Social action theory

• Structural:

  • functionalism
  • feminists
  • marxism
  • top down approach
  • deterministic
• WEBER: founding father, both structural and action approaches are necessary.

  levels:

  1. level of cause.
  2. the level of meaning.
• Level of cause: society is objective. Objective structural factors shape people’s behaviours.

  • laws and norms are set which determine people’s actions.
• Level of meaning: Subjective meanings to the what people believe and their action that determines their behaviour.

  • meanings individuals attach to their behaviour.
• Calvinism promoted a work ethic where people worked hard due to their meanings of god helping them for their efforts.
• Types of actions: (infinite amount of meanings, but categorised.)

  • instrumentally rational action.
  • value rational action.
  • traditional action.
  • affectional action.
• Instrumentally rational action- a person does an action that receives them the best outcome in the most efficient way. Even if it may not be the best way to get there.
• Value rational action: action towards a goal that a person finds themselves as rational and valuable. This may not be valuable to others. Eg, praying for heaven, religious benefits.
• Traditional action: involves customary, routine or habitual actions. No conscious thought, always done. It’s a habit, no outcome. Traditional superstitions.
• Affectual action: action that expresses emotion, action is influenced through emotions.
• AO3 to Weber:

  • SCHUTZ- Webers view is too individualistic and doesn’t explain shared nature on how everyone gets to the same meaning.
• AO3: Webers actions is difficult to apply to other traditions.
• A03: VERSTEHEN individuals will try to put themselves into the perspective of others to understand them, their meanings, but we can never know what they meant.