Sociological Theory- Exam 2

In what respect does Mead's symbolic interactionist perspective on society differ from those of functional (Spencer or Durkheim) and conflict theories (Marx or Weber)?

· Mead's vision of society is not a vision of social structure (like Marx, Weber, and Durkheim). It is instead constructed through the symbolic interaction of consistency of individual behavior

Identify and understand the significant theoretical approaches associated with each of the three theories such as, "Macro-Micro Link in cross-the-board conflict over control of material, organizational and symbolic resources" (Collins) as we discussed in class.

· Micro-Macro Link: Collins is concerned with the encounter and how micro-process (talk and ritual) contributed to the macro process of class cultures and stratification · Conflict revolved around the control over organizational resources, material resources, and symbolic resources

Identity and explain the three critical variables of mind, self, and society in Mead's theory.

· Mind · The Self · Society

Understand Weber's influences on contemporary conflict theoretical development regarding power, inequality, and societal stratification.

Weber: Theory of class culture and Ideology · Each social class has its distinctive culture and outlook on the world, reflecting the social circumstances in which it lives. This analysis of class cultures took on considerable refinements with Weber's concept of status groups. The related question is why different classes inhabits different intellectual and moral universes · We begin to see that there is ideological stratification and ideological domination as well as sheer economic and political domination

Use examples to illustrate the differences between manifest and latent functions and their social consequences. (2)

o The "manifest" function of anti-gambling legislation may be to suppress gambling, its "latent" function to create an illegal empire for the gambling syndicates o Christian missions in parts of African "manifestly" tried to covert Africans to Christianity, "latently" helped to destroy the indigenous tribal cultures and this provided an important impetus towards rapid social transformation

Explain Merton's theorizing in terms of "manifest function" and "latent function"

· Manifest Function- Intended social functions (Example of prohibition) · Latent Function An unintended consequence (Example of prohibition)

Mind (Mead):

· Mind is mental capacity of using significant symbols, and interpreting symbol or gestures- a type of behavioral response that emerges out of interaction with others in social context · The mental process involving thinking- a capacity of self-awareness to view oneself in situation

Theory of Race and Racism (W.E.B Du Bois)

· One of pioneering theorists of race and racism is W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) · His "The Souls of Black Folk", published in 1903, draws on his own experience of growing up black in a white nation to illustrate the psyho-socio effects of racism · Du Bois puts forth two concepts that have become staples of sociology and race theory: "double-consciousness" and "the veil"

Socio-ecological (Hawley)

· Perspective that views social evolution as change and growth in ecosystem, but change proceeds in equilibrium

Identify three contemporary conflict theorists and their respective theories.

· Ralf Dahrendorf- Dialectical Theory · C Wright Mills- Theory of Power Elite · Randall Collins- Theory of Micro-Macro Link in Stratification

Identify and understand the association between Durkheim's anomie and Merton's strain theory. Further, explain Merton's goal-means inconsistency perspective as applied to the correlation between structural strain and deviant behavior.

· Robert K. Merton borrowed Durkheim's concept of anomie- the breakdown of the normative system—to form his own theory, called Strain Theory · It differs somewhat from Durkheim's in that Merton argues that the real problem is not created by a sudden social change, as Durkheim proposed, but rather by a social structure that holds out the same goals to all its members without giving them equal means to achieve them. It is the lack of integration between what the culture calls for and what the structure permits that causes

The Self (Mead):

· Self emerges out of the (mental) capacity of using symbols and taking the role of others

What are the two social functions of Cooley's "Looking-Glass Self," as discussed in class?

· Self if constructed from the view of other people (judgement) · Self is seen as the basis for social control (a sense of shame and joy)

Identify what AGLI stands for in his functional analysis of how three subsystems work interdependently to maintain the stability and survival of society.

· Social action involves unit act (need-disposition) and functions through the organismic system of adaptation to make three subsystems functioning -Adaptation, Goal attainment, Latency, Integration

Further, identify and understand the significant theoretical approaches associated with each of the three theories, such as "ICAs" to related to the conflict between the order-giving class and order-taking class (Dahrendorf) as we discussed in class.

· Social order is maintained by process creating authority relations in the various types of ICA's existing throughout all layers of social system

Society (Mead):

· Society is built upon the process of role-taking and assuming the perspective of "generalized other". It is the role taking of "generalized other" that provides a common framework of reference for individuals to use in adjusting their conduct

Pierre van den Berghe- Theory of Socio-Biology

· Socio-Biological perspective that views social evolution as being drive by socio-biological mechanisms that promotes reproductive fitness and produce social solidarity/organization

Gerhard Lenski- Stages Perspective

· Stages perspective that views social evolution as unfolding through different stages of resources distribution

Discuss and explain the relationship of the Id, Ego, and Superego in the individual's personality development in Freudian theory.

· The id (Latin for "it") represents the human basic instinctual drive, which is considered unconscious · The ego (Latin for "I") represents a person's conscious efforts to balance the innate pleasure-seeking drives and the regulations of society (Keeps a balance between the id and superego) · The superego (Latin for "above" or "beyond" the ego) represents the person's internalized values and norms. Simply put, it represents the conscious

How pattern variables delineate the differences between traditional and modern societies. (Parsons)

· Traditional Society o Affective o Collectivity-orientation o Particularism o Ascription o Diffuseness · Modern Society o Affective-neutrality o Self-orientation o Universalism o Achievement o Specificity

Furthermore, what are the two phases of SELF?

· Two phases of the self-process: "I", which is spontaneous, inner, creative, and subjective, and "Me", which is the organized attitudes of others and the broader community

Black Feminist Thought:

· Women's experiences of difference, inequality, and oppression vary according to their total location within societies' arrangements of structural oppression · Patricia H. Collins is a leading scholar in Black Feminist perspective that explores African-American women's experiences of discrimination and oppression in various social institutions of American society

Further, understand the basic themes or dimensions of feminist theory (including black feminist thought) in the sociology of gender studies and the theory of race and racism (as in W.E.B Du Bois).

· Women's location in, and experience of, most situations is different from that of the men in those situations · Women's location in most situations is not only different from but also less privileged than or unequal to that of men · Women's situation also has to be understood in terms of a direct power relationship between men and women. Women are oppressed: that is, restrained, subordinated, molded, and used and abused by men · Such inequality is UNJUST, and needs to be CHANGED

According to Mead, what are the three stages of an individual's Self-development through socialization?

1. Play (Interacting with family members) 2. Game (Interacting with peers; like a school setting) 3. Generalized Other (Interacting with the larger community)

Understand Marx's influences on contemporary conflict theoretical development regarding power, inequality, and societal stratification.

Marx: Theory of Sex Stratification · In conflict theory, the concept of sexual property is viewed as that the rights of sexual access are appropriated and guarded in just the same way as are the rights to use economic property- the property like nature of controls over sexuality itself · Women's household labor is part of the capitalist class structure. Women working as wives and mothers, even though they are not paid for their labor, are a crucial part of the reproduction of labor force, without which the wage laborers necessary for the capitalist economy would not exist. There is thus a hidden economic pressure and a hidden class struggle underneath the more overt class relations of the market place

Further, identify and understand Parsons' dichotomy of Pattern Variables.

Pattern Variable: A dichotomy that describes alternatives of action between each person (or group) has to choose in every situation. The actions are shapes by the three systems: personality, cultural, and social

Identify and understand three contemporary theorists and their theories commonly associated with general functional-evolutionary theorizing, as demonstrated in socio-ecological (Hawley), socio-biological (van den Berghe), and stages perspectives (Lenski).

· Amos Hawley- Theory of Socio-Ecology · Pierre van den Berghe- Theory of Socio-Biology · Gerhard Lenski- The Stage Theory of Societal Evolution

Further, compare between Freud and Mead regarding their respective views on the individual's attachment or conformity to society.

· For Mead, individual's attachment to society is through the development of self in three-stage process of interaction (Play, Game, and Generalized Other) · For Freud, individual's attachment to society is through Ego mediating the Id in line with the demand of the Superego

Understand the central theme of Talcott Parsons's "social action" theory.

· Human action is purposeful and goal-directed -actions are organized into three modes or realms: social systems, personality systems, and cultural systems

Identify the central tenets of symbolic interactionist theory as discussed in class. (Mead)

· Humans as symbol creator and users · Human using symbols to communicate with one another · Human interacting by taking the role of the generalized other · Society is thus constructed through the role taking process, which makes social order possible

Identify and understand the significant theoretical approaches associated with each of the three theories such as, "Power Elite" to be related to three bureaucratic-organization-based dominant power groups in America (Mills) as we discussed in class.

· In the Power Elite Theory (1956), Mills argued that America was not under control of individual decision makers- that is, elected officials- but was actually controlled by three massive, bureaucratic organizations. They were the corporate business establishment, the military bureaucratic of the Pentagon, and the bureaucracy of the federal government

Further explain an interlocking relationship of these three key variables that constitute the central theme of Mead's view on society, i.e., "society is constructed and maintained in our mind."

· It is from reflexive and reflective capacity of mind that makes taking the role of others possible, and individual self is consistent with generalized other's self, which makes the social order possible. Thus, society according to Mead, is constructed in human mind through the role-taking