Social Action

Social Action
The Social Action Theory was developed by the German sociologist Max Weber,
who with this theory pursued to highlight the importance of human behaviour as it
relates to cause and effect (instrumentally rational) in the social sphere.
According to Max Weber, human beings adapt their actions according to social
contexts and how these actions affect the behaviour of others.
Definition
For Max Weber, social action explains the behaviors, effects and consequences of
human behavior and how this behaviour can influence the behavior of other people
and become a social movement, where it is no longer an isolated behavior, but part
of a whole (society). Weber relied on existing research to argue that sociology is
fundamental for scientific research.
According to Max Weber, “social action can trigger means and ends for social
actors and social interaction who want to achieve something specific.”
Max Weber conceived of sociology as a comprehensive science of social action.
His primary focus was on the subjective meanings that human actors attach to their
actions in their mutual orientations within specific socio-historical contexts. Coser
says, “In his analytical focus on individual human actors he differed from many of
his predecessors whose sociology was conceived in socio-cultural terms”. Max
Weber began with the idea of social action to make of sociology a scientific
enquiry. Thus the idea of action is central to Max Weber’s sociology. For Weber
the combined qualities of “action” and “meaning” were the central facts for
sociology’s scientific analysis. Weber defined sociology is, “the interpretative
understanding of social action in order thereby to arrive at causal explanation of its
courses and effects.” Action in Weber’s analysis is all human behaviour to which
an actor attaches subjective meaning. According to Weber “Action is social, in
sofar as by virtue of the subjective meaning attached to it by the acting individual it
takes account of the behaviour of others and thereby oriented in its course.” Weber
was particularly interested in how social action is often conceptualized by social
actors in terms of means-ends chains. For instance, a large bureaucratic
organization will organize the activity of social individuals by assigning each
worker a particular role in a hierarchy. The responsibilities associated with this role
are rules, or norms, that serve as means to the ends served by the bureaucracy.
These norms serve to make organized social action possible; that is they routinize
and formalize social interaction among individuals who, for whatever reason are
committed to serving the organization.
According to Weber, there are three key terms: (i) Deuten, (ii) Verstehen, (iii)
Erklaren
i. Deuten: To interpret, to grasp the significance or subjective meaning.

ii. ii. Verstehen: To comprehend, to organize the subjective meaning of
human actions into concepts.
iii. iii. Erklaren: To explain causally or reveal the constants of human
behaviour.
iv. The primary task of sociology is the study of social action. Sociology
studies the different aspects of human behavior particularly meaning,
purpose and value of the human behavior. Max Weber observes that
social action is that action of an individual which is somehow influenced
by the action and behavior of other individuals and by which it is
modified and its direction is determined.
Weber writes, “A correct causal interpretation of concrete course of action, is
arrived at when the overt action and the motives have both been correctly
apprehended and at the same time their relation has become meaningfully
comprehensible.”
6 Characteristics of social action
Talcott parsons
1. Actors who performed social action are individual and individuals.

2. There is purpose or motive behind every social action.
3. The motive can be achieved by actors from different types of action.
4. Actors achieve his goal by different means depends on the situation.
5. The objective and means of achieving that are selected on the basis of
norms, values,law.
6. Involving action actor use his personal perspective to take decisions
regarding, the means to achieve his goal.
Types of Social Action
1. Rational-purposeful stage: In this stage the actions covered are primarily

guided by reason and discrimination. The pursuit of goals is a corollary of
the facts; the rational choice involves consciousness of ends or goals.
2. Valuational stage: Religious and ethical actions come under this
category. In this stage the actions prevailing, are pertaining to values.
3. Emotional stage: An emotional reaction to the action of others comes
under this stage. Here there is expression of love, hatred, sympathy,
compassion or pity in response to the behavior of other individuals prevails.
4. Traditional stage: This stage is characterized by long standing customs,
traditions and usages. So all those actions, which are guided and determined
by customs and traditions are covered under this category.
Raymond Aron writes the above classification of action has been argued,
elaborated and refined:
1. Weber conceives of sociology as a comprehensive science of social
action. The typology of actions is therefore the most abstract level of the
conceptual system applicable to the social field.
2. Sociology is a comprehensive science of action. Here comprehension
implies an understanding of the meaning man gives to his conduct. Weber’s
aim is to understand the meaning each man gives his own conduct, so that it
becomes essential to the comprehension of subjective meanings to proceed
to a classification of types of conduct.
3. The classification of types of action to a certain extent governs the
Weberian interpretation of the contemporary era. According to Weber the
prime characteristic of the world we live in is rationalization. Rationalization
is expressed by a widening of the sphere of zweckrational action, the rational
action in relation to goals. Economic enterprise is rational, so is the control
of the state by bureaucracy.
4. The classification of action according to Max Weber may be co-related
with the relations of solidarity or independence between science and politics.
According to Weber, “Interpretative sociology, considers the individuals and
his action as the basic unit as its atom.” The individual is the upper unit and
the sole carrier of meaningful conduct. Concepts like “state,” association,
feudalism etc. are certain categories of human interaction. Hence Weber
concludes; “it is the task of sociology to reduce these concepts to
understandable action that is without exception, to the actions of
participating individual men.” When we come to examine Weber’s
substantive sociological writings i.e. those writings in which he actually
does sociology, we find that Weber is not a methodological individualist.
Turner explains the contradiction between two themes in Weber’s work
well. The overt emphasis is on the role of the active individual who
constructs and creates meaning. The covert theme is that the ultimate origin
of the meanings of actions is to be found in charismatic religious movements
and these absolute values dig their own graves with the inevitable logic of
fate. Thus Turner suggests that, “in fact Weber’s pessimism produces a
deterministic sociology in which the intentions of social actors are overtaken
by historical fate.” Weber coined the concept “social relationship” to
describe patterned human interaction which is intentional, meaningful and
symbolic”, Abraham and Morgan wrote, they said, there are six types of
social relations designated as modes of orientation of social action. Weber
thought of these as “patterns of human behaviour” attributable to the
recognition of normative expectations.
The six types have been identified and defined by Larson:

1. Usage
2. Custom
3. Rational Orientation
4. Fashion
5.Convention
6. Law.
1. Usage: Described behavior performed simply to conform to a style of
pattern, for example, social etiquette.
2. Custom: Described habitual practices with roots in antiquity.
3. Rational orientation: Designated that variety of social action which is
consequence of actors orienting themselves to one another on the basis of
similar ulterior expectations, for example mutual self-interest.
4. Fashion: Described social action which is the result of adherence to
contemporary fad.
5. Convention: Designated that type of social action performed in
recognition of strong moral obligation in the manner of Sumner’s mores.
6. Law: Described that type of social action performed in recognition of
codified expectation and restriction. Sociology concerns the rationality of
individual and collective behavior. It is the science of human action “both
comprehensive and explicative. Weber has “a kind of existential
philosophy.” He wants to know the manner men live, here and now.
According to him sociology is deeply connected with history and with
culture.

Social Action

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Social Action

i. Deuten: To interpret, to grasp the significance or subjective meaning.

6 Characteristics of social action

1. Actors who performed social action are individual and individuals.

Types of Social Action

1. Rational-purposeful stage: In this stage the actions covered are primarily

The six types have been identified and defined by Larson:

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