Social reproduction sustains individuals through group identity, not just purposive-rational adaptation

Evidence

Within sociology as a strict behavioural science, questions relating to the self-understanding of social groups cannot be formulated. Yet they are not meaningless on that count, nor are they beyond binding discussion. They arise objectively from the fact that the reproduction of social life not only poses technically soluble questions; instead, it includes more than the processes of adaptation along the lines of the purposive-rational use of means. Socialized individuals are only sustained through group identity, which contrasts with animal societies which must be constantly built up, destroyed and formed anew. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 2428

Categorization

• DEFINE: Habermas defining the realm of group self-understanding that behaviourist sociology cannot reach.
• XREF: Connects to Habermas’s later theory of communicative action and the distinction from purposive-rational (strategic) action. — connects to: Identity formation responds to external social pressures rather than pure self-selection — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 2510; Collective identity is a shared place in the social world; Individual identity is stabilized only within collective cultural networks (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Individual identity is stabilized only within collective cultural networks #corroborates (0.85)
• Coercion and material interests force rational adaptation even without shared values or kinship #contradicts (0.80) — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 2203
• Collective identity is a shared place in the social world #expands (0.78)
• Identity formation responds to external social pressures rather than pure self-selection #expands (0.75) — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 2510
• Social identity derives its value from comparisons against out-groups #expands (0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2718
• Recategorizing group boundaries can expand ingroup identity from us-them to we #expands (0.75) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 564