Which term refers to the idea that individuals create meaning through social interactions?

The term that best describes the idea that individuals create meaning through social interactions is social constructivism. This concept emphasizes that our understanding of reality is not simply dictated by the physical world or inherent truths, but rather shaped through interpersonal relationships, language, and social context. Individuals actively participate in the construction of meaning and knowledge based on their interactions and experiences within society.

For instance, social norms and values are developed and understood through relationships with others, illustrating how individuals negotiate meanings and social constructs collectively. By recognizing the collaborative nature of meaning-making, social constructivism highlights the dynamic process of how societies and cultures form their understandings of reality.

The other terms do not encapsulate this idea as effectively. Role strain refers to the stress experienced when the demands of a single role conflict with one another. Cultural relativism is the principle of understanding beliefs and practices within their own cultural contexts, but it doesn’t focus specifically on the interactional process of meaning-making. Ethnocentrism is the evaluation of other cultures based on the standards of one's own culture, leading to a lack of understanding rather than the creation of meaning through interaction.