summarize " Sociology 100"

Welcome to SOC 100! Please run your audio wizards

upon entering.

About Me

What This Course Is About

► Sociology is the scientific study of human societies. ► Sociologists examine the collective interactions of

people within a particular social structure and the meanings that these people give to their interactions with each other.

► Sociology examines the interpersonal, historical, cultural, organizational, and global environments that individuals inhabit.

Course Requirements

! ►Class Live Pro attendance ►Readings and videos ►Discussion board – One to two discussion

boards each week ►Quizzes ►Visual Sociology Essay

Class Live Pro

►Class Live Pro Sessions are Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30 PM PST for Weeks 1, 2, and 4. Thursday for Week 3 (October 16).

►If you are unable to attend: write a one page summary of the session and put it in the Dropbox by the following Friday at 7:30 PM PST.

Course Materials

►David M. Newman, 10th ed. (2014). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture in Everyday Life, Sage Publications.

►We have little lecture time, the burden is on the student to learn the material in the course through readings and videos.

►You will need to be familiar with them for the Discussions and Quizzes.

Discussion Board

► One to two discussion boards each week. ► Each discussion board has between one and three

questions. Answer one question each week. Answers should be substantive and interesting, and cite the textbook.

► Requirements for responses to classmates varies each week. Week One: Respond to two of your classmates. Responses should continue a conversation about the material and should say something beyond “Good job!”

► Be respectful, kind, and courteous at all times.

Visual Sociology Essay

►1. Choose a sociological topic to study, and post in the Visual Sociology Discussion for instructor approval. Required but not graded.

►2. Choose 5 or more images. ►3. Discuss your images in one to two

paragraphs in terms of your chosen sociological topic.

Visual Sociology Requirements ► Introduce your topic. ► 5 photos, one to two paragraphs discussing each. ► Must be in Word, PDF, or PowerPoint. No other

formats will be accepted. ► Must cite all sources, including photos. ► Works Cited, or Reference Section required.

Quizzes

►Quizzes based on the readings and videos. ►Study Guides posted. ►You have 48 hours to begin, and one hour to

complete once started. ►No Makeups.

Individualistic vs. Sociological Explanations

►Individualistic explanations ▪ We tend to look at internal qualities to explain

experiences. ►Sociological explanations ▪ We try to look at external factors that shape

individual choices and opportunities.

Thinking Sociologically

►Looking at “individual problems” ►Example: the break-up of a relationship, loss

of a job, or credit-card debt ▪ What are some of the possible individual causes

of these events? ▪ Now, examine this within a societal context.

What are some other possible explanations?

Contrasting Fields

►Biologists and psychologists focus on processes within the individual ▪ Biology: focuses on innate characteristics (genetics, bio-

chemical explanations) ▪ Psychology: focuses on personal characteristics (the

mind) ►Sociologists study what goes on among people

as individuals, groups, and societies ▪ Sociology: focuses on a systematic study of human

interaction (people as a part of the larger society)

Thinking Sociologically

►How might research on alcohol use differ among these three disciplines? ▪ Biology ▪ Psychology ▪ Sociology

The Sociological Imagination 
 C. Wright Mills (1916–1962)

► The ability to see the impact of massive cultural and historical processes on our private lives

► The ability to recognize that the solutions to many of our most serious social problems lie not in changing the personal situations and characteristics of individual people but in changing the social institutions and roles available to them

Major Sociological Theories

►Structural Functionalism various social institutions and processes in society exist to serve some important or necessary function to keep society running. What Function?

►Conflict theory views the structure of society as a source of inequality that always benefits some groups at the expense of other groups. Who benefits?

► Example: The Police