Sociology Plus
Cognitive Sociology Definition
Cognitive sociology is an approach that draws from ethnomethodology to investigate the problematic nature of meaning within everyday life. It seeks to integrate ethnomethodology with linguistics, focusing on deep structures, while simultaneously engaging with traditional sociological perspectives concerning normative or surface-level social rules. The aim of this synthesis is to identify the underlying social organisation and the ‘negotiated order’ that constitutes daily existence.
Key Proponent
The principal figure associated with this line of inquiry is the American sociologist Aaron V. Cicourel. His work involves studying a wide array of seemingly disparate phenomena, such as crime, deafness, education, and research methods, all in an effort to uncover the fundamental social organisation inherent in everyday interactions.