Weber: social action theory

Weber: social action theory

Weber saw both structural and action approaches as necessary for a full understanding of human behaviour. an adequate sociological explanation involves 2 levels:
1 - The level of cause - explaining the objective structural factors that shape people's behaviour.
2 - The level of meaning - understanding the subjective meanings that individuals attach to their actions.

Unless we account for both of these levels, our explanation will be incomplete or false.

We can illustrate Weber's point by referring to his study ‘The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism’, originally published in 1905. At the level of structural cause, the Protestant Reformation introduced a new belief system, Calvinism. This changed people's worldview, which led to changes in their behaviour. e.g. Calvinism promoted a work ethic that brought about the rise of capitalism.

At the level of subjective meaning, work took on a religious meaning for the Calvinists, as a calling by God to glorify his name via their labours. This motivated them to work systematically. As a result they accumulated wealth and became the first modern capitalists.

type of action

there are an infinite number of subjective meanings that actors may give to their actions. Weber attempts to classify actions into 4 types, based on their meaning for the actor:

Instrumentally rational action → the actor calculates the most efficient means of achieving a given goal. e.g. a capitalist may calculate that the most efficient way of maximising profit is to pay low wages. This action is not about whether the goal itself is desirable - e.g. the goal could be distributing charity or committing genocide.

Value-rational action involves action towards a goal that the actor regards as desirable for its own sake - e.g. a believer worshipping their God in order to get to heaven. Unlike instrumental rationality, there’s no way of calculating whether the means of achieving the goal are effective. e.g. the believer has no way of knowing whether performing a particular ritual will gain them salvation.

Traditional action involves customary, routine or habitual actions. Weber doesn’t see this type of action as rational, cuz no conscious thought or choice has gone into it. Rather, the actor does it cuz 'we have always done it'.

Affectual action is action that expresses emotion - e.g. violence sparked by anger. Weber sees affectual action as important in religious and political movements with charismatic leaders who attract a following based on their emotional appeal.

shift towards rational action

Weber argued modern society is characterised by its shift in the motivation of behaviour. today more and more behaviour is based on rational action; decrease in affective and traditional action.

he saw the increase in rational action as having created an iron cage that ensalves us: individuality, compassion and human interaction are being removed from society. e.g:
→ work is done to earn money rather than to fulfil outselves or be creative
→ loss of autonomy: others tell us how much our work and our achievements are worth
→ decrease in human interaction lads to a loss of sense of community

AO3 - strength of Weber

Weber's ideas are a valuable corrective to the over-emphasis on structural factors that we see in functionalism and many forms of Marxism, and an affirmation that we must also understand actors' subjective meanings if we want to explain their actions adequately.

AO3 - limitations of Weber

Schutz (1972) → Weber's view of action is too individualistic and can’t explain the shared nature of meanings. e.g. when a person at an auction raises their arm, they mean that they are making a bid - but Weber doesn't explain how everyone else present also comes to give this gesture the same meaning.

Weber's typology of action is difficult to apply. e.g. among the Trobriand Islanders, individuals exchange ritual gifts called 'kula' with others on neighbouring islands. This could either be seen as traditional action (it has been practised in the same way for generations) - or it could be seen as instrumentally rational action (cuz it’s a good way of cementing trading links between kula partners).

Weber advocated the use of verstehen or empathetic understanding of the actor's subjective meaning - where we put ourselves in the actors place to understand their motives and meanings. but, as we can’t actually be that other person, we can never be sure we have truly understood their motives.