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Understanding Social Construction: Knowledge, Reality, and Communication

This document explores the concept of social construction, emphasizing how reality is shaped through language and social processes. It introduces critical topics such as ontology and epistemology, highlighting notable examples including societal perceptions of baseball, weeds, and science. The work critically assesses key themes like anti-essentialism, relativity, and the relationship between knowledge and action, encouraging a questioning of conventional categories. Utilizing insights from scholars such as Burr and Allen, it prompts reflection on how individual identities and careers are influenced by social construction.

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Understanding Social Construction: Knowledge, Reality, and Communication

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  1. COMM 3180-01Communication& Social Behavior May 18, 2005 Social Construction: The Basics

  2. To Begin: A Few Examples • Balls and Strikes: The Social Construction of Baseball • Daisies or Dandelions: The Social Construction of Weeds • Firewood or Band-aid?: The Social Construction of Science

  3. Ontology The study of reality What exists, independent of: How we come to know about it How we think, feel, or talk about it Epistemology The study of knowledge How we come to know what exists (positivism), or: What exists, as “created” through: How we come to know about it How we think, feel, or talk about it What Is Real? How Do We Know?

  4. A “Hard” Version An ontological view of social construction “Reality” is created through communication There is no “reality” independent of communication Example: Baudrillard’s claim that there “was no Gulf War” A “Soft” Version An epistemological view of social construction “Reality” is understood through communication “Reality” is only meaningful through communication Example: Berger and Luckman’s The Social Construction of Knowledge Social Construction: Two Views

  5. What They Share In Common: A “Family Resemblance” (Burr, Ch. 1) • A critical stance to taken-for-granted knowledge: Questioning categories • Historical and cultural specificity • Knowledge is sustained by social processes • Knowledge and action are inextricably linked

  6. Three Important Themes:Anti-Essentialism, Relativity, Language • Essentialism and Anti-Essentialism • Truth and Relativity • Language: Two Notes • Language is a precondition for thought • Language is a form of action

  7. Why Social Construction?Burr, Chapter Two • What is Burr’s argument for the social construction of personality? What it your reaction? • What is Burr’s argument for the social construction of health/illness? What it your reaction? • What is Burr’s argument for the social construction of sexuality? What it your reaction?

  8. Allen, “Social Constructionism”Questions • What does Allen identify as some critiques of the social construction perspective? • How does Allen see her identity and career as shaped by the process of social construction? • Do you see similarities between Allen’s narrative and the process by which your identity/career have developed?

  9. For Monday: • Groups will be assigned: You’ll need to begin working on group contract immediately! • Read Burr, Chapters 3 & 4

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