Action theories Flashcards
What is the main approach of action theory?
Action theory takes a bottom-up approach and argues that society is socially constructed.
What does action theory suggest about free will?
People have more free will and choice.
What are the four types of action according to Max Weber?
- Instrumentally rational action 2. Rational value-oriented action 3. Traditional action 4. Affectual action.
What is instrumentally rational action?
It is when one calculates the most efficient means of achieving a given goal, e.g., an employer paying low wages to increase profits.
What is rational value-oriented action?
An action towards a goal that an actor finds desirable for its own sake, e.g., worshipping God to get to Heaven.
What is traditional action?
A customary, habitual action that Weber doesn’t see as rational.
What is affectual action?
Action that expresses emotion, e.g., weeping out of grief.
What is a criticism of Weber’s view of action?
Schutz argues that Weber’s view of action is too individualistic and can’t explain the shared nature of meanings.
What is a second criticism of Weber’s action types?
It is difficult to apply as some actions belong to more than one type of action.
What does symbolic interactionism emphasize?
It emphasizes that our behavior isn’t shaped by fixed needs but by meanings we attach to things.
What are the three key principles identified by Blumer in symbolic interactionism?
- Our actions are based on the meanings we give to things. 2. These meanings arise from the interaction process but are negotiable. 3. The meanings we give result from interpretive procedures.
What is a criticism of symbolic interactionism?
Functionalists see the individual as a puppet passively responding to the system’s needs.
What does Thomas’s definition of the situation suggest?
Labels have consequences; if people define a situation as real, it will have real consequences.
What is Cooley’s concept of the looking glass self?
Our self-concept arises from our ability to take the role of the other and see ourselves in their response.
What did Becker and Lemert extend in their work?
They extended the concept of a career to groups such as medical students, relating to mental illness.
What is a criticism of labeling theory?
It is criticized for being too deterministic, as it sees our actions and identities shaped by the way others label them.
What does Goffman’s dramaturgical model argue?
We seek to present a certain image and adjust our behavior based on audience response.
What are front stage and back stage behaviors according to Goffman?
Front stage behavior is where we act out our roles, while back stage behavior is where we step out of our roles and be ourselves.
What is a criticism of Goffman’s model?
It fails to consider wider structural factors, such as class inequality.
What does Garfinkel’s ethnomethodology argue?
We are not mere puppets; the social order is an accomplishment constructed in everyday life.
What is indexicality in Garfinkel’s theory?
Indexicality is the idea that meanings are always potentially unclear and dependent on context.
What is reflexivity in Garfinkel’s theory?
Reflexivity refers to using common sense to construct a sense of order and meaning.
What does Giddens argue about structure and action?
Structure and action are two sides of the same coin; neither can exist without the other.
What are the two elements of structure according to Giddens?
- Rules (norms/customs/laws) 2. Resources (economic and power over others).
