“If men define their situations as real, they are real in their consequences.”
Choose one of the following prompts and respond to it in no less than 300-400 words. In your response, you must fully answer all aspects of the question and support your answer with reference to course materials (textbook, supplementary readings, videos, etc).
The Thomas Theorem states, “If men define their situations as real, they are real in their consequences.” This is the “social constructionist” view on society: we create realities in the social world simply because we believe something is real or necessary, and act accordingly. What does this mean to you? What is a real-life example of this theorem, and how does the theorem apply to that example?
or
In what ways has the development of social media been good for society? In what ways has it been bad for society? Why is a society that uses social media different from one that doesn’t? How does the usage of social media change the way people interact with, relate to, and perceive/judge each other?
Sample Solution
The Thomas theorem is a theory of sociology which was formulated in 1928 by William Isaac Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas: If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. In other words, the interpretation of a situation causes the action. This interpretation is not objective. Actions are affected by subjective perceptions of situations. Whether there even is an objectively correct interpretation is not important for the purposes of helping guide individuals’ behavior. If you believe something to be true, then you will behave according to your belief (your reality). According to the Thomas Theorem, if individuals characterize their circumstances as real, then the results of those circumstances are also real. This illustrates a social constructionist theory of society and how we form social realities by acting on what we perceive to be true or essential.
