Assess the usefulness of social action theories in the study of society Essay

Social swear give a agency theories atomic number 18 known as micro theories which take a bottom-up draw near to counting society they look at how individuals indoors society move with each other. There are many an(prenominal) a(prenominal) forms of social exploit theories, the important ones being symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and ethnomethodology. They are whole based on the represent of Max Weber, a sociologist, who acknowledged that structural factors can shape our doings but individuals do have reasons for their actions. He used this to develop why battalion gestate in the modal value 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, this is behaviour which is traditional and has always been done he overly saw affectual actions, this includes an emotion associated with an action and value-rat ional actions, this is behaviour which is seen as logical by an individual. Webers discovery of these actions can therefore be seen as effectual in the study of society. Weber discovered these actions by using his concept of verstehan, a deeper understanding.However, approximately sociologists have criticised him as they argue that verstehan can non be accomplished as it is not possible to see thing in the way that others see them, passing sociologists to question whether Webers social action surmisal is useful in the study of society. Social action theories have also been referred to as interactionism as they aim to explain day-to-day interactions between individuals within society. G. H Mead came up with the idea of interactionism and argued that the self- impressiveness is a social construction arising out of social experience.This is because, according to Mead, social situations are what influence the way in we act and behave. He claims that we develop a sense of self as a c hild and this aloneows us to see ourselves in the way in which other people see us we act and behave in certain ways depending on the circumstances which we are in. Mead also claimed that we have a number of different selves which we turn into when we are in certain situations i. e. we may have one self for the work take and another self for home life.Mead concluded that society is like a stage, in which we are all actors. Meads opening if interactionism is useful in the study of society as it explains why people behave in different ways in certain situations. Mead argues that the social context of a situation is what influences our behaviour, macrocosm use symbols, in the form of language and nervus facialis expressions, to communicate, he also argued that humans and animals differ as reasons behind humans actions are thought through and not instinctive, unlike those of animals.However, it has been argued that not all action is meaningful, as Webers category of traditional act ion suggests that much action is performed unconsciously and may have little meaning. Therefore, meads idea of interactionism cannot be seen as an appropriate theory to use when study society. Blumer, a sociologist, who elaborated on Meads concept of the self I and me stated that there were ternary principles about actions and behaviours within social situations. He argued that our actions are the result of situations and events and they have reasons.The reasons behind our actions are negotiable and changeable, so theyre not fixed. Our interpretation of a situation is what gives it meaning. Blumers three principles can therefore be used in the study of society. However, it has been argued that his principles cannot explain the consistent patterns which we see in peoples behaviours. This therefore leaves many sociologists to question whether Blumers principles can be used to study society. Labelling theory has also been used to apply the interactionist theory to society the theor y, like Mead, emphasises the importance of symbols and situations in which they are used.The main interactionist concepts are the definition of the situation if we weigh in something then it could affect the way in which we behave. The looking field glass self this was created by Cooley who argues that we see ourselves in a way in which we think others see us. These concepts have been useful in explaining why people act in certain ways in certain situations therefore, the labelling theory is effective in the study of society. Overall, in conclusion, there are many different social action theories which can be used in the study of society, however, not all of them can be applied to all individuals.