A social relation is the fundamental unit of analysis within the social sciences, and describes any voluntary or involuntary interpersonal relationship between two or more conspecifics within and/or between groups. The group can be a language or kinship group, a social institution or organization, an economic class, a nation, or gender. Social relations are derived from human behavioral ecology, and, as an aggregate, form a coherent social structure whose constituent parts are best understood relative to each other and to the social ecosystem as a whole.
History
Early inquiries into the nature of social relations featured in the work of sociologists such as Max Weber in his theory of social action, where social relationships composed of both positive (affiliative) and negative (agonistic) interactions represented opposing effects.Categorizing social interactions enables observational and other social research, such as Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft (lit. 'community and society'), collective consciousness, etc.
Ancient works which include manuals of good practice in social relations include the text of Pseudo-Phocylides, 175–227, Josephus' polemical work Against Apion, 198–210, and the deutero-canonical Jewish Book of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus, 7:18–36.
More recent research on social behaviour has demonstrated that newborn infants tend to instinctually gravitate towards prosocial behaviour. As obligate social apes, humans are born highly altricial, and require an extended period of post-natal development for cultural transmission of social organization, language, and moral frameworks. In linguistic and anthropological frameworks, this is reflected in a culture's kinship terminology, with the default mother-child relation emerging as part of the embryological process.
Forms of relation and interaction
According to Piotr Sztompka, forms of relation and interaction in sociology and anthropology may be described as follows: first and most basic are animal-like behaviors, i.e. various physical movements of the body. Then there are actions—movements with a meaning and purpose. Then there are social behaviors, or social actions, which address (directly or indirectly) other people, which solicit a response from another agent.
Next are social contacts, a pair of social actions, which form the beginning of social interactions which metadata is a big contribution.Symbols define social relationships. Without symbols, our social life would be no more sophisticated than that of animals. For example, without symbols, people would have no aunts or uncles, employers or teachers—or even brothers and sisters. In sum, symbolic interactionists analyze how social life depends on the ways people define themselves and others. They study face-to-face interaction, examining how people make sense of life and how they determine their relationships.
| Physical movement | Meaning | Directed towards others | Await response | Unique/rare interaction | Interactions | Accidental, not planned, but repeated interaction | Regular | Interactions described by law, custom, or tradition | A scheme of social interactions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavior | Yes | |||||||||
| Action | Yes | Maybe | ||||||||
| Social behavior | Yes | No | Yes | |||||||
| Social action | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ||||||
| Social contact | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Social interaction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Repeated interaction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Regular interaction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Regulated interaction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Social relation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
See also
- Affectional action
- Communicative action
- Dramaturgical action
- Instrumental and value-rational action
- Interdependence
- Interpersonal relationship
- Relations of production
- Social isolation
- Social movement
- Social multiplier effect
- Social robot
- Symbolic interactionism
- Traditional action
Related disciplines
- Behavioral ecology
- Behavioral sciences
- Engaged theory
- Social ecology
- Social philosophy
- Social psychology
References
- Cash, Elizabeth; Toney-Butler, Tammy J. (2024), "Social Relations", StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, PMID 28613794, retrieved 2024-12-23
- van Schaik CP. 1989. The ecology of social relationships amongst female primates. In Comparative socioecology: the behavioural ecology of humans and other mammals (eds Standen V, Foley R), pp. 195–218. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Scientific.
- Hinde, R. A. (1976). "Interactions, Relationships and Social Structure". Man. 11 (1): 1–17. doi:10.2307/2800384. JSTOR 2800384.
- Zahle, Julie (2021), "Methodological Holism in the Social Sciences", in Zalta, Edward N.; Nodelman, Uri (eds.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2021 ed.), Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, retrieved 2024-12-23
- Wey, Tina W.; Jordán, Ferenc; Blumstein, Daniel T. (2019). "Transitivity and structural balance in marmot social networks". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 73 (6): 88. Bibcode:2019BEcoS..73...88W. doi:10.1007/s00265-019-2699-3. S2CID 169035896.
- Collins, J. J., 44. Ecclesiasticus, or The Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach, in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary, p. 701
- Hughes, Claire; Leekam, Sue (November 2004). "What are the Links Between Theory of Mind and Social Relations? Review, Reflections and New Directions for Studies of Typical and Atypical Development". Social Development. 13 (4): 590–619. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2004.00285.x. S2CID 145630188.
- Sztompka, Piotr. 2002. Socjologia, Znak. ISBN 83-240-0218-9. p. 107.
Bibliography
- Azarian, Reza. 2010. "Social Ties: Elements of a Substantive Conceptualisation". Acta Sociologica 53(4):323–38.
- Piotr Sztompka, Socjologia, Znak, 2002, ISBN 83-240-0218-9
- Weber, Max. "The Nature of Social Action". In Weber: Selections in Translation, edited by W. G. Runciman. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1991.
A social relation is the fundamental unit of analysis within the social sciences and describes any voluntary or involuntary interpersonal relationship between two or more conspecifics within and or between groups The group can be a language or kinship group a social institution or organization an economic class a nation or gender Social relations are derived from human behavioral ecology and as an aggregate form a coherent social structure whose constituent parts are best understood relative to each other and to the social ecosystem as a whole HistoryEarly inquiries into the nature of social relations featured in the work of sociologists such as Max Weber in his theory of social action where social relationships composed of both positive affiliative and negative agonistic interactions represented opposing effects Categorizing social interactions enables observational and other social research such as Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft lit community and society collective consciousness etc Ancient works which include manuals of good practice in social relations include the text of Pseudo Phocylides 175 227 Josephus polemical work Against Apion 198 210 and the deutero canonical Jewish Book of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus 7 18 36 More recent research on social behaviour has demonstrated that newborn infants tend to instinctually gravitate towards prosocial behaviour As obligate social apes humans are born highly altricial and require an extended period of post natal development for cultural transmission of social organization language and moral frameworks In linguistic and anthropological frameworks this is reflected in a culture s kinship terminology with the default mother child relation emerging as part of the embryological process Forms of relation and interactionAccording to Piotr Sztompka forms of relation and interaction in sociology and anthropology may be described as follows first and most basic are animal like behaviors i e various physical movements of the body Then there are actions movements with a meaning and purpose Then there are social behaviors or social actions which address directly or indirectly other people which solicit a response from another agent Next are social contacts a pair of social actions which form the beginning of social interactions which metadata is a big contribution Symbols define social relationships Without symbols our social life would be no more sophisticated than that of animals For example without symbols people would have no aunts or uncles employers or teachers or even brothers and sisters In sum symbolic interactionists analyze how social life depends on the ways people define themselves and others They study face to face interaction examining how people make sense of life and how they determine their relationships Sociological hierarchy Physical movement Meaning Directed towards others Await response Unique rare interaction Interactions Accidental not planned but repeated interaction Regular Interactions described by law custom or tradition A scheme of social interactionsBehavior YesAction Yes MaybeSocial behavior Yes No YesSocial action Yes Yes Yes NoSocial contact Yes Yes Yes Yes YesSocial interaction Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesRepeated interaction Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesRegular interaction Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesRegulated interaction Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesSocial relation Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NoSee alsoSociety portalAffectional action Communicative action Dramaturgical action Instrumental and value rational action Interdependence Interpersonal relationship Relations of production Social isolation Social movement Social multiplier effect Social robot Symbolic interactionism Traditional action Related disciplines Behavioral ecology Behavioral sciences Engaged theory Social ecology Social philosophy Social psychologyReferencesWikiquote has quotations related to Social relation Cash Elizabeth Toney Butler Tammy J 2024 Social Relations StatPearls Treasure Island FL StatPearls Publishing PMID 28613794 retrieved 2024 12 23 van Schaik CP 1989 The ecology of social relationships amongst female primates In Comparative socioecology the behavioural ecology of humans and other mammals eds Standen V Foley R pp 195 218 Oxford UK Blackwell Scientific Hinde R A 1976 Interactions Relationships and Social Structure Man 11 1 1 17 doi 10 2307 2800384 JSTOR 2800384 Zahle Julie 2021 Methodological Holism in the Social Sciences in Zalta Edward N Nodelman Uri eds The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Winter 2021 ed Metaphysics Research Lab Stanford University retrieved 2024 12 23 Wey Tina W Jordan Ferenc Blumstein Daniel T 2019 Transitivity and structural balance in marmot social networks Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 73 6 88 Bibcode 2019BEcoS 73 88W doi 10 1007 s00265 019 2699 3 S2CID 169035896 Collins J J 44 Ecclesiasticus or The Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach in Barton J and Muddiman J 2001 The Oxford Bible Commentary p 701 Hughes Claire Leekam Sue November 2004 What are the Links Between Theory of Mind and Social Relations Review Reflections and New Directions for Studies of Typical and Atypical Development Social Development 13 4 590 619 doi 10 1111 j 1467 9507 2004 00285 x S2CID 145630188 Sztompka Piotr 2002 Socjologia Znak ISBN 83 240 0218 9 p 107 Bibliography Azarian Reza 2010 Social Ties Elements of a Substantive Conceptualisation Acta Sociologica 53 4 323 38 Piotr Sztompka Socjologia Znak 2002 ISBN 83 240 0218 9 Weber Max The Nature of Social Action In Weber Selections in Translation edited by W G Runciman Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1991
