social action theory - Weber

• two levels of sociological explanation

  1 - level of structural

  2 - level of meaning

  -we need both to understand society
• level of structure

  -understanding how structures impact society

  > how patriarchy impacts men & women

  > how the education system shapes behaviour
• level of meaning

  the actions we perform have meanings

  > what do we think & feel

  > why do we feel them
• four types of social action

  -instrumentally rational

  -value rational

  -traditional

  -affectual

  > based on meanings of individuals
• instrumentally rational


  actions are needed to achieving a goal
• value rational


  actions we take as the actions themselves have value
• traditional 


  actions we do as they're custom & habit
• affectual


  actions we perform because of an emotion we feel
• the protestant ethic & the spirit of capitalism


  1 - the emergence of a new Protestant religion > Calvinism

  2 - believing in predestination, followers looked for signs of this

  3 - an indicator of this was their proactiveness in industry

  4 - this led to businesses growing & reinvesting Capitalism