Interactionism Flashcards
List the four key areas/themes of Interactionism
- Action-based Theory
- Interactions over structural inequalities
- Labelling Theory
- Socialisation into an identity
What are Action Theories (Interpretivist Theories) concerned with?
‘action theories’ or ‘interpretivist theories’ are concerned with the individual, the interactions between individuals, how we interpret things, how we define our identity and ultimately how we create the culture in which we live.
What theories does the Action (Interpretivist) Theory contradict?
Structural Approaches, such as Marxism and Functionalism.
Action approaches REJECT structural approaches.
Unlike structural approaches, who believe that society is more important that the individual (such as Marxism and Functionalism) ‘action theories’ or ‘interpretivist theories’ are concerned with the individual, the interactions between individuals, how we interpret things, how we define our identity and ultimately how we create the culture in which we live.
Do Social Action Theorists believe that our behaviour is governed by the social institutions in society?
No.
Social Action theorists, such as Interactionists REJECT that we are ‘Puppets on a String’ where our behaviour is governed by the social institutions in society, such as in Marxism or Functionalism.
What did Chris Brown note?
Date
“They feel they are living their own lives, making their own decisions and engaging, for the most part, in voluntary behaviour. There may be things they have to do which they resent, but resentment is, of course, tangible evidence of an independent self, forced to comply, but unwillingly and under protest”
1979
What do Social Action Theories believe created Social Structure and Social Institutions?
They are the creation of individuals. We have our own free will (outside of school and homework of course).
Social Action theories believe that social structure/institutions are the creation of individuals. We have free will, choice, we create our identities as we want and therefore we are not governed by the ‘determinism of structuralism’ (like in Marxism or Functionalism).
What is Determinism?
Determinism means that the activities and identities of individuals are moulded by forces beyond their control, such as the media or religion. Determinism implies that we are merely products of society and we are almost a pre-programmed individual (such as in Functionalism and Marxism). Social Action theories disagree with this idea.
Do Social Action Theories align with Determinism?
No they are contradictory.
On what do Social Action Theories place their greatest emphasis?
Give an example.
Social Action theories place an emphasis on the individual and everyday behaviour rather than the structure of society. Their focus of sociology is on the individual and of small groups in society. A good example of this is by interpretivists (they use a social action approach) in studying crime. Rather than looking at large trends and patterns, or books of statistical data on crime, interpretivists are more interested in why an individual may commit crime and also how we label deviants and then how can this affect future deviance. This therefore focuses on the ‘micro’/the individual and therefore this is seen as a ‘micro approach’.
What do Social Action approaches believe guide people’s behaviour?
Social Action approaches see people’s behaviour being guided by the meanings that we attach to certain situations, for example a parent may interpret that a crying baby means that it is in pain or is hungry. In turn a parent’s response to the baby’s behaviour is likely to affect the baby’s future behaviour, e.g it will stop crying.
Social Action Theory. Are we influenced by others’ attitudes?
We ARE influenced by others’ attitudes, values and actions. We are a product of our interactions with others.
Do Interactionalists believe that we are, as individuals, able to change the culture of society?
Is this a common view with Functionalists and Marxists?
Interactionists, unlike Functionalists and Marxists, argue that there is potential for individuals to change the culture of society by acting differently
Within Social Action Theory do children attach meanings to actions?
Yes
Children constantly attach meanings to actions as they try to work out whether their behaviour, in any given situation, is acceptable or not. If acceptable, then they will continue with that, if not, then they will face informal social control from their parents by means of punishment.
Do interactionists overstate individual choice according to Structural Theorists?
Yes.
Structural theorists like functionalists and Marxists argue that interactionists overstate individual choice. Cultural forces are far more powerful than their ideas would suggest.
Why do Interactionists neglect the structural features of society?
Interactionists neglect the structural features of society, such as those explored by Marxism, Functionalism and Feminism. Interactionists are aware of the structural forces within society, however they decide to concentrate on everyday interactions (small scale) instead as they see these as equally important (see Goffman’s work). Within education this can be highlighted with the interactionists seeing labelling in schools and the formation of subcultures as affecting achievement as well as class inequalities.
