*Social Action Theory Flashcards
What do social action theorists usually reject?
The view that society has a fixed structure that directs individuals to behave in certain ways
What is Weber known for in social action theory?
Founder of social action theory
What does Goffman’s dramaturgical theory of social action emphasize?
Understanding people as actors on stage
What are the three types of actions identified by Weber?
- Affective actions: Based on emotions
- Traditional actions: Based on custom and habit
- Rational actions: Actions carried out to achieve a certain goal
What is ‘Verstehen’ in Weber’s theory?
Understanding the meaning attached to an action by the individual
What does ‘Akutelles Verstehen’ refer to?
Direct observational understanding
What is ‘Eklarendes Verstehen’?
Empathetic understanding
Who developed ‘Symbolic Interactionism’?
Mead
What is the significance of social roles according to Mead?
Individuals have to take on pre-existing social roles to navigate society
According to Blumer, what do people act in terms of?
Symbols that have attached meanings
What is Cooley’s concept of the ‘looking glass self’?
We see ourselves as others see us
What does Goffman suggest about people’s identities?
People have multiple identities that change according to social settings
What is the main focus of labelling theory?
How definitions imposed by people can have real consequences
What is the critique of Mead and Goffman by labelling theorists?
They argue that understanding power structures is essential for understanding labelling and identity construction
What does phenomenology study?
The structures of conscious experience from a first-person point of view
Who is the founder of phenomenology?
Husserl
What does ethnomethodology aim to uncover?
The rules in everyday interactions that people unknowingly use to construct their reality
What is the ‘etcetera principle’ according to Garfinkel?
The process by which information can be skipped over in conversations
What is indexicality?
The ability to draw meaning from the context in which people are placed
What is a key evaluation point of symbolic interactionism?
It shows that individuals create and negotiate meanings through interactions
What criticism does Dennet make about phenomenology?
Its first-person approach is incompatible with scientific third-person approaches
What does Bloor argue about the use of language in ethnomethodology?
Words and expressions are not just part of communicative actions but allow us to ‘speak plainly as well as inclusively’
