Welcome to the blog that I have set up for this class. I will be using this blog for a variety of individual and group activities and exercises throughout the semester, such as the "get your feet wet" exercise described below. This blog will also be used to post questions (and answers) that you will make up in preparation for the midterm and final exams. Finally, I may use this space for possible extra credit opportunities. Although I will be sure to remind you in class when you need to be checking this blog, let me also recommend that you get in the habit of checking it at least once or twice a week on your own.
FIRST INDIVIDUAL EXERCISE: Identify and briefly describe what you consider a significant idea or concept that you have encountered in any of the various sociology courses you have taken. Be sure to indicate which sociologist was responsible for this idea or concept and in what sense you believe it is significant or relevant. I am only looking for a couple paragraphs. This exercise is worth 5 activity points. Please post your comment by MONDAY, FEB. 13TH.
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One of the most well-known and reoccurring theories I have learned about in my past sociology classes had been Merton's Anomie/Strain Theory (Durkheim was originally behind Anomie). The idea behind this theory is that society places value on certain socially acceptable end goals and there is "right way" to go about achieving these goals. However, as Merton notes, many times there is a disconnect between the means and the end, and there are five main ways in which people may use socially UNacceptable means to try to reach an end goal. Sometimes people rebel against system or use illegal means to reach the culturally valued end goal, while others may decide not they do not value the end goal at all and decide to do away with the system all together. For example, money and possessions are two very highly prized items in our society. For the most part, our society believe that one must work to earn money and more possessions. However, some people sell drugs or other items illegally to try to make more money in the easiest way possible, while others may decide not to work to get money but would rather beg or try to live off of other people who can provide for them.
This concept is still very important today because as I have shown in my example, this theory is highly applicable and there are numerous examples in daily life to which this theory can be applied.
I would have to say that the idea or concept that I consider to be
significant, from one of my previous sociology courses, is the concept of symbolic interactionism. Symbolic interationism, used in
dramaturgical sociology, where it is argued that human interactions
are dependent upon time, place and audience, basically says that the
self is a sense of who one is, in a dramatic effect, based upon the
immediate scene that the self is in. In other words, you could say
that it means that people are actors and they act in everyday life, based on what’s happening at any given moment. This contribution to social theory came from Canadian-born sociologist and writer, Erving Goffman (1922-1982).
I think that this concept is very real significant and/or relevant today, in all aspects of communication. I think that it can be easily said that in every part of one’s day, they are, for at least some period of time, interacting with others, a time where symbolic interactionism is in full effect. I think that people, indeed, do act.
Depending on where they are, whether they’re with friends or family or professors or potential colleagues, one’s attitude is going to be different; they are going to “act” differently with each group of people. One’s interactions are, at any given point, dependent upon time, place and audience. This is a concept that I think is very significant, and one that I will admit to have taken part of, daily.
I have learned about many sociological theories in my sociology classes. One that stands out to me most is Erving Goffman’s concept of the dramaturgical approach. The dramaturgical approach is when you can analyze society like a performance or drama. You are the actor and the people around you are the audience. Within this theory, there are many concepts such as impression management. This is when you present yourself in a manner that is not really you. There is also the concept of “face,” or having a particular identity in a particular situation, and “loss of face,” where the performance goes badly. There is also the front region and the back region. The front region is where the performance takes place. The back region is where you prepare for the performance. These are just some of the concepts of Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical approach.
Admittedly, my exposure to concepts in sociology has been limited. However, I recall certain aspects of philosophy classes that overlap into the realm of sociology. I believe Plato was among the very the first of the western philosophers who endeavored to study a systematic order of society. Plato, in The Republic and Aristotle, in Politics addressed social institutions. Both accepted the society and the state as equivalent. They viewed society as a cooperative, centered with regard to social inequality and dividing labors - with the state acting in the dominant role. I would argue that Aristotle believed that societal beginnings were rooted in human nature and its order and hierarchy resided within social groupings paying special attention to group function.
One concept or significant idea that immediately comes to mind is Cooley’s looking glass self, “I am not who I think I am. I am not who you think I am. I am who I think you think I am”. I believe that the looking glass self is relevant due to the fact that it has been mentioned in almost all sociology courses that I have taken. Also, I feel that it is still applicable in today’s world. For example, societal pressures greatly affect people and this is evident in the looking glass self. The looking glass self basically says that one’s self-perception is greatly affected by what others think. By breaking down Cooley’s idea, one can see that it is important to ‘take the role of the other’ (George Herbert Mead). Cooley’s idea of the looking glass self shows that individuals do not have the ability to mold themselves. Rather, they have to look to others and outside sources to form a sense of who he/she truly is. This concept ties in with symbolic interaction as well. People begin the process of figuring out/determining who they are from a young age. In order to determine one’s place in society, people learn from others through primary and secondary socialization, etc. To me, Cooley’s looking glass self is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the numerous sociological concepts and understanding who we truly are.
By far, my favorite sociological theory is Erving Goffman's dramaturgical approach. This really applies to my life because I do a lot of "acting" in my life. By working in the Admission Office, I encounter countless people and must approach them in the front region (where the performance occurs). Our office is literally set up with a front region (the lobby) and a back region. It is important that while in the front region, I maintain face. I also have have coworkers who work together in performance teams to help each other maintain face. And after a tour, or long time working in my performance, it can get exhausting, so I will retreat to the back region. There are also times when I experience "loss of face" and misrepresent a statistic or not communicate my point clearly, then I must try and "save face." I really believe that many jobs consist of roles and performance, and understanding the dramaturgical approach is critical to understanding the way someone is relating to you.
Erving Goffman's dramaturgical approach is one of the most referenced sociological theories that I have studied in my classes while at Wofford. This theory analyzes people’s behavior in front of others and explains them in terms of an actor on set of a performance. There is a “front region”, where the performance takes place, and a “back region”, where the performer is no longer in performace. Goffman describes our actions while on stage as calculated and discerning, as we try and portray ourselves to others in a desired image. This image will give the “audience” or those watching, the idea of ourselves that we desire.
One of the theories I am the most farmiliar with and enjoy discussing the most is Erving Goffman's dramaturgical approach. This theory states that we, we meaning people in society view our lives and the social interactions that take place in them as a set of performances in which we may have one or more "roles" we play. These roles are actually different means or methods of behavior, speech, action, etc.., we use to portray ourselves as a particular kind of person or identity to a specific group of people.
This theory is extremely pertinent in today's society in which we are all so interconnected via the internet and media and therefore nearly always exposed to one another and in teh public eye. The dramaturgical approach can be used to understand why people in past and present society acted differently and participated in activities or upheld beliefs in large groups that they normally would not as individuals. This in my opinion, is the most impactful side to the dramturgical approach as it relates to understanding the behavior and beliefs of many people and groups in society today and in the past.
A sociological concept that I have found interesting is Emile Durkheim's idea of "anomie" which was later further developed by Robert Merton to explain deviant and criminal behavior. Also considered strain theory, anomie theory as used today is referred to the tension between the societal expectancy of being successful and the actual ability of attaining the goals of reaching high societal expectancy. According to the theory, the social pressures of being wealthy, successful, and the like result in people's deviant behavior of attempting to become successful through illegal means. I believe this concept to be relevant to today's society because our society does promote the "perfect life" or "the American Dream" on a daily basis through various images that are accessible to all people. What is not accessible, however, is the means of every citizen in society to attain the American Dream though it is presented as an aspiration and seemingly needful. Therefore, those who do not have the means or resources to attain the things presented in our society - whether because of lack of education, low-income, job loss, etc. - the only way to reach those goals of being the "ideal citizen" is to attain resources illegally. This concept also leads into the concept of labeling in which those who commit crimes are immediately identified as deviant, though they may be first time offenders or did actions out of anger, lack of sobriety, or rash behavior. Because they are labeled deviant they are therefore expected and therefore encouraged to commit more crimes because of their label. I believe both anomie and labeling do well in explaining how society takes a part in creating more deviant behavior, even when the one being deviant was the victim from the start.
A sociological concept that I have found interesting is Charles Darwin idea of his book called “The Origin of Species” he shows that human’s evolution has occurred through the process called natural selection. A couple examples are Survival of the fittest, Variation, Struggle for existence and Natural selection. This book explains basic principles of evolution scientifically step by step from a life starting out in the ocean leading millions of years later to land based mammals and developing into the human species. He explains that our closest relatives are chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas. It defends us with similarities from our bone structure to our diets. Human Evolution
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