Behavior Perspective Viewpoints, Symbolic Behavior Perspective Propositions, Tools of Symbolic Behavior, Limitations of Symbolic Behavior, Performances Involved in Symbolic Behavior, Types of Rituals, Related Theories
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