Community Interaction Theory – Transcript
Slide 1
Classic career theory part 3 – Law’s Community Interaction Theory
Once again, let’s look carefully at the title – the word interaction denotes thesocial interactionist orientation of Law’s work. In this theory, Law expounds on his interest in the interpersonal communication and exchanges that take place in communities, i.e.Law reminds us thatcommunity is not singular but plural – we engage with, and are connected to, a plurality of communities.
Slide 2
Originally formulated in 1981, Law’s key proposition is as follows:
‘The way in which who-does-what in society is decided is the product of the plurality of interpersonal transactions conducted in local settings, and on the basis of interaction within and between groups of which the individual is a member – the ‘community’.’
Here, Law stresses the significance of locality – the specific localised contexts where people convene as a community. In so doing, Law takes what he calls an ecological view of career – he is interested in the cultural practices to be found in the communities that we inhabit, and which inhabit us. More of this later.
Slide 3
Law also seeks to explain the processes of community interaction – this is a particularly interesting feature of Law’s work.
First, Law suggests that community functions as a transmitter of motivation
‘motivation for career development occurs in transactions involving the participation of parents, family, neighbourhood, peer groups and ethnic group.’
For Law, motivation is characterised by the relationship between ‘internally experienced needs and drives, and externally experienced incentives and rewards’
Here, Law is seeking to find a middle ground between what he calls applied psychology and applied sociology. This is reflected in his second proposition.
Slide 4
Law suggests that community also functionsas a modifier of social functioning
Community interaction not only transmits the effects of social processes, but also modifies these effects inunpredictable ways.
Here Law attempts to move away from a deterministicstance in relation to social class, gender, ethnicity, etc. He is drawing attention to how interactions within communities can have unpredictable social effects; at the same time, he is acknowledging that there are social conditions that impact on the conduct of interactions within communities.
Slide 5
In his third proposition, Law identifies what he calls ‘Modes of community influence’. These are: Expectations, Feedback, Support, Modelling, and Information.
First, Expectations– according to Law, these are the cues, pressures and enticements that are often embedded in membership of groups.Expectations may be transmitted through the values offamily or peer group.
Second, Feedback – according to Law, these are images that people can receive ofthemselves by their participation in groups. Feedbackmay be transmitted through the messages that peoplereceive concerning their suitability for different sorts ofsocial roles.
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Third, Support – Law sees this as the reinforcements and encouragement that group membership can entail.
Fourth, Modelling – according to Law, these are the real-life examples which offer specific targets for identification to members of a group. Modelling may be transmitted via the opportunity to meet and understand ways of life outside of the person’s origins.
Finally, Information – Law sees this as the communication of impressions, images and data which people distil from conversation in the groups of which they are members. Information may be transmitted via the direct observations that individualshave of work habits and patterns of the people they have contact with day-to-day.
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Law’s five modes of community influence highlight the significance of culture – that embedded in each community are particular cultural expectations and traditions that serve as a guide for interaction. Identity is also highlighted here – that people can identify who they are through the feedback and support and modelling that community membership offers.
Slide 8
It is also important to emphasise that community influence is not seen by Law to be necessarily benign – communities can constrain as well as enable people. Hence, Law’s interest in alternative communities – that people can seek out and join, indeed form communities beyond their immediate circumstances and locality.
Slide 9
Law also makes some important additional propositions:
According to Law, person’s perception of self and situation will change according to the particular construction of reality being negotiated with a particular partner on a particular occasion. Here Law is taking what appears to be a social constructionist view of the world, i.e. that what is real and meaningful to us about our sense of who we are and the world around us is constructed through social interchange – through relationships and social networks. In this sense, there are as many realities as there are communities (a community being more than one person).
Slide 10
In addition, according to Law, the process of interaction does not only involve the accommodation of the individual to shared constructions of the group; it also involves the accommodation of group constructions to those of the individual.’ Here Law is acknowledging that the influence of communities is not just one-way, or top down. Rather, community influence is reciprocal in the sense that communities are constructed through the actions of the individuals who participate in them. Law uses the phrase ‘the socialiser is socialised’ to emphasise this point.
Slide 11
Finally, in terms of guidance practice, Law suggests that…..
‘a community interaction theory of career development highlights a ‘plurality’ of perspectives. This in turn can enable the individual to use a range of ways of thinking about possible selves in possible futures.’
Here, Law is emphasising the importance of community networks in guidance practice – that guidance practitioners can put people in touch with other people, and other communities. In this sense, the question ‘who do you know?’ is more pertinent than ‘what do you know?’
Slide 12
Let’s now look at the Strengths and weaknesses of the theory:
First, Law draws attention to the significance of relationships, personal networks and social contexts, and how these influence career development – both in terms of enabling, and constraining career development.
Second, Law identifies the ‘modes’ of influence that operatewithin community interactions – this provides a framework for understanding how an individual is influenced by their community, and how an individual might benefit from the influence of an alternative community. For example, helping students to consider how they might use their work experience to model alternative behaviours and approaches to problem-solving.
3. Law’s work is largely rhetorical – i.e. limited empirical basis for claims. Law writes from home – he is a self-confessed ‘intellectual’ rather than a scholar or academic.
4. Law attempts to introduce a ‘social constructionist’ perspective on career development. However, this is not adequately explained. This will be addressed in a further presentation.
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