Social action theories

• What are the features of social action theories?


  Society is socially constructed by individuals

  Free will and choice

  Interpretations of individuals

  A micro-approach

  Interpretivism
• What is social action theories?


  Theories that society is a product of small scale interactions and free will allowing individuals to decide and negotiate their positions in society (agency)
• What is symbolic interactionism proposed by Mead (1863-1931)?


  Society is built up by interactions which take place on the basis of meanings held by individuals and how they are socially constructed and how it influences social behaviour
• How did Blumer (1969) develop the work of Mead?


  Argued that there are three basic principles of interactionism:

  • People act in therms of symbols and their attached meanings
  • Meanings develop from interactions and can change
  • Meanings arise from an interperative process
• What is the "Looking glass self" proposed by Cooley (1998)?


  The idea that the image of ourself is reflected back to us in the view of others which may lead to an adoption of a new self-identity in accordance of the view of others
• What does labelling theory say about society?


  People label individuals and situations in particiular ways that affect the behaviour of those labelled as it has a powerful effect on self-esteem and status
• How does Goffman critcise the labelling theory?


  Goffman believes that we construct outselves through impression management and dramtical anaolgy, where people use props and stages to control how we are percieved
• What is phenomenology?


  A theory that claims all imformation about the social world is a product of the human mind and how people organise phenomenon into social categories known as typifications, proposed by Schutz
• What is ethnomethodology?


  Examines how people speak to each other and interact in everyday conversation and how people assume the social world is ordered and makes sense when it may not actually be
• How do ethnomethodology uncover taken-for-granted rules people use to construct social reality?

  Reflexivity and Language
• What are the strengths of the social action theory?

  Shows people are active and creative and make sense of the world

  Recognises people actively create meanings and are not just puppets

  Micro-approach that uses qualitative methods = high validity
• What are the limitations of the social action theory?

  Doesnt take into account how social structures constrain behaviour

  Doesn't explain where people get their meaning from

  Underestimates distribution of power inequality

  Lacks reliability and representativeness