Introduction to Sociology

Introduction to Sociology. Module 1: Foundations of Sociology.

Why It Matters: Foundations of Sociology. We are all members of society and we all experience a variety of social interactions every day Sociology complements many other subject areas and is pertinent to every aspect of your life You are an individual within society but also a member of several social groups that interact constantly and part of social institutions.

Sociology. Sociology is the scientific study of social behavior and human groups Sub-sections of study range from analysis of conversations to the development of theories and explaining how the world works.

What is Sociology?. Sociology is the study of groups and group interactions, societies and social interactions A group is any collection of at least two people who interact with some frequency and who share some sense of aligned identity A society is a group of people who live in a defined geographic area who interact and share a common culture Sociologists study small groups and individual interactions from the micro-level and trends among and between large groups and societies on the macro-level Culture refers to the group’s shared practices, values, and beliefs Sociological imagination (C. Wright Mills): an awareness of the relationship between one’s behavior and experience and the wider culture that shaped a person’s choices and perceptions.

What is Sociology, continued (1). [image].

What is Sociology, continued (2). Sociologists might also study the consequences of new patterns such as the ways children are affected by them or changing needs for education, housing, and healthcare Government benefits offer another example of how sociologists identify and study social trends Research has found that there is a strong stigma or attribute that is deeply discrediting attached to the use of government benefits Part of the sociological imagination is that the individual and society are inseparable and must be studied together.

Why Study Sociology?. The field of sociology consists of people interested in contributing to the body of knowledge as well as those interested in both the study and improvement of society Sociology has played a crucial role in desegregation, gender equality in the workplace, improved treatment of individuals with disabilities, and the rights of native populations Sociology can teach people ways to recognize how they fit into the world and how others perceive them and increase awareness of differences.

Sociology in the Workplace. Studying sociology can provide people with much desired knowledge and education that can contribute to many workplaces: an understanding of social systems and large bureaucracies the ability to devise and carry out research projects the ability to collect, read, and analyze statistical information the ability to recognize important differences skills in preparing reports and communicating complex ideas the capacity for critical thinking Sociology prepares people for a wide variety of careers include government agencies and corporations.

Practice Question. Which of the following statements best aligns with what a sociologist might say? Personal decisions an individual makes do not exist in a vacuum. Large groups of people living in the same society and experiencing the same social pressures will not act in predictable ways. It is important to study the individual without the society. Each person is unique and makes their own choices..

Practice Question Answer. Which of the following statements best aligns with what a sociologist might say? Personal decisions an individual makes do not exist in a vacuum. Large groups of people living in the same society and experiencing the same social pressures will not act in predictable ways. It is important to study the individual without the society. Each person is unique and makes their own choices. Explanation of answer: Sociologists believe that cultural and and social forces put pressure on people to make one decision over another. As such, personal decisions do not exist in a vacuum..

Introduction to the Sociological Imagination. The sociological imagination (C. Wright Mills, 1916 - 1962) provides a framework for understanding our social world and makes the connection between personal challenges and larger social issues Personal troubles are private problems experienced within the character of the individual and the range of their immediate relation to others Larger social or public issues are those that are outside of one’s personal control and the range of one’s inner life The real power of the sociological imagination is in how we learn to distinguish between the personal and social levels in our own lives A majority of personal problems are not experienced only personally but are also influenced and affected by social norms, habits, and expectations.

Introduction to Sociological Perspectives. Sociologists use paradigms to understand the social world A paradigm is a broad viewpoint, perspective, or lens that permit social scientists to have a wide range of tools to describe society and then build hypotheses and theories Paradigms can also be considered guiding principles or belief systems.

The Main Sociological Theories. A sociological theory seeks to explain social phenomena and are used to create a testable proposition about society, or hypothesis Macro-level theories relate to large-scale issues and large groups of people Micro-level theories look at very specific relationships between individuals or small groups Grand theories attempt to explain large-scale relationships and answer fundamental questions about society Paradigms are philosophical and theoretical frameworks used within a discipline to formulate theories, generalizations, and experiments performed in support of them Three paradigms in sociology: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.

Structural-Functional Theory. Structural-functional theory sees society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet the biological and social needs of individuals in society English philosopher and biologist Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1903) wrote about the similarities between society and the human body and argued that as various organs of the body work together, various parts of society work together to keep society functioning These parts of society are social institutions that include patterns of belief and behaviors focused on meeting social needs Durkheim believed that society is a complex system of interrelated and interdependent parts working together to maintain stability Durkheim believed that sociologists need to look beyond individuals to social facts in order to study society.

Structural-Functional Theory, continued. Social facts include the laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and all of the cultural rules governing social life Durkheim also studied social solidarity, social ties within a group, ad hypothesized that differences in suicide rates might be explained by religion-based differences Criticism includes that structural-functional theory can’t adequately explain social change and that dysfunctions may continue even if they do not have a function.

Conflict Theory. Conflict theory looks at society as a competition for limited resources This is a macro-level approach most identified with Karl Marx who saw society as being made of capitalist (bourgeoisie) an worker (proletariat) classes The bourgeoisie control the means of production, leading to exploitation Max Weber expanded Marx’s view to include inequalities of political power and social structure that is regulated by class differences and rates of social mobility.

Conflict Theory, continued. Ida B. Wells articulated conflict theory through theorized connection between an increase in lynching and increase in black social mobility W.E.B. DuBois also examined race in the U.S. and in U.S. colonies from a conflict perspective and emphasized the importance of a reserve labor force, made up of black men C. Wright Mills used conflict theory to look at systems of power and ways in which government, military, and corporations formed a power elite in the U.S. in the 1950s Conflict Theory has been criticized for focusing on the conflict to the exclusion of recognizing stability.

Symbolic Interactionist Theory. Symbolic interactionism is a micro-level theory focusing on meaning attached to human interaction, verbal and non-verbal, and to symbols Communication is the way in which people make sense of their social worlds Looking-glass self (Charles Horton Cooley) describes how a person’s sense of self grows out of interactions with others Threefold process: 1)We see how others react to us 2) We interpret that reaction, and 3) We develop a sense of self based on those interpretations George Herbert Mead (1863 – 1931) is considered the founder of symbolic interactionism.

Symbolic Interactionist Theory, continued. Mead’s student, Herbert Blumer, coined the term symbolic interactionism with basic premises that humans interact with things based on ascribed meanings that arise from our interactions with others and society and are interpreted by a person Mead’s contribution was to the development of self Symbolic-interactionists focus on patterns of interactions between individuals Criticism: research has difficulty remaining objective as well the narrow focus on symbolic interaction.

Reviewing Sociological Theories. Food consumption from a structural-functional approach might be interested in the role of the agricultural industry within the economy and how it is changed, different functions that occur in food production, or how food production is related to social solidarity A conflict theorist might be interested in the power differentials present in food regulation, the power and powerlessness experienced by local farmers vs. conglomerates, or how nutrition varies based on social classes or other groups A symbolic interactionist would have more interest in topics such as the symbolic use of food in religious rituals, food’s role at family dinners, interactions among members identifying with a particular diet, relationships between farm workers and employees, and symbolism related to food consumption.

Putting It Together: Sociological Foundations. Sociology can contribute positively in both your personal and professional life Due to the diversity of our society and a “shrinking” world, it is likely you will run into people from distinctly different cultures Understanding one another contributes to more peaceful interactions in our daily interactions A solid knowledge of the sociological imagination helps us see connections between personal experiences and how our life may be impacted by how society views us as individuals.

Practice Question. What is a sociological paradigm? A well-founded theory and framework used to explain societies, and formulate further theories, generalizations, and experiments. A theory that explains small-scale relationships and answers fundamental questions about relationships between individuals or small groups. A theoretical framework to describe society with specific aspects pertaining to different cultures. An educated guess as to the causes of a particular social phenomena..

Practice Question Answer. What is a sociological paradigm? A well-founded theory and framework used to explain societies, and formulate further theories, generalizations, and experiments. A theory that explains small-scale relationships and answers fundamental questions about relationships between individuals or small groups. A theoretical framework to describe society with specific aspects pertaining to different cultures. An educated guess as to the causes of a particular social phenomena. Explanation of answer: ”Paradigm” is a term used by sociologists to reflect a broad viewpoint, perspective, set of guiding principles, or belief systems that allows them to build hypotheses and theories. Sometimes the word paradigm is used interchangeably with theory, philosophical framework, or approach..

Practice Question. Which statement best describes the structural-functional theory? Society is a structure of interrelated parts that meet the needs of those who live in that society. Society is a competition for scarce resources. Face-to-face relationships among individuals within a society is very important. One must examine gender to understand human behavior and society..

Practice Question Answer. Which statement best describes the structural-functional theory? Society is a structure of interrelated parts that meet the needs of those who live in that society. Society is a competition for scarce resources. Face-to-face relationships among individuals within a society is very important. One must examine gender to understand human behavior and society. Explanation of answer: Structural-functional theory views society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet the biological and social needs of the individuals in that society..

Practice Question. The idea that people ascribe meaning to things based on interactions with others and society is the main idea behind _________. Symbolic interactionism Conflict theory Structural-functionalism Class theory.

Practice Question Answer. The idea that people ascribe meaning to things based on interactions with others and society is the main idea behind _________. Symbolic interactionism Conflict theory Structural-functionalism Class theory Explanation of answer: Symbolic interactionism focuses on how people relate to society and give meaning to their interactions with others..

Quick Review. What is sociology, including some of its central concepts? What is the value of studying sociology? What is sociological imagination? How is sociological imagination used? What are sociological theories?.

Quick Review, continued. How is structural-functional theory used to understand sociological concepts? What is conflict theory? How does conflict theory explain sociological concepts? What is symbolic interactionism? How do symbolic interactionism theorists view sociological concepts?.