Action Theories Flashcards
Briefly outline the position of action theories.
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Briefly outline the two levels that an adequate sociological explanation involves, using the example of ‘The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism’.
- The level of cause:
- The level of meaning:
Briefly outline Weber’s four types of action. Give an example of each type.
- Instrumentally rational action:
- Value-rational action:
- Traditional action:
- Affectual action:
In what way does Weber’s view corect the over-emphasis on structural factors of other perspectives?
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Briefly outline three criticisms of Weber.
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What is the focus of symbolic interactionism?
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According to Mead, how do we create meanings?
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Briefly explain what is meant by the interpretive phase. Use an example to illustrate your explanation.
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Briefly explain what is meant by ‘taking the role of the other’.
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Define ‘significant other’.
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Define ‘generalised other’.
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According to Mead, what do we need in order for us to function as a member of society?
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Briefly outline Blumer’s three key principles.
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According to Blumer, why is our action partly predictable?
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Briefly outline the following interactionist concept that underpins the labelling theory. Give an example to illustrate these concepts.
- The definition of the situation
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Briefly outline the following interactionist concept that underpins the labelling theory. Give an example to illustrate these concepts.
- The looking glass self
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Briefly outline the following interactionist concept that underpins the labelling theory. Give an example to illustrate these concepts.
- Career
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Briefly explain why labelling theory is regarded as a voluntaristic theory.
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Why might labelling theory be seen as deterministic?
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What is meant by the dramaturgical model?
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According to Goffman, how are we able to present a particular image of ourselves to our audience?
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Give five examples of impression management techniques that social actors use.
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Use examples to show what Goffman means by the following terms:
- Front stage
- Backstage
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How does Goffman’s view of roles differ from that of functionalism?
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Briefly explain what Goffman means by role distance. Why might it mean that social actor’s role performances are cynical or calculating?
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How does interactionism avoid the determinism of structural theories?
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What do critics of interactionist theory say that it ignores?
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Briefly outline Reynolds’ criticism of interactionism.
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Briefly outline a criticism of Weber’s category of traditional action.
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Briefly outline a criticism of Goffman’s dramaturgical analogy.
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What is meant in philosophy in ‘phenomenon’?
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According to Husserl, how do we impose meaning and order on the world?
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Briefly outline what Schutz means by typifications.
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Using an example, explain why meanings may be unclear.
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Briefly explain how typifications stabilise and clarify meanings. Use an example to illustrate your explanation.
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Briefly explain what Schutz means by ‘recipe knowledge’.
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Briefly explain what Schutz means by the ‘natural attitude’. Use an example to illustrate your explanation.
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Briefly explain Berger and Luckmann’s criticism of Schutz.
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According to Garfinkel, how is social order created?
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How does Garfinkel’s view differ from that of functionalists such as Parsons?
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How does ethnomethodology differ from interactionism?
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Briefly explain what Garfinkel means by indexicality.
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Why is indexicality a threat to social order?
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What is meant by reflexivity?
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Why is language vital in achieving reflexivity?
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Using an example, briefly explain what a ‘breaching experiment’ is.
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According to Garfinkel, in what way do breaching experiments show that social order is not inevitable but an accomplishment?
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How do coroners use reflexivity (commonsense knowledge) when classifying deaths as suicides?
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According to Garfinkel, what is the effect on humans striving to impose order by seeking patterns?
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Briefly outline Garfinkel’s criticism of conventional sociology. How can his criticism be applied to Durkheim’s theory of suicide?
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Outline four criticisms of ethnomethodology.
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Briefly outline the characteristics of structural theories.
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Briefly outline the characteristics of action theories.
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Briefly explain what Giddens means by duality of structure.
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According to Giddens, what is structuration? Use an example to illustrate this concept.
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Briefly outline the following elements of structure for Giddens:
- Rules
- Resources
- Rules:
- Resources:
Briefly explain Giddens’ two reasons why actions tend to reproduce structures.
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Briefly explain two ways in which agency can change the structure of society.
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According to Archer, why is Giddens wrong to imply that actors can change structures simply by deciding to do so? Use and example to illustrate your answer.
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According to Craib, why is structuration theory not really a theory at all?
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