Theoretical Notes on Action Schemes in Society

2022 ◽  
pp. 000276422110660
Author(s):  
David R. Heise
Keyword(s):  
Causal Structure ◽  
Theory Of Action ◽  
Social Organizations ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
Social Actions ◽  
Multi Level

This essay presents theoretical constructs for characterizing the causal structure of social actions and developing a multi-level theory of action relating to accomplishment of goals via social organizations. Focal concepts include: action schemes, mobilization, internal and external fulfillments, power schemes, macroactions, effective actions, and purposeful actions. Additionally, an overview is provided of a methodological procedure for analyzing narratives in order to specify causal linkages among actions and thereby delineate action schemes. Some possibilities for future developments are noted.

The Causal Structure of Natural Selection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles H. Pence
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Genetic Drift ◽  
Evolutionary Theory ◽  
Causal Structure ◽  
Philosophy Of Biology ◽  
Philosophy Of Physics ◽  
Potential Value ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Evolutionary Explanations

Recent arguments concerning the nature of causation in evolutionary theory, now often known as the debate between the 'causalist' and 'statisticalist' positions, have involved answers to a variety of independent questions – definitions of key evolutionary concepts like natural selection, fitness, and genetic drift; causation in multi-level systems; or the nature of evolutionary explanations, among others. This Element offers a way to disentangle one set of these questions surrounding the causal structure of natural selection. Doing so allows us to clearly reconstruct the approach that some of these major competing interpretations of evolutionary theory have to this causal structure, highlighting particular features of philosophical interest within each. Further, those features concern problems not exclusive to the philosophy of biology. Connections between them and, in two case studies, contemporary metaphysics and philosophy of physics demonstrate the potential value of broader collaboration in the understanding of evolution.

The Mechanistic Property Cluster View of Mental Disorder: A Tenable Form of Non-Reductionist Realism?

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S511-S511
Author(s):  
D. Strijbos
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Causal Structure ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Philosophy Of Psychiatry ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Psychiatric Nosology ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Mechanistic Property

IntroductionThe question what mental disorders are lies at the heart of the philosophy of psychiatry. In search of a valid taxonomy of mental disorders, it is a question that needs a proper answer. In recent work, Kenneth Kendler et al. (2011) have put forward the “mechanistic property cluster” (MPC) model of mental disorder. On this view, mental disorders are mechanistically mediated clusters of multi-level (bio-psycho-social) properties. Kendler et al. present the MPC-model as a non-reductionist form of realism – realist because it tries to account for mental disorders in terms of the causal structure of the natural world, non-reductionist because it views mental disorders as clusters of multi-level properties. For the project of psychiatric nosology, such non-reductionist realism would be a great step forward and indeed preferable to pragmatist and constructionist models of mental disorder.ObjectiveTo critically assess the MPC-model in light of arguments against realism about mental disorders presented in the philosophical literature.AimsTo achieve a proper understanding of the ontology of mental disorders that can inform future psychiatric nosology.MethodsLiterature study and conceptual analysis.ResultsDespite appearances, the MPC-view fails to take into account the various (societal, practical, scientific) values that determine the delineation of mental disorders. It ultimately faces philosophical problems similar to those of more reductionist forms of realism.ConclusionsThe MPC-model fails as a realist model of mental disorders. Its non-reductionism, however, is an important contribution to theories of explanation in psychiatry.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals KEPEMIMPINAN BADAN KOORDINASI KEGIATAN KESEJAHTERAAN SOSIAL VERSUS KONSEP WEWENANG MAX WEBER

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-34
Author(s):  
SUGIYANTO SUGIYANTO ◽  
ANALIUS GIAWA ◽  
MUSOLI MUSOLI
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Organizational Identity ◽  
Max Weber ◽  
Organizational Governance ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Social Organizations ◽  
Social Actions ◽  
Welfare Institutions ◽  
The Social

Abstrak. The coordinating body of social welfare activities (BK3S), a non-governmental organization that has the task and responsibility of coordinating the implementation of social welfare efforts organized by social welfare institutions (LKS) for the community, especially gives services to people with social welfare problems. BK3S DIY social actions as government partners cq the social office has the authority to regulate, provide recommendations for licensing, advocate for organizations and strengthen the existence of LKS. The practice of organizing, coordinating, advocating and strengthening organizational governance is analyzed through Max Weber's authority theory. The results of the analysis of social actions in the practice of regulating, coordinating, advocating and engaging in strengthening institutions with Max Weber's theory of authority obtained organizational identity so that it looks strangely different from BK3S or other social organizations. Abstrak. Badan Koordinasi Kegiatan Kesejahteraan Sosial (BK3S) adalah lembaga non pemerintah. Tugas dan tanggungjawabnya adalah melakukan koordinasi penyelenggaraan berbagai usaha kesejahteraan sosial oleh Lembaga Kesejahteraan Sosial (LKS) untuk masyarakat terutama memberi pelayanan kepada penyandang masalah kesejahteraan sosial. Tindakan sosial BK3S DIY sebagai mitra pemerintah cq dinas sosial mempunyai kewenangan mengatur, memberi rekomendasi perizinan, mengadvokasi organisasi dan memperkuat keberadaan LKS. Praktik mengatur, mengoordinasikan, mengadvokasi dan memperkuat tata kelola organisasi ini dianalisis melalui teori kewenangan Max Weber. Hasil analisis tindakan sosial dalam praktik pengaturan, koordinasi, advokasi dan keterlibatan memperkuat kelembagaan dengan teori kewenangan Max Weber diperoleh identitas organisasi sehingga tampak kekhasan dan pembeda dengan BK3S atau organisasi sosial lainnya.

Special, radical, failure of reduction in psychiatry

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don Ross
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Causal Structure ◽  
Network Models ◽  
Gambling Addiction ◽  
Brain Disorder ◽  
Mental Processes ◽  
Special Radical ◽  
Intentional Relationships

AbstractUse of network models to identify causal structure typically blocks reduction across the sciences. Entanglement of mental processes with environmental and intentional relationships, as Borsboom et al. argue, makes reduction of psychology to neuroscience particularly implausible. However, in psychiatry, a mental disorder can involve no brain disorder at all, even when the former crucially depends on aspects of brain structure. Gambling addiction constitutes an example.

Commitment to pro- versus counter-attitudinal behavior and the dynamics of social representations

2002 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Tafani ◽  
Lionel Souchet
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Cognitive Restructuring ◽  
Social Representation ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Dimensional Model ◽  
Social Actions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Two Dimensional Model ◽  
Students Attitudes

This research uses the counter-attitudinal essay paradigm ( Janis & King, 1954 ) to test the effects of social actions on social representations. Thus, students wrote either a pro- or a counter-attitudinal essay on Higher Education. Three forms of counter-attitudinal essays were manipulated countering respectively a) students’ attitudes towards higher education; b) peripheral beliefs or c) central beliefs associated with this representation object. After writing the essay, students expressed their attitudes towards higher education and evaluated different beliefs associated with it. The structural status of these beliefs was also assessed by a “calling into question” test ( Flament, 1994a ). Results show that behavior challenging either an attitude or peripheral beliefs induces a rationalization process, giving rise to minor modifications of the representational field. These modifications are only on the social evaluative dimension of the social representation. On the other hand, when the behavior challenges central beliefs, the same rationalization process induces a cognitive restructuring of the representational field, i.e., a structural change in the representation. These results and their implications for the experimental study of representational dynamics are discussed with regard to the two-dimensional model of social representations ( Moliner, 1994 ) and rationalization theory ( Beauvois & Joule, 1996 ).

Verlaufsanalyse wöchentlicher Selbst- und Fremdeinschätzungen in der Langzeittherapie suchtkranker Jugendlicher

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-137
Author(s):  
Ferdinand Keller ◽  
Tatjana Stadnitski ◽  
Jakob Nützel ◽  
Renate Schepker
Keyword(s):  
Allen Vier ◽  
Multi Level

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Über Veränderungen in der emotionalen Befindlichkeit von Jugendlichen während einer Suchttherapie ist wenig bekannt. Methode: Die Jugendlichen füllten wöchentlich einen entsprechenden Fragebogen aus, analog ihre Bezugsbetreuer eine parallelisierte Kurzfassung. Von 42 Jugendlichen liegen insgesamt 853 Bogen und von den Bezugsbetreuern 708 Bogen vor. Die Fragebogen wurden zunächst faktorenanalytisch hinsichtlich ihrer Dimensionalität ausgewertet, anschließend wurden gruppenbezogene Verlaufsanalysen (Multi-Level-Modelle) und Abhängigkeitsanalysen auf Einzelfallebene (Zeitreihenanalysen) durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Im Jugendlichenfragebogen ergaben sich vier Faktoren: negative Befindlichkeit, Wertschätzung von Therapie/Betreuung, Motivation und Suchtdynamik. Die Übereinstimmung zwischen den Jugendlichen- und der (einfaktoriellen) Betreuereinschätzung fiel insgesamt niedrig bis mäßig aus, brachte aber auf Einzelfallebene differenziertere Ergebnisse. Im Verlauf nahmen die Werte auf allen vier Jugendlichenskalen ab. Einzig der Verlauf der Wertschätzung in der Eingewöhnungsphase war prädiktiv für den späteren Abbruch der Maßnahme: Bei den Abbrechern nahm die Wertschätzung ab, während sie bei den Beendern initial stieg. Schlussfolgerungen: Der bedeutsamste Faktor in Bezug auf die Therapiebeendigung suchtkranker Jugendlicher scheint die Wertschätzung von Therapie/Betreuung zu sein, während die Motivation jugendtypische Schwankungen aufweist. Der Suchtdynamik kam eine deutlich weniger bedeutende Rolle zu als allgemein angenommen. Programme in der Langzeittherapie sollten die Wertschätzung von Therapie/Betreuung künftig mehr fokussieren als die Suchtdynamik.

Tadeusz Tomaszewski and His Theory of Action

1996 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Materska
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Action ◽  
Scientific Disciplines ◽  
History Of

Tadeusz Tomaszewski, born in 1910, graduate of the Jan Kazimierz University, Lvov, doctor honoris causa of Marja Sklodowska-Curie University, Lublin, is an exceptional figure in the history of Polish psychology. His scientific accomplishments and organizational talents, multipled by the achievements of his students, had a decisive impact on the shape and prestige of Polish psychology among other scientific disciplines and determined the rank of Polish psychology in the international arena.

Blocking Is Sensitive to Causal Structure in 4-Year-Old and 8-Year-Old Children

2005 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 264-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Beckers ◽  
Uschi Van den Broeck ◽  
Marij Renne ◽  
Stefaan Vandorpe ◽  
Jan De Houwer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Associative Learning ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
Causal Structure ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Contingency Learning

Abstract. In a contingency learning task, 4-year-old and 8-year-old children had to predict the outcome displayed on the back of a card on the basis of cues presented on the front. The task was embedded in either a causal or a merely predictive scenario. Within this task, either a forward blocking or a backward blocking procedure was implemented. Blocking occurred in the causal but not in the predictive scenario. Moreover, blocking was affected by the scenario to the same extent in both age groups. The pattern of results was similar for forward and backward blocking. These results suggest that even young children are sensitive to the causal structure of a contingency learning task and that the occurrence of blocking in such a task defies an explanation in terms of associative learning theory.

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