Overview
This lecture introduces Berger and Luckmann's theory of the social construction of reality, explaining how knowledge and reality are shaped through social processes, language, and institutions.
Social Construction of Reality: Introduction
- Berger and Luckmann's 1966 theory argues reality is continuously created by social processes, not just objectively existing.
- Reality forms through interaction, language, societal institutions, and shared meanings.
- Individuals and groups collectively build, maintain, and adjust perceptions of reality.
- Institutionalization makes these constructed realities appear objective and natural to society.
- Power influences which narratives and realities dominate.
- In the global era, media and transnational forces shape shared realities on a worldwide scale.
The Sociology of Knowledge
- Focuses on the relationship between human thought and its social context.
- Earlier thinkers like Marx and Durkheim linked knowledge to social, economic, and cultural factors.
- Mannheim introduced relationism, tying knowledge to the thinker's social position.
- Alfred Schutz influenced Berger and Luckmann by emphasizing everyday, lived experiences.
- Berger and Luckmann showed all forms of knowledge are shaped through social interactions.
Berger and Luckmann: Key Contributions
- Expanded sociology of knowledge to include everyday, common-sense knowledge.
- Asserted knowledge is not fixed but constructed and shared through social processes.
- Described reality construction as a three-stage cycle: externalization, objectivation, internalization.
- Institutionalization creates stable social structures that require legitimation to be seen as natural.
- Language is crucial in creating, communicating, and preserving social reality.
- Socialization (primary and secondary) is central in internalizing social norms and roles.
- Everyday routines reinforce and maintain constructed social realities.
- Their approach bridges social structures and individual agency.
Definition & Types of Knowledge
- Knowledge is defined as the certainty people have about reality, shaped by social factors.
- Objective knowledge: shared, institutionalized, and perceived as existing independently of individuals.
- Subjective knowledge: personal, shaped by individual experiences but still influenced by society.
- Objective and subjective knowledge are interconnected and influence each other.
Reality as a Social Construct
- Reality is shaped via social processes, not an objective given.
- Human interactions and language construct and reinforce what is seen as real.
- Objective reality: societal structures and norms recognized as real.
- Subjective reality: each person's internalized understanding shaped by socialization.
- Institutionalization and objectivation make social constructs appear natural and permanent.
- Language plays an active role in shaping and evolving social reality.
- Power dynamics determine which realities and norms prevail.
The Process of Social Construction
- Externalization: individuals express beliefs and actions that enter the social world.
- Objectivation: repeated behaviors gain permanence and appear as objective facts.
- Internalization: individuals adopt these objectified realities as their own, perpetuating social norms.
Institutionalization of Social Realities
- Institutionalization structures repeated behaviors into stable, recognized patterns.
- Habits evolve into collective norms, then formalized roles and structures.
- Written rules and rituals ensure permanence and stability.
Critical Evaluation of Berger and Luckmann’s Theory
- Criticized for overemphasizing social construction and downplaying material factors.
- Lacks analysis of power dynamics and who shapes dominant realities.
- Objectivation is seen as vague and doesn't fully explain resistance to social norms.
- Some argue the theory underestimates individual agency.
- Does not fully address changes from globalization and modern technology.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Externalization — expressing internal ideas and beliefs into social actions.
- Objectivation — the process by which social constructs become seen as objective reality.
- Internalization — adopting societal norms and realities as part of personal belief.
- Institutionalization — making social patterns stable, structured, and enduring.
- Objective Knowledge — shared, institutionalized understandings accepted as truth.
- Subjective Knowledge — personal interpretations shaped by experience and social context.
- Socialization — process of learning and internalizing societal norms and values.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Berger and Luckmann's "The Social Construction of Reality."
- Reflect on examples from everyday life where social reality has been constructed.
- Prepare to discuss critiques of the theory and its relevance today.