sociology
heyman
chpt.1-AnIntroductiontoSociology6.pptxChpt. 1-an introduction to sociology
What is sociology?
The systematic study of society and human behavior/experiences
Group behavior (Race, Gender, Social class)
Interactions with others
Social sources of behavior(external causes)
Institutions – “Big 5” - Government, Economy, Family, Education, and Religion
*Sociology is the study of Life!!
What do Sociologists study?
Homelessness
Poverty
Inequality
Health and Health care
Power
Crime and Punishment
Divorce and Marriage
Prejudice and Discrimination(Racism, Sexism, Ageism, etc.)
Suicide
(What do Sociologists Study?)
Social Change
**The Culture(time and place) and Behaviors/Experiences of a group of people.
*Sociology offers new insights and new ways of looking at the world.
The Sociological Imagination(Perspective): Understanding how we (individuals) fit into the bigger picture(groups, culture, society).
Why Should We Study Sociology?
(Why Study Sociology?)
1. Social Location and Life Chances:
Social Class(SES) Gender Race
Ethnicity Age Education Sexual Orientation
Religion Occupation Nationality
*Examples: President, Supreme Court, Life Expectancy, Educational Attainment, Suicide Rates, etc.
2. Global Perspective: Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
*Example: Women’s childbearing globally
(Why Study Sociology?)
3. Critical Perspectives- challenge common assumptions as well as the status quo (seek social change when necessary).
4. Understanding the Broader Social Context:
*The interrelationship between Biography(Individual) and History(Society).
*Troubles (individual, personal) vs. Issues (Public, Structural).
*Examples: Unemployment, Poverty, Divorce, Ism’s , etc.
(Why Study Sociology?)
5. The 1st Wisdom of Sociology:
“Things are not what they seem” (Peter Berger, 1963).
*Examine your taken-for-granted world (familiar world)-peek behind our social curtains-Why do we do what we do?
*Examples: Eye contact, Personal hygiene, Personal space, Rules of interaction, Manners/Etiquette, etc.
The Scientific Method
Refers to objective, systematic observations to test theories.
Research may originate from, but can’t be based on, common sense and personal opinion.
Validity- the quality of being logically or factually sound.
Reliability- when research produces consistent or dependable results.
Sociology and the Other Sciences
Natural Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc.) vs.
Social Sciences (Political Science, Economics, Anthropology-the “sister discipline” of Sociology, Psychology (memory, intelligence, personality, perceptions, etc.), Sociology).
** Sociology-examines external factors that influence people’s behaviors, attitudes, perceptions, etc.
Research Methods in the Social Sciences
1. Survey Research- collecting data (information) by having people answer questions.
a. Sample- a smaller group which Represents the larger group you are studying. Must be Random- everyone has the same chance of being included in the research.
b. Format: Self Administered vs. Interview
c. Types of Questions: Closed-Ended(Limited Options) vs. Open-Ended(Infinite Responses).
(Research Methods)
2. Participant Observation- the researcher observes what is happening in a natural setting.
a. Obtrusive- subjects know they are being studied
b. Unobtrusive- subjects do not know
3. Secondary Analysis- analysis of data already collected by other researchers.
a. When resources/data are limited
b. When the original research was outstanding in nature (Durkheim’s suicide research, 1897).
(Research Methods)
4. Documents- items that people read; recorded sources (books, magazines, newspapers, police records, organizational records, social networking sites).
*Can be useful for comparisons over time- trends, changes, patterns, etc.
5. Experiments- used to find Cause and Effect relationships between variables.
Research Ethics
1. Disclosure: Funds ($) and Findings (Research).
2. Subject Well-Being- physical and emotional.
3. Identifying yourself as a researcher.
Levels of Analysis (2)
1. Macrosociology- “Big Picture Perspective”
a. Focuses on large-scale features of social structure.
*Examples: Institutions, Stratification (Inequality)
b. Investigates the effects of large-scale forces on society.
*Examples: Social Change, Industrialization
(Levels of Analysis)
2. Microsociology- “Ground-Level Perspective”
a. Emphasizes Social interaction.
*Examples: Relationships, Communication (verbal and nonverbal)
b. Examines other small-scale features of society.
*Examples: Symbols, Meanings
Theoretical Perspectives (3)
1. Functionalism (Macro level)- Believes there is a high degree of cooperation, cohesion and stability among members of a society.
*Society is like a machine-the various parts are interrelated and function together in a relatively smooth fashion
a. Manifest Function- an intended consequence of a social arrangement (like a law) or social action (a protest, a war, etc.).
(Functionalism continued)
b. Latent Function- an unintended consequence.
c. Latent Dysfunction- an unintended and negative consequence.
*Example: Prohibition(1920-1933)
Who? August Comte(1798-1857)-1838
Herbert Spencer(1820-1903)
Emile Durkheim(1858-1917)
(Theoretical Perspectives)
2. Conflict Theory (Macro level)- Believes society is characterized by competition, exploitation and value-clashes.
-There is a constant struggle to obtain society’s scarce resources (wealth, power and prestige-these result in Authority).
- Emphasizes inequalities (stratification) among various groups (haves vs. have-nots).
(Conflict Theory)
Who? Karl Marx(1818-1883)
W.E.B. DuBois(1868-1963)
C. Wright Mills(1916-1962)
(Theoretical Perspectives)
3. Symbolic Interactionism (Micro Level):
-Examines face-to-face interactions.
-Society is based on Symbols (things to which we attach meaning).
-Looks at how people Define their surroundings, relationships, experiences, etc.
-Verbal and nonverbal communications (gestures).
(Symbolic Interactionism)
Who? Max Weber(1864-1920)
Charles H. Cooley(1864-1929)
George H. Mead(1863-1931)
Erving Goffman(1922-1982)
Which Theory is Correct?
*All of the theories examine a different aspect of society and the human experience-they are complementary and work together.*
