Emotional man

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In addition to the two most important sociological actor-theoretical action models Homo Oeconomicus and Homo Sociologicus , the Swedish sociologist Helena Flam has developed the model of the Emotional Man as a further action model . In the Emotional Man, as in other models of action, personal benefit considerations or role expectations are not placed in the foreground. Instead, the emotion of an individual is used as the main drive for action. Max Weber had already mentioned "affective action" in 1922. This means actions that can be determined by a person's current or even permanently applied emotional states. However, this was not processed further by Weber, as he tried to differentiate action from the mere behavior of a person and this type of trade is located on the border of behavior.

Flam distinguishes between two types of this "Emotional Man", the Pure Emotional Man and the Constrained Emotional Man .

Pure Emotional Man

The "Pure Emotional Man" is a theoretically constructible borderline case that rarely occurs in social reality. The spontaneous outburst of anger comes closest to this exclusively emotion-driven action.

The "Pure Emotional Man" is defined by Flam as follows:

  • “Unfree” - The “Pure Emotional Man” is “unfree” because he is overcome with feelings. His emotions are not chosen voluntarily and consciously, but involuntarily.
  • “Cost-indifferent” - His feelings are immoderate in the literal sense. He does not calculate how much anger or compassion, for example, is appropriate for the occasion in a particular situation. Such feelings are rather spontaneously poured out, whereby neither negative consequences for himself nor the effort to be made are taken into account.
  • "Inconsistent" - It is not uncommon for contradicting, tense emotional currents to exist towards another. The best-known example is the proverbial love-hate relationship. In addition to such a simultaneity of incompatible feelings, there is also the phenomenon that a certain feeling towards another person turns into its opposite over time.
  • “Inconstancy” - emotions are often not permanent, but fluctuate unpredictably in their intensity and also in their tone. The variability of feelings is addressed here.
  • “Indeterminancy” - emotions are often difficult to predict in terms of their appearance and course. This results mainly from the changeability and inconsistency of emotional states. This unpredictability is not only presented from the point of view of another, but also for oneself, one's own emotional states are often difficult to predict or explain.

Constrained Emotional Man

Building on the “Pure Emotional Man”, Flam models the “Constrained Emotional Man”. This is an actor whose actions are to a large extent determined emotionally. However, this emotionality is largely determined by normative or rational drives to act. This second model is empirically more applicable and represents a link between “Emotional Man” and Homo Sociologicus or Homo Oeconomicus. In any case, emotions are present which are then further shaped by norms and considerations of benefit. Emotionality and following norms, for example, are not mutually exclusive. For example, one dimension of Talcott Parsons ' typology of social roles relates to their emotional content. Parsons distinguishes roles that are characterized by “ affective neutrality ” from those that “allow affectivity”. In addition to such emotional roles, an actor often also takes rational considerations of benefit into account when living out his emotions. These are emotional calculations that are socially or benefit-oriented (socially acceptable discharge of emotions). What differentiates the “constrained emotional man” from the “pure emotional man” are competencies of “ emotional management ”.

Pseudo-emotionality ( staging of feelings)

The stronger the proportion of normative or rational motives for showing certain emotions, the more the model of the “Emotional Man” loses its explanatory power. In the extreme case, it can be the case that there is no emotional drive to act at all, but the corresponding feelings are only played in order to satisfy normative or rational viewpoints. These are cases of pseudo-emotionality, for which Homo Sociologicus or Homo Oeconomicus or a combination of both are completely sufficient as explanatory models.

Bibliography

  • Helena Flam: The Emotional Man and the Problem of Collective Action Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2010, ISBN 978-0-8204-4701-8 .
  • Uwe Schimank: Action and structures. Introduction to Actor Theory Sociology 3rd edition, Juventa, Weinheim 2007, ISBN 978-3-7799-1487-7 .
  • Max Weber: Basic Sociological Concepts. 6th edition, Mohr, Tübingen 1984, ISBN 978-3-8252-0541-6 .