14: Social Constructivists Flashcards
What are three assumptions social constructionists hold?
Reject the assumption of an underlying, independent reality that can be known (objective reality unknowable, thus can’t be studied).
Most psychological variables are not real “things,” they are simply social constructions (no “True Score”).
Researchers should study language, and how people construct their arguments (examination for bias, social agendas, historical influences).
List three problems with social constructionism.
Most empirical scientists vehemently oppose this perspective.
Strong version of approach isn’t pragmatic; nobody really lives life under these principles.
Incompatible with scientific method and statistical theory: if truth is unknowable, it can’t be studied.
List four useful contributions of social constructionism.
Research really is influenced by broader social trends and historical influences.
Research really does contain individual biases, both conscious and unconscious.
Can give voice to power differentials of minority groups (e.g., feminism, LGBTQI).
The “weak” version of social constructivism tends to be more pragmatic.
Postmodernism/poststructrualism is difficult to define. Why is this? With what does it share a lot in common?
Whole point is there are no set definitions of anything.
Radical social constructionism.
Postmodernists believe what four things?
No such thing as “objectivity.”
No set meaning (all language is ambiguous).
Focus most scholarly efforts on deconstruction.
May reject the correspondence theory of truth.
Poststructuralism is similar to postmodernism, but it refers more specifically to what?
Historical tradition of French “structuralism” in sociology.
In the paradigm of the postmodern self, our life stories have what meaning? What might a deconstructionist analysis look at?
Have no single inherent meaning; ever-changing interpretations trying to dominate other viable explanations.
Might focus on inconsistencies and contradictions in stories.
What are feminist perspectives? List three sub-types.
Place gender at the center of interpretation, and pay special attention to the lives of women.
Socialist & Marxist feminism: connects exploitation of women to Marxist theory.
Black feminism: sexism and racism are inseparable.
Postmodern feminism: relies on postmodern ideas to deconstruct gender.
Regarding criticism of mainstream science, list four commonalities among feminist approaches.
Argue that women are excluded as participants and scientists.
Argue that feminine modes of knowledge are denigrated.
Argue many theories of women represent them as inferior, deviant, or in ways that serve male interests.
Argue that science often produces knowledge that is not useful for people in subordinate positions.
What is underdetermination of data?
For any theory, will always be at least one rival theory also supported by evidence given, and that that theory can also be logically maintained in the face of any new evidence.
Qualitative research is a natural fit for research on _____ groups. Why is this?
Marginalized.
Groups have been under-studied, therefore researchers are likely to have research questions, rather than more specific hypotheses.
What are Abigail Stewart’s 7 strategies?
Keep an eye open for what has been left out.
A psychologist should always analyze her/his own position as it affects understanding and the research process.
Identify a woman’s agency amidst social constraint.
Use gender as an analytic tool, and make sure to learn about participants’ understanding of gender.
Be sensitive to the ways that gender defines power relationships and in which power relationships are gendered.
Identify other important aspects of a person’s social position (e.g., disability, race).
Avoid the search for a neatly unified sense of self.
The first (bottom) stage of the R/CID Model of Identity is conformity. What does this mean, and what are three possible features?
Places little emphasis on identifying with group.
View majority culture as superior.
Internalizes values of majority culture.
Hold negative messages about self and members of own group.
The second stage of the R/CID Model of Identity is dissonance. What does this mean, and what are two key features?
Feeling incongruent, like one doesn’t fit in with majority culture.
Often initiated by a boundary event(e.g., witnessing sexism, racism, etc.), begins to question majority culture.
The third stage of the R/CID Model of Identity is resistance/immersion. What does this mean, and what its key feature?
Strong emotion, typically expressed against injustice.
Usually close identification with the new group identity.
