DEFINITION- Hermeneutical phenomenology is the interpretation and understanding of social events

through analysis of their meanings for the human participants in the events.

CHARACTERISTICS- The central principle of sociological hermeneutics is that it is only possible to know
the meaning of an act or statement within the context of the discourse or world view from which it
originates. Context is critical to comprehension; an action or event that carries substantial weight to one
person or culture may be viewed as meaningless or entirely different to one another.

EXAMPLES- For example, giving the “thumbs-up” gesture is widely accepted as a sign of a job well done
in the United States, while other cultures view it as an insult. Similarly, putting a piece of paper into a
box might be considered a meaningless act unless it is put into the context of democratic elections (the
act of putting a ballot paper into a box.

NON-EXAMPLES-