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Chapter 1 The Sociological Perspective In Conflict and Order: Understanding Society, 11th edition This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Sociology • Sociology is the discipline that attempts to understand social forces—the forces outside us that shape our lives, interests and personalities. • It’s the science of society and social behavior. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Assumptions of the Sociological Perspective • Individuals are, by their nature, social beings. • Individuals are, for the most part, socially determined. • Individuals create, sustain, and change the social forms within which they conduct their lives. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 The Sociological Imagination • C. Wright Mills wrote The Sociological Imagination (1959). • The sociological imagination involves – A willingness to view the social world from the perspective of others – Focusing on the social, economic and historical circumstances that influence families, groups and organizations Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 The Sociological Imagination (continued) – Questioning the structural arrangements that shape social behavior – Seeing the solutions to social problems not in terms of changing people but in changing the structure of society Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 The Historical Development of Sociology • Auguste Comte (1798-1857) – He coined the word sociology. – He sought to establish sociology as a science and emphasized positivism. • Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) – He provided the rationale for sociology be emphasizing social facts, which are social factors that exist external to individuals. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 The Historical Development of Sociology • Karl Marx (1818-1883) – He reasoned that the type of economy found in society provides its basic structure. • Max Weber (1864-1920) – He showed that the basic structure of society comes from three sources: the political, economic, and cultural sphere. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Sociological Methods: The Craft of Sociology • Sociology is dependent on reliable data and logical reasoning. – Sociologists try to ascertain facts by conducting an empirical investigation. – Sociologists ask many types of questions including comparative questions and historical questions. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Sociological Methods: The Craft of Sociology A sociological theory is a set of ideas that explains a range of human behavior and a variety of social and societal events. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Problems in Collecting Data • Although value neutrality is impossible in the social sciences, bias is minimized by the norms of science. • The idea of value neutrality can be attacked – Scientists should not be morally indifferent to the implications of their research – Such a stance is impossible – The type of problems researched and the strategies used tend either to support the existing societal arrangements or to undermine them Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Problems in Collecting Data • Research and reports of research must reflect reality, not as a researcher wants it to be. • Sociologists must display scientific integrity, which requires recognizing biases in such a way that these biases do not invalidate the data. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Sources of Data Survey Research Experiments Sources of Data Existing Data Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Observation Sources of Data • Surveys – The sociologist may use personal interviews or written questionnaires to gather data. – The researcher may use a sample. • Experiments – Sociologists use experiments to understand a cause and effect relationship. – The researchers compares an experimental group to a control group. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007 Sources of Data • Observation – The researcher, without intervention, can observe as accurately as possible what occurs in a community, group, or social event. • Existing Data – The sociologist can also use existing data to test theories. – The most common sources of information are the various agencies of the government. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2007