Elias: Key Concepts

What is a figuration?

• Early specialisation through parental involvement.

• A group of mutually orientated people.

• Two-way links between people

• Embodied social learning.

Elias said that we should not separate an individual from society as this is problematic.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Within figurations are "what" that are webs or two-way links between people?

• Habitus

• Identities

• Intederpendencies

• Dependencies

How are figurations formed?

• Figurations are formed by changes to habitus.

• Figurations are formed by surveillance and power.

• Figurations are formed by the behaviours front and back stage of individuals.

• Figurations are formed by the interactions of interdependent people.

Interdependencies can be what....?

• Allies or opponents

• Front or back stage

• Docile or Disciplined

A habitus can change and/or develop quickly over time.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Answer explanation

Change slowly over time...

What is the concept name for the series of models that explains the interwoven actions and power relations of networks of people?

• Game Schematics

• Game Models

• Models of People

• Primal Models

Name the four components from week 7 lectures that feature within figurational sociology.

• Figurations, Power, Symbolic interactionism and dependencies

• Figurations, interdependencies, marxism and power

• Figurations, Interdependencies, Power and Habitus

• Figurations, power, functions and habitus

What happens to a figuration as the number of 'players' increases?

• Power decreases for Player A.

• The outcomes of interactions between players becomes planned and known.

• Power increases for Player A.

• The outcomes of interactions between players becomes less planned and known.

In Elias' 'I/We /They' personal pronouns model, many people can be each pronoun at any one time. The model therefore allows us to:

• Understand the function an individual has in a figuration.

• Understand the panoptic gaze and how surveillance works.

• Understand the function society has in a figuration.