microsociology: testing interaction theories “social psychology”
TRANSCRIPT
Microsociology: Testing Interaction Theories
“Social Psychology”
The Rational Choice Proposition
Within the limits of their information and available choices, guided by their preferences and tastes, humans will tend to maximize.
limits of info and available choices….. social forces powerful – Stark: people have different basis for making choice and different alternatives from which to choose
Preferences and tastes define what the individual finds rewarding or unrewarding.
Tend to maximize
Altruism? Is there any such thing as selfless behavior
From a rational choice perspective perhaps not
But people are selfless – Mother Teresa Her behavior violates rational choice only if
we adopt narrow definition of rewards Power of Christian message is NOT that we
avoid rewards. It is that we should find rewards in serving others.
Symbolic Interaction Theory
Assumption is that much of what we want we can only get from others – social beings
People are endlessly influencing and being influenced by other people around them.
Interaction through the use of symbols makes and keeps people human.
Who are you? “Self,” “Identity”…Self: Conception of who we are George H Mead – Self develops when we can
“take the role of the other” E.g., Soccer game with young vs. older
children Charles Cooley’s “Looking Glass Self” – we
see ourselves as we think others see us– We imagine how we appear to others– We judge ourselves– We manipulate who we are
Exchange Theory
Central concern is to explain how people exchange rewards with one another.
Exchanges occur because each partner values what the other offers more than what must be offered in return.
Exchange Theory: Relationships that are not reciprocal are unstable In the absence of restraints, cheating is expected
– try to get more than we give Law of liking – cooperation and agreeing = liking Law of agreement – the more we like = more
agreement Law of inequality – easier to like people of similar
rank Law of conformity – solidarity = intense demand
for conformity
Famous Studies
Solomon Asch A B C
Asch study shows….
Role of solidarity – 33% gave wrong answer when all in agreement, only 5% when one disagreed
Power of social influence – we are “vulnerable” - perhaps far more than we want to realize
Smart to consider implications– E.g., Olympic judges, group meetings
Lofland and Stark research on the Unification Church
People brainwashed? No, more a matter of understanding the principles of conformity
Ideology/theology identification explain conversion?
No – attachment to others (and conformity that results) explains ideology/theology– Only people who developed strong ties within
converted– People who could not neutralize outside group ties
did not– Beliefs came later
Lofland and Stark study shows
People are drawn to the commitments, beliefs, convictions of others
Not so easy to believe the unbelievable But if people to whom we are attached
believe….
Measurement and Research
Theorize…. Hypothesize… Collect data Hypothesis = predicted relationship
between independent and dependent variable
Independent = causal variable Dependent = result/consequence
variable
Criteria for a Cause-and-Effect Relationship
When any one is not met, a cause-and-effect relationship does not exist:
Time order: A cause must occur before its effect.
Correlation: Changes in the cause must produce changes in the proposed effect.
Nonspuriousness: Two variables must actually have a cause-and-effect relationship– Sexual behavior and heart attacks causally
related?
Two Research Methods
Experimental research – good at establishing cause and effect relationships
Non-Experimental – not so good…. – “Field Research”
Non-Experimental
Smoking and cancer - what do you do?– Look at association (correlation) – do people with
lung cancer smoke more?– 3 conditions of cause met?
Spanking and Antisocial behavior – what do you do– Kids who are spanked more likely to engage in
antisocial behavior– 3 conditions of cause met?
Experimental Design
2 fundamental features1. Manipulate the independent variable2. Random assignment
Most desirable method because easier to establish cause and effect relationships…. Why?
Manipulation of I.V. solves time order problem Randomization solves spurious problem
(everything essentially held constant) E.g., Drug Education Programs
What is a correlation coefficient? What is statistical significance? Why introduced to Asch and
Lofland/Stark studies here?– Asch is experiment (Independent variable
= solidarity)– Lofland/Stark non-experimental field
research