Today’s lecture: social psychology and microsociology 1. Weber and the need for sociology to understand understanding 2. symbolic interactionism 3. impression management, social constructionism, and ethnomethodology 4. role theory and identity
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Weber argued that true subject matter of sociology is
Action is because behaviors are to actors and take into account the (perceived)
“All history is which has to be interpreted in terms of the of various actors.”
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Photos of Cooley and Mead
• early advocates of the importance of a systematic study of
• Mead’s work explicitly argued against the movement in
• Their work later provided foundations of what is called
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1 properties of objects are by an individual on the basis of a system of
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these guide human
• Thomas theorem: if situations are defined as
• role-taking: understanding how a social situation
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meanings are acquired through previous social interactions • socialization: the process by which
• much debate today about the relative importance of different
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2 aside #1: gender role socialization
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aside #2: Becker, “Becoming a Marihuana User” Orienting question:
Steps to becoming a recreational marihuana user: 1. Learn to
2. Associate the
3. Learn to that are experienced soc 210 (freese) 8
only through is successful social possible
• connection to last week’s discussion of “culture” and • symbolic interactionism has emphasized as a way of getting at the of particular
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3 society is an of successful
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3 theoretical movements related to symbolic interactionism
1. studies of impression management
2. social constructionism
3. ethnomethodology
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impression management: the actions by which individuals attempt to shape the that others
The dominant metaphor in the sociological study of impression management has been thinking of life as like
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4 the of self-presentation
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orienting ideas of social constructionism: that many things that appear completely natural to us (1) are the product of ; (2) could be ; and (3) are by us in social
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ethnomethodology: study of the relationship between specific
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5 Example of Impression Management and Gender
Gardner, Passing By
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Example of Social Constructionism and Gender
Lorber and Farrell (editors) The Social Construction of Gender
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Example of Ethnomethodology and Gender
West and Zimmerman, “Doing Gender”
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6 expectations and social roles
• expectations: anticipations about how other people • Consider: complex society is very much built upon the existence of among • Many expectations are attached to particular in society • role: a package of associated with a in society
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some struggles with roles...
1. what are the consequences when role ? (role )
2. what happens when the different roles on us? (role )
3. what happens when trying to fulfill a particular role causes us to behave ? (role )
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identity: the that people use to think about
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7 variation in identities
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