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With permission from Kathryn Bruce-McTavish, HRSB
Intro to Sociology Activity
Question:
Quote from article:
What is Sociology?
What three areas of study
do most sociologists deal
with?
What is a society?
Many elements
determine the general
social conditions of a
society. List the five
areas as described in the
article.
1.____________________
2.____________________
3.____________________
4.____________________
5.____________________
My own ideas of what
this means:
With permission from Kathryn Bruce-McTavish, HRSB
Explain one point from each of the five areas in more detail.
With permission from Kathryn Bruce-McTavish, HRSB
What is Sociology?
Sociology is the study of the individuals, groups, and institutions that make
up human society. The field of sociology covers an extremely broad range
that includes every aspect of human social life. Sociologists observe and
record how people relate to one another and to their environments. They
also study the formation of groups; the causes of various forms of social
behavior; and the role of churches, schools, and other institutions within a
society. Sociology is a social science and is closely related to anthropology,
psychology, and other social sciences.
Most sociological studies deal with the major attitudes, behavior, and types
of relationships within a society. A society is a group of people who have a
similar cultural background and live in a specific geographical area. Each
society has a social structure—that is, a network of interrelationships among
individuals and groups. Sociologists study these various relationships in
order to determine their effect on the overall function of the society.
Sociological data can also help explain the causes of crime, poverty, and
other social problems. The field of applied sociology deals with the use of
this knowledge to develop solutions for such problems.
What sociologists study
Many elements determine the general social conditions of a society. These
elements can be classified into five major areas: (1) population
characteristics, (2) social behavior, (3) social institutions, (4) cultural
influences, and (5) social change.
1. Population characteristics determine the general social patterns of
a group of people living within a certain geographical area. There are
two chief kinds of population studies, demography and human ecology.
Demography is the systematic study of the size, composition, and
distribution of human populations. Demographers compile and analyze
various statistics, including people's ages, birth and death rates,
marriage rates, ethnic backgrounds, and migration patterns. Many
demographic studies explain the effects of social conditions on the size
and composition of a population. For example, several studies of the
1900's found a direct correspondence between the growth of science,
medicine, and industry and a decline in the death rate. Human ecology
deals mainly with the structure of urban environments and their
patterns of settlement and growth. Studies in human ecology explain
why and how cities and other communities grow and change.
With permission from Kathryn Bruce-McTavish, HRSB
2. Social behavior is studied extensively in the field of sociology. Social
psychologists usually work with small groups and observe attitude
change, conformity, leadership, morale, and other forms of behavior.
They also study social interaction, which is the way the members of a
group respond to one another and to other groups. In addition,
sociologists examine the results of conflicts between groups, such as
crime, social movements, and war. In most societies, standards of
behavior are passed on from one generation to the next. Sociologists
and psychologists observe how people adjust their behavior to conform
to these standards, a process called socialization.
3. Social institutions consist of organized relationships among people
and tend to perform a specific function within a society. These
institutions include business organizations, churches, governments,
hospitals, and schools. Each institution has a direct effect on the
society in which it exists. For example, the attitudes and the goals of
an entire society are influenced by the spread of learning and
knowledge in educational institutions. Some branches of sociology
study the influence of one particular type of institution. These
branches include the sociology of the family and the sociology of law.
4. Cultural influences help unify a society and regulate its social life.
These influences also give people a common base of communication
and understanding. The culture of a society includes its arts, customs,
language, knowledge, and religious beliefs. Sociologists study the
effect of each of these elements on social conditions and behavior. For
example, religious beliefs may determine the moral code of a society.
Sociological studies focus on the way this code regulates social
behavior and the role the code plays in the establishment of a society's
laws.
5. Social change is any significant alteration in the social conditions and
patterns of behavior in a society. Such a change may be caused by
fashions, inventions, revolutions, wars, and other events and activities.
Technological developments have led to many social changes since
1900. A number of sociological studies have concentrated on the
changes in education, social values, and settlement patterns that occur
in newly industrialized nations.
Smelser, Neil J. "Sociology." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2010. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.