Assess the contribution of social action theory to our understanding of how society operates

Social action theories are known as micro theories which take a bottom-up approach to studying society; they look at how individuals within society interact with each other. There are many forms of social action theories, the main ones being symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and ethnomethodology. They are all based on the work of Max Weber, a sociologist, who acknowledged that structural factors can shape our behaviour but individuals do have reasons for their actions. He used this to explain why people behave in the way in which they do within society. Weber saw four types of actions which are commonly committed within society; rational, this includes logical plans which are used to achieve goals, traditional-customary behaviour,

Sociology studies and defines the diverse aspects of some of the most basic human behaviour, particularly focusing on the purpose and the value that human behaviour holds. Max Weber, the highly influential philosopher (born 1864 – died 1920), documented and observed human behaviour, focusing primarily in his text, “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism”, on social action. Weber determines that social action is the behaviour or action of an individual, or actor, in the presence of another individual. The specific role of social action is to monitor the influence of another on an individual’s work output and how their behaviour changes and the direction of their actions determined. Weber claimed that “a correct causal interpretation of concrete course of action, is arrived at when the overt action and the motives have both been correctly apprehended and at the same time their relation has become meaningfully comprehensible.”

If Sociology is the systematic study of human society, then sociological imagination is what we perceive or think about how people work and or think in a more personal and bias matter. C.W. Mills believes that merging two different theories of social reality of the “individual” and “society”. Mills challenges readers and learners by arguing many basic terms and definitions from what “we” believe are right. Chapters one and two talks about how society portrays what we know rather then the facts. Our bias opinions and beliefs often go against what science has proven.

The Social Action Theory and Symbolic Interactionism Max Weber believed that individuals were the key to society. He developed social action theory, the purpose of which was to find out why individuals function in certain ways. He thought that every social action performed by an individual had a meaning attached to it. Social actions are the result of conscious thought processes that take into consideration the reactions of other individuals. Weber identified four types of social action which include, reason (an instrumentally rational or calculated action), value or rational action (determined by belief), emotion or effectual action (dependent upon the feelings of the individual), and traditional

Examine the view that Erving Goffman’s work focuses on forms of social interaction but ignores social structure.

The general theme that surrounds the ‘Social Action’ approach is the rejection of the idea that society is seen to be a well oiled mechanism that influences individuals to behaviour in a pre-defined manner, though it cannot be denied that a ‘social structure’ does exist, but Weber and various other social action theorists, argue that its whole existence, that is society, stems directly from the interventions of the individuals that are at the root of this structure. In adopting this viewpoint, Weber believed that sociologist should focus their attentions on the comprehension of individual human behavioural patterns, in order to uncover a meaning (Haralambos et al. 2004). It was in his 1920s publication ‘Economy and Society’ that Weber

How in the world did this film cost 20 million dollars to make? Johnny Knoxville has largely earned his fame by doing bodily harm to himself that no reasonable person would even consider. Well, he’s back with another excuse to hurt himself on camera. Normally if a teenage is cutting themselves, you try to sit down have a talk with them, maybe even seek professional help. Knoxville who is about three steps away from 50 years old just can’t seem to let the past go and at his age, it’s starting to get pretty sad. What many people won’t know going into this movie is that Action Point is loosely based on the real-life story of a renegade theme park called Action Park from the 1970s. Knoxville plays D.C. who is the owner of the park. The rules of

It is difficult to say when the idea of social theory came around because it is difficult to document such an event; it is not as simple as other firsts in the world. The earliest, one can say, is around the time of the Western philosophy came around with Plato and Herodotus among others and maybe even Confucius. The ideal behind social theory is that it is the framework used to study and interpret social phenomena throughout the world. However, there is a lot more to social theory, it also tries to relate to historical debates over generally accepted methodologies, and often they critique the ideological teachings and tradition beliefs. Social theories can also encompass political science, sociology, and even economics, and does not

While I was looking for a social action event to attend that involved, adolescence, children, families, and other individuals/professionals, I had a difficult time. Therefore, I reached out to my local town hall and found an opportunity that included each of these individuals to a certain degree. In other words, a few days before the actual event on July 20, 2017, I had been reviewing my town’s website. Granted, I recently had moved to this town over the last six months and never knew there were so many committees and commissions that existed before. To be honest, some of them I had reached out to see how I can become a volunteer or a member of the board. Nonetheless, I was looking and one event that had appealed to me was the event that is titled, “Middletown’s Youth Juvenile Board (MYJB). While I had some thoughts about what this meeting was going to be, I was intrigued so I wanted to learn more about it. Therefore, the next morning I had called to see if it was open to the public and so forth. To my amazement, the receptionist was very happy to share that it was open to the public, the meetings are two hours long, and they are held on the third Thursday of each month, and what the board does for these children and adolescents.

There are three theories that sociologist hold responsible to explain and describe what’s going on in the world. The three theories are functionalist theory, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism theory. Each theory has a different perspective for how the world works. Functionalist look at different parts of society to see how each part of society can function effectively. By looking at different parts of society functionalist try to achieve balance and harmony. The conflict theory sees society as being in a competition for scarce resources. Conflict theorists consider everything that is limited not just money. Lastly, the Symbolic interactionism theory sees society as being recreated everyday by having social interactions with one another. Symbols are what make society what it is. For instance Language is a symbol used constantly to communicate with one another. From what I have learned this semester in sociology, I believe that the Functionalist theory explains how the world works. Without one of the five basic social institutions: family, economy, education, religion and government, society would fall apart. Religion and education shapes families and depicts ones morals and values. Religion also plays a role in families political views. Without politics there would be no government and without government there would be no economy. Each social institution plays a huge effect on one another.

Symbolic interactionism is the process by which individuals form their own interpretations of the world based on their interactions with other people. This branch of sociology proposes that people make decisions, act, and develop judgments and opinions based on their various social interactions.

Symbolic Interactionism attaches significant meaning to the value of communication. According to symbolic interactionism, people attach meanings to symbols based on their understanding of the symbols. For example, if marriage is important in a society,

Talcott Parsons is arguably one of the most controversial and intelligible sociologists. Starting at Amherst university, he travelled to London to join the London School of Economics where he was exposed to Malinowski and the growing field of sociology. It was at Heidelberg where Parsons received his P.h.D in sociology and economics and more importantly developed a great interest for european sociologists such as Max Weber, Emile Durkheim whom shaped the rest of his career. We will first explore Parsons aims by analysing The Structures of Social Action (1937), his desire to synthesis classical theories, his voluntaristic theory of action. We will also be looking at Systems of social actions ( put name book), structural functionalism and the notorious AGIL paradigm. Secondly, I will illustrate some crucial theoretical flaws present in both Structures and Systems and show how his theory is incomplete and highly selective, inconsistent and often misguided, ethnocentric and far too abstract. I will then move onto analysing his theory from a methodological stand point, reviewing his critics and demonstrate how Parsons heavily hindered his theory’s credibility and success through a lack of empiricism and obscure and intricate terminologies. I will finally move towards a forgotten aspect of Parsons legacy, his economic influence. I will show how he transcended Orthodox and Institutional economics through a synthesis of economics and sociology. I will describe his theory’s

The symbolic interactionism approach is interpretive; the linguistic work of assigning meaning or value to communicative texts, believes that multiple truths are possible. ( Em Griffin/Andrew Ledbetter/Glenn Sparks pg.15) The tradition is socio-cultural tradition, it’s based on the premise that as people talk, they produce and reproduce culture. ( Em Griffin/Andrew Ledbetter/Glenn Sparks

Max Weber considered human science as a careful examination of social activity. In his consistent concentrate on individual human performers he changed from a generous piece of his harbingers whose human science was imagined in social-basic terms. Spencer focused on the movement of the body social as almost resembling a creature. Durkheim 's focal concern was with institutional strategies that keep up the union of social structures. Marx 's vision of society was told by his redirection with the debate between social classes inside changing social structures and worthwhile relations. Then again, Weber 's essential concentration was on the subjective implications that human performers join to their activities in their basic presentations inside particular social-recorded settings. Lead without such hugeness, Weber combat, falls outside the space of human science (Weber, Parsons, & Henderson, 1964).