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Social Science Theories
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Social Science Theories
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1
Question
What are the dominant approaches and ideas in social sciences according to the outline provided?
Answer
I. Positivism II. Rational Choice III. Institutionalism IV. Marxism V. Structuralism VI. Structural-Functionalism VII. Feminist Theory VIII. Behaviorism IX. Symbolic Interactionism X. Hermeneutical Phenomenology XI. Human-Environment Systems.
2
Question
What does Rational Choice Theory state?
Answer
Rational Choice Theory states that individuals use rational calculations to make rational choices and achieve outcomes that are aligned with their own personal objectives. These results are associated with an individual's best self-interests.
3
Question
What is the primary assumption of Rational Choice Theory?
Answer
The primary assumption of Rational Choice Theory is that individuals are rational and they always choose things that will provide them maximum happiness, based on weighing their circumstances and preferences.
4
Question
What is Marxism and who were its founders?
Answer
Marxism is a social, economic, and political philosophy founded by German philosopher, historian, and economist Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Their seminal work, the Communist Manifesto, reflects Marx's theory of state and society.
5
Question
What does the term 'class conflict' refer to in Marxism?
Answer
In Marxism, the term 'class conflict' or 'class struggle' refers to the conflict between entire classes over the distribution of society's wealth and power.
6
Question
According to Marxist philosophy, what defines human nature?
Answer
Marxist philosophy believes that human nature is reality and that the source of all life is found in matter. Man is viewed as a product of nature and his ideas and opinions are affected by changes in his material condition.
7
Question
What is the significance of the industrial revolution in Marxist philosophy?
Answer
The industrial revolution introduced significant changes such as mechanization, industrial production, and new technologies that dramatically improved production and transportation, leading to social changes that Marx analyzed.
8
Question
What is alienation in the context of Marxism?
Answer
Alienation refers to the state or experience of being isolated from a group or activity to which one should belong. Marx critiqued capitalism for producing alienation in various forms: from the act of working, from the products of work, from other workers, and from human potential.
9
Question
What is Institutionalism?
Answer
Institutionalism is an approach that studies formal and informal institutions and how they affect society, viewing institutions as established laws, customs, and practices manifesting through power relations.
10
Question
What is the difference between formal and informal institutions?
Answer
Formal institutions are found in governance and economics, established by authority such as government, while informal institutions consist of norms and customs experienced in everyday activities.
11
Question
What is Structuralism in social sciences?
Answer
Structuralism is an approach that posits there are underlying structures in economy, culture, and politics that determine human behavior.
12
Question
Who is associated with the development of Structuralism in Anthropology?
Answer
Claude Levi-Strauss is the main figure associated with structuralism in Anthropology, applying Saussure's ideas to analyze cultural systems.
13
Question
What is the focus of Structural-Functionalism?
Answer
Structural-Functionalism is a framework that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
14
Question
What are manifest and latent functions in Structural-Functionalism?
Answer
Manifest functions are the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern, while latent functions are the unrecognized and unintended consequences.
15
Question
What is Feminism?
Answer
Feminism is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women.
16
Question
What are the three waves of Modern Western Feminist Movements?
Answer
1. First Wave (19th-20th Centuries) focused on suffrage and working conditions. 2. Second Wave (1960s-1980s) dealt with legal inequalities and women's roles. 3. Third Wave (1980s-early 2000s) continued focusing on gender issues and micro-politics.
17
Question
What is the main concern of Radical Feminism?
Answer
Radical feminism considers the male-controlled and capitalist hierarchy as the defining feature of women's oppression and advocates for the total uprooting and reconstruction of society.
18
Question
What is the definition of patriarchy?
Answer
Patriarchy is a social system where the male is the primary authority figure, holding power over women, children, and property, thereby perpetuating female subordination.
19
Question
What is Symbolic Interactionism?
Answer
Symbolic Interactionism is a major framework of sociological theory that relies on the symbolic meanings that individuals develop and rely upon in the process of social interaction.
20
Question
What is the focus of symbolic interactionism?
Answer
Symbolic interactionism focuses on individual and group meaning-making, emphasizing human action instead of large-scale social structures.
21
Question
Who pioneered the development of symbolic interactionism?
Answer
George Herbert Mead pioneered the development of symbolic interactionism.
22
Question
What are the three basic premises of symbolic interactionism according to Herbert Blumer?
Answer
1. Humans act toward things on the basis of the meanings they ascribe to those things. 2. The meaning of such things is derived from, or arises out of, the social interaction that one has with others and society. 3. These meanings are handled in, and modified through, an interpretative process used by the person in dealing with the things he/she encounters.
23
Question
What philosophical roots does symbolic interactionism have?
Answer
Symbolic interactionism has roots in phenomenology, which emphasizes the subjective meaning of reality.
24
Question
What does the term 'looking glass self' refer to in symbolic interactionism?
Answer
The 'looking glass self' refers to a social theory of the self which suggests that a person's self-concept is influenced by how they believe others perceive them.
25
Question
What methods do symbolic interactionists tend to use?
Answer
Symbolic interactionists tend to use qualitative methods in their studies.
26
Question
What are symbols in the context of symbolic interactionism?
Answer
Symbols are images that represent a meaning.
27
Question
What are signs in symbolic interactionism?
Answer
Signs are things that may represent something else and may signify an event or another thing (e.g., morning sickness as a sign of pregnancy).
28
Question
What constitutes an object in symbolic interactionism?
Answer
An object is anything to which attention can be paid and action can be directed, which may be tangible or intangible (e.g., listening to music).
29
Question
Define language within the framework of symbolic interactionism.
Answer
Language is the socially constructed and organized system of symbols used to express meaning.
30
Question
What are acts in the context of symbolic interactionism?
Answer
Acts refer to the interplay of internal processes and external manifestations made evident by human behavior.