B. Meanings and Experiences

Weber’s ideas led to the development of the ___ ___ approach known as ___.

Weber’s ideas led to the development of the anti positivist approach known as interpretivism.

Interpretivist sociologists reject the positivist view that human behaviour is determined and shaped by ___ ___ or ___ ___ over which people have no ___.

Interpretivist sociologists reject the positivist view that human behaviour is determined and shaped by social structure or social laws over which people have no control.

Interpretivists also reject the idea that human actions are ___.

Interpretivists also reject the idea that human actions are predictable.

Interpretivist sociologists argue that people are active creators of their own ___ because they are ___ ___ who act with ___ and ___.

Interpretivist sociologists argue that people are active creators of their own destinies because they are conscious beings who act with intention and purpose.

Interpretivists argue that people’s ability to ___ ___ and take alternative courses of ___ means they are not ___ ___ who are compelled against their will to take certain pre determined paths because of the way society is ___.

Interpretivists argue that people’s ability to exercise choice and take alternative courses of action means they are not passive victims who are compelled against their will to take certain pre determined paths because of the way society is organised.

Interpretivists believe that society is ___ ___ in that it is the product of two crucial social processes.

Interpretivists believe that society is socially constructed in that it is the product of two crucial social processes.

1. People choose to come together to interact in ___ ___

• They choose to live in families and work ___ ___

1. People choose to come together to interact in social groups

• They choose to live in families and work alongside others

2. Weber argued that what makes an interaction or event ‘social’ is that all those who take part give it the same meaning

• They all have the same ___ of what is going on

• They all interpret what is happening in broadly the ___ ___

2. Weber argued that what makes an interaction or event ‘social’ is that all those who take part give it the same meaning

• They all share the same sense of what is going on

• They all interpret what is happening in broadly the same way

Weber concluded that if we are to explain some event in the ___ ___, our explanation has to take into account what the people involved feel and think about it, their ___ and the ___ they apply to those experiences.

Weber concluded that if we are to explain some event in the social world, our explanation has to take into account what the people involved feel and think about it, their experiences and the meanings they apply to those experiences.

Weber argued that we must not regard people simply as ___ ___, as positivists do.

Weber argued that we must not regard people simply as helpless puppets, as positivists do.

Weber argued that we instead need to acknowledge that society is a ___ ___ in that it is the net sum of all social interactions and the ___ or ___ that underpin them.

• In this sense, people are the ___ of society

Weber argued that we instead need to acknowledge that society is a social construct in that it is the net sum of all social interactions and the interpretations or meanings that underpin them.

• In this sense, people are the architects of society

Some of Weber’s ideas were further developed by ___, who demonstrated that people’s sense of self can only develop in a ___ ___.

Some of Weber’s ideas were further developed by Mead, who demonstrated that people’s sense of self can only develop in a social context.

Weber argued that an important part of the socialisation of children was learning how to interpret every ___ they found themselves in by learning to put themselves in ___ ___ ___.

Weber argued that an important part of the socialisation of children was learning how to interpret every interaction they found themselves in by learning to put themselves in other people’s shoes.

Mead observed that the central feature of ___ ___ is that actions are the result of people’s ___ of the situation that they are in.

• People ___ the actions of others, and ___ according to that interpretation

Mead observed that the central feature of social life is that actions are the result of people’s interpretations of the situation that they are in.

• People interpret the actions of others, and react according to that interpretation

Mead argued that most of the time, such interpretations of situations are ___ by all involved and ___ ___ proceeds smoothly.

Mead argued that most of the time, such interpretations of situations are shared by all involved and social life proceeds smoothly.

Mead argued that when interpretations are not shared, ___ ___ can occur.

Mead argued that when interpretations are not shared, social breakdown can occur.

Mead concluded that the causes of ___ ___ lie in people’s ‘definition of the situation’ (their ___ of ___), rather than as a result of ___ ___ that ___ from outside.

Mead concluded that the causes of social action lie in people’s ‘definition of the situation’ (their interpretation of events), rather than as a result of objective laws that govern from outside.