In sociology, social action refer to any action that takes into account actions and reactions of another individuals (real or imagined) and is modified based on those events.

The term social action was introduced by Max Weber. It is a more encompassing term then Florian Znaniecki's social phenomena , since the individual perorming social actions is notpassive, but (potentialy) active and reacting.

Weber differentiated between several types of social actions:

• ratinal actions : actions which are planned, taken after considering costs and consequences. An example would be most economic transactions;
• traditional actions : actions which are carried out due to tradition, because they are always carried out in such a situation. An example would be putting on clothes or relaxing on Sundays. Some traditional actions can became a cultural artifact;
• emotional actions : actions which are taken due to one's emotions, to express personal feelings. For examples, cheering after a victory, crying on a funerar would be emotional actions.

See also

• affection
• behavior analysis
• empathy
• Geert Hofstede
• George Herbert Mead
• homo economicus
• rationality