How Blau?s Exchange Theory is Applied to Both Levels of Sociological Theory
The endeavor of shifting a micro-sociological theory into the realm of a macro-sociological view of society requires ambition, empirical evidence, and clarity. Peter Blau makes this attempt in his essential work, ?Exchange and Power in Social Life.? Blau manages to accomplish the three requirements for such a task with the exception clarity. This writing hopes to fill this void of clarity with the following explanation of both his theory as it is used in micro-analysis, in macro-analysis, and most importantly, the bridges between them.
The first thing we must consider to understand this evolution of theory is how Blau builds this evolution of theory up to a larger scale. Blau begins with laying the foundation for exchange theory as it operates on the micro level. His tenets and assumptions are direct and comprehensible. After explaining how interpersonal exchange operates, he proceeds to group functions, and the processes in which they undergo in order to be constructed, maintained, and altered.
A segment of a social network
Erving Goffman
Karl Marx (1818-1883)The alteration of groups becomes his paramount arguement when dealing with the transition from a micro view to a macro one. The influence of Karl Marx becomes apparent in his concluding chapters where Blau addresses the collective thoughts of conflict theory and exchange theory as applied on the macro-sociological level. Ultimately, Blau?s entire theory consists of the use of certain values as a means of movement through his four facets of social structure: integrations, differentiation, organization, and opposition (Blau 1964: 271), and that this evolution of the society is a result of dialectical forces which disrupt the social equilibrium. Just as Blau leads us through his book with a logical progression of theory, this essay too will follow the same path by paralleling my explanation closely to his text.