Social Action theories Flashcards
are social action theories macro or micro theories
- social action theories are micro theories
what is a micro theory
- looking and interpreting society through how individuals interact
- prefer qualitative methods, e.g. interviews
what is Weber’s theory about
- humans have free will
- understanding why people do things is essential
- we should try to gain an empathetic understanding of individuals (Verstehen)
- accepts that structures exist which have influence
- there is a level of cause + a level of meaning
define Weber’s term ‘Verstehen’
- Verstehen = an empathetic understanding of individuals
outline Weber’s idea of the level of cause + level of meaning
- the level of cause: the influence from structures
- the level of meaning: the individual’s meaning attached to their action
what is the name of Weber’s case study
- the Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism
outline Weber’s case study ‘Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism’
- Calvinists are a branch of Christians who lead an ascetic lifestyle (shunning luxury/ material goods)
- they’ve interpreted the bible as having to work for God - working very hard + for long hours, thus leading to accumulated wealth
- this gave them the idea that they were in gods favour - so continued living this way; saving money, reinvesting in their businesses, making more profit etc
- this led to the modern spirit of capitalism - generating money for the sake of generating more money
name Weber’s 4 types of action
- instrumentally rational
- value rational
- traditional
- affectual
explain Weber’s instrumentally rational action
- where the actor calculates a most efficient means of achieving a goal
- e.g. a capitalist would calculate that the most efficient way to maximize profits is low wages
explain Weber’s value rational action
- action towards a goal that is desirable for their own sake but is not certain
- e.g. a believer worshiping their God in order to enter heaven
explain Weber’s traditional action
- customary, routine or habitual action - no conscious choice or thought has gone into it
- e.g. saying ‘bless you’ to someone who has sneezed
explain Weber’s affectual action
- actions that express emotion
- e.g. sobbing out of grief
what is an internal AO3 evaluation of Weber’s social action theory
- true micro theorists believe social structures are a social construct and shouldn’t have a role in the analysis of individual behaviour
what is an AO3 evaluation of Weber’s social action theory
- Schutz: Weber’s view of action is too individualistic (doesn’t consider wider society) and fails to explain the shared nature meanings
outline Mead’s theory of Symbolic Interactionism
- our behaviour isn’t fixed, but are pre-programmed instincts
- we create a world of meanings by attaching symbols to it
- is a micro theory
- sociologists must understand the development of self
- ‘taking the role of the other’
outline Mead’s cycle of symbolic interactionism
(with no start or end)
- → society → symbols → establish meanings → develop their views → communicate with each other
who are the 2 theorists who add onto Meads theory
- Cooley
- Blumer
what does Blumer add onto Mead’s theory
social interaction has 3 key principles:
- our actions are based on the meanings we give to situations/events/people
- these meanings are based on interactions we have experienced and aren’t fixed
- the meanings we give situations are the result of interactions
what are the 3 key interactionist concepts in the labelling theory
- the definition of the situation
- the looking glass self
- career