Monday, September 7, 2009
social constructionist perspective
The social constructionist perspective basically states that we build worlds by using four cultural tools. These tools help us communicate and create different worlds around us. These four tools consist of languages, customs, traditions and rules and with each of those four components a cultural world is built. Each culture has their own language, custom, traditions and rules. For example the way I speak with my family is different by generation. I won't talk to my cousin the way I talk to my grandparents. However, if my grandparents are in the same room I won't talk to my cousin how I'd really talk to her if she's not there. The languages and rules are different yet our traditions and most of our customs are the same. Now I can't talk to my friends the way I talk to my family. All four of the components are completely different. With my family we talk proper, have certain religious beliefs, traditions such as a prayer before we eat and have rules to adhere by. With my friends we talk with slang, don't really discuss our customs or beliefs, have traditions such as playing soccer every Monday and rules such as not being able to date the same guy. I think that these concepts contribute to success in our culture by giving us a path to follow, but at the same time allow us to go on different paths and try new things. With any concept there is always room to explore and do new things.
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Good post! Very insightful!
ReplyDeleteI like the example you give saying you talk to each member of your family differently. My Interpersonal Communications class talked about that. How everyone has different and many "roles" that they "play" in their lives; you're a sister, daughter, student, worker, citizen, etc, and you talk differently in every role that you are. Like you said, you're not going to talk to your cousin the same as your grandparents. With grandparents, we speak respectfully. With cousins (who are our age at least) we talk to them more like a friend, an equal.
Anyway, I liked how you incorporated findings from the book and eased into talking about the different way you talk to your family members.
Keep it up!
You are absolutely right! It depends on which social role we perform we put the "appropriate vest" for that given moment. Whenever we do different, we automatically puzzle people.
ReplyDeleteThere are also some situations where the social roles would theoretically require us to put a vest, but we do not quite feel it is necessary. This usually happens, for instance, when couples or single parents have kids at a very early age. By the time their kids become teenagers there is not a long generation gap between them. Hence, both parts somehow feel like they can talk as if they were peers.
I experienced this situation when I was a teenager and I keep experiencing it till today as a grown woman. Because I was born when my mommy was only 17, I never had any concern to talk to her about a thing. I sometimes talk to my mommy about things that I would not talk to friends who are my age. And the best part is that my mommy feels comfortable to do the same with me.
Ibirapuera