The Thomas Theorem and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

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For many years, sociologists have strived to understand how people perceive reality and what consequences this perception can cause. The Thomas couple, for instance, has offered their theorem, claiming that If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences (as cited in OpenStax, 2015, p. 85). It means that the persons acts may be dictated not by objective circumstances but by this persons interpretation of the situation. Therefore, the Thomas theorem is a pretty significant contribution to the development of sociology.

This theorem contributed to developing the concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy determined by R. Merton. The sociologist considers that a false idea can also become a part of reality (OpenStax, 2015). For instance, when I was 12, my classmates and I had a tour of the museum of antiquity. I heard two boys discussing a certain vase that had to be broken. I understood that they wanted to break one of the brightest museum exhibits the 16th-century vase. When one of the boys approached the vessel, I rushed to him. In surprise, he waved with his hand and touched the vase. I experienced the self-fulfilling prophecy at that moment: others could not perceive this situation as a different reality since only I heard those boys words, which shaped my sense of reality. When the vase was on the floor, I was even more confident that they wanted to break it. Only later did I learn those guys had discussed a completely different vessel. Thus, the self-fulfilling prophecy is a concept which explains how reality can be built by an initially false idea.

The Social Institution of Marriage and Family

The social institution of marriage and family occupies an important place in society. It can be considered due to the prism of such theoretical perspectives as functionalism and symbolic interactions. They interpret the family as a group, in which people together strive to create a powerful connection and support emotional ties to all members (OpenStax, 2015). While interactionism accounts for the subjective experience of belonging to a family, functionalism pays attention to the role of the family in society (OpenStax, 2015, p. 309). My ideas of the essence of marriage and family fit well with interactionism since it emphasizes the strong ties between family members. Therefore, the concept of marriage and family can be discussed within the perspectives of functionalism and interactionism.

Reference

OpenStax. (2015). Introduction to sociology (2^nd ed.). OpenStax.

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The Thomas Theorem and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

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