Structural/Micro theories Flashcards
What are structural theories? What do they argue?
What type of ideas are those of consensus and conflict
-Theories such as functionalism, Marxism and most kinds of feminism are structural theories;macro sociology.
-Individuals are not just actors making their own decisions, they are the product of social conditions in which they live. Any study of humans needs to consider the structure of society e.g. Marxists think that we can only understand culture, ideas, and institutions(superstructure) if we can understand the economics of capitalism(the base).
-The ideas of consensus and conflict are structural, macro ideas.
Why are structural theories criticised? What do they ignore that humans are capable of? What term regarding simplification is used to describe these approaches?
-Some structural theories are accussed of being deterministic e.g. they suggest that a particular outcome can be predicted or is inevitable. This can be seen with some Marxists ideas surrounding revolution.
-Action theories argue that because humans have agency and can choose, no theory can say confidently that any outcome is inevitable.
-Structural theories are also often accused of being reductionist. This is the process of looking at complex situations and ‘reducing’ them to simple fundamentals. An example would feminists explaining everything through gender.
What are social action theories?
What do they argue?
-Also known as micro theories, action theories look at small groups and inviduals rather than the big picture.
-They argue humans are social actors who have agency: society does affect them, but they also affect society and ultimately decide how to behave. Their behaviour is not determined by their gender, class or by a value consensus.
Who identified the 4 types of social action?
What 4 types of actions does Weber identify?
Name a key sociologist for these 3 theories; Ethnomethodology, Structuration theory, Symbolic interactionism.
-Weber’s 4 types of actions; goal rational action, traditional social action, value rational action, affective social action.
-Structuration theory. Giddens
-Symbolic interactionism. -Mead
-Ethnomethodology. -Garfinkel.
Describe Weber’s 4 action types.
What are Weber’s 4 actions criticised for not differentiating between?
-Traditional social action; Actions controlled by traditions.
-Value rational action;Actions that are controlled by an inherent belief. (i.e. religion)
-Affective social action; Actions determined by emotional state.
-Instrumental rational action; Actions that are carried out to achieve a certain goal.
-Weber’s 4 actions are criticised for not differentiating between why different actions may have different meanings to individuals. I.e. raising a hand in a party compared to in a shop.(Fun v help).
Who explained the role of symbols and how we interpret meaning?
What is this theory called?
What is the interpretive phase?
Why is human behaviour not fixed on pre-programmed instincts?
According to this sociologist how do we interpret other’s meanings?
Why is this approach criticised?
-Mead.
-Symbolic interactionism.
-Before we know how to respond to a stimulus, we have to interpret meaning. Once we have done this we can choose an appropriate response.
-Humans have the ability to choose appropriate responses.
-Based on the context in which the action is made. (I.e. raise of a hand in a football pitch compared to battle field.)
-It avoids class structures, issues such as relative deprivation has a real effect on people’s life chances and subsequently actions.
What is Ethnomethodology interested in?
Who views social order as an accomplishment? Why?
What is the term he gave to unclear meanings? What is this a threat to?
What is the solution defined as? Explain.
Who criticises this? Why?
-Ethnomethodologists are interested in the methodologies we use to produce meanings.
-Garfinkel views social order as an accomplishment something members in society actively construct everyday.
-Indexicality. Which is a threat to social order.
-Reflexivity. Common sense knowledge to construct meaning and avoid indexicality.
-Craib argues these findings are trivial. Garfinkel spends time on ‘uncovering’ taken for granted truths.(e.g. his finding that one person speaks at a time).
What micro theory focuses on the relationship between actions and structure?
What do they call the process in which structures are changed through action?
What two types changes through agency did Giddens identify? Define them.
What society is the active agency of change more likely to be found in?Why?
Who criticises this approach why?
-Structuration theory.
-Agency.
-1. Unintentional changes: Actions we make that may change the world but not how we intended. (Calvinism=Capitalism)
-2. Reflexive monitoring:Individuals constantly reflect on their actions and deliberately choose a new course of action.
-More likely to be found in modern society as tradition no longer dictates action.
-Craib argues that Giddens fails to explain how this theory applies to large scale structures such as the economy or state.
What areas of sociology have social action theories had huge influence? What do structuralist sociologist argue about micro approaches?
What do most sociologists now accept? Despite this..
-Social action theories have had huge impact on sociology as a discipline, especially the move from positivist approaches, to interpretivist approaches, to social research.
-Some structuralist sociologists ask, ‘so what’? If sociologists cannot reach broader conclusions about society as a whole, what is the point of it?
-Most sociologists today accept that human beings have agency and can make decisions; that social structures do not determine behaviour. However, most argue that sociology should be able to reach conclusions about society, not just oberserve interesting phenomena.
According to Schutz how do human’s understand the world around them?
What word does he use to describe shared categories? What does this allow? How does this maintain social order?(key term)
What did Schutz call this ?
Why did Berger and Luckman reject Schutz approach?
-We share categories that we use to classify the world with other members in society.
-‘Typifications’ which allow us to organise our experiences into a shared world meaning.
-This maintains social order as members of society contain a shared ‘life world’ of commonsense knowledge that we can use to make sense of our experience.
-Schutz called this ‘recipe knowledge’: like a recipe, we can follow it without thinking too much.
-Berger and Luckmann reject the view that reality is merely a social construct. Once constructed, it takes on a life of its own and becomes an external reality that shapes our lives. I.e. religion=church a social institution.
Outside of Mead’s approach what 2 other concepts are associated with symbolic interactionism?
One of these rely on 3 key interactionist concepts what are they?
-Labelling theory;
Definition of the situation(Thomas) Defining something labels it.
Looking glass self(Cooley) We see ourself mirrored in how we are responded to by others.
Career(Becker and Lemert) i.e. suspect to convicted felon~ Master status.
-Goffman’s dramaturgical model.
How does Goffman’s dramaturgical approach differ from labelling?
What dramatical metaphors does Goffman use to explain this analogy?
What is impression management?
What is meant by ‘role distance’?
-Unlike labelling theorists who treat individual’s labelled as passive victims Goffman recognises how we actively construct our ‘self’ image.
-‘Actors’, ‘Scripts’, ‘Props’, ‘Backstage’, ‘Frontstage’
-Impression management is how we use our tone, dress, make-up etc to portray a role. ‘Backstage’ we become our true selves.
-Role distance implies that we do not always believe in the roles we play. We may be calculating, manipulating audience into accepting an impression that conceals our true self.
