Download Sociology – The Study of Social Structure

Sociology – The Study of Social
Structure
Why is it unique – always focuses on
the social or group level
Social Sciences
• Sociology – studies human social behavior
from a group perspective
• Anthropology – studies culture, beliefs, and
material traits of groups in pre literate
societies
• Psychology – mental and emotional processes
• Economics – production, distribution, and
consumption of goods and services
• Political Science – organization, administration
and history of governments
• History – past events in human societies
Why are patterns important
• Social structure – is the patterned interaction of
people in social relationships (This is what
sociologists pay attention to)
• Sociologists assume that social relationships are
not determined by the particular characteristics
of the individuals involved
– Ex. Emile Durkheim used Bronze as an example of this
– Ex. Mob mentality – people doing things they
normally would not
• Tragedy or Joy can change group behavior
– Ex. Aggie Bonfire collapsing
Why do People Conform?
• All groups encourage conformity
• All members think, feel, and behave in similar
ways
– Ex. Diet, dress, religion, attitudes toward family
The Sociological Imagination
• People don’t make decisions in isolation
– Ex. Family size in America
• Sociological imagination helps us understand the
effects of events on our daily lives
– With this understanding we are better prepared to
make our own decisions rather than conform
• Sociological Imagination challenges conventional
social wisdom
– Conventional wisdom – ideas people assume are true
– Ex. Newspaper article against welfare
Origins of Sociology
• Began in late 19th Century Europe after the
Industrial Revolution and the French
Revolution
Auguste Comte (1798 – 1857) French
• Recognized as the father of Sociology
• Believed scientific study of society was needed
for societies to advance
• Coined the term Sociology
• Positivism – scientific observation to study
social behavior
• Distinguished b/w social statics ( stability and
order) and social dynamics (social change
Harriet Martieau (1802 – 1876) English
• Middle class origins and became a writer as a
source of personal income
• As a child she lost her much of her sense of
taste, smell , and sound
• Best known for her translation of Comte’s
book Positive Philosophy
• Wrote Society in America, which, established
her as a pioneering feminist theorist
– She linked slavery to the oppression of women
Herbert Spencer (1820 – 1903) English
• Compared Society to the human body to
explain social stability
• Introduced the term Social Darwinism
– Evolutionary social change led to progress –
provided people did not interfere
• Opposed social reform b/c it interfered with
the selection process
Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) German
• Did not consider himself a sociologist
• Believed that social scientists should try to
change the world rather than study it
• Thought that all industrial societies would
eventually have only 2 class (bourgeoisie and
proletariat)
• Class conflict drove society
– Ultimately the proletariat would overthrow the
bourgeoisie and a classless (communist) society would
emerge
Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) French
• 1st to teach a university sociology course
• Pre-industrial societies were based on mechanical
solidarity
– Widespread consensus of values and beliefs, strong social
pressure to conform, and dependence on family and
tradition
• Industrial societies were based on organic solidarity
– Social interdependency based on a web of highly
specialized roles. These roles make people dependent on
one another for goods and services
• Introduced the use of statistical techniques in his
research on suicide
• Showed that human social behavior must be explained
by social factors rather than psychological ones
Max Weber (1864 – 1920) German
• A university professor trained in law and economics
• Had a complete mental breakdown, but was able to
recover do to some of his best work
• Wrote about the nature of power, religions of the
world, the nature of social class, and the nature of
bureaucracy
• Believed in the method verstehen
– Understanding the social behavior of others by putting
yourself mentally in their place
• Identified rationalization as a key influence in the
change from preindustrial to industrial society
– Ex. Agriculture being based in science rather than luck, or
magic
Sociology in America
• Majority of all sociologists are from the U.S.
• 1892 – University of Chicago opened the 1st
sociology department
– Was the leader until WWII
– After WWII departments at Harvard, Columbia,
Wisconsin, Michigan, Stanford, and U.C. Berkeley
emerged as leaders
Jane Addams (1860 – 1935)
• Co-founded the Hull House in Chicago’s slums,
where people who needed refuge –
immigrants, the sick, poor, or elderly could
find help
– Had sociologist form University of Chicago visit to
see first hand the exploitation of the lower class
• Active in women’s suffrage and peace
movements
• Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931
– The only sociologist to win this prize
W.E.B DuBois (1868 – 1963) African
American
• Ph.D from Harvard in 1895
• Experienced racial discrimination and
segregation 1st hand
• Analyzed the sophisticated social structures of
black communities
– 1st in Philly then later in many other places
including other countries
• Active in the Pan African Movement
Theoretical Perspectives
• A set of assumptions about an area of study
believed true
• Competing, even conflicting theories usually
exist at the same time (just like in physics and
chemistry)
• 3 overarching theoretical perspectives
– Functionalism
– Conflict Theory
– Symbolic interactionism
Functionalism
• Emphasizes the contributions of each part of
society
• Sees all parts of society as an integrated whole
– A change to one will change the others
– Ex. Industrial revolution
• Assumes a trend to return to stability after
some upheaval and will be similar to what it
was
– Ex. Student protests in the 60’s
Functionalism cont.
• Believes most parts of society work to
promote survival and well being, otherwise it
would disappear
• Robert Merton (1996)
– Manifest functions – intended and recognized
– Latent functions – unintended and unrecognized
• Dysfunction – elements w/ negative
consequences
Conflict Perspective
• Emphasizes conflict, competition, change, and
constraint
• Opposite of functionalism
• Groups and societies compete as they attempt to
preserve and promote their own special values
and interests
• Those with the most power get the largest share
of valuables
• Social change happens b/c a shift in power
– Ex. Woman’s rights
Symbolic Interactionism
• Charles Horton Cooley & George Herbert Mead created
symbolic interactionism
• Herbert Blumer coined the term symbolic
interactionism and outlined 3 assumptions
– The meanings of symbols are learned by viewing others
reactions to them
– Once the meaning of a symbol is learned we base behavior
on them
– Symbols permit people to have internal conversations,
thus allowing them to act the way others expect & the way
they expect others to act
• Erving Goffman introduced dramaturgy
– Like actors people present themselves through dress,
gestures and tone of voice
– Presentation of self or impression management