Introduction
As human social behavior continues to evolve with people spending most of their lives within social groups, institutions, and formal organizations, the concept of sociology continues to grow.
Currently, sociology continues to dominate research studies as human beings within certain social groups evolve behaviorally, with both genders engaging in serious discourses (Macionis, 2011).
Being an endless and transforming life concept that is eminent in our everyday lives, human behaviors, including violence, delinquency, aggressiveness, naivety, and benevolence are raising debates.
Following the issues discussed in the scenario, Boys Will Be Boys, this essay analyses the scenarios according to the facts that the book, Society: the Basics by John Macionis, presents.
The Four Sociological Concepts in the Scenario
Socialization is an endless natural process of realizing and familiarizing with each other, as well as interacting. Following the theory of the Social Self by George Herbert Meads, Macionis (2011) presents four crucial concepts that are necessary in understanding human social behaviorism that reflects human personalities.
The intent of Mead’s theory of the social self and theory of social behaviorism is to develop an understanding of how social experiences influence individual’s personality.
The concept of the self, the looking glass self, the I and the me, and the concept of the development of the self, form the basics of the theory of the social self (Macionis, 2011). The scenario involves a social interaction between two individuals that seems to influence their personalities as viewed by their coworkers.
In the theory of the social self, Mead’s foremost concept is the self, which may refer to “the part of an individual’s personality composed of self-awareness and self-image” (Macionis, 2011, p. 69).
Mead sees the concept of an individual’s personality or self, as something resulting from social experiences of major human traits influenced by their frequent interaction with certain social groups.
Mead denies that personality has any connection with biological inheritance (Macionis, 2011). From the case, it is indicative that the two recently hired male coworkers seem to influence each other behaviorally through their interactions.
Mead presents the concept of the looking glass self in which the theory assumes that in human social groups, individuals act as mirrors to each other (Macionis, 2011). Individuals feel that certain traits in others who are in a close social organization may influence how a community percepts about the entire social structure.
This may explain the reason why people naturally react to those who behave unethically around them, even if they are not affected directly. Observing the naughty behavior of the male coworkers makes the observers to figure the situation into their personality.
The Meads concept of the I and the me, assumes that, “by taking the role of the other, we become self-aware” (Macionis, 2011, p. 69). Precisely, Mead assumes that personality is twofold: one part of the self or personality acts as the subject and the other one as the object.
Mead supposes that ‘I’ is the subjective part while ‘me’ is the objective part of the self (Macionis, 2011). Mead argues that social experiences encompass both components of the self. Individuals initiating an action (subjective side) and then evaluate the action based on others responses to them. In the case, the two male coworkers initiate actions and stimulate responses from others.
In addition, Mead discusses the development of the self as a concept within the theory of Social Self. According to Macionis (2011), infants with little social experience can only imitate the behavior of others without really understanding the underlying intentions.
As children approach adulthood, they begin taking the actions to have some meaning and manipulate the actions for their gain. In this case, the young workers who are employed recently find their personalities changing with the influence of social experiences in their lives.
Weber’s Characteristics of Bureaucracy
Max Weber is one of the earliest sociologists who initiated the concept of bureaucracy. Weber recognized six major elements of an ideal bureaucratic organization that include technical competence, specialization, and hierarchy of offices, impersonality, formal communication, and rules and regulations (Macionis, 2011).
Of importance are the two major elements, which connect directly with the scenario, and they include organizational rules, regulations, and impersonality (Macionis, 2011).
Many bureaucratic organizations have rules and regulations and normally regard some lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, drinking of alcohol, and sexist behaviors at the workplace to be unethical and offensive.
In the scenario, it would deem inappropriate and irresponsible for the manager of student employees, Shirley Wright, to assume that the delinquent behavior of the two male workers should remain presumed just as a common tendency in men.
The bureaucracy of the organization would definitely collapse and that a single scenario may influence mushrooming of several other social groups that disregard the workplace values, policies, or even rules and regulations.
According to Macionis (2011), rules and regulations are always there to guide the bureaucratic operations. If the institutional rules stipulate otherwise, Shirley Wright as a manager should react on the grievances based on the current rules.
Given the condition that my position within the organization is similar in the hierarchical order with the position of the two employees who are my coworkers, the advice from Ron DesVue may deem inappropriate. Apart from the two elements discussed herein, Weber understands that bureaucratic organizations must have a hierarchy of offices where different offices have different powers.
Just like me, the two other employees understand these hierarchies and their work, and hence, any of my direct confrontation may elicit unnecessary conflict between us. Hence, Ron DesVue’s perspective of direct confrontation may result into more harmful repercussions than estimated.
Bureaucratic organizations have the nature of impersonality where rules apply to everyone in the organization and individuals urge rarely affects these rules (Macionis, 2011).
The conviction of Rudy Day would deem the most effective, but unofficial and even against the regulations of the company, as recording their sounds and using it to coerce these employees may remain treated as a form intimidation.
Following the advice of Frieda Choose in this scenario is appropriate because it deems as the best decision. Weber recommends that bureaucratic laws are impartial to all workers, and thus, applicable to all of them equally.
Frieda Choose may be out of order in the problem as she compares racism and smoking as delinquent social behaviors in the organization. Frieda assumes that racism is more offensive than individual lifestyle behaviors. The main problem in the scenario is the influence of individual delinquent social behaviors in an organization.
Whist some individuals in an organization believe that certain personal lifestyle behaviors rarely affect others in an organization, there is always a feeling of indirect effects.
The rule of law in organizations as postulated by Macionis (2011) is that bureaucratic or democratic organizations must follow its course. Organizations should conduct proper induction and orientation to the organizations based on their set of rules and principles.
Conclusion
Frequent exposure to different environments and different social groups, as human beings grow, normally influences social behaviors. The issue of lifestyle behaviors affecting organizations and their development is a growing concern, with alcohol consumption and smoking affecting workplaces.
Inasmuch as some social behavior may have an indirect influence on the organization, paying no attention to such activities may elicit further problems in the organization.
Reference
Macionis, J. (2011). Society: The Basics. New York: Planet Friendly Publishing.