The social constructionist perspective believes that one
does not directly experience the world, but instead experiences the world
through the influence of their culture. It is stated in this model that we
construct our world through communication, specially communication between our
culture and its constructs and ourselves. For example, say a small southern
Christian community young boy is told that homosexuals (for instance) are
horrible people with bad intentions. This idea is drilled into his heads from
the time he can even process information to the time he graduates high school
and gets ready for college. He gets into UCLA and moves to the big city where
he is bound to run into more than just one gay man or woman. Instead of
experience these people himself, instead of truly getting to know them enough
to form his own opinion, he automatically hates homosexuals because of what he
has been brought up to believe around him. The messages communicated to him as
a young child has created a false world for him. I guess the best way I can
describe the social constructionist model is that it’s like wearing rose
colored glasses. You see only what you want to see, or at least what you’ve
been conditioned too. This can sway either way.. it can bring happiness to ones
life or the opposite.
WobbledyWa,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your take on the subject of the Social Constructivist Perspective. The example you give really paints a clear picture of someone being conditioned to pre judge on beliefs instilled by parents and community. I particularly liked this quote:
"Instead of experience these people himself, instead of truly getting to know them enough to form his own opinion, he automatically hates homosexuals because of what he has been brought up to believe around him. The messages communicated to him as a young child has created a false world for him."
Prejudice is an unfortunate result of the concept and you illustrate it well in the quote. I served several years in the military and seen the story you tell first hand. Not only that particular situation but many others. Almost every state is represented in the military and we all have our pre-concieved notions of what the culture is like but really only truly can understand our own.
-JPP
I like how you described what the social constructivist perspective is. You used a great example to highlight how the perspective is used in our culture today. When describing the social constructivist perspective, I took the approach about how the media has major influences on people’s lives today. Celebrities have become more popular just from how the media portrays them. Reality TV is almost on every network and influences us on what we think of others. Certain people want to live the lifestyles that celebrities have. They get so focused on wanting to live in this dream world, that they forget who they really are as a person.
ReplyDelete