01:920:314 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Symbolic Interactionism
Document Summary
Parson"s core analytic structure - agil: a-adaptation, g-goal attainment o o. L-latent pattern maintenance: all systems must meet these needs. The four subsystems that make up modern society: agil. Society is a system and includes 4 key elements/requirements: adaptation ((economy), goal attainment (what are the standards and what role does the political system play) Latent pattern maintenance (learning the system requirements through religion, family, Nature of society: composed of individuals whose daily actions depend on interpreting each other"s behavior (micro--consciousness and action) Maintenance of social order: negotiations between individuals. The system doesn"t exist without people interacting daily. Political implications: status quo or (and more likely) progressive/activist. Research should benefit the group one is studying. Subject of focus: interaction between individuals, especially the meanings they give to situations and how they interpret social reality. Subject of focus: social conflict and change. Nature of society: composed of groups in conflict, each pursuing its own interests (macro--the system)