SOCIOLOGY Chapter 1, section 1

THE STUDY OF OUR SOCIETY AND ITS INHABITANTS

SOCIOLOGY DEFINED

• Sociology – the scientific study of social structure.

• individuals, groups, and institutions that up human society

SOCIOLOGY…

Sociologists study a “group” rather than an individual perspective. Sociology involves: • Predominant (major) behaviors • Attitudes • Types of relationships within society

PERSPECTIVE

•

Perspective is a particular point of view.

• Sociologists study

patterns

of behavior and

perspectives

shared by various groups in society.

•

EXERCISE

: Construct a map showing how you would get to Charlotte High School (from where you are sitting) • Why did you choose that route? Defend your route as being “the best” or “the easiest” or “the quickest.” • As social beings, our perspectives or social maps are not always the same • Thus, our reality is not the same, either

SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

• • •

Sociological Perspective

allows you to look at the behavior of groups – not individual or personal

Sociologists

attempt to explain these actions without relying on personal factors.

For example:

young men join gangs because SOCIETY has taught them to be “masculine” - to be “tough.”

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

• Social Structure is the patterned interaction • Sociologists are interested in a groups “patterned” interaction.

classroom or cafeteria?

GROUP VS. INDIVIDUAL

(individuals)

BEHAVIOR

• All groups encourage conformity ((behavior that matches a group’s expectations) • The group is more than the sum of its parts • Conformity occurs in a group because members have been taught to value the group’s ways (perspective).

• Question: Do you conform to groups even when your personal preferences are not the same as the group’s? Can you give an example?

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

• • A Sociological Perspective allows us to develop a

Sociological Imagination S.I.

- the ability to see the link between society and yourself.

• A developed S.I. helps us: – make our own decisions (not conform) – Challenge and question “conventional wisdom” (ideals people assume are true)

SOCIOLOGY Chapter 1, section 2

THE ORIGINS OF SOCIOLOGY

•

CONTRIBUTORS TO SOCIOLOGY

Auguste Comte

– French philosopher, considered the father of Sociology • • Developed theory called “Positivism.”

Positivism

states that social behavior and events can be measured scientifically. • • • Distinguished

Social Statics Social Dynamics Social Statics:

stability and order. from The study of social

Social Dynamics:

social change.

The study of

Harriet Martineau

• Popular English writer • Established the idea of “feminism” – Linked slavery and the oppression of women – Supporter of the emancipation of women and slaves – Women’s lack of economic power = dependence on men

HERBERT SPENCER’S AND SOCIAL DARWANISM

• Compared society to the human body and believed society had structure. – Like the body, society is composed of parts – (structure) that work together for survival of the whole.

– The eyes and heart are essential to the function of the body – Religious and educational institutions are essential for society’s function.

• Introduced

S.D. “Social Darwinism”

the fittest concept) superiority. makeup society. rich. This is done “naturally.” social selection (based on Charles Darwin’s theory of “natural selection” – a survival of individuals or groups achieve advantage over others as the result of genetic or biological • Believed people “evolve” into the different classes that • Society should not interfere and try to make poor people – Harm is done if society interferes with the “natural”

Karl Marx

    

Karl Marx

supported the theory of

“economic determinism”

despised Capitalism. and 

Economic Determinism

states that all social patterns and institutions were controlled by economic factors.

    Argued that of society.

economics

is the driving force behind history.

Ec. Det. formed the basis for Socialism.

Marx believed that

CLASS STRUGGLE/CONFLICT

is at the core Society is made up of a struggle between the “haves” of society and the “have-nots” Promoted a classless society.

“Haves” or owners of society = “Bourgeoisie” “Have-nots” or workers of society = “Proletariat” Believed workers would overtake owners (capitalists) and create a classless (communist) society

on “

EMILE DURKHEIM

• Preindustrial times society based

Mechanical Solidarity

” – Society existed because of a conformity among members of society – Dependence on family and tradition • • Industrial societies based on “

Organic Solidarity” –

social interdependency

Organic Solidarity

members of society play specialized roles.

– Each are dependent on one another for goods and services. No one is self-sufficient suggests that – People “need” stores and store owners “need” consumers

Max Weber

• “

Walk in my shoes!” • To understand group behavior, one must use the method

Verstehen

.

– Put yourself mentally in someone else’s place – Allows you to shed your values and see things from a different perspective • Identified

rationalization

as a key influence in the change of preindustrial to an industrial society – Rationalization emphasizes knowledge, reason, and planning • Pioneered research techniques that helped prevent personal bias from affecting results

W.E.B. DUBOIS AND JANE ADDAMS

• Dubois – African-American educator and social activist – Concentrated on racial discrimination within America’s society and the assumption that blacks were inferior to whites • Addams – Worked for social reform – She saw many examples of government and businesses exploiting workers – Focused on the social problems created by the imbalance of power among the social classes.

SOCIOLOGY Chapter 1, section 3 THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES

•

Theoretical Perspective

is a set of assumptions accepted as true • Sociology includes 3 major Theoretical Perspectives: 1) Functionalism 2) Conflict Theory 3) Symbolic Interactionism

FUNCTIONALISM

•

Functionalism

contributions or functions of each part of society.

– Stresses the ways in which groups work together to create a stable society.

– Society is an integrated whole – Change in one part creates change in others change?

size) emphasizes the • How does Functionalism explain social – Changes in the economy may change the family (Industrial Revolution and farming – family – Other examples?

CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE

• Conflict Perspective emphasizes the role of conflict, competition, and constraint.

– Focuses on the disagreements among groups or between societies – Examples?

• How does Conflict perspective explain social change?

– As the balance of power among groups shift, change occurs. – Examples?

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

•

Symbolic Interactionism

focuses on the interaction among people and on mutually shared symbols. – A

symbol

is something chosen to represent something else – Object, word, gesture • We learn the meaning of a symbol from the way we see others reacting to it – Whistling in America means something different then in Latin America.

– Disaproval