100% satisfaction guarantee Immediately available after payment Both online and in PDF No strings attached
logo-home
Summary SOCIOLOGY A LEVEL ACTION THEORIES NOTES (A*) CA$6.45   Add to cart

Summary

Summary SOCIOLOGY A LEVEL ACTION THEORIES NOTES (A*)

 12 views  0 purchase
  • Course
  • Institution
  • Book

Clear and concise textbook notes on the action theories. Great for essay plans/practice questions/cramming. got me an A*!

Preview 2 out of 8  pages

  • No
  • Unknown
  • August 30, 2022
  • 8
  • 2022/2023
  • Summary
avatar-seller
action theories
Introduction

 can divide sociological theories into two broad types - structural theories and action
theories

STRUCTURAL

 e.g. functionalism and marxism - macro (large scale), top down and deterministic
 society is a real thing existing over and above us - shaping our ideas and behaviour
 individuals are like puppets, manipulated by society
 understanding of peoples behaviour comes from understanding the social structure
that shapes it

ACTION

 e.g social action theory, symbolic interactionism - micro, bottom up and focus on the
actions and interactions of individuals - more voluntaristic (see us as having free will
and choice)
 our actions are not determined by socierty - we are free agents
 we shape and create society through our choices, meanings and actions

Max Weber - social action theory

 saw both structural and action approaches as necessary for a full understanding of
human behaviour
 the level of cause - explaining structural factors that shape peoples behaviour
(objective)
 the level of meaning - understanding the meanings that individuals attatch to their
actions (subjective)

types of action

 classification of meanings of actions into four types

Instrumentally rational action - where the actor calculates the most efficient means of
achieving a given goal

 e.g. a capitalist may calculate that the most efficient way of maximising profit is to
pay low wages
 not about whether the goal is desirable, just about the most efficient way of reaching
that goal

Value-rational action - involves action towards a goal that the actor regards as desirable for
its own sake

 e.g. a bleiver worshipping their god in order to get to heavan

,  there is no way of calculating whether the means of achieving the goal are effective
(unlike IRA)

Traditional action - involves customary, routine or habitual actions

 Weber does not see this action as rational because no concious thought/choice has
gone into it
 the actor does it 'because we have always done it'

Affectual action - action that expresses emotion

 e.g. weeping out of giref, violence sparked out of anger
 seen as imporant in religious and political movements - gain followers based on their
emotional appeal

Evaluation of Weber

 valuable alternative to the over emphasis on structural factors seen in functionalism
and marxism

criticism

 Schutz - argues that Weber's view of action is too individualistic and cannot explain
the shared nature of meanings - we share meanings e.g. raising a hand to get attention
(everyone else understands the meaning of it, not just the actor)
 Weber's typology is difficult to apply - it does not fit all cultures
 Weber advocated the use of verstehen of the actors subkective meaning - as we cannot
actually be that other person we can never be sure we have truly understood their
motives


Symbolic interactionism
 focuses on our ability to create the social world through our actions and intentions
 intentions are based on the meanings we give to situationa

G.H Mead

Symbols versus instincts

 unlike animals, human behaviour is not shaped by fixed, pre programmed instincts
 we respond to the world by giving meanings to the things that are significant to us
 before we know how to respond to a stimulus, we have to interpret its meaning

Taking the role of the other

 put ourselves in the place of the other person and seeing ourselves from their point of
view
 this develops through social interaction

The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.

Quick and easy check-out

Quick and easy check-out

You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.

Focus on what matters

Focus on what matters

Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!

Frequently asked questions

What do I get when I buy this document?

You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.

Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?

Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.

Who am I buying these notes from?

Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller annaboulton. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.

Will I be stuck with a subscription?

No, you only buy these notes for CA$6.45. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.

Can Stuvia be trusted?

4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)

83637 documents were sold in the last 30 days

Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now

Start selling
CA$6.45
  • (0)
  Add to cart