Sunday, February 1, 2009

frame analysis and schemata

This was an interesting essay- I think it was an important introduction to understanding human intention, but can they completely explain this in terms of primary frameworks? I guess thats what I am grappling with here..I do agree there is a certain order and predicatablity of human behavior but, I guess are they overarching and can we depend on them to determine/predict (accurately maybe?) human behavior?
I am going to conduct my first observation of a PTA meeting next week for my qual class and this essay does help me to see that there are certain actions that are "natural", "social" and "causal" phenomena..but I guess it might be difficult to understand/determine in that short span of time which is which..especially when they might have underlying meanings I might not be aware of..
Great essay, cant wait to discuss in class..

2 comments:

tp said...

I also thought the idea that primary frameworks overlap to make up a culture's belief system was pretty interesting. Could it ever be the other way around - that a culture's belief system established the primary frameworks? For example, how Muslims living in Muslim countries respond to each call to prayer (5 times a day) could be considered a primary framework. You respond socially to the social prompt, but the prompt and religious act have their root in the religious beliefs. Finding the derivation of those beliefs would point to what then, if not primary frameworks?

H.Pleasants said...

I hear you. Coming from the point in social science thinking/history, Goffman certainly fits into that structural frame (no pun intended). I wonder though, if there are glimmers of a way of thinking that allows for flexibility?