Social Action Theory Flashcards
Key Aims
discovering / understan interacs between indus & small groups
to understand how ppl define their own idens
Key Features
soc & soc strucs = soc construcs of indus
emph on free will / volunteerism
micro approach
behav driven by feelings / emos / beliefs / meanings
mainly uses qual research
Symbolic Interactionism
= 3 features:
1. ppl act in terms of symbols - stand for something else & to which indus have attached meanings
2. meanings develop out of interaction of an indus w/ others & can change during course of interaction
3. meanings arise from interp process as ppl develop concep of selves thro imagining how others see them
Weber
saw struc & action as nec for full understan of human behav - argued adequate socio explanation involves 2 levels:
1. level of cause - struc facs that shape behav
2. level of meaning - understanding subj meaning indus attached to actions
Instrumentally Rational Actions
Types of Action
actor calculates m efficient means of ch goal eg cap may calc m efficient way to maxi prof - low wages - action X about whether goal = desireable - rational action = just m efficient
Value Rational Action
Types of Action
action towards goal that actor regards as desireable for own sake eg worship god to get into heaven
Traditional Action
Types of Action
involves customary/habital actions X see as rational X concious choice/thought - done bc = way always done
Affectual Action
Types of Action
action that expresses emotion eg weeping out of grief/violence sparked by anger - Weber sees as NB in religion & pol movements w/ charismatic l’s who attract based on emo appeal
Ethnomethodology
Garfinkel (1967) - sort to expose taken for granted assumps
challenge orthodox socio
stresses ambiguity of language & action
rejects view soc has any kind of social struc / order / patterned interac thar exists outside of indus conciousness
Ethnomethodology Assumptions
soc order = illusion
indus create it in own mind & only appears to exist bc mems create own common sense proceds & cul embedded rules & assumps
soc retains stability bc ppl share ideas & assumps
soc reality = therefore social construction
Atkinson (1971)
classifying death as suicide = soc construc of meaning - corpse = lifeless body until classified as “murder/suicide”
ethnos ask: why are some unexpec deaths classes as suicide - due to coroner procedures
Garfinkel
found when children went home & pretended to be lodgers parents showed bewilderment, concern, anger & confusion
study shows how fragile soc order is - if break n’s breaks down
Advantages
Social Action
humans can create & nego meanings thro interacs w/ others (SI) / thro common sense understanding (E) - ppl X just puppets
insights into how soc construc meanings thro interaction has consequence for indu eg streaming, labelling & SFP
high validity - Atkinson - detailed interviews w/ coroners = in depth understanding
Disadvantages
Social Action
doesn’t pay enough attention to strucs of social don’t always have free choices - life chances
doesn’t explain motives
under-estis / ignores power in social eg interaction between dev & police X on equal terms
PM says = metanar
