W. I. Thomas coined the phrase "definition of the situation." Thomas meant that when people define a situation as real, it becomes real in its consequences. This concept is most closely associated with which sociological theory?

Answer: Symbolic Interactionist Theory.

Explanation:

Symbolic interactionism is a theory that analyzes the way people form relationships inside society, an how to do so they need to understand their social environment through communication to build symbolic worlds. Defining something as a real creates a symbolic world that has consecuences and the potential of shaping people's behavior.