University of Colorado at Boulder Department of Sociology Spring 2010 SEMINAR IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY SOCY 7131 Mondays 3:30-6:20 Ketchum 33 Dr. Leslie Irvine irvinel@colorado.edu Ketchum 223 Office hours by appointment Social psychology is an interdiscipline situated between psychology, which examines inner lives and selves, and sociology, which examines the relationships between collectivities and organizations. Sociological social psychologists examine how the self and the social interpenetrate, as well as how individuals influence one another. In many ways, social psychology looks at the micro-macro link, also known as the relationship between structure and agency. This seminar will introduce you to the major approaches, topics, and debates within sociological social psychology. The overall goals of the seminar include improving your skills in reading, analyzing, and evaluating research, and motivating your thinking about your own research. COURSE MATERIALS You will find the majority of the required readings on CU Learn. I have marked some as “required” and others as “recommended.” If you plan to use social psychology in your research, plan to read the recommended readings along with those required. In addition, please obtain the following books: Blumer, Herbert. 1969. Symbolic Interactionism. Berkeley: University of California Press. Goffman, Erving. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Garden City NY: Anchor Books. Hochschild, Arlie Russell. 2003. The Managed Heart: The Commercialization of Human Feeling (20th Anniversary edition). Berkeley: University of California Press. Howard, Judith A., and Jocelyn Hollander. 1997. Gendered Situations, Gendered Selves: A Gender Lens on Social Psychology. Thousand Oaks: Sage. Irvine, Leslie. 1999. Codependent Forevermore: The Invention of Self in a Twelve Step Group. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Mead, George Herbert. 1934. Mind, Self & Society from the Standpoint of a Behaviorist (Works of Mead, vol. 1). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. NOTE: also available online through The Mead Project, linked to CU Learn. You must also see the feature film “Oleanna” in preparation for our discussion on week 14. This will be available as streaming media a few weeks after the start of the semester. You can also rent the video on your own. You can borrow the library’s copy (call #97261) once the conversion to streaming media is complete. Note that the library copy is in VHS format. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Reading You must read the material before the assigned dates and come to class prepared to contribute to the discussion. I have tried to keep the reading load manageable by separating it into “required” and “recommended” readings. Participation and discussion leadership The seminar format works only with participation. Your presence in class and active participation in discussions is mandatory. You can miss one class without penalty. Missing two classes will lower your grade by one letter. I will make exceptions if extenuating circumstances such as serious illness or a death in the immediate family cause you to miss class. If your find yourself in this situation, please inform me as early as possible. You will write two short papers, one at the beginning of the semester, and one at the end, assessing your discussion goals and skills. I will use these papers to help me evaluate your participation. Each of you will be responsible for signing up to lead the class discussion twice during the course of the semester. Depending on enrollment, you may do this in groups of two or three. Leading the discussion entails posting questions or comments on CULearn by noon on the Friday before the designated class meeting and leading the class in discussion (for approximately 45 minutes) on the day of the seminar. Other members of the seminar should come prepared to discuss these questions/comments. Experience suggests that students leading discussions should: 1. limit the number of questions you write (perhaps no more than 5), and 2. think creatively about the discussion you will lead (e.g., to incorporate current events, group activities, and so on). Writing You are required to do several kinds of writing, as described below. Due dates for writing assignments are marked with on the schedule. a) Thought papers You will submit two thought papers over the course of the semester. These papers should be informal writing (no references) in which you record your reactions to particular readings. As a guideline, these should be between one and three pages, double-spaced. I suggest that you proceed through two stages. First, take notes as you read, marking things you might want to come back to and explore more deeply. You will not turn in these notes. Rather, you’ll use them for the second stage, in which you’ll explore some of the points that have intrigued you once you’ve finished the reading. b) Summary/commentary papers In these assignments, you will provide both a summary and a brief commentary of one of the assigned readings (or for a section of a longer reading, such as a book). This writing 2 should be somewhat more formal than the thought papers. These assignments have two objectives. First, summarize the main argument(s) in 3-5 sentences (no more). Because most of the readings are theoretical works, the summary will often require that you explain the kind of argument the author is trying to make (what question is the author trying to answer?). You will probably need to draft and revise the summary several times before you produce a satisfactory version. Second, provide a brief (4-5 sentences) commentary on the reading. Comments may include critiques, connections to other course readings, or research questions suggested by the author’s argument and findings. These assignments should be short: about one double-spaced page long. You will submit them twice during the semester. c) Fieldnotes You will spend at least two four-hour blocks of time making observations about a phenomenon of interest in the field. This is required of all students, regardless of the approach you intend to take in your research. I will post a useful reading on CULearn that will help you take good fieldnotes. If you are writing a paper for the course, you can use these notes as part of your paper. You will submit fieldnotes twice during the semester. d) Final paper or essay option You must write either three essays or a final paper. Essay Option You will write three essays responding to issues of your choice. Examples of possible essay topics include the following: Criticism of symbolic interactionism finds fault in its insufficient attention to social structure. Evaluate this claim using the readings in this class. Take a position agreeing or disagreeing and use course materials to support your position. Describe how Goffman’s work contributes to the sociology of emotions. Using a real-life emotional experience as an example, discuss what Goffman’s contribution to the sociology of emotions allows you to understand. Note any pitfalls in the perspective. Connect the topics of “talk” and “inequalities” using examples from social interaction you participated in or observed. The essays should be three to five double-spaced pages in length, using 12 point font with 1 ¼ margins at the sides. Do not make a cover page for your essay. Simply put your name in the upper right-hand corner. You must staple all pages together. You may print on both sides of the page. Deadlines for essays are in the schedule below. Paper Option If you choose this option, you will write a paper that uses social psychological insights to advance your potential dissertation topic or some aspect of it. Ideally, your paper can be the foundation for a dissertation chapter and/or publication. You do not have to use data in your paper; it can be a theoretical or conceptual exploration. Whatever approach you take, consider how you can use the course material most effectively. Think about how what you have learned in this class affects your thinking about your own 3 research. Does it raise new questions? Help you understand theoretical implications? Affect your interpretation of your findings? Alternatively, you might want to write a research proposal that tackles one of the issues raised in the class. Identify a question that interests you, and think about how you might organize a research project that would lead to possible answers. The paper should be between 12 and 20 double-spaced pages in length, including notes and references. Please do not try to get away with 1.5 spacing. Use 12 point font with 1 ¼ margins at the sides. Do not make a cover page for your paper. Simply put your name in the upper right-hand corner. Staple all pages together. You may print on both sides of the page. You must submit a progress report for your paper on March 1, in which you will inform me of your topic and general plan. Your final paper is due May 3. GRADING Your grade for this course will be based on satisfactory completion of the required tasks. For writing assignments a-c, I will provide comments and feedback, but no letter grade. Please keep all assignments, with written comments, and turn them in to me in a folder at the final seminar meeting. Class participation and leadership 20% Thought papers (2) 20% Summary/commentary assignments (2) 20% Field notes (2) 10% Final paper/essays 30% Late policy for writing assignments: If you must turn something in late, please inform me of your situation by email no later than noon on the day on which the assignment is due. For students who follow these instructions, I am generally willing to grant an extension for up to one week. I consider this a very reasonable late policy, and I therefore will not accept any late work from students who do not follow these instructions. RELEVANT POLICIES Laptops I will allow laptops if you use them for course material. If I find that students are keeping up with email, facebooking, and otherwise abusing the privilege, I will prohibit laptops in the seminar. Disabilities If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services within the first two weeks of class so that we can address your needs. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and http://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices" Classroom Behavior 4 Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty members have the professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity, and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. See polices at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code Academic Integrity All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). For other information on the Honor Code, see http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/ Religious Observances Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. Please notify me early in the semester if religious observance will cause you to miss a class, test, or assignment. See full details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html Discrimination and Harassment The University of Colorado at Boulder policies on Discrimination and Harassment (http://www.colorado.edu/policies/discrimination.html) Sexual Harassment, and Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. For information about the ODH and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment, see http://www.colorado.edu/odh 5 COURSE SCHEDULE Subject to change. I will announce changes in class and by email. (1) Jan 11 Introduction to the course and to sociological social psychology Cook, Karen S. 2000. “Advances in the Microfoundations of Sociology: Recent Developments and New Challenges for Social Psychology.” Contemporary Sociology 29(5): 685-692 Stolte, John F, Gary Alan Fine, & Karen S. Cook. 2001. “Sociological Miniaturism: Seeing the Big Through the Small in Social Psychology.” Annual Review of Sociology 27:387–413 Recommended: House, James. 1977. “The Three Faces of Social Psychology.” Sociometry 40(2):161-77. (2) Jan 18 No class (Martin Luther King’s birthday) (3) Jan 25 Mead & Cooley: The foundations of sociological social psychology Discussion goals writing assignment due today. See guidelines on CULearn. Cooley, Charles Horton. [1902] 1964. “Chapter 5: The Social Self—The Meaning of ‘I’.” Pp. 168-210 in Human Nature and the Social Order. New York: Schocken. Holstein, James A., and Jaber F. Gubrium. 1999. “Chapter 1: Formulating a Social Self.” Pp. 1737 in The Self We Live By: Narrative Identity in a Postmodern World. New York: Oxford University Press. Mead, George Herbert. 1913. “The Social Self.” The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods 10(14):374-380 ------. 1934. Part I, sections 1-3; Part II, sections 1-5, 10 & 11; Part III, sections 1-12, from Mind, Self & Society from the Standpoint of a Behaviorist (Works of Mead, vol. 1). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Recommended: Blumer, Herbert. 1966. “Sociological Implications of the Thought of George Herbert Mead.” American Journal of Sociology 71(5): 535-544 (4) Feb 1 Symbolic interactionism: The Chicago School Thought paper due today. Becker, Howard S. 1999. “The Chicago School, So-Called.” Qualitative Sociology 22(1):3-12. Blumer, Herbert. 1969. “The Methodological Position of Symbolic Interactionism.” Chapter 1 in Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Dingwall, Robert. 2001. “Notes Toward an Intellectual History of Symbolic Interactionism.” Symbolic Interaction 24(2):237-242. 6 Snow, David A. 2001. “Extending and Broadening Blumer’s Conceptualization of Symbolic Interactionism.” Symbolic Interaction 24(3):367-377. Recommended: Becker, Howard S. 1953. “Becoming a Marihuana User.” American Journal of Sociology 59:235-242. Fine, Gary Alan. 1993. “The Sad Demise, Mysterious Disappearance, and Glorious Triumph of Symbolic Interactionism.” Annual Review of Sociology 19:61-87. Maines, David R. 2000. “The Social Construction of Meaning.” Contemporary Sociology 29(4):577-584. (5) Feb 8 Symbolic interactionism: The Iowa & Indiana Schools Fieldnotes due today. Burke, Peter J. 2004. “Identities and Social Structure: The 2003 Cooley-Mead Award Address.” Social Psychology Quarterly 67(1):5-15. Cast, Alicia D. 2003. “Power and the Ability to Define the Situation.” Social Psychological Quarterly 66(3):185-201. Heise, David R., and Lynn Smith-Lovin. 1981. “Impressions of Goodness, Powerfulness, and Liveliness from Discerned Social Events.” Social Psychology Quarterly 44(2): 93-106 Kuhn, Manford H., and Thomas S. McPartland. 1954. “An Empirical Investigation of Self Attitudes.” American Sociological Review 19:68-76. Recommended: Burke, Peter J. 2003. “Commentary on ‘Whither Symbolic Interaction?’” Symbolic Interaction 26(1):111-118. Hawkins, Brian, Leslie Irvine, and Patrick M. Krueger. 2001. “The Twenty Statements Test Revisited.” Unpublished manuscript. Stryker, Sheldon. 2003. “Whither Symbolic Interaction? Reflections on a Personal Odyssey.” Symbolic Interaction 26(1):95-109. (6) Feb 15 Self and Identity For essay option: first essay due today. Gecas, Viktor, and Peter Burke. 1995. “Chapter 2: Self and Identity.” Pp. 41-67 in Sociological Perspectives on Social Psychology, edited by Karen S. Cook, Gary Alan Fine, and James House. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Hewitt, John P. 2000. “Chapter 3: The Self and Its Social Setting.” Pp. 79-132 in Self and Society: A Symbolic Interactionist Social Psychology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Howard, Judith A. 2000. “The Social Psychology of Identity.” Annual Review of Sociology 26:367–93. Stryker, Sheldon, and Peter J. Burke. 2000. “The Past, Present, and Future of Identity Theory.” Social Psychological Quarterly 63(4):284-197. 7 Recommended: Peek, Lori. 2005. “Becoming Muslim: The Development of a Religious Identity.” Sociology of Religion 66:3 215-242. Macke, Anne S., and Sheldon Stryker. 1978. “Status Inconsistency and Role Conflict.” Annual Review of Sociology 4:57-90. Turner, Ralph H. 1976. "The Real Self: From Institution to Impulse." American Journal of Sociology 81:989-1016. (7) Feb 22 Goffman & the dramaturgical perspective Summary/commentary assignment due today. Goffman, Erving. 1956. “Embarrassment and Social Organization.” American Journal of Sociology 62(3): 264-271 ------. . 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Garden City, NY: Anchor Books. ------. 1963. “Stigma and Social Identity.” Chapter 1 in Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Simon & Schuster. Recommended: Cahill,Spencer. 1998. “Toward a Sociology of the Person.” Sociological Theory 16(2): 131-148. Goffman, Erving. 1982. The Interaction Order: American Sociological Association, Presidential Address. American Sociological Review 48(1): 1-17. West, Candace. 1996. “Goffman in Feminist Perspective.” Sociological Perspectives 39(3):353369. (8) Mar 1 The Sociology of Emotions: Conceptual and Theoretical Foundations Paper option: progress report (one page description of your topic and approach) Hochschild, Arlie Russell. 1979. “Emotion Work, Feeling Rules, and Social Structure.” American Journal of Sociology 85:551-575. ------. 2003. The Managed Heart: The Commercialization of Human Feeling (20th Anniversary edition). Berkeley: University of California Press. Recommended: Kemper, Theodore D. 1981. "Social Constructionist & Positivist Approaches to the Sociology of Emotions." American Journal of Sociology 87: 336-362. Shott, Susan. 1979. “Emotion and Social Life: A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis.” American Journal of Sociology 84(6):1317-1334. Thoits, Peggy. 1989. The Sociology of Emotions. Annual Review of Sociology 15:317-42. (9) Mar 8 The Sociology of Emotions: Sampling Empirical Works Cahill, Spencer, and Robin Eggleston. 1994. “Managing Emotions in Public: The Case of Wheelchair Users.” Social Psychology Quarterly 57(4):300-312. 8 Gottschalk, Simon. “Reli(e)ving the Past: Emotion Work in the Holocaust’s Second Generation.” Symbolic Interaction 26(3): 355–380. Smith-Lovin, Lynn. 2007. “The Strength of Weak Identities: Social Structural Sources of Self,Situation, and Emotional Experience.” Social Psychology Quarterly 70(2):106-124. Wilkins, Amy. 2008. “Happier than Non-Christians: Collective Emotions and Symbolic Boundaries among Evangelical Christians.” Social Psychology Quarterly 71: 281-301. Recommended: Erickson, Rebecca J. and Christian Ritter. 2001. “Emotional Labor, Burnout, and Inauthenticity: Does Gender Matter?” Social Psychology Quarterly 64(2):146-163. Irvine, Leslie. 1997. “Reconsidering the American Emotional Culture: Codependency and Emotion Management.” Innovation: The European Journal of Social Sciences 10:345359. Meanwell, Emily, Joseph D. Wolfe, and Tim Hallett. 2008. “Old Paths and New Directions: Studying Emotions in the Workplace.” Sociological Compass 2/2: 537-559. Pierce, Jennifer L. 1999. “Emotional Labor among Paralegals.” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 561(1):127-142. Smith, Allen C., and Sherryl Kleinman. 1989. “Managing Emotions in Medical School: Students’ Contact with the Living and the Dead.” Social Psychology Quarterly 52(1):5669. (10) Mar 15 Socialization For essay option: second essay due today. Cahill, Spencer E. 1999. “Emotional Capital and Professional Socialization: The Case of Mortuary Science Students (and Me).” Social Psychology Quarterly 62(2):101-116. Corsaro, William A. 1992. “Interpretive Reproduction in Children's Peer Cultures.” Social Psychology Quarterly 55(2):160-177. Holmstrom, Lynda Lytle, David A. Karp, and Paul S. Gray. 2002. “Why Laundry, Not Hegel?” Symbolic Interaction 25(4):437-462. Lois, Jennifer. 1999. “Socialization to Heroism: Individual and Collectivism in a Voluntary Search and Rescue Group.” Social Psychological Quarterly 62(2):117-135. Recommended: Arluke, Arnold. 2002. “Animal Abuse as Dirty Play.” Symbolic Interaction 25(4):205-430. Cahill, Spencer E. 2002. "Beastly Bodies in Human Hands, Heads, and Hearts: Reflections on Animal Abuse as Dirty Play." Symbolic Interaction 25(4):431-435. Ellis, Colter, and Leslie Irvine. Forthcoming. “Reproducing Dominion: Emotional Apprenticeship in the 4H Youth Livestock Program.” Society & Animals 18(1):21-39. Simon, Robin W., Donna Eder, and Cathy Evans. 1992. "The Development of Feeling Norms Underlying Romantic Love among Adolescent Females." Social Psychology Quarterly 55: 29-46. Fine, Gary Alan. 1979. “Small Groups and Culture Creation: The Idioculture of Little League Baseball.” American Sociological Review 44(5):733-745. 9 (11) Mar 22 No class (Spring Break) (12) Mar 29 The Role of Talk Fieldnotes due today. Arluke, Arnold, and Frederic Hafferty. 1996. From Apprehension to Fascination with ‘Dog Lab’: The Use of Absolutions by Medical Students.” Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 25(2):201-225. Mills, C. Wright. 1940. “Situated Actions and Vocabularies of Motive.” American Sociological Review 5: 905-013. Scott, Marvin B. and Stanford M. Lyman. 1968. "Accounts." American Sociological Review 33:46-62. Snow, David A., and Leon Anderson. 1987. “Identity Work among the Homeless: The Verbal Construction and Avowal of Personal Identities.” American Journal of Sociology 92(6):1336-1371. Recommended: Hewitt, John P., and Randall Stokes. 1975. "Disclaimers." American Sociological Review 40:111. Stokes, Randall, and John P. Hewitt. 1976. "Aligning Actions." American Sociological Review 41:838-849. (13) Apr 5 Narrative and the Self Summary/Commentary due today. Irvine, Leslie. 1999. Codependent Forevermore: The Invention of Self in a Twelve Step Group. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Recommended: Charmaz, Kathy. 2002. “Stories and Silences: Disclosures and Self in Chronic Illness.” Qualitative Inquiry 8(3):302-328 Frank, Arthur W. “The Rhetoric of Self-Change: Illness Experience as Narrative.” The Sociological Quarterly 34(1):39-52. Loseke, Donileen R. 2001. “Lived Realities and Formula Stories of ‘Battered Women.’” Pp. 107-126 in Institutional Selves: Troubled Selves in a Postmodern World, edited by Jaber F. Gubrium and James A. Holstein. New York: Oxford University Press. Loseke, Donileen R. and James C. Cavendish. 2001. “Producing Institutional Selves: Rhetorically Constructing the Dignity of Sexually Marginalized Catholics.” Social Psychology Quarterly (64)4:347-362. (14) Apr 12 Inequalities: A focus on gender For essay option: Third essay due today. 10 Howard, Judith A., & Jocelyn A. Hollander. 1996. Gendered Situations, Gendered Selves: A Gender Lens on Social Psychology. Thousand Oaks: Sage. “Oleanna” (1994, directed by David Mamet) (15) Apr 19 Inequalities: A focus on race Discussion skills assessment writing assignment due today. See guidelines on CULearn. Blumer, Herbert. 1958. “Race Prejudice as a Sense of Group Position.” The Pacific Sociological Review 1(1):3-7. Hunt, Matthew O., Pamela Brayboy Jackson, Brian Powell, Lala Carr Steelman. 2000. “Color Blind: The Treatment of Race and Ethnicity in Social Psychology.” Social Psychology Quarterly 63(4):352-364. Anderson, Leon, and David A. Snow. 2001. “Inequality and the Self: Exploring Connections from an Interactionist Perspective.” Symbolic Interaction 24(4):395-406. Harlow, Roxanne. 2003. ““Race Doesn’t Matter But…” The Effect of Race on Professors’ Experiences and Emotion Management in the Undergraduate Classroom.” Social Psychology Quarterly 66: 348-363. Perry, Pamela. 2007. “White Universal Identity as a “Sense of Group Position.” Symbolic Interaction 30(3):375–393. (16) Apr 26 Postmodern thought and response Thought paper due today. Adler, Patricia A., and Peter Adler. 1999. “Transience and the Postmodern Self: The Geographic Mobility of Resort Workers.” The Sociological Quarterly 40(1):31-58. Dowd, James J. 1991. “Social Psychology in a Postmodern Age: A Discipline in Search of a Subject.” The American Sociologist Fall/Winter: 188-209. Gubrium, Jaber F., and James A. Holstein. 1994. “Grounding the Postmodern Self.” The Sociological Quarterly 35(4):685-703. May 1 Final papers due. Please submit hard copies by 1:00 p.m. 11