Lecture 6

Typifications and Social Categories: The Mental Shortcuts We Use

Building on intersubjectivity, this lecture explores "typifications"—the shared mental shortcuts and social categories we use to navigate the complex social world efficiently.

What are Typifications?

Core Concept: Typifications are shared social categories and expectations that allow us to quickly make sense of people and situations.

They are like pre-written scripts for understanding roles ("student," "teacher") and social situations ("classroom," "restaurant"). Without them, every interaction would require constant negotiation.

The Necessity of Typifications

Core Concept: Typifications are indispensable tools for social life, making the world predictable and manageable.

They are not mistakes or biases to be eliminated, but fundamental mechanisms that enable efficient social interaction. They allow us to act without constant analysis.

Think about how you greet a friend versus a stranger. What different "typifications" are at play that guide your behavior in each situation?

Typifications are Learned, Not Natural

Core Concept: Typifications are acquired through social feedback and repetition, meaning they vary across cultures and contexts.

We are not born knowing how a classroom works or what a "good student" is. We learn these categories and their associated expectations through our social experiences.

Typifications and Power

Core Concept: Typifications are not neutral; they can be imposed, enforced, and used to reinforce existing power structures in society.

Some typifications are more rigid and enforced (e.g., categories related to law and order), while others are more flexible. Understanding this helps reveal how power operates in everyday life.

Consider a social stereotype. How does that stereotype act as a "typification"? What power dynamics are embedded within it, and how does it influence interactions?

Typifications in Research

Core Concept: In research, typifications become variables and categories, necessitating careful examination to avoid distorting reality with unexamined assumptions.

Before creating a variable like "social class" or "student success," a phenomenologist would ask: Where did this category come from? Who uses it? What does it assume? This ensures our research is grounded in lived reality.