What is sociology Social Construction Of Reality - Essay Example

? What is Sociology? When sociologists speak about the "social construction of reality," what do they mean? Social construction of reality meant how we perceive reality. It meant that we perceive or construct our reality is based on our beliefs and backgrounds and we interact with the social world, how we present ourselves and how we perceive ourselves depends how we are raised, trained and how our experiences affect our lives. This concept is better elucidated in Berger and Thomas words in their work The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise its the Sociology of Knowledge (1966) that all human action is subject to habitualization as how reality is defined according to social construction of reality saying thus that; Any action that is repeated frequently becomes cast into a pattern, which can then be reproduced with an economy of effort and which, ipso facto, is apprehended by its performer as that pattern. Habitualization further implies that the action in question may be performed again in the future in the same manner and with the same economical effort. This is true of non-social as well as of social activity (61). To illustrate how this concept applies on individuals and society as a whole, we use an example to better understand the theory. As an example, we can cite an extreme case to illustrate our point, say for example terrorism. For most of us in the United States or in the opposing side of terror, we perceive it as despicable, barbaric and criminal which takes innocent lives and that the activities to sow terror is pointless. We see them as twisted and perhaps even sick. We arrive at his perception because we remember the 9/11 attack where we have lost many love ones and many brave people which explains why we take the attack as despicable. On the other side however, they defined this situation differently and not even near how the western defines their act. For them, they are freedom fighters and what they did was not an act of terror but an act of continued war against the oppression of the west. They seek to advance the society that they wanted to have and also to avenge themselves of the injustices that American imperialism has inflicted to them. Apparently, there is a huge disconnect between these two groups perceived their acts. This disconnect in the perception of an act, which is a product of how differently people perceive their world of which they act accordingly, is dependent on how they are brought up and experienced life. And why is it an important concept to take into account when attempting to understand and explain human social behavior? Specifically, explain and discuss W.I. Thomas' statement: If men define a situation as real , it is real in its consequences. What is he saying and what is its significance in the study of human social behavior? Assume that your reader does not know anything about the topic and its your job to educate him or her. Use at least two or three examples to explain and illustrate your thinking and facilitate your teaching. It is important concept to take into account the social construction of reality when we are attempting to understand and explain human social behavior for us to understand that our own beliefs, experiences and backgrounds that shapes how we perceive the world and how we interact with it and other people does not necessarily mean that other people also perceive and interact the way we do because their own perception and belief are also influenced by backgrounds and experiences that are only unique to them. Hence, taking into account the theory of social construction of reality allows us to reconcile our perception with others. W.I. Thomas in his Thomas Theorem stated that “if a person perceives a situation as real, it is real in its consequences.”  This meant that our interpretation of reality is subjective and depends on how we see and believe it. In short, reality is what we make it (Palmer, 2012) What makes it real is the consequence and result of such perception. We can cite our case as teenagers where we tend to act out how we are perceived or branded to make such perception a reality. For example, when our teachers and classmates brand us as a “rebel”, we are going to live that brand by acting as a rebel either by opposing to whatever rules the school impose or by creating trouble to make the perception of us being rebellious to be real. The study of Thomas Theorem enables us to understand how reality is formed. By studying Thomas construct on reality, we will realize that what is real does not have an objective existence or that reality by itself has a independent manifestation regardless of perception, interpretation and belief. By understanding Thomas’ Theorem, we realize that reality is really on the beholder and it does not have an objective and independent existence but really depends on an individual. This perception will have its objective reality when an individual acted it out and have consequence and this act and consequence is dependent on the perception which is primarily relative and subjective that impelled an individual to act it out. Thus, in the stated example, a teenager perceived to be rebellious might decide to make it a reality by acting it out. External perception however is not the only factor that produces outcome to make reality. Immediate influences, such as from family members and friends can also define an individual’s sense of self and thus may make it a reality by acting it out and the outcome of such act makes the subjective to be objective. This can work both negatively and positively. On a negative aspect, negative influences of prejudice, hatred, enmity can make these negative elements real through its outcome in the form of terroristic acts as cited in the above example. On a positive note, one may lead to believe as told by family members that their family members are performers, intelligent and successful and that they have good genes. The individual who are a family member may be lead to believe this that he or she is indeed have the genes of successful people and may make it a reality by doing good on all endeavors that he or she engaged in. As a result, the individual may get grades and eventually succeed in life making the perception that they are good to a reality through the outcome of success. In sum, Thomas Theorem can be succinctly summarize in the famous cliche that its theorem is a “self fulfilling prophesy” or we are what we believe are and we become what we believe we will become. References Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann, The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge Palmer, Nathan (2012). Trayvon Martin and Thomas Theorem. Retrieved from http://www.sociologyinfocus.com/2012/04/02/trayvon-martin-the-thomas-theorem/#more-1802 Read More