social action theory

• 5 Features of social action

  1. social structure is a social construction created by individuals - not a separate entity above them
  2. voluntarism, free will and choice of people to do things and form their own identities rather than being large-scale trends
  3. micro approach - focus on individual or small groups rather than large-scale trends
  4. behaviours are driven by beliefs, meanings and feelings people give to the situation they are in or the way they see things
  5. the use of interpretivist methodology to uncover the meanings and definitions individuals give to their behaviour
• social action theory - WEBER
• Social action theory - Micro approach

  means that the sociologists are looking at the individuals in society and how they shape the world around them
• Social action theory - Verstehen

  means empathy - to fully understand social groups you have to be able to 'walk in their shoes'
• Summary of social action theory

  • WEBER - to fully understand society you need to use a combination of both structural and action approaches

  e.g protestant work ethic

  • structural cause: protestant reformation, introduced new belief system - Calvinism - this changed people's worldview and therefore their behaviour
  • subjective meaning: work took on a religious meaning, glorifying God through labour and aestheticism - making them the first modern capitalists
• social action theory - 2 levels of sociological explanation

  1. Cause: explaining the structural factors that shape people's behaviour
  2. meaning: understanding the subjective meanings that individual attach to their actions
• social action theory - 4 types of action

  1. instrumental rational action
  2. value rational action
  3. traditional action
  4. affectual action
• social action theory - 4 types of action

  INSTRUMENTAL RATIONAL ACTION

  • social actors work out the most efficient way to achieve a goal
  • e.g. the most efficient way to make profit is to pay low wages
• social action theory - 4 types of action

  VALUE RATIONAL ACTION

  • action towards a goal that is seen as desirable for its own sake
  • e.g. believing in god and completing rituals in order to reach salvation
• social action theory - 4 types of action

  TRADITIONAL ACTION

  • routine, customary or habitual actions that are done without thought or choice
  • "we have always done this"
• social action theory - 4 types of action

  AFFECTUAL ACTION

  • action that expresses emotion
  • WEBER - important in religious and political movements with charismatic leaders who attract followers based on emotional appeal
  • e.g weeping with grief or violence cause by anger
• social action theory - AO3

  SCHULTZ

  • Weber's view of action is too individualistic and doesn't explain the shared nature of meanings
  • e.g. a student raising their hand in class - they mean they have a question or answer but weber doesn't explain how the teacher and other students also know what is meant by this gesture
• social action theory - AO3

  APPLICATION

  • difficult to apply these ideas - meaning can be misinterpreted or reinterpreted by different individuals
  • e.g the Trobiand islander exchange gifts called Kula with neighbouring island - could be seen as either a traditional action as it has been done for generations or it could be seen as an instrumental ration action because it cements
• social action theory - AO3

  VERSTEHEN

  • it is never possible to truly put yourself into the shoes of another person - we cannot really know or understand their motives