SOC 2109 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Collective Behavior, Social Forces, Georg Simmel
Document Summary
Cognitive theory simplifies the way people process information, an inherently complex phenomenon. Cognitive phenomena are not directly observable; they must be inferred from what people say and do. The basic premise is that human nature and social order are products of symbolic communication among people. In this perspective, a person"s behavior is constructed through give and take during his or her interaction with others. The self-occupies a central place in symbolic interaction theory because social order is hypothesized to rest in part on self-control. Because individuals are continually engaging in role taking, they see themselves from the viewpoint of others. Individuals care most about the opinions of significant others, people who control important rewards or occupy key positions in their group. Overemphasizes rational, self-conscious thought and de-emphasizes unconscious or emotional states. The individual is depicted as a specific personality type- another-directed person who is concerned primarily with maintaining self-respect by meeting others standards.
