Lecture Notes: Social Theories Overview (Part 2)

Introduction

• Overview of feminist theory and rational exchange theories.
• Focus on major concepts and ideas.

Feminist Theory

• Macro-level perspective: Big world view of society.
• Gender Inequalities:
  • Inherent in patriarchal capitalist societies.
  • Men occupy governing positions in families and communities.
  • Women marginalized, objectified, oppressed, subordinated, and discriminated against.
  • Socially acceptable gender roles for men and women.
  • Men not subjugated based on categorization unlike women.
• Focus Areas:
  • Socially Constructed Gender Differences:
    • Differences in experiences and social positions of women vs. men.
    • Different values associated with femininity and masculinity.
  • Gender Inequalities:
    • Women's subordination viewed as inherent due to societal structures.
  • Gender Oppression:
    • Women viewed as unequal, oppressed, and abused.
  • Structural Oppression:
    • Subordination due to capitalism, patriarchy, and racism.
• Objective:
  • Shed light on gender inequalities to achieve equality.

Rational Choice Theory

• Core Concept: People always take rational actions, weighing costs and benefits to maximize outcomes.
• Assumptions:
  1. Completeness: All actions can be ranked.
  2. Transitivity: If A > B and B > C, then A > C.
  3. Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives: New choices don’t change the relative ranking of existing choices.
• Outcome: People choose the best possible option from available choices.

Exchange Theory

• Application of rational choice theory to social interactions.
• Uses: Study of family/work relationships, partner selection, parenting, etc.
• Assumptions:
  • People aim to maximize rewards and minimize punishments.
  • People have necessary information to make rational choices within social norms.
  • Self-interest and interdependence guide interactions.
  • Human relationships formed based on cost-benefit analysis.
• Considerations:
  • Rewards and punishments vary over time and between individuals.

Criticisms

• Question if people actually make rational choices consistently.
• Issue with actions benefitting others more than oneself.
• Challenges in explaining social norms not in self-interest.
• Question on whether social structures can be explained through individual interactions.
• Critique on reduction of human interactions to rational processes.
• Relationships seen as more complex and non-linear.

Conclusion

• Summary of feminist theory and rational exchange theories.
• Clarified main ideas and criticisms.

End of Lecture