Social Action Theory

Question 1

Weber

Answer 1

Another “Founding Father” of Sociology.
Disagreed with Marx - Structural causes of behaviour.
Human action directed by subjective meanings - Sociologists need to interpret.
Good sociological explanation of behaviour involves two levels.
For this we need Verstehen (emphatic understanding of the actor’s subjective meaning).

Question 2

Two Levels of Good Sociological Explanation of Behaviour

Answer 2

Cause - external factors - structural.
Meaning - internal factors - meanings that individuals attach to their actions.
(Weber)

Question 3

Types of Action:

Answer 3

Instrumentally Rational Action.
Value-Rational Action.
Traditional Action.
Affectual Action.
(Weber)

Question 4

Instrumentally Rational Action

Answer 4

Most efficient method of achieving a goal.
Not about right/wrong - just efficiency.
“Why did you do that?” “Because it is the easiest way to reach my goal.”
For example:
Kevin drives the 1 mile journey to work rather than walking because it means he can leave later.
(Weber)

Question 5

Value-Rational Action

Answer 5

Most “desirable” way of achieving a goal.
Efficiency not important - based on values.
“Why did you do that?” “Because it made me feel better.”
For example:
Kevin prays before he goes to bed at night and asks for forgiveness for the fight he had earlier - he believes this is how he will get to heaven.
(Weber)

Question 6

Traditional Action

Answer 6

Customary, routine or habitual actions.
No conscious choice, have “always done it”.
“Why did you do that?” “Because I always do that.”
For example:
Kevin gets up every morning and gets ready. He always puts his left sock on first.
(Weber)

Question 7

Affectual Action

Answer 7

Action that expresses emotion.
“Why did you do that?” “Because I can’t help the way I feel.”
For example:
After work, Kevin has an argument with someone in the pub which turns into a physical fight.
(Weber)

Question 8

Positive Evaluation of Weber

Answer 8

Valuable criticism of the dominance of structural factors - can be used as a critique for Structural theories.

Question 9

Negative Evaluation of Weber

Answer 9

Too individualistic - cannot explain shared nature of meanings e.g. putting hands up to ask things.
Typification’s are unclear - blurred lines between instrumental-rational and value-rational.
Can we ever have true Verstehen? We can’t really ever get inside someone’s way of thinking.

Question 10

Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 10

Comes from the University of Chicago - first half of the 20th century.
Ability to create the social world through actions/interactions.
Focused on “meanings” we give to situations.
Developed Weber’s ideas - looking at how people construct meanings.
Meanings conveyed through symbols.
Can be broken into 3 areas.

Question 11

The 3 areas that Symbolic Interactionism can be broken into

Answer 11

Symbols vs Instincts
Labelling Theory
Dramaturgical Model

Question 12

G.H Mead

Answer 12

People have free will/choose how to respond to stimuli.
Own understanding, socialisation, interpretations will impact how we see the same symbol.
Not puppets on a string.
No such thing as “social facts”.
People construct their own world.
Animals have instinctive responses to things, they respond without conscious choice.
Humans have the “interpretive phase”. We decide what the meaning of the symbol is, then we choose our response.
Through shared symbols (especially language) we become aware of the ways of acting that others require of us.
(Symbolic Interactionism)

Question 13

How does Mead suggest we interpret others meanings?

Answer 13

“Taking the role of the other” - seeing ourselves as they see us.
This develops by:
Seeing ourselves as the “significant other”: When young, role-playing significant others e.g. parents - helps us to see ourselves as they see us.
Seeing ourselves as the “generalised other”: Seeing ourselves from the point of view of the wider community.
Functioning members of society need this ability.
(Mead)

Question 14

Meads Critiques of Functionalism/Marxism

Answer 14

Not puppets on a string - individuals don’t conform passively.
Behaviour not fixed.
(Mead)

Question 15

Cooley and Labelling Theory

Answer 15

The “looking glass self”:
Our idea of who we are (our “self-concept”) comes from our ability to take the role of the other e.g. in interactions.
Others act as a looking glass to us - we see ourself mirrored in the way they respond to us.
Then, a self-fulfilling prophecy occurs, we BECOME what others see us as.
Through the looking glass self - the label becomes part of an individual’s self concept.
(Labelling Theory)

Question 16

Goffman and the Dramaturgical Model

Answer 16

We are “social actors” - we aim to carry off a convincing performance of the role we have adopted.
Impression Management - we constantly monitor our audience to see how they respond and adjust our performance as required so we can “pass” as the kind of person we want our audience to believe we are.
“front stage behaviour”.
“back stage behaviour”.
The roles that we perform are not tightly scripted - flexible e.g. some teachers are strict, others aren’t.
Able to manipulate audience into accepting an impression - concealing true motives at times.
(Dramaturgical Model)

Question 17

What do we use for impression management?

Answer 17

We use: Language, tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions.
We also use: Settings/Props - dress, equipment, furniture, decor, premises.
(Dramaturgical Model/Goffman)

Question 18

Goffman’s Criticism of Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 18

Goffman thought that rather than a “passive” victim of others labels - we actively construct our “self” through manipulating others impressions.

Question 19

General Criticism of Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 19

Can be seen as loose collection of descriptive concepts rather than an explanatory theory.
Fails to explain the origin of labels.

Question 20

Functionalist Critique of Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 20

It cannot explain the consistent patterns of behaviour, functionalists would advocate for things like the value consensus as a better explanation of why people behave the way they do.
They also see roles as tightly scripted - we internalise scripts through socialisation. Society determines how we will perform them.

Question 21

Marxist Critique of Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 21

Ignores wider structures such as class inequality.

Question 22

Feminist Critique of Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 22

Ignores the wider structures such as gender inequality.

Question 23

Why do we behave the way we do? (Dramaturgical)

Answer 23

Our behaviour depends on the situation we are in and whether we are showing “front stage” or “backstage” behaviour. We will act differently in different situations, with different people and are in control of this.

Question 24

Why do we behave the way we do? (Symbolic Interactionism and Labelling)

Answer 24

Our behaviour depends on the meanings we give to symbols and how we interact to them. We label people/things/situations a certain way dependent on our past experiences and act in relation to them accordingly.

Question 25

Why do we behave the way we do? (Marxism)

Answer 25

Our behaviour depends on our place in the class system. The Bourgeoisie manipulate and oppress the Proletariat. The Proletariat don’t fight back because they are controlled through a false class consciousness.

Question 26

Why do we behave the way we do? (Social Action Theory)

Answer 26

Our behaviour depends on the meaning we attach to our actions e.g. acting in rational ways that make most sense logically, or affectual ways because of our emotions in that moment.

Question 27

Why do we behave the way we do? (Functionalism)

Answer 27

Our behaviour depends on how well we have been socialised into the value consensus. People generally agree on the right way to behave. Those that deviate from this are then punished through social control.

Question 28

Why do we behave the way we do? (Feminism)

Answer 28

Our behaviour depends on our gender. Men oppress and control women (consciously or subconsciously) through the patriarchal set up of society. Women are subordinate and fear men.

Question 29

Giddens and Structuration Theory

Answer 29

“Duality of structure” - structure and action (agency). Neither can exist without the other.
Through our actions we produce and re-produce structures.
Structures are what make our actions possible in the first place.
Relationship between both - Structuration.

Question 30

Structure under Giddens

Answer 30

Two elements to structure - Rules (norms/customs/laws) and Resources (raw materials, tech). They are reproduced by human action (e.g. obeying the law).
It’s more common for structures to be reproduced rather than changed. This is because of Ontological Security (we have a need to feel the world makes sense, is orderly, stable and predictable).
Structures are changed by human action (e.g. new technology).