Theories Flashcards

Question

What are the 4 types of action?

Answer 1

Instrumental rational action-social actors works out the most efficient way to achieve a goal Value rational action- action towards a goal that seen as desirable for its own sake Traditional action-routine,customary or habitual actions that are done without thought or choice Affectual action-action that expresses emotion Weber saw this as important in religious and political movements with charismatic leaders who attract followers based on emotionless appeal

Answer 2

Taking on the role of others means putting oneself in the place of the other person and seeing ourselves as they see us We take on the other role through the process of social interaction firstly as young children through imitative play where we start to see ourselves as the wider community do

Answer 3

-Our actions are based on the meanings we give to the situations, events and people -These meanings are based on the interactions we have experienced and aren’t fixed but are negotiable and fluid to some extent -The meanings we give to situations are the results of interpretive procedures we use such as taking on the role of others

Answer 4

Definitions of something is its label therefore people label situations,events and people which can have real world consequences

Answer 5

The way we develop our self concept

Answer 6

The process of labelling from identification to the label being attached,acceptance or rejection of the label by the labelled to the creation of a master status Each stage has its own set of problems and issues

Answer 7

Front stage self-the act we put on for other people the front stage is where we spend most of our lives Back stage-the private place where we can truly be ourselves and prepare to return to the front stage

Answer 8

Use of language,gestures,body language and props to help us pass for the type of. Person that we want the audience to see this process requires us to constantly read the audiences responses to us and adjust our performance accordingly

Answer 9

There’s a gap between who we really are the roles we play roles are loosely scripted by society so we have the freedom to choose how we play them

Answer 10

1.ethnomethodoloy argues that although it’s correct to focus on interactions,symbolic interactionism fails to explain how the actors create the meanings 2.not all action is meaningful,especially Webers idea of traditional actions which may hold little meaning for the actor 3.fails to explain the origin of labels or the consistent patterns that we see in people’s behaviour 4.more a loose group of descriptive concepts than an explanatory theory 5.dramaturgical analogy has its limitation as everyone plays both roles of actor and audience and interactions are often improvised and unrehearsed

Answer 11

The world only makes sense because we impose meaning and order on it we construct mental categories to classify and file information that we experience through our senses therefore the world as we know it is a product of the individual mind

Answer 12

Developed husserls ideas and applied it to the social world he states that the categories and concepts we use to construct our mental categories aren’t unique to ourselves but we in fact share these with other people which is how we are able to live in community and social groups

Answer 13

The shared categories that help us to organise the experiences and world around us

Answer 14

Life World means... the stock of shared typificiations or what many consider common sense knowledge. It includes common assumptions about the way things are and what certain situations mean.

Answer 15

Recipe Knowledge means... the ability to interpret a situation, action or motivation without really thinking abouf it. For example we know that a red light means stop and this knowledge means that we are able to drive safely.

Answer 16

Natural Attitude means... the belief that society is a real objective thing that exists outside of use. However Schutz suggests that this is a false belief as it merely demonstrates how people have the same shared meanings which allow us to cooperate and achieve mutual goals.

Answer 17

EVALUATION: Berger and Luckman Agree that it is right to focus on the common sense knowledge they disagree with the idea that reality is an inter-subjective reality but instead that once the shared meanings have been created, society becomes an external reality that reflects back on us. For example Religion starts as a set of ideas but becomes powerful structures of society which can constrain us

Answer 18

Harold Garfinkel - is interested in how social order is maintained. Unlike interactionists who are interested in the effects of the meanings; he is interested in how people construct the common sense knowledge and the rules and processes we use to produce the meanings in the first place

Answer 19

Social order is created from.... The members of society creating and applying common sense knowledge to their everyday lives.

Answer 20

Ethnomethodology studies... The process of creating the meanings by which we make sense of the world and the rules and methods used to create the meanings.

Answer 21

Nothing has a fixed meaning; everything is dependent on context.

Answer 22

the use of common sense knowledge to interpret everyday situations to construct a sense of meaning and order.

Answer 23

Garfinkle got his students to either act as lodgers in their own home (overly polite, avoiding getting personal) or the haggled over the price of groceries at the checkout of a supermarket. Experiments which aim to disrupt peoples sense of order and challenge their reflexivity by undermining assumptions about a situation. By challenging the taken for granted assumptions he was able to show that the orderliness of everyday situations is not fixed but an accomplishment of those who took part. Social order is "participant produced"

Answer 24

EVALUATION: Carib Findings of the breaching experiments were trivial as Ethnomethodologists spend a lot of time uncovering "taken for grated rules" which are of no surprise to anyone. EM denies the existence of wider society suggesting instead that it is a "shared Fiction" but functionalists would argue that norms and values are not fiction but a social fact. Marxists would argue that the "shred common sense knowledge" is in fact the ruling class ideology and the order that it creates serves the interests of capitalism not the individual.

Answer 25

1Empirical - Count and measure information 2Testable - scientific knowledge can be tested and retested. 3Theoretical - seeks causal relationships and doesn't seek to simply describe but to explain. 4Cumulative - Builds on previous knowledge. 5Objective - Personal feelings m prejudices etc have not place in science. It should be unbiased.

Answer 26

Sociology is and should be considered a science. Explanation Reality exists outside and independently of the mind and there for it can be studied objectively and as a real thing. They believe that there are social facts which make up the rules of society which are separate and independent of individuals. Due to this belief Positivists believe that society can be studied in the same way as the natural world and that patterns can be observed and analysed to create the social facts which rule society. This method is called inductive reasoning, which involves accumulating data about the world through careful observation and measurement. From this data a theory can be formed and verified through further study. Positivists believe that sociology should follow the objective experimental methods that the natural sciences follow so that the research remains value free and patterns and causation can be established

Answer 27

Position on Sociology as a science. Sociology is not a science but it could be Explanation Popper believes that instead of verification, what makes science unique is the idea of Falsification. Falsification is the idea that a statements can in principal be falsified by evidence. So a good theory is one that stands up to any attempts to disprove it. Popper states that sociology at present is not a science because its theories and statements are not able to be put to the test with the possibility of being falsified. For example Marxism states that there will be a revolution to overthrow capitalism but this revolution has not yet occurred due to false class consciousness. This means that Marxism cannot be falsified as if there is a revolution then Marxism is correct and even if there is not a revolution Marxism is still correct. But Popper said the sociology could be a science because it is capable of producing testable hypotheses

Answer 28

Position on Sociology as a science. Sociology could be a science depending on definition of science Explanation Realists recognise there are some similarities between Sociology and the natural science depending on the amount of control the researcher has over their variables. They identify 2 types of system within science. Closed systems - researchers are able to control and measure all the relevant variables and therefor can make predictions, similar to chemistry Open systems - The researcher is not able to control and measure all the variables so cannot make precise predictions due to the complex nature of the subject area, for example meteorology. Keat and Urry argue then that sociology is an open system as there are often complex systems and multiple variables which the researcher cannot control.

Answer 29

Position on Sociology as a science. Sociology is not a science but it could be Explanation A paradigm is a basic framework of assumptions, principals and methods from which the members of the community work. If is a set of norms which tell a scientists how to think and behave and although in science there are rival schools of thought there is still a single paradigm that all scientists accept uncritically At present Sociology doesn't have a single paradigm, there are rival schools of thought and no fundamental agreement on what or how to study society. Kuhn refers to this as being pre-paradigmatic. Stating that Sociology could become a science if it is able to develop this single fundamental beliefs system However postmodernists do not think a single paradigm is desirable in sociology as its too close to being a meta narrative

Answer 30

Position on Sociology as a science. Sociology cannot and should not be a science. Explanation Sociology and science differ on two major areas. 1) Observable v Unobservable - Sociology is concerned with unobservable internal meanings behind action and not external causes so is unobservable where as the natural sciences deal mostly with the observable cause and effect. 2) Consciousness - The natural sciences studies matter which doesn't have consciousness and therefore behaviour can be explained as a reaction to external stimulus. Where as sociology is dealing with conscious beings who make sense of the world by attaching meaning to action. These meanings are internal and based on experiences so not directly linked to external stimulus

Answer 31

Believe that the study of society should not be the a matter of subjective values or personal opinions about what is best. Instead it should focus on uncovering the truth about how society works and uncovering the laws governing its proper function. In order to do this sociologists should stay objective and value free so that they could say with scientific certainty what is best for society and they would be able to prescribe how things should be.

Answer 32

Value free sociology is both impossible and undesirable. It is impossible because a sociologists own values or those of their pay masters are inevitably going to be reflecting in their research. Undesirable since without values to guide research sociologists are simply selling their services to the highest bidder.

Answer 33

Becker argues that it is inevitable that sociologists take sides and that they should take the side of the Under dog rather than that of the powerful. Partly because less is known about these groups but also because their stories need to be told in order to redress the balance.

Answer 34

Feminists conduct their research entirely based on their values and political opinions. They argue that sociology should be driven by the desire to make society better and should be used to expose the injustice of patriarchy.

Answer 35

Gomm argues that 'a value free Sociology is impossible... the very idea is unsociological'. He argues that Sociologists react to political, economic and social events - and what is seen as a political or social 'issue', a social 'problem' is dependent on the power of different groups to define and shape reality - to define what is worthy of research. Consequently, it is just as important to look at what sociologists do not investigate as what they do - Sociologists are not necessarily immune to ideological hegemony. Three areas where sociology cannot be value free. 1 Choice of Subject or Topic - This can be subject not only to the values of the researcher themselves but also by those in political power. 2 Funding - the source of the funding to complete the research may come with ideological ties to the how the data is interpreted 3 Methodology-choice of method is influenced by perspective stance

Answer 36

Sociology cannot be completely value free but there are elements which can be. He makes a distinction between facts and value judgements. A fact can be proven or disproven by evidence where as value judgements cannot be proven or disproven. Areas where Sociology can be Value Free • Data collection - Weber argues that the collection of data should be objective and unbiased. The questions asked should not be leading and researchers should not aim to get the respondents to answer in away that reflects their ideas. He states that an hypothesis must stand or fall solely on whether or not it fits the observed facts. Areas where sociology cannot be Value Free • Choice of topic - Values play an important role in selecting the area of research as it is a reflection on what they feel is important and worthy of study. • Interpretation of Data - facts need to have a theoretical framework so that it is possible to see the significance of the data and draw conclusions. This framework will be based around individual values and beliefs

Answer 37

according to Worsley are any pattern of relationships that calls for an explanation. In other words any social behaviour or phenomena which requires explanation.

Answer 38

Functionalists believe that the state acts in the best interests of society and see social policy as being good for all. Social policies help to help society to run more smoothly and efficiently. They promote equal opportunity and social cohesion. Functionalists often favour social policies which are referred to as piecemeal social engineering, meaning they favour a cautious approach tackling one issue at a time. Sociologists should investigate social problems scientifically and provide explanations as well as solutions to social problems.

Answer 39

The New Right believe that people should be self reliant. Therefore they believe that the state should not interfere too much in the private lives of the citizen. They are particularly against the welfare state which they see as undermining peoples sense of responsibility. They believe that social policy should aim to restore peoples sense of responsibility

Answer 40

Marxists believe that the state represents the interests of the ruling class and therefore social policies will reflect the interests of the ruling class as well. Social policies: Provide ideological legitimation to mask capitalist exploitation. For example the welfare state provides capitalism with a human face, making it look like the state cares for the sick and poor. • Maintain the labour force for example the NHS keeps workers fit for labour. • Means of preventing revolution by placating the working class and making it seem as if the state is looking after the working class. Policies such as the maximum working hours. Sociologists should therefor reveal the unpleasant truth about capitalist policies rather than solve the problems. This will all class consciousness to occur and revolution to start.

Answer 41

Feminists believe that the state and society is patriarchal and therefore social policies are designed to maintain this patriarchy. For example family policies which benefit married couples and maternity policies are aimed at keeping women at home. Feminist research has had an impact in a number of policy areas including equal opportunities and gender neutrality. However these policies are often seen as reflecting the Liberal Feminist view not radical or Marxist feminist view.

Answer 42

Postmoderists aren't really interested in social policy however do support policies that diversity and choices. Late modernists believe that social policies need to adapt constantly to globalisation.

Answer 43

Electoral population Ideological and policy preferences Cost/funding Globalisation Critical sociology