Terminology for understanding people

Trevor Butt summarizes a few terminologies that can be used to describe our perceptions and different forms of social construction. For example, pragmatism is a term that defines our thought process as a method to find practicality in all of our actions, more so than our representation of reality. If defines thought as a tool for problem solving or prediction. This term would be used to help us better understand people's thought process prior to their actions, such as when they find a solution to a problem. Another example would be hermeneutics, which is used to interpret texts. This has been used as an alternative to cognitivism and implies the process of defining the meaning behind someone or something. Discourse would be the communication of thoughts through words and discourse analysis analyses the meaning behind many verbal forms of communication such as signing, poetry, and sometimes even written or sign languages. This is more commonly used amongst people as a form of communication. Agency discusses an individuals capacity to solve problems freely, act independently and make their own free choices. Internalization is described as one's perception and acceptance of norms and values through socialization. This can also be described as assimilation or adding something to a part of our personality because of social norms. Externalization is considered to be a defence mechanism in which we portray our internal characteristics in the external world and shove them onto other people, which is commonly found in people with anxiety. Objectivation regards the world as something that is not merely constructed from social theories and norms, but from the individuals that create our society. Verstehen refers to understanding the meaning of our actions from our own point of view. This helps us better relate to other people's actions. Phenomenology is the study of experiences from our personal point of view. This helps us understand the intent behind a certain series of actions.