Download Sociology

• Bias: unfairly favoring something/someone over
something/one else
• Culture: everything made, learned, shared by members of a
society
• Discrimination: the treatment of a person based on the
group/class/category to which he/she belongs
• Diversity: recognizing and appreciating the variety of
characteristics that make individuals unique
• Ethnicity: classification based on a shared common culture
• Race: classification based on physical appearance
• Prejudice: an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed
beforehand or without knowledge, thought or reason.
Intro to Sociology
Social
behavior
Science: the study of various aspects of human social
Anthropology: the study of humans, past & present
Economics: study of the choices people make in an effort to
satisfy their wants and needs
Psychology: study of behavior and mental functions
History: study of past events
Political
science: study of the state, government and politics
Sociology: the study of human society
Section 1
Sociology- study of society (behavior,
interaction, relationships).
Section 1-Notes
Society: collection of people with
territory, interaction, and culture
 Sociologists- mainly interested in social
interaction.
 Sociologists focus on group rather than
the individual.
 Sociologists examine social phenomenaobservable facts or events that involve
human society.
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Section I Notes
 By
adopting a sociological
perspective- you can look beyond
commonly held beliefs to the hidden
meanings behind human actions.
◦ Tells you that your behavior is
influenced by social factors and that you
have learned your behavior from others.
◦ Help you find acceptable balance
between your personal desires and your
social environment.
Section 1 Notes

Sociological imagination- The ability to see
the connection between the larger world
and your personal life
◦ “The capacity to range from the most
personal topics to the most intimate features
of the human self-and to see the relationships
between the two.”
Sociological
Imagination is a mindset for
“doing” sociology. It stresses connecting
individual experiences to societal relationships.
Sociologists
must "translate private troubles
into public issues," which is something that is
very difficult for ordinary citizens to do.
Section 2-Notes
Sociology developed in 1800s.
 Factors that led to development of Sociology
◦ Rapid social and political changes in Europe
◦ Industrial Revolution
◦ Factory replaced home manufacturing
◦ Urban populations
◦ Housing shortages
◦ Crime increased
◦ Pollution
◦ Demand for individual liberty and rights
◦ American and French Revolutions

Current Perspectives

Theory- explanation of relationships among a
particular phenomenon. Sociologists develop
theories to guide their work.

Theoretical Perspective- (school of thought)
provide a foundation for their inquiries.
Outlines specific ideas about the nature of life.
Three Theoretical Perspectives

1. Functionalist
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2. Conflict
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3. Interactionist
Functionalist Perspective
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Based on ideas of Comte, Spencer, Durkheim.
View society as a set of interrelated parts that
work together to produce a stable social system.
Society is held together through consensus.
Dysfunction-the negative consequence an
element has for the stability of the social system
(crime). Disrupt society, not stabilize it.
Manifest function- intended and recognized
consequence of some element of society. (car
provided speedy transportation)
Latent function- unintended and unrecognized
consequence of an element of society. (car
provided social status or popularity)
Conflict Perspective
Focuses on the forces in society that
promote competition and change
 Relationships among racial groups
 Disputes - disagreements
 Competition over scarce resources
(power/wealth) is at the basis of social
conflicts
 Those in power tend to establish rules
and procedures to protect their interests.
 Those with less power tend to try to gain
access to those resources they desire
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Functionalists and conflict theorists usually focus on
society in general or on specific groups within
society.
Sociologists who use an interactionist
perspective focus on how individuals interact with
each other in society.
Interactionist Perspective

Interested in how individuals respond to
each other

Symbol - anything that represents
something else, but members in society
must agree on the symbol (middle finger)
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Symbolic interaction- how people use
these symbols when interacting
Something as simple as…a license plate
Functionalism:
•manifest function: license plates were created to
track vehicle registrations
•latent function: license plates are collectibles
Conflict:
•The state makes car owners and renters have plates to
keep track of us--that shows us the power of the state.
•If we have some higher economic power, we can obtain
personalized plates
Interactionism:
•every car is supposed to have one--if we have a generic one
created by the state, we are simply illustrating our
conformity to the role of auto-owner or renter.
•If we have a personalized plate style, we are symbolically
communicating our support of whatever cause the plate is
showing the world.
•If we have a personalized plate the has unique
letter/number combinations that spell something such as
"SOCTCHR," we are sending a symbolic message about who
we are and that we are rich enough and clever enough to
have this special plate.
As a sociologist, you see:
A rich man driving an expensive vehicle.
How would a Functionalist view it?
 How would a Conflict theorist view it?
 How would an Interactionist view it?
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