The Sociological Perspective

The systematic study of human society

What is Sociology ?

Scientific study of society and human behavior (Henslin, 2007) Systematic, scientific study of human society (Thio, 2000; Macionis, 2003) Scientific study of human and social behavior (Robertson, 1989) The process of scientific inquiry into social attitudes and behaviors and the cultural products of those attitudes and behaviors (Lamberton, 1998) The scientific study of human society; the study of social behavior and the interaction of people in groups (Landis, 1980) Nothing less than a special form of consciousness (Berger, 1963)

What is Sociology ?

Scientific study of society and human behavior (Henslin, 2006) Systematic, scientific Macionis, 2003) study of human society (Thio, 2000; Scientific study of human and social behavior (Robertson, 1989) The process of scientific inquiry into social attitudes and behaviors and the cultural products of those attitudes and behaviors (Lamberton, 1998) The scientific study of human society; the study of social behavior and the interaction of people in groups (Landis, 1980) Nothing less than a special form of consciousness (Berger, 1963)

Science

Requires the development of theories that can be tested by systematic research A body of knowledge obtained by logical, systematic methods of research which allows researchers to form generalizations (Honesty) Places isolated, seemingly meaningless events into patterns we understand

What Is Sociology?

• • • “...The

systematic study

of

human society

” Systematic • Scientific discipline that focuses attention on patterns of behavior Human society • Group behavior is primary focus; how groups influence individuals and vice versa At the “heart of sociology” • The sociological perspective which offers a unique view of society

Branches of Science

Natural Science Social Science

Social Sciences

 Sociology  Economics  Psychology  Political Science  Anthropology

Why Study Sociology?

Perspective

A variety of points of view of any given subject.

The Big Picture

Sociological Imagination

Allows us to see the strange in the familiar.

Global Perspective

The study of the larger world and our society’s place in it.

Why Take Sociology?

Education and liberal arts • • Well-rounded as a person Social expectations More appreciation for diversity • • The global village Domestic social marginality Enhanced life chances • • Micro and macro understanding Increase social potentials

Village of 100 people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNnbO8 x4JAY

http://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=jNnbO8x4JAY

Benefits of the Sociological Perspective

1.

2.

3.

4.

Helps us assess the truth of common sense Helps us assess both opportunities and constraints in our lives Empowers us to be active participants in our society Helps us live in a diverse world

Importance of Global Perspective

Where we live makes a great difference in shaping our lives Societies throughout the world are increasingly interconnected through technology and economics.

Many problems that we face in the United States are more serious elsewhere.

Thinking globally is a good way to learn more about ourselves.

Global Map 1.1

Women’s Childbearing in Global Perspective

The Sociological Perspective

Peter Berger Seeing the general in the particular • Sociologists identify general social patterns in the behavior of particular individuals.

Seeing the strange in the familiar • Giving up the idea that human behavior is simply a matter of what people decide to do • Understanding that society shapes our lives

Sociological Perspective and Sociological Imagination

C. Wright Mills

Sociological Imagination

“History” is happening so quickly that we can’t process what’s going on and we can’t notice that the world is changing quicker than ever before (Changes- technology, etc.) In general the average person is too scared or chooses to not to look at the bigger picture.

C. Wright Mills’ Sociological Imagination The power of the sociological perspective lies not just in changing individual lives but in transforming society.

Society, not people’s personal failings, is the cause of social problems.

The sociological imagination transforms

personal troubles

into

public issues.

One cannot understand oneself without understanding the social and historical context in which one lives.

College?

Career?

Marriage?

Your Choice?

Honesty

Do you consider yourself an “Honest person”?

Using a “sociological imagination” or perspective, what factors can you suggest might influence a person’s honesty?

How would you rate the level of honesty in your immediate milieu? School, neighborhood, community, nation…

Sociological Imagination

Groups -Discuss Sociological Imagination Illustrations In groups

Thinking Globally

-pg. 8

Seeing Sociology in Everyday Life-

p. 10

In the Times-

pg. 11

Thinking about Diversity

-p. 18

Controversy & Debate

-pg. 21

Emile Durkheim

1858-1917 French Sociologist, concerned with Social Order and Social Integration Pioneered sociological research with his study of suicide

Durkheim’s Study of Suicide Emile Durkheim’s research showed that society affects even our most personal choices.

•

More likely

to commit: male Protestants who were wealthy and unmarried •

Less likely

to commit: male Jews and Catholics who were poor and married One of the basic findings: Why?

• The differences between these groups had to do with “social integration.” • Those with strong social ties had less of a chance of committing suicide.

National Map 1.1

Suicide Rates across the United States

Figure 1.1

Rate of Death by Suicide, by Race and Sex, for the United States.

Teenage Suicide

Applying what you understand from the Sociological Imagination (perspective) discuss in your group: “How does the social and historical milieu suggest that the

personal trouble

of suicide is reflective of a

public issue

of teen suicide.

The Origins of Sociology One of the youngest of academic disciplines, sociology has its origins in powerful social forces.

• Social Change • Industrialization, urbanization, political revolution, and a new awareness of society • Science • 3-Stages: theological, metaphysical & scientific • • Positivism–A way of understanding based on science Gender & Race • These important contributions have been pushed to the margins of society.

Sociological Perspective

Learning to look at society in different ways Helps us see general social patterns in the behavior of particular individuals Encourages us to realize that society guides our thoughts and deeds

From our limited experiences … Judge the greater society Place blinders on our views Develop our prejudices Develop our discriminations Develop our concepts of right and wrong

Sociological Imagination allows us to think “globally”

Where we live makes a great difference in shaping our lives Societies are increasingly interconnected Many US problems are more serious elsewhere Good way to learn about ourselves

The Development of Sociology

Social/Political Factors of the Industrial Revolution • • • Rise of factory-based economy Emergence of great cities European political and social changes Flood of Anthropological Data Influences from Natural Sciences

Auguste Comte

1798-1857 The Father of Sociology French philosopher who coined the term “Sociology” Favored “positivism” Concerned with Statics and Dynamics

Herbert Spencer

1820-1903 Like Comte, concerned with Social Order and Social Change Developed “

Organism”

theory Applied Darwin’s Theories of Evolution to societies “ Survival of the fittest”

Karl Marx

1818-1883 An economist, concerned with Social Change through Social Conflict and revolution Developed theories of Class Conflict

Max Weber

1864-1920 German Sociologist who emphasized under- standing the social world from the viewpoint of the individuals Claimed that religion is a central force in social change, particularly in the advancement of capitalism in Protestant and Catholic countries.

Stressed Value Freedom

Harriet Martineau

1802-1876 First woman sociologist Translated Comte’s work from French to English Studied British and American societies

Jane Addams

1860-1935 Key founder of American sociology Developed study strategies to solve social problems Founded the Hull House Instrumental in the formation of several government programs

W.E.B. Du Bois

1868-1963 First African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard Created the NAACP Concerned with racial equality Advocated the use of force to gain equality

Sociological Theory

Theory: a statement of how and why facts are related • Explains social behavior to the real world Theoretical paradigm: A set of fundamental assumptions that guides thinking • • • Structural-functional Social-conflict Symbolic-interaction

Theoretical perspective:

Read pages 14-18-

Sociological Theory

In your notebook • Put the fundamental aspects of the 3 theories into whatever organizational scheme that makes the most sense to you. Make sure you include important terms.

JOURNAL TOPIC #1

(In notebook) Read pgs 19-22-

Sociology of Sports

- Pick another topic and analyze that topic applying the 3 theoretical perspectives.

Theory

A general statement about how some parts of the world fit together and how they work ; and explanation of how two or more facts are related to one another A statement of how and why facts are related Correctly predicts future events Makes the facts of social life comprehensible and understandable

Paradigm

A conceptual model that serves as a cognitive map to organize experience so that it has meaning and is comprehensible to the observer.

Theoretical Paradigm

A basic image of society that guides thinking and research A model of society, or an orienting strategy guiding views of and questions about society

Analysis of Orientation

Macro Level

Micro Level

Major Sociological Theoretical Perspectives

Functional Analysis Conflict Theory Symbolic-Interactionism

Functional Analysis

A theoretical framework in which society is viewed as a whole unit, composed of interrelated parts, each with a function that, when fulfilled, contributes to society’s equilibrium Also known as functionalism and structural functionalism

Functional Analysis

Focuses on Social Structure and Social Function Is macro-level orientation Argues that Social Order is based on Social Consensus Originated from the work of Spencer and Durkheim

Social Consensus

Condition in which most members of society agree on what is a “good” and cooperate to achieve it.

Types of Function

Manifest Function Latent Function Dysfunction

Critical Evaluations of Functional Analysis

Tends to be conservative Tends to dismiss change Overlooks the negative

Structural-Functional Paradigm The basics • A macro-level orientation, concerned with broad patterns that shape society as a whole • Views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability Key elements: • Social structure refers to any relatively stable patterns of social behavior found in social institutions.

• Social function refers to the consequences for the operation of society as a whole.

Who’s Who in the Structural-

•

Functional Paradigm

Auguste Comte Importance of social integration during times of rapid change Emile Durkheim • Helped establish sociology as a discipline Herbert Spencer • Compared society to the human body Robert K. Merton •

Manifest functions are recognized and intended consequences.

•

Latent functions are unrecognized and unintended consequences.

•

Social dysfunctions are undesirable consequences.

Conflict Theory

A theoretical framework in which society is viewed as being composed of groups competing for scarce resources .

Conflict Theory

Focuses on Social Tension and Social Change Is macro level orientation Argues that Social Order is maintained by direct or indirect exercise of power Originated from the work of Karl Marx

Conflict

Binds groups together as they pursue their own interests Focuses attention on social problems Leads to beneficial changes that might have otherwise not have occurred

Critical Evaluation of the Social Conflict Paradigm

Fails to come to grips with orderly, stable, and less controversial aspects of society Overemphasizes the negative

Social-Conflict Paradigm The basics: • • A macro-oriented paradigm Views society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and social change Key elements: • Society is structured in ways to benefit a few at the expense of the majority.

• Factors such as race, sex, class, and age are linked to social inequality.

• Dominant group vs. disadvantaged group relations

Who’s Who in the Social-Conflict Paradigm

Karl Marx • The importance of social class in inequality and social conflict W.E.B. Du Bois • Race as the major problem facing the United States in the 20th century

Feminism and the Gender-Conflict Approach

A point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men Closely linked to feminism, the advocacy of social equality for women and men Women important to the development of sociology: Harriet Martineau and Jane Addams

The Race-Conflict Approach

• A point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories • People of color important to the development of sociology: Ida Wells Barnett and W.E.B. Du Bois

Symbolic-Interactionism

A theoretical perspective that focuses on how people use symbols to establish meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate with one another.

Interactionism

Focuses on details of everyday life and interaction between people, and on how meaning is assigned to human interaction Is micro level orientation Argues that society responds through symbolic interaction Originated from the studies of Max Weber and George Herbert Mead

Symbolic Interaction

The interaction that takes place between people through symbols.

Critical Evaluation of Symbolic Interactionist Paradigm

Neglects the larger social institutions and social processes Neglects powerful issues of stability and change

Who’s Who in the Symbolic-Interaction Paradigm

Max Weber • Understanding a setting from the people in it George Herbert Mead • How we build personalities from social experience Erving Goffman • Dramaturgical analysis George Homans & Peter Blau • Social-exchange analysis

Critical Evaluation

Structural-Functional • Too broad, ignores inequalities of social class, race & gender, focuses on stability at the expense of conflict Social-Conflict • Too broad, ignores how shared values and mutual interdependence unify society, pursues political goals Symbolic-Interaction • Ignores larger social structures, effects of culture, factors such as class, gender & race

Applying Theory

Major Theoretical Approaches

Applying the Approaches: The Sociology of Sports

The Functions of Sports • A structural-functional approach directs our attention to the ways in which sports help society operate • Sports have functional and dysfunctional consequences

Sports and Conflict

Social-conflict analysis points out that games people play reflect their social standing. Sports have been oriented mostly toward males. Big league sports excluded people of color for decades.

Sports in the United States are bound up with inequalities based on gender, race, and economic power.

Sports as Interaction

Following the symbolic-interaction approach, sports are less a system than an ongoing process.

All three theoretical approaches—structural functional, social-conflict, and symbolic interaction—provide different insights into sports. No one is more correct than the others.

Symbolic-Interaction Paradigm The basics • A micro-level orientation, a close-up focus on social interactions in specific situations • Views society as the product of everyday interactions of individuals Key elements • Society is nothing more than the shared reality that people construct as they interact with one another.

• Society is a complex, ever-changing mosaic of subjective meanings.

Figure 1.2

“Stacking” in Professional Football

Sociological Theories

On the left side of the notes you took on Sociological theories- develop some chart, picture, mnemonic device, or other depiction to help you distinguish between the theories.

Share with the people in your group

Three Theoretical Perspectives

Social Networking School Religion Government Urbanization Funerals Family War