Social Construction of Reality

1
Social Construction of Reality

• Peter Berger and Thomas Luckman
• Theory that assumes that understanding,
  significance and meaning are created not within
  the individual, but in coordination with other
  human beings.
• Human beings rationalize their experiences by
  creating a model of the social world and how it
  works.
• Language is the essential system to help us
  establish that reality.
• What we believe is real is shaped by our social
  interactions and our life experiences with other
  people.

2
Social Construction of Reality

• According to Berger and Luckman Berger and
  Luckman, society is constructed through three
  stages
• Externalization- we create cultural products
  (values, beliefs, material products) through
  social interaction.  These products become
  external to those who have produced them.
• Objectivation- is when products created in the
  first stage appear to take on a reality of their
  own, becoming independent of those who created
  them.
• Internalization- we learn the supposedly
  "objective facts" about the cultural products
  that have been created.  This occurs primarily
  through socialization, the process of social
  interaction in which one learns the ways of
  society.

3
Social Construction of Situations

• Thomas Theorem ( W. I. Thomas)
• If a person perceives a situation as real, it is
  real in its consequences
• Our behavior depends on our subjective
  interpretation of reality.
• Definition of a Situation
• The idea that people create of what is expected
  of them and others in a given situation.

4
Social Construction of Reality

• Definition of a Situation (3 parts to it)
• Framing understanding the context of the
  situation.
• Roles understanding the appropriate identities
  for the situation
• Leeway understanding how much leeway there is to
  enact each role. There are limits to the identity
  a person can claim
• If parties disagree about the definition of the
  situation, conflict arises.

5
Social Construction of Heroes

• Hero someone admired by his/her achievement,
  courage, skill, dedication or integrity.
• Ancient Greeks definition of hero
• person descended from goals on one side of the
  family, and from a mortal on the other side

6
Heros Journey (a.k.a. Monomyth)

• A Hero's Journey
• Joseph Campbells theory that many narratives
  from around the world share a similar pattern
  revolving around the life of a hero.
• His book The Hero with a Thousand Faces was
  published in 1949

7
Functions of Heroes

• Reflect cultural ideals and values.
• Become representatives or symbols of a culture
• Maintain a societys cultural beliefs, such as
  hard work or achievement
• Serve as agents of social control and influence
  people

8
Functions of Heroes

• Help provide social integration by bringing
  disparate groups of society together
• Serve as source of identity and role models for
  youth
• Heroes of community association are heroes at a
  regional level with following in their community

9
Categories of Heroes

• The Winner
• Emphasis on outcome and not on the process or
  necessarily how skillful they are. (Ex. Eli
  Manning, Robert Horry)
• Skilled Performers
• Give off an aura of invincibility and their
  pressence scares opponents.

10
Categories of Heroes

• Hero of Social Acceptability
• Upholds values of society transcends the sport
  become role models.
• Group Servant
• Does whats best for the team sacrifices
  individual wants or stats.
• Risk Taker
• Inclined to place themselves in danger. (Ex. Wide
  receiver who crosses through the middle of the
  field)

11
Categories of Heroes

• Reluctant Hero
• Leads by example or other indirect methods of
  leadership.
• Charismatic Hero
• Possesses unique personality qualities. Might not
  be the most talented but leads team.
• Anti-Hero
• Doesnt demonstrate desired values yet still has
  a following.