SOCIAL CONTROL, CONFORMITY & RESISTANCE - 2.2.1 Role of Structure and Agency in Shaping the Relationship Between the Individual and Society Flashcards
Define Social Structure
The social organisation of the society
Define Social Construction
Interactionist concept that refers to behaviour and is thought to be natural but is actually the product of cultural expectations and processes
Define Agency
Free will / ability to choose a certain course of action
Define Structuralist Theories
Functionalism, Marxism & Feminism - Claim people’s actions are the product of how their societies are organised / structured
Define Macro Approaches
Top-down approach being interested in how society / aspects of it influence individual actions
Define Positivist
Scientific approach where large-scale data is collected by sociological methods (reliable and objective) in order to document the impact of social forces on human behaviour
Define Consensus Theory
A structuralist approach that looks at the society being characterised by agreement and order (functionalism etc)
Define Conflict Theories
Marxism, Feminism - Societies are seen to be characterised by conflict between social classes / between men and women
Define Humanist Approach
Micro / Bottom-up approach is interested in individuals interpret social reality by interacting with others in their everyday lives
Define Voluntarism
Human action is voluntary not externally imposed on them by social forces that are beyond his’/her’s control. Social behaviour is due to people having free will and the ability to choose how to act
Define Free Will
Having the power to make decisions / choices which are not shaped by social forces beyond the individual’s control
Define Self
Made of 2 parts; ‘I’ how people see themselves. ‘Me’ how we represent ourselves when interacting with others
