Ethogenics (/ˌiːθəˈdʒɛnɪks/; "the study of behavior as generated by persons who exhibit a character, an ethos",[1] from Greek ἦθος ethos, "custom, character" and γένος genos, "birth, generation") is an interdisciplinary social scientific approach that attempts to understand the systems of belief or means through which individuals attach significance to their actions and form their identities by linking these to the larger structure of rules (norms) and cultural resources in society. For Rom Harré, the founder of ethogenics, it represents a radical innovation in traditional psychology, even a completely "new psychology" that should take its place. (Harré et al., 1985: 129).
Ethogenicists argue that the unified self (or 'I') emerges through everyday discourse and is enabled through metaphors. Rom Harré states:
All that is personal in our mental and emotional lives is individually appropriated from the conversation going on around us and perhaps idiosyncratically transformed. The structure of our thinking and our feeling will reflect, in various ways, the form and content of that conversation. The main thesis of this work is that mind is no sort of entity, but a system of beliefs structured by a cluster of grammatical models. The science of psychology must be reformed accordingly (1983: 20).
Methodologically, ethogenics starts with the social formation as the primary human reality and then shows how the human self exists within it via personally modified 'templates.'(Harré 1983: 64-65). While Harré makes a distinction between personal and social being, he does not claim that personal being is prior to social being.
By contrast, John Shotter's approach to ethogenics analyzes social action with others (as opposed to individual rule-following and performances), which is said to give individuals 'social powers.' There is no cognitive structure of the social self-independent of social context (Shotter 1983: 33). Therefore, Shotter emphasizes the practical necessities which bring individuals together in moral configurations, which it is necessary to hermeneutically approach. Shotter believes this is a better way to understand the "accounting practices" (and resulting consciousness) of individuals than Harré's methods.
Kenneth Gergen argues that scientific activity (theories) also plays a significant role in constructing the reality and values of individuals. Gergen argues that scientific theories appeal to the common sense within our everyday symbolic world. Societal power relations are affected by groups who try to impose certain frameworks for understanding selfhood, which then guide action (Gergen 1989).
Critique of mainstream social psychology
Ethogenics emerged from a period of crisis in social psychology, representing a rejection of experimental methods (Ginsburg 1995). Such methods apply external "treatments" to groups of individuals rather than studying the personal "sense-making" in which individuals must engage to live in society.
Key theorists
The following authors all belong to the ethogenic school:
^Wayne C. Boot (1988), The Vocation of a Teacher: Rhetorical Occasions, 1967-1988, University of Chicago Press, p. 332.
^Burkitt, Ian. (1991). Social Selves: Theories of the Social Formation of Personality. London: Sage Publications, 55-61.
Further reading
Brown, J. and Sime, J.D. (1981). "A Methodology of Accounts." In M.Brenner (ed.), Social Method and Social Life. London: Academic Press, 159–88.
Clarke, D.D. (1976). "Ethogenics and the Work of Rom Harré." Paper presented to Oxford Summer School in Social Psychology, 11 August.
Clarke, D.D. (1976). "Rules and Sequences in Conversation." In P. Collett (ed.), Social Rules and Social Behaviour. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Gergen, K.J. (1989). "Warranting Voice and the Elaboration of Self." In J. Shotter and K.J. Gergen (eds.), Texts of Identity. London and Newbury Park: Sage.
Ginsburg, G.P. (1995). "Ethogenics." In A.S.R Manstead and Miles Hewstone (eds.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Psychology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Harré, R. (1979). Social Being: A Theory for Social Psychology. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
------------- (1983). Personal Being: A Theory for Individual Psychology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
------------- (Ed.)(1986). The Social Construction of Emotions. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Harré, R., Clarke, D.D., and de Carlo, N. (1985). Motives and Mechanisms: An Introduction to the Psychology of Action. London: Metheun.
Harré, R., and Secord, P.S. (1972). The Explanation of Social Behaviour. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Shotter, J. (1983). "'Duality of Structure' and 'Intentionality' in an Ecological Psychology." Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Shotter, J. (1984). Social Accountability and Selfhood. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
External links
Cohen, L., Manion, L., and Morrison, K. (Eds.)(2005). Research Methods in Education, 5th edition. London: RoutledgeFalmer. "The Principles of the Ethogenic Approach"[dead link]
January 06, 2023
ethogenics, study, behavior, generated, persons, exhibit, character, ethos, from, greek, ἦθος, ethos, custom, character, γένος, genos, birth, generation, interdisciplinary, social, scientific, approach, that, attempts, understand, systems, belief, means, throu. Ethogenics ˌ iː 8 e ˈ dʒ ɛ n ɪ k s the study of behavior as generated by persons who exhibit a character an ethos 1 from Greek ἦ8os ethos custom character and genos genos birth generation is an interdisciplinary social scientific approach that attempts to understand the systems of belief or means through which individuals attach significance to their actions and form their identities by linking these to the larger structure of rules norms and cultural resources in society For Rom Harre the founder of ethogenics it represents a radical innovation in traditional psychology even a completely new psychology that should take its place Harre et al 1985 129 Contents 1 Roots of ethogenics 2 Ethogenic theories 3 Critique of mainstream social psychology 4 Key theorists 5 See also 6 Notes 7 Further reading 8 External linksRoots of ethogenics EditThe origins of ethogenic social science are in microsociology and symbolic interactionism in particular Erving Goffman s dramaturgical sociology and Harold Garfinkel s ethnomethodology 2 Both Goffman and Garfinkel looked at the particular ways in which social actors manage authenticity and construct social order through their performances Therefore microsociologists working in this tradition are concerned with the presentation of self in everyday life Ethogenic theories EditEthogenicists argue that the unified self or I emerges through everyday discourse and is enabled through metaphors Rom Harre states All that is personal in our mental and emotional lives is individually appropriated from the conversation going on around us and perhaps idiosyncratically transformed The structure of our thinking and our feeling will reflect in various ways the form and content of that conversation The main thesis of this work is that mind is no sort of entity but a system of beliefs structured by a cluster of grammatical models The science of psychology must be reformed accordingly 1983 20 Methodologically ethogenics starts with the social formation as the primary human reality and then shows how the human self exists within it via personally modified templates Harre 1983 64 65 While Harre makes a distinction between personal and social being he does not claim that personal being is prior to social being By contrast John Shotter s approach to ethogenics analyzes social action with others as opposed to individual rule following and performances which is said to give individuals social powers There is no cognitive structure of the social self independent of social context Shotter 1983 33 Therefore Shotter emphasizes the practical necessities which bring individuals together in moral configurations which it is necessary to hermeneutically approach Shotter believes this is a better way to understand the accounting practices and resulting consciousness of individuals than Harre s methods Kenneth Gergen argues that scientific activity theories also plays a significant role in constructing the reality and values of individuals Gergen argues that scientific theories appeal to the common sense within our everyday symbolic world Societal power relations are affected by groups who try to impose certain frameworks for understanding selfhood which then guide action Gergen 1989 Critique of mainstream social psychology EditEthogenics emerged from a period of crisis in social psychology representing a rejection of experimental methods Ginsburg 1995 Such methods apply external treatments to groups of individuals rather than studying the personal sense making in which individuals must engage to live in society Key theorists EditThe following authors all belong to the ethogenic school Nicola de Carlo David D Clarke Kenneth Gergen Rom Harre Paul F Secord John ShotterSee also EditSymbolic interactionism Dramaturgy sociology Ethnomethodology Verstehen Microsociology Social constructionismNotes Edit Wayne C Boot 1988 The Vocation of a Teacher Rhetorical Occasions 1967 1988 University of Chicago Press p 332 Burkitt Ian 1991 Social Selves Theories of the Social Formation of Personality London Sage Publications 55 61 Further reading EditBrown J and Sime J D 1981 A Methodology of Accounts In M Brenner ed Social Method and Social Life London Academic Press 159 88 Clarke D D 1976 Ethogenics and the Work of Rom Harre Paper presented to Oxford Summer School in Social Psychology 11 August Clarke D D 1976 Rules and Sequences in Conversation In P Collett ed Social Rules and Social Behaviour Oxford Blackwell Publishers Gergen K J 1989 Warranting Voice and the Elaboration of Self In J Shotter and K J Gergen eds Texts of Identity London and Newbury Park Sage Ginsburg G P 1995 Ethogenics In A S R Manstead and Miles Hewstone eds The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Psychology Oxford Blackwell Publishers Harre R 1979 Social Being A Theory for Social Psychology Oxford Basil Blackwell 1983 Personal Being A Theory for Individual Psychology Cambridge MA Harvard University Press Ed 1986 The Social Construction of Emotions Oxford Basil Blackwell Harre R Clarke D D and de Carlo N 1985 Motives and Mechanisms An Introduction to the Psychology of Action London Metheun Harre R and Secord P S 1972 The Explanation of Social Behaviour Oxford Basil Blackwell Shotter J 1983 Duality of Structure and Intentionality in an Ecological Psychology Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour Oxford Basil Blackwell Shotter J 1984 Social Accountability and Selfhood Oxford Basil Blackwell External links EditCohen L Manion L and Morrison K Eds 2005 Research Methods in Education 5th edition London RoutledgeFalmer The Principles of the Ethogenic Approach dead link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ethogenics amp oldid 1078523142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
