Definition and Characteristics of Social Interaction

By  Akhmad Zamroni

Source: Foto Akhmad Zamroni

In daily routine life, actual interaction is not something foreign to most of us. This word is often used in various occasions. However, the interactions that we are discussing or studying have a specific meaning. Before explaining the meaning of social interaction, consider the following two examples.

One day a new student of a vocational high school named Raka on the first day of school meets another new student named Hari. When they met, the two became acquainted by shaking hands, asking each other for addresses, and exchanging cellphone numbers. The next day, they were involved in various discussions about lessons and school activities that they would attend. In the following days, they became closer to each other until they became close friends who often did activities together, such as doing teacher assignments, doing lab work, participating in extracurricular activities, being active in sports clubs, and watching art performances.

Meanwhile, in another place, due to her brilliant work performance, Bu Yanti was appointed to be the manager of the production division of a company. As a new manager, Bu Yanti routinely gives assignments and instructions to her subordinates, while her subordinates also periodically provide reports on their work to Ms. Yanti. Bu Yanti herself once a week participates in routine meetings with the company's management and reports to the general manager.

From these two examples, can you formulate a definition of the meaning of 'interaction'? Which of the occurrences in the two examples is actually called 'interaction'? Is each person's action an "interaction"?

If you pay close attention to the actions that Raka, Hari, and Bu Yanti did, you will get a clearer picture of the interactions. And indeed, the actions of Raka, Hari, and Bu Yanti in that example are actions called interactions. Raka's and Hari's introduction until the two of them become friends is an interaction. Likewise, the actions taken by Bu Yanti and her subordinates and superiors were also interactions.

Then, what is a concrete understanding of the interaction itself? From these examples, it can be formulated that interaction is a reciprocal relationship that affects each other that occurs between one individual and another, between one group and another, or between individuals and groups. In the two examples above, it can be seen that the actors carry out a reciprocal relationship that affects each other. Raka and Hari met each other, exchanged addresses, talked, and did many activities together. As for Bu Yanti, routinely gave assignments and instructions, while her subordinates carried them out and gave reports to her.

Etymologically, interaction comes from the word inter- and action. Inter- means "reciprocating", whereas action means "action" or "action". Thus, interaction means an action or deed that is performed or occurs between two parties reciprocally.

Kimball Young and Raymond W. Mack (in Soekanto, 2005: 61) say that interactions are dynamic social relationships involving relationships between individuals, between individuals and groups, or between groups. When two people meet, social interaction begins. Interaction is characterized by meeting each other, greeting each other, shaking hands, talking to each other, and working together.

Relationships called interactions do not always and do not have to end in a positive light. Two people or two groups that meet, get acquainted, talk, exchange information, and then even mutilate because of a misunderstanding can be classified as an interaction. This shows that interactions can be both positive and negative.

Even according to Soerjono Soekanto (2005: 61), if two people or two groups meet, but do not greet each other or exchange signs, social interaction has occurred. It is still an interaction if each party is aware of the other party causing changes in their feelings or nerves caused by the smell of sweat, scent of perfume, the sound of footsteps, and so on. All of this creates an impression on their minds which then determines the form of action to be carried out next.

Social interaction is a general form of social process because social interaction is the main condition for the occurrence of various social activities. Social activity can only take place when in community life, both between individuals and between groups, there is interaction. According to Kimball Young and Raymond W. Mack (1959: 137), social interaction is the key to all social life because, without social interaction, there will be no life together.

The meeting of individuals or groups physically alone will not result in the association of life in society. The social life in question will only occur when individuals and / or groups meet, talk, cooperate, compete, fight, and so on. Therefore, it can be said, social interaction is the basis of social processes.

From the definition of interaction that has been stated above, you can of course mention the characteristics of social interactions or, at least, you can identify the characteristics of social interactions. According to your analysis, what are the characteristics of this social interaction? Related to what are the characteristics referred to?

From some of the examples and definitions of social interactions that have been discussed, we can find some characteristics or characteristics of social interactions. These characteristics, among others, are as follows:

a.   involving more than one party (either individually or as a group);

b. there is awareness of the other party's presence;

c.   the relationship that occurs is reciprocal;

d. there is action (action) and reaction (response);

e.   there is a change in feeling or attitude;

f.   there is a desire or initiative to take further action; and

g. often followed by actions in the form of cooperation, friendship, competition, or perhaps conflict (disputes, quarrels, fights, and the like).

Meanwhile, Charles P. Loomis (in Purwito, 2007: 53) argues that social interaction has four main characteristics. The four characteristics are as follows.

a.   The number of perpetrators is more than one person.

b. Communication between actors takes place in two directions.

c.   There are dimensions of past, present, and future time.

d. There are certain goals to be achieved.