Download Sociology

An Introduction
What is Sociology?
 Branches of Social Science:
 History
 Political Science
 Economics
 Psychology
 Anthropology
 Sociology
Defining Sociology
 The scientific study of social structure
 The scientific investigation of human social
behavior from a group perspective.
The Perspective of Sociology
 Perspective- point of view
 Also known as a paradigm
 Paradigm shift- a change in your perspective
 Sociology focuses of groups or categories or people,
not individuals.
The Importance of Patterns
 Sociologists observe social structure-the patterned
interaction of people in social relationships
 Assumption that group behavior and social
relationships are not dependent on individual
characteristics of those involved.
 Emile Durkheim
Effect of Groups on Patterns
 Groups encourage patterned behavior
 Conformity-encouraged because of value attributed to
actions of a group
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Religious beliefs
Acceptable behaviors
Eating habits
Personal preferences
These factors contribute to social structure…those things
that are studied by sociologists!
Using the Sociological Perspective
 Perspective allows you to use a sociological imagination
 The ability to see the relationship between events in
individuals’ personal lives and events in their society.
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The “why”
C. Wright Mills
 Prevents mindless conformity
 Challenges “conventional social wisdom”
 Ex. Child-bearing habits in America
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Used to be common to have more than 2 children because of
families’ needs for labor
Now, “need” for children has changed
What is the Point?
 Sociologists seek to understand group behaviors…
 Level of analysis
 Micro…the actions of individuals and communities
 Macro…the actions of cities/countries/civilizations
 Either way…contributes to our understanding of the
things that affect and influence our world (past,
present, and future).
With a Partner…10 minutes
 Answer the following questions…
 What is a specific way society promotes conformity?
(can’t use my examples…)
 What is a benefit of conformity?
 A Drawback?
The Emergence of Sociology
 Emerged out of the social upheavals surrounding the
French Revolution (1789-1799) and the Industrial
Revolution (19th century).
 Individuals observed society and sought ways to
improve it.
August Comte
 1798-1857, French
 “Father of Sociology”
 Advocated for the scientific study of society
 Main concern was improvement of society in France
after the Revolution
 Coined the term “sociology”
Comte’s Contributions
 Positivism- believed sociology should be a science based on
that which we are “positive” or sure about as a result of
scientific observation.
 Distinguished between social statics and social dynamics.
 Social Statics-the study of social stability and order
 Social Dynamics- the study of social change
 Published A General View of Positivism (1844), contained
his sociological theories…centered on belief in social
progress
Comte’s Law of 3 Phases of Society
 Believed that history and societies were broken down into 3 phases
 1. Theological
 People believed what they were told by their ancestors (pre-revolutions
of 18th century)
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1. Animism
2. Polytheism
3. Monotheism
 2. Metaphysical
 Struggle to gain universal rights (during the revolutions)
 3. Scientific (Positivism)
 Attempt to solve social problems through scientific investigation (early
19th century-present)
Harriet Martineau
 1802-1876, English
 Very popular writer
 Best known for English translation of Comte’s book
 Wrote Society in America (1837) and How to Observe Morals and
Manners (1838)
 Society is influenced by general laws, the principle of progress and
population dynamics.
 Considered to be a preliminary figure of the feminist movement
Herbert Spencer
 1820-1903, English
 Primarily known for Social Darwinism
 Coined phrase “survival of the fittest”
 Believed more in the theory that evolution led to progress, rather
than randomized natural selection
 Society will “evolve” naturally, provided that people stay out of
the way
 Opposed social reform movements (temperance, voting rights,
workers’ rights, etc.)
 Inadvertently provided moral justification for company/industry
leaders to treat workers badly.
With a partner…10 minutes
 Do you agree with Herbert Spencer?...Should we rely
on “survival of the fittest” or support social reform
efforts? Explain your side.
 Be ready to share your thoughts.
 Things to consider:
 What happens to:
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The poor?
The elderly?
The underprivileged?
Social Darwinism
 Nazi Germany
 Believed that people with mental disorders or other
undesirable traits should be purged from society (put
to death)
Karl Marx
 1818-1883, German
 Concern for poverty and inequality suffered by
working class as a result of the capitalist system.
 Identified social classes in society:
 Bourgeoisie-those who own the means for production
(capitalists)
 Proletariat-those who work for the bourgeoisie
Marx’s contributions
 Major work was The Communist Manifesto (1848)
 Theorized that history was based on conflict between
the two classes
 A classless (communist) society would emerge in
which there would be no “under” class
 Believed that planned revolution of proletariat over
bourgeoisie would speed up the process.
Pure Communism vs. Modern
Communism
 Pure Communism- classless, stateless, oppression-free
society where decisions are made democratically,
allowing every member to participate equally.
 Modern Communism (Marxism-Leninism)- collective
authority of country’s resources lies with the state,
which decides upon the distribution of goods.
Communism vs. Socialism
 Communism…see previous definitions
 Socialism- an economic system of state ownership and
or worker ownership of the means of production and
distribution.
 Socialism closer to Modern Communism (Marxism-
Leninism)
With a partner…10 minutes
 What are the pros and cons of “pure” communism?
(Think of at least 2 of each)
 How might a leader/government take advantage of
“pure” communism?
 What is the economic system in the United States?
What sociological theory (that we have discussed so
far) does it most closely resemble?
Emile Durkheim
 1858-1917, French
 Known as the “principle architect of modern social
science”
 Established sociology as an academic discipline
 Founded the first European Department of Sociology
at the University of Bordeaux (France) in 1895
Durkheim’s contributions
 Society a result of consensus
 People agree to play by the rules
 Mechanical solidarity
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Pre-industrial, based on widespread consensus and pressures
to conform
 Organic solidarity
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Industrial/Post-industrial, based on connecting web of highly
specialized roles
Durkheim’s contributions
 First sociologist to use scientific methods of
observation.
 Published Rules of the Sociological Method (1895)
 Replaced speculation with observation
 Collection of data
 Used data to test theories
 Use of statistical analyses
Max Weber
 1864-1920, German
 Professor of economics at various German universities
 Framed the perspective of sociology as science
 Acknowledged that humans act based upon
circumstance, and that a discovery of the motivations
and intentions of people in societies.
Weber’s contributions
 Verstehen- German for “understanding”
 Used by Weber to describe yourself mentally in someone
else’s position so as to understand their decision-making
process
 Rationalization- a mind-set characteristic of industrial
and post-industrial societies that emphasizes
knowledge, reason, and planning (Ex. Agriculture
became a science)
 As opposed to luck, chance, and superstition
(characteristic of pre-industrial societies…approach to
agriculture was seen as dependent on uncontrollable
conditions)
Sociology in the United States
 Developed largely as an academic discipline in the U.S.
 1892- First Department of Sociology at University of
Chicago
 After WWII, at Harvard, Columbia, Wisconsin,
Michigan, Stanford, and University of Cal at Berkley
Early American Sociologists
 Jane Addams, 1860-1935
 Best known as a social reformer and founder of the Hull
House in Chicago (1889)
 Provided refuge for the poor, sick, and elderly in Chicago
 Received Nobel Prize Peace Prize in 1931
 Only sociologist to this point
 Has been considered a social worker, not sociologist,
because she did not teach at a university
Early American Sociologists
 W.E.B. DuBois, 1868-1963
 First African-American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard
 Worked to eliminate harmful effects of discrimination
in American society
 Examined social structure and inner-workings of
African-American communities in Philadelphia
Bell Ringer
 Difference between Pure Communism and Modern
Communism.
 Who created the concept of Class Conflict and what is
it?
 What sociological theory did Herbert Spencer create
where he coined the phrase “survival of the fittest”?
Perspective
 Perspective is the way you interpret meaning
 Ex. Ink blot test, dual pictures
 Also known as a paradigm
 You can have more than one, and they can change
(Paradigm shift)
Paradigm Shifts
#1
#2
#3
#4
Sociology’s Theoretical
Perspectives
 A theoretical perspective is a set of assumptions
accepted as true
 Sociology has 3 major theoretical perspectives
1.
Functionalism
2. Symbolic Interactionism
3. Conflict Theory
Functionalism
 Views society like an organism
 Functionalism- approach that emphasizes the
contributions made by each part of society
 A change in one part of society leads to changes in
other parts
 Has different parts that perform various functions
 Government, Churches, Businesses, etc.
 These “functions” maintain balance and order
Functionalism
 Developed by Emile Durkheim
 Proposed that societies exist because of “consensus”
 Members of society agreed to norms and values
(acceptable actions)
 Two approaches to the way societies interact:
 Mechanical solidarity
 Organic solidarity
Social Solidarity
 Mechanical Solidarity
 Cohesion based upon shared beliefs and values
 All members are fairly homogeneous
 Characteristic of primitive societies (e.g., huntergatherers)
 Organic Solidarity
 Parts of society fulfill different roles (similar to organs)
 Characteristic of modern societies (e.g., industrial
nations)
Functions
 Robert Merton proposed a theory on the types of
functions performed by societies.
Manifest functions
 Intended and recognized consequences of an aspect of
society (e.g., rain dance to produce rain)
Latent functions
 Result in unexpected or unintended consequences of
and aspect of society(e.g., effect of Christian
missionaries on African tribal culture)
Dysfunction is a negative consequence of an aspect of
society.
Example of Function
 A manifest function of school is to teach students
math skills.
 A latent function of school is the students making
friends.
Summary
Functionalism
Mechanical Solidarity
Manifest Functions
Organic Solidarity
Latent Functions
**Major point: Parts of society working as a whole
Symbolic Interactionism
 Involves interactions between people using symbols
Examples of symbols in society:
 Words
 Gestures
 Facial expressions
 Objects
Different societies interpret symbols differently (e.g.,
whistling)
Development of Theory
 Weber
 Asserted that individuals act based on their
understanding of the world
 George Mead
 Introduced symbolic interactionism to U.S. in 1920s
 Dramaturgy
 Idea that people in societies are comparable to actors on
a stage
 “Presentation of self”
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Acting a certain way in order to project a certain image
Dramaturgy
 Do you relate with the concept that we in life are much
like actors on a stage?
 Do you project a certain image of yourself to different
friends and family?
 What does the phrase “try to be everything to
everyone” mean to you?
 Does this concept sometimes lead you to consider
some people you know to be considered fake?
 All the world's a stage, and all the men and women
merely players: they have their exits and their
entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts,
his acts being seven ages.
 William Shakespeare
Symbols in Culture
 Symbols vary by culture
 Your “socialization” results in your interpretation of
symbols.
Nazi symbol
Buddhist Symbol
Native American Basketball
Team 1909
Conflict Perspective
 Conflict Perspective- approach emphasizing the role
of conflict, competition and constraint within a
society.
 Focuses on disagreement between groups in societies
(whereas Functionalism focuses on how they work
together)
 Society involved in a contest for power.
History characterized by shifts in power
 Links to Karl Marx’s theories…power struggle
Conclusion
 No 1 theory is right or wrong…
 All 3 work together to provide a clearer picture of
societies