SOA 1061st Edition Lecture 5Outline of Last Lecture I. Max WeberII. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of CapitalismIII. What is Science?Outline of Current Lecture II. The Social Construct of RealityIII. Macro-LevelIV. Micro-LevelCurrent LectureThe Social Construct of Reality● “ If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences” - W.I. Thomas● Sociologist believe reality is a social construct● The social construct of reality -- the process through which facts, knowledge, and truth are discovered, made known, reaffirmed, and altered by the members of society.● Micro- level dimensions of reality construction-- social interactions and “performances”● Macro-level dimensions of reality construction-- institutions(religion, politics) and cultureMacro-Level● Erving Goffman-- The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959)● Reality construction is a shared performance (Goffman)● Reality is constructed and reproduced through everyday interaction rituals (ex. greetings)● Dramaturgical theory○ front stage-- behaviors in public○ backstage--behaviors in private● Working consensus and the definition of the situationMicro-Level● Impression Management -- expressions given and expressions given off--give off expressions people will receive and believe● Examples:○ Preedy’s beach stroll (the “bro”)-- they think they are coming off cool but people are thinking otherwise.○ Job interviews○ facebook-- people do not put ugly pictures on facebook because they want to be perceived a certain way○ first dates--on your best
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