Custom «Sociological Theory» Essay Paper Sample

Introduction

Behavior of an individual is crucial; therefore, it is necessary to take care of the prevailing conditions that can influence an individual’s behavior. There are various psychological and sociological theories designed to explain behavior of an individual. In this paper, focus is to analyze the behavior of James basing on psychological and sociological theories.

Discussion

Psychological theory

In most cases, whatever we know concerning thoughts and human behavior are due to the psychological theories. As a result, most of the psychology experts have spent most of their time trying to understand the various theories of psychology. Declination of some of the psychological theories has form part while others are greatly accepted. Despite the decline of other theories, they have played a significant role in contributing towards understanding behavior and thoughts of an individual (Freud and Rieff, 2008). There are six psychological theories, which include:

1. Behavioral theory is also referred to behaviorism. It states that most of the results are due to the prevailing conditions.
2. Cognitive theory focuses on the internal states of an individual such as ways of solving problems, motivating, and making decisions.
3. Humanist theory emphasizes on the positive side of life of human beings.
4. Developmental theory gives a framework that assist in thinking about development, growth, and learning of human beings.
5. Personality theory explains the thoughts, behavior, and feelings that make an individual unique from others    

Explaining the concept using Behavioral theory

The conditions given to James during his childhood must be some of the issues that contributed to his action of being a drunkard. For instance, when her mother tells him that, he is just like his father and that if he does not stop drinking, he will just end up dying early like his dad. James gets angry and explains to his mother that his action was because that was the only life he knew (Olson, 2003). He went ahead to tell his mother that his father and mother fought in front of him and in no single day did his mother try to stop his father from drinking. As a result, James got the behavior of drinking from his father.

As James explains to his mother the reason for his action, he states that because his father was not happy most of the time when he was at home, he used to go and drink. This means that James father decided to go and drink to get of stress. Therefore, it means that James is also drinking to get of stress that resulted when he saw the type of life his father lived in. Human beings are unique and like living a life that is free from stress and frustrations. Therefore, it is true to state that James is drinking so that he does not think critically of how his life is miserable. James grew up knowing that his father was a drunkard therefore, it is true to say that he followed the footsteps of his father. In addition, his mother states that James grandfather was also a drunkard, as a result, James father became a drunkard. All this are due to what the various parties where subjected to in their early days.

Sociological theory

This theory aims at coming up with an understanding of the society. In addition, according to this theory, whatever an individual does is independent. As a result, the society is not to blame for what one does (Ritzer, 2007). In the case of James, according to the various psychological theories, one can easily say that the society is to blame because of his theory. However, according to this theory, the society is not to blame, but an individual is to blame. Some of the sociological theories that are relevant in the case of James include:

1. The conflict theory explains the ability of some behavior to be dominant over others.
2. The rational choice theory explains an individual’s social behavior as due to attempts to maximize interaction with others.
3. Symbolic interactions aim at explaining how an individual’s behavior has been influenced due to interaction with certain group of people.

The conflict theory

In the case of James, his father and his grandfather, the behavior of drunkenness is dominant. In addition, it is true to say that his stay with his friends in the construction site has contributed heavily to his behavior. Furthermore, these bases on the group of people that James is working with in the construction site because as stated, in most cases especially on Fridays, James goes out with friends to drink. In addition, during such occasions, he drinks excessively.

Why James father reacted this way to James

On analyzing the behavior of James father, this was due to the touchier that his father subjected him. For James, this is due to lifestyle of his father and mother. He saw his father and mother fight in most cases and his mother never at one time tried to stop his father from drinking. Therefore, James father had to react this way to James as he James felt that his mother never loved his father, as a result. This then makes him to drink as he thinks that no one cares about him.

Effect of the behavior on future generation

If James off springs will find him behaving this way, they will also adopt the same. His generation may not miss to have the same way as a strategy of solving problems. In addition, such behavior can possibly pass to his generation as a way of avoiding frustrations. If his generation will see him behaving this way, they may also decide to follow his footsteps. James generation can also adopt the same behavior if they will interact with a group with such behavior.

Conclusion

Prevailing conditions surrounding an individual play a significant role in determining his or her behavior. Therefore, it is worth nothing that James behavior can have significant influence on his generation. Therefore, correction of this is necessary.