SOCIOL 3488 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: George C. Homans, Peter Blau, Sui Generis
9 Sep 2016
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Four theories: exchange: interactions between individuals, network: arrangement of interactions, network exchange: combination, rational choice. Operant conditioning: learning process by which behavior is modified by its consequences. Rewarding behavior is repeated; costly behavior is avoided. Sociological behaviorism: social behavior operates on rewards/costs analysis: rational choice theory (economics) Constrained by scarcity of resources, high opportunity costs, social institutions. Take in all info before making decision: george homans (1910 1989) Cultures are not unique; there is a universal human nature (gathered this from anthropological research) Similar circumstances produce similar social institutions (do no intend to do this, just happens) Once structures created, take on life of own and constrain. Sociology should be psychologically reductionistic (must explain structures with individual behavior/minds) Vs. durkheim: something new does emerge from social interaction but social facts are not sui generis. Both individual behavior (with environment) and social behavior (between persons) can be explained in terms of rewards and costs.
