Sociological Theory
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
UMD

Herbert Blumer

HERBERT BLUMER


  1. HUMAN BEINGS ACT ON BASIS OF

    • MEANING

    • BUILT UP OVER TIME, BY USE OF LANGUAGE, IN INTERACTION WITH OTHERS

    • DEVELOPS SELF IN THIS PROCESS
      TAKING ROLE OF OTHER

      CAN TREAT ONE'S SELF AS OBJECT


    • X -- Y == GROUP == CULTURE

    • EVERYTHING HAS ITS BASE SHARED MEANINGS DERIVED FROM INTERACTION


  2. METHODOLOGY

    • HOW DO YOU STUDY THIS PARTICULAR WAY OF VIEWING SOCIETY?

    • HE DISLIKED POSITIVISM; PARTICULARLY THE APPROACH THAT MAKES SOCIOLOGY JUST QUANTITATIVE PROCEDURES

    • MEAD LOOKS AT SYMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING (REMEMBER MAX WEBER) BLUMER LOOKS AT PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION

    • MUST HAVE UNDERSTANDING OF SUBJECTS -- NOT IMPOSED FROM OUTSIDE

    • SOCIETY AND SELF IS PROCESSUAL

    • SELF AS ROLE MAKER! NOT ROLE PLAYER


  3. THE ACT

    ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL


    1. IMPULSE: INDIVIDUAL FEELS HUNGRY DURING CLASS

    2. PERCEPTION: THINKS ABOUT HAMBURGER OR ENCHILADA OR WHATEVER, IMPULSE IS SCREENED THROUGH PERCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK - CULTURAL DEFINITIONS (APPROPRIATE FOOD) AND INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE (WHICH DO I LIKE)

    3. MANIPULATION: TAKES SOME FORM OF ACTION - EAT - CONVINCE ONESELF TO EAT LATER, AFTER CLASS, CONTAINS, REDIRECTS AND CONTROLS IMPULSE (IMPLIES INTEGRATION OF FUTURE ACTS AND OTHERS ACTIONS)

    4. CONSUMMATION: THE ACT ENDS; IMPULSE CEASES


  4. SOCIAL ACT


    1. GESTURE: A STUDENT WAVES

    2. PERCEPTION: FRIENDLY GREETING OR KNOWING STUDENT CAN'T STAND ME -- I PERCEIVE IT AS SARCASTIC

    3. MANIPULATION: WAVE BACK OR LOOK OTHER WAY

    4. CONSUMMATION: WE GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS; DOES THE ACT END?

    5. THE MEANING OF THE ACT IS NOT INHERENT IN THE ACT BUT GUIDED OR BY RESPONSE OF OTHER PERSON AND ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE ACTIONS

    6. THE STRUCTURE DID NOT DETERMINE WHAT I WOULD DO; I ESTABLISHED A PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE FUTURE

    7. WAVE BACK LEADS TO ONE COURSE OF ACTION

    8. REFUSAL TO WAVE LEADS TO ANOTHER COURSE OF ACTION

    9. IT CAN BECOME STIMULUS FOR NEXT MEETING OR MEETING OF OTHER FRIENDS OR FRIENDS OF THAT PERSON


BLUMER ESTABLISHES SIX "ROOT IMAGES" OF HUMAN NATURE


  1. HUMAN SOCIETY OR HUMAN GROUP LIFE; ANY INTERACTION BETWEEN 2 OR MORE PERSONS; CULTURE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE COMES FORM THIS

  2. HUMAN SOCIAL INTERACTION; PEOPLE INTERPRET ACTS AND ANTICIPATE OTHER'S BEHAVIOR

  3. OBJECTS ARE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE WORLD; PHYSICAL - BOOKS, TREES, CARS ETC.; SOCIAL - LESS TANGIBLE INVOLVING CONCEPTUAL RELATIONSHIPS LIKE FRIENDS, LOVERS, CHILDREN; ABSTRACT OR HIGHER CONSTRUCTS - CRIMINAL JUSTICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, RELIGION DOCTRINES ETC.

  4. HUMAN BEING AS ACTOR; WE ARE CREATIVE CREATURES, SOCIAL SELF

  5. HUMAN ACTION IS RATIONAL BEHAVIOR; USE OF SELF INDICATIONS; SELF - ORGANIZATION - RESPONSE

  6. INTERLINKAGE OF ACTION; HUMAN SOCIETIES ARE LINKAGES OF HUMAN INTERACTIONS AND ACTS; COMBINING PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

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    The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

    Copyright: © 2001, John Hamlin
    Last Modified: Friday, 12-Sep-2003 15:17:04 CDT
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