Search

The relation of social-psychological orientations to overt action is analyzed by examining the pattern of association of a number of scales to membership, degree of activity, and degree of radicalism in peace groups. Four types of alienation are found to be significatly related to social-action patterns, but in different directions. Mode of explaining social events is found to be a crucial underlying orientation. But analysis of recruitment patterns indicates interpersonal and status factors also determine peace-group membership. Bibiographical data suggest that orientations predisposing to peace-group membership take shape in youth and early adulthood instead of being internalized in childhood.

The failure of simbolic interactionists to produce a systematic general theory is examined. Starting with concepts from Mead, Durkheim, and Riezler, the outlines of such a theory are indicated. The importance of symbols in human experience and the emergence of relationships as objects of experience through the medium of symbolic transformation form the core of the symbolic interactionist point of view and have certain methodological consequences for sociological research.