Download Sociology - MACCRAY High School

Sociology
An Invitation to Sociology
The Sociological
Perspective
• Perspective - particular point of view
– Example- your baby is cuter, brighter, etc. than
your friend’s baby
Sociology - Scientific study of social structure
(human social behavior)
Sociological Perspective - view that looks at
behavior of GROUPS, not individuals example relationship between women employment and
family size
Social Sciences
• Sociology
• Anthropology (investigates preliterate
societies)
• Psychology (human, mental and emotional
processes)
• Economics
• Political Science (Government)
• History
Social Structure
• Patterned interaction of people in social relationships
• Example - students and teachers relate in similar and
patterned ways (in all societies)
• Sociologists look at the power of groups and how
behavior changes in different situations
• Example - riot after championships, power of the
group
• Why conform (acceptance)
• Sociological imagination - ability to see
the link between society and self
• Challenges group assumptions
• Example - married couples must have children
Section 2 -The Origin of
Sociology
• Auguste Comte “father of Sociology”
• Positivism - knowledge should be
derived from scientific observation
(must be sure)
• Looked at social statics (stability and
order) and social dynamics (social
change)
More sociologists
• Harriet Martineau - emphasized sociology as a
science and feminism
• Herbert Spencer - Social Darwinism and evolution of
social change
• Karl Marx - social scientist that looked at changing
society, concerned about poverty and working class
Marxism
• Identified several social classes, but
said eventually there would only be 2
• Bourgeoisie (capitalists) - class that
owns the wealth
• Proletariat - work for the bourgeoisie
• Class conflict - struggle that will
always exist between the 2 groups
More sociologists
• Emile Durkheim - 1st to use statistical
methods to study groups, 1st to teach
Sociology at a University
• Mechanical solidarity - working
societies / preindustrial societies,
more conformity
• Organic solidarity - industrial society,
based on specialized roles
Last of sect. 2
• Max Weber - humans react based on their
understanding of the situation
• Verstehen - putting yourself in the place of
others
• Rationalization - mind - set that emphasizes
knowledge, reason and planning
• Jane Addams - social reformer, spent her life
working on social issues
• Hull House in Chicago
Section 3 -Theoretical
Perspectives
• A set of assumptions accepted as true
• 3 perspectives:
• 1. FUNCTIONALISM - approach that
emphasizes the contributions made by each
part of society
• - society may change but it will return to a
stable state
• - society is relatively whole
• Society rests on consensus
2 kinds of functions
• 1. Manifest function - intended and
recognized (schools teach math)
• 2. Latent function - unintended and
unrecognized (schools build
relationships)
• Dysfunction - negative consequences
• DMV - are all rude people
2nd Theoretical Perspective
• 2. CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE - approach that
emphasizes conflict, competition and
constraint
• - society is inconsistent and subject to
change
• - involves coercing members in the group
• - life is a competition
• Power- ability to control others
3rd Theoretical Perspective
• 3. SYMBOLIC INTERACTION - focuses on
interactions based on shared symbols
• Red light means stop
• Guide behavior towards other reactions
• Symbol - anything that stands for something
else but has an agreed upon meaning
• Flag and eagle - patriotism
• DRAMATURGY - least thought of approach
that depicts human interaction as
theoretical