Theories and methods- Paper 3 mock Flashcards
Social action theory
Weber
Max Weber- observed that there were different sets of social meanings that helped to account for social action.
theorie based on structure and action theory. He liked both a macro and micro theories to understand what external forces people are venerable to. He used history and sociology to come up with his idea. he said sociologists should use their empathy to understand human action (Verstehen) They must put themselves in people shoes to understand why they behave as they do and not just simply judge.
Social action theory
Schutz (1972)
Phenomena- this with similar charateristsic according to our senses. Schutz (1972) called these shred categories ‘typifications’ we also use our common sense interpretations to categories all of these breeds under they typification of categories like ‘dog’
purpose of phenomenology
How the world is categorised is a matter of human choice rather than an objective process. aim of phenomenology is to understand phenomena (the essental characterists which lead us placing something in a particular mental category) Social action theorists believe research should be faithful to the phenomenon as it is lived which means observing and understanding it in the natural contact of the person or group being researched.
Ethnomethodology and structure
Ethnomethodology is a specialist interpretive approach that aims to analise how people construct and make sense of routine social activity by uncovering the common sense rules that govern all social interactions and situations. people unconsciously share complex unwritten rules using this commonsical knowledge.
Grakfinkel Reflexivity
Garfinkel believed that the social meaning that people share cannot be taken for granted because they are potentially unclear. He was interested in what he called reflexivity. The way that 2 individuals in a social interaction will mirror each others behaviours and talk in such a way that the interaction makes sense to both of them
Investigating social meaning
Ethnomethodedologists Grafinkel
Garfinkel has used 2 methods to show this ideas.
1. Conversational analysts recording the conversation that is part of routine social interactions to identify shared meaning. 2.Informal social experiments- a set of social experiments that aim to break the accepted rules that underpin family life and to challenge reflexivity.
Garfinkel argued that these experiments helped to show that social order is not inevitable rather it is accomplished by people sharing rules about how the interaction should evolve.
Evaluation of ethnomethodology
+ it changed the idea that people are the puppets of society. It suggests that all social behaviour is socially constructed and depends on the unconscious sharing and mirroring of commonsensical rules about how interaction and conversation should be conducted.
x Structuralists argue that all everyday reality is still influenced by social forces such as social class patriarchy and power structures which are beyond the control of most individuals
Action theory (social action theory)
main features
Society and social structures/ institutions are socially constructed by individuals
-People have free will to do things and form their own identities
-prefer to research small groups of individuals (micro)
-People behaviour is driven by their beliefs, meaning and emotions give to a situation
-they state people behaviour and life chances are not determined by their social background
-emphasis the role of the active individual and interactions between people in sharing personal identity and in turn the wider society. In order to understand human action we need to uncover the individuals own motives for acting
webers 4 classfication of actions
+ evaluation
Classified actions into 4 types:
Instrumental rational action- Individual decide best way to achieve there goal. not about whether there goal is desirable.
Value rational action- Actions you take towards a goal that is desirable to you. Unlike instrumental rationalities there is no way of calculating wether the meanings of achieving the goal are effective.
Traditional action- involves customary routine habitual actions weber does not see this type of action as rational because no conscious through or choice has gone into it. Rather the actor does it because we have always done it.
Effectual action- An action that expresses emotion. Like weeping out of grief or violence sparked by anger. weber sees effectual action as important in religion and political movement’s with charismatic leaders who attract a following based on their emotional appeal.
Evaluation- Other social action theorists believe he is too individualistic and fails to explain how meaning is shared between people in society.
Parson- functionalism
for. It is essential for order in society.
Organic analogy
Organic analogy- in order to keep an equal society all institutions in society have to work together (biological basist like a body)
system-organisms and society are both self regulating systems of independent parts that fit together to make things work. body= organs, cells in society= institutions
system needs- organisms have basic needs like nutrition in order too survive. functionalist see society as having these needs to human need to be socialised equally in order for society to survive.
Functions- functionalist believe that the function of any system is the combination it makes to meet the systems needs. For example humans need to feed there body in order for them to survive the same as the economy helps maintain the social system
Parson- functionalism
value consensus
Values consequences- an agreement in society about values what is desirable worthwhile and worth striving for. It is essential for order in society.
2 mechanisms to this system which help provide social order-
socialisation- individuals are taught to want to do what is needed to be done. the norma and values are internalised
social control- positive sanctions reward conforming and negative ones punish deviance
(follow rues in society like doing to school creates a qualified submissive work force positive sanctions promotion, qualifications negative sanctions detention being fired)
parson- functionalist
4 basic needs
Goal attainment (the political function) society must develop ways pf setting goals and making decision’s about how power/ economic resources should be allocated (meritocracy)
Adaptation (the economic frustration) every society has to provide an adequate standard of life for the survival of its members
Integration- social harmony specialist institutions limit conflict and bring about consens e.g. education.
Latency (the unstructured consequences of actions parson said 2 types)
-pattern maintenance- young socialisation into believing in the same values and patterns of behaviour as older member
-tension management- society can be very stressful this tension needs to be managed by social institutions such as family to prevent potential disorder and dysfunction (Warm bath theory)
Traditional societies
Modern Societies
collective- individuals put themselves collective first.
A scribed status- status in society decided from birth.
Particularistic standards- People were judged by different standards based on their position.
Specificity- Social relationships were specific and professional.
Affective neutrality- People aim to satisfy their needs
immediately.
Individual- Individuals pursue their own self-interest.
Achieved status- status is based on your talent/ abilities.
Universalistic standards- Everyone judged by the same standards
Diffuseness- Social relationships and interactions are integrated.
Affectivity- People defer or postpone their need for gratification
Functionalism evaluation cons
-Conflict perspective criticism: Society not harmonious. This view ignores the status due and inequality.
-Action perspective criticism: view people as puppets on strings with no free will. However it is the opposite. Individuals create society, not the other way around.
-Postmodernist criticism: Today’s society is so fragmented that no meta-narrative can explain society.
Merton criticise parson
-Parsons failed to recognise the distinction between:
Manifest functions– intended and recognised
consequences
Latent functions – unintended consequences
-Dysfunction – some parts of the social structure don’t work as intended, there can sometimes be negative
consequences
-Society more complex than Parsons simple model
marxism- HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
Materialism is the view that humans have material needs like food, clothing, and they work to meet them. Through the means of production. Use se to be human labour such as hunting now we have new more tools and cooperation.
Through industrialisation, there is now a class who
own the means of production (the bourgeoisie),
and the class who use it (the proletariat).
Marx refers to this as the ‘economic base’, which shapes the rest of society. The ‘superstructure’ arises from this, and includes ideas, institutions, beliefs and behaviour.
