Modernist Social Action

• Max Weber :

  • Main idea = humans have an extraordinary ability to work out what is going on around them + can choose to act in a particular way – interpretation and action
• Symbolic interactionism:

  • Marxists and feminists saw people as being controlled like marionettes
  • whereas Interactionists see people as actively working at relationships, creating+ responding to symbols and ideas
• Symbolic interactionism:

  • The symbol - examples: trees, women, gay men. May evoke feelings. Creates a response but our course of action may not be shared
  • The self - Blumer suggests we develop this notion in childhood + in particular through game playing
  • The interaction - combine to read the situation + decide how to act/react
• Goffman (1968):

  • was heavily influenced by SI
  • Based on similar ideas in that he considers how people view themselves + the fact that they then project an image of themselves
  • He suggests people work out strategies in dealing with others + constantly manipulate + alter these strategies
  • sees life as a script with people (actors) interpreting their roles
• Labelling theory (Cooley) :

  • Looking glass self – We see ourselves according to how people react to us
• Labelling theory (Becker + Lemert) :

  • The process
  • e.g. Pre-patient with some symptoms, labelling by the psychiatrist, hospital in patient, discharge.
  • The ‘Mental patient’ becomes the master status