Marx’s class society, Weber’s 4 types of social actions etc. It is a mental construct which is formed by the one-sided accentuation of one or more PoVs and the synthesis of many diffused, discrete or concrete individual phenomena arranged into a unified analytical construct. Weber said you don't need to be a Caesar to understand Caesar. This involves establishing an empathetic link with the actor in order to interpret the meaning and motives that might have driven the actor.

Understanding motives/assigned meanings.Sociologist looks at social phenomenon from the outside and attributes natural meanings to what is observed.There are two steps for application of this method: agency debate as this method is applicable to both macro and micro studies. With this method Weber provides a solution to the structure vs. In this way sociological explanation would be causally and meaningfully adequate. Verstehen (Interpretive understanding)Build an empathetic link with the actor and develop a sequence of motives in order to trace the course and effect of social action. Weber’s methodology consisted of 4 elements: Theodore Abel later said that social action could be understood as: Here social action is seen as socially guided individual initiative. Weber said that social action is the subject of sociology. Aim is to maintain continuity with the past. Goals not rationally chosen, means chosen for efficiency. Oriented towards practical goals, means chosen for efficiency. While doing this he maintained that reality was infinitely complex, but these four are the building blocks of all social action. Weber then defined the four basic types of social action (ideal type). Thus, Weber said that while generalisations were possible, they would only be limited generalisations. Weber was supportive of using the positive science method, but maintained that in the study of society explanations must be causally and meaningfully adequate.

Meaning is found only in the consciousness of the individual and action (as a subjectively understandable orientation) exists only as a behaviour of one or more individuals. No objective meanings exist in the world. Any action is social if its subjective meaning takes account of the behaviour of others and is thereby oriented in its course. According to Weber, sociology as a science is concerned with interpretive understanding of social action.Īn action occurs when the acting individual attaches meaning to his behaviour, be it c/overt.

Max webber sociology