Social interaction comprises of several forms in human society, four forms are discussed below.
Social Interaction between Two Individuals
It is the social interaction between two individuals. When doctor is treating a patient, it is interaction between two individuals’ doctor and patient. Doctor is treating, patient is being treated, doctor ask questions about physiological problems, patient answer to the best of his/her knowledge, doctor prescribes medicine, and patient take those medicine according to the prescription. All of this two way communication between doctor and patient is social interaction between two individuals. Mother feeding her child and the shopkeeper and customer encounter can also be categorized as social interaction between two individuals.
Social Interaction between Individual and Group
This is the form in which the physical and symbolic interaction is between the individual and group. Teacher teaching a class of 45 students, the communication is between the group of 45 and an individual. An employee suing his firm, speaker addressing the assembly are the examples of interaction between group and individual.
Social Interaction between Group and Group
This is the form in which the physical and symbolic interaction is between the two groups. Two delegates discussing the alternative solutions for a problem, two countries in war with each other, two teams playing cricket match are the some examples of the interaction between two groups.
Social Interaction between Individual and Culture
It is the form of socialization in which Individual interact with culture, via attending cultural events, watching movies and TV shows on satellite, presence on social media, reading magazines, newspapers and books etc. are few sociocultural activities through which an individual learn things and interact with other cultures as well. The things which an individual learn and adopt from mass media, with the passage of time becomes part of his/her own culture. On the other hand, few individuals may not like or approve of some TV shows and channels or medium of communication however, individual has a choice to watch and not to watch certain channel and can choose medium of communication by his own will, that’s what makes the process reciprocal.