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Sociology - Social Action Theories - Coggle Diagram
Sociology - Social Action Theories
WEBER - SOCIAL ACTION THEORY
1) Cause (macro - structural factors) 2) Meaning (micro - subjective meaning of action)
VERSTEHEN = empathetic understanding
Study = PROTESTENT ETHIC & THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
Structural cause - the protestant reformation introduced new belief system. CALVINISM. This changed peoples world view - changed behaviour. eg calvinism promoted a new work ethic that bought about the rise of capitalism
Subjective meaning - work took on a religious meaning for calvinists, as a calling by god. This motivated them to work systematically. As a result, they accumulated wealth & became the first modern capitalists.
WEBER - TYPES OF ACTION BASED ON MEANING
Instrumental rational action -> most efficient way to achieve is calculated
Value rational action -> Involves action towards a goal that is desirable
Traditional action -> Customary, routine, or habitus actions. Weber doesnt see this as rational because no thought has gone into it.
Affectual action -> expresses emotion. Weber sees this as important in religious & political movements with charismatic leaders.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM : MEAD & BLUMER
George Mead - We respond to symbols - action's not instinctive. Taking the role of the other.
Herbert Blumer - Action based on meaning we give to situations. We negotiate meaning through interaction. We use interpretive procedures.
GOFFMAN : SOCIAL LIFE AS A THEATRE
Describes how we actively construct out 'self' by manipulating other peoples impression of us.
Dramaturgical model - because he used drama to explain interactions.
we are all ACTORS, acting out SCRIPTS, using PROPS, resting BACKSTAGE between PREFORMANCES that we present to our AUDIENCES etc
Impression Management - techniques that control the way people perceive us -> clothes / the way we speak
Presentation of self - How we create & maintain public image - people adapt their behaviour to fit certain situations.
LABELLING THEORY
THE DEFINITION OF THE SITUATION -> If people see something as real it will have real consequences. If we believe something is true, then it will effect how we act. // If the teacher believes a pupil is 'troublesome' then they start acting more harsh to them.
LOOKING GLASS SELF-> (Charles Cooley) Our self concept arises out of our ability to take the role of the other. In, interactions of taking role of the other. We see ourselves as they see us. Looking into a mirror -> we see ourselves in the way they respond to us -> Self fulfilling prophecy occurs -> we become how they see us
CAREER-> (Howard Becker & Edwin Lemert) apply this concept to groups like medical students, marijuana users and those that suffer from paranoia.
In relation to mental illness, we can see the person as having a career running from 'pre-patient' with certain symptoms, through labelling, to hospital in-patient, to discharge. Each stage has its issues.
During discharge the ex-patient may find it hard to reintergrate back into society and just as a normal career may give us status 'mental patient' could become master status to society. -> status can affect the jobs they'll get in the future.
PHENOMENOLOGY : SCHUTZ
Phenomenons are thins as they appear to the sense - we cant have a definate idea of the world
Structures / systems
We share meanings & categories with those around us
shared categories = typifictations // without these social order is impossible
meaning are constrained to their social context. eg putting up hand in class means question but in an auction youre betting money.
STUDY = The Natural Attitude
The way people experience the world without questioning its existance // key terms = typifications, common-sense knowledge, shared meanings, taken for granted, assumptions
ETHNOMETHOLOGY : GARFINKLE
Study of peoples actions.
Interested in the methods / interpretive procedure which people use to make sense and construct their everyday social world.
Social order isnt inevitable its an accomplishment. // 'participant produced'
Indexicality = meaning are potentially unclear - nothing is fixed - open to interpretation - so this is a threat to social order.
Reflexivity = through experiences & reflection we develop common sense knowledge to construct a sense of order.
G. sought to expose some of their taken for granted assumptions & the rules they impose on the world by experimental techniques, aimed at disrupting people taken for granted assumptions.
STUDY = Disrupting Social Order