Microsociology

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The micro-sociology (see the not always sharply defined to antonym. Macrosociology ) is the part of sociology that deals with the social actions between individuals (social actors ) in small social units (about intimate relationships or small groups) and basic "fine structures" in interpersonal behavior. An example would be how social relationships develop from social action, how interactions in social relationships arise and persist from the tiniest hints of behavior in alternation between alter and ego, or how the consequences of social action constantly create new starting conditions for new social action.

Microsociology analyzes the relationship between actor and - the rest of - society (or between several social actors) and starts at this level. Examples of micro-sociological theories are theories of action , role theories , theories of interaction and communication, ethnomethodology , symbolic interactionism , conflict theories , theories of identity formation, theory of rational decision ( rational choice theory ), Methodological individualism and constructivist approaches. If interventions are also sought, one speaks of clinical sociology .

It is sometimes assumed that the sociological disciplines of microsociology only use qualitative methods and not quantitative ones . A branch of sociology such as ethnomethodology is then easily overlooked by microsociologists. Sometimes the mention of microsociology simply acts as a demarcation from macrosociology, i.e. for all sociology that does not start macro-sociology.

literature

• Scheff, Thomas J. (1994): Microsociology: discourse, emotion, and social structure. Chicago u. a .: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-73667-9