Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

sociology - theory and methods > action theory > Flashcards

action theory Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

weber: social action theory - 2 levels of sociological explanation AO1

A

level of cause - explaining the structural factors that shape behaviour

level of meaning - understanding the subjective meanings that people attach to their actions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

weber: social action theory - types of action

A

Weber classifies peoples actions into 4 categories
they include:
instrumentally rational action - actor calculates the most efficient means of achieving a goal.

affectual action - expresses emotion

value-rational action

traditional action

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Weber social action theory AO1 overall

A

2 levels of sociological explanation:
1.) level of cause - explaining the structural factors that shape behaviour

2.) level of meaning - understanding the subjective meanings that people attach to their actions

Weber classifies peoples actions into 4 categories
they include:
instrumentally rational action - actor calculates the most efficient means of achieving a goal.

affectual action - expresses emotion

value-rational action

traditional action

verstehen = to fully understand the meaning behind an individual actions sociologist must get into their shoes and interpret the meaning behind the action

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

weber Ao3 - Schutz

A

social action theory is too individualistic and cannot explain the shared nature of meanings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

weber Ao3 - problems with verstehen

A

we can never truly understand an individual’s actions so can never be sure we’ve understood their motives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

weber social action theory AO1 - verstehen

A

to fully understand the meaning behind an individual actions sociologist must get into their shoes and interpret the meaning behind the action

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

symbolic interactionism - G.H Mead - symbols vs instincts

A

behaviour is not shaped by pre-determined instincts
instead we respond to the world by giving meanings and attaching symbols

we don’t respond to a stimulus in an automatic way we interpret it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

symbolic interactionism - G.H Mead - understanding others

A

we interpret others meanings by putting ourselves in the place of the other - through shared symbols we become aware of the way we need to act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

symbolic interactionism - Blumer’s 3 key principles include…

A
  1. our actions are based on the meanings we give to situations, people …
  2. these meanings are based on interactions we experience and are not fixed
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

symbolic interactionism AO1 overall

A

G.H Mead
- behaviour is not shaped by pre-determined instincts
instead we respond to the world by giving meanings and attaching symbols
- we don’t respond to a stimulus in an automatic way we interpret it
- we interpret others meanings by putting ourselves in the place of the other - through shared symbols we become aware of the way we need to act

Blumer’s 3 key principles include…
1. our actions are based on the meanings we give to situations, people …
2. these meanings are based on interactions we experience and are not fixed

3 key concepts that underpin labelling
1. definition of the situation - definition of something is its label, so if you label a situation as real its consequences will be real
2. looking glass self - the way we develop our self-concept. it arises out of our ability to take the role of the other - and we will then see ourselves how we see them. self-fulfilling prophecy occurs, we become what others see us as
3.career

Goffman’s dramaturgical model
we actively construct our ‘self’ by manipulating what others think of us
we are all actors with the aim of carrying a convincing performance
1. impression management - we seek to present a particular image of ourself - so we study our audience for reactions and adjust our performance to present the convincing image

  1. roles - there’s a gap between who we really are and the roles we play = ‘role distance’
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

symbolic interactionism - Blumer Ao3 - func

A

however,
functionalists see the individual as a puppet. social control ensures the individual conforms to society’s norms in fixed predictable ways

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

symbolic interactionism - labelling - 3 key concepts that underpin labelling

A
  1. definition of the situation - definition of something is its label, so if you label a situation as real its consequences will be real
  2. looking glass self - the way we develop our self-concept. it arises out of our ability to take the role of the other - and we will then see ourselves how we see them. self-fulfilling prophecy occurs, we become what others see us as

3.career

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

symbolic interactionism - Goffman’s dramaturgical model AO1

A

we actively construct our ‘self’ by manipulating what others think of us

we are all actors with the aim of carrying a convincing performance

  1. impression management - we seek to present a particular image of ourself - so we study our audience for reactions and adjust our performance to present the convincing image
  2. roles - there’s a gap between who we really are and the roles we play = ‘role distance’
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

symbolic interactionism AO3 - labels

A

it fails to explain the origin of labels or the consistent patterns we see in people behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

symbolic interactionism AO3 - not all action is meaningful

A

like Weber’s traditional action (habitual routine) much is performed unconsciously or routinely and may have little meaning
interactionism lacks the means to explains this

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

symbolic interactionism AO3 - ethnomethodologists

A

say that interactionism fails to explain how actors create meanings but it is correct to focus on meanings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

phenomenology -what it means

A

we can never have definite knowledge of what the world is outside our minds - we only know what our senses tell us

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

phenomenology - Husserl AO1

A

the world only makes sense because we impose meanings and order on it

we con struct mental categories to classify information

19
Q

phenomenology - Schutz AO1

A

applied Husserl’s ideas to the social world

the mental categories we use ourselves aren’t unique = these shared categories are clued typifications

20
Q

phenomenology - Schutz - typifications

A

shared categories are clued typifications

help us to stabilise and clarify meanings by ensuring we all agree on the meanings of things

we have shared common-sense and assumptions

this is ‘recipe knowledge’ the ability to interpret a situation without really thinking about it

21
Q

phenomenology AO1 overall

A

we can never have definite knowledge of what the world is outside our minds - we only know what our senses tell us

Husserl
the world only makes sense because we impose meanings and order on it
we construct mental categories to classify information

Schutz
the mental categories we use ourselves aren’t unique = these shared categories are clued typifications - help us to stabilise and clarify meanings by ensuring we all agree on the meanings of things
= ‘recipe knowledge’ the ability to interpret a situation without really thinking about it

22
Q

phenomenology - Ao3 - Berger and Luckman

A

it is right to focus on the common sense knowledge
disagree with the idea that reality is an subjective reality
although reality is socially constructed once it is constructed it takes on a life of its own and reacts back on us.

23
Q

ethnomethodology - Garfinkel’s view AO1

A

rejects the idea of society as a real objective structure

interested in how social order is achieved

bottom-up

members of society actively construct social order

24
Q

ethnomethodology - Garfinkel - indexicality AO1

A

means nothing has a fixed meaning everything is dependent on context - this is a threat to social order because if meanings are unclear communication becomes difficult and relationship break down

we cannot take any meaning for granted

25
Q

ethnomethodology - Garfinkel - reflexivity AO1

A

using common sense knowledge to interpret everyday situations to construct a sense of meaning and order to stop indexicality occurring

26
Q

ethnomethodology AO1 overall

A

Garfinkel
- members of society actively construct social order
- indexicality - means nothing has a fixed meaning everything is dependent on context - this is a threat to social order because if meanings are unclear communication becomes difficult and relationship break down
- reflexivity- using common sense knowledge to interpret everyday situations to construct a sense of meaning and order to stop indexicality occurring

27
Q

ethnomethodology - Garfinkel reflexivity and suicide AO2

A

coroners make sense of deaths by selecting particular features

when faced with future cases with similar features coroners interpret them as examples of the assumed pattern

they then seem to prove the existence of the pattern and it becomes self-reinforcing

28
Q

ethnomethodology AO3 - construct order

A

EM draws attention to ho wee actively construct order and meaning rather than just seeing us as puppets

29
Q

ethnomethodology AO3 - ignores how wider structures affect meanings

A

EM ignores how wider structures of power and inequality affect the meanings that individual construct.

marxists argue common-sense is really just ruling class ideology

30
Q

ethnomethodology AO3 - denies the existence of wider society

A

sees it as just a shared fiction. yet it assumes that a structure if norms exist beyond these contexts. for functionalists these norms are social facts not fiction

31
Q

structuration theory - Giddens

A

duality of structure - neither structure nor action can exist without each other

through our actions we produce structures and these structures are what makes our actions possible

32
Q

structuration theory - Giddens - 2 elements of structure

A

rules - e.g norms

resources - e.g power

33
Q

structuration theory - Giddens - 2 ways that action reproduce existing structures

A
  1. society’s rules contain a stock of knowledge about how to live our lives. as we go about our lives we reproduce the existing structure of society
  2. we reproduce existing structure through our action because we have a need for security - this encourages action that maintains structures rather than changing them
34
Q

structuration theory - Giddens - 2 ways that action or agency changes society

A
  1. we reflexively monitor our own actions and their consequences so we can adjust our actions if needed
  2. there may be unintended consequences to our actions - we may change the world but not in the way we intended
35
Q

structuration theory AO1 overall

A

Giddens
- through our actions we produce structures and these structures are what makes our actions possible
- 2 elements of structure: rules - e.g norms , resources - e.g power

2 ways that action reproduce existing structures
1. society’s rules contain a stock of knowledge about how to live our lives. as we go about our lives we reproduce the existing structure of society

  1. we reproduce existing structure through our action because we have a need for security - this encourages action that maintains structures rather than changing them

2 ways that action or agency changes society
1. we reflexively monitor our own actions and their consequences so we can adjust our actions if needed

  1. there may be unintended consequences to our actions - we may change the world but not in the way we intended
36
Q

structuration theory - Giddens - 2 elements of structure - rules AO2

A

‘rules - can either be reproduced or change through action’

e.g marriage and divorce - women initially had no choice but change meant they have a right to divorce

37
Q

structuration theory - Giddens AO3 - Archer, underestimates capacity of resistance

A

Archer
Giddens underestimates the power of the structures to resist change

38
Q

structuration theory - Giddens - AO3 - Craib, it isn’t a theory

A

Craib
it isn’t really a theory at all because it doesn’t explain what actually happens in society
instead it just describes the kinds o things we will find when we study society

39
Q

structuration theory - Giddens - AO3 - Craib, fiats to unite structure and action

A

Giddens work reduces the idea of structure to the rules governing routine everyday actions
Giddens fails to explain how his theory applies to large-scale structures such as the economy

40
Q

structure theories

A

functionalism
Marxism
feminism

41
Q

action theories

A

symbolic interactionism
social action theory
ethnomethodology
phenomenology

42
Q

weber: social action theory - types of action - instrumental rational action AO2

A

a capitalist may calculate the most effficient way of maximising profit is to pay low wages

43
Q

phenomenology - Schutz - typifications AO2

A

we all know that. a red light means stop and this knowledge enables us to drive safely

sociology - theory and methods (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions