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SOCIOLOGY
Chapter 1: The Sociological Point of
View
Section 1: Examining Social Life
Chapter Objectives
• Examine the nature of sociological inquiry or
research
• Understand the research done during the
early years of sociology
• List and explain the current theoretical
perspectives of Sociology
Background
• We live in a complex social environment
• Our view of the world is shaped by our
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daily lives
Values
Beliefs
Life styles
Historic events
Our friends
Our families
• All these factors help to mold us into the individuals we are
today… we are different from one another, but many of us
share the same perceptions and characteristics
What is Sociology
• It is the science that studies
human society and social
behavior
– Sociologist are
• mainly interested in social
interaction: how people relate to
one another and influence one
another’s behavior
• Always focusing on the group
rather than on the individual
– They examine the social
phenomenon which is the
observable fact of event
The Sociological Perspective
• Sociologists look at everyday events in
different ways to look beyond common held
beliefs to the hidden messages behind human
actions
• Our behavior is the result of social factors and
that we have learned our behavior from
others
• By adopting a sociological perspective, we can
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Increase our sense of what is possible
See beyond our day to day world
Think and act in different ways
Help us find an acceptable balance between our
personal desires and demands of our social
environment
How Sociology helps us
• We can gain insight into how our social
environment shapes us and we can in turn
shape our environment
• The ability to see the connection between the
larger world and our personal lives is what is
known as sociological imagination
– this was termed by C. Wright Mills
Sociological Imagination
“ The sociological imagination, I remind you, in
considerable part consists of the capacity to
shift from one perspective to another, and in
the process to built up an adequate view of a
total society and of its components. It is this
imagination, of course, that sets off the social
scientist from the mere technician.”
C. Wright Mills
What it does!
• It enables the sociologist to see the broad
social issues behind individual problems while
appreciating that those broad social issues
affect the lives of individuals
Social
issues
Individual
lives
For example!
• Scenario: Bob, middle-aged man, unemployed
for the last year
• Sociological imagination moves the sociologist
beyond their concern for Bob’s unemployed
status to see the social phenomenon of
unemployment that affects way more than
just Bob!
It gives people the ability to see the connections
between the larger world and their personal
problems.
SITUATION A:
A 15 year old high school student becomes
pregnant by her 16 year old boyfriend.
Describe some of the social consequences for
the following people or groups:
• The pregnant student
• The girl’s boyfriend
• The parents of the girl
• The parents of the boy
• School officials
• Society as a whole
SITUATION B:
A 17 year old high school student is caught
under the influence of drugs at school.
Describe some of the social consequences for
the following people or groups:
• The student using drugs
• The student’s classmates
• The parents of the student on drugs
• School officials
• Society as a whole
Sociology’s Place in the Social Sciences
• All related disciplines that
study various aspects of
human social behavior are
called the social sciences
• They include:
#1 Anthropology
• Comparative study of various aspects of past
and present cultures and is the closest to
sociology
#2 Psychology
• Study that deals with the behavior and
thinking of organisms
• Focuses on individual behavior rather than on
group behavior
• Areas of interest are: personality, perception,
motivation, learning
#3 Social Psychology
• Study of how an individual’s behavior and
psychology are affected by the social
environment
#4 Economics
• Study of the choices people make in an effort
to satisfy wants and needs
• Examine:
– Process by which goods and services are
produced, distributed, and consumed
– Effects of government policies on economic
growth and stability
#5 Political Science
• Examines the organization and
operation of governments
• Areas of mutual interest with
sociology include:
– Voting patterns, concentration of
political power, formation of
politically based groups
#6 History
• Study of past events
• Sociologists are interested in past events in an
effort to explain current social behaviors and
attitudes
Social Sciences Merge
• Over time, the divisions between the social
sciences have become less distinct and borrow
freely from one another in order to better
understand the social forces that shape our
lives
How Sociology Affects You!
• Think about how your life is influenced by the
values, beliefs, lifestyles, historic events, and
experiences of those around you
– Ex: impact of technology on your life is
sociological
– Ex: impact of Internet on your life is sociological
– Ex: impact of crime on your life is sociological