nce delinquency is particularly likely when youths consider behavior that is generally avoided by a variety of social groups (Mead [1927] 1982). Matsueda believes when an action or impulse to act is interrupted, causing a discontinuity in interaction, the blocked impulse causes one to view the self (the "me") as an object from the standpoint of others. The individual views him or herself from the standpoint of significant others, considers alternative solutions to the discontinuity, and appraises potential justifications and reactions of significant others to those alternatives. The proposed alternative is then evaluated by another impulse (the "I"), which reacts either positively, following the alternative into overt action, or negatively, blocking the impulse and eliciting an other "me." This serial cognitive process continues until the problem is solved or the interaction ends. Once the interaction ends, the "me" is incorporated into the individual's memory and becomes part of the self to be called up in future interactions.Role-taking implies five major processes that can effect the likelihood of delinquent or deviant behavior. First, the specific meaning of the self as reflected appraisals (as a rule-violator) should affect delinquency. Thus, delinquency is in large part a function of stable meanings of the self relevant to deviant behavior, which arise partly through processes of role-taking and labeling.Second, holding attitudes toward delinquent solutions to problematic situations will affect the likelihood of delinquent behavior. Attitudes are predisposition's or plans to act (Mead 1938) that serve as "pivots for the redirection of social acts" through role-taking in problematic situations (Dewey 1922). Attitudes are significant symbols whose meanings are shared in the sense that they call out "functionally identical" responses in the self and in others (Miller 1982). As such, the attitudes of one's communities and so...
