Social action theories

Question 1

Weber - Social action theory

Answer 1

• Argued that a sociologist needs both structural approaches (Marxism) and action approaches in order to understand society
• He said that human behaviour needs to be described on two levels:
• The level of cause - How behaviour is shaped by objective structural factors
• The level of meaning - Looks at the subjective meanings that people attach to their actions

Question 2

Weber - Traditional action

Answer 2

• Based on habit e.e building a bridge as your family have always built bridges

Question 3

Weber - Affectual action

Answer 3

• Based upon emotion e.g. Paul built a bridge because his wife died crossing a river
• Do something because of its meaning and because you love it

Question 4

Weber - Value-rational actions

Answer 4

• Is taken because something is important for its own sake

E.g. mary building a bridge because she thinks that they are beautiful

Question 5

Weber - Instrumentally rational action

Answer 5

• Based on the most efficient means of achieving a goal

E.g. sue builds a bridge to get across a river.

Question 6

Mead - Symbolic interactionism

Answer 6

• Claimed that the most human interaction is symbolic

E.g. waving at a friend over the road, the symbol (the wave) conveys the meaning of your action ( a greeting)

• Your friend must interpret your action to understand it and can do that by putting themselves in your position.
  
  • This is called ‘taking the role of others’.
• Mead says that we learn to interpret symbols through social interaction and it is this knowledge of symbols that helps us to function of members of society.

Question 7

Blumer - symbolic interactionism

Answer 7

• Added more detail to meads ideas and divided interactionism into three key ideas

Question 8

What do action theories focus on?

Answer 8

• How society is created through young peoples actions.

Question 9

What do structural theories focus on?

Answer 9

• See society as something that’s already constructed.

Question 10

Action theory views

Answer 10

• Action theories see social order as a social construction
• Argue that social order isn’t something generated by institutions, either through consensus or conflict. Social order is part of everyday life and they see everyday life as a series of interpretations
• Action theories reject the idea that sociology is objective