Status Weber 4. Affective action
Affective action:
They believe that due to the nature of Weber argued that in order to gain a full
capitalism, the only way in which status understanding of human behaviour,
o Actions based on feelings and
can be gained is to generate wealth sociologists should analyse the meanings
through paid employment. The problem for behind the actions taken by the individual. He emotions that have no rational
many women is that much of their days are classified actions into four ideal categories. reasoning.
dominated by unpaid domestic labour that o This is the most irrational social
provides them with no status. action.
1. Instrumentally rational action
o E.g. crying at a funeral, cheering a
success, or going to university
Radical Feminism Instrumentally rational action: because you love to learn.
Radical feminists believe that men are the
o How actors attempt to achieve a
main enemy of all women and patriarchy is Symbolic Interactionism
given goal in the most effective
the main form of social inequality. manner. Individuals shape their identities based on the
o Each individual aims to achieve
Patriarchy labels that other people attach to them.
success in different ways even if they
have the same goal. George Mead
Their key focus is on ‘patriarchy’ which o E.g. studying for a degree to secure
means ‘rule by fathers’ but has become the a good job.
term commonly used to describe a male Individuals shape their identities based on the
dominated society. labels that other people attach to them.
2. Value-rational action
Mead believed that each individual interacts with
others through the use of symbols. For example
Female oppression Value-rational action: words, facial expressions, hand gestures, etc.
They believe that all societies are o How actors pursue a goal based on
Symbolic meanings
patriarchal and therefore all men oppress its desirability rather than its logical
women through ‘sexual politics’. Men are benefits.
the main enemy of all women and therefore o Because their desires are more The issue is that each symbol can have a variety
patriarchy is the main form of social important than the method of of different meanings depending on who the
inequality according to radical feminists. achieving the goal, the individual individual is interacting with. Mead argued that
often does not mind how efficient the humans do not act based on instinct like animals;
means are. instead, they have to assess the social situation
Sexuality o E.g. going to university because your by placing themselves in the place of the other
family want you to. person.
Along with these beliefs, radical feminists
discuss the nature of sexuality which is a 3. Traditional action ‘I and me’
central theme of their theory. Rich argues
that men push women into ‘compulsory Traditional action:
heterosexuality’ which she believes is Mead argued that social actors experience an ‘I
narrow and unsatisfying to women but and me’ moment, whereby they present their
o Actions that occur through ‘me’ to the outside world rather than their true
beneficial to men as it fulfils only their
custom or routine that happens selves. The ‘me’ is an altered version of yourself
desires.
because it always has done and to fit your social surroundings.
therefore isn’t challenged.
Action Theory o E.g. eating Sunday Lunch with
Affective action:
They believe that due to the nature of Weber argued that in order to gain a full
capitalism, the only way in which status understanding of human behaviour,
o Actions based on feelings and
can be gained is to generate wealth sociologists should analyse the meanings
through paid employment. The problem for behind the actions taken by the individual. He emotions that have no rational
many women is that much of their days are classified actions into four ideal categories. reasoning.
dominated by unpaid domestic labour that o This is the most irrational social
provides them with no status. action.
1. Instrumentally rational action
o E.g. crying at a funeral, cheering a
success, or going to university
Radical Feminism Instrumentally rational action: because you love to learn.
Radical feminists believe that men are the
o How actors attempt to achieve a
main enemy of all women and patriarchy is Symbolic Interactionism
given goal in the most effective
the main form of social inequality. manner. Individuals shape their identities based on the
o Each individual aims to achieve
Patriarchy labels that other people attach to them.
success in different ways even if they
have the same goal. George Mead
Their key focus is on ‘patriarchy’ which o E.g. studying for a degree to secure
means ‘rule by fathers’ but has become the a good job.
term commonly used to describe a male Individuals shape their identities based on the
dominated society. labels that other people attach to them.
2. Value-rational action
Mead believed that each individual interacts with
others through the use of symbols. For example
Female oppression Value-rational action: words, facial expressions, hand gestures, etc.
They believe that all societies are o How actors pursue a goal based on
Symbolic meanings
patriarchal and therefore all men oppress its desirability rather than its logical
women through ‘sexual politics’. Men are benefits.
the main enemy of all women and therefore o Because their desires are more The issue is that each symbol can have a variety
patriarchy is the main form of social important than the method of of different meanings depending on who the
inequality according to radical feminists. achieving the goal, the individual individual is interacting with. Mead argued that
often does not mind how efficient the humans do not act based on instinct like animals;
means are. instead, they have to assess the social situation
Sexuality o E.g. going to university because your by placing themselves in the place of the other
family want you to. person.
Along with these beliefs, radical feminists
discuss the nature of sexuality which is a 3. Traditional action ‘I and me’
central theme of their theory. Rich argues
that men push women into ‘compulsory Traditional action:
heterosexuality’ which she believes is Mead argued that social actors experience an ‘I
narrow and unsatisfying to women but and me’ moment, whereby they present their
o Actions that occur through ‘me’ to the outside world rather than their true
beneficial to men as it fulfils only their
custom or routine that happens selves. The ‘me’ is an altered version of yourself
desires.
because it always has done and to fit your social surroundings.
therefore isn’t challenged.
Action Theory o E.g. eating Sunday Lunch with
