Sociology, as a discipline, can be mapped using the quadrant model. Here’s how different sociological theories and areas of study might align with the Ideal-Subjective, Material-Subjective, Material-Objective, and Ideal-Objective quadrants:
1. Autogenous (Ideal-Subjective)
Symbolic Interactionism: This theory focuses on the subjective meanings individuals assign to objects, events, and behaviors through social interactions. It emphasizes personal interpretation and the creation of meaning, fitting well into the Ideal-Subjective quadrant.
Phenomenological Sociology: This perspective seeks to understand how individuals experience and interpret the social world. It aligns with this quadrant because it is concerned with subjective experiences and personal ideals.
2. Endogenous (Material-Subjective)
Ethnomethodology: This approach studies how people use everyday interactions to maintain a sense of social order. It looks at the subjective interpretations of material social practices, placing it in the Material-Subjective quadrant.
Sociology of Emotions: This area of study examines how emotions are experienced and expressed within social contexts. It involves the subjective experience of material social interactions.
3. Exogenous (Material-Objective)
Structural Functionalism: This theory focuses on the objective structures of society and how they function to maintain social stability. It fits into the Material-Objective quadrant because it deals with the material aspects of social organization and their objective impacts.
Marxist Sociology: This perspective looks at the material conditions of society, particularly economic structures, and their impact on social relations. It is concerned with the objective material world and its effects on social life.
4. Extragenous (Ideal-Objective)
Critical Theory: This approach examines societal structures and seeks to uncover and critique the underlying power dynamics and inequalities. It aligns with the Ideal-Objective quadrant because it involves objective ideals like justice and equality that are applied to critique societal structures.
Feminist Sociology: This field studies gender inequalities and advocates for social change based on ideals of equality and justice. It fits into this quadrant because it deals with objective ideals applied to material social conditions.
Examples within Each Reality:
Ideal-Subjective (Autogenous)
Symbolic Interactionism Example: A study on how individuals in a community create and negotiate the meaning of a new public space, focusing on their personal interpretations and ideals about what the space represents.
Phenomenological Sociology Example: Research on how students experience and interpret the transition to college life, focusing on their subjective experiences and personal ideals about education and independence.
Material-Subjective (Endogenous)
Ethnomethodology Example: An investigation into how people in a workplace use everyday interactions and rituals to maintain order and a sense of belonging, focusing on their subjective interpretations of these material practices.
Sociology of Emotions Example: A study on how emotions are experienced and expressed during social protests, focusing on the subjective experience of material social interactions.
Material-Objective (Exogenous)
Structural Functionalism Example: Research on how educational institutions contribute to social stability by preparing individuals for specific roles in society, focusing on the objective structures and their material impacts.
Marxist Sociology Example: An analysis of how economic structures influence class relations and social mobility, focusing on the objective material conditions and their effects on social life.
Ideal-Objective (Extragenous)
Critical Theory Example: A study critiquing the power dynamics within the healthcare system and advocating for reforms based on ideals of equality and justice, focusing on how these ideals apply to material social structures.
Feminist Sociology Example: Research on gender inequalities in the workplace and the advocacy for policies promoting equal pay, based on the objective ideal of gender equality applied to material social conditions.
By mapping sociology onto the quadrant model, you can see how different sociological theories and areas of study align with different dimensions of reality, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex interplay between the ideal and the material, the subjective and the objective in social life.