Social Practices in Sociology

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Questions and Answers

What is a social practice composed of, according to the text?

A social practice consists of three components: MATERIAL, MEANING, and COMPETENCE.

How is professional competence acquired, according to the text?

Through discourse in a community based on commonly constructed collection of social practices resulting from interactions.

What is the role of language in creating and indexing professional attributes and frames, according to the text?

Language has an indispensable role to play in creating and indexing professional attributes and frames.

What happens when there is a mismatch between pretended professional identity and language used, according to the text?

It leads to social unacceptability or dismissal. Signup and view all the answers

What is the central concept in understanding social systems, according to the text?

Practices are the central starting point for understanding social systems. Signup and view all the answers

How is a professional identified, according to the text?

A professional is identified by the community they belong to and their discourse. Signup and view all the answers

What is the underlying reason behind a professional's unique way of speaking and writing?

A professional speaks and writes in a certain way because they carry or are developing a legitimate identity which is projected in their discourse. Signup and view all the answers

What is the underlying concept of written professional discourse?

Social constructionism Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'text-reader conversation' refer to in the context of written professional discourse?

A social interaction where the reader negotiates the meanings of the text like in a face-to-face interaction. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of well-written texts in the context of social actions?

They play an essential role in coordinating people's actions and ensuring the integration of social actions into the social context. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'reflexivity' refer to in the context of language use?

The social practices that are reflected in language use, which involves an unconscious effort of language users to respond to the needs and immediate context. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between language use and the construction of social and cultural identities?

We perform and construct our social and cultural identities by using language resourcefully in interaction. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Social practices refer to everyday practices and habits performed in a society, serving as a central starting point for understanding social systems.
Practices consist of routinized behavior, bodily and mental activities, and background knowledge.

Social practice involves the study of individuals and their activities, behaviors, emotions, and etc. in a social environment.
Social practice is not based on free choice or usefulness, but on personal background and history.

MATERIAL: physical aspects and human body
MEANING: issues that are important for the material component, understanding emotions and beliefs
COMPETENCE: skills and knowledge

Professional Socialization and Identity

Professional socialization: acquisition of specialized knowledge, skills, and norms needed to perform professional roles.
Professional identity: a professional is identified by the community they belong to and their discourse.
Professional identity ≠ language used: doubts about the real identity = social unacceptability/dismissal

Attributes and Frames

Attributes and frames inherent in a profession are part of the identity a professional is claiming to have.
Language used by professionals: has an indispensable role to play in creating and indexing those professional attributes and frames.
A professional speaks and writes in certain ways to project a legitimate identity.

Written Professional Discourse

Written professional discourse: reader engages in social interaction (text-reader conversation), text as a collaborative effort.
Social constructionism: written text is a social construct because it involves mental representations of social contexts during writing.

Text-Reader Conversation

Reader engages in a social interaction in which they negotiate the meanings like in a face-to-face interaction.
Well-written texts: play an essential role in coordinating people's actions and ensuring the integration of social actions into the social context.

Reflexivity and Performativity

Reflexivity: refers to the social practices that are reflected in language use.
Performativity: stands for "the production of our social and cultural identities through creative use of contextual and interactional resources.
We perform and construct our social and cultural identities by using language resourcefully in interaction.

Organizational Culture

Organizational culture: can be defined by its aspects, dimensions, traits, elements.
Culture: derived from the idea of cultivation, which means the patterns of development.
Corporate culture: denotes the more commercialized meaning of organizational culture.
Organizational culture: a set of values, symbols, and rituals shared by the members of a specific firm, which describes the way things are done in an organization.

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Description

Explore the concept of social practices, their role in understanding social systems, and how they are habitually performed in society. Learn about the interconnected elements that make up practices, including bodily and mental activities, and background knowledge.