Social Action Theory Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is Instrumentally rational action
The most efficient way of achieving a goal
What are the four types of action according to Weber
Instrumentally rational action
Value rational action
Traditional action
Affectual action
What is Value rational action
Involves action towards a goal that the individual regards as desirable for its own sake
What is Traditional action
Routine actions
What is affectual action
Action that expresses emotion
What does Shutz say about Webers theory
Too individualistic and can’t explain the shared nature of meanings
What did Mead say?
We interpret the meaning before we act
Unlike animals we do not have pre programmed instincts
Example of shaking fists
How do we interpret other people meaning according to Mead?
“Taking the role of the other”
Putting ourselves in their place a seeing as they see us
What were Blumers three key principles?
Our actions are based on the meaning we give to situations
Meanings arise from interaction
Meaning we give to situations are the result interpretive procedures
Who disagree with Blumer?
Functionalists
Name the 4 symbolic interactionist
Mead
Goffman
Cooley
Blumer
What did Cooley say?
“The looking glass self”
What does the looking glass self mean?
We come to see ourselves as to how people see us. Those who we interact with become a looking glass
What’s Goffmans main theory called?
Dramaturgical model
What is Dramaturgical model?
We are all actors trying to fulfill certain roles depending on what situation we are in
What are the two Dramaturgical concepts?
Presentation of self
Impression management
What are the three main criticisms of symbolic interactionism?
Goffmans dramatagural model - people improvise their interactions
Ethnomethodologists argue it fails to explain how actors create meanings
It ignores structural side of sociology
