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An Invitation to Sociology
Summary of Topics
 The Sociological Perspective
 The Origins of Sociology
 Theoretical Perspectives
The Sociological Perspective
 Sociology is the scientific study of social
structure.
 Sociologists look for the patterns in social
relationships.
 When you understand that your own behavior is
partly determined by the groups you belong to,
you are using your sociological imagination.
 You can benefit from this understanding when
you look at how and why you make certain
choices.
What is gained by using our
sociological imagination?
 an understanding of the effects of events on our
daily lives
 an improved ability to make decisions, rather than
just conform
The sociological imagination
 questions common interpretations of human
social behavior and
 challenges conventional social wisdom
sociological imagination:
the ability to see the link
between society and self
Definitions:
sociological imagination
conventional social wisdom
The sociological imagination
 questions common interpretations of human
social behavior and
 challenges conventional social wisdom
conventional social
wisdom: ideas people
assume are true
Definitions:
sociological imagination
conventional social wisdom
Illiteracy Rates
“Nearly all American adults know how to read
and write.” The map shows the percentage of
Americans over 20 years old who are illiterate.
 Is conventional social wisdom about illiteracy rates
really wise or true? Support your answer.
A perspective is a particular point of
view or a particular way of looking
at an issue.
*
What is sociology?
 The scientific study social structure (of human
social behavior)
What is unique about sociology?
 The sociological perspective focuses not on the
individual, but on the social, or group level.
The Social Sciences
 Social science is a branch
of learning that deals with
human society.
 It includes a number of
disciplines, which we
generally refer to as the
social sciences.
History
Economics
Political
Science
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology
 These disciplines differ but
they share enough in
common to overlap.
Social
Sciences
Anthropology
History
Economics
Political
Science
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology
 Anthropology investigates
culture, the customary beliefs
and material traits of groups.
Social
Sciences
Economics
History
Economics
Political
Science
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology
 Economics is the study
of the production, distribution,
and consumption of
goods and services.
Social
Sciences
History
History
Economics
Political
Science
 History examines past events
in human societies.
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology
Social
Sciences
Political Science
 Political science investigates
the organization,
administration, history, and
theory of government.
History
Economics
Political
Science
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology
Social
Sciences
Psychology
History
Economics
Political
Science
 Psychology investigates human
mental and emotional
processes.
Anthropology
Psycholog
y
Sociology
Social
Sciences
Sociology
History
Economics
Political
Science
Psychology
 Sociology investigates human
social behavior from a group
rather than an individual
perspective.
Sociolog
y
Anthropology
Social
Sciences
The Origins of Sociology
 Sociology is a young science.
 It grew out of the writings of European
scholars who were interested in bringing
back a sense of community to society in
the late 1800s.
 After World War II, America took the lead in
developing the field of sociology.
 The majority of all sociologists are from the
United States.
Auguste Comte–early French sociologist
 1798–1857
 father of sociology
 first to advocate the scientific study of society
 positivism– science based on knowledge of
which we can be “positive”
 distinguished between social stability (statics) and
social change (dynamics)
Verstehen is associated with the writing
of Max Weber.
Verstehen (ferchaen) is the use of
empathy in the sociological or historical
understanding of human action and
behavior.
Time Line of Early
Sociologists
C. Wright Mills publishes 1959
Sociological Imagination
Jane Addams awarded 1931
Nobel Peace Prize
1904 Max Weber publishes
The Protestant Ethic and
the Spirit of Capitalism
W.E.B. DuBois publishes 1899
The Philadelphia Negro: A
Social Study
1897 Emile Durkheim
publishes Suicide
Herbert Spencer 1850
publishes
Karl Marx publishes The Communist Manifesto,
1848
Social Statics
promoting a classless society
1838 Auguste Comte’s book, Positive Philosophy, identifies
science of sociology
1837 Harriet Martineau publishes Society
in America
Jane Addams – early American sociologist
 1860–1935
 social reformer
 co-founded Hull House in Chicago slums
 awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, 1931
 focused on problems caused by imbalance of
power among social classes
 active in women’s suffrage and peace movements
W.E.B. DuBois–early American sociologist
 1868–1963
 African American educator and social activist
 focused on the question of race inside and outside
the United States
 analyzed social structure of African American
communities
 active in Pan African movement, concerned with
rights of all African descendents
Emile Durkheim–early French sociologist
 1858–1917
 first used statistical methods in study of human
groups
 first to teach university sociology course
 showed human behavior to be explained by social
factors rather than psychological ones
Harriet Martineau–early English sociologist
 1802–1876
 emphasized sociology as a science
 translated Comte’s Positive Philosophy
 introduced feminism into sociology
 strong and outspoken supporter of both women
and slaves
Karl Marx–early German sociologist
 1818–1883
 guided by principle that social scientists should try
to change the world rather than merely study it
 emphasized the role of class conflict in social
change
 writings were later used as a basis for communism
C. Wright Mills–early American sociologist
 1917–1962
 called the personal use of sociology “the
sociological imagination”
 first described emergence of strong middle class
(White Collar, 1951)
 published Power Elite, (1956)
 father of student movement of 1960s
Herbert Spencer–early English sociologist
 1820–1903
 early proponent of Social Darwinism
 opposed social reform; it interfered with process of
natural selection
 compared society to human body; composed of
parts working together to promote its well-being
Max Weber–early German sociolgist
 1864–1920
 developed the concept of verstehen–
understanding social behavior by putting yourself
in the place of others
 identified rationalization as key to change from
preindustrial to industrial society
 pioneered techniques to prevent personal biases
in research
Sociology includes three major
theoretical perspectives:
SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
FUNCTIONALISM
CONFLICT
PERSPECTIVE
Functionalism
Emphasizes the contributions made by
each part of society
 Society is a relatively integrated whole.
 Society tends to seek relative stability.
 Most aspects of a society
contribute to the society’s wellbeing and survival.
FUNCTIONALISM
 Society rests on the voluntary
participation of its members.
Conflict perspective
Emphasizes the role of conflict, competition,
change, and constraint within a society
 Society experiences inconsistency and conflict
everywhere.
 Society is continually subjected to change.
 Society involves
the constraint
and coercion
CONFLICT
of some
members by PERSPECTIVE
others.
Symbolic interactionism
Focuses on the interactions among people
based on mutually understood symbols.
 People learn to interpret the meanings of symbols
from others.
 People base their interaction on their
interpretations of symbols.
 Symbols permit people to predict
the behavior expected of them.
SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
A theoretical perspective is:
 a set of assumptions about an area of study, in this
case about the workings of society
 viewed as true by its supporters and it helps them
organize their research
Which perspective is the best?
There is no “better” theoretical perspective.
 Each perspective highlights certain areas of social
life.
 The advantages of one perspective are the
disadvantages of another.
 Certain issues and problems are best understood
from a particular perspective.
Society Looks at the Internet
We can use technology to help us understand the role of
“perspective taking.”
 The Internet began as a way for military and scientific
personnel to share information after a nuclear war.
 ARPAnet (the Internet’s forerunner) was formed in 1969
with only four connected computers.
 According to some estimates, there will be more than 500
million users worldwide by the year 2003.
 Cyberspace technology showcases the usefulness of the
three theoretical perspectives.
FUNCTIONALISM
CONFLICT
PERSPECTIVE
SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
Think about it...
Which perspective would you choose to
conduct an in-depth study of the
Internet’s effect on society? Why?
Indicate whether the following
statements represent functionalism
(F), the conflict perspective (C), or
symbolic interactionism (S).
a. Societies are in relative balance. F
b. Power is one of the most important elements in
social life. C
c. Symbols are crucial to social life. S
d. Social life should be understood from the
viewpoint of individuals involved. S
e. Social change is constantly occurring. C
f. Conflict is harmful and disruptive to society. F
Chapter Summary
 Sociology studies patterns in human social
behavior. It assumes a group, rather than an
individual perspective.
 Sociology is a young science that started in
Europe. After World War II, Americans took the
lead in developing the field.
 The three major theoretical perspectives are:
functionalism (society as an integrated whole),
conflict theory (class, race, and gender struggles),
and symbolic interactionism (how group members
use shared symbols as they interact).