Sociology Plus
Postulate of Adequacy Definition
The Postulate of Adequacy is the assertion, common to both phenomenological sociology and the sociology of Max Weber, that sociological accounts and explanations must be understandable to the social actors involved in the social settings being described or explained. This concept involves a dual requirement for adequacy: an explanation must be adequate for the purposes of the observer while simultaneously being adequate for those who are being explained.
Core Components and Objections
The postulate is challenged by various sociologists who argue that relying solely on the reflexive understandings of subjects is problematic. Objections often focus on the incoherence of human understanding, suggesting that actors’ perspectives may be misleading or incomplete. Furthermore, some critics point to alternative sources of action, such as unconscious motives or internal causes, which complicate the task of deriving explanations solely from observable behaviour.
The Problem of Explanation
Those who reject the postulate raise concerns about the empirical foundation of sociological explanation. They argue that merely observing correlations does not reveal causal mechanisms, making it difficult to explain actions without recourse to assumptions about actors’ intentions and motives. This tension highlights the difficulty in justifying sociological intervention when alternative explanations for behaviour exist.
Resolving the Tension
One proposed resolution involves treating sociological explanation as a process of translation. This process begins by understanding the meanings held by actors, generalising these understandings, augmenting them with empirical evidence (such as statistical descriptions of behaviour), and then presenting the sociological explanation back to the actors for confirmation or further clarification.
Variations in Interpretation
Different schools approach this postulate with varying emphasis. For instance, Weber’s view requires not only adequacy in terms of meaning but also causal adequacy, demanding that explanations be grounded empirically and demonstrate a probability that events will occur. Other perspectives suggest that actors’ understandings can be supplanted by sociological explanations, viewing subjective meanings as surface manifestations of underlying structures or ideological forces (as seen in psychoanalysis or behaviourism).
Modern Refinements
Later theorists, such as Giddens, have refined this concept. They maintain that while sociological accounts must originate from actors’ meanings, they can move beyond them. Crucially, these explanations must remain tethered to the actor’s concepts, and there is a view that complex reinterpretations of meaning should be fed back to the actors to facilitate acceptance and subsequent action, aligning with emancipatory goals.